My first open water scuba diving experience

My good buddy JT  has been free diving with me for the past 4 years, and recently delved into the insanely expensive sport of SCUBA diving.  He took all the classes and got certified through a local dive shop, and has been begging me to do the same since.  Lets all keep in mind through this whole thing that I have only used SCUBA ONCE, in a POOL while taking an intro to diving class at the city swim center, TEN YEARS AGO.  Well, he finally convinced me that it would be fun to do an open water dive at Fort Ross cove.  I read the entire dive manual, watched videos, read articles, and did everything I could to learn proper technique except actually take the classes and get certified.
   We chose a day to head out, and JT rented all my gear for me (since he is the certified/certifiable one).  The swell was a bit larger than I would normally free dive in, but I was told "It wont matter dude, we'll be UNDER the water."  OK, that sounds logical, lets go for it.  Upon arrival, conditions were amazing; flat water, small swell, and very little wind.  We each had two tanks and our plan was to do two separate dives with a little lunch and beer in between.
   JT hefted all the incredibly heavy equipment on my back and cinched it down, pointing out what everything was and what exactly it did.  Once geared up and half-heartedly willing, we entered the water by the book, crab walking while holding each others BCD straps.  Through the small waves we crab-walked, and out into deeper water where I was instructed to inflate my BCD.  Once inflated, I was quite buoyant and comfortable, no longer feeling like I had an anvil tied to my back which would surely kill me. 
   We reached a spot about 100 yards out in the cove around 30 feet deep, and put our regulators in.  We squeezed the release valve on the BCD and began our very slow descent into the abyss.  Just as the water was creeping up past my nose I had the feeling of "Oh shit, I'm gonna drown!"  Once relaxed, the feeling faded, and we both sunk slowly, clearing our ears.  Around 12 feet, JT points to the surface and looks slightly frantic.  We both re-inflate our BCDs and come back to the surface, upon which JT tells me “Its hard to breathe through my regulator.  Oh, my tank must not be open.”  Little red flag goin up!  You forgot to open YOUR OWN TANK?  Shit, what did you forget on MY tank?  Shoving these feelings and early warning signs to the back of my mind, I opened the valve all the way, and we began our second descent. 
   Once on the sea floor, around 25 feet, I practiced relaxing and breathing through the regulator, and shooting my dive partner hand signals.  Neutral buoyancy was quite a tricky thing to master, and it took a little practice during our trip to deeper water.  I got the hang of this whole swimming/breathing/not freaking out under water thing, and it became very pleasant.  You could look around at all the fish, sea stars, urchins, and giant abalone without having a couple minute time limit as with free diving.  Fun at last!
   After around a 45 minute down time, we had about 800psi left, and decided to make our ascent.  We re-inflated our BCDs and reached the 10 foot rest point fairly quickly.  A few minutes in the rest zone, and to the surface we went.  Swimming back to shore was a little harder after being down for so long as I was cold, my toes were numb, and I was tired from the rush of being in the ocean.
   After a long break, a small snack, and a beer, we set up the second tanks and headed back out, this time over twice as far in an attempt to reach 40 feet.  We also brought our spear guns to kill some dinner.  This dive was similar to the first, but I was even more relaxed.  The one difference was dealing with the stupid spear guns.  Every shot was an incredible challenge to secure the fish and reload.  We took to shooting in turns, helping each other out by holding the other stable while reloading.  It was fun, but a lot of work.
   With about ten rock fish in the bag, and 800psi left, we headed to the surface.  I started taking my break at the ten foot mark, but saw JT heading all the way to the top, then back down to the bottom again, then all the way up again.  What the hell man?  So, naturally I try to follow my self proclaimed instructor.  Finally, he stays on top, but kicking a lot.  I reach the surface with my BCD half inflated, and notice that we are incredibly far out of the cove, maybe 300 yards from shore.  JT yells something like “My vest wont inflate!”  in a gasping, spurting, panicked voice.
   He instructs me to inflate my vest to full so he can hold on.  Shit, this is not what I wanted for my first dive.  We aren't quite buoyant enough to float us both without kicking, and half-drowned JT tells me the release valve is stuck open, and it had let all his air out of his tank in an effort to inflate the BCD.  We decide to head to the nearest rock outcropping instead of shore, seeing as the rocks are about 100 yards closer.  Kicking with all our might, sputtering, swallowing salt water and vomiting, we slowly made our way to the rocks.
   Unfortunately the swell had just about doubled since we first arrived, and there were small waves surging and crashing on the rocks.  Well, too late to change our minds, or whatever is left of them in this exhausted state of panic.  By this time I have both spear guns, and I'm kicking for both of us since JT tired himself out attempting to reach the surface moments earlier.  When we reached the rocks, I put my regulator back in my mouth and sucked in some water with my first breath.  I had a little air left, and I thought it was a good idea since there were waves approaching us now.  Up against the rocks, I pushed JT enough so he could climb one, just as a wave came and tumbled me, disorienting me in the froth and kelp and smashing me into the rocks.
   I somehow managed to right myself and clamber onto one of the much lower outcroppings.  It is amazing how much heavier you are when you come back out of the water after a dive, its almost crippling with the amount of exhaustion I was experiencing.  I kept getting waves up to my chest, which were threatening to tear me off of my perch.  JT offered me and hand, and I offered him my weightbelt, which was thrown to the top of a rock, and he dragged my sorry ass up with him.  I felt like I had just been beaten with bull kelp for a day and could hardly move.
   I don't think I said more than two words for the rest of the day, or on the drive home.  I had also apparently lost the spear guns at some point during the fiasco, as well as one flipper, and my new snorkel.  The lost gear totaled around $250, but I suppose it was better than lost lives.
   Thinking back on the event, and reading into what had happened we could both think of multiple better ways of dealing with it.  Option 1 would have been to stay under, and fix the valve with a dive knife.  Option 2 would be to drop weight belts, making us more buoyant and able to swim to shore.  Many things were learned from this experience, but I have yet to venture back into the water without a nice, motorized boat under me.

