Overheard a deckhand say 'check your own gear' and it stuck with me

We were on a barge off Port Fourchon last Tuesday and this old deckhand told the new guy to never trust someone else's pre-dive checks, even the divemaster's. He said he once found a cracked first stage on a 'checked' tank that would've flooded at 80 feet. Has anyone else had a close call from relying on someone else's equipment inspection?

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cameron31821d agoTop Commenter

I read a thread on a diving forum a while back where a guy said the same thing, that he only trusts his own hands on his own regs. That 'check your own gear' line really hit me too, because it sounds simple but it's easy to get lazy about when you're in a group. I've seen people just nod when a divemaster points at their tank, and that's not the same as actually feeling the O-ring or looking at the hoses yourself. It's not about being rude, it's just that nobody cares about your air as much as you do. That cracked first stage story is exactly the kind of thing that makes you want to double check everything, even if it takes an extra two minutes.