There were many mistakes made that day, that were 100% preventable. The biggest mistake after a close call, would be a diver not learning from their mistake. I truly appreciate both of you guys for sharing this video, but more importantly spreading the awareness of the dangers of complacency and ego. 5 years later, and we still show this video to all of our Rescue Students, Cavern Students, PSD Students, Night Diving Students, Deep Students, Ice Diving, and our Solo Students. Decision making underwater is crucial to your safety, and on this day we (I) made the wrong decision. Remaining calm during a situation like this is very difficult to do, as stress can be overcome, but not panic. Once panic sets in, its over. I truly believe God had his hands on me that day (for the believers, Isaiah 43:2). I hope all divers can learn from my mistakes and this video. I wish everyone safe and enjoyable diving.
Thanks for sharing this story and the lessons learned! Both Dive Talk and Lake Hickory inspired me to get OW certified and we’re all fortunate to learn from your experience!
I think these videos are incredibly important, both in showing what can happen, and why training and experience is important. If you don't have that, then as you say, it's far more likely to result in panic and a bad outcome. Only thing I thing would be great to add is maybe explain what your thought process was once you'd realised the situation and the training kicked in, ie what should be done in that kind of situation. I abandoned my cave training, but thoughts would be I'd want to mark my location. So maybe a reel and a ground anchor so I could try and do an area search but have a known way back to my start point.
@lakehickoryscuba You guys still got that video about not messing with wildlife coming? I unsubscribed after seeing you yank the eel out of a hole in Coz, so I haven't been paying the closest attention, but I don't see it in your feed.
I don't think this damages his credibility as a dive instructor whatsoever, in fact I have a tremendous amount of respect for him not only as a person but as a dive instructor. He was able to show that mistakes can be made by anybody but if you refer back to your training and remain calm you have better chances of getting out and surviving. ... So kudos to him for being able to share his mistake with us as a learning lesson.
I agree. That video was an absolute visual proof of the importance of appropriate training. If we all had to learn from only our own mistakes, in any area, we'd be in a lot of trouble. It's thanks to people like Brian that we can learn from the mistakes of others and make advancements.
I'm glad he put it out. It's humbling but I have a ton of respect for those who can evaluate their mistakes, learn from them, and share that lesson. I'm grateful he shared his experience.
I couldn't even imagine that instinctual fear, knowing you're lost underwater with limited air. I'm very glad he made it out alright and shared this experience with the rest of us, it shows you just how fast disaster can happen. Accidents tend to happen when you become too comfortable, seems as though that may have been what happened here.
I've watched a ton of Bryan's videos. If I'm being honest, I prefer learning from people who have made mistakes, and demonstrate that they have learned from them. That's part of why I love so much. The thing that blows my mind here is that he accidentally ended up in a cavern/cave. Wow. Thanks again &! I love these icons lol.
I would like to see the profile of this cave or cavern. It probably doesn't take much of an overhead rock area to panic when you can't see where the open water is. And when you have no information about the area you are diving in, then you can't really tell whether you should go up or down, circle around or follow one wall. You can only trust your luck and go one way.
Being a professional doesn’t mean you’re perfect. To be a professional means you’re proficient but can also recognize when you make a mistake. To be a roll model is to willingly point at your mistakes to help teach those who aren’t professionals to avoid the mistakes you’ve made. This guy is rad in my book.
I really appreciate the time you guys took to make these videos! I've learned so much from them. My safety level is at 100, I quit taking baths, I stay at least 75 feet from any body of water bigger than a mud puddle and when I see so much as a single rain drop, I immediately head for higher ground , just in case. Lol, I kid , i kid..kinda. but in all seriousness, that video is absolutely TERRIFYING. I'm an avid fisherman, I've got a little 16' flatbottom boat and I spend insane amounts of time out in a big river by myself at night. (susquehanna) Every once in a while I get a little creeped out at the thought of being out there alone, but it usually passes quick. The thought of being IN the water in the dark like that...nope. The thought of being in the water, in the dark, IN A CAVE...."nope" doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about that. I applaud anyone who has the cajones to do it, but these videos definitely confirm that it isn't for me. Any thoughts I had about getting into scuba have long since been washed away with a big old nope! Thank you for saving me the terror of realizing that it isn't for me while underwater...definitely a lesson that was a lot easier to learn by watching someone else do it lolol!!
I'm not a diver and I recently found your channel because the disease podcast "This Podcast Will Kill You" recently made an episode about the history of decompression sickness, and I was searching for more on it. I've been binge watching all your videos and they are endlessly fascinating. You guys have great chemistry and are so pleasant to listen to. Thank you for making these.
Nothing makes someone more trustworthy than sharing their mistakes. I appreciate this lesson, and 10,000x appreciate the modeling yall do and normalizing of sharing unflattering moments so we can all learn with the human who did human shit. Appreciate you guys, and PSA that this sort of humility makes smart ladies fan themselves to cool down. ✨Humility is humanity. Stay humble out there 💜
I actually think very highly of this gentleman and of you guys for putting this information out there (uncensored). I will admit I am not a diver of any sort (love the water and diving /swimming but that’s it lol…so far) but watching your content let me know that if I wanted to pursuit this path that there are many trusting and knowledgeable caring people in this field. Thanks 👍
Learning from mistakes is the best way to learn. Kudos to Bryan for sharing this...he's keeping people alive and making us all a bit smarter. Thanks everyone!!
While potentiality embarrassing to him I'm glad he swallowed his pride and put the video out. Is a lesson. You don't airways get a second chance in situations like this. His group did some "off normal" things before this dive. In my industry we are taught to really be/get on edge when something isn't as briefed. Any "off normal" condition no matter how small needs the mentality of "let's stop for a minute and critically evaluate the risks no matter how small or seemingly innocuous..." Is a skill that must be learned and practiced every time. Is perishable skill set.
