One thing you must never forget in this industry is that, though it may seem like a fun and relaxed job, Really peoples lives are in your hands every time you touch the water. Its easy to get caught up in the fun, but there are huge responsibilities.

Unfortunately this was refreshed in my mind not by training but by having to deal with a situation.

A diver I was training panicked and ended with a near drowning experience. We were swimming around looking at fish and we see a big turtle. He gets excited seeing a turtle and sucks in a bit of water, coughs, then full on panics. The first thing usually done when panicking is to tear your regulator, (what you breathe with) out of your mouth. As I’m sure you can guess that is bad. Now you can’t breathe at all…… Seeing this my main concern is to shove it back in your mouth while purging out air so you can breath. Of course as the panic increases he wants to keep pulling it out and fighting me to get it out. I forcibly keep it in and bring him safely to the surface where I get him floating, only for him to lose consciousness while spitting out water and foaming at the mouth.

What runs through your mind then? “Sigh” ahah well maybe a little more urgent “SIIIGHHH”

I was able to get him back to land and with the help of other staff members out of the water and put on oxygen. He regained consciousness and we rushed him by boat to an awaiting ambulance on the mainland. He spent one day in the hospital but is fine.

And all for what?  Because he got excited about a turtle…… People suck…….