A series of unfortunate events or how Goldfever saved my life today

 Hi all! This is a rather long post but it's worth the read.GF and I went out this morning with his dad on GF's boat to try out the new side scan that he built. Beautiful morning and the scan worked perfectly. We pulled the boat and went to a spot that we've been working, but in a different area. From the minute we got in the water it seems we had some kind of hex on us. Pulled out from the dock and the shift lever broke . OK no big deal. Cruised to the spot and started diving. Nice dive in which GF eyeballed a 14k ring! We pulled anchor and headed for another spot. Saw what looked like a good spot so we anchored up again. Tossed my tank and BC into the water and jumped in. Immediately blew a regulator hose. OK since I was going to be the only one going in I switched regs w/GF. "How deep is it?" I asked. "We've only got about 12-15 ft of anchor line out" Cool! Nice easy one. About 2ft of visibility. "I'll be back" Let the air out of my BC and down I went. (P.S. this is my first yr of diving) Should be getting to the bottom... darker, darker still no bottom. Pitch black, big ear and nose squeeze, finally the bottom. Couldn't see a D--n thing! What does the new guy (Me)  do? Starts panicing  . I want up!! Tried to collect myself... think think.. Im going UP before I've even finished my thinking. Didn't know how deep I was, couldn't see the dive computer, thought I was going up slower than my bubbles. I was wrong. I got to the top and said "Way to deep and way to dark for me!" GF says "How deep were you?" I don't know . He takes one look at the comp. and says "You gotta go back down.. NOW!!! My first thought?  NO WAY!! I'm in a panic!! GF jumps in the water w/me yells" Give me my weights!" Grabs the secondary regulator and starts dragging me DOWN!! He's saying "Time sensitive" and looking me right in the eye. Right then it sunk in. I'm in trouble. down we go, him w/no mask, no BC and holding his weight belt in his hand. Now real fear is setting in for me. He ends up dropping the belt after a few minutes because it wont let us (Him )control our descent or ascent. Everything in me is saying up! He's pushing me down. After a few minutes  I was starting to calm down enough to start breathing in deep breaths instead of gasping. Up we start to go, stop, decompress, stop. Those minutes were the longest I've ever endured. GF kept cool. He did what had to be done and I'm sure he saved me from an agonizing death from the bends. Turned out we were anchored on the edge of an underwater ravine! I owe him a debt of gratitude that I hope I never have to return in like kind. The comparitively small cost was his weight belt and my swim fins.  P.S. as we left he lost his cell phone to boot. He stayed with me until the danger was past, talking me down from my panic attack afterwards. Howard, truly, I owe you my life and my daughter still has a father. Dan        

you live you learn -- the bends ain't a joke ---glad to see it went well in the end --lucky you -- Ivan

Decompression sickness? I thought that came into effect once you were really deep, such as 100 feet. It is nice to see you are fine.

Glad to hear you made it through safe and sound. The only way I dive is with a hookah. My ex GF was a master dive instructor and tried to get me into diving, but I really don't have the urge. Keep safe down there, it's easy to make a fatal mistake.

nope ---it can and does happen shallower----- your very lucky -- gf knew what do do right away and did it ---

Dang, I am so glad you are OK Dan. WTG Howard.

I guess we all have to slow down sometimes and bee carefull out there, especally you divers I guess.


Best of luck to both of you!

BDoo

Glad everything worked out OK in the end.  I must admit thought, it took me a while to realize that GF was Goldfever and not your girlfriend.

Wow.  Intense post.

I'm so glad you're ok, and thanks be that GF was there and knew what to do - and did it.

Nan

 Wow ,the old heart was racing while I was reading. It is very easy to get into a panic state underwater and even in dark places. Dan I have two little girls and I often think what if this happened or that happened .I watched a buddy of mine get washed over the side of the ship when I was in the Navy .The only thing that saved him was a safety line he was tied to .I looked over the side of the ship and there he was knocking back in fourth against the side with the worst look of fear in his eyes. We pulled him up and he was very shaken up . Safety is paramount any time you are out of your element and I think God GoldFever was there . Way to keep your head GF. Dan I would be thinking the man up stairs.

Major goose bumps reading this one. Wow I am so glad you are OK. Nice job and quick thinking GF.

Nice ring.

  I've calmed down enough for me to reply finally. I knew it could happen but I didn't think it WOULD happen, not to me. I spent last night doing some very serious introspection. I've only froze up once before and that was way up (34 floors) on the side of a building in Manhattan. It takes a cool head to get the "victim" moving again. I guess the old adage "Look before you leap" comes into play. It's not going to stop me from diving but I'm looking at it from a new angle. I count my blessings.   Dan 

The cut on that ring is from a coroner, or Funeral home personel.  I have seen returned rings from deceased persons before, and they all had that same cut.

Just FYI
Paul

The cut on that ring is from a coroner, or Funeral home personel.  I have seen returned rings from deceased persons before, and they all had that same cut.

Just FYI
Paul

dandan,

just a thought.

Perhaps that ring should go "back
from where it came."

Could be bad 'juju" on that ring caused
your problems with the dive.

have a good un................
SHERMANVILLE

Glad you're alright.

It'll make you a better and safer diver.



Ridley

  Hmmm...interesting thought... I'm a firm believer in "Juju"! I'll have to see what GF thinks, it's his ring.