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Diving Safety, Accidents and Incidents Post here to discuss accidents, incidents, ideas, gear, or anything else to improve spearfishing safety. Memorials and condolences threads should be placed in that separate forum.

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Old 05-08-2008, 02:23 PM   #31
seahunter49
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Re: 100 Ways for a Rig Diver to Die

Holy shit louis, the purge valve is one of the first things they teach you when you get certified. Even I know that.
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Old 05-08-2008, 03:06 PM   #32
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Re: 100 Ways for a Rig Diver to Die

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Holy shit louis, the purge valve is one of the first things they teach you when you get certified. Even I know that.
They never taught me that back in 82'.
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Old 05-08-2008, 03:54 PM   #33
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Re: 100 Ways for a Rig Diver to Die

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Originally Posted by Louis Rossignol View Post
[b]Gear Problems[/B

Since then, I've learned to stay at the bottom of my hot tub for however long I want. Just breath the bubbles.

damm i never thought about breathing the bubbles in my hot tub to stay under longer. never say you cann't learn something new from a rig diver. think my wife will thank you for this one.

great thread louis lots of usefull info on rig diving and hot tubing
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Old 05-08-2008, 05:10 PM   #34
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Re: 100 Ways for a Rig Diver to Die

It’s a no brainer, you would think commonsense would intervene and tell you to simply hit your purge valve, rite? But I find your brain works a lot differently when its oxygen deprived and pounding on the “O SHIT” button. This reminded me of a near death experience I had a few year ago. It was the last rig in a set of small single post rigs (satellite rigs). I hopped over and wasn’t seeing much worth shooting accept the usual 5-12lb mangroves, so I readied myself for a dive. I dove and slowly sank to the bottom at around 75ft. there was zero bottom murk, which is my favorite for hunting (nowhere for the fish to hide). As I settled on the sandy/mud bottom nearing the end of my breathe hold, a group of cobia came over to investigate. I picked the biggest out which was about 55-60lbs and let her have it. As I headed to the surface the reel locked up completely at about 60ft. I did everything I could to unlock the reel, but with the reel line firmly in place I kicked like hell for the surface as the fish fought for the bottom. Once I made it to about 15ft hypoxia started taking effect. My lung contractions seemed to stop I started to feel very lazy and euphoric and my body tingled, I knew these where the last seconds before SWB. I let my brand new $900 gun go and made it to the surface. Right after I took my first breathes and my oxygen starved brain started to function again the very first thing I thought of was my KNIFE! Why didn’t I just cut the reel line?!!?!?!?!?!
I’m not sure if this is the best comparison to Rocks story, but my point is; when you’re in a life or death situation where you can’t breathe it becomes very hard to NOT think one dimensional(just get your head above water!).
I also wanted to use that story as a catalyst to my next point: freediver safety while rig diving. There are going to be a record number of freedivers this year at the helldivers rodeo. I’d like to invite everybody to practice safe freediving methods this year. This means dive with a buddy, always look up and be aware of your surroundings, when you ascend try to keep one hand over your head when inside the rig, keep a sharp knife there’s lots of power pro and mono to get caught in, if it’s rough stay at least 20ft away from rig legs (I have scares all over from being sucked into stantions by waves while relaxing for a dive), if diving with murk on top hold your gun in front of you while you descend until you break into clean water, when making drops past 100ft I prefer to stay outside the rig, because of less chance of being snagged in something and I like being obstruction free when making long ascents, try not to mix scuba with freediving on the same day, and lastly don’t get caught up in competition, try to enjoy the beauty that is the Louisiana oil-platform.
p.s. WHAT UP ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Old 05-08-2008, 07:00 PM   #35
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Re: 100 Ways for a Rig Diver to Die

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p.s. WHAT UP ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't tell who that is, looks like Lindsey, hey dude.

I had a little call freediving, I can't go to 100' or anything, but me and Terry were shooting these little sharks skindiving, no reel, no bungie and in open water. I shot the first one and then Terry shot one bigger. So I swam out off the back of the boat and found a real nice one. I nailed him and came to the surface yelling at Terry, I gotcha ya beat. Just about then the shark came alive and flipped me over pulling me to about 30'. I fought like a sumbitch and started making my way to the surface. 5' before the srface he took off again and had me back at 30'. I fought all I could but in the end had to let go of my gun and haul ass to the surface. Not really life threatening but also not the first time I let go.

Last year, I got caught up in a dive after I missed a chance on a 100 lb. yellowfin. I had shot a little grouper and that's what brought the big tuna in. I looked for way to long for another oportunity and it wasn't happening. Then I started shooting 20-25 lb. red snappers. I had one strung and then I checked my air pressure, 1000 lbs. no problem. (But I forgot my pressure guage bottomed out at 500 lbs.) I loaded up and shot another, all of this 170' deep. As soon as the shaft hit the fish, I could feel the regulator tighten. Naturally the fish went the other way full blast. So now I'm fighting this fish, plus I have 2 other fish on the cable and I have no air. I was very reluctant to let go, but eventually I did and hauled ass to the surface.

