I almost drowned yesterday.

It was the last exercise for my class to become a certified PADI Rescue Diver.

The exercise is “panicked diver at the surface.”

When someone is panicked, they are fighting for their life.

Or at least, they think they are.

Instructor A asks instructor B if he’ll be the victim.

He nodded.

Instructor A began laughing.

One of those deep, ominous laughs that instantly make you think, uh oh, what am I in for now.

The exercise begins.

I see the diver, panicking at the surface.

Waving his arms around.

I try splashing water in his face.

I circle around, keeping my distance (not enough, I know now).

Trying to get him to calm down.

I start getting my regulator in (the thing you breath from), to approach underwater from below and behind.

I became less aware of how far he was.

He puts on a spurt of energy, and comes toward me.

And the fight is on!

I didn’t realize I my rescue class included a portion on MMA LOL.

He was grabbing at me in every direction.

Pushing me down to push himself up.

Grabbing at any hoses and gear coming off me.

Acting like someone who is at the surface, completely panicked.

If you’ve ever taken a first responder class, you know that the priority in any rescue is yourself.

As in don’t create an additional victim by being careless.

And in rescue class they teach you that if this happens, you fight them off no matter what.

Some of the instructors told me earlier to push away, kick with my fins, whatever.

In a real-life scenario, I’ve read in forums that it’s probably okay to punch or slap to get them off you.

Because when a victim (who may be larger/stronger than you, like this guy was) is trying to use you to save themselves, there is a real possibility that the rescuer becomes an additional victim.

And that makes the whole rescue scenario even more complex.

So I pushed away.

I fought.

I tried to use my fins to kick away.

I tried going underwater a little bit, but he ripped my regulator out of my mouth (note the broken bite plate – I told you we were fighting!).

There I am, fighting tooth and nail with a guy at the surface, splashing everywhere.

I was almost becoming a panicked diver myself. 😂

I held on to presence of mind but only mostly.

In a real life scenario, a panicked diver is moving so much and so erratically the hope is that they tire themselves out or pass out so you can begin the rescue.

At that point, he stopped the flailing, we separated, and both had to catch our breath.

Because we were just fighting, in the water, with little buoyancy and 45 pounds of gear each pulling us down (he had extra weight on him too).

What’s the takeaway?

There are a few lessons to learn.

1. I have a healthy respect/fear for a panicked diver; I will keep my distance.

2. The harder you train, the more prepared you’ll be for real-life scenarios.

3. Sometimes you must fight, for safety or territory. Just do it.

Thankfully, I passed the course and am now rescue certified.