Just got back from Cozumel. Did 1 shore dive and 8 boat dives with 1 night dive.
I've been diving for 18years accumulating about 500 open water dives. I've never had to abort a dive for any reason but there is always a first.
I was having mask problems, so I borrowed a mask from another diver. There was a small tear in the skirt, maybe 1/8inch right on the edge. No big deal. In between back rolling off the boat and descending to 60ft that tear increased to about 1inch breaking the seal permanently.
Although we have always followed a rule that we are two arms length away from your buddy or less, we hit stronger than normal current and everybody was strung out in a line. Me- tail end Charlie.
I couldn't clear my mask faster than it was filling and I had started ascending above the group. At this point I was no mask swimming and could not get within range of the group and decided I needed to make a slow ascent and surface.
I got to the surface and realized I was alone and there were no boats within ear or swimming distance. My boat was several hundred yards away in the distance, up current. I decided to float for a little bit and re-charge.
Finally a real small slow boat came by me and I was able to get them to radio my boat to come pick me up.
We regrouped, discussed it. I took my old mask back, Checked dive computers and hit the shallows for another dive.
After several tequilas and beers that night I realized things could have ended a lot worse.
Was there anything I could have done differently...not in the moment. Bad current, equipment failure...surfacing was the right choice.
But I will be getting my fam, whistles and I think we will carry more than one safety sausage in the group if not all of us.
The rest of the dives were great and without incident.
I've been diving for 18years accumulating about 500 open water dives. I've never had to abort a dive for any reason but there is always a first.
I was having mask problems, so I borrowed a mask from another diver. There was a small tear in the skirt, maybe 1/8inch right on the edge. No big deal. In between back rolling off the boat and descending to 60ft that tear increased to about 1inch breaking the seal permanently.
Although we have always followed a rule that we are two arms length away from your buddy or less, we hit stronger than normal current and everybody was strung out in a line. Me- tail end Charlie.
I couldn't clear my mask faster than it was filling and I had started ascending above the group. At this point I was no mask swimming and could not get within range of the group and decided I needed to make a slow ascent and surface.
I got to the surface and realized I was alone and there were no boats within ear or swimming distance. My boat was several hundred yards away in the distance, up current. I decided to float for a little bit and re-charge.
Finally a real small slow boat came by me and I was able to get them to radio my boat to come pick me up.
We regrouped, discussed it. I took my old mask back, Checked dive computers and hit the shallows for another dive.
After several tequilas and beers that night I realized things could have ended a lot worse.
Was there anything I could have done differently...not in the moment. Bad current, equipment failure...surfacing was the right choice.
But I will be getting my fam, whistles and I think we will carry more than one safety sausage in the group if not all of us.
The rest of the dives were great and without incident.
This dude just calmly unhooked and dropped his BC (tank and all), took one good breathe of air from my buddy regulator and shot to the surface. He grabbed another tank and BC and was back down with the group about 2 minutes later. 
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