Remember, your life is more important than your gear or your fish.
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Old 05-08-2008, 07:12 PM   #36
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Re: 100 Ways for a Rig Diver to Die

As Rok so aptly reminds us. Job one is coming home! Most of us have given guns or other gear away out there to complete job 1.

Years ago I dove with a fellow who liked shooting big 'cuda without a riding rig. I lost count of how many extra JBL trigger asemblies he ended up with. Either a fish tore the barrel off the handle, or wrapped it around a piling, at least once a trip. Tubular guns don't do bending well. Once we got him using a rig he just pretzeled 3/8" shafts.

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Old 05-08-2008, 08:24 PM   #37
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Re: 100 Ways for a Rig Diver to Die

This is a horror story,

Back in the day, divers in Louisiana had a different mindset, at least some of them did. They really didn't give a shit about anyone else. I guess they were a bunch of egomaniacs.

Hell Divers Rodeo, back in the 80's,

Bob was going to get on one of 2 crewboats headed out of Venice to do some hardcore diving for the HDR. He started out the day just as all the other divers, in line at the grocery to buy beer. They were drinking beer before they even got to their first rig. (I was taught the same way, and till this happened this is what I used to do).

First rig in Main Pass, 220' deep. Bob and all the others get in and the race begins. Bob manages to tag a big AJ, 96 lb. to be exact. He drains his steel 72 cu. ft. tank fighting the fish and has to tie the fish off at 190'. He has no BC so he has to swim to the surface.

The rest of the guys on board don't want to wait for him to have a surface interval and they never thought of going to the next rig and coming back to that one later, so Bob jumps right back in with a new tank. He fights the fish some more and then gets it to the surface.

He goes in the galley and lays down. An hour later he can't move his legs. The other divers come in the galley and ask him if he's alrght, he says he can't move his legs. Instead of the trip ending right then and there, they put him on O2. Bob feels better, but is still laying down. (At this point, you find a manned rig, tell the rig workers on the rig to get a helicopter to the rig fast).

Several hours later the boat ran out of fuel, blah,

When I got to the dock that evening (because I couldn't dive the first day), and saw the situation, me and Eddie throw Bob in the back of a pick up headed to the recompression chamber. blah,

A drunk driver pulls out in front of Eddie, blah

12 hours later Bob recieves his first treatment, a table 6 or something.

He is now paralized for the rest of his life from his chest down.

You know what he asked when we visited him in the hospital? Did my fish win a trophy? WTF was he thinking?

That story sucks and I hated telling it, but the fish ain't worth it. Bob doesn't talk to us anymore, his mentor that told him to always quit complaining and echoed the macho attitude is dead. The head injury story earlier with the barracuda. Figure it out.
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Old 05-08-2008, 11:05 PM   #38
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Re: 100 Ways for a Rig Diver to Die

Quote:
Originally Posted by Louis Rossignol View Post
This is a horror story,

Back in the day, divers in Louisiana had a different mindset, at least some of them did. They really didn't give a shit about anyone else. I guess they were a bunch of egomaniacs.

Hell Divers Rodeo, back in the 80's,

Bob was going to get on one of 2 crewboats headed out of Venice to do some hardcore diving for the HDR. He started out the day just as all the other divers, in line at the grocery to buy beer. They were drinking beer before they even got to their first rig. (I was taught the same way, and till this happened this is what I used to do).

First rig in Main Pass, 220' deep. Bob and all the others get in and the race begins. Bob manages to tag a big AJ, 96 lb. to be exact. He drains his steel 72 cu. ft. tank fighting the fish and has to tie the fish off at 190'. He has no BC so he has to swim to the surface.

The rest of the guys on board don't want to wait for him to have a surface interval and they never thought of going to the next rig and coming back to that one later, so Bob jumps right back in with a new tank. He fights the fish some more and then gets it to the surface.

He goes in the galley and lays down. An hour later he can't move his legs. The other divers come in the galley and ask him if he's alrght, he says he can't move his legs. Instead of the trip ending right then and there, they put him on O2. Bob feels better, but is still laying down. (At this point, you find a manned rig, tell the rig workers on the rig to get a helicopter to the rig fast).

Several hours later the boat ran out of fuel, blah,

When I got to the dock that evening (because I couldn't dive the first day), and saw the situation, me and Eddie throw Bob in the back of a pick up headed to the recompression chamber. blah,

A drunk driver pulls out in front of Eddie, blah

12 hours later Bob recieves his first treatment, a table 6 or something.

He is now paralized for the rest of his life from his chest down.

You know what he asked when we visited him in the hospital? Did my fish win a trophy? WTF was he thinking?

