Dan Grenier lost at sea.

[ScubaTom34]

We were lucky enough to follow the suggestion of Undercurrent many years ago and be in the last group to visit Loma Loma with Dan, then follow him and Alisi to Nananu-i-ra. We managed to spend three more great Christmas vacations there and I have a great appreciation for Dan's skill, knowledge and determination.

After a long conversation with Linda last night, I agree that he would have immediately figured where the currents would be taking them and try to set himself up to go for an island. His skills in survival should insure that as long as they managed to get to land, it is only a matter of locating them. The one BC found adds to that hope.

I would like to publicly extend my thanks to all Dan's friends that stepped up to help, especially Brad, whom I haven't met, and Michael Dennis who I had the pleasure of diving with there several years ago. They put their lives on hold to run and help their good friend. Thanks also to George Taylor who helped with the aircraft support at great expense. He has a beautiful new resort there which we were lucky to be able to tour just before it opened.

I'm also glad my friend Arnie, we dove with there this past Christmas, told me about this list. The level of conversation here and intelligence has been refreshing. It has also been good to find a lot of the same people Dan used to talk about over dinner in the evening, or on the boat, taking part in these discussions.

I'm presently waiting to hear back from Russ England on how to get money to them. I hope everyone will do whatever they can to help buy fuel for the search. It is a big area, let's just hope Dan is out there mad as a hornet nobody has spotted them yet.

Tom Reese
Gustine California

 

[saildiver]

Should one wire or shail mail check??

We just wired donations there today that had been mailed to the fund.There is a $45 charge per wire,so if you want to wire, make sure its worth it.Also you might want to specify the use of the $ that you are donating-for the search,for the families,etc-wherever your heart leads you.I dont think you can donate by credit card yet(still trying to find that out-if any one does before I do-post it here). Bank :Westpac BankingCorporation BSB:39009 Account No: 9800917470 Account Name:M.S. Agnew Address: Rakiraki Branch,Fiji Islands When wiring, if there are any troubles,or you prefer to mail, just mail to Dan and Danielle Rescue Fund ,2441 Peach Ave, Fairfield, IA,USA .Thanks again to all of you who are helping in any way.This is their only hope-to keep looking and find them if they are alive.You can't imagine how much this means to the families.Vinaka Vaka Levu. Russ and Christine England Saildivers@hotmail.com NOTE:As it turned out,this was not a proper bank account no. in Fiji that we were given,so DO NOT attempt to wire money to Fiji at this bank account,or send credit card donations (as a member privately reported to me today). Sorry for the glitch-till we get a better way-send all donations to the Dan and Danielle Rescue fund address above.Thank you for your patience-Russ and Chris England.

 

[saildiver]

We were lucky enough to follow the suggestion of Undercurrent many years ago and be in the last group to visit Loma Loma with Dan, then follow him and Alisi to Nananu-i-ra. We managed to spend three more great Christmas vacations there and I have a great appreciation for Dan's skill, knowledge and determination.

After a long conversation with Linda last night, I agree that he would have immediately figured where the currents would be taking them and try to set himself up to go for an island. His skills in survival should insure that as long as they managed to get to land, it is only a matter of locating them. The one BC found adds to that hope.

I would like to publicly extend my thanks to all Dan's friends that stepped up to help, especially Brad, whom I haven't met, and Michael Dennis who I had the pleasure of diving with there several years ago. They put their lives on hold to run and help their good friend. Thanks also to George Taylor who helped with the aircraft support at great expense. He has a beautiful new resort there which we were lucky to be able to tour just before it opened.

I'm also glad my friend Arnie, we dove with there this past Christmas, told me about this list. The level of conversation here and intelligence has been refreshing. It has also been good to find a lot of the same people Dan used to talk about over dinner in the evening, or on the boat, taking part in these discussions.

I'm presently waiting to hear back from Russ England on how to get money to them. I hope everyone will do whatever they can to help buy fuel for the search. It is a big area, let's just hope Dan is out there mad as a hornet nobody has spotted them yet.

Tom Reese
Gustine California

Tom, sorry this isnt more personal-but check my last post, re:where to send donations;Dan was like a brother to me and I wish you could have been with us when we were first exploring Loma Loma with Dan ,Ben and my wife -the adventures I could tell-but too busy right now trying to get them back-but I can just hear him"Where are those guys?" Any thing else you want to do -let me know.Thanks, Tom, Russ England Saildiver

 

[saildiver]

Actually, we have a new preferred address to send donations: "Dan and Danielle Rescue Fund", First National Bank, 100 E. Burlington, Fairfield, Iowa 52556, USA. Donations sent to the prior address will still get to Fiji,but the new address just makes it simpler to wire the donations there.(Chris just found out). Thanks again to everyone who has donated, contacted their congress people, and sent their best wished to Dan and Danielle and their families. Bula...Chris and Russ England

 

[grandturker]

I just recently heard about what happened and the search efforts. I remember Dan once saying that back when he was diving in the Lau Group that he took media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his friends diving and that Murdoch was very appreciative and liked Dan. If anyone, especially in Australia, has any contacts there, it could prove helpful in keeping the story in the public's eye. Who knows; maybe Murdoch would like to help? Just a thought.

