News
Take me back down: The best “over the counter” remedy for DCIs
The following is a first-hand example of how a series of unfortunate events were made better by going back into the water for in water recompression. The article does not offer medical advice. It serves as a personal account from which people may learn.
Immediately upon ascending the ladder onto the boat, I knew something was wrong. I felt “funny”. After removing my wetsuit, one of the support divers noticed the blotchy red patch that had started to form over my left shoulder and around the left side of my abdomen transcending around to my left lower back. It had been less than 15 minutes on the surface and I was sitting while the boat was making its way back to port. I had a flash of non-descript internal pain to my left knee. I began to rub it and wondered how long it would be until we were near the second dive site where we would afford the support divers an opportunity to dive. My entire thought process was driven toward getting myself back into the water. This thought came from adaptive unconscious (described in the later part of the article) which bares considerable importance to the ability to decide the correct course of action. About 15 minutes later, I began to feel that all too familiar pain, only this time it was in my right knee. Bilateral and progressively worsening symptoms began to cause me great concern. This was the point at which I knew I was in significant trouble.
Not wanting to be a bother to the four divers who had endured my four hour dive while they sat on the boat taking turns being in the water to support us, I concealed my pain and stomached a brief offload period at the dock which was about 45 minutes after surfacing. I could not however conceal the coughing fit that ensued with a small clearing of my throat while they were on loading some drinks from the bait and tackle shop. This uncontrollable coughing progressed and the friend driving the boat got everyone back in the boat and sped out of the channel toward deeper water than the boat basin. My rash was puffy and red and pressing on it left an indent. I had pain in both knees (a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10). I was hacking so badly I could not carry on conversation. At the speed with which the symptoms were progressing, I believe I would not have made it the 10 minute ambulance response time, followed by a 30 minute ambulance ride to the chamber or the almost assured 45 minute wait while doctors poured over me trying to find out what was wrong. I needed a cure now and hair of the dog that bit me was the only immediate remedy available.
After the 3-5 minutes it took to get the boat to 45 feet of water, I grabbed an open circuit steel 72 filled with 100% oxygen that had a green regulator on it. I put it under my arm while someone tossed the anchor. Knowing full well I may be in the water for a while, at the dock I had begun to step into a wetsuit. I could not manage to pull it any higher than up to around my hips. Face mask donned I fell forward off the boat into the water with the tank tucked under my arm unable to put fins on and with nothing else on.
I do not recall clearing my ears, the journey downward or hitting the bottom. I became aware again when Jennifer grabbed my arm and pulled me from 40-45 feet up to hang on the anchor line at 30 fsw. Jennifer had little more than a back pack on and was known for being able to dress for diving very quickly. She undoubtedly saved my life. (Thank you for that Jennifer!) By the time my dive buddy from the deep dive got dressed and re-entered the water, I had been able to pull up my wetsuit over my shoulders, was lucid and had a plan for my in water recompression cobbled on Jennifer’s slate. I had complete resolution of symptoms within minutes. I was a different person from the uncontrollable cough ladened, bi-lateral pain filled, shell of a man who thought it was a good idea to re-enter the water five minutes earlier. One of the divers brought me my rebreather and I followed out my decompression plan uneventfully watching the support divers enjoy their “fun dive” from my perch at the anchor line while slowly ascending from 30 to 20 and finally 10 fsw.
I had a fleeting thought to go to the Diving Medical Physician at Mobile Diving Salvage Unit, where I was stationed, but I was too embarrassed and did not want to face the ridicule or have to explain to the Navy what I was doing at 400 fsw on the weekend while I was on liberty. I thought I was fine until later that night when my abdomen and shoulder area that displayed the initial rash had become very painful to the touch. I was unable to sleep because when those areas touched the bed, it produced an intense amount of pain and endorphin release. After making my way to the chamber and a short ride in a “round room”, I was without pain or residual marks and live today to tell the tale.
While this story may seem improbable or impossible, it is none the less true. With this truth I intend to invite you into an alternate view of in water recompression and afford you an opportunity to discover a possible tool that could save your life if performed properly. I recognized many mistakes in this scenario. First was the most common symptom of DCI which is denial. I initially knew I had DCS, but denied the severity. The second mistake was delaying recompression. My final mistake was not being checked by a physician knowledgeable in diving medicine following my life-saving in water recompression.
