That 100-foot dive last Tuesday where my drysuit flooded at 80 feet...

I was doing a bridge inspection near Portland and my exhaust valve let go. Ice cold water hit my back and I froze up for a second. Has anyone else had a valve fail on them mid-dive?

2 comments

2 Comments

fiona_johnson822d ago

Exhaust valve let go" is a nice way of putting it. I had one fail on a quarry dive and it felt like someone shoved an ice cube tray down my wetsuit. The cold hit so fast I almost forgot how to breathe for a second. Ended my dive real quick and I spent the rest of the day trying to dry out my thermals in the car heater.

leep332d ago

That drysuit flood at 80 feet is a whole different kind of terror isn't it. I had an inlet valve stick open on a cold lake dive few years back and the water just kept coming in until my suit was half full. What worked for me was forcing myself to breathe slow and steady, then using my free hand to feel for the valve and tap it shut while I did a slow controlled ascent.