True respect for the honesty and transparency. A real diver is the one who knows how to handle unexpected situations I had a very similar experience in a low/0 visibility lake dive not realizing to be on unexpected overhead environment. My buddy, in front of me, accidentally silted out. When I tried to ascend of few meters to get some visibility I had that horrible feeling of hitting rocks not knowing where I was exactly, depth of 25 meters. Luckily I had twinset plus a s80 as we were exploring a new section of the lake. I can share the same comments and feeling. In that situation you just need to stop breathe think and act. I couldn’t see anything more than few centimeter from my mask, the light was just blinding me due to the thick silt, made a quick assessment of how much gas I had left (tons, fortunately) gave me a lot of release and turned a nightmare into an acceptable challenge, not knowing where and how that overhead environment was but knowing I had hours left to find a way back. As it was a man-made flooded bridge it was relatively more easy to follow the stone wall I never had such strong feeling of fear, attachment to my life, happiness when got out and feeling of experience achieved.
Wow. I never thought something like this could happen. To accidentally end up in a cave would be terrifying. This is a great lesson. Glad he lived to tell it.
His honesty is mind blowing. I´m glad he made it out alive and had the courage to tell the story, because the reality is even the best can make mistakes, which can cost lives. But it´s ok to show it, so not only he learns from it, but also other people can learn. I´m glad you guys showed this.
Had something very similar happen at 100 feet in Hudson grotto. It’s pitch dark, and 0 viz without light, depending on conditions, it can be only 3’ with light. Inadvertently descended below a hydrogen sulfide layer at 96 feet, and lost my buddy. Minute check, and I swam under the shelf unknowingly. Didn’t panic, but also learned a valuable lesson about the reflective nature of a hydrogen sulfide layer.. it blocks flashlights. We were both lighthousing with only feet between us, and didn’t see anything. Went to ascend, and through the layer, immediately found buddy.. then had to figure out that whole overhead thing. Compass heading showed we were likely at the west most wall, just 180 turn to go east. Whew.. Glad we payed attention in class
Brian, thank you. Gus, Woody thank you. I'm planning on learning to dive. I watch your channel all the time. This was so scary it made me think twice about doing. Then I remembered, safety 1st. I know there are steps to follow, so it can be enjoyed safety. Why there would be any negative comments about this great guy helping us all remember the rules of safety is beyond my comprehension.
Not a diver. What struck me is how this went from open with limited visibility to in an overhead environment, and I didn’t see the difference until it was mentioned he was in a cave. And then his light shown on the rock above, after. This may provide others with the memorable reminder they need keep from making a similar mistake. A picture is worth a thousand words.
14:38 Every single time in my life I told myself "nah I'm not gonna need this" when going out in the woods, I needed that exact item that day while there, and didn't have it. I always bring everything now without fail
I listen to the scariest bleakest Dive talk videos in order to go to sleep. It's like my audible lullaby, the anxiety inducing details make breathing and stretching feel so much better
Videos like Bryan's sacrifice a little of his personal ego for a huge wealth of experience and learning for the entire community that can ultimately possibly save lives later. It's truly a selfless act.
Wow over 200k subscribers now, I’ve been watching you guys since you were a new channel. So cool to see your guys’ success and growth and spreading some good information on diving and how to be safe
Boy, this is something I never expected ! I dive open water ONLY. And I often dive in limited viz, but with little concern, because there's always the surface. I would never expect to accidentally get into an overhead environment ! An ambient light is no help, since I often do night dives. My standard tanks are old steel 70s, which actually contain only 65 cu ft, since that original 71.5cu ft, was at 10% overpressure, which is never done.
It's so brave of this man to post that video. He knew exactly where he went wrong. Definitely the greatest lesson he can teach us. No matter how good you are or how experienced you are; crap can hit the fan and you need to be 100% prepared for it and not cut corners for another dive.
Good share, it's learning through and analyzing others mistakes that the next generation live to dive deeper and further. Great to see the S drills on the way down, shame about the lack of line in that Viz. Takes a real pro to share this kind of mistake. Thank you. Much appreciated Bryan for posting this for us all.
That would have been freaky. How he kept his composure throughout that mess is amazing, and is what kept him alive. What better lesson could there be? And if I ever need to lift a boat, I am calling Woody.
This spring is interesting. It is pretty deep as far as the open water springs go, around 80' in typical conditions, and the water while clear has a green tint to it. However, the Santa Fe river often floods. This can make the spring deeper, and the surface 10-30' can be black, but clears out below, although it remains dark. Love this video, and much respect to Brian to putting himself out there! we learn way more from mistakes than successes. The best lessons come from near misses as well.
WHOEVER would hate on a person who is owning mistakes and even exposing said mistake for the purpose of educating and empowering others NOT to make said mistake/s is a 🤡! Literally every day I definitely fall more in love with this channel! Love the work you guys do!
Thanks for an awesome reaction video once again. I can’t even begin to fathom the feeling of panic when hitting a roof instead of the open water. I also admire how humble he is in the beginning. And he is right: even professionals can sometimes overlook the small things and then bad things can happen. It’s human. Respect from Sweden 🇸🇪 /Tom
I can totally understand the reason for not using line, especially if he didn't even know there was a cave down there being in an area he hadn't been before, because if you're not expecting to go into or be near an overhead environment and in open water the whole time you would think running line would be more of a hazard so I can totally understand the reasoning. It is pretty terrifying to be able to wander into an overhead environment and not even know it, I wouldn't have even suspected it could happen so easily if it weren't for this video. Happy he got out okay and thankful that he shared the experience, takes a lot to admit mistakes in front of so many people so mad respect to him!!