If you are walking down a street and you see a truck coming toward you, do you have time to weigh all the options prior to jumping out of the way? The answer of course is no. Why would I have immediately thought that the “necessary” thing to do was get back in the water? Divers are an intelligent unique breed. The only way divers could have evolved into technical diving and rebreathers is to have a decision making process that is capable of making rapid judgments based upon little information. This notion parallels the survival skill.
As the psychologist Timothy D. Wilson writes in his book Strangers to Ourselves, the mind relegates a great deal of its high level sophisticated thinking to its unconscious. Our adaptive unconscious does an excellent job of sizing up the world, warning people of danger and setting goals and initiating action in a sophisticated and efficient manner. Wilson says that we toggle back and forth between conscious and unconscious parts of the brain. Whenever we are faced with an emergent situation, we invoke the unconscious part of our brains to assist in making the decisions. Malcolm Gladwell in his book, Blink, feels that this rapid answer is most often correct. The quality of a decision is not directly proportional to the time effort and energy to make that decision. Knowledge is power, but a delay in taking action may cause irreparable damage. Prior to making the decision to go back in the water a technical diver should take a class and prepare themselves for making the correct decision once the inevitable happens.
If we knew exactly what caused DCS, the divers at large may feel differently, but since scientists have been unable to find an exact cause, we are merely trying to treat the symptoms. DCS is so multi-faceted that some researchers have spent their whole lives trying to find the cure / cause to no end. If you ask a diver who is newly certified, “What causes DCS?”, their answer would be, “I don’t know…I think it has something to do with bubbles”. If you ask a dive master what causes DCS, you will likely get a description of a soda bottle being opened too quickly and the soda fizzing out. If you ask a Technical Diving Instructor from IANTD or a person trained in hyperbaric medicine what causes DCS, you will like get discussions of the phagocyte and leukocyte reaction to a foreign body in your blood stream coupled with the need for adequate hydration. If you ask the top five scientists who work in decompression physiology, “what causes DCS”, their answer would be, “I don’t know…I think it has something to do with bubbles”.
This is just one case where the contentious topic of in water recompression was the best over-the-counter remedy. This could have gone very wrong and I may not have survived the descent. Authors like Richard Pyle, Don Shirley and Tom Mount have scribed their accounts of the utility of this “trade secret”. There are two major points to take away from this article: 1. In water recompression is the best source for immediacy of care when a diver has a DCS. 2. In water recompression is not the only thing a diver needs to do if they have a DCS. In water recompression is by no means a medical treatment. It is merely a method of lessening the severity of issues that a diver will encounter because of DCS and affording immediacy of care.
Wow! What a story, and what an incredible feat of not only survival for the cook but of the sheer bravery and determination of his rescuers.
It’s an easy read with absolutely no waffle or embellishment and is probably the quickest I have ever read a book from cover to cover. It’s not only a story that will touch the hearts of divers but is also a great read for anyone who has not been to or under the sea at all.
Dived Up Publications announces the release of The Diver and the Cook by Lasse Spang Olsen.
A ship lost. No survivors. A grim recovery mission begins, pushing a team of commercial divers well beyond their comfort zone.
Braving treacherous conditions, saturation diver Nico van Heerden single-handedly combs the cramped, debris-strewn, zero-visibility Jascon 4 shipwreck searching for any sign of the lost crew.
Then, in a scene akin to a horror movie, while exploring a small, isolated compartment, Nico feels a tap on his shoulder. Could someone have survived underwater for over sixty hours?
The Diver & the Cook is the incredible true story of a seemingly impossible underwater rescue. With first-hand accounts, authentic images and detailed reconstructions, author and documentary maker Lasse Spang Olsen brings this gripping tale to life. The book is the result of over four years of work, including intensive interviews, access to previously unknown material, and deep study of conversations and film recorded during the actual incident.
Witness the unwavering determination of the human spirit as Jascon 4 galley chef, Harrison Okene, fights for survival after his ship goes down. Meanwhile, rookie saturation diver Nico van Heerden faces a daunting challenge: spearheading the rescue mission in a perilous underwater environment. With time running out, what rules must the dive team break to save Harrison before it’s too late?
