team diving skills

[tbrown]

Actually GP, I am not really going out on a limb, but giving almost the full details from from my logbook, dive # 38, 09-01-01. I have heard of the "logic" of using this or that peice of equipment, but am really looking for "tried that and it worked/did not work"
Let me give the whole story and then we can anaylize from there. Went diving with a group that I had never been with before, had my wife as my buddy (always a good move), it's to be a shore dive at a lake in WI. During the breifing/gear up, I notice some things that don't seem "quite right" with some of the people in the group but I'm relitively new myself so I just listen, gear up, and go diving with my wife. We hit the water first, and have a laid back dive. We finish our dive, go to the exit point. We take off fins, partailly remove gear, exit water, and begin to walk (God it was a hike) to the car, when we hear a cry for help. Now there are a few rescue classes in the water, and we have heard these crys before (note to instructors, please have your Rescue students yell "pizza" it prevents confusion). At first I thought it was a class, but when they submerged and resurfaced the cry went out again followed by "we really need help!" I figured (correctly) this was not a drill. I jumped back in the water put on my fins and took off. It was at least 150 yrds and I covered it quick (wife said I was like a powerboat, she stayed on shore), and got to within 10 ft when I stopped. Now this is where it really got intense. As soon as I stopped I immediatly got hit with a leg cramp. Second thing that happened almost as quickly as the first, I am now pounced on by paniced diver (how he covered that space so quick is amazing). One hand (his) is on my shoulder, the other on my Octo that was secured to my chest. It appeared his only interest in my octo is to hold it, he is not even trying to put it in his mouth. I, on the other hand, am underwater, with no primary (can't find it) can't get my octo back (in his deathgrip) can't find his octo, (G@#@#m Air2) with a leg cramp (boy does this suck). I gave a good kick with my good leg (aimed for his groin), which got his hand off my shoulder, and got to the surface. 1 breath and here he comes again. His buddy intervenes, and he grabs not just her octo that she is offering, but also the primary in her mouth, once again not attempting to breathe off of them, and takes her under. I did not even try to get my regs, with one hand I grabbed his tank yoke, with the other I grabbed my BC inflator, and inflated to the point my relief valves started to give. He turns and grabs me, but this time there are no regs for him to grab, and I have enough air that I cannot go under, and I reach for his inflator/Air 2 to fill his BC. Which is apparently was what started all this in the first place, because his hose has seperated from his BC and air cannot go in. His buddy drops his weights and we get him calmed and I start working out cramp. A few other divers arrive and we tow him back to shore. Upon arrivail and debreifing, apparently both surfaced, and he tried to inflate his BC, it would not and he paniced. He spit out his own reg, which was working perfectly, spit out buddies octo, which was also perfectly functioning, and grabbed and spit out her primary as well (before I got there). So I agree with and still have no idea why anyone would reject a perfectly working reg, but I have witnessed it first hand, and I might add, much closer than I ever care to, then or ever again.