dive accident catalina 10/1/05 0230

[sirensmyst]

Perhaps I will return tomorrow to see what other opinions are out there. As a dive medic I have had the task of dealing with dive accidents....all kinds. This one hits home as PDRdiver stated above. Sometimes the little decisions we make compound. I feel the fatal mistake was the decision to surface with too little air and panic following, not the fact that he was alone. If his buddies had followed....would there be three bodies in the kelp? Too often we have a victim and the rescuer in the chamber.

 

[Taipeidiver]

I recently stopped diving with a former buddy who persistently opted to stay down when I thumbed dives. By all means dive solo (I sometimes do), but plan to do so from start to finish and make sure you are properly trained and equipped.

Splitting up a buddy pair (where your independent air source is your buddy) when both divers are getting toward the bottom of the gauge has disaster written all over it, either diver may suffer some kind of emergency and end up as yet another statistic.

My sympathies to all affected by this tragic accident.

 

[annie]

The surface is a dangerous place, especially for an OOA diver. Never presume that a diver is ok just cos he / she reaches the surface.

 

[sirensmyst]

Annie
it is my understanding that he was seen reaching the surface safely and was on his way to the boat. And, yes I agree with you that you can never assume....but be honest....we don't always babysit our partners. There are things I can't answer about the situation....like his experience level, or his history as a diver....or the mental condition he was in when he decided to dive. I don't know if they were celebrating lobster season before the dive as so many do.....I will perhaps know that later. It was noted today at the chamber that his inflater hose was not connected when he was brought in. Don't know whether he decided to dive that way or disconnected it because of a problem. That will be analyzed as will his profile.

The surface is a dangerous place, especially for an OOA diver. Never presume that a diver is ok just cos he / she reaches the surface.

 

[sirensmyst]

It was never stated that either of the two that stayed down were low on air. Diving solo, plan or no plan has inherent risks. Lobster divers are by nature solo divers...I found it odd that they were together. It leans me to believe that he may have not had much experience with lobster.....but I have nothing to base that on. The most experienced cave divers in the world, redundant gear and all, most prepared for solo flight, has a lot of empty seats at the top. This new finding of the inflator hose disconnected has added another facet.
I would have dumped that buddy too.....if that is not how you wanted to dive.

I recently stopped diving with a former buddy who persistently opted to stay down when I thumbed dives. By all means dive solo (I sometimes do), but plan to do so from start to finish and make sure you are properly trained and equipped.

Splitting up a buddy pair (where your independent air source is your buddy) when both divers are getting toward the bottom of the gauge has disaster written all over it, either diver may suffer some kind of emergency and end up as yet another statistic.

My sympathies to all affected by this tragic accident.

 

[OWSI176288]

Lobster divers are by nature solo divers. If you start out with someone you will eventually loose them in the hunt anyway. It is a dangeous sport, but we know the consequences and dive accordingly.

First, my condolence to family and friends. It's always sad to hear of the loss of a fellow diver

You say they where diving as "as a group of three" then you say "Lobster divers are by nature solo divers. If you start out with someone you will eventually loose them in the hunt anyway. It is a dangeous sport, but we know the consequences and dive accordingly."

Not trying to be harsh. But confused be me I am. Where they a buddy team or not? If so, you never leave your wing man - period! If they where diving solo, then they didn't plan "accordingly" as I've heard noting about a redundent air supply. There's no middle ground. This needs to be worked out in the pre-dive planning (which IMHO wasn't very good based on the end results) and not decided on the fly during the dive.

 

[sirensmyst]

Unfortunately I can't answer some of those questions. One of the group of three said they were together.....whether diving together or just gathered I don't know. I don't know any of the pre-dive information, only after the fact. It is doubtful that I will have that information ever.
In any case, it is a tragedy, and someone didin't come home that night.

I would ilke to add....Do you lobster dive? I have a redundant system but it is not practical in the kelp forest. Lobster diving is usually in the shallows....20' or less, sometimes your tank is above water......but we have to anchor in deeper water, we were in about 60' .....Some people lobster dive in deeper water.....maybe up to 40'.

Lobster divers are by nature solo divers. If you start out with someone you will eventually loose them in the hunt anyway. It is a dangeous sport, but we know the consequences and dive accordingly.


First, my condolence to family and friends. It's always sad to hear of the loss of a fellow diver

You say they where diving as "as a group of three" then you say "Lobster divers are by nature solo divers. If you start out with someone you will eventually loose them in the hunt anyway. It is a dangeous sport, but we know the consequences and dive accordingly."

Not trying to be harsh. But confused be me I am. Where they a buddy team or not? If so, you never leave your wing man - period! If they where diving solo, then they didn't plan "accordingly" as I've heard noting about a redundent air supply. There's no middle ground. This needs to be worked out in the pre-dive planning (which IMHO wasn't very good based on the end results) and not decided on the fly during the dive.

 

[GalPalVal]

Just Curious- Were you on duty that night at the Chamber? My boyfriend and I were diving Catalina this weekend too, and we heard there were two diving accidents- one being a male that had a heart attack while diving (and was sent to the chamber), and the other being a female that got caught in kelp, who died. We haven't been able to corroborate this or find any info in any medium. Any info?

 

[sirensmyst]

I was not on duty, I was supposed to be lobster diving. I had the beginings of a head cold (that I am suffering from greatly now) so I didn't dive. I was in the cove at the scene of the accident. Both stories are bogus. No one was treated in the Chamber. Information from the Chamber is confidential therefore not available to the public.

Just Curious- Were you on duty that night at the Chamber? My boyfriend and I were diving Catalina this weekend too, and we heard there were two diving accidents- one being a male that had a heart attack while diving (and was sent to the chamber), and the other being a female that got caught in kelp, who died. We haven't been able to corroborate this or find any info in any medium. Any info?

 

[drbill]

If they were close to the boat, wasn't a crew member spotting after he surfaced? It seems like they should have been aware of him at the surface assuming he communicated with the boat that he was up.

Hmmm.