A BAD DIVE

[Zodiacdiverdave]

Well we finally got out for a dive, the flu and the weather has kept us grounded for a month. We dove on a Saturday which is not our norm due to increased shipping traffic where we usually dive but the weather for Sunday looks like crap. Just 3 of us went out so we only took one Zodiac, it was tight but do-able. I stayed up while Steve and Dwayne did the first dive, no issues other then fending off boats from our area. Then it was my turn, Steve came up first so I quickly got dressed but Dwayne surfaced just as I was close to rolling over the side so I stepped up my pace, mistake number one. When I rolled over I didn't have my fins on, I got that sorted out and headed to the bottom. As the bottom came into view my right leg fetched up good in my buoy line and I was dangleing upside down. I had to get upright to fix it and that is when my wieght belt dropped around my ankles and the rest of my buoy line got tangled in my gear. I headed back to the surface with my belt around my ankles and my line wrapped all around me, but I made it with out blowing out a lung or anything. Time to call it a day.
Dispite all that Steve did good with a couple of milks and two wine/rum bottles one of which is a free blown.
Oh yea, for anyone in Florida that thinks it's too cold to dive, the water temp here @ 80 ft is now 36*F.
Happy Dives everyone
ZDD

 

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[maipenrai]

I just love these stories! Lets you remember, there can be bad days too! At least you lived to laugh about it, and it will be one of the days that you dont forget.

 

[Southern_Digger]

Well we finally got out for a dive, the flu and the weather has kept us grounded for a month. We dove on a Saturday which is not our norm due to increased shipping traffic where we usually dive but the weather for Sunday looks like crap. Just 3 of us went out so we only took one Zodiac, it was tight but do-able. I stayed up while Steve and Dwayne did the first dive, no issues other then fending off boats from our area. Then it was my turn, Steve came up first so I quickly got dressed but Dwayne surfaced just as I was close to rolling over the side so I stepped up my pace, mistake number one. When I rolled over I didn't have my fins on, I got that sorted out and headed to the bottom. As the bottom came into view my right leg fetched up good in my buoy line and I was dangleing upside down. I had to get upright to fix it and that is when my wieght belt dropped around my ankles and the rest of my buoy line got tangled in my gear. I headed back to the surface with my belt around my ankles and my line wrapped all around me, but I made it with out blowing out a lung or anything. Time to call it a day.
Dispite all that Steve did good with a couple of milks and two wine/rum bottles one of which is a free blown.
Oh yea, for anyone in Florida that thinks it's too cold to dive, the water temp here @ 80 ft is now 36*F.
Happy Dives everyone
ZDD

Are you kidding me? 60-degrees is too cold for this south Floridian, Nice bottles

 

[Darren in NC]

Nice call, Dave. It's not funny when crap happens like this. But once you get that funky feeling, it's best not to force it. It was definitely time to head back to the surface and dive another day. Good call indeed.

 

[birdman]

That could have been bad.. Glad you were able to stay calm and get back to the surface!
That black glass is fantastic and in one piece also!!

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

Definitely not one of my better dives that's for sure. When I have situations like this I look back on it and think of things I could have done differently. For starters I should not have hurried my entry, then I should have synched up my weight belt when I was on the surface (I usually do this but forgot to this time). Next and I have been meaning to do this for decades but some how I never do, TRIM MY FIN STRAPS AND TAPE THEM. This will be done before I dive again. Next take some of the slack out of my line, I have 125 ft of line for a 90 ft dive, should be closer to 110.
If I would have had my fin straps trimmed and taped I wouldn't have got tangled and none of that would have happened.
I diving solo for almost all my dives and I should have addressed these gear issues much sooner. I would advise everyone to deal with there gear issues long before they become a major issue.

Now let's get back to diving.
ZDD

 

[Hangingfor8]

ZDD
This wasn't a wasted dive. We need little dives like this to remind us to stay sharp on the little things. You lived to dive another day and you've obviously learned something from it... so it was a good dive.
The water temp is in the 60's here and I don't even like to get my feet wet... burr

 

[VOC]

Treat yourself to a harness weight belt something like this Weight Systems

Much more comfortable and a whole lot safer when you are working.

DUI make one called the "Weight and Trim" DUI Weight & Trim System for Scuba Divers

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

Treat yourself to a harness weight belt something like this Weight Systems

Much more comfortable and a whole lot safer when you are working.

