Dive Boat Sinks in Pompano Beach

[Marie13]

FL boats don’t have a line along the side of the boat you can use to pull yourself to the down line?

 

[elgringoperdido]

It is possible that a private vessel picked up someone and I did not see it.

Credit where it is due: I have now seen video footage of several divers boarding a vessel called AquaLife Diver, piloted by Captain Oliver Paoli. The AquaLIfe boat did allow some divers from the water to board and they remained on that boat until an official boat arrived.

At least one of the divers had no gear, which means that she jumped in without BC or other flotation. Not sure what I'd have done if I had not yet been suited up and ready to go when it started sinking, but I like to think that at a minimum I'd have grabbed one of the company-provided life vests.

I have looked at my photos and they're not really spectacular. My vantage point was the surface of the water looking up. This is the first photo I made, and at that point I had been bobbing in the water for maybe five minutes. These are the first boats which showed up. I believe that A is the AquaLife. B is the one where they guy on the video is saying "This is insane, Bro!" and "That sinking boat crashed into us!" C had only one pilot and no one else on board. It had WE REFLOAT SUNKEN BOATS. TOWBOAT.US painted on the side. He kept cruising around the site the way airplanes pulling big banners that say "You deserve a break today. McDonalds" cruise above the beach. As you probably figured out, D is the Safari Diver.

The second one shows my son with his growing collection of coozies, sandals, dive booties, and other floating trinkets. You can see the amount of sargassum on the water that day both in the upper right as well as in every scoop of the net.

 

[Jcp2]

I think it depends on the boat and the dive. For the times I’ve gone off a moored boat in FL, it was always tied up at the bow, with either a free descent and ascent straight to the reef, or had a granny line to get to the descent line. I’ve not yet used a stern tied descent. Drift is still my favorite.

 

[kensuf]

FL boats don’t have a line along the side of the boat you can use to pull yourself to the down line?

Surface currents in Pompano can vary from non-existent to over 3kts. When there is a strong surface current it's nearly impossible for most people to pull themselves on a granny line, but trying to pull down any fixed line in those conditions is no fun either. Last month I was down there and watched a friend of mine CO2 himself while trying to pull down in a stiff current, no bueno.

Full disclosure, I've jumped off the Safari Diver at least a half dozen times.

 

[Hojo in SC]

At least one of the divers had no gear, which means that she jumped in without BC or other flotation. Not sure what I'd have done if I had not yet been suited up and ready to go when it started sinking, but I like to think that at a minimum I'd have grabbed one of the company-provided life vests.

Did the boat have life jackets readily available?

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

That's the real root of the problem. Half the guests on the rec trips are in such poor physical condition, there's no way they'd be able to get to the line without a stern tie.

That has never been the reason I have stern tied. It is just a matter of convenience and customer service.

FL boats don’t have a line along the side of the boat you can use to pull yourself to the down line?

I think most all do.

Surface currents in Pompano can vary from non-existent to over 3kts. When there is a strong surface current it's nearly impossible for most people to pull themselves on a granny line, but trying to pull down any fixed line in those conditions is no fun either.

True dat - That is what hot drops are for.

 

[chillyinCanada]

If she won't be raised, who is going to dive on her to get your dry back and it's occupant items back to you?

 

[elgringoperdido]

Did the boat have life jackets readily available?

Excellent question, and good point. I remember there being many of them--the rectangular orange yoke variety--attached to the bulkheads in the bow below/in front of the cockpit (down about four steps). I guess that's not the ideal location to enter when a boat is sinking.

 

[Johnoly]

...I have also heard that the SFDH shop owner says that the Safari is not going to be salvaged,.....

CG & NTSB both open investigations on inspected vessels with passengers involved. They will determine the boat's future status.

 

[elgringoperdido]

If she won't be raised, who is going to dive on her to get your dry back and it's occupant items back to you?

Another excellent question. The owner sent a couple of experienced salvage divers down. They found the boat more or less upright, which made it safe to enter. My other 100-cf steel faber has been salvaged, along with my backpack containing wallet, keys, glasses, phone (useless now), cert cards, etc. I gather that many items belonging to divers were recovered.

Small items can be sent to people, I suppose. We'll come to some arrangement regarding larger items. I intend to call them today after 9:30 when the morning rush slows a bit and try to get it all sorted out. If I learn anything interesting about their plans for the boat I'll post it here.

You see my son wearing eyeglasses in a photo above. That was a bit of luck. Before he put on his mask he stowed his glasses in a case in a blue bag in the salon/cockpit. He had finished a one-liter gatorade (or maybe it was a quart). I said he could put the bottle in their trash bin, but he said he wanted to keep it, so he put the empty bottle in the blue bag and zipped it up. As a result, the bag floated, and a bright blue floating bag is easy to spot. It was one of the first things he netted.