Vent: Why do people keep forgetting to purge their regs before a deep dive?

Honestly, I see it all the time on jobs out of Port Fourchon. Guys will gear up, hit the water, and get down to 100 feet before they realize their regulator's breathing like a straw. I started checking my own setup after a buddy of mine had a free-flow at 120 feet last summer because he didn't crack his tank valve slow enough. It's not just a rookie mistake either, I've seen guys with 10 years in skip that step. If you purge your reg on the surface and listen for that smooth hiss, you catch moisture or debris before it becomes a problem underwater. How many of you actually do a full purge check before every descent, or do you just wing it?

2 comments

2 Comments

jenny_carr5211d agoTop Commenter

Did you catch that article where a dive instructor said most reg failures happen because people skip a simple surface purge?

pat_hart13d ago

Keep that purge check as the very last thing before you splash, right after your buddy check. I've seen guys skip it because they're in a rush or it's their own rig and they think they know it, but that's exactly when something goes wrong. My rule is if you don't hear that clean hiss on the surface, you don't go under until you fix it.