Pony Bottle Near Tragedy.

[bubblejunkie]

I was diving with a friend a few weeks ago and came across a bad situation, I wanted to share, I've never dealt with or heard about. My friend just started diving with a pony bottle because he wanted that extra margin of safety, I thought cool one less guy to worry about. However,

While suiting up He put everything together, turned on main tank, drew in a breath checked gauges everything worked, turned off main tank. Same procedure for the pony, except didn't turn it off. 20 minutes later strapped everything and grabbed the pony regulater thinking it was the main tank, drew a few breaths while watching his pressure gauge it didn't move, everythings fine right, HELL NO.

Well at depth 80 feet or so you can imagine the situation, I was close and was able to get to him when I realized someting wasn't, He never could get his main tank on and took my primary when I got close enough he panics and we are on the surface before I could stop him/us. I got him to the boat and went back down did a little deco got my heart rate back and everyone survived, this time. Moral I guess, watch out for yourself and the guys next to ya.

Just wanted to share, I always try to learn from mistakes weather mine or not. Thanks

[Marcus]

Wow. In that sort of situation, I believe that I would do the right thing and not endanger my buddies life. Glad it ended up ok. That's scary stuff there.

[richhermes]

Let me guess, he's got the same model and color reg on his pony bottle and his main tank.

[Steve Bennett]

You beat me to it.

Let me guess, he's got the same model and color reg on his pony bottle and his main tank.

[bgbill]

It sounds like someone needs some training on how to set up a pony bottle and use it.

[dagodiver]

Glad all came out well..!!

I must say that valve drills are mandatory before each decent. I know you are all going to blast me because you all are in a race to the bottom and dont have time for that but the bottom line is that it only takes 5 seconds to do all the valve drills and you can do this on the way to the bottom all by yourself. Deco/stage/hang or murphy bottle what ever you call it SHOULD never be on EVER unless you are breathing off of it.... PERIOD...!!!!
If you can not reach your pony/stage/deco or whatever bottle to turn it on and off under water you need to carry it in another fashion so you can. Reg's are not the proper way of telling you what you are breathing.
Rant over glad all is well.

p.s i can do all my valve drills on the decent with set of doubles and 3 deco bottles in under 15 seconds and I am old and slow.


Dago.

[fishhunta]

Dago, Do you need to pressurize the deco bottles and then turn them off?? I would think that with the increase in external pressure during descent, water could penetrate through the second stage.

[bubblejunkie]

Dago I agree, except for the race! Not me, I really liked the way you guys dove except on the deco, I get bored to easy. Thanks man

[dagodiver]

Dago, Do you need to pressurize the deco bottles and then turn them off?? I would think that with the increase in external pressure during descent, water could penetrate through the second stage.


Paul,
Yes they are first pressurized on the first valve drill then when I get to the bottom and get all comfortable I pressurize them again. My regs were just serviced and were not in bad shape even with having to take them off a few times under water to loan them to a friend because theres needed to be serviced.
:rolleyes:

Dago.

[dagodiver]

Dago I agree, except for the race! Not me, I really liked the way you guys dove except on the deco, I get bored to easy. Thanks man


I agree I usually get bored also but on the HS trip is was cool watching all the spearo's go up and down with there fish.! We need to do that trip again all.

Glad you got your friend out to dive another day and thanks for sharing.


Dago.

[bubblejunkie]

I'm up for the trip you let me know, I'll go anytime. Gives people something to think about it, I was as freaked as I've ever been. Thanks man Hey tomarrow after 9 321-508-5767, I'll call you back on my dime.

[aue-mike]

That's scary stuff there.

Just imagine if he was diving a gas in his pony with high O2 :eek:

[jfjf]

Thank God you were with your buddy and the depth was "only" 80 feet!

