Accident & Incident Discussion - Northernone - aka Cameron Donaldson

[JohnnyC]

Just want to point out something we DON'T know, but has seen a lot of speculation, to the point where I think people are starting to make assumptions.

There's no indication that this was a planned 150 ft decompression dive. That doesn't match what his mother reported, doesn't match the dive profile as described, and doesn't match with what we know so far. Speculation is good, but at this point we have no indication that this was anything other than an extended recreational dive.

 

[mtngoat2674]

I can give some input into Cameron's SAC rate or RMV if you prefer. I just checked a shore dive we did on 1-1-2018. We swam into a current for the first 2/3 of the dive. Cameron carried his big camera rig and was using some odd fins he had never worn before because he was testing some silly fins for someone and let our other friend use them for the dive to try out so Cameron was using his full foot whatevers that were somebody's cast offs. He took some great photos that required some positioning and we found some lion fish in nooks and crannies along the way. I started with a full AL80 and he started with an AL63 that had 2,000 psi. We finished the 90 minute dive essentially empty(176 psi) in waist deep water. The depth averaged 20 feet and max was 39. That comes to around .28. I think he told me on several occasions that his sac was in the mid to high .2s on cave dives with a camera and no scooter and his mom was around .23. He sipped air. I can't say what happened when he got into a stressful situation because I never saw him stressed. I've read about it here though.

I have his numbers somewhere as well, though I'm not quite in a position emotionally where I can read through all that right now. From what I recall, your assessment is accurate. He recounted many things to me that he did not post publicly, so I may have more insight than some others, but none of it is really relevant since we have no idea what happened. I do know he enjoyed the currents. He spent a substantial amount of time diving in currents and had significant experience with some stressful moments. I doubt that his SAC had significant impact on the incident, simply because he would have made an emergency ascent regardless of deco obligation in an OOG situation.

 

[Compressor]

Are there any updates today regarding the search?

 

[johndiver999]

I have his numbers somewhere as well, though I'm not quite in a position emotionally where I can read through all that right now. From what I recall, your assessment is accurate. He recounted many things to me that he did not post publicly, so I may have more insight than some others, but none of it is really relevant since we have no idea what happened. I do know he enjoyed the currents. He spent a substantial amount of time diving in currents and had significant experience with some stressful moments. I doubt that his SAC had significant impact on the incident, simply because he would have made an emergency ascent regardless of deco obligation in an OOG situation.

If a diver has accrued 30 minutes of true deco and he makes a rapid OOG ascent, what do you think the result will be?

I don't know the answer, and don't know anyone who has done it, but my gut feeling is that a diver could easily be paralyzed. A 30 plus minute deco negates the surface as a safe place.

If a diver was being supported by a boat and the boat reached him immediately and the diver was provided a deco tank and was able to re-descend, then the out come might be better. A diver with an accrued penalty of 30 minutes, is really in a precarious and vulnerable position if he is alone.

I think it is reasonable to assume that something unusual happened. He had apparently done the dive many times, but if the current really was 6 knots as someone mentioned, there is not much a diver can do with that if it starts going in an undesirable direction- this also makes them vulnerable.

 

[Pelagicsal]

From Por Esto today. Translation by DeepL.com
COZUMEL, March 21 - In total dismay, but without losing hope, relatives of the lost diver, Cameron Donaldson, received the report of the actions carried out in more than 120 hours by the elements of the Search, Rescue and Maritime Surveillance Station (ENSAR) of the Naval Sector of Cozumel. It was guaranteed that they will continue with the exercises of location by sea and air and could be in Mexican waters.

120 hours after the disappearance of the Canadian diver, authorities of the Navy Secretariat, through their affiliation to the ENSAR, presented a report of the work done so far as part of the search and rescue operation.

The Rear Admiral of the Naval Sector of the Secretariat of the Navy in Cozumel, Luis Alfonso L'Eglise Escamilla, let it be known that in spite of the fact that 96 hours have ended, they will continue with the search of Cameron Donaldson, and even this Thursday the relatives of the disappeared diver were received.

