Scuabamau diving accident

[booner]

Our thoughts and prayers are with all three divers. Apparently up/downwellings are common in and around Cozumel - Upwellings and Downwellings: Undercurrent 02/2001

Quote from Undercurrent.org:

"One final note: Cozumel is notorious for its vertical currents. While the diving there is exciting, it can often be intimidating for beginners or those who lack confidence in their skills. Reader Pat Wikstrom ( Warne, N.C.), in Cozumel last year, wrote: “On a dive at La Francesca Wall, we jumped into a ripping current that quickly broke our group into three separate pieces. Weird downcurrents caused my wife and me to abort the dive. Nevertheless, the poor DM chased the other two sections of our party all over the wall, brought up half the others after ten minutes, and went back down to find the last few folks and get them back safely. He really earned his tip that day.”

We've dove there for years with no issue. Our best to Heath, Opal and Gabi.

 

[Texas Torpedo]

A small group of friends and I dove with ScubaMau / Opal for the first time during the Scuba Board Invades Cozumel event this past June. Despite living on the Island for the better part of last year, I only ran into her a few times and never got to know her. After spending a fair amount of time talking to her both before and after our dives, I've come to regret this, especially now in light of what has taken place. As many others that know her have said, her smile is infectious and her personality unquestionably unique. She exemplifies the "Make It Happen Attitude" and obviously she dances to her own drumbeat, without fear or worry about politics or what others may think. There is a lot to be said about that. While my memories are few, she really made me smile when we got back from our dives (one of which I had specifically requested) and with almost a kid's enthusiasm asked me, WELL!?! Was it good!?! Tell me about it!.. Those are my words and not a direct quote, however, it was her excitement and interest she had about how things went and if we were satisfied that really stood out. I hope that day comes again for me and everyone else.

We've been praying for her, Gabi & Heath since we first found out and will continue to do so. If anyone can come back from something like this it is her.. Same goes for Gabi. It sounds like Heath is on his way but recovering from an accident like this doesn't happen over night and I know the road may be long.

Once someone gets a solid paypal address, please post it here for those of us who would like to donate.

Regards,
David
Austin, Texas

 

[John&Rebecca]

I've had the good fortune of not only diving with all of them but have been friends for years. We dove with Opal for the last 4 years and had such a great experience, we had to make it an annual dive trip. This last April, we decided to bring a good friend with us... His name is Heath. Heath is a VERY experienced diver as is Opal and Gabi. Heath enjoyed himself enough to travel down often over the last 5 months (I believe it to be 5 times) to visit and dive with the GREAT folks at Scuba Mau. Last week, I had texted him and told him that he was welcome to join us on a dive in Phuket (that we are making in 2 weeks). He sent me an e-mail this morning with the sad news we are all reading about. Heath, Opal and Gabi are in our prayers and we ALL hope for a speedy recovery... We're still looking forward to our next trip (April) to CZM and for our dive with Scuba Mau. This is what our communicty and these great people are about. Let's maintain that focus... they need it!

 

[Kymcobob]

Hi, I am new to this forum but with a trip to Coz. In two weeks I picked up on this tragedy from a Coz forum. I just want to say I don't know anyone that was involved nor any of the posters who have commented but I am touched by this tragedy and send my prayers to you all. After reading this thread I only want to add that when Heath, Gabi and Opal ar completely healed, I would be honored to dive with you. Kevin, I would dive with you any time, anywhere. WSOPfan, if you and I were to be buddied up and you got into trouble, I would have to think long and hard about saving your butt. I would probably do it, but I sure wouldn't like it.

