So i woke up this morning to take my normal dump and saw this. Daniel mentioned to me yesterday he had posted it, so i thought id check it out.
That was me who blacked out. Couple key things i can add for you guys, and anyone is susceptible at all levels, freediving class takers or not.
We were tired, up since 3 am, took a beating all the way out (so legs were probably worked)
I was positive on the surface from inhale to exhale...that changed when i purged the air.
BIGGEST FACTOR was it was my 4th drop/dive of the day. The fish were deep because of the wind. Being that it was only my 4th dive, my body had not adjusted to the normal physiological changes that occur in the first 15-20 minutes of diving. Normally the body adjusts to utilize oxygen better during that time. Terry Maas has a very old, but great write up about it. O would not have blacked out if i took the time to "warm up" and make this change (spleen, skin cells, etc)
SECOND BIGGEST FACTOR I had been diving a lot the weeks/months before. My dive times were 2:15-2:45mins at about 50' (based on videos i was taking and spot depths i knew). I had a good deal of confidence, and technically overconfidence. In my mind i could hold my breath for 2mins+. I had dove down the 40-50ft, felt the usual sensation, and started to head up. Just the the school of YT came over, i leveled out and chased them for 10 more seconds, took a shot and whiffed. On my way up i should have ditched my belt (and gun if needed). I knew i was in trouble and tried the scuba no air signal, the just went to try and wave him down since he didn't respond from the surface.
Another big mistake i made is i closed my eyes to calm myself. Thats a big no no. Have to keep the eyes open to stay awake. Tucking the shoulders forward can make you more hydrodynamic, and compress the air in the lungs a bit too.
I think i was without air for a total of 4+ minutes. It was enough to make my legs feel like they were beat with a sledgehammer for the next 2 days. This was from oxygen starvation. When i first woke up on the boat i couldn't feel my arms or legs. I couldnt stand up for at least 15 minutes. My body was in full conservation mode.
Also when diving, i assumed Daniel and i were spotting each other. We had about 2 dives each going up and down taking turns. In fact i waited until he finished his dive before i took mine. That was just my assumption, obviously wrong. Im forever thankful that he was there, and had the instincts to make the rescue. My buddy Braden on the boat was spot on and we dive together regularly to this day.
I now dive with a watch, although i always hated them. I had a trip to Thetis last year. The diving was intensely deep (80' at times), and it worried the hell out of me, and was beyond my level. We took it real conservative and spotted each other the whole time. With a spotter i made an attempt to hit the high spot at Thetis. On my way up i was mentally spooked. I immediately dropped my belt, and popped up like a cork
. Not even a samba or anything. I think it was all mental, but glad i had the reflexes and experience to act on instinct. Note to self, bring extra belts and weights to mexico.
Like is very precious, and dying is a scary thing. You never want to have your loved ones grieve that you have been lost unnecessarily. We all learned a lot that day. Hopefully my first hand notes here can help you guys. My feeling is the overconfidence factor hits the experienced divers even more. When we are noobs, we tend to react more easily and urgently to that sensation for air. The more you condition to work through it the more at risk you are. And remember, every day id vastly different. Be aware of your overall health. Did you get good sleep? Big leg workout or run the day before? These things can make your body operate differently. And the scary thing is your brain/mind does not bear these factors. It tends to be conditioned to know what you "normally do." In diving, there is no such thing as a "normal" day. Consider all factors, and be safe so you can have fun again tomorrow