I suppose I recognise myself in the sort of incidents/accidents that have happened of late and hopefully if I can offer my own perspective it may help others. Ive been diving for 35yrs this month; tens of hundreds of dives later I was at CCR/OC Trimix and have led many expeditions. In 2007 I suffered a retinal vessel occlusion (bleed through eye retina) that left me temporarily with loss of vision. After taking a year out I was told there was still a weakness and if it went again it could be permanent. So sadly the diving kit was sold. Fast forward to the beginning of this year and I have a full medical for work at which Im told the area of the bleed was now A1. So I decide that over the next six years 2014-2019 there are going to be some remarkable maritime centenaries - the main driving factor behind my desire to dive. So I get back on the bike and start to collate some gear; although I gather the same kit I had been using when I packed in (built around a Drager SCR) Im pretty nervous about getting back in. So I decided to take it right back. With an unfamiliar and alien feeling Whites drysuit I went snorkeling in Eccie Delph (thats right you read snorkeling & Delph in same sentence) to get used to suit/work out buoyancy requirements and make the unfamiliar - familiar. After a few sessions and once comfortable with the suit it was time to get in the water with the Dolphin. I found a really useful training programme on the BSAC website - exactly aimed at someone whos had a lay-off with a SCR. I discuss this with O/C buddies and we plan our dive. The night before that first dive I was nervous as hell. I cant explain it but I had checked and double checked all I should (kit assembly/mixes/flow rates/PO2/FO2 calcs etc etc) and lying awake at 3am I kept having this Senna moment - I can walk away from this - but I know I have to go through with it (if youve seen the film youll know what I mean.) Only the thought of knowing all was good and visualizing what I had to do the next morning got me to relax and fall back asleep. But why the hell was I in this state - Ive dived wrecks in over 100m with 1m viz in January!! Penetrated caves in the ocean whos entrance started at 80m; what the hell was wrong with me!!? Truth is both subconsciously and consciously I was recognising my limitations. Okay its only 10-15m water Im going to be in but I knew I was out of touch with my skills - and rusty in all diving practices. 10m may as well be 100m Needless to say that with the support of good buddies the dive was great; I was back on the bike and am relearning and hard-wring those essential survival skills. Im progressing comfortably and that nagging doubt at the forefront of my mind is slowly being replaced and allayed by training. Its saddened me to read that a number of divers have lost their lives over the past few weeks. If my experience can help in any way with someone thinking about returning to diving then feel free to share it
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 19:04:44 +0000
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