 

[Scubafrnds]

Hey Heath, I started a facebook page "Rally for Opal & Gabi & Heath's Recovery....Can you please search it and like it...I would like to make you an administrator so you can post pictures of you too ;-) I only met you once so I dont have any ;-( I started it but I am here and know nothing so please keep us up to date on any of your needs or their needs...See you in couple of days! Pam

 

[DjDiverDan]

I'm glad to hear from Heath about the cause of this accident, and I'll apologize again for contributing any speculation. My first thought when I heard that three divers went to 300feet on air was "what were they thinking", and I unfortunately didn't stop to think before posting. I do understand that down currents can take you deeper than you want to go. I've been diving Cozumel (as a purely recreational diver) for over 20 years now, and the scariest moment I've had was a dive on Santa Rosa Wall where the Divemaster warned everyone to stay close to the wall, but my dive buddy, a woman off of a cruise ship who was just there for the day, apparently chose not to listen. I'm a bit anal about following a dive plan, and we were at about 100 feet so I was nearly hugging the wall and constantly checking my depth guage. But my dive buddy got out about 15-18 feet away from the wall, and she started dropping out of sight fast - I could see she wasn't paying attention, so I took off after her, grapped the back of her BC, swam her back to the wall & showed her the depth guage while ascending back up the wall - we had reached 145 feet and it took no time at all. Luckily, we weren't at that depth for more than a minute, I was diving a computer (I reached 4 bars into yellow that dive), and had plenty of air for extended safety stops at 50 and 20 feet. I also ran into a mean current on a dive to Barracuda Reef one time (at the North end of the Island) that was going up, down & all over, and at a speed I was not used to in Cozumel, and that was one of the few dives I've ever aborted early simply because I wasn't comfortable about staying in control. But I really do want to know more details of this dive, and not merely out of morbid curiousity - I was in Cozumel the end of July, and I'll be in Cozumel again in December, and if there is a dive site where down currents are particularly dangerous or likely, I'd like to know about it. So Heath, when you feel better, and have the time, PLEASE post as much detail as you can on the Incidents and Accidents Forum, so others can learn & hopefully avoid similar dangers. In the meantime, my best wishes to you all for a full and rapid recovery.

 

[DandyDon]

Hi, I am new to this forum but with a trip to Coz. In two weeks I picked up on this tragedy from a Coz forum. I just want to say I don't know anyone that was involved nor any of the posters who have commented but I am touched by this tragedy and send my prayers to you all. After reading this thread I only want to add that when Heath, Gabi and Opal ar completely healed, I would be honored to dive with you. Kevin, I would dive with you any time, anywhere. WSOPfan, if you and I were to be buddied up and you got into trouble, I would have to think long and hard about saving your butt. I would probably do it, but I sure wouldn't like it.

Overly tacky perhaps? Just say no to someone you don't want to buddy with rather than seriously considering that breach of duty to a buddy, but surely you were attempting humor? Hehe, and you have a hard time keeping up with Heath or Kevin.

 

[boulderjohn]

Now that some more information about the actual problem that led to the DCS has come out, this thread has reached a turning point of sorts. It is a very unusual thread. Normally, as a Mod suggested earlier, a thread like this is discussed in the Accidents and Incidents forum. This one is different because of the close-knit Cozumel community and the fact that the victims are so well known and beloved. In a normal A & I discussion, friends and relations of the victims are warned to avoid participation because the discussion can become unpleasant as the actions people took are analyzed.

I have some knowledge about the downcurrents (etc.). I have a story of a friend who went to the chamber after just such an event, and the information she received subsequent to it. If this were in the A & I forum, I would not hesitate to post it. I am hesitant to post it here, though, because it is such a different atmosphere.

IMO, we need a different thread in the A & I forum to discuss this accident as is normally done in that forum. I think that people in this thread will not be happy if it turns in that direction.

 

[DandyDon]

John, there are 2 new Down Current threads in Advanced, but then you could start a new one in this Coz forum as the channel is known for them.

I like this thread here with all the warm wishes that do not fit in A&I.

 

[suprane]

On a more sober note: I have read this thread many, many times per day since first learning of this tragedy. I greatly appreciate what updates are available and would like to express my gratitude to those people who are doing their best to keep us all in the loop. It can be a difficult task to sort out exactly what happened and the extent of the injuries in those first few hours following a horrendous accident such as this. And I know that those initially reporting/posting were doing the best they could with what little information may have been available to them. And, again, I thank them at least making us aware of the situation.

I have dived with Scuba Mau in the past and always found them to be very accomodating and pleasant individuals. I was shocked and grieved to hear of this event and hold out hope and prayers for everyones' speedy and complete recovery.