That story sucks and I hated telling it, but the fish ain't worth it. Bob doesn't talk to us anymore, his mentor that told him to always quit complaining and echoed the macho attitude is dead. The head injury story earlier with the barracuda. Figure it out.
OMG...that's pretty heavy. It's pretty astounding that you guys are willing to rehash these stories and nightmares for others to learn from.
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Old 05-09-2008, 08:22 AM   #39
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Re: 100 Ways for a Rig Diver to Die

yeah, alot of these stories are scary as hell, but its good to hear them so others can learn.
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Old 05-09-2008, 10:29 AM   #40
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Re: 100 Ways for a Rig Diver to Die

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Originally Posted by Louis Rossignol View Post
Neither diver got bent but they found out the one divers depth guage wouldn't read any deeper than 160'.
Bad way to find that out.

This thread should really get a sticky.
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Old 05-09-2008, 06:40 PM   #41
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Re: 100 Ways for a Rig Diver to Die

FredT, was it you that had a close encounter with a bristle worm and just barely made it? I have to wonder why you didn't use a wetsuit. I always wear a full suit, thickness will vary down to rash guards, ever since I got hit really bad by a Portuguese man o war. At least it was in open water. It would seem to me that diving with a wetsuit is one less way for a hell diver to die. Or at least funky disco clothes like in Fontova's book, but those could be hard to find nowadays.

What's up with Fontova anyways Rok? Does he still dive the rigs?
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Old 05-09-2008, 07:20 PM   #42
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Re: 100 Ways for a Rig Diver to Die

I was wearing a cajun diveskin, AKA Dickies cover alls, but short sleeve. Killed one estimated at over 10"' long by crushing it with the inside of my left elbow during a fight with huge AJ. I won, as I kept breathing by a hen's tooth, but the AJ took my gun REALLY deep. Long story posted elsewhere on the board.

BTW a wetsuit won't keep a PMOW from nailing you. I had one driven inside the back of my suit during a beach dive in rough weather back in '73. A REALLY good dive buddy will reach in with his bare hand and yank it out, tow you back to the beach and THEN go back out in the nasty water for a conch to rub the mucus on the burn!

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Old 05-09-2008, 09:23 PM   #43
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Re: 100 Ways for a Rig Diver to Die

I was doing number 2 on the dive ladder a couple of years ago and when I pulled up my shorts, I found out a Man O War had invaded my pants. That hurt.

Bristle worms hurt but none of these things will kill you unless you are highly alergic. When we would catch lobster out of these certain pipes, the first thing you do is stir up the lobster then back off and watch the bristle worms fall out. I tried bleach but that burns too bad even though it gets rid of the sting after some serious pain.

After catching lobsters, when you boil them, just drink alot of alcohol, next day you're fine.
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Old 05-09-2008, 10:22 PM   #44
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Re: 100 Ways for a Rig Diver to Die

Just so happens I watched my TIVO'd second Hell Diver speargun hunter show tonight before reading this thread. After reading this, TV's good enough for me.

Great thread. It is always interesting to learn about other's techniques.
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Old 05-09-2008, 11:46 PM   #45
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Re: 100 Ways for a Rig Diver to Die

yeh, so a sRok said earlier i had a close call just last week at WD-152. on the way out the pass we were joking around with one of our newest members about dropping deep on the first dive, well when we reached the rig two and a half to three houes later i had forgot about the joking around and set up for the dive. we all jump in and start racing to be the first one down,( Rok always seems to win) as we approached 190 Rok, Myself and Mark level off and start hunting fish, Mark taps me on the shoulder and points down were the new members bubles are streaming up. we are at 190 and we cant see the new member, well i immiediatly start down to try and catch him, not knowing that he pulled a 90 degree turn around some drilling pipes at 137 and i blew by him keep in mind that it was starting to get pretty dark. when i stopped i was at 255 feet and could not see the new member anywhere around. i checked my air and was good with about 2300 psi remaining. i partially inflated my B/C and started up pretty fast to try and get Roks attention and before i relized what was happining i was bound for the surface at a rate i was not comfortable with, i dumped my B/C which had no effect on slowing me down. at 55 feet i started having problems breathing all the while trying to get to a pipe to grab on to. at 20, 25 feet i grabbed onto a pipe and held on for dear life while trying to calm my self down, i was still having problems braething and mistake 1 attempted to loosen my weight belt whish promptly fell away leaving me inverted hanging on the rig. at this point i had about 1200 psi and felt as long as i could hold on the rig i would be okay. after about 2 minutes i started belching alot,there by releasing the air which had expanded in my stomach from accending to fast, which of course made it easier to breath. i did about 5 minutes at that depth and feeling 100 percent better headed to the surface and the boat. upon reaching the surface i started belching some more and vomited twice, got to the boat and strapped on another tank and jumped back in , went to 60 feet and did a very slow accent. i was fine the rest of the day but never exceeded 100 feet on the rest of the dives. SO, # 1 never joke around where as your regular dive buddies my know you are joking any one new may not, # 2 when i could not find our friend i panicked and accended at a rate i new was to fast causing the air in my stomach to expand and restrict my breathing. why this didn't turn out worse i will never know but i have learned a valuable lesson myslf.
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