INCIDENT REPORT
DIVERS: Janna (divemaster, 1,200-plus dives), eight fully certified divers ranging from Open Water diver (20-plus dives) to Rescue diver (350-plus dives)
SITE: Cathedral Arch, Hawaii
CONDITIONS: 78°F water, 25-foot-plus visibility, 2-foot chop

After 30 minutes of diving at 50 to 60 feet, Janna guided four buddy pairs back to the mooring. She had to take a compass bearing because the visibility was poor. She planned to let the divers use their remaining gas in the immediate area. Shortly afterward, a buddy pair signaled “low air.” Everyone else in the group had plenty left, so Janna signaled “stay here, I’ll be back,” and escorted the low-on-air buddies to their safety stop.

She confirmed they were OK to finish the dive unescorted, but she was unable to see the bottom. She began her descent to rejoin the others.

At 40 feet, Janna’s left ear wouldn’t equalize. She wondered if the decongestant she’d taken because of a cold had worn off, but her ear finally cleared. Within minutes of rejoining the group, another team signaled that it was low on air; after again checking, Janna took this team to the safety stop. This time at 40 feet, her ear wouldn’t equalize, period. This left Janna midwater without a buddy, and invisible to the rest of the divers waiting below.

After a moment, Janna rapped her cylinder, hoping they would ascend. Shortly, they ascended, signaling “OK?” and “OK!” as they passed. The dive finished uneventfully.

What They Did Wrong
Because she had a cold, Janna used a decongestant before the dive. She was diving solo after escorting teams to the safety stop. She didn’t consider communication before leaving the group’s sight.

What They Did Right
Janna navigated the group to the mooring underwater, and improvised intelligently. The divers stayed together, watched their air and ascended when they heard Janna’s signal.

Five Tips from This Incident

1) Don’t dive with a cold or allergies. This is hard for professionals sometimes, but complications can range from buddy separation to severe ear injuries.

2) Consider your options. Allowing those with more air to continue their dive isn’t unreasonable. However, given the low viz in this case, it might have made more sense for everyone to end the dive at the same time.

3) Have a buddy. Janna should have avoided redescending alone, either by having her own buddy or by bringing the entire group up with the first team.

4) Plan for separation. The general guideline is that if you’re separated from your buddy, search for no more than a minute, then reunite on the surface if not successful. Follow this guideline if separated from a group (even with your buddy) or as covered during predive planning.

5) Take the PADI Underwater Navigator course. Janna got everyone to the mooring line because she knew how to use her compass.