Unknown Coasties searching for missing diver - Pompano Beach, Florida

[Biotech Diver]

This is not accurate. Weather conditions reported from KPMP airport on 15 March were:

View attachment 889888

@Jollymon32, please stop posting inaccurate / misleading weather information for the incident date. The wind was from the SE, which tends to make seas rougher off Pompano Beach. Logged weather data from the KPMP station is available here.

Do you have a connection to the boat/shop involved?

Lance

First of all, a lot of people get mixed up when describing wind direction. A lot of people think the direction of the wind is the direction it's blowing to, but the wind direction is the direction the wind is coming from, so I could see someone making that mistake. Second is that the weather offshore is not the same as the weather onshore. On land, there is hardly any wind in Florida, in fact I think it's the least windy state of all 50 states, but go offshore and it's a whole different story. If you don't believe me, try living in Florida and go offshore some time (for any reason).

 

[VsubT]

Second is that the weather offshore is not the same as the weather onshore. On land, there is hardly any wind in Florida, in fact I think it's the least windy state of all 50 states, but go offshore and it's a whole different story. If you don't believe me, try living in Florida and go offshore some time (for any reason).

I live nearby and literally stood on the beach checking conditions that morning. KPMP is just west of the beach, about 1 nm from the edge of the field to the beach. Between actual conditions and a forecast for even more wind, our charter captain came to the same no go conclusion that we did.

At best it was a marginal day for recreational diving. While wx may not have been the immediate cause of the incident, it was sporty enough to have likely hindered rescue & search efforts.

Lance

 

[Biotech Diver]

I live nearby and literally stood on the beach checking conditions that morning. KPMP is just west of the beach, about 1 nm from the edge of the field to the beach. Between actual conditions and a forecast for even more wind, our charter captain came to the same no go conclusion that we did.

At best it was a marginal day for recreational diving. While wx may not have been the immediate cause of the incident, it was sporty enough to have likely hindered rescue & search efforts.

Lance

I wouldn't argue with you about boats going out when the weather is iffy. I've been on more than a few where I thought it was poor judgment to go out that day. I trusted they knew what they were doing but in hindsight I realize they just needed the business.

If you live nearby you should agree that it can be dead calm a mile from the beach (such as an airport weather report) but a mile out on the water is a whole 'nother story.

 

[Jollymon32]

This is not accurate. Weather conditions reported from KPMP airport on 15 March were:

View attachment 889888

@Jollymon32, please stop posting inaccurate / misleading weather information for the incident date. The wind was from the SE, which tends to make seas rougher off Pompano Beach. Logged weather data from the KPMP station is available here.

Do you have a connection to the boat/shop involved?

Lance

I dive with Dixie Divers (as well as other operators in Pompano), I mentioned that in an earlier post - that is the extent of my involvement.

The information I have relayed came from my search on the weather conditions of that day. See below.

 

[VsubT]

The information I have relayed came from my search on the weather conditions of that day. See below.

lol, AI weather for the win? Apparently "Generative AI is experimental" means that it can be dead wrong.

The AWOS at KPMP is pretty reliable, and the reported conditions match the actual conditions that day. Please stop posting inaccurate info.

Lance

 

[Jollymon32]

lol, AI weather for the win? Apparently "Generative AI is experimental" means that it can be dead wrong.

The AWOS at KPMP is pretty reliable, and the reported conditions match the actual conditions that day. Please stop posting inaccurate info.

Lance

That is fair and I will try to do better.

The site you provide is very informative. Having dove with them, I have very concise information of departure times and water entry times. At the departure time of 9am wind was at 15 knots from 150 degrees. However the first part of the trip is on the intercoastal - very protected water. At the time of entry the wind would be still coming in at 15 knots from 150 degrees, but gusting to 21 knots. At the time of pickup, it would have been worse.

That is assuming that the tragedy occurred on first dive.

As an experienced diver (read "old") I do not think I would have entered the water under these conditions, especially if the conditions were detiriorating. But that is one of the benefits of age - it allows you to see patterns and consequences - and understand one's own mortality - something that is lost on the young. I can see how they proceeded to jump in, I would have done the same at that age.

 

[dmaziuk]

lol, AI weather for the win? Apparently "Generative AI is experimental" means that it can be dead wrong

... but not because of the "experimental" part.

 

[SubseaSports]

Anyone know who was the cpt that day?

Prayers to the family and friends.