Geoduck dive trainee drowns after entanglement - Kingston, Washington

[DandyDon]

Geoduck diver dies during underwater training near Kingston

KINGSTON – A Tulalip geoduck diver died Saturday morning after he became entangled in his equipment and lost his mask below water near Jefferson Point.

Crews were dispatched at about 10 a.m. Saturday to the waters off Kingston's Jefferson Point.

"Our understanding is that they were conducting dive training from a boat in anticipation of an upcoming geoduck harvest," North Kitsap Fire and Rescue spokeswoman Michèle Laboda said.

Those aboard the boat told responders they'd been doing a training dive when the 35-year-old man became entangled in gear below the surface and lost his mask. After about five minutes, his companions were able to get him to the surface but couldn't get him into the boat, Laboda said. They were able to fashion a harness to keep him in place while they performed CPR, but resuscitation efforts by his colleagues and emergency responders were unsuccessful.

The Kitsap County Sheriff's Office is investigating. The Kitsap County Coroner's Office confirmed the death investigation, but has not yet released information about the man's identity.

 

[SeattleSqueeze]

From videos that I have seen, these geoduck divers use surface supplies air on full face masks or helmets. So if the diver lost his mask that could be catastrophic. One thing I have not seen these divers carry are pony bottles - not sure why that is.

 

[DandyDon]

One thing I have not seen these divers carry are pony bottles - not sure why that is.

Do you carry one? They are a pain in a number of ways. A surface supplied trainee is probably taught that they have an unlimited amount of air so running out is not a threat, or so goes my guess. I won't dive without mine, but I was not taught that way.

 

[Bob DBF]

I made a quick check and, although you have to attest you are competent, there is no actual course or cert required. The diver could be practicing so he could sign the paperwork, without any other formal training.

https://www.dnr.wa.gov/publications/aqr_selfattest_2016.pdf?k3issk

 

[NAUI Wowie]

Do you carry one? They are a pain in a number of ways. A surface supplied trainee is probably taught that they have an unlimited amount of air so running out is not a threat, or so goes my guess. I won't dive without mine, but I was not taught that way.

I have a 19cf being shipped to me as we speak. With a harness to attach in the front. Maybe you can p.m. me the off topic reasons you think ponys can be a pain and how you set yours up and what size. or you could reply here if no one minds.

 

[DandyDon]

I have a 19cf being shipped to me as we speak. With a harness to attach in the front. Maybe you can p.m. me the off topic reasons you think ponys can be a pain and how you set yours up and what size. or you could reply here if no one minds.

Even after you pay the extra that the vast majority of divers don't bother with for the tank, extra reg, harness, etc. then it's just all that much more to maintain, carry to the boat, gear up with, pack for trips, extra weight in checked luggage, and so on. You won't see many others who bother, but then you wouldn't see me dive without one. The prices don't vary that much between the sizes, so I picked the 19 cf as the largest I could see myself bothering with.

As the deceased was a trainee, I doubt that the employer wants to add such optional equipment for their divers, but that's just my guess.

 

[BRT]

From videos that I have seen, these geoduck divers use surface supplies air on full face masks or helmets. So if the diver lost his mask that could be catastrophic. One thing I have not seen these divers carry are pony bottles - not sure why that is.

I have been at a dive shop in the area that had on display a tight harness for a back mounted pony. I asked them what it was for and they told me it was for commercial divers using surface supplied air.

 

[Bob DBF]

From videos that I have seen, these geoduck divers use surface supplies air on full face masks or helmets. So if the diver lost his mask that could be catastrophic. One thing I have not seen these divers carry are pony bottles - not sure why that is.

I ran a Google search on images of geoduck divers and found most had a "pony" usually on the back, probably to be able to work unobstructed. On videos about half of the 8 or so I looked through had a pony, others there was no angle to tell, and a couple defiantly didn't carry. Since geoducks are harvested between the surface and 70', it may depend on depth whether one would chose to use a redundant supply or not, and what size tank was used.

If the videos were more a show, rather than a real working dive, the pony may have been dropped because they were diving in a benign area, shallow for the light, and the other diver could donate in an emergency.


Bob

 

[Dan]

These guys certainly don't have pony.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I wonder if cost of a back mounted pony is ever a factor in geoduck divers not using one.