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Calling a dive

2274 Views 10 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  pyjamas, 
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I've just read Farmershort's post further down, and was prompted to post as the discussion about calling a dive reminded me of an incident last year. (Btw FS, I was on the boat at Eyemouth and had no idea what had gone on down there, so you must have been pretty calm and collected afterwards!)

Anyway we planned to dive the Somali, vis was rubbish and a few of us were feeling pretty rough. I still don't know why, although I wonder if engine fumes were the cause. I didn't feel too great kitting up but ignored it and went in anyway, having convinced myself it was psychosomatic from looking at the others. I was also keen to get in the water as I'd missed the first dive due to kit issues. We descended the shot line, vis still rubbish, but at about 15 metres I began feeling REALLY ill, as in on the verge of passing out. I signalled "not ok" to my buddy, who initially thought I must be having a bit of a panic about the darkness, but he later told me I looked calm, so followed me back to the surface.

He left me once the boat arrived, and I was pretty much immobile by then. I had to be hauled back into the boat and dekitted, where I spent the next 10 minutes head over the side feeding the fish. I'm fairly sure I passed out for a few seconds as well. My point is, I should have called that dive and never tried in the first place. Nothing terrible happened but the thought of vomiting through my reg, at 30 metres in zero vis, and possibly even blacking out, is quite scary.

I've read quite a few posts about being sensible enough to call a dive, and always thought, yeah I'd have no problems doing that, I know my limits. Yet when it came down to it, I did let my fins rule my head.
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bobalot
I had a similar experience on a boat. Did the first dive, no problem. In the Red Sea, so thankfully perfect conditions. Had a slight headache before the second dive, but was'nt to worried, after all it was only a headache. I should point out that I'd only done about 20 dies by then. Anyway took the option of a third dive.

Felt ok during the dive, but once back on the boat I started shaking, head pounding. We were coming in to dock and I had to stagger to the head and was sick as a parrot for what seemed like ages. I felt rather dreadful for the next few hours and have never had such an horrendous headache.

It never occurred to me not to go on that last dive. I still am not sure what caused it, fumes, dehydration, etc. But a good learning experience, especially so early on. These days I try to stick within my comfort zone, which is very limited, but it suits me.

I hope you did not suffer for too long. Your post reminded me of that dive and put a very rueful smile on my face, thanks.:)
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endoman
bobalot said:
I had a similar experience on a boat. Did the first dive, no problem. In the Red Sea, so thankfully perfect conditions. Had a slight headache before the second dive, but was'nt to worried, after all it was only a headache. I should point out that I'd only done about 20 dies by then. Anyway took the option of a third dive.

Felt ok during the dive, but once back on the boat I started shaking, head pounding. We were coming in to dock and I had to stagger to the head and was sick as a parrot for what seemed like ages. I felt rather dreadful for the next few hours and have never had such an horrendous headache.

It never occurred to me not to go on that last dive. I still am not sure what caused it, fumes, dehydration, etc. But a good learning experience, especially so early on. These days I try to stick within my comfort zone, which is very limited, but it suits me.

I hope you did not suffer for too long. Your post reminded me of that dive and put a very rueful smile on my face, thanks.:)
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Sounds very much like CO2 retention headache, horrid things!
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bobalot
endoman said:
Sounds very much like CO2 retention headache, horrid things!
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I take it that would be due to not breathing properly? Thankfully I have never had one since.
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mikecsmith
bobalot said:
I take it that would be due to not breathing properly? Thankfully I have never had one since.
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I used to get CO2 headaches all the time when I first started diving (bad breathing technique). I remember doing the third dive of the day in Antalia, Turkey, had done two great dives before, water temp about 16-18 degrees and I'd decided to forgo my hood. Head became very very cold during the dive and developed a splitting headache from cold and CO2 retention. Chundered into my reg at 6m on the safety stop, head spinning when I surfaced and felt ill for two hours. Bloody awful.

Didn't feel like I could call the dive mid-way through as it was a guided group of about 8-10 divers, was only my 20th dive or so as well and had never dived without a guide. Would definitely call the dive now, as have realised its pointless/dangerous to continue if you're feeling like that. I also didn't realise I could have signalled to the guide that my buddy and me would break off from the group and ascend by ourselves, rather than canning the dive for the entire group.
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bobalot
mikecsmith said:
I used to get CO2 headaches all the time when I first started diving (bad breathing technique). I remember doing the third dive of the day in Antalia, Turkey, had done two great dives before, water temp about 16-18 degrees and I'd decided to forgo my hood. Head became very very cold during the dive and developed a splitting headache from cold and CO2 retention. Chundered into my reg at 6m on the safety stop, head spinning when I surfaced and felt ill for two hours. Bloody awful.

Didn't feel like I could call the dive mid-way through as it was a guided group of about 8-10 divers, was only my 20th dive or so as well and had never dived without a guide. Would definitely call the dive now, as have realised its pointless/dangerous to continue if you're feeling like that. I also didn't realise I could have signalled to the guide that my buddy and me would break off from the group and ascend by ourselves, rather than canning the dive for the entire group.
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God, poor you mate! I was so close to doing that. Thankfully 'it' waited till I was back on the boat. I can't remember being told anything about CO2 headaches, I was worried I had got sunstroke, and for a fleeting moment, a bend!!

From what I remember I was buddied with the dive guide, as I was a single diver, but, to my embarassment (now!) I would not have called the dive.

Thankfully we live and learn (though my buddy would raise an eyebrow here!):)
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endoman
bobalot said:
God, poor you mate! I was so close to doing that. Thankfully 'it' waited till I was back on the boat. I can't remember being told anything about CO2 headaches, I was worried I had got sunstroke, and for a fleeting moment, a bend!!

From what I remember I was buddied with the dive guide, as I was a single diver, but, to my embarassment (now!) I would not have called the dive.

Thankfully we live and learn (though my buddy would raise an eyebrow here!):)
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Usually occur from rapid shallow breathing, especially in stress situations, I've had about 3 of them in a couple hundred dives, horrid things, I can sense it coming now and learn to slow right down, stop and breath, if you try to swim through it it gets worse.

Was buddied with a guy on Tiran last year who had this happen, I could see it coming and was able to advise, he didn't enjoy the blue looking for hammerheads, got stressed, we surfaced, got picked up in huge swell, he felt awful. Sat out next dive on Gordon and he did the third dive on the way back where we saw a white tip reef shark so ended well.
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Big Kahuna
Better up to up top wishing you were down below; than down below wishing you were up top.

The sea and wreck will still be there tomorrow, better to thumb it and dive another day.

The events of this weekend have brought home how precious life really is.

Dive safe people, dive safe.

Chris
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Fart Mersho
Sorry, only just seen this. Thanks very much for support Pyjamas... I'm finally happy-ish doing 35m dives in stoney, so i'm officially getting back on the horse now. next test will be the sea...

which one were you on the boat?

Adam
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P
for me the main thing is am i feeling happy. if im boired i will carry on for a bit to see if it gets better


i called a dive for the first time in ages at the weekend because i was a coombination of bored and also a little cold.(im in a wetsuit sue me) and i had a niggly feeling something wasnt right. it wasnt the pull dump was loose on my wing resulting in piss poor boyancy controll as it was auto dumping
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P
I was the only girly with Hexham :)

Glad to hear you're settling back into it again!
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