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PANIC - CAN WE TALK?
by Edward P. Stoner NSS# 32613
Denise M. Stoner NSS# 32614
Incident at the Devils Ear, Ginnie Springs cave system. A group
of five certified full cave divers arrived in the early hours
on a Sunday in November. It was planned that the five would
form two teams, one team of three, and another of two. The
first group of three divers would start their dive about 20
minutes before team two. One of the cave divers in team one
had shown passive to active panic on previous cave dives. This
was one of the reasons that team two split the main team this
day. Also team one had different tank configurations, one diver
had 104's, one had 80's, and the suspect diver was on 100's
with an 80 stage. Also noted was the fact that the stage attempt
was this divers first. No attempt was made to adjust psi turn
times between divers of unequal air supplies by any member of
team one. I, being leader of team two, entered the Ear only
after ample time had passed for team one to be in the system.
After passing the second warning sign, I was surprised to see
team one exiting the system. I received an ok from my dive
buddy and proceeded on only to notice a rapid peripheral light
flash. I turned to my buddy and again got an ok signal. I
continued in and noticed another flash. Turning back I noticed
the diver in question on the floor between the two signs
frantically flashing his light at me! I headed for this diver
at full speed looking for an out of air signal that never came.
As an instructor I was taught to evaluate the condition of a
panicked diver before approaching the individual. I noticed
no air problem except that a large volume of air was being
aspirated. He was giving me an up signal and I saw no sign
of injury. I questioned the signal and got another up signal.
He was lost, yes lost, and hyperventilating while kneeling on
the floor between the two warning signs. I held his arm tight
and pointed in the direction of the first sign giving an ok
up signal from which I got no response. I then held his arm
and swam in the direction of the exit. I got him to the crack
at the exit, you could see the light coming from the shaft.
He then pulled out of my grasp and made a fast turn to the right.
I caught him and started to turn him back into the exit shaft
when he pushed me back with great force! Looking now at his
fins he went straight for the dome on the ceiling where two
open water divers were exploring. Pushing these divers aside
he thought they were his lost team mates. I was able to pull
him out of the dome and back to the opening despite strong
resistance on his part. His eyes were still wide open with
the panic reflex controlling his actions. The current helped
my now frugal attempt to push him back into the Ear and he was
on his way to the surface. Luck had been with him for he had
not spent enough time at depth to be in decompression. I
surfaced with this diver and instead of discussing the problem
he swam about sixty feet away and said, "I had a little stitch
in my back."
Panic, yes panic the number one killer of divers in all types
of diving. We don't like the word, we don't like to talk about
it with our dive buddies or friends. In cave diving circles
it's like talking about the black plague. Only in our cave
instruction does this plague come up. You will have hours of
lecture on technique in buoyancy, lights, configuration,
decompression procedures, communications, and so on. When it
comes to stress we are taught the basics on stress as related
to cave diving. You cover stress due to "physical stress,"
"stress due to task loading," " stress due to loss of vision,"
"stress due to loss of orientation," "time pressure stress."
The theme is to recognize stressors at the onset or low level,
This is the first stage of stress. This is where the big "At-
A-Boy," you called the dive comes in. The "anyone can call
a cave dive at any time," answer may not be enough. We know
not to push a dive past one's comfort level. To learn through
experience before going on to the more advanced levels. Cave
divers must condition themselves not to pass the passive panic
stage. Remember you are taught to turn the dive before the
mind over takes the body. This in my opinion is not enough.
You have to know beyond any doubt that the plague (panic), will
kill you! My point is if you are at the turning point of a
2000 foot push, and all hell breaks loose, you must take control
of your mind. I have been there, many times, I took control
of my mind before my mind could take control of me.1 The diver
in the incident was in full active panic. I have been trained
as an instructor to recognize stress and panic in divers. These
divers have to let go of their ego and accept the fact they
were in a panic situation. Cave divers have big egos, yet I
see heavy stress and passive panic in a lot of us, but damn
if you will admit it, let alone talk about it. To be a cave
diver you must master this SKILL! I bet the least read chapter
in the new cave manual is Chapter 10, Psychological Aspects
by Mary Brooks.2 Most of you cave pros out there are still
around today because you know panic kills, and have mastered
the SKILL. The rest of our community needs to read the above
chapter many times over. I agree with turning the dive when
the feeling comes, but at that time practice the skill of panic
control on the way out. Talk to a cave instructor, they will
help you with all types of advice. They just may have the answer
for your personal problem. If you don't ask, they won't be
able to help. Remember "Mature judgment, along with a free
clear mind, is the most important piece of equipment the cave
diver possesses."
Update: A few months have passed since this article was drafted.
The diver that was in the panic situation must have done some
serious inner reflection regarding the happenings surrounding
that dive. My wife and I have made numerous cave dives with
this diver since November. He has shown vast improvement in
stress control and his other dive companions concur. I feel
quite comfortable now that the plague will not fully attack
this diver again. After all this man is my best friend, and
as best friends "WE CAN TALK."
FOOTNOTES
1 Stoner, 1991
2 Brooks, 1992
REFERENCE
Brooks, M. (1992) "Psychological Aspects." NSS Cave Diving
Manual
Stoner, E. (1991) "A Sinkhole Cave In." Underwater
Speleology, Vol. 18, No. 6
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