An unprecedented operation, this story provides a unique perspective on the dangers and challenges faced by divers, showing the importance of teamwork and communication in high-risk situations. An incredible survival story against all odds, with an equally surprising aftermath.
Quote from the author, documentary-maker Lasse Spang Olsen:
“There are a whole lot of different versions of this story out there. But I believe that by speaking directly to the key people involved, creating meticulous reconstructions and doing original research we have dug much deeper and got far closer to the truth about the rescue and the sinking than anyone has ever managed to before.”
About the author
Author and veteran filmmaker Lasse Spang Olsen – in a 40+ year career – has participated in stunts and FX on over 600 films, directed eleven features and filmed extensively underwater. He’s led expeditions uncovering historical mysteries like the Flying Enterprise wreck and documented adventures worldwide. He’s also a producer and lecturer. Originally published in Denmark as Dykkeren of Kokken (February 2024), this is his fourth book.
The Diver and the Cook (ISBN 978-1-909455-61-0) is released on 12 November 2024 in paperback and ebook. It is available via online retailers, bookstores, from DivedUp.com and to the dive trade via Nautilus UK.
Welcome to Day 5 of Scubaverse.com’s week-long Christmas Gift Guide!
Struggling to find the perfect gift for that special scuba diver in your life? Read on for Team Scubaverse’s pick of this season’s must-have Christmas gifts.
Every day this week, we are publishing a special Christmas Gift Guide full of different gift ideas that are all ideal for divers, so you’re sure to find something that’s perfect. Take a look at today’s selection below…
SlipIns DiveSkins
Team@slipins.com / www.slipins.com / SlipIns Facebook / SlipIns Instagram / SlipIns Pinterest
DiveSkins are perfect for scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, paddling, surfing, and all water sports. It shows up beautifully in pictures under water.
This tight-fitting, tailored lycra suit offers maximum comfort. stretchy, breathable, fast-drying fabric with the world’s best sun and stinger protection.
SlipIns are:
*Ultimate 50+ UPF sun protection
*Abrasion protection.
*Quick dry, breathable, soft fabric
*The ultimate stinging critter protection
Save 10% on your order if you mention you saw this ad in Scubaverse in your order note!
SAVE YOUR SKIN…WEAR OUR SKINS
Team@slipins.com / www.slipins.com / SlipIns Facebook / SlipIns Instagram / SlipIns Pinterest
Diving Books from Miflex Hoses
sales@miflexhoses.co.uk / www.miflexhoseshop.co.uk / miflexhoseshop.co.uk/acatalog/Diving-Books.html / Miflex Hoses on Facebook
We stock a great range of Diving & Underground book titles, ideal to add to any order or simply buy as a gift for a friend.
Titles we have include:
Shipwrecks of the Dover Straits, Adventures Underground, Pioneers Beneath the Peak, Dive Truk Lagoon, Underwater Potholer, Images Below & many more.
From Authors including:
Stefan Panis, Martyn Farr, Duncan Price, Ron Young, Rod Macdonald, Chris Howes
Visit our website for more details.
sales@miflexhoses.co.uk / www.miflexhoseshop.co.uk / miflexhoseshop.co.uk/acatalog/Diving-Books.html / Miflex Hoses on Facebook
OrcaTorch D710 Dive Light – now available in pink!
sales@sea-sea.com / www.orcatorch.com / OrcaTorch on Facebook / OrcaTorch on X / OrcaTorch on YouTube
Already available in Black, Green, Red and Blue, the D710 Dive Light from Orcatorch is now available in Pink too.
Whether you’re a recreational or a professional diver, you’ll find the OrcaTorch D710 dive light useful in your underwater activities.
With max 3,000 lumens, the D710 is one of the strongest torches in its class. You also have plenty of brightness settings to choose from if you prefer less power.
It runs on one OrcaTorch 21700 5000mAh rechargeable battery with a Type-C charging port, easier for you to charge it anywhere. Now it offers five exterior colour options: Black, Green, Red, Blue, and Pink, to satisfy your diverse needs.