DUI make one called the "Weight and Trim" DUI Weight & Trim System for Scuba Divers

Thanks VOC, I have considered this type of harness but for diving solo from an inflatable when we get back to the boat the first thing we have to get off and throw into the boat or tie off to the hang lines is the wieght belt. This way when we take the tank and BC off we don't have to worry about sinking back down without a regulator. Steve discovered this lesson the hard way for us . With the harness we would have to remove tank and harness first.
We have to remain sharp and not rush into a dive, remembering to double check our gear before going into the water and again before going down and again when we hit the bottom. And above all try to avoid the accidents before they happen by keep our gear in perfect form.
ZDD

 

[Whitt]

Dave,


Hollis makes an awesome pair of bomb proof fins with stainless spring straps. Best pair I've ever had. I used to come up and dive the Halifax area every summer but between fuel prices (driving from NJ), and getting married, I haven't made the trip in years. Awesome diving up there. Coldest dive I ever made was up there, well below freezing, top to bottom ( I think it was 28 degrees if that's possible). Thanks for posting your pics. -- Whitt

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

Dave,


Hollis makes an awesome pair of bomb proof fins with stainless spring straps. Best pair I've ever had. I used to come up and dive the Halifax area every summer but between fuel prices (driving from NJ), and getting married, I haven't made the trip in years. Awesome diving up there. Coldest dive I ever made was up there, well below freezing, top to bottom ( I think it was 28 degrees if that's possible). Thanks for posting your pics. -- Whitt

Thanks mate, I'll have a look at them, but stainless spring staps, holly molly I am still trying to get use to this new fangled 2 piece regulator that blows all the bubbles up in your face. Na just kidding, I switched over a few years back.
Yea, we have seen 28*F here, the first 3 or 4 feet are just slush but I wouldn't want to do that in a wet suit. If you ever find yourself coming back this way PM me and I can get you out for a splash. I will see if I can find a warmer spot, maybe in the 40s.
ZDD

 

[Whitt]

Thanks Dave, someday I'll get back. Found some really cool bottles up there. I remember when I first started diving up there we would do a shakedown dive in Prospect Cove. Two of my favorite finds came from there, a clay pipe where the bowl is a face (I think they call it a Turks Head) and a really cool ceramic ink well. I miss making that trip.

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

Thanks Dave, someday I'll get back. Found some really cool bottles up there. I remember when I first started diving up there we would do a shakedown dive in Prospect Cove. Two of my favorite finds came from there, a clay pipe where the bowl is a face (I think they call it a Turks Head) and a really cool ceramic ink well. I miss making that trip.

Hey Whitt, did your pipe look like this one, Prospect is one of those places that always turns up good artifacts. It use to have a large population back in the 1800s with at least 3 taverns on the water. What is most interesting is that this is the area where the HMS Fanton went on the rocks. Now, it was believed for years that this ship was returning from the raid on Washinton when the British burn down the White House and headed for home with a ton of treasure in her holds. Shipwrecks of Nova Scotia

A freind back in the 80's dove the spot for a summer and then quietly went down to NY and apparently sold of his booty. What I know for a fact is that when he returned he sold off his share of his dive shop bussiness and bought a house in Florida and one in PEI. He never did let out any of his secrets, now that's treasure hunting.
ZDD

 

[Whitt]

Close, but mine is different. I'll see if I can dig it out and take a picture for you. Got to remember where I put it first... I'll tell you a funny story: The first time I took my brother up to Halifax he was a pretty new diver. We did the shakedown dive at prospect and he came up with a huge bag of bottles. He was so excited and all the guys huddled around to check out his score. They must have been thinking, wow, this new guy is amazing. So it turns out he really didn't have a clue what was old or valuable so he was just grabbing everything. His bag was filled with modern beer and liquor bottles. A friend of mine grabbed me and said, hey you better go have a talk with your brother... It was pretty funny.

We also used to dive at Eastport Maine on the way up. Great bottle and pipe dive site. Thanks for the pic.

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

Close, but mine is different. I'll see if I can dig it out and take a picture for you. Got to remember where I put it first... I'll tell you a funny story: The first time I took my brother up to Halifax he was a pretty new diver. We did the shakedown dive at prospect and he came up with a huge bag of bottles. He was so excited and all the guys huddled around to check out his score. They must have been thinking, wow, this new guy is amazing. So it turns out he really didn't have a clue what was old or valuable so he was just grabbing everything. His bag was filled with modern beer and liquor bottles. A friend of mine grabbed me and said, hey you better go have a talk with your brother... It was pretty funny.

We also used to dive at Eastport Maine on the way up. Great bottle and pipe dive site. Thanks for the pic.

I know what your talking about and have seen many divers come up and are all worked up about finding a 1970s Cocacola bottle. But I still like seeing the excitement in their faces and I know they are going to proudly display that treasure.
ZDD