3 Divers lost on the Spiegel Grove

[TheAquaticApe]

Although I do think swimming 20 feet through an empty room where you can see the other side clearly is less dangerous than going into enclosed areas with a single outlet, it isn't what I would call "safe".

And I wouldn't have done it at all unless I was with the buddy I had who worked for the charter and had hundreds of dives on the wreck.

Chris

 

[HowardE]

I was not faulting the dive op. My question had more to do with the clientele. Is it primarily a rec or tech outfit?

These guys were from my neck of the woods...damn!

There are no "tech" outfits per-se in Key Largo. People can charter a boat for a day, and do "tech" dives to their heart's content.

 

[Spratman]

Thanks, Howard. I know there are a couple in your neck of the woods.

 

[RJP]

I was not faulting the dive op. My question had more to do with the clientele. Is it primarily a rec or tech outfit?

These guys were from my neck of the woods...damn!

Unfortunately VERY close to home.

 

[TomP]

Good point, although I will say I have been diving on the Grove with people who have no right being on that wreck. Where does the operators screening process begin and individual accountability end?

I'm in no way saying these divers weren't qualified nor am I saying Scuba Do did anything wrong here, I don't know enough about this situation to make that statement. Just pointing out that I have seen operators take divers to this wreck who clearly weren't prepared for the potential challenges it offers.

Setting aside obviously inexeperienced or I'll equipped divers this would be a kind of a tough call. Anyone that plans to dive beyond their skill level [not saying that happened here] is unlikely to disclose that to the operator. I do however think that a quality operator does a lot to ensure diver safety and isn't a glorified water taxi.

 

[Thalassamania]

Scuba-do is the operator it sounds like from the article.

Link to Scuba-do.

We need to wait for the facts, but this one sounds rather ugly at first glance. What a shame.

 

[divedude1962]

That sucks. Any first hand information from others on the boat?

 

[HowardE]

I have dived the Grove with several operators, and all the ones I've gone with take the dive very seriously, and brief extensively on the wreck, and the possible conditions that you can encounter.

As I've also said previously, they all said, "DO NOT PENETRATE THE WRECK"

I've been out with Scuba-do as well, and they were very responsible... A+ dive operation.

 

[MASS-Diver]

The word on TDS is that they were diving single 80s. That about sums it up. Everyone makes mistakes, but doing a deep penetration like this with a single tank is reckless.

 

[cmdiver]

This is sad, it sounds like they weren't using a reel? I feel bad for the families, and wonder why (if indeed they weren't) using a reel, what a good reel is less than a $100.00....really sad. I think that sometimes diver's just accidentally exceed thier own limits, and once they realize it, it's to late. I was on Sandy's Sunday a dive boat run by Ocean Quest Scuba this past Monday, we were doing a three tank and lunch trip (great by the way), and we were witness to a search for another diver, that ended up being found dead on the bottom near the Whole in the Wall dive site. Very sad also, we had offered assistance and was driving around looking for the diver, it was very dis-hearting to hear them report the diver had been found deceased. Lesson learn for all of us, use the proper gear, with the proper training and the best dive buddy you know!