I have heard of more than one diver fatality because of this exact same situation. So the guy was so freaked out that you could not control him and perform a safe and controlled ascent. WHY? Were you breathing from your octopus or pony or did you have no extra second stage? The description did not specify this, only that he took your primary. Can you tell us why you could not control the ascent? Was it because you had nothing to breath and had to head for the surface when he took your primary? Did he ditch his belt and drag you both up? If he had no air to inflate his BC, then he should have been heavy on the bottom. Or could he have used the last puff of air out of the regulator hoses (of the main tank)to inflate his BC on the bottom?

I think re-telling close calls is very useful; so I'm not trying to take a critical tone. I'm just wondering how the situation seemed to get so out of control so fast. Obviously it sounds like you saved his life by your attentiveness, and ability to donate the primary.

[Megabeast]

The panicked diver will usually end up fully inflating their BC before it's all said and done, it's up to the rescuer to get the power inflator and control the ascent. It's a little easier said than done, getting behind them is key.

God I love solo diving.

[jfjf]

The question is, how did the guy inflate the bc without any air. If he did it orally, before the pony ran out he must've known he had a problem?

[bubblejunkie]

We were drift diving, I have 3 second stages and a pony, So we were covered. In his panic I had to go up to him maybe 15 feet off the bottom and he was steady kicking while trying to get his breath back from my primary it seemed like we were on the surface in 3-5 seconds, no time to try and stop him. I caught him coming up and never could slow us down. Hope this clarify's

I even turned his main tank on but he was having none of it he wasn't letting go of mine and was heading for the surface. He would have never made it he tried to long in the sand before deciding to bail. Panic took over is all I came up with. Weight belt and everything he had speargun net tickle stick all left on the bottom.

[SEATUX]

Deco/stage/hang or murphy bottle what ever you call it SHOULD never be on EVER unless you are breathing off of it.... PERIOD...!!!! [QUOTE]
Please tell me why not?, I have my pony rigged w/orange reg and pres gauge/accent mtr, clipped off to where i used to have my octo.The only reason I can think of is your affraid something might drain it down, like a leaking reg? I dont want to be trying to turn on a valve in and em situation, when time is of the essence.

[Ironhed]

I agree I turn my pony on before I go down when using it. I also check it periodically to make sure the reg isn't free flowing or leaking. I would think it would be bad for your regs to not have them pressurized and on while under water. even if you pressurized them you could accidentally bump the purge and un pressurize it. then what the regs get wet internally?

[mhuskey]

The reason for that statement has to do with making sure you know what gas you are breathing at all times. When diving with multiple gases in some cases from identical tanks and regulators it forces you to identify the gas you are breathing before you do so.

[dagodiver]

[/quote]
Please tell me why not?, I have my pony rigged w/orange reg and pres gauge/accent mtr, clipped off to where i used to have my octo.The only reason I can think of is your affraid something might drain it down, like a leaking reg? I dont want to be trying to turn on a valve in and em situation, when time is of the essence.[/QUOTE]


Ok I do not know your training level but to be blunt we are trying to NOT have the emergency situation in the first place and if the diver would have
left the pony bottle off and practiced his valve drill this situation would never happen. It takes less than 5 seconds to turn on a valve and get a breath from a bottle. Please give me an example of the em situation when time is of the essence that cant be prepared for ahead of time. The OOA's dont count because that should never happen and if it does again you did something wrong.

Dago.

[dagodiver]

The reason for that statement has to do with making sure you know what gas you are breathing at all times. When diving with multiple gases in some cases from identical tanks and regulators it forces you to identify the gas you are breathing before you do so.

Exactly..!!

Dago.

[dagodiver]

I agree I turn my pony on before I go down when using it. I also check it periodically to make sure the reg isn't free flowing or leaking. I would think it would be bad for your regs to not have them pressurized and on while under water. even if you pressurized them you could accidentally bump the purge and un pressurize it. then what the regs get wet internally?


Having bottles off under water is normal practice for high 02 deco gases and I have never had any trouble.


Dago.