With a look of consternation and hope, Bonnie Patricia Good, mother of the diver, along with her daughter, Alisa Donaldson and other relatives, went to the facilities of ENSAR located in the southern coastal area, to listen attentively on the report of work already done 120 hours after the disappearance of his consanguineo.

In this sense, the commander in turn of the Station, explained to them each one of the images of the areas crossed by sea and by air, detailing them that the maritime work has been carried out with boats type Defender FC-33 with speed of more than 50 knots per hour with autonomy of 250, as well as with an airplane type Persuader C-235, that flies up to 150 knots during eight hours.

In the explanation in English, the relatives were informed that Semar is using the best it has in search equipment, as is the case of the plane that is equipped with Kleer technology, which is capable of detecting thermal images on what is the surface of the ocean, in addition to the boats already detailed, they were informed that they are working with the use of Sarops software, (a) The U.S. Navy's exclusive search-and-rescue system, which determines the probable location of an object derived by wind and current effects, referring to the fact that all the results have yielded a probable position in Mexican waters, although they were advised that they are also working with the United States Coast Guard and other government agencies that have joined the search in ports on the peninsula and the rest of the state of Quintana Roo; (b) The U.S. Navy's exclusive search-and-rescue system, which determines the probable location of an object derived by wind and current effects, referring to the fact that all the results have yielded a probable position in Mexican waters, although they were advised that they are also working with the United States Coast Guard and other government agencies that have joined the search in ports on the peninsula and the rest of the state of Quintana Roo.

 

[mtngoat2674]

If a diver has accrued 30 minutes of true deco and he makes a rapid OOG ascent, what do you think the result will be?

I don't know the answer, and don't know anyone who has done it, but my gut feeling is that a diver could easily be paralyzed. A 30 plus minute deco negates the surface as a safe place.

If a diver was being supported by a boat and the boat reached him immediately and the diver was provided a deco tank and was able to re-descend, then the out come might be better. A diver with an accrued penalty of 30 minutes, is really in a precarious and vulnerable position if he is alone.

I think it is reasonable to assume that something unusual happened. He had apparently done the dive many times, but if the current really was 6 knots as someone mentioned, there is not much a diver can do with that if it starts going in an undesirable direction- this also makes them vulnerable.

Obviously, surfacing without meeting any length of deco obligation increases the chance of injury, in fact making injury likely. Nevertheless, in the event that he had an issue that required surfacing immediately, he would have done so, regardless of potential injury versus allowing himself to drown. (Unconsciousness is a different scenario.) You are correct that a DCS hit could also be fatal at that point, as well as correct that the current could have been something he could not recover from. No argument whatsoever. Just saying that based on his low consumption, propensity for being extremely cognizant of his consumption, and his approach to emergency situations, I'm doubting that his consumption rate played a part. Just my opinion, of course.

 

[Protondecay123]

Just want to point out something we DON'T know, but has seen a lot of speculation, to the point where I think people are starting to make assumptions.

There's no indication that this was a planned 150 ft decompression dive. That doesn't match what his mother reported, doesn't match the dive profile as described, and doesn't match with what we know so far. Speculation is good, but at this point we have no indication that this was anything other than an extended recreational dive.

Aren’t the limits for a Rec dive 130 fsw? So technically it was a planned solo tech dive?

 

[JohnnyC]

Aren’t the limits for a Rec dive 130 fsw? So technically it was a planned solo tech dive?

No.

 

[Protondecay123]

No.

To which comment? Why is 130 Feet the Depth Limit for Recreational Scuba Diving?

 

[mtngoat2674]

Depth limits are entirely abstract, and set by certification agencies as a recommendation only. While the most prominent recreational training organizations recommend 130 ft (approximately) as a recreational limit, depth alone does not differentiate between a technical dive and a recreational dive. I've done my share of recreational dives at 160-200 ft. There isn't anything that happens at 130 ft that suddenly makes a dive technical.