   Cheers to stupid shit that DOESN'T get you killed!
                     -=Brian=-

Dam dude. Scuba gear freaks me out.

 

and JT rented all my gear for me (since he is the certified/certifiable one).

I used to work for a dive shop and we NEVER rented gear to anyone who was not certified. Anyway, glad you guys made it back safe.

Thanks for posting your experience.

Glad everything worked out, could have turned real ugly.

Thanks for sharing your first SCUBA diving trip Brian.  Glad you guys made it out OK.  Just curious, did you friend try to use the manual blow tube to inflate the vest?

Thanks for that well-written account of your ordeal. 

and JT rented all my gear for me (since he is the certified/certifiable one).

I used to work for a dive shop and we NEVER rented gear to anyone who was not certified.

That part of your story really surprised me too.  Scuba will literally kill you if you do it wrong.  Sounds like you guys are lucky to have just lost some gear.   

I suggest a new yak and waterproof camera.   

Ya scuba's scary. I'm learning to free dive an have no intention of ever moving into scuba

Just curious, did you friend try to use the manual blow tube to inflate the vest?

That was my first thought as well Sonny..all BCs I have used had a tube that you could use as a back up to blow them up for just that kinda scenario...

If that didn't work, ditch the weight belt like you said...

Glad you are OK bro, and thanks for sharing your experience with all of us.

Sincerely,

Jim

Hey guys, thanks for reading!  Wasn't sure anyone would read that long story...  Anyway, to answer some of the questions; yes, he tried the manual inflation tube, but it was the release valve that was stuck open, so no matter how the air got in, it still got out.  Also, he rented the gear for me, so no one knew an uncertified diver was using it.  Fun times, I don't believe I will be repeating the adventure any time soon. 

We both recently bought a small zodiac with a 9.5hp outboard together, so that is what we will be ab diving from this season.  It has been the perfect fishing and diving platform for us.  I would someday like a larger boat, but for now it is nice to have a 65lb boat that fits on top of my jeep or in a truck bed.  Pretty sweet setup, but not nearly as calm and relaxing as a kayak.  I look forward to fishing with you guys soon, -=Brian=-

Man dude, thats pretty scary.  I woulda stripped off both BC's and weightbelts, attach it all to the working BC and both you guys coulda swam it in. 

When your boy was going up and down in the water column was he thinking clear enough to not hold his breath on ascent, my first thoughts were burst lung.

I'll be a little less kind in my comments,

But I hope your story might save a life some day,

After I got done with my comments I decided to delete most of them,

My son is in his 20s and considering getting certified, I hope his instructors are as good as the ones I had 25 years ago, and I hope if he has any certified friends they have better judgement than your friend JT.

Thanks owning up to your experience and putting it out there for others to learn from.

Yikes. I  had a similar thing happen once while diving, but I managed to get the BCD valve to close after yanking on it a few times. I was then able to inflate it manually.

I am very, very surprised that a shop rented a set of gear without seeing two cert cards. I worked in a dive shop in SoCal for a time, and even the regulars couldn't rent more gear than they had cards for. There's huge liability for that I'd imagine.

I'm really happy you guys made it out of this one alive.

God damn, I'm glad you guys are alright!!! Sounds like it could have gone so much worse    Stories like these definitely make you think...  Sorry for your lost gear and all, but so glad to hear you made it back safe. 

I am with Dale on this one. I was in that industry for a while. I am very glad we are able to read about this and not an Obit or a life changing Decompression accident. There is a lot of talk on the boards about adequate training and practice to Yak safe, same applies here. Be safe, get trained. Then enjoy the fact you can breath underwater.
 For those that expressed some in-trepidation of scuba. If you can breath on the land then you can breath underwater! With the right equipment and training. I'm sorry to have to say that freediving is more inherently dangeruse the scuba diving. I love them both.
Just remember this

There are old divers
and there are bold divers
but there are no old bold divers
S

Brian that is some scary stuff.  The whole point of the certification process is to practice drills that deal with different emergency situations so that at least you have a practiced plan for saving yourself.  Your buddy should have dropped his weight belt when it became obvious the overinflation (bc purge valve) stuck open.  I have never seen or had that happen.  I hope this doesn't sour you forever on SCUBA.  A good cert. class and instructor can make it much safer and enjoyable.----Jeff