Abalone diver missing - California

[Eric Sedletzky]

Very very tragic and my heart goes out to every one affected by this terrible accident.

I read the article and it also gave me a lot to think about.
I wonder if he might have had an ab iron in his hand that was caught in the hole?
Many times ab divers will use a wrist strap on the ab iron so that after they pop the ab they can let go to deal with the ab and not lose the iron.
I know it's speculation, but I wonder if somehow he had an ab iron rigged in such a way and he might have let go but the iron could have fell sideways in the hole essentially locking him in and there might not have been enough room to get the other arm in to free himself or cut himself loose? Some of that nylon cord can be pretty darn strong and hard to break with human force alone.

Also freediving you don't always have a lot of time to deal with stuff and think things through. He could have already been down a while before he found the hole.

I am always leary of crawling back up under ledges and cracks upside down to look for the "hogs". I know a lot of the trophy hunters do and that's how they get the 10's most of the time. You have to be willing to get way back in cracks and take chances.
I'm not, and maybe that's why I've never gotten a 10".

 

[Bob DBF]

Eric, I got a 10 but it was a long time ago, with my fins in the air in heavy kelp off the south end of Vanne Damme beach. I've seen a few that looked really big, but didn't have the balls to go in after them, but what the he** I still don't do too bad for an old f**t.

I have both my bar and gauge on bungee cord so I can drop it and and it stays with me and when it gets caught the bungee rolls off my hand. Why they are sold with nylon cord straps and slide lock clamps is beyond me.


Bob
-----------------
I may be old, but I'm not dead yet.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

From what I was told that day held a 17 second interval, which creates a VERY powerful surge randomly.

The Monterey offshore forecast was "West swell 2 to 4 feet at 22 seconds decreasing to 20 seconds".

That's the longest interval I can remember.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Eric, I got a 10 but it was a long time ago, with my fins in the air in heavy kelp off the south end of Vanne Damme beach. I've seen a few that looked really big, but didn't have the balls to go in after them, but what the he** I still don't do too bad for an old f**t.

I have both my bar and gauge on bungee cord so I can drop it and and it stays with me and when it gets caught the bungee rolls off my hand. Why they are sold with nylon cord straps and slide lock clamps is beyond me.


Bob
-----------------
I may be old, but I'm not dead yet.

Like you told me a few years ago when I ran into you on a beach, "I can freedive good enough to get a limit of abs".
And that's about where I'm at. I'm just out there to do a meat run most of the time. Occasionally I'll spend more time and look around for 9's but as long as their not clickers I'm happy. They all taste good.

I wish there were more details on how his arm was stuck and what caused it; whether it was something attached to his arm that got caught or what.
As unfortunate as every accident is, we could all learn from this greatly.

 

[craig's sister]

Reply to BOB dbf:

I am Craig's sister and am missing him so much. I appreciate your "speculation to your dive buddy" that it was a surge that held him longer than expected. I am not a diver and am just trying to make sense of his last dive. Craig was such a wonderful guy. I love your quotes as well.

I also wanted to say again how thankful we were to Jason, Rob, Ken, Jack, Heath, Russ and Randy for their willingness to find my brother and treat him so wonderfully. I was so touched by their generous spirits and the way they took care of Craig after finding him. My family feels blessed to have met these wonderful people.

Bob, thank you for your comments again. They help us try to fill in the pieces and make some sense out of my brother's death.

 

[Laurie S.]

My condolences on the loss of your brother.