Challenge Question

[aainslie]

Damn, that was interesting! Yet another reason to dive sidemount... I swear one day we're going to start diving sidemount as the standard config.

Thanks Cindy - that was informative.

[Cindy]

It's not a win/fail test! LOL

I was blessed with mentors that had many years of experience. I think the stories they had about past "oops!" episodes helped me handle some of the challanges faced in exploring. My favorite story was told to me by Woody Jasper. He told me "there's always a little wiggle room". Those words flashed into my brain during the next story I will post.

I bet Forrest could post one! No one dives as long as he has without at least one "oh darn" moment! Cindy

[aw]

It's not a win/fail test! LOL

Nope. Not when we're cyber diving.

[skip]

I dive with Mike fairly often. And in very poor viz. He may have said he'd leave a line arrow and head for his stage, but I'd put money on his making a beeline for my reg!

-skip

[Mike]

I know it wasn't a win/ fail test, I said that in jest, should have put a smiley face by it.

Your right Skip, we never get more than a few feet apart & the caves we dive here we keep a close eye on each other.

Mike M

How much time was wasted locating the isolator, and then shutting it down? Or shall I ask, how much extra gas did you lose?

I can't believe how many instructors teach their students to isolate first, when the actual need to isolate almost NEVER happens.

Flame shields on!

[aw]

How much time was wasted locating the isolator, and then shutting it down? Or shall I ask, how much extra gas did you lose?

I can't believe how many instructors teach their students to isolate first, when the actual need to isolate almost NEVER happens.

Flame shields on!

Sludge actually makes a valid point. One I was not thinking about. If the left post had been shut off first, would there have been any additional reason the open manifold would not have allowed access to both tanks from the right side.

I guess a person could reach for the isolator and left valve at the same time with both hands in case one stopped the flow and the other didn't. Then once it was stopped, you could re-open the isolator to see if the flow restarted and possibly have access to both tanks.

Also, you mentioned there was a bouyancy problem cause the inflator hose got damaged too. If you were diving dry, you could switch hose connections or just use the drysuit as inflation. Was the inflator hose config coming off the right or left post?

[Angie Reim]

Cindy,

I have decided that you are the canary for dive gear testing. From the stories you have told me.... Thank God you are not a test pilot or a test diver for the new stuff.

Who else has had a 1st stage explode? Not many I'm guessing. I know that you take care of your stuff. You always carry backup, backups and yet I've been there too when you've had multiple equipment failures for no rational reason -- though nothing that couldn't be handled easily. BTW you stay very cool under duress. I've seen a few people who don't. Must be that ER traing.....

Promise me you'll ALWAYS dive with someone who is anal retentive with their own gear --- so just in case.

I know...someone like ME.

Good story. That one was close. Was Al the buddy?

Angie

[BillGraham]

Great post!

I also thought the line arrow idea was really good, considering the 3-8 foot visibility. It's also a good reason to carry arrows as well as clothes pins or cookies.

What to after finding the line is the really hard part of the question. It's a high flow cave, so you're going to use more gas going to look for your buddy. If you head out, you'll use less gas, but you don't know how far the bottle is, and you're swimming away from help.

The 150 foot part points toward having some help, both from a narcosis and gas usage angle. I'd have to think that I'm pretty close to my buddy if the visibility is under ten feet, so I'd go for him/her. This is all very easy to say sitting here in front of my computer instead of wallowing in the mung.

As for the isolater/post shutdown issue, I'm with aainslie.

[FW]

I bet Forrest could post one! No one dives as long as he has without at least one "oh darn" moment! Cindy

I have had several close calls. I did IRAPS on all of them. Since I didn't sign any, I may post links to them.