6/20/09 - Avalon, Catalina - Freediver drowned...

[Rick Murchison]

...The real issue is; did the free dive to a shallow depth (20-25 FSW) shortly after scuba diving, play a role in his untimely death or was something else the cause...

I'll betcha right now the cause of death is found to be drowning. Having spent many a surface interval doing "little 20' breath-hold dives" with friends for many years without any of us having any incidents (I'm rethinking the wisdom of that with some of the recent articles on possible ill effects), I have my doubts that scuba has anything to do with it. I'd bet that he had difficulty on the bottom getting the float line loose, overstayed his breath, passed out on the way back up, was weighted enough to be negative, sank and drowned. I'd bet it's nothing more complicated than that.
Perhaps the autopsy will reveal something different.
But... even if it does, the fact remains that whatever happened, with no buddy the dive ended on the bottom rather than being dragged ashore on the surface. On the bottom you drown; on the surface maybe not.
Rick

 

[DandyDon]

Got to wonder why he didn't drop his weights at the first sign of trouble. Certainly not the first to die with weights on.

 

[gcbryan]

Got to wonder why he didn't drop his weights at the first sign of trouble. Certainly not the first to die with weights on.

Hard to do if you pass out.

I wouldn't be surprised if Rick is correct as well. The most likely scenario is usually the actual scenario.

 

[Michelle's Guy]

Lazy as I am, I can imagine a little wrestling to get the anchor free, feeling the shortness of breath, deciding to leave the weights on so I don't have to return to pick them up... I hope I'd have the discipline and patience to leave the weights for a return trip.maybe even hang them over the anchor..especially when diving solo.

 

[dave4868]

Lazy as I am, I can imagine a little wrestling to get the anchor free, feeling the shortness of breath, deciding to leave the weights on so I don't have to return to pick them up... I hope I'd have the discipline and patience to leave the weights for a return trip.maybe even hang them over the anchor..especially when diving solo.

I can totally identify with your statements!

I'm NOT saying it happened in this case, but, personally, I've intentionally cut corners and compromised my safety more than once while solo diving. Funny thing is I've almost never done that while buddy diving....

During my riskier decision-making episodes, my mindset was always an awareness of the potential problems, but thinking that I'd be able manage them or not wanting to look like I couldn't.

Soon after, I would often realize that such thinking wasn't very smart, that the rare or unpredictable disaster was just around the corner or just a mistep away.... I had just gotten lucky that time....

I'm only a little smarter now, but one good thing I've figured out is that my decision making, or as you said, "discipline and patience", is often impaired during the event.

Now, I'm more likely to avoid putting myself into those situations because, while my overconfidence or flawed judgment or ego may still dance merrily on the edge of the precipice, I don't have to follow....

Dave C

 

[enano315]

it's funny how all you people are experts a back seat freediving.not to mention the fact about accident investigation.i feel sorry for the parents,siblings,and freinds.my prayers and condolences.

 

[DandyDon]

it's funny how all you people are experts a back seat freediving.not to mention the fact about accident investigation.i feel sorry for the parents,siblings,and freinds.my prayers and condolences.

From the Forum description...

This forum is for the discussion of diving Accidents and Incidents. Please read the message at the top of the forum before posting threads or responses. Memorial threads can be posted in the Passings forum.

Now, if you'd like to read the message at the top of the forum, see the Sticky at the top or just click here.

 

[socaldiver]

In some ways I have to agree with enano315. Too many people input their .02 of "expert" knowledge without knowing all the facts.

I understand and agree that when an accident or an incident occurs it is good to discuss why and what happened so hopefully it doesn't happen in the future. But please, you don't know what transpired, unless you were physically there. So IMHO it shouldn't be discussed until all info is received by the authorized investigating parties.

Again, IMHO, discussing theories and hypotheticals would not be bad but I would not refer to any particular accident for this type of discussion.

 

[fdog]

it's funny how all you people are experts a back seat freediving.not to mention the fact about accident investigation.i feel sorry for the parents,siblings,and freinds.my prayers and condolences.

enano315, please don't jump to conclusions - many of the members here actually are well grounded in the subject of freediving.

For example, this is how I spent last weekend. Many of the members here do the same.


All the best, James

 

[Thalassamania]

And a few of us have a significant amount of accident investigation experience also.