Abalone diver dies off of CA beach

[YoungLegs]

I know of two ab divers who passed away from drowning after being caught in the kelp. Strapping a knife to the outside of your leg may look cool, but is an easy way to get stuck in the kelp.

diving with a knife has it's +'s and -'s i tend not to dive around bullkelp, or dive and then go under it and back out of it, always gotta be aware of your souroundings "Kelp,Surge,sizzorkelp" knifes are great when getting stuck, also another item to get stuck... have heard of many people living because of their knife.But also alot of dying because of it tangling ... first lesson to you dont dive on kelp, abalone hang out in cabbage kelp on the bottom just like under the bull kelp, play headsup and be real cause it could be your last dive. Once again alwayslook up when taking off the bottom.

 

[Laurie S.]

This is interesting reading for me. I'm headed up to Mendocino the end of this month with my boyfriend to do abalone diving for the first time. He grew up there (has a ranch there, although he lives in Mexico now) and has been doing it for about 50 years, so I'll have a good teacher. He's also my scuba instructor. I've been trying to read up on free diving and abalone diving and appreciate any advice. I don't want to become a statistic.

 

[DandyDon]

It's interesting that you two are posting on this thread from June. Did you see this thread from today? http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/accidents-incidents/432833-abalone-diver-fatality-california.html

 

[fisheater]

Same disasters. Different years. Same thing will happen next year, too.


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[rockvillecaraccident]

We get about 5 to 8 deaths a year of people from out of the area mostly that are determined to freedive for abalone no matter what the conditions or circumstances.
We call it Sacramento syndrome.

Sacramento syndrome????

 

[cmburch]

I prefer Bull Kelp. Easy to tie kayak or board off to. Easy to follow down in low Vis conditions. I also use a yellow line tied to my board with a large Ab iron for an anchor to mark the bottom, so it is easy to return to same location. I think there are more problems with Giant kelp surface mats during low tide. I do not like diving low tide like many Ab divers. Also more surge around structure during low tide. I do not have fin straps or anything strapped to legs to get hung up on stipes.

 

[ajduplessis]

The trouble with these reports is the kelp gets blamed when heart attack, shallow water blackout, exhaustion, or panic is far more likely. The kelp floating on the surface this early in the year isn’t all that thick. Even when it is thickest, it has never stopped me from getting a breath.

Please also add greed to the list!!!!

 

[fisheater]

Sacramento syndrome????

So named by the north coast rescue/body recovery personnel because the divers that come from afar for a day of diving won't make the call to forgo diving when conditions are bad.

"Damn it. I drive all the way from Sacramento. I'm getting in the water!"

Us local will go back home on those days.


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[drbill]

Since bull kelp is only found north of Pt. Conception and I'm a warm water wussie, I've never had the experience of entanglement with it. Down here in the more temperate waters of SoCal we face entanglement with giant kelp which is probably much easier to get entangled in but also much easier to break than bull kelp. My vote for the worst of the kelps goes to feather boa (Egregia). I once had it wrap around both of my lower legs and rip both fins off. Fortunately it is more of a problem in shallow water when surge is present.