Who Do You Trust?

Getting the right advice from the right people is critical.

Here’s a common scenario: A diver is on holiday, enjoying a live-aboard trip in a remote location. The diving has been great but now after the second dive of the third day he is feeling as though something isn’t quite right: He has a slight ache in his shoulder and a rash around his torso, which is tender to touch.

He knows from his dive course and DAN oxygen training that these could be signs and symptoms of DCI so he speaks to the dive leader. The dive leader takes a quick look at the rash and tells him not to worry; it’s only a heat rash, which is common in the tropics. The dive leader also dismisses the ache in the shoulder as strain from lifting heavy gear. And besides all that, he has dived within the limits of his dive computer on every dive, so it can’t be DCI.