Zero Bar: When human error disguises itself as a joke
Maldives, nearing the end of the dive, seven meters deep. Sorin, an Advanced diver for a couple of years, is messing around with friends who are playfully trying to pull his mask off. I get closer and see the SPG (pressure gauge) needle pinned to the left.
Zero bar.
Not thirty, not ten. Zero.
The response back on the boat was: “Oh come on, we were right under the dhoni.”
It is precisely this complacency that causes serious trouble: statistically speaking, the majority of diving accidents don’t happen due to equipment failure, but due to human error.
First and foremost, it’s us failing to check the gauge or not giving it enough importance.
Running dry at 7 meters might seem harmless to most, but what would happen if the air actually ran out? Do we have the manual skills and experience to handle the emergency? And, since there would be no air left to inflate the BCD, how is our buoyancy?
If, in the confusion, you swallow even a single mouthful of water, panic could set in. The extreme consequences? Drowning, or a rapid ascent while holding your breath.
I don’t want to get on a soapbox and preach. Let’s be clear: I’m no saint either.
Thirty years ago, when I worked as a guide in Sharm el-Sheikh, we were young and felt immortal. We threw ourselves into dives that pushed every limit with 12-liter tanks, often forced into hasty exits with tens of minutes of deco still to clear.
I got lucky. It was just a matter of luck. Unfortunately, for many friends, it wasn’t.
Over the years, I’ve gained an awareness that I want to pass on: the ocean must be respected until the very last second. Just because we’ve reached the safety stop doesn’t mean we can let our guard down; on the contrary, exiting the water and climbing back onto the boat are among the most critical phases.
Therefore, the dive isn’t over until the tank is down and secured.
Let’s have fun, shoot videos, and enjoy the mantas and sharks, but let’s respect the pressure gauge.