I'd love for you to have him on the show to question him behind some of the decisions. Why no line, why the change of tanks and what was his exact process of finding the exit with no line and zero vis etc... Kudos to him for showing this video though it will most likely be very helpful to other divers in the future.
These are the videos that are absolutely great instructional videos. It shows everybody that anything can happen to anyone at any time. Thanks for showing this video and thanks to Bryan for the courage to share this video. He could also have kept quiet and choose not to do that. Great respect !
It would be cool if you could get Brian on the channel and talk through each step he took, what decisions he made and why, and the changes he has made going forward. It would be interesting to get his perspective and listening to the questions you would ask him. Thanks for always explaining the details cause I always have so many questions.
Would you be able to collab with him on an explanation video and run through what technique was for finding his way out and a diagram of where and how how he got lost in the first place?
I don't understand why anyone would dive with no visibility, because if you can't see anything, what's the point? So glad he made it out ok though. And kudos to him for sharing his mistake publicly so others can learn.
In some lakes the water is in layers warm with bad visibility at the top (communication and check if the buddy is next to me only with the lightssignal). and a few meters (5 to 10m) down you have cold water with good visibility, the only way for a dive is to pass the bad layer or wait until my next dive trip starts.
The footage of when, how & why it went South is of paramount importance. Thankyou for sharing and educating. And thankyou for entertaining. If I'm ever involved in a complicated operation requiring vast technical expertise...... Woody is for sure being made a "Team Leader" [looks out the 'bespoke' hi-vis/hat combo]
And this is one of the reasons why I love watching this channel because I get to see everything as a new diver and mistakes like this even though I person did not experience it will stick with me whenever I go open circuit diving with a Dive Master to a wreck they always ask me. Do you wanna go inside the wreck And I always answer no until I get down there and see it because a video like this I don’t wanna commit to anything, even though I know once I’m down there I could always say no, but I go down there with the mindset of no until I get down there and seethis is by far my favorite channel when it comes to scuba diving
I appreciate his honesty, and it's so important we spread this information so others don't make the same mistakes. Also not to attack or make someone suffer for one dive, we can all say we wouldn't do these things, and it wasn't just one but several things ignored but none of us are perfect, glad no one was injured and thanks guys for a great channel
I really do appreciate Brian an showing the truth of what he survived. He shouldn't be ashamed of anything. He with this video an yours will save lives... Grateful for all you fellas do. Dig that hat 🐙..... Thanks for sharing your lives with us ✌🏼💗😊❣️
I've started to watch your videos and be subscribed when here was just 21K of subscribers. It's so freakin' nice to see you now with 200+ K and it's growing even more. Greetings from Dubrovnik!
WOW luck was on your side that day my friend. This won't be the last time you find yourself in a sticky situation purely down to statistics the amount of diving you do in the conditions you find yourself in shit is going to happen. I have lots of stories covering 30-plus years that you couldn't make up, it's how you deal with it and what you learn from it that defines you.Thank you for sharing this unfortunate learning curve. Having been there more than once myself and knowing the feeling you have when you know you in the sticky stuff it all came back for me watching this
I’m only 6 mins in to this video and I have to applaud this man for sucking up his ego and showing us his mistakes in hopes to save others lives. I commend him on his honesty and thank him for his story.
Non-Diver here: I truly appreciate videos of brutal honesty even by "experts" making mistakes. (We are all human) This is definitely great for those newbies to diving and it shows its not always beautiful scenery with everything going as planned and even highly experienced divers make mistakes, learn from them to teach others. Thanks for keeping it real and not presenting a false perception to the sport.
I come from Austria and I am not a diver but I found your channel and watch everything since then.You are really cool guys.And woodis hats are the best.
Damn, so very very close to disaster. But this highlights *precisely* why continuous and high quality training is vital. Only reason he and his group survived is because of their skills. They made many mistakes, but fortunately didn't skip the ones that saved their lives. Also before this video I would have *never* even considered you'd need a line in open water, even if it's zero visibility...
Thanks for all your videos, I’m not a diver of any kind, but I enjoy watching your content, I just wanted to share something funny with you I started watching the show today about diving in South Australia, there’s three guys going down into a cave, and I started picking apart what they were taking side mount, rebreather’s, extra tanks. I can’t believe I learned so much From just watching your show. lol
I find him more credible because of this video. I know for a fact he is more careful and thoughtful of his actions today because of this humbling experience. I've been in similar scary situations just hiking unknown woods. I've been lost, I've climbed mountains that were far steeper than I realized and by the time I realized it, it was too late to take precautions and I just had to get myself out of those situations and I definitely learned from them and now I don't hesitate to take the time and spend the money to do things correctly and safely as possible. I respect the heck out of anyone who can admit their mistakes and learn from them.
I'm so surprised he made it out it looks like he is swimming thru the vastness of space its unbelievable how calm he stayed epic vid gus & woody peace & love from uk
Hey, Hickory is my hometown! I couldn't believe you were talking about the lake Hickory I grew up swimming in, until I took a look at Bryan's channel. It's not a big town, so this is a super cool moment for me lol
Omg- it never crossed my mind that you could enter a cave by accident in zero vis conditions when diving open water- that's terrifying. Granted, you would probably at least no you are near a cave and it's a possibility but- man, this is probably the scariest video I've seen you guys show. This guy deserves a medal for being selfless enough to post this and take the risk of clients seeing it or perspective employers- it really shows character that he values doing the right thing over all else- way to go man. I think it's important not to scare ppl but to make sure they understand even with training- to some degree this is a dangerous sport, hobby, profession, whatever it is to you. I could never do it- it creeps me out just watching- I'm too claustrophobic and I know n would have issues with not panicking if I found myself in a really bad spot. I freely admit, I could do it when I was younger but- something changed. I guess the older me knows more now about what can really happen, or maybe it's because you lose that invincible feeling that everything will just work out- Idk but I'm much more prone to shit my pants now. I know that. Hat's off to you guys- you have nerves of steel.
