More scuba diving escapades
Not exactly stupid, but certainly ill-considered.

Summer 1998. I’m on my qualifying dive in the North Sea to get my Club Diver status. Looking forward to being able to dive in the Florida Keys in 6 weeks time. I’d had a mild cold, but thought I was better – certainly didn’t have any noticeable lingering side effects, so I figured it was safe to dive.

Unfortunately, I must have still had a slight blockage, as 10 metres into my descent I was have difficulty in equalising the pressure in one ear. I had just signalled to my instructor that something was amiss, and was about to suggest aborting, when felt a pop, followed by a sudden loss of equilibrium as everything started spinning. I pumped air into my suit and jacket and shot to the surface in a cloud of bubbles.

Back on dry land, it transpired that I’d perforated an ear drum as I was unable to equalise the pressure on my descent. The after effects were quite unpleasant – my ear would randomly fill up with liquid pus. I was back at work on Monday with a client sat in front of me, when I had to excuse myself mid-interview to ‘go and empty my ear’. Lovely.

Needless to say I’m extremely cautious when I dive these days, especially on descents.
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Thu 20 Dec 2007, 15:04, 1 reply)

I read the last line as "especially in deserts"

Which made for a rather surreal mind picture.
( Dixipoos Bye Bye Blackbird, Thu 20 Dec 2007, 15:17, closed)