From the dive log book of The Dark One:My 12th dive.
June 24, 2003.
Dove w. Chuckie.
Made near fatal mistake by diving to 90' platform and following an old rope deeper. Voice inside my head was saying it wasn't a good idea. Didn't listen to voice. Pitch black. Got very cold by 120'. Made it to platform and observed rope and float off of the moring post. Panic & terror set in. Hyperventilated when I lost sight of platform. Overbreathing regulator. Thought I was going to guy the farm. (Narcosis was rockin) Got a grip & thought back to training. Slowed breathing down & was able to think better. Adjusted BC till I thought I had a little positive buoyancy. Realized old rope was still in my hand in death grip. Started to hand over hand. Pulled self back to 90' platform and found Chuckie hovering like some fucked up fish. Signaled to Chuck I needed out! Did safety stop @ 15' for a few.
I don't know who this would even appeal to. I was looking through some of my old dive logs and remembered that entry. With the OBX coming up and the smell of da' bay on my mind... I thought back to my favorite dives and thought I'd share this one.
I don't think I have many (if any) divers even reading this, but there is a lesson to draw from it: When you're down deep and dark, and shit goes south, and you're in total panic taking a look at death.... Just slow down; breath slow; think slowly; wait; your head will clear no matter how bad you think it is at the time.
Lesson over.
Now... aside of that... If you can get a good nitrogen narcosis buzz on, then GO FOR IT, says I!!!
I also figured I had to post something here... and I really have nothing (appropriate without pissing people off) to gripe about!
Good advice! I'm no diver for this very reason...I've had too many near-drowning experiences without going 120 feet under!!
ReplyDeleteDoes this mean that I shouldn't tell you about my game I invented about 2-3 divers 20-60 feet down battling it out with blunt knives trying to cut the other divers air lines?
ReplyDeleteI only played it once with one other diver (a self proclaimed very extreme person) who never engaged in it again.
It was awsome... In my rules... if you wanted to take a swipe at the other person's body... you HAD to draw blood. It was great. To make this crazier... the day we did our first round of it... was when we were security/rescue divers for some newbies...
Now before you get upset about this... It was at a point where they were all situated in place, just waiting for this next goofy lesson... they didn't know what was going on... ... as far as we knew...
they didn't know what was going on...
ReplyDeleteheh...until the sharks started swirling around the pools of blood anyway.
Always good to know your rescue diver is busily trying to cut off someone else's life support, for FUN!! Just another reason not to take up diving. :-\
Perhaps that is why we air breathers dont have gills food for your brain oh Great One as always I am awaiting you words of wisdom
ReplyDeleteAh... My Most Worldly Brutha! (bowing low) Its because its just so damn peaceful and beautiful in its own strange sounds.... and sometimes... the most complete dark solitude, beyond any deep, dark cave... It draws one.
ReplyDelete-Your Obedient