Steven P. Hughes
Ivan’s Age: 32
Experience: Newly Certified Open Water Diver
Medical History: Fit; In Good Health
Fresh from his PADI Open Water Diver course, Ivan was ecstatic to go on his first guided group dive. Being a new diver, Ivan rented a gear set and told the dive guides that he wanted to practice his skills by setting up his own kit. However, he had a hard time listening to the safety briefing while trying to put his unfamiliar gear together.
Once they reached the dive site, the captain came over to help with Ivan’s dive kit. They ensured air was flowing to the alternate reg and that the BCD was functioning but did not complete a full buddy check. The captain told Ivan to wait and be the last one into the water so he could double-check his kit before diving.
With his mask on and regulator in, Ivan lined up at the back of the boat. He took his first full breath from his reg and had to work to suck in air. Ivan asked the captain: “It feels tight—is that OK?” The captain reassured him it was fine and said that he’d just opened Ivan’s tank valve as they were standing on the dive platform. Ivan made a giant stride from the boat.
He descended alongside his group without incident—until he reached the bottom at 50 feet. Suddenly, he felt the tightness from his regulator again and couldn’t take a full breath. Ivan tried to stay calm and remember what his instructor had said about the importance of breathing slowly and steadily, but the air just wouldn’t come. Removing and clearing his regulator didn’t help.
Related Reading: Am I Ready to Take the PADI Rescue Diver Course?
"SUDDENLY, HE FELT THE TIGHTNESS FROM HIS REGULATOR AGAIN AND COULDN’T TAKE A FULL BREATH."
Here, an important step for Ivan would have been to check his tank pressure via air gauge. If your tank isn’t entirely open, your gauge will often show a full tank—but as you breathe, the needle will dip to zero, returning to full as you exhale. This would’ve been a clear indicator that Ivan’s tank valve needed to be opened further.
Looking around, Ivan realized he had lost the group while he was focused on his reg. He decided to ascend, still struggling to breathe. Back on the boat, Ivan told the captain what happened. After a quick check, they identified that Ivan’s tank valve was almost completely closed. Chalking it up to an equipment malfunction, the captain told Ivan to rest and catch his breath.
Related Reading: Safety Tips for Fill Stations and Compressor Rooms
Mulling over the series of events, Ivan realized what must have happened. The captain said he had opened the valve fully and turned it a quarter back when they were at the back of the boat. But Ivan had made sure his air was on before donning his gear. The captain had in fact turned the valve closed, then opened it a quarter turn—the opposite of what was intended. Because the valve was partially open, it wasn’t immediately apparent that the valve was in the wrong position.
While Ivan was lucky, incidents like this can be deadly, and they happen all too often despite being entirely preventable.
Related Reading: The Danger of Skipping Your Pre-Dive Valve Check
Steven P. Hughes
Lessons for Life
1. When opening a tank valve, open it fully, and do not turn it back. The one-quarter turn is an outdated practice. It’s not necessary with modern equipment and can lead to confusion and restricted airflow, especially at depth.
2. To confirm your valve is fully open, take a few deep breaths while watching your pressure gauge. If it fluctuates while you are breathing, your valve is only partially open. Do not dive until your air valve is fully open.
3. No matter your experience level, you should always perform a full buddy check, inspect your own gear setup and ensure your own tank valve is fully open before donning gear.
