Posted by finfan on May 12, 2005 at 10:38:07:
In Reply to: Out of Air Situations - Here's my experience, what's yours? posted by Anonymous on May 11, 2005 at 11:32:39:
Here's my out of air situation. Diving 40 - 50 ft, Clemente in heavy kelp layer on top looking for lobster. My buddy and I get down under 500 pounds. Look for an opening above the canopy. See what looks like strong protuding light a ways away and head off for the canopy opening. I kick stronger so usually lead. Along the way, my buddy spots an interesting outcropping and decides to check it out. I get to the opening and look back and my buddy isn't there. I check for bubbles, search above thinking maybe she went up and then decide to back track to find her. About halfway back I spot bubbles coming from over the ridge. I get to the ridge and about 25 ft away and into slightly deeper water here is my buddy with her arm under a ledge. As I get to her and get her attention, it starts to get hard to breathe and I signal that I need to go up. I take a few kicks off the bottom and suck my last air. Still some 30 ft below I do a controlled free dive to the surface. Don't even have to dtch any gear. All fine, about a minute later my buddy brings up an 8 pound bug. Her biggest ever, she's thrilled enough to beat me back to the boat.
Call me an idiot, I ran out of air looking for my buddy. Oh by the way she was my wife. So I'm an idiot, but I would due it again. Anytime, even knowing I might run out of air! The way I dive is under one simple rule, when air is below 1000 pounds be at a depth that I can comfortable free dive upward with with one breath of air. Been diving 30 years and still here to dive again, although in most of the people eyes on this board I'm now an "Idiot" or motivated to "kill myself."
I think most "idiots" make the mistake of passing judgement before they know the whole situation. I'm sure we will now see several rebuttals to justify why they think I'm an idiot, but the question was a good post and some just believe that a question on this board gives them some right to pass judgement.
Out of air scenerios can happen even to the most seasoned. Be prepared to deal with them as oppossed to believing only "idiots" have them happen to them.
Good diving to ya!