Analyze this..

[Howard]

In response to the very active thread regarding lost buddy, what would you do and why. Here is a real incident one of my best friend and I had many years ago, so feel free to analyze this one. Keep in mind that I never thought I'd do this but I did. I'm a former navy diver as are many on this forum and all of us will tell you that you never leave a buddy, well I'm here to tell you that it's the hardest decision you may ever have to make.

My buddy and I planned to stage dive that "upper left" side of the hancock map, sherwood split area, O2 at deco. We staged to the "toad stool" rock up hill 400, droped stages with 2000 or so. Go on back gas and when I reached 2200 (my turn pressure), I tried to signal my buddy to turn, He did not see my signal, so I stopped and waiting for him to return to me. That never happened. He turned around alright, but swam past the "T" that I was on, not seeing me, he swam further down the line, after 2-3 minutes, I swam further up the line looking for my buddy. In what was one of those unbelievable situations, we swam up one line down the other, without ever coming back in contact with each other. Thinking I was out in the double lines area, he searched in there. I thought he had exited the way we came in, etc, etc.
Decision time for me was, how long do I keep this up. 2400' back in the cave, I deceided that since it took 1100 psi to get where I was, that I could get to my stage on 1000psi IF I didn't inflate wings, or drysuit, and skip breathed. I also knew I could "re-breath" the gas in my wings for a 100' or so. So I spent another 45 minutes in Sherwood split area looking for my buddy. He did the same thing looking for me. When I hit 1000 psi, I cussed out loud, got a grip and started out, Absolutely the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I though what am I gonna tell his parents. My buddy was at the time and still is one of my dearest friends, someone that I love like a brother, so I was like leaving family behind.
On the exit, swimming past the reels we placed I left them in place, When I reached the double line junction room on the hill-400 I saw a light ahead and I was my buddy, after a big hug we continued out. I reached my stage with 200 psi in back gas, all of the 2000 psi was still in it (lucky huh?) and I remember having the worst headache I have ever had, and feeling like he and I were the luckest divers in the world.
Exit and deco were flawless. We ate lunch, and with out much discussion gassed up and 2nd dive of the day was to go retrieve our gap reels. That was a very difficult dive, but he and I didn't need to discuss it, we just silently got in the water and did it. Kinda like getting back on the horse afte being thrown.

Lesson learned, don't rely on light signals when in low silts passage, reach out and grab the fin of your buddy and communicate.

[Neptuno]

well, that sounds like a team that is not really aware of each other, not much to discuss, need to fix it or find a different buddy

[LCF]

I tried to signal my buddy to turn, He did not see my signal, so I stopped and waiting for him to return to me. That never happened. He turned around alright, but swam past the "T" that I was on, not seeing me, he swam further down the line, after 2-3 minutes, I swam further up the line looking for my buddy.

How bad was the viz? I can't imagine anyplace I've been, turning around and swimming past my buddy without seeing him.

[TONY CHANEY]

Thanks for the story. Having been there myself, I can relate. Hardest damn thing I have had to do. Good thing is that all three of us made it out. Future dives were conducted much better post changes.

[aainslie]

well, that sounds like a team that is not really aware of each other, not much to discuss, need to fix it or find a different buddy

Come on Christian. it's posts like yours that stop people from making honest posts like these. And as a result we all learn less.

I seriously do NOT believe that you've NEVER made a mistake in your cave diving.

[Howard]

How bad was the viz? I can't imagine anyplace I've been, turning around and swimming past my buddy without seeing him.

We we not on the same line. Beyond Sherwood split at that time (1996) there was a maze of "T's" we were in the same area in poor viz and on seperate segments. I see where it appears the we were passing each other on the same line. That didn't happen as far as I know.
My point in posting this is for those that are speculating as to what may have happened and the thought process that someone may have had. In contrast to a real life situation and the thoughts I had and actions taken as well as the rationale.

[BobK]

We we not on the same line. Beyond Sherwood split at that time (1996) there was a maze of "T's" we were in the same area in poor viz and on seperate segments. I see where it appears the we were passing each other on the same line. That didn't happen as far as I know.
My point in posting this is for those that are speculating as to what may have happened and the thought process that someone may have had. In contrast to a real life situation and the thoughts I had and actions taken as well as the rationale.

I think once you decided not to be on the same line as your buddy, or vice-versa, you were both diving solo. So meeting up with your now solo buddy would certainly have become more problematic. Did you plan to split up there, or did it just "happen" ?

[deepdiverbob]

We ate lunch, and with out much discussion gassed up and 2nd dive of the day was to go retrieve our gap reels. That was a very difficult dive, but he and I didn't need to discuss it, we just silently got in the water and did it.

This is the only part I didnt get. Me and my buddies recently had a line issue in Madison, and we all knew what happened, but it was discussed in great detail many times before we got back in the water again. I am not questioning you or your buddy, but just curious, why was there no need to discuss what happened?

[Neptuno]

Come on Christian. it's posts like yours that stop people from making honest posts like these. And as a result we all learn less.

I seriously do NOT believe that you've NEVER made a mistake in your cave diving.

no, thats not my intention, sorry, everybody make mistakes, but that kind of things should be planned ahead, like using clothpins or arrows on each T, always need to go back on the same way unless you plan it differently, but if you do go a different way out, you need to wait for your buddy, if he doesn't show up go back for him in the same way!, if you are in bad viz you will always run into him on the line