Club meeting notes 4-May-2018

1. Bottom Breathers Dive Club
Meeting: 4-May-2018
Today's topics:
Lessons for Life

2. 2018 Events
• Next meeting – June 8 (NOT the first Friday)
• Bonne Terre Mine Treasure Hunt – June 2
• Socorro Islands Liveaboard – Jun 11-19
• Club BBQ (@ HQ) – Aug 11
• Mermet Springs trip – Oct 4-7
• Dive club mtg – Sep 14 (2nd Friday)
• Pizza party – Oct 12
• Underwater pumpkin carving – Oct 13
• Dive club mtg – Nov 9 (2nd Friday)
• Annual club party – Jan 12, 2019

3. Socorro Island
Liveaboard Info
Trip information
June 11-19, 2018
Only 58 days away!!

4. Trip information
• June 11-19, *2018* (Mon-Tues)--8 nights, 9 days
• Nautilus Belle Amie – 140’ long, 33’ wide
(www.nautilusbelleamie.com)
• 1 cabin class available (*1* female spot remaining)
– 0 premium suite berths
– 1 superior suite berth (female)
– 1 lower deck stateroom berth (male)
– 1 single stateroom
• Boat can handle 30 divers total
• Reserve at info@bottombreathers.org

5. Trip information
• Pricing:
– Premium - $4295 - main deck – 1 berth left
– Superior - $3695 - upper deck
– Stateroom - $3195 - lower deck
– Single stateroom - $3993 - lower deck

6. Trip information
• Payment:
– $100 deposit to reserve a spot (non-refundable)
– 10% due 11-Dec-2016 now
– 10% due 11-Sep-2017 now
– 20% due 11-Dec-2017 now
– balance (~60%) due now
• Payment types: paypal, credit card, personal
check, electronic payment

7. Lessons for Life #1
• Fred & Willie are occasional dive buddies
– Fred is 33yo, good condition, 10 years diving, OW
• Both experienced divers, doing a wreck dive
• Not good pre-dive planning; Fred planned to
penetrate
• At 90ft, Fred headed for the hatch, Willie
signaled he would not enter.
• Fred wrote he’d be back in 10min, Willie
waited

8. Lessons for Life #1 - pg2
• Willie waited more than 10 mins, hit his no deco
limit, ascended and reported the situation
• Fred was found in the cargo hold, empty tank
• Lessons:
– Dive in your experience level: Fred had no reel,
insufficient light, insufficient training & experience
– Poor planning – did not agree on penetration on the
surface, BUT *anyone* can abort the dive *any time*
for *any* reason
https://www.scubadiving.com/scuba-diver-leaves-buddy-to-make-solo-wreck-dive

9. Lessons for Life #2
• Anthony (63yo) & his wife on vacation, he’s an
instructor 2000+ dives, 30 years exp, both rented
gear (due to baggage restrictions)
• Normal dive to 97ft, 20 mins, first dive of the trip
• Anthony’s BCD had a faulty inflator valve
• He had trouble controlling buoyancy during the
dive
• When ending the dive, he ascended faster than
expected, but got under control just before
surfacing; no safety stop

10. Lessons for Life #2 – pg2
• Did not do the 2nd dive
• Two hours after the dive, right shoulder pain
(6/10).
• 48h later, sought medical attn, 3 chamber
treatments helped (but not completely resolved),
waited 72h, flew home
• In flight, pain worsened, sought treatment at
home, one more chamber treatment, symptoms
resolved.
• 2 years later, he’s diving again, no problems

11. Lessons for Life #2 – pg3
• Lessons
– Do not use faulty equipment, even if you’re
“experienced” enough to “handle” it
– In this case, disconnect power inflator, use oral
inflation
– Do not wait to seek attention; do not presume the
problem is unrelated to diving
https://www.scubadiving.com/when-renting-scuba-gear-goes-wrong

12. Lessons for Life #3
• Cliff and Angie dive together all the time. She’s
a photographer
– In 40s, good health
• Rule of 80s: looked like a good day
• Cliff wasn’t feeling well, stomach upset, no
breakfast, still went diving (didn’t tell Angie)
• Strong current on bottom, so planned to stay
behind corals for shelter

13. Lessons for Life #3 – pg2
• Cliff was looking for critters, finning around
the reef until…leg cramp.
• In strong current, was swept away while trying
to relieve the cramp
• Luckily, Angie saw him at the last minute,
clipped off her camera, swam to him
• They surfaced together, deployed SMB,
signaled boat and were picked up

14. Lessons for Life #3 – pg3
• Lessons
– Be a good buddy, even if you’re trying to get that
great shot
– Leg cramps can escalate quickly; can’t just “power
through” some cramps
– Dehydration can ultimately cause major issues
– Pre-dive assessment (of your buddy) and planning
can be very important
– Don’t panic and bolt, but rather work on staying
calm and self-rescue
https://www.scubadiving.com/scuba-diver-with-leg-cramp-gets-swept-away-from-
their-buddy

15. 2018 Events
• Next meeting – June 8 (NOT the first Friday)
• Bonne Terre Mine Treasure Hunt – June 2
• Socorro Islands Liveaboard – Jun 11-19
• Club BBQ (@ HQ) – Aug 11
• Mermet Springs trip – Oct 4-7
• Dive club mtg – Sep 14 (2nd Friday)
• Pizza party – Oct 12
• Underwater pumpkin carving – Oct 13
• Dive club mtg – Nov 9 (2nd Friday)
• Annual club party – Jan 12, 2019