Atlanta woman dies after diving accident in Ginnie Springs

[DandyDon]

I think they were talking about the exposed link that Lamont gave. Am I correct?

Oh Ok, TY! I misread. I have no idea what Mcaffee thot it found. AOL offers Mcaffee free but usually it just gives a false sense of security. The good news is that if one has a computer infected with something that Mcaffee let thru, there are free programs that will clean the machine and continue to protect it, i.e. Avast.com, Lavasoft Ad-Aware, and Spybot Sear & Destroy - not to confused with other Spybot imitations.

Now, back to learning from a sad accident...

 

[Marvel]

My sympathies and prayers go out to her friends and family. We all feel a loss when we lose a member of our dive family.

Descent

Oh, I have shrugged off the noise and calamity of modern day
and floated through the depths on bubble-glistening fins.
Downward I have drifted and joined the ebb and flow of wind-driven currents,
and done a thousand things you would never have dreamed of.
Dipping and swooping deep in the limpid pools of silent seas,
Floating…. Drifting….
I've chased shimmering schools of fish,
laughed through coral-carpeted canyons,
and eased my rubber-covered body through the floorless oceans of blue.
Deeper and deeper into the bone-chilling depths
I've descended to the sand covered bottom of the universe,
with peaceful reserve, where sunshine nor rain have ever danced.
And…. While with silent questioning mind,
I've slipped through the blue un-trespassed serenity of the heavenly sea,
Raised up my face
and felt the cool embrace of God

Carolyn:sharks:​

Very nice quote Carolyn! Obviously a rewriting of this poem by a pilot that is far more well suited to us as divers.

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

— John Gillespie Magee, Jr

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

Ty for sharing that one Marvel. I will pass that one on to my pilot friends.

Carolyn:sharks:

 

[Tom Smedley]

Thank you Carolyn! You're the best!

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

Thank you Carolyn! You're the best!

You are very welcome.

I hope it helps those that knew her and dove with her too.

Carolyn:sharks:

 

[Tom Smedley]

The only thing that eases loss of a vibrant and close friend is tincture of time. Journey well Shannon Leigh - your friends and fans here in this life will miss you greatly.

Save a place for us!

 

[InkDiver]

Shannon was an incredibly talented youg lady. The world is a little dimmer place for not having her with us. I started my full cave class at Ginnie the day after she moved on and I definitely paused when I hit the water to remember this beautiful soul. Shannon's own words are very powerful....

Underwater, four hundred feet back
into the earth's graveyard
we turned off our lights and hung
in perfect blackness
swallowed up by the dark stone
the devil's gullet
the catacombs of the reckless

I have never been so happy than surrounded
by crushing depths and old memories
except that first night
when I lay next to you, your hand
across my shoulderblade my lips
in the hollow of your throat
you are that quiet resignation
that joy of nothingness, as close
as I can ever get to peace
as close as I would ever want

give me four hundred feet inside you
the blackness under your skin
and I will rest in you forever
the marrow in your bones is pockmarked with caves
and I have time.

- Shannon Leigh

 

[fisherdvm]

My advice to those who want to assist: Don't do it without professional liability insurance coverage. Become a DM/AI/Instructor so you can obtain such coverage. Otherwise, you're exposing yourself to tremendous financial risk.

Very good point, as I recalled, a very esteemed member of SB stating the reason why she has not entered the DM route. One of the reason is, the local instructor said she can assist at any of his classes, without being a certified DM.

Just because an instructor said he will let you assist, it does not mean that you'll be covered by HIS liability insurance. At least as a DM intern, I am covered under the umbrella of acting in my capacity as a student. I think?