Vent: I stopped trusting the dive shop's gear checks after a close call in the Gulf

I was on a hull clean in Mobile Bay last month, about 30 feet down, and my comms just cut out. Total silence. I had to do the whole safety stop and ascent on hand signals, which was NOT fun. The problem? A tiny bit of grit in the main comms cable connector that the shop's surface check missed. Now I do my own full pre-dive check, EVERY time, no matter what the tender says. I take the connector apart, clean the pins with a dab of isopropyl on a swab, and put it back together myself. It adds maybe five minutes to my setup, but it's saved my bacon twice since. Has anyone else had to basically double-check the checkers to stay safe down there?

3 comments

3 Comments

shane_ross7d ago

Yeah, my trust in shop checks died after I found my own tank o-ring looking like a dried-up rubber band. Guess my paranoia is just part of the pre-dive ritual now.

river1821mo ago

My buddy's backup reg failed at 60 feet after their shop gave it the all clear.

margaret_bennett31mo ago

I read a story about a tech diver up in Lake Michigan who had a similar thing happen with his backup light. The shop check said it was good, but the O-ring was totally dry and cracked when he looked. I mean, it's your air and your safety down there, right? Maybe it's just me but I don't get how a pro check can miss stuff you catch in two minutes. Doing your own full check is just smart. That grit in the connector is such a small thing that causes a huge problem.