Used to skip the pre-dive check on my Kirby Morgan 37. Not anymore after a close call in the Gulf last month.

3 comments

3 Comments

Man, that's a sobering read. I saw a report once that said most diving incidents trace back to a skipped step in the pre-dive routine. It's crazy how something that takes a few minutes can make all the difference. Glad you're okay and sharing this, it's a good reminder for everyone to slow down and do the checks. That stuff is no joke.

the_rose1mo agoProlific Poster

A buddy of mine had a similar scare up in Lake Michigan. He rushed his checks on a cold morning, just wanted to get in the water. His neck seal was barely seated on the suit, didn't even notice. Got down about thirty feet and felt the cold rush starting, just a trickle at first. He had to shoot up and deal with a real mess of water in his drysuit. It wasn't a full blowout, but it scared him straight. He spends twice as long on his checks now, even in good conditions.

carr.luna1mo ago

Most diving incidents trace back to a skipped step" feels like an oversimplification to me. Sometimes gear just fails even when you do everything right. Putting all the blame on the diver ignores the role of bad luck or equipment problems.