Dsix36

I was quickly humbled the other day when I discovered that I had gone diving with the wrong bailout gas. I will back track a little bit to tell how I put myself in this potentially fatal position.

I use an Apeks XTX200 for my deepest bailout gas (bottom most mix) and have it on a necklace. This tank is always hung on my left side. I use a Dive Rite reg with an orange second stage hose for my hottest mix (Deco or O2) and have this tank on my right side. These two regs have both been breathed deeply and very recently. I trust them both to work at all times.

The Apeks developed a IP creep and I sent it in for service. While it was gone and I wanted to dive, I used the Dive Rite reg with the orange hose for my bottom mix and had it on a BO tank that was filled with 10/50. I used another reg for the 50% tank. After the dive, I rinsed my gear and set the BO tanks off to the side like I always do.

I do not analyze my BO tanks prior to each dive. I just go by the labels that indicate the mix, I mean really, how is it going to change just by setting in the garage?

I got a call from a friend of mine to go diving and I began to get my gear together. I had my Apeks back from service and it seemed to be working fine. I stuck it on my tank of 21/35 to use as the deep BO tank. My plan was to have 50% for my other tank. This is were I f**ked up BADLY. I grabbed the 10/50 tank with the orange hosed reg and did a "quick " verification of the label to make sure it was 50%. I saw 50 and called it good. Half of the label was concealed by the hoses and it was actually 10/50.

If my Rebreather would have crapped out and I was forced to bailout, I am very sure that I would be dead right now. I would have been decoing on a hypoxic mix of 10/50 instead of 50%. Might not have been too bad until I was shallow, but dead is dead.

I feel like the most stupid mother f**ker on the planet right now and I am sure that I will catch a lot of crap for this. I have not been able to sleep worth a damn since I did this. I am of the impression that if I am not able to make sure of my own gasses that I do not belong diving. I am doing this because I love it and not because i have a death wish.

I have decided that from now on: I must do more than just check pressure and that the regs work when gearing up for a dive. Before ever clipping the tank on, the mix must be verified one last time.

I am posting about my little screw up in the hopes that it might keep others from doing the same thing.

Kieran Hatton

Well we all make mistakes, you've chosen to share yours there is nothing wrong with that. As you say, if you had had a problem all sorts could of happened, but you didn't and nothing happened; but it is a learning curve and I bet it never happens to you again.

I reminder to us all, thanks for sharing.

Kieran

cramerdn

Good post. Thank's.

heyydude

Teach you to make fun of The Dude.

I had my collection of Chasey/Six VooDoo dolls out the other day...

Better watch yo-self.



Kevin.

P.S. Glad to hear you're ok - the best mistakes are the ones we survive, eh?

Mixaddict

Glad everything turned out OK! Scary revelation! Thanks for a good reminder to all of us!

Regards,
Randy

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Randy Thornton
TDI Training Advisory Panel member

CCR Cave Instructor & Advanced Trimix Instructor Trainer- Hammerhead, Sentinel, Inspiration, Evolution, Optima, & Prism 2
www.diveaddicts.com
www.cavecountrylodging.com
http://ccrexplorer.blogspot.com/

Marvintpa

Honesty like that deserves some green.
Thanks for the reminder about vigillance.

Sutty

Sleep well, you're still alive, and there's one less error you are likely to make again. Its the other errors you need to worry about!

Thanks for posting,

Neil

kevin stone

Hi Don
Thanks for sharing
This type of post is what makes RBW great and informative.
We all learn from each other.

battles2a5

Well if you had bit the big one, at least you wouldn't have to endure the torment from your mates of getting bent like a pretzel after deco'ing out on 10/50 :)

Thanks for the post. I have a similar system as you (e.g. dedicated deep BO reg, dedicated deco reg(s) ) so this is a good reminder for me.

Diverlee

I think almost everyone has had something "BAD" that could of happened in their diving career. (if they are honest about it, at least to themselves) Point being nothing happened and you learned from it. You will be more aware now. By posting it will make everyone else more aware also.
You already triple check your mixes, maybe just check your bottles better.