Great lesson, great integrity, great man. It’s not easy to accept some of the criticism that comes with making mistakes when diving. Too many people want be “Holier than thou” while hiding behind their own mistakes and/or arrogance. Great video guys! Best of luck to Hickory Scuba and Brian.
Great video guys. I love Bryan's channel. I saw this one a while back (before I discovered DIVE TALK) and was like, "WOW, someone who uses THEIR mistakes as a teaching aid." Bryan, you two guys and a couple others are not afraid to use their mistakes to help teach. That is extremely rare. On another note... WARNING: DO NOT let Woody anywhere near your salvage operation.... 😳🤣🤣🤣 Just sayin...
You are my favorite TH-cam channel even if I’m a non diver and will probably stay this way. Thank you for the education and amazing look into the caves beneath us.
Good morning Gus and woody! Thank you for bringing happiness and joy to so many people! I’m not a diver, just a guy with a big imagination. Keep up the good work!
5 min in my head in my hands I genuinely feel for you as have been there myself my emotions are on overload right now and I have had to stop the video which is mad cos this was years ago for me
I love you guys and want you to make more videos, and this comment is coming from that place. You are safety focused, and you do a great job talking about mistakes and what leads to them, and most importantly, what to change to never run into that issue again. Then Gus has a near fatal accident, due to negligence, and you just tell the story like "oh, that happened". Give yourselves the same respect you give others and really dive into what happened, why, and what you're going to change. As it stands it's just strange imo. Thanks for the videos guys!
Negligence seems like a very strong word for what happened. He made an error. And he did explain what happened and what he'll do differently next time--double check that he's connected things correctly. What else do you think should have been said?
@@horsepanther imo, not checking your gear configuration before a dive is negligence, both yourself and through a buddy check. You never get to a point where you're so good you don't have to follow safety rules. Which they know, of course
After diving with super ego maniacs I was put off diving for a couple of years. When we moved we found a great dive shop where their philosophy is very similar to yours. We love watching how much fun you guys have, yet you still teach through the mistakes instead of hiding them! 💗
Mistakes happen.....your humility makes you human and likeable. Plus you make me interested in videos on a subject that I'm not into. But I love to learn things so.... It takes more than knowledge to be a great TH-camr...it takes likeability. And you guys together, have it. That's what made me sub. ☺️
This reminds me of how the aviation industry approaches accident investigation. I don't know the exact process, but there are stages where all parties can discuss the incident in an environment where their statements are free from any implication.
Every diver, both amateur and professional make mistakes, the fact the ego was put side and honest truth was communicated shows he is a good instructor, glad to see this as an instructor myself
I can't believe anybody could watch this channel and leave anything but kind words for these two and any of their guests. They're humble, honest, informative, and have a clear love for the sport and it's new or potential participants. Anyone who watches these videos and accuses Gus and Woody of being elitist or anything similar, is clearly projecting their own personal issues. I'd absolutely die of happiness if I ever got to meet these two. I'd sink my boat intentionally just to let Woody have some fun lifting it back up 😎
There were many mistakes made that day, that were 100% preventable. The biggest mistake after a close call, would be a diver not learning from their mistake. I truly appreciate both of you guys for sharing this video, but more importantly spreading the awareness of the dangers of complacency and ego. 5 years later, and we still show this video to all of our Rescue Students, Cavern Students, PSD Students, Night Diving Students, Deep Students, Ice Diving, and our Solo Students. Decision making underwater is crucial to your safety, and on this day we (I) made the wrong decision. Remaining calm during a situation like this is very difficult to do, as stress can be overcome, but not panic. Once panic sets in, its over. I truly believe God had his hands on me that day (for the believers, Isaiah 43:2). I hope all divers can learn from my mistakes and this video. I wish everyone safe and enjoyable diving.
Happy you made it out man, stay safe✌️
Thanks for sharing this story and the lessons learned! Both Dive Talk and Lake Hickory inspired me to get OW certified and we’re all fortunate to learn from your experience!
I think these videos are incredibly important, both in showing what can happen, and why training and experience is important. If you don't have that, then as you say, it's far more likely to result in panic and a bad outcome. Only thing I thing would be great to add is maybe explain what your thought process was once you'd realised the situation and the training kicked in, ie what should be done in that kind of situation.
I abandoned my cave training, but thoughts would be I'd want to mark my location. So maybe a reel and a ground anchor so I could try and do an area search but have a known way back to my start point.
So divers who don't make it I guess god didn't have his hand on them. Such a tired trope.
@lakehickoryscuba You guys still got that video about not messing with wildlife coming? I unsubscribed after seeing you yank the eel out of a hole in Coz, so I haven't been paying the closest attention, but I don't see it in your feed.
This kind of behavior is the difference between actually caring about safety and pretending to care about safety. Max respect.
I don't think this damages his credibility as a dive instructor whatsoever, in fact I have a tremendous amount of respect for him not only as a person but as a dive instructor. He was able to show that mistakes can be made by anybody but if you refer back to your training and remain calm you have better chances of getting out and surviving. ... So kudos to him for being able to share his mistake with us as a learning lesson.
