Anyone free this weekend?

[DocWong]

While I'm not encouraging anyone to dive in conditions that may be dangerous for them, I'd suggest that if you find yourself involved in a difficult exit, get with your dive buddies and create a team plan. This is so much more fun and safe than the "every man for himself" type of exit.

A couple of years ago, my buddies and I dove Point Lobos, coincidentally on Maverick's weekend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS8Fyu5nnwU

While it was quite rough, it was very manageable and quite fun but required some team work to orchestrate. Getting out of the water could have been quite hazardous with the cross swells, in low tide, crashing across the exit ramp at Whaler's Cove. Removing our gear before exiting and working together made a potential hazardous situation quite easy to manage.

Scuba can be a lot more safe and fun as a team sport. This is what allows us to do dives that are much more complicated and demanding.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for being independent and self reliant, but combine that with a strong team of independent and self reliant buddies that act as a coordinated team and you have the potential for even more fun, IMO.

Unfortunately in those conditions it is dang near everyone for themselves. Coming out of the water in surf conditions with doubles and a scooter it is all I can do to stay up myself. That is why I pass on those days and go for a hike instead.

There is also a big difference between diving singles and doubles. Get turtled on your back in dubs and you are at the mercy of the ocean. One of my dive buddies had that happen at Monastery, and he is a pretty big guy. Needless to say he learned the term monster berries. Nothing like having to rebuild all your gear after a bad exit. Been there done that!

 

[Katamuki]

Thanks for the video link, I enjoyed it! Is the "Washing Machine" the name of the dive site or just because of rough conditions?

 

[Guy Alcala]

Tragic! Glad your friend was ok.

I use to hike long stretches of beach quite a bit when I lived on Ca north coast near the Oregon border. Once on a perfectly clear day a random rouge crashed up on the beach. I was far from the surf zone but had to make a mad dash towards the cliff, sinking my fingers into the clay/mud wall and literally climb up a bit to escape the powerful wave. My poor dog was tossed around in the angry froth but managed to swim clear. To this day (5 years later) she still won't go near the surf zone - smart pup .

Point is that rogue waves can happen anyday, not just during weather. It's always good to pay attention!

The thing that I find encouraging about this past weekend is that no one got caught and sucked in at Monastery. Although it's impossible to prove a negative, maybe the much-improved Monastery signage that Harry (Doc Wong) spearheaded saved someone this time. Come to think of it, I don't think we've had anyone die at Monastery _because_ it was Monastery (Correy's was for other reasons) since 2008, which is when the initial new signs went up. We'll have to wait awhile to see if this is just normal variation, or statistically significant.

Guy

 

[mikemikethepike]

The thing that I find encouraging about this past weekend is that no one got caught and sucked in at Monastery. Although it's impossible to prove a negative, maybe the much-improved Monastery signage that Harry (Doc Wong) spearheaded saved someone this time. Come to think of it, I don't think we've had anyone die at Monastery _because_ it was Monastery (Correy's was for other reasons) since 2008, which is when the initial new signs went up. We'll have to wait awhile to see if this is just normal variation, or statistically significant.

Guy

Missing Carmel Swimmer Identified - KION - Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz - News Weather-

Missing Carmel Swimmer Identified
Posted: Feb 14, 2010 1:47 PM PST
CARMEL, Calif. - Police identified Sunday a San Jose man who was reported missing Saturday in the waters of the Carmel Bay.

Luis Hector Sillas-Camacho, 34, went swimming with his 19 year-old son-in-law Saturday afternoon off Carmel Beach and did not return to shore; a high surf warning was in place Saturday.

Crews from Carmel Police, Carmel Fire, Monterey Fire, and the U.S. Coast Guard searched for Sillas-Camacho by air and by boat; the search was suspended by 6:30 pm. No search efforts took place Sunday.

 

[DocWong]

Thanks for the video link, I enjoyed it! Is the "Washing Machine" the name of the dive site or just because of rough conditions?

No it was at Point Lobos and we kicked out past Hole-In-the-Wall. I called it "Washing Machine" because of how churned up everything was and the 10-15 feet back and forth surge that we experienced.

 

[DocWong]

The thing that I find encouraging about this past weekend is that no one got caught and sucked in at Monastery. Although it's impossible to prove a negative, maybe the much-improved Monastery signage that Harry (Doc Wong) spearheaded saved someone this time. Come to think of it, I don't think we've had anyone die at Monastery _because_ it was Monastery (Correy's was for other reasons) since 2008, which is when the initial new signs went up. We'll have to wait awhile to see if this is just normal variation, or statistically significant.

Guy

I liked the signs along with the newspaper article or at least photos of the incident where we lost a diver and other beach goers, I often see people reading them as opposed to most beach goers ignoring the generic "dangerous surf" signs.

 

[Guy Alcala]

Missing Carmel Swimmer Identified - KION - Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz - News Weather-

Missing Carmel Swimmer Identified
Posted: Feb 14, 2010 1:47 PM PST
CARMEL, Calif. - Police identified Sunday a San Jose man who was reported missing Saturday in the waters of the Carmel Bay.

Luis Hector Sillas-Camacho, 34, went swimming with his 19 year-old son-in-law Saturday afternoon off Carmel Beach and did not return to shore; a high surf warning was in place Saturday.

Crews from Carmel Police, Carmel Fire, Monterey Fire, and the U.S. Coast Guard searched for Sillas-Camacho by air and by boat; the search was suspended by 6:30 pm. No search efforts took place Sunday.

Sounds like this was in Carmel itself rather than at Monastery (Carmel Beach is pretty imprecise), as I'd expect State Park Lifeguards to be involved at Monastery. Anyone know for sure?

Guy

 

[Guy Alcala]

I liked the signs along with the newspaper article or at least photos of the incident where we lost a diver and other beach goers, I often see people reading them as opposed to most beach goers ignoring the generic "dangerous surf" signs.

Yeah, I've always thought personalizing the risk would make people pay more attention. But then I was one of the people who recommended doing that on the signs, so I _would_ think that way I wanted a listing of dates and fatalities as well, but the newspaper headline "Mortuary Beach" with the photo seems to be pretty effective, especially as it's planted right in the middle of path at the north end so you can't possibly miss it. But the map and other info was fading badly, last time I looked.

Guy

 

[btroxell]

I often see people reading them as opposed to most beach goers ignoring the generic "dangerous surf" signs.

I while back while getting ready for a dive, I heard a woman, after walking back from reading the sign, start talking to her partner about their abilities and if they should dive there (they were with a large group and it was a nice day). So the signs do work and make some people think about what they are about to do.
So thanks, Harry, for spearheading that effort. BTW, what ever happened to the video phase of your project?

Ben

 

[mikeguerrero]

Sounds like this was in Carmel itself rather than at Monastery (Carmel Beach is pretty imprecise), as I'd expect State Park Lifeguards to be involved at Monastery. Anyone know for sure?

Guy

This report is rather vague, it doesn't say what happened to the son-in-law, did he return from the dive? What did he report about Camacho?

Camacho was identified, but I am unclear as to whether he was found, that was never stated.

I assume he died in the surf, but it doesn't say.

We'll have to wait for further investigation. Isn't Carmel itself right next to Monastery? Maybe it occured very close to Monastery. This beach has a natural calling for swimmers.

Very easy to access from the highway, free parking, bathrooms to change into your bathing suit, and a hope skip right into the breakers.

Very easy to be deceived by false impressions of the ocean's currents, swells, and high surf.