That time in Mobile Bay when my comms went dead at 90 feet

Honestly, I was on a hull cleaning job last spring, working solo on a big tug. My surface guy's voice just cut out halfway through. I had the full plan in my head, so I finished the section I was on, but it made me realize how much I was leaning on them for timing and checks. Now I always run through a full hand signal review with my tender before we even get wet, no matter how simple the job. Has anyone else had a close call like that and changed their pre-dive routine?

3 comments

3 Comments

cameroncarr3mo ago

Ever had your gear just freeze up on you mid-dive?

terryb112mo ago

yo @cameroncarr that hits hard, man. had my drysuit inflator valve lock up solid on a wreck dive off the Jersey shore once. water was around 38 degrees and i was down at 90 feet. suddenly i couldn't dump any air and started rocketing up. had to ditch weights and do a controlled emergency ascent before my suit turned into a balloon. never been so cold in my life during that whole scramble. still gives me the creeps thinking about it.

jamie1303mo ago

That sounds terrifying, cameroncarr. My old regulator once started free-flowing at 60 feet, which isn't freezing but sure felt like it. Never trusted that rental gear again.