Explore All Possibilities
Symptoms do not always point to just one definite cause, so it is often just as important to continue listening to the patient and exploring options that might not be immediately apparent.
Alert Diver Category: Incident Insights
A Free-Flowing Failure
Contrary to what you might expect, air will escape from a low-pressure hose faster than from a high-pressure hose because of the low-pressure hose’s wider opening.
Left at Sea
When diving offshore, always carry emergency signaling devices such as a surface marker buoy, signal mirror and emergency strobe.
An Unexpected Earplug
Ear barotrauma (pressure-related injury) usually occurs in divers’ middle ears, often as a result of congestion. In this unusual case, however, a diver experienced ear barotrauma that resulted from accumulation of ear wax in his ear canal.
The Eel Bite That Almost Took My Hand
You might know me already or at least know about me. I came to Key Largo, Florida, in 1978 to open Captain Slate’s Atlantis Dive Center. Early on I had an affinity for the marine life on our reefs, and my earliest mentor, Steve Klem, had established ongoing fish-feeding activity on the City of Washington wreck.
Practice What You Preach
All diving has risks. To mitigate them, we must always pay attention to the details. The predive safety check is of utmost importance to help avoid a dive accident. The key elements are for each buddy to check the other’s BCD, weights, releases and air, and then give a final check and decisive OK. I could have avoided the entire incident had I adhered to my predive safety check and not gotten distracted, and I should have performed the safety check again before getting in the water.
Sea Lion Bite
Although uncommon, unprovoked sea lion bites can occur, and divers should be aware of the potential hazard. Learn more about how one diver received a bite and how the wound was treated.
If You Can’t Equalize, Abort
Read one diver’s story about how a routine dive resulted in vomiting and other uncomfortable symptoms.
Thirteen-Foot Dive
A young diver performed a shallow dive and later ascended very rapidly. Symptoms were severe but were not decompression sickness. Learn more about the incident.
Self-Aware and Prepared
This incident can serve to remind all divers of the importance of self-awareness and having an emergency action plan. It is crucial to be mindful when considering symptoms. Read more.