I agree. That video was an absolute visual proof of the importance of appropriate training. If we all had to learn from only our own mistakes, in any area, we'd be in a lot of trouble. It's thanks to people like Brian that we can learn from the mistakes of others and make advancements.
Doesn't get anymore credible than person experience.
I'm glad he put it out. It's humbling but I have a ton of respect for those who can evaluate their mistakes, learn from them, and share that lesson. I'm grateful he shared his experience.
I have a lot of respect for someone who is willing to own up to his mistakes.
Gotta give the man some respect here. He admits to a big oversight and shows you the footage for our education. That's a solid individual.
I couldn't even imagine that instinctual fear, knowing you're lost underwater with limited air.
I'm very glad he made it out alright and shared this experience with the rest of us, it shows you just how fast disaster can happen. Accidents tend to happen when you become too comfortable, seems as though that may have been what happened here.
I've watched a ton of Bryan's videos.
If I'm being honest, I prefer learning from people who have made mistakes, and demonstrate that they have learned from them.
That's part of why I love so much.
The thing that blows my mind here is that he accidentally ended up in a cavern/cave.
Wow.
Thanks again &!
I love these icons lol.
Totally agree and those icons are the best! Haha
Absolutely agree with you 💯 and omg those icons are AMAZING 🤩🤩🤩
@@tatepearce7898 inorite??
I would like to see the profile of this cave or cavern. It probably doesn't take much of an overhead rock area to panic when you can't see where the open water is. And when you have no information about the area you are diving in, then you can't really tell whether you should go up or down, circle around or follow one wall. You can only trust your luck and go one way.
He may have been hyperventilating, but I was holding my breath from the moment the visibility dropped to zero. That was scary.
My anxiety level was at a million until he saw that light. I couldn't even imagine this scenario. I would 100% take his class though.
Being a professional doesn’t mean you’re perfect. To be a professional means you’re proficient but can also recognize when you make a mistake. To be a roll model is to willingly point at your mistakes to help teach those who aren’t professionals to avoid the mistakes you’ve made. This guy is rad in my book.
Except if your Ed sorrenson😅
This is the most heartbreaking video that truly shows the intense panic of not knowing where you are! So glad this wasn't his last moments.
I really appreciate the time you guys took to make these videos! I've learned so much from them. My safety level is at 100, I quit taking baths, I stay at least 75 feet from any body of water bigger than a mud puddle and when I see so much as a single rain drop, I immediately head for higher ground , just in case.
Lol, I kid , i kid..kinda. but in all seriousness, that video is absolutely TERRIFYING.
I'm an avid fisherman, I've got a little 16' flatbottom boat and I spend insane amounts of time out in a big river by myself at night. (susquehanna) Every once in a while I get a little creeped out at the thought of being out there alone, but it usually passes quick.
The thought of being IN the water in the dark like that...nope. The thought of being in the water, in the dark, IN A CAVE...."nope" doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about that.
I applaud anyone who has the cajones to do it, but these videos definitely confirm that it isn't for me. Any thoughts I had about getting into scuba have long since been washed away with a big old nope! Thank you for saving me the terror of realizing that it isn't for me while underwater...definitely a lesson that was a lot easier to learn by watching someone else do it lolol!!
I'm not a diver and I recently found your channel because the disease podcast "This Podcast Will Kill You" recently made an episode about the history of decompression sickness, and I was searching for more on it. I've been binge watching all your videos and they are endlessly fascinating. You guys have great chemistry and are so pleasant to listen to. Thank you for making these.
Glad he is safe. The green glow of happiness can never have been more welcome.
Nothing makes someone more trustworthy than sharing their mistakes. I appreciate this lesson, and 10,000x appreciate the modeling yall do and normalizing of sharing unflattering moments so we can all learn with the human who did human shit.
Appreciate you guys, and PSA that this sort of humility makes smart ladies fan themselves to cool down. ✨Humility is humanity. Stay humble out there 💜
I actually think very highly of this gentleman and of you guys for putting this information out there (uncensored). I will admit I am not a diver of any sort (love the water and diving /swimming but that’s it lol…so far) but watching your content let me know that if I wanted to pursuit this path that there are many trusting and knowledgeable caring people in this field. Thanks 👍
Learning from mistakes is the best way to learn. Kudos to Bryan for sharing this...he's keeping people alive and making us all a bit smarter. Thanks everyone!!
Absolute massive respect for Mr. Bryan. Gald you are safe to tell us you're story!
While potentiality embarrassing to him I'm glad he swallowed his pride and put the video out. Is a lesson.
You don't airways get a second chance in situations like this. His group did some "off normal" things before this dive. In my industry we are taught to really be/get on edge when something isn't as briefed. Any "off normal" condition no matter how small needs the mentality of "let's stop for a minute and critically evaluate the risks no matter how small or seemingly innocuous..."
Is a skill that must be learned and practiced every time. Is perishable skill set.
Take the time. Run the line. Preparation is key. Good learning experience to watch this.
True respect for the honesty and transparency. A real diver is the one who knows how to handle unexpected situations
I had a very similar experience in a low/0 visibility lake dive not realizing to be on unexpected overhead environment. My buddy, in front of me, accidentally silted out. When I tried to ascend of few meters to get some visibility I had that horrible feeling of hitting rocks not knowing where I was exactly, depth of 25 meters. Luckily I had twinset plus a s80 as we were exploring a new section of the lake. I can share the same comments and feeling. In that situation you just need to stop breathe think and act. I couldn’t see anything more than few centimeter from my mask, the light was just blinding me due to the thick silt, made a quick assessment of how much gas I had left (tons, fortunately) gave me a lot of release and turned a nightmare into an acceptable challenge, not knowing where and how that overhead environment was but knowing I had hours left to find a way back. As it was a man-made flooded bridge it was relatively more easy to follow the stone wall
I never had such strong feeling of fear, attachment to my life, happiness when got out and feeling of experience achieved.
