Panicking in low visibility - Rescue diver tips from a cliff in Mexico

[@AzulUnlimited]

Share your tips and stories about low visibility rescues 👇 ✅Join the Azul scuba community: www.patreon.com/azulunlimited Dive with me 🤿: azulunlimited.com/upcoming-diving-expeditions/

[@gilbertodutra8112]

The secret of diving is to never let yourself panic, and try to take control of yourself, so you can give space to logical reasoning! I had an experience diving 18 meters and in low visibility, where the safety valve on the vest unscrewed without me noticing, so I was lying on the bottom trying to inflate it and nothing happened. I flapped my fins and the mud at the bottom rose, leaving practically zero visibility! I remained calm, even though the brain tries to make us panic, I reasoned and did the logical thing, I removed the weights and climbed calmly. On the surface I noticed the saber detaching from the valve! It has always become a check item!!!

[@AzulUnlimited]

That is a great story! Glad you were able to remain calm and respond appropriately👏🙌 great job and thanks for sharing

[@jeremiahperez8071]

Great topic and advice. I always dive with two lights if visibility is questionable. Also good to train to keep calm in low vis in a safer environment like a scuba park or small lake with dive buddy. I've been on both ends of rescued and rescuer...it is always better to call the dive and live to dive another day! Thanks for a great talk!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Absolutely. And yes, bright lights are SO helpful for low viz

[@billendres3115]

Good topic that isn't really discussed enough. It's such a common issue that most divers don't talk about in pre dive briefings. Love the bloopers! 😊

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thanks! Yeah I think it’s not talked about online as much bc it’s not pretty😆

[@sevans0628]

Great video and tips.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thanks so much for watching🙏

[@nathanmesser56]

A few things I do in low vis situations (which here in the UK could be any dive): 1) Ask my buddies in low vis situations to keep their torches on, even if they don't need them to see, so it's easier to keep track of each other. 2) Brief part of the lost buddy procedure being to slowly shine your torch in all directions (including up), essentially becoming an underwater lighthouse, again not that that will help illuminate the buddy in low vis, but that there's more chance of the buddy spotting the light. 3) Particularly if someone else is going to be leading, or naturally moves faster than me (I tend to go pretty slowly to look at stuff!), ask them to do "turn and confirm" (which I'd do anyway), i.e. as well as generally keeping an eye on each other, any time they're about to change direction in any way, (a) make sure they can see me and I can see them and (b) make sure they've communicated they're about to change direction. 4) Be explicit in the briefing, if you're not having fun, it's fine to call the dive, rather than struggle on.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Yes yes yes! Again, I’m a dunce and didn’t include lights in this😆🙃d’oh, thanks for the addition!

[@quietlife4me]

Have you looked at Gareth Lock’s Human Diver program or book “Under Pressure”? Great stuff on debriefs and other ways our community can be more supportive.

[@timgosling6189]

Gareth is an old colleague of mine and has always been a sharp cookie. His book is great value. The stuff on human factors and ‘psychological safety’ is as relevant to beginner recreational divers as commercial teams. Highly recommend!

[@AzulUnlimited]

I haven’t but I’m looking for a new book for my Patreon book club so that might be it!!

[@tanabobbi]

Seriously, great topic. I love all the advice you give especially in getting a panicked diver back diving again as soon as is feasible. Being kind and understanding truly is key. I had a situation a few years ago where my husband and I were caught in a down and out current in Bali. We were looking for molas on Nusa Penida and it was just us and the guide. The guide was very experienced and we had a fair amount of dive experience with current. When we were finally able to escape the down current, we ended being pinned down in a small rocky outcropping where we had to wait for the current to switch from out to in. It only took about 2 minutes but it felt like an eternity. The whole time I holding on so I don’t get swept away and I was holding o to my husband so he wouldn’t get swept away either. So I couldn’t check on my air which I felt I was sucking down like there was no tomorrow. What calmed me down was the realization that for the next 2 minutes, there was literally NOTHING I could do but wait. Having this realization helped me to force myself to calm down. I started counting to slow my breathing back to a more normal rate. I tell that full story to newer divers who ask how to stay calm in stressful situations. I tell them to count as they breath, to practice it when on land like when they are driving. It will become second nature and is a great way to relieve stress. As long as you can breath and stay calm, you can give yourself time to figure out how to get out of a situation.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Yes girl!!! Great job. Those down currents are no joke. Thank you for sharing🙏