 

[lrpuckett]

That's a good idea! If anyone knows how to contact Rupert Murdoch, please let us know his e-mail address and/or telephone number. Dan did take Murdoch diving in Lau approximately 6 years ago.

Another question along these lines, does anyone know how to contact Tom Hanks who starred the movie "Cast Away." Dan Grenier did run the film at nite for the filming that took place in Fiji, and he became friends with the FX group. If anyone knows how to contact Tom Hanks or the FX group that worked Cast Away, please let me know, at linda@bambooreefdivers.com, or Chris or Russ at saildivers@hotmail.com know.

And finally, in our earnest effort to collect funds to continue the search for Dan and Danielle, if anyone knows how to contact the father "Red" from "That 70's Show," he also dove with Dan and might consider contributing.

Those of you that are curious about the status of the search today, no one and nothing has been discovered today. Funds were wired recently, and I or the Englands will update this site within the next few days regarding our search efforts.

Thank you, everyone, for your concern and contributions to the search fund. The response to our campaign has been so heart warming that it trully gives us confidence in humanity, and in the brotherhood and camaraderie of the diving community. Alisi, Cory, Dakota, Dan, Danielle, her family, all of the staff at Bamboo Reef Divers, and all people who know and love Dan, thank you sincerely from the bottom of our hearts for all of the concern expressed and felt by people we've never met and by those who have touched our lives.

Also, a while back in this string, someone had asked if we had checked Bird Island. Yes, we did. And we'll continue to search there and the islands between Mary's Maytag and the Yasawas.

Thank you,
Linda Puckett

 

[rhino61]

Thanks Linda! Bird Island looked a lot like the description that Danielle's brother in law mentioned earlier in the thread. I figure that Dan & Danielle would head for the closest land they could.Could you please answer this? Which way was the current really going & was the wind blowing from the South East. Would they have been swept to the North west. Obviously the BC ended up in that direction but it could have been floating around for days back & forth in all directions.In Stephen's description he mentioned a group of 3 islands close together like Navadra island down in the mamanucas group. Has anyone thought of taking dogs with them on the searches? I've known Danielle all her life & I feel so helpless! Don

That's a good idea! If anyone knows how to contact Rupert Murdoch, please let us know his e-mail address and/or telephone number. Dan did take Murdoch diving in Lau approximately 6 years ago.

Another question along these lines, does anyone know how to contact Tom Hanks who starred the movie "Cast Away." Dan Grenier did run the film at nite for the filming that took place in Fiji, and he became friends with the FX group. If anyone knows how to contact Tom Hanks or the FX group that worked Cast Away, please let me know, at linda@bambooreefdivers.com, or Chris or Russ at saildivers@hotmail.com know.

And finally, in our earnest effort to collect funds to continue the search for Dan and Danielle, if anyone knows how to contact the father "Red" from "That 70's Show," he also dove with Dan and might consider contributing.

Those of you that are curious about the status of the search today, no one and nothing has been discovered today. Funds were wired recently, and I or the Englands will update this site within the next few days regarding our search efforts.

Thank you, everyone, for your concern and contributions to the search fund. The response to our campaign has been so heart warming that it trully gives us confidence in humanity, and in the brotherhood and camaraderie of the diving community. Alisi, Cory, Dakota, Dan, Danielle, her family, all of the staff at Bamboo Reef Divers, and all people who know and love Dan, thank you sincerely from the bottom of our hearts for all of the concern expressed and felt by people we've never met and by those who have touched our lives.

Also, a while back in this string, someone had asked if we had checked Bird Island. Yes, we did. And we'll continue to search there and the islands between Mary's Maytag and the Yasawas.

Thank you,
Linda Puckett

 

[johnsmolowe]

we had the pleasure of diving with dan and alisi a few years ago and are quite distressed at the news. i wonder if another possible resource might be chris kentis, writer and director of the recent film about a pair of divers lost at sea, "open water." does any know chris and how to contact him?

 

[texasdivegoddess]

Didn't Dan also work with the crew of that recent IMAX film about the state of the coral in the South Pacific? I cannot remember the name of the film, but do remember that Dan had mentioned that Vatu-I-Ra was a key site used in that movie where the coral is so brilliant. I would think they might be particularly interested and distressed because where D & D were lost is so specific to that area. Does anyone remember the name of that film and/or who the persons involved were?

 

[blong5150]

Yeah.. It was called "Coral Reef Adventure" ...

http://www.coralfilm.com