Wow. I never thought something like this could happen. To accidentally end up in a cave would be terrifying. This is a great lesson. Glad he lived to tell it.
I couldn't imagine that feeling. Like literally any move you make either direction you have to be wondering if your moving deeper into the cave.
I don't think it ruins his credibility, but rather shows the danger of complacency and comfortability.
I think it makes him more credible
His honesty is mind blowing. I´m glad he made it out alive and had the courage to tell the story, because the reality is even the best can make mistakes, which can cost lives. But it´s ok to show it, so not only he learns from it, but also other people can learn. I´m glad you guys showed this.
I respect Brian more for this video. I would learn to dive with him because he is so transparent and honest. Great video Woody & Gus!!!
Had something very similar happen at 100 feet in Hudson grotto. It’s pitch dark, and 0 viz without light, depending on conditions, it can be only 3’ with light. Inadvertently descended below a hydrogen sulfide layer at 96 feet, and lost my buddy. Minute check, and I swam under the shelf unknowingly. Didn’t panic, but also learned a valuable lesson about the reflective nature of a hydrogen sulfide layer.. it blocks flashlights. We were both lighthousing with only feet between us, and didn’t see anything. Went to ascend, and through the layer, immediately found buddy.. then had to figure out that whole overhead thing. Compass heading showed we were likely at the west most wall, just 180 turn to go east.
Whew..
Glad we payed attention in class
Once again, I respect when people still share these videos to point out what happened and what went wrong…and how easy it is for things to go wrong.
Brian, thank you. Gus, Woody thank you. I'm planning on learning to dive. I watch your channel all the time. This was so scary it made me think twice about doing. Then I remembered, safety 1st. I know there are steps to follow, so it can be enjoyed safety. Why there would be any negative comments about this great guy helping us all remember the rules of safety is beyond my comprehension.
Not a diver. What struck me is how this went from open with limited visibility to in an overhead environment, and I didn’t see the difference until it was mentioned he was in a cave. And then his light shown on the rock above, after. This may provide others with the memorable reminder they need keep from making a similar mistake. A picture is worth a thousand words.
Respect for his honesty and accountability.
14:38
Every single time in my life I told myself "nah I'm not gonna need this" when going out in the woods, I needed that exact item that day while there, and didn't have it. I always bring everything now without fail
I listen to the scariest bleakest Dive talk videos in order to go to sleep. It's like my audible lullaby, the anxiety inducing details make breathing and stretching feel so much better
I cannot imagine how scared he must have been. Humility is always the best course of action. Huge respect.
Videos like Bryan's sacrifice a little of his personal ego for a huge wealth of experience and learning for the entire community that can ultimately possibly save lives later. It's truly a selfless act.
Mad respect for Bryan. What a thing to experience & then show the world!
I like Brian he is a honest guy and I enjoy his content! I saw this video a few days ago in my suggestions funny enough.
Wow over 200k subscribers now, I’ve been watching you guys since you were a new channel. So cool to see your guys’ success and growth and spreading some good information on diving and how to be safe
Boy, this is something I never expected ! I dive open water ONLY. And I often dive in limited viz, but with little concern, because there's always the surface. I would never expect to accidentally get into an overhead environment ! An ambient light is no help, since I often do night dives.
My standard tanks are old steel 70s, which actually contain only 65 cu ft, since that original 71.5cu ft, was at 10% overpressure, which is never done.
It's so brave of this man to post that video. He knew exactly where he went wrong. Definitely the greatest lesson he can teach us. No matter how good you are or how experienced you are; crap can hit the fan and you need to be 100% prepared for it and not cut corners for another dive.
He put out a video that could be professionally embarrassing but did it to help save lives in the future and I'm sure it has. Respect.
Good share, it's learning through and analyzing others mistakes that the next generation live to dive deeper and further.
Great to see the S drills on the way down, shame about the lack of line in that Viz. Takes a real pro to share this kind of mistake. Thank you. Much appreciated Bryan for posting this for us all.
Thanks for the video guys! Hats off to the dive instructor for sharing, much respect! Be safe and have fun.
That would have been freaky. How he kept his composure throughout that mess is amazing, and is what kept him alive. What better lesson could there be?
And if I ever need to lift a boat, I am calling Woody.
This spring is interesting. It is pretty deep as far as the open water springs go, around 80' in typical conditions, and the water while clear has a green tint to it. However, the Santa Fe river often floods. This can make the spring deeper, and the surface 10-30' can be black, but clears out below, although it remains dark. Love this video, and much respect to Brian to putting himself out there! we learn way more from mistakes than successes. The best lessons come from near misses as well.
WHOEVER would hate on a person who is owning mistakes and even exposing said mistake for the purpose of educating and empowering others NOT to make said mistake/s is a 🤡!
Literally every day I definitely fall more in love with this channel! Love the work you guys do!
Thanks for an awesome reaction video once again. I can’t even begin to fathom the feeling of panic when hitting a roof instead of the open water. I also admire how humble he is in the beginning. And he is right: even professionals can sometimes overlook the small things and then bad things can happen. It’s human.