[@triman500]

Like the videos. I dive in uk in drysuit and low vis regularly ( and cold 6 degrees c last weekend). Its great training for good vis dives. If you can do various tasks in low vis, cold water and restricted dexterity via dry gloves... makes it a lot simpler in great vis, warm and no gloves, drysuit. I was taught if you loose your buddy, to rise a few metres in low vis ( may be silt kicked up by buddy) to see if you can see them/their bubbles. After that surface. Then look again for their bubbles.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thanks for sharing! Yes, whatever you are able to do and master in cold water with all the challenges associated with cold water diving, become that much easier in warm/tropical water!

[@MikeDodds]

This looks like diving in quarries in the Midwest!!! 😂. For some reason visibility this past summer was just horrible for the entire dive season. Also, before my wife and I perform our post dive debriefing, I have to purposely remind myself that the purpose there is to effectively communicate and make the next dive better, more efficient, safer and more fun. What it isn’t, provided it is done correctly is an attack of any sort…. 😀🤙

[@AzulUnlimited]

That’s a good reminder! It’s all about leading with kindness and if there’s feedback or lessons, using constructive and thoughtful words. Thanks for watching!

[@naniloacasteel]

amazing videos sarah! so good to see you on sharing important and well created information! sending love from kelp and beyond

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thank you so much!!

[@duanesyx8232]

Thanks for the tips. I am lucky to have learned in a low viz area diving lakes and quarries. I was on a night dive in a quarry and towards the end of the dive I stopped to look at some fish and next thing I know my buddy is gone. Even diving with lights it can happen. Did my lost buddy procedure and surfaced. He was about 20 yards from me when we meet on the surface. As you mentioned the key is to not panic and take time to think.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Great job! Yes, lights definitely help, but aren’t 100 percent guaranteed to keep you together. Thanks for watching🙏

[@kevindavison6019]

Good tips regarding debriefing. I would include trying to find the reason for the panic as it might not be psychological but a physical issue that can be mitigated. I had an incident early in my diving career that I was feeling panicky and it ended up in an uncontrolled acent. I was very disapointed in myself and didn't have any one to debrief with so I turned to to the interned with my symptoms, and figured out it was hypercapnia as the root cause. After that whenever I start to feel similar under water I know to slow down and take a break to flush the CO2 out and it resolves those feelings and I can continue my dive. Planning on persuing the rescue diver cert in the near future so I appreciate the tips.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Amazing! Thank you for sharing your experience and good luck with the rescue! If you have questions about it or want to take it with me, just email at [e-mail]

[@jaketschida7016]

Where we dive, most of the water is considered "black water" so we do a heads up or you can call it a safety briefing before our dive and go over our signals. We all carry tank tappers and inflator air horns. We use the inflator air horns to get your attention and the tank tappers to let the others know if one of us needs assistants or help. I totally agree about talking after the dive. Just because there wasn't an emergency in the water doesn't mean someone was affected from the dive. Learn to read your divers. Face expressions, quietness, and isolating them selves. I have one friend who won't dive ever again and one who is slowly working his way back into diving after 12yrs because we underestimated how spoked they got after getting wrapped up in some rebar.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Audio signals are a great point. Thank you!

[@ttb1513]

It is worth remembering that sound travels about 4 times faster underwater and this reduces our ability to locate where a sound is coming from. In air we can locate a sound to within several degrees; underwater it can be as poor as 90 degrees.

[@jaketschida7016]

We don't do it to locate the diver, we do it to let the other divers know there is a problem or need to regroup.@@ttb1513

[@nfthach]

I can see this coming in handy during a rescue in Monterey on a bad day. I was diving a pea soup day and can see why things can go south. Oh, I got a new mask - I used Bon Ami to scrub off the residue, not as dramatic as a lighter. Lost my Mares X-Vu at Breakwater.

[@AzulUnlimited]

I’m sure someone will find it one of these days!

[@nfthach]

@@AzulUnlimited or maybe I’ll see it down at the bottom! Oh, I saw your old BCD at Monterey Bay Scuba!