Featuring:
* Uses Luminous LED, max 3000 lumens
* Uses 1 * 21700 Li-ion battery
* 6° beam angle
* Offers four exterior colour options: Black, Red, Green and Blue
* Easy operation with side titanium alloy push-button switch
* Safe lock function, prevents mis-operation
* Intelligent Over-Heat protection
* Battery indicator
* Water pressure resistant construction, depth rated to 150 meters
* Reverse polarity protection, to protect from improper battery installation
* Over-discharge protection function
* Constructed from high-strength A6061-T6 aluminum
* Mil-Spec Type III hard anodized finish for durability and corrosion resistance
* Two sides coated toughened glass with high water pressure resistance under deep water
Sea & Sea is the home of OrcaTorch and other leading diving brands in the UK.
sales@sea-sea.com / www.orcatorch.com / OrcaTorch on Facebook / OrcaTorch on X / OrcaTorch on YouTube
Scubapro Luna 2 AI Dive Computer
Scubapro Europe Website / Scubapro USA Website / Scubapro on Facebook / Scubapro on Instagram / Scubapro on YouTube
SCUBAPRO, the world’s premier manufacturer of high-quality scuba diving equipment, introduces its second generation Luna 2.0, an easy-to-read, intuitive dive computer loaded with easy-to-use features and available in two versions, the Luna 2.0 and Luna 2.0 AI with wireless air integration.
Designed for new and casual recreational divers, the low-profile Luna 2.0 sits comfortably on the wrist. Its oil-filled plastic housing helps ensure reliable performance to depths of 120 meters. A large widescreen display features a high-contrast black and white matrix-segment LCD with full-sized characters for easy reading in all dive conditions. An intuitive menu and simple two-button interface lets the diver navigate the system with ease, aided by clearly marked screen prompts. The LUNA 2.0 offers two algorithms – Predictive Multi-Gas Bühlmann ZH-L16 ADT MB PMG or ZH-L16 + GF PURE, plus 21-50% nitrox compatibility and three selectable gasses for open circuit diving. Three dive modes are available – Scuba, Apnea and Gauge – to suit a range of diving activities.
The Luna 2.0 AI (air integrated) offers the same easy-to-use features and functions as the standard Luna 2.0 plus adds wireless air integration. This not only enables to easily monitor ythe tank pressure, it also provides true remaining bottom time (RBT) and allows the air consumption to be factored into the decompression calculation. Also available with the Luna 2.0 AI is an optional integrated heart rate monitor that lets visually track the heart rate and skin temperature to help staying in the personal target zone.
Both Luna 2.0 models include personalized dive management functions like PDIS (Profile Dependent Intermediate Stops) which calculates an intermediate stop based on N2 loading, current and previous dives and breathing mixes, and Microbubble levels that give the option to adjust the level of conservatism in the algorithm to match the individual experience level, age and physical conditioning for a more enjoyable dive.
The soft silicone arm strap offers a comfortable fit on the wrist, plus bungee mounts on the corners of the housing allow for alternate attachment methods. A Bluetooth Low Energy interface enables the download of the dive data to any iOS or Android device or PC/Mac (firmware can be user-updated), and the CR2450 battery is rated for up to two years or 300 dives.
Scubapro Europe Website / Scubapro USA Website / Scubapro on Facebook / Scubapro on Instagram / Scubapro on YouTube
35% off Red Sea Liveaboard Scuba Scene in Spring 2025
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Embark on the ultimate diving adventure aboard the Scuba Scene, the luxury liveaboard offering an unforgettable Red Sea experience. Known for its exceptional service, safety, comfort, and world-class dive sites, Scuba Scene is the ideal choice for divers of all levels.
Dive into crystal-clear waters teeming with vibrant coral reefs, exotic marine life, and awe-inspiring shipwrecks. From the stunning Ras Mohammed National Park to the famous Thistlegorm wreck, Scuba Scene brings you to the heart of the Red Sea’s best sites. With spacious cabins, gourmet dining, and a dedicated crew that ensures every detail is perfect, this liveaboard guarantees relaxation and adventure in equal measure.
Now is the perfect time to book! Save a massive 35% on any sailing between 3rd March and 28th April 2025. Whether you’re a seasoned diver or taking your first plunge, Scuba Scene promises an experience you’ll cherish forever.
Don’t miss this chance to dive the Red Sea in style and at an incredible price. Book your adventure today!
Tel: 0800 699 0243
info@oysterdiving.com / www.oysterdiving.com / Oyster Diving Facebook / Oyster Diving Instagram
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