Respect from Sweden 🇸🇪
/Tom
I can totally understand the reason for not using line, especially if he didn't even know there was a cave down there being in an area he hadn't been before, because if you're not expecting to go into or be near an overhead environment and in open water the whole time you would think running line would be more of a hazard so I can totally understand the reasoning. It is pretty terrifying to be able to wander into an overhead environment and not even know it, I wouldn't have even suspected it could happen so easily if it weren't for this video. Happy he got out okay and thankful that he shared the experience, takes a lot to admit mistakes in front of so many people so mad respect to him!!
I'd love for you to have him on the show to question him behind some of the decisions. Why no line, why the change of tanks and what was his exact process of finding the exit with no line and zero vis etc...
Kudos to him for showing this video though it will most likely be very helpful to other divers in the future.
These are the videos that are absolutely great instructional videos. It shows everybody that anything can happen to anyone at any time. Thanks for showing this video and thanks to Bryan for the courage to share this video. He could also have kept quiet and choose not to do that. Great respect !
It would be cool if you could get Brian on the channel and talk through each step he took, what decisions he made and why, and the changes he has made going forward. It would be interesting to get his perspective and listening to the questions you would ask him. Thanks for always explaining the details cause I always have so many questions.
Admirable sharing this. I’m just happy he got out safely ❤
Much respect to you for running this despite your fears. Much appreciated.
Would you be able to collab with him on an explanation video and run through what technique was for finding his way out and a diagram of where and how how he got lost in the first place?
And what makes that scarier is he could have went deeper into the tunnel or whatever it was and thinking it’s an exit too. That’s scary.
I don't understand why anyone would dive with no visibility, because if you can't see anything, what's the point? So glad he made it out ok though. And kudos to him for sharing his mistake publicly so others can learn.
agreed. can somebody explain this to a non diver? whats the point of going down 30 ft with zero visibility?
In some lakes the water is in layers warm with bad visibility at the top (communication and check if the buddy is next to me only with the lightssignal). and a few meters (5 to 10m) down you have cold water with good visibility, the only way for a dive is to pass the bad layer or wait until my next dive trip starts.
@@levibucher4080 ok interesting, thanks for the info!
There are also those who do diving as a living, eg. commercial divers where you have to do the job regardless of the conditions
kudos to the diver for sharing this. If more would do this, more lives would be saved! Hats off for humility!!!!!
The footage of when, how & why it went South is of paramount importance. Thankyou for sharing and educating.
And thankyou for entertaining.
If I'm ever involved in a complicated operation requiring vast technical expertise......
Woody is for sure being made a "Team Leader"
[looks out the 'bespoke' hi-vis/hat combo]
And this is one of the reasons why I love watching this channel because I get to see everything as a new diver and mistakes like this even though I person did not experience it will stick with me whenever I go open circuit diving with a Dive Master to a wreck they always ask me. Do you wanna go inside the wreck And I always answer no until I get down there and see it because a video like this I don’t wanna commit to anything, even though I know once I’m down there I could always say no, but I go down there with the mindset of no until I get down there and seethis is by far my favorite channel when it comes to scuba diving
I appreciate his honesty, and it's so important we spread this information so others don't make the same mistakes. Also not to attack or make someone suffer for one dive, we can all say we wouldn't do these things, and it wasn't just one but several things ignored but none of us are perfect, glad no one was injured and thanks guys for a great channel
Glad you’re letting people learn from experience. Even when it’s learning from a mistake.
I really do appreciate Brian an showing the truth of what he survived. He shouldn't be ashamed of anything. He with this video an yours will save lives... Grateful for all you fellas do. Dig that hat 🐙..... Thanks for sharing your lives with us ✌🏼💗😊❣️
I've started to watch your videos and be subscribed when here was just 21K of subscribers. It's so freakin' nice to see you now with 200+ K and it's growing even more. Greetings from Dubrovnik!
WOW luck was on your side that day my friend. This won't be the last time you find yourself in a sticky situation purely down to statistics the amount of diving you do in the conditions you find yourself in shit is going to happen. I have lots of stories covering 30-plus years that you couldn't make up, it's how you deal with it and what you learn from it that defines you.Thank you for sharing this unfortunate learning curve. Having been there more than once myself and knowing the feeling you have when you know you in the sticky stuff it all came back for me watching this
I’m only 6 mins in to this video and I have to applaud this man for sucking up his ego and showing us his mistakes in hopes to save others lives. I commend him on his honesty and thank him for his story.
Non-Diver here:
I truly appreciate videos of brutal honesty even by "experts" making mistakes. (We are all human)
This is definitely great for those newbies to diving and it shows its not always beautiful scenery with everything going as planned and even highly experienced divers make mistakes, learn from them to teach others.
Thanks for keeping it real and not presenting a false perception to the sport.
I come from Austria and I am not a diver but I found your channel and watch everything since then.You are really cool guys.And woodis hats are the best.
I really do love your channel and videos love the discussions
Damn, so very very close to disaster. But this highlights *precisely* why continuous and high quality training is vital. Only reason he and his group survived is because of their skills. They made many mistakes, but fortunately didn't skip the ones that saved their lives.
Also before this video I would have *never* even considered you'd need a line in open water, even if it's zero visibility...
idk why, im not even a diver or even dived once but i just love watching your channel u guys are entertaining loll
Thanks for all your videos, I’m not a diver of any kind, but I enjoy watching your content, I just wanted to share something funny with you I started watching the show today about diving in South Australia, there’s three guys going down into a cave, and I started picking apart what they were taking side mount, rebreather’s, extra tanks. I can’t believe I learned so much From just watching your show. lol
Gus & Woody, thank you for showing this video. It's good to see people using their mistakes as a teaching tool, like you guys do.
Thank you guys for sharing and being so honest and open. I am a new diver and learning a ton from your videos!
Many times more can be learned from mistakes than instruction. Be proud that you are humble enough to teach with yours. God Bless and God Speed!
