Imported post
i.e. as I was falling face first on the bus stop at Stoney with the tips of my fins caught in a gap between the wooden planks),
That sounds like a similar situation I saw on a Rhib in devon a few years ago.
I used to dive with a uni club who used ABLJs until we bought our own stabs - everyone who is old enough will know these things have crotch straps. A trainee had got fully kitted and then realised his crotch strap was dangling around his feet. Somone did it up for him... He finished his pre dive stuff and duely rolled backwards. I was coxing at the time, so as I put the boat in position, into neutral, checked around, shouted go.... I hear 1 splash followed by all other people on the boat falling about laughing.
The kind person who had done the crotch strap up had managed to thread it through one of the grab ropes on the Rhib, the poor trainee was in the water, head down, fins in the air, completely helpless to do anything. It was a good minute or so before any of us could bring our selves to help him. Sadly no pictures exist of this incident, if they did they would be all over the web by now!!!
Thankfully the release undid under pressure (or it could have been fun) and he was free, and went on to enjoy the dive.
It still brings tears to my eyes thinking about it!!
Paul