On Wednesday, August 09, 2000 4:50 PM, Confucio wrote:

(snip)
> Half a hour after a dive at about -30 mt, we decided to
> visit the wreck of a german plane of the World War II.
> This plane is lying in a sand bottom at -15 mt,
> about 100 mt from the shore. The plane is intact
> because it landed on water without fuel and the pilot
> was able to reach safely the ground.
> We had left in the tank about 70-80 bars just
> sufficient for a short visit of the plane.
> Even if the water was very turbid due to the rough sea,
> my three buddies decided to take some pictures with
> their uw cameras. So I gone to do a little exploratory search
> when suddenly I heard a strange sound coming from my
> regulator. I stopped for a moment and gave a look
> to the pressure gauge. It pointed exactly to zero!
> After a while the regulator stopped to deliver air.
> Gulp, my first emergency!  Surely I had to ask for air, but
> my buddies were so busy in doing photographs that I had not
> the heart to disturb them. So I decided. This was a good
> occasion to try out a free ascent. I began to ascent along
> a permanent mooring rope and in about 30 seconds I reached
> the surface breathless. When my buddies realized what I have
> done, they were very discomforted. One of them, the instructor
> who certified me, was particularly angry: "You stupid! why
> did not ask for air? you could get a lung overexertion
> or also a DCS hit"

> Well Folks, was I so rash?

Yes!  :-)

First:  The plane's been there for at least fifty-five years.  It's probably
not going to fly away before you have the opportunity to dive it again!  :-)

Second:  Was this visit to the plane part of your dive plan agreed to by all
prior to starting the dive?

Third:  What were the parameters for the dive in terms of gas supply?  (I
always regard 50 BARS remaining as being out of gas!)

Fourth:  Turbid waters and rough seas, you say!!!  Even more reason to keep
some gas tucked up your sleeve for that unplanned for emergency!  :-)

Fifth:  Swimming off by yourself while your buddies take pictures??
(1) It sounds as though you and your buddy were mis-matched.
(2) It smacks of over-confidence.

Sixth:  Running out of air should never, ever happen if you're monitoring
your instruments properly.

Seventh:  Deciding that <This was a good occasion to try out a free ascent>
suggests that you:
(1)  Ignored your pre-arranged emergency plan.
(2)  Didn't have one!
(3)  Haven't mastered the concept of the buddy system!  :-)
(4)  Don't understand the potential dangers of carrying out a 'free' ascent!

Eighth:  Ascending from 15-metres in 30 seconds is a bit rapid just in
itself.  To do so after 30 minutes at <about -30 mt> when - if you were
actually at that depth for the total time - you would have incurred a
decompression obligation, is to spit in the face of the gods of diving!

Ninth:  You haven't said what procedures your companions put in place to
ensure your well-being after surfacing!

Tenth:  You're pulling our legs!  Right?  :-)

Strike