I find him more credible because of this video. I know for a fact he is more careful and thoughtful of his actions today because of this humbling experience. I've been in similar scary situations just hiking unknown woods. I've been lost, I've climbed mountains that were far steeper than I realized and by the time I realized it, it was too late to take precautions and I just had to get myself out of those situations and I definitely learned from them and now I don't hesitate to take the time and spend the money to do things correctly and safely as possible. I respect the heck out of anyone who can admit their mistakes and learn from them.
I'm so surprised he made it out it looks like he is swimming thru the vastness of space its unbelievable how calm he stayed epic vid gus & woody peace & love from uk
Hey, Hickory is my hometown! I couldn't believe you were talking about the lake Hickory I grew up swimming in, until I took a look at Bryan's channel. It's not a big town, so this is a super cool moment for me lol
Omg- it never crossed my mind that you could enter a cave by accident in zero vis conditions when diving open water- that's terrifying. Granted, you would probably at least no you are near a cave and it's a possibility but- man, this is probably the scariest video I've seen you guys show. This guy deserves a medal for being selfless enough to post this and take the risk of clients seeing it or perspective employers- it really shows character that he values doing the right thing over all else- way to go man. I think it's important not to scare ppl but to make sure they understand even with training- to some degree this is a dangerous sport, hobby, profession, whatever it is to you. I could never do it- it creeps me out just watching- I'm too claustrophobic and I know n would have issues with not panicking if I found myself in a really bad spot. I freely admit, I could do it when I was younger but- something changed. I guess the older me knows more now about what can really happen, or maybe it's because you lose that invincible feeling that everything will just work out- Idk but I'm much more prone to shit my pants now. I know that. Hat's off to you guys- you have nerves of steel.
Great lesson, great integrity, great man. It’s not easy to accept some of the criticism that comes with making mistakes when diving. Too many people want be “Holier than thou” while hiding behind their own mistakes and/or arrogance. Great video guys! Best of luck to Hickory Scuba and Brian.
Great video guys.
I love Bryan's channel. I saw this one a while back (before I discovered DIVE TALK) and was like, "WOW, someone who uses THEIR mistakes as a teaching aid." Bryan, you two guys and a couple others are not afraid to use their mistakes to help teach. That is extremely rare.
On another note...
WARNING: DO NOT let Woody anywhere near your salvage operation.... 😳🤣🤣🤣 Just sayin...
You are my favorite TH-cam channel even if I’m a non diver and will probably stay this way. Thank you for the education and amazing look into the caves beneath us.
Good morning Gus and woody! Thank you for bringing happiness and joy to so many people! I’m not a diver, just a guy with a big imagination. Keep up the good work!
So glad he made it out ok that would’ve been a scary situation for anyone great learning experience.
5 min in my head in my hands I genuinely feel for you as have been there myself my emotions are on overload right now and I have had to stop the video which is mad cos this was years ago for me
Good on him for sharing this with us. Very admirable.
I love you guys and want you to make more videos, and this comment is coming from that place. You are safety focused, and you do a great job talking about mistakes and what leads to them, and most importantly, what to change to never run into that issue again. Then Gus has a near fatal accident, due to negligence, and you just tell the story like "oh, that happened". Give yourselves the same respect you give others and really dive into what happened, why, and what you're going to change. As it stands it's just strange imo. Thanks for the videos guys!
a friemd tolkdm!
Negligence seems like a very strong word for what happened. He made an error. And he did explain what happened and what he'll do differently next time--double check that he's connected things correctly. What else do you think should have been said?
@@horsepanther imo, not checking your gear configuration before a dive is negligence, both yourself and through a buddy check. You never get to a point where you're so good you don't have to follow safety rules. Which they know, of course
After diving with super ego maniacs I was put off diving for a couple of years.
When we moved we found a great dive shop where their philosophy is very similar to yours.
We love watching how much fun you guys have, yet you still teach through the mistakes instead of hiding them! 💗
What you guys doing, save lifes. so thanks for that, keep the good work
Mistakes happen.....your humility makes you human and likeable. Plus you make me interested in videos on a subject that I'm not into. But I love to learn things so.... It takes more than knowledge to be a great TH-camr...it takes likeability. And you guys together, have it. That's what made me sub. ☺️
3min in and I think we get the idea that you are no novice . A man that has made diving his life work loves videos like this one.
This reminds me of how the aviation industry approaches accident investigation. I don't know the exact process, but there are stages where all parties can discuss the incident in an environment where their statements are free from any implication.
ppl are ppl, everybody makes mistakes thats what makes us human - great vid & great reaction
Every diver, both amateur and professional make mistakes, the fact the ego was put side and honest truth was communicated shows he is a good instructor, glad to see this as an instructor myself
WOW. Impressed by his candor. But I wouldn't go into that unless I had a line and was prepared for these conditions.
Fantastic video glad everyone made it out alright, and accidents happen because we are human was very brave to post it.
Thanks for sharing this. Great to see that everyone makes mistakes that's how we learn
That’s scary! Thank God he got out!
Literally love these videos. Love from Galveston TX.
And that is why I never did overhead environment diving. My nightmare right there. Glad he’s ok and thanks for sharing it.
I can't believe anybody could watch this channel and leave anything but kind words for these two and any of their guests. They're humble, honest, informative, and have a clear love for the sport and it's new or potential participants. Anyone who watches these videos and accuses Gus and Woody of being elitist or anything similar, is clearly projecting their own personal issues. I'd absolutely die of happiness if I ever got to meet these two. I'd sink my boat intentionally just to let Woody have some fun lifting it back up 😎