Five go down to the Seaside, one gets bent

[jph6969]

Sorry to here about this, but glad the lady in question will be OK.

After reading the report and this thread I am supprised to to see only a couple of minor comments about the fact that the symptoms were felt after the first dive but not reported!

The cause may or may not have been the profile, dehidration, ill equiped (i.e. gloves) etc, and finding the cause is benificial for everybody in the long term, but surely it is more important in the short term for those involved that we get across to all divers that having recognised symptoms or even if slightly unsure, they must be reported to someone.

I am not trying to critizie the lady concerned, we all know the embarrasment that can be felt, and the concern for fellow divers if thier diving is also curtailed, but these emotions are misplaced. In this case the second dive sould not have taken place and it's almost a given that the other members of the trio would have had a trip to the pot, had the symptoms been reported. Maybe you should consider a trip to the pot even though you seam to be unaffected. I know I would want to ere on the side of caution!

The trip report here is great, I just wonder what can be done to encourage people to speak up when symptoms present themselves?

Jason

[John N]

I'm fine and am not intending to seek medical attention. I didn't even feel tired on the way home - probably because I was careful to do very slow ascents.

Because denial is a symptom, the lesson I am taking is to be over cautious in asking about symptoms if there is any sign whatsoever of a problem.

The diver in question is Rescue trained so is aware of the symptoms.

[robindotadams]

Just a quick note as the 'lady' in question is actually my other half (I was stuck in a local school pool doing confined water instruction at the time... much fun!)

When she got back from the chamber last night we had a chat and checked her computer. Couldn't see any issues at all as to why it may have happened on the profile (nice slow ascent), and can only surmise that the overall stress of the situation (lateness, kitting up, etc) contributed. She had a headache before she went in and for most of the dive and it stayed when she was on her Surface Interval. As John says, the headache and stress build up probably over-rided concerns about a slight tingling in her hand, which she said hardly registered.

Having never been (knowingly) bent myself, I've no idea of what it felt like, but knowing her well I can understand why she didn't think much of it. Good experience for her and at least she knows what to look for next time, in addition to understanding the workings and theory behind a compression chamber.

From what I can gather, everyone is different in terms of their physiology and so some people may get bent on a dive when others on the same profile won't. My other half was affected on this dive, but no-one else seems to have been, so we have to put it down to 'personal' physiology. Needless to say it's better to go through this and be aware of it on a minor bend and learn to avoid the contributory factors then get a dangerous one in the future. We've both learnt and will be a lot more aware of it in the future when we dive.

[Janos]

And of course you can do exactly the same profile and get bent one day and not the other. DCI is a game of chance, not certainties.


Janos

[Andy Phillips]

Originally Posted by Janos

Christ mate. If you were a better f*&^%$in' fish and chip eater you would know what you're talking about.

I can't believe you say the best chip'n'dip comes from Dino's. I don't go there unless I arrive really, really, late on a Friday and everything else has shut up shop.

Of the places within easy walking distance of the pier, then the two fish'n'chip shops side by side are both good, but the one closest to the sea is definitely the better of the two. Occasionally they do have off days, when the batter can be a bit soggy, and the chips a bit underdone for my liking but generally they are very good. They also do excellent pickled eggs, which is great if you are blown out and doing rescue scenarios on the beach in the afternoon.

A bit closer into town there is the hot-baguette shop - it has lots of benches outside, a tank with several live lobsters, and sells plenty of seafood but also some excellent hot baguettes. I particularly like the hot BLT. Mmm. Chips are ok, but you don't get many for a £1.

Coming in closer to the pier, there is the bacon butty van just opposite the end of the pier. They do excellent bacon butty rolls, but I would thorughly recommend their brekafast rolls. Cheap at twice the price. Mmmm.

But Dino's? Pah.

Janos

Gonna be down there in a couple of weeks for the annual trip to Lizzy's mums, I shall check out all the local food emporiums and report back to you. Have to be honest, I am basing my knowledge of Dino's on the same criteria as you, in other words, Friday night and every other place is shut. It is just possible that my opinion is a tincy bit biased by starvation. CAN NOT agree with you about the bacon butties from the place across the road though, it took several years before they recognised me as "not just a tourist" and gave me more than the regulation 1.5 slices of bacon (under cooked). It has to be said, he now understands the meaning of the word crispy, and the sentance, "Oi, what do you call that, I said a bacon buttie, not two bits of bread and a slice of bacon mate!".

Actually, I can't wait, the Kyarra was my first ever UK dive and is now a bit like an old friend, all be it, an old friend who is getting a bit knackered now.

Take care,

Andrew

[Janos]

Well I will be down there this weekend. Where is this Chippy on t'other side of town [FX: Tumbleweed blows across traintracks...]

Janos

[MATTBIN]

[quote=Andy Phillips bit like an old friend, all be it, an old friend who is getting a bit knackered now.

Take care,

Andrew[/QUOTE]

Andy
dont be so hard on yourself mate, you look great for a man of 50

Matt

[PW1664]

Doesn't look a particularly agressive profile to me, not perfect but hey, on a wreck how many are.

The important thing is that she is ok now.

As for the rush, we all know that the tide will wait for no-one(always a bitch when you get stuck in traffic)... , on a spring tide the window was quite short this weekend so Dave probably had little choice but to hurry you. Infact Sidewinder was nowhere in sight when we entered the water, I seem to remember seeing her waiting with no divers on board when we surfaced, we were the last back on board the Swanage Diver and it was starting to run...

Some Kyarra vid from Sat & Sunday on the web later...

Keep safe...

[davelaut]

Hi everyone i wsn't going to reply to this particular article but here we go.

1. It is correct the boat was due to leave at 13:00 i actually left at 13:15.
2. Having arrived on site i put the first 4 divers in who were ready and had been waiting.
3. 18 Minutes after putting the last of the first 4 in the second group were ready to go in
4. At no time was anybody being rushed to enter the water. For the record no diver should allow them selves to be harrassed/rushed/bullied to do something that they are not comfortable with remember buddy diving is about having fun
5. A good point was raised by John look out for the quiet ones after a dive they may be experiencing a problem.
6. No diver should ever be embarrassed in to admitting that they have a problem or suspect that they have a problem.
7. Tell the skipper if you have a problem they will help you
8. Good Quality dive boats carry O2 and have skippers who are trained/qualified/experienced to administer it any person or group chartering a boat should ask the skipper if they carry such equipment and if they know how to use it (I Do and i am qualified).
9. Last but not least my aim is to ensure as far as is practicable that every diver who comes on Sidewinder has a pleasant experience and wants to come back again.