[@AzulUnlimited]

hahahaha you mean no one jumped on that fine piece of equipment yet???? 👀@@nfthach

[@richardstratford9419]

Great Vid

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thanks so much🙏

[@timgosling6189]

I agree talking about what to do in poor vis or if you are separated is always best done before you get in the water. That way you know you and your buddy will be on the same page, following the same plan. And if there are other divers around when you arrive they will be happy to tell you what conditions are like. We all like to talk, don't we. The only thing I think I could add would be use of lights. Lights help you see but they really, really help others see you; they don't get the back-scatter. I attach here (kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZOWiYJopapqsNk) a short video of a recent dive. If you watch from about 50 seconds in you can see how much sooner you see the light before you see the diver! So have a good light, use it, learn how to signal with it, and have a back-up too! Great video again, thank you.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Absolutely. Lightys are key. Should’ve mentioned that🤣👀🙃

[@leborde]

My tip is to advocate for the agencies to mandate a yearly refresher on the rescue course, made of radom scenarios.

[@AzulUnlimited]

That would be good. I also love seeing local dive groups have monthly refreshers.

[@leborde]

@@AzulUnlimited we do that yearly, and boy it is (much) needed !!!!

[@jonathanfrank1189]

Are you kidding most of us are “swamp rats” we are so used to bad vis that when we are on the occasional voyage offshore we are stunned by how much we can see

[@AzulUnlimited]

Very true! You all are the real troopers 👏

[@mikloszakar5314]

Two comments: 1 - if posible follow / lay a line 2 - when visibility is near zero or zero then the buddy system won't work any more so if I really want to dive then I'd consider to go solo with proper redundant equipment. A buddy can't help you if he/she can't see that you're in trouble. And chances that you will spend most of the dive looking for each other and will have to surface multiple times are quite high. Go ahead and throw stones at me! 🙂

[@AzulUnlimited]

You make great points!

[@richardstratford9419]

Being a UT diver, we dont even know about clear water. Everything is cold, vis - 2/3', and are alt dives. I like to be tethered to my buddy. Thoughts on tethering?

[@AzulUnlimited]

Ooo I’ve never done it so I would love to hear from anyone that has experience with it. I would be concerned about it if there is significant water movement or entanglement hazard. Also, if your diving with a new buddy, it may not be a good idea.

[@stucorbett]

Trippy coincidence is last night I had a dive dream and all I remember was I was panicked/...Spooky!!!! lol

[@AzulUnlimited]

Time for some relaxation practices🧘😉

[@kalpanahebballi7064]

👏✌️

[@AzulUnlimited]

🙏

[@quietlife4me]

What distance do you consider “low visibility”?

[@AzulUnlimited]

For me, less than 5ft

[@00bikeboy]

I don't have any experience with low viz diving, and I don't think(?) I want any. Though I'm not a very experienced diver, some of my most profoundly beautiful, awe inspiring, and spiritual experiences have come from diving, mainly in the Caribbean. On some dives there seemed to be almost limitless visibility. Clearly (😉) this was a big part of the appeal for me, and so I don't understand the appeal of diving in low viz conditions. What am I missing? I am interested in rescue skills though, is there a course you can recommend?

[@nathanmesser56]

(a) If the choice is diving in low vis conditions or not diving, I'd usually choose to dive in low vis. And over time the distance that seems reasonable to you as you get more comfortable gets smaller, at least that's been happening for me. (b) If you're diving a high-energy site with lots of nutrients, there can be a lot of life very densely packed, so even if you can only see a metre or two, if that metre or two is packed with interesting things to look at, it's still fun. I'd rather a low vis site with a lot to see, than a barren site with lots of vis.

[@00bikeboy]

@@nathanmesser56 It's helpful to get another perspective, thanks.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Totally understand. I think everyone would rather dive in good viz. As far as rescue, just start with taking a rescue course. Then as you gain experience and spend time with other divers/different conditions you’ll continue to add to your rescue skills

[@AzulUnlimited]

Good points!

[@davelee5066]

Hi Sarah! Just curious what you are doing with that lighter and your mask? How is that treating your mask?

[@AzulUnlimited]

It’s burning away the protective layer inside the mask that makes it fog up

[@davelee5066]

@@AzulUnlimited❤