Bad News From Santa Rosa Blue Hole

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Thank you for stopping rumors.

We don't need reactionary statements as to the merits of the cave. This is why other caves were dynamited closed in the past. Unless it is explored there is no way to determine if it goes.

Reports are there may have been some diver error involved. It's a tragic loss, my thoughts are with all involved. Hopefully the exploration will continue.
 
He worked for me for over 10 years and was a professional in the truest sense. The team he was part of is in my opinion the best out there.
A great man was lost doing what he lived to do.
The circumstances of the accident are what they are. He will be missed not only in the Diving community but as one of my best friends and one of my best Captains. His desire to help better the diving industry was second to none.
RIP my good friend.
 
Bad enough to be reading about a death due to scuba accident ... truly sucks when it's somebody you really care about.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
 
What happened to him? I understand that there was a loss of visibility and Shane was off the line for a period of time?

Regardless, its terrible when an accident happens :(
 
I am reluctant to give a lot of details. I will try to give enough to forestall rumors, but I would prefer to wait to see what Curt Bowen is going to say as the expedition leader. I will let him take the lead. Some informaton has already come out on Cave Diver's Forum, and what I will say here is roughly what was said (with pretty good accuracy) there. It has a little more detail that non-cavers might appreciate.

Mike was doing the lead in trying to find the way through the cave in the hope of finding the rooms and open passages that had reportedly been seen 40 years before. (They don't exist.) Shane was behind him. It would not be accurate to say there was a "loss of visibility" because they did not have it from the start. They were working in very tight passages with restrictions few divers in the world would be able to pass, and although there is not a lot of silt, it stirs easily. It was a zero visibility task from the start, and they knew before hand that it would be that way. They were comfortable with that.

Problems arose on the exit, with both of them sometimes sharing spaces where there was not room for both of them. Some tie-offs came loose, and the line sometimes went into line traps. They were both off the line on occasion, but they got back. Ultimately, finding the line and finding the way out was not the real problem. The real problem was getting through the restrictions.

Both were intentionally doing extremely difficult work well beyond the skills of most certified and experienced cave divers. I was in awe.
 
As is our process pleast post straight condolences in the Passings thread here: Shane Thompson
 
Damn.
It does sound like a near Professional level, exploration which everyone on the teams understood involved a much higher degree of risk than any "traditional" cave dive.

From what I read above it was inevitable that someone was going to enter that cave at some time because of the push for it to become an attraction. It sounds like the very best teams, with the highest degree of skill imaginable were doing this exploration, and even with that level of expertise something went wrong.

It truly sucks that a man lost his life, but as human beings we have always, and hopefully will always seek to explore, push ahead and discover our limits. There will be times such as this when a truly heroic explorer will not survive their exploration attempts, but it is only through ever testing our limits, and searching that mankind learns and moves ahead.

It is not for me to judge any person who knowing the risks, then does his or her best to minimize those risks, and yet still dares to push to go where none have gone before, to seek to expand our knowledge.

It does not sound like a life lost by taking risks for the thrill of risk, but of a tragic loss in the quest to learn, to explore and to pass that knowledge on to others.
 
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Was the deceased on CCR? Did the CCR fail, or did the deceased expire the scrubber searching for an exit, or pass while still on a working loop?
 
Was the deceased on CCR? Did the CCR fail, or did the deceased expire the scrubber searching for an exit, or pass while still on a working loop?
He was on CCR. It was necessary to remove the equipment to get him out, and the equipment is still sealed up in the cave.
 
He was on CCR. It was necessary to remove the equipment to get him out, and the equipment is still sealed up in the cave.
Does this mean a collapse, or did be remove gear to get to where he passed away?
 
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