Alert Diver Category: Incident Insights

Self-diagnosis can lead to delays in the medical care you need. Never assume — and be sure to contact DAN.

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.

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.

A scientific diver, participating in training exercises with her team, became overheated and called off the dive. Read more about the incident, diagnosis, treatment and more.

Relief from symptoms doesn’t always mean a cure. Read one incident of when a diver presented with a rash and received treatment for decompression sickness — but became very combative.

I am a 55-year-old avid diver who made about 300 dives in 2023, most of which were coldwater shore-entry dives near San Diego, California, to below 100 feet (30 meters). I am also a dive instructor who loves to take underwater photos and participate in citizen science by completing a survey for the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) after every dive. My dive buddies know me as a safe and conservative diver.

During a dive in the Solomon Islands, this diver’s regulator failed, shutting off her gas supply. Although gear failures are usually associated with improper maintenance or use, manufacturing defects are possible.

Adaptability to conditions is a must-have skill for any diver. Evaluating the appropriate dive gear and competency with basic safety protocols allow you the presence of mind to handle capricious weather.

Do you fully understand and appreciate your role as a dive buddy? Read one woman’s story about the importance of accountability after nearly injuring her future husband.

Decompression sickness and other dive-related injuries should be treated as soon as possible, so it is important to see a medical professional. Any symptoms after a dive, whether you suspect they are dive related or not, should be evaluated.