Blue Spring SP cavern fatality - Florida

[DandyDon]

Ocoee man, 56, dies while scuba diving at Blue Spring near Orange City | News-JournalOnline.com

An Ocoee man died while scuba diving at Blue Spring State Park near Orange City on Monday afternoon, a sheriff’s spokesman said.

The body of Rhys Dervan, 56, was recovered by a Volusia County Sheriff’s Office dive team, spokesman Gary Davidson said.
Dervan and his 16-year-old son were diving together at the park on Monday. The two surfaced together but the father went back down at about 3:30 p.m. for one final dive to an underwater cavern about 120 feet below the surface and never came back up, Davidson said.
Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were first on the scene and called the Sheriff’s Office for help at 4:38 p.m., Davidson said.
The divers responded to the park and entered the water at approximately 6:47 p.m. and found Dervan’s body shortly after, Davidson said.
The Volusia County Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an autopsy to determine what caused Dervan’s death, Davidson said.

 

[Jax]

Oh, no.

{removed speculation}

 

[Johnoly]

I live in the next town to Ocoee and sorry to hear this on the news, especially with the son there.

For reference, Blue Springs is a sloping cave at an angle too, if the news is correct, to be found at 120 (and it's a strong flow out) IMHO a diver would have to kick there. At different times of the year, I've had my reg freeflow if I stuck my head in the strongest part (no idea what flow is currently)

This link will give readers a visual on the slope of the cave system.

CaveAtlas.com » Cave Diving » United States » Volusia Blue Springs

 

[vincent54]

Would that be a cave dive vs cavern?

 

[Lorenzoid]

Would that be a cave dive vs cavern?

Good question. The diagram would suggest the bottom is beyond the light zone.

 

[Johnoly]

Would that be a cave dive vs cavern?

Terminology is always a debatable topic in cave diving.

But I will say that the "Go No Farther" Grim Reeper sign is at approx 60 feet.

 

[Imbodie]

I heard free diving rather than scuba.... any clarity to be offered??

 

[drrich2]

...but the father went back down at about 3:30 p.m. for one final dive to an underwater cavern about 120 feet below the surface and never came back up...

Johnoly's graphic was helpful. So, it seems the father went solo on that dive, so his son wasn't in a position to have to rescue him. I understood they dove together on a prior dive, but not on this one.

Just because the cavern goes to 120 feet deep doesn't mean the deceased did, or planned to.

I wonder what the man's plan was; just to mess around the entrance area, or what?

Richard.

 

[Ken Kurtis]

Not meaning to jump on you too strongly here but . . .

. . . diving solo in an overhead environment is always a risky proposition, regardless of age or experience.

"Diving in an overhead environment is a risky proposition" is IMHO the correct way to say it. "Solo" does NOT increase the risk factor of the dive itself. What solo DOES do is limit your rescue options if things go south. (That could be equipment, gas, medical, disorientation, etc.) But I think they're really separate animals. Solo divers get in trouble and survive and buddied divers get in trouble and die, and vice-versa.

I feel very bad for the son, who clearly is blaming himself for this incident.

We do NOT know that at all. The kid I mentioned in post #3 in this thread was an accident here in L.A., not this one in Florida.

- Ken

 

[wgw04024]

Hmm. Interesting. This is what I find flooring.... I have two sons 17 and 20. The 17 yo dives with me, the 20 yo is going to get cert'd in a month. My youngest is a pretty fair diver. We've been to Key Largo together and done the Duane and the Speigal Grove. He was AOW by a shop that I regard the two instructors to be very capable, safe, and good habits. Not that it matters, but one retired coast guard, one retired LT Command from the navy. In any case, if the article is correct and I read it right, they did a tank, then the father goes back down, by himself, leaving the son, and does a 120' solo dive? Even if he is completely capable, that's just not a smart move if you ask me. Sad for everyone involved.