was my own fault tow years ago in Belize.. I think I've told the story, before, but will tell it again..
Was on the boat about to do a "back roll" into the water.. where you sit on the edge of the boat and fall over backwards into the water and right yourself and then go down on the dive.. Normally you have a little air in your BCD vest, which will keep you afloat until you are ready to go down.. you deflate the vest and down you go..
Very import anytime you enter the water on a dive, to have the regulator in your mouth and your mask on.. and you hold both in place with one hand to keep them from being dislodged..
So, I'm ready to go I back roll into the water - I hadn't inflated the vest because I was the last one in and was just going to go straight down.. I hit the water and begin to sink, probably at 5-6 feet deep I took my first breath of air.. and I hadn't put the regulator in my mouth before I back rolled in.. I sucked in a bunch of water and immediately needed air, but didn't have any.. I fumbled around for the main regulator, but it had gotten tangled behind me.. I have a second regulator on my BCD vest, so tried to grab it and it also was tangled.. I also knew if I grabbed either, had to purge the water out of the regulator by either blowing hard into it, or hitting the purge button.. I had NO air in my lungs and was coughing violently from sucking in water..
At that point I realized my only chance was kicking to the surface.. so I did.. and barely made it to the surface, gagging and coughing.. Had I been down 2 feet deeper, I would have drowned.. I was too far from the divers below, who were at 60-70 feet, and was sinking, so boat captain probably couldn't have gotten me from the surface.. 2 more feet deep and I wouldn't be here.. not that I wouldn't have been revived, but it would have been at least a full minute or two before I'd have been dragged out of the water..
Was a stupid mistake and almost cost me my life.. Totally my fault, but, someone on the boat is supposed to monitor you when you enter the water and should have noticed..
That was two years ago before the stents.. I couldn't hold my breath at all back then because of the four 90% clogged heart arteries..
Friendship is like peeing your pants.. Everybody can see it, but only you can feel the warmth..
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/2023 04:49AM by sstrams.
