Diver Death at Casino Point (Catalina Island) November 6, 2010

[Ken Kurtis]

A question to toss into the fray: is it possible that, in an effort to perhaps limit liability and make diving more "foolproof" and easier for paying clients, some charter dive boat crews may be inadvertently taking away some of that responsibility from the diver, at least from the diver's point of view?

This is actually worthy of dicsussing as a separate thread (IMHO). I think the answer is a resonding and distressing "YES!!!" (And it was something we discussed at the previously-praised DAN Fatalities Workshop in April.)

It's really a chicken-and-egg argument: Divers are showing up less-skilled so it seems easier/safer/less-liability to lead them around by the nose and do everything for them. But they not only don't learn and improve that way, they also frequently don't realize that they're not as skilled as they think they are. And then some of them manage to become instructors. And they create more less-than-competent divers. And the downward spiral continues.

And to relate this concept back to this particular thread, from what I know of this diver's experience (the one who died at the Valiant), competence is not an issue. This diver was very well-experienced and would not fit the profile of the less-than-competent divers described above.

- Ken

 

[K_girl]

Last boat dive I was on, boat crew insisted that the air be turned off before reaching destination, so you don't always have control. I almost forgot to turn it back on because once I geared-up, I was in the habit of always leaving the air on. I've also had crew turn my air off without telling me. I like Ayisha's solution and plan to adopt it and make it part of my routine. Everytime the air is turned off, the next step should be to bleed the reg. I am already in the routine of putting air into my BC and checking the reg and octo for breathing before I get into my gear. My air was off once (a newbie crew member had turned it off accidentally as I was jumping in - you can't tell what they are doing back there), but because I had put air into the BC and checked the breathing of the reg and octo, my reg stopped breathing on the surface before I went down.

When I'm in situations where you are instructed not to stop on the surface, I am especially careful.

 

[DandyDon]

Yeah, different destinations, different boats, different hands, different buddies - can lead to many variations. I like to get the idea across that my tipping depends on my tank valve in part, and I like it all the way one! My home bud turns screw drivers every day and still turned it all the way off once but I knew as I tested it. I've had all off then 1/4 on before; works ok until he get down a ways.

I can turn it on myself now in the way, if I open my cumberbun and depend on my chest strap, but I like to get it right on the boat. Test, bleed, then turn on works best for me.

 

[Ayisha]

It sounds like several of us have had our gas turned off by other people, including dive professionals (or turned off then a quarter turn on) - and we luckily caught it or we've had to adjust our practices to ensure we do not jump in without re-checking our air. Each of us that had similar experiences had them in different countries or states, so it is not that uncommon.

I think the safest thing is to take responsibility and check your pressure while breathing off your reg right before you splash.

 

[RubberDucky]

Why not be in the habit of watching the gauges while breathing off the unit BEFORE jumping in? This is what I teach. If it was off, the needle will go down. I'm not pro leaving things on, especially for hours.
Bonafides: Lg boat DM for 30 + years.
Bill Childers NAUI 5709L CD

I do this as well, thanks to having learned about it here on ScubaBoard. However, I was surprised to learn that this isn't necessarily always as effective as I thought:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/4645976-post70.html

Just trying to be helpful.

Stay safe.

 

[AndrewA]

It has always been my practice to set up my gear and check that everything is OK and then turn off my tank valve and breath the lines down to 50 Bar (or 500PSI) until I am ready to dive. When I am ready to dive I check to see if I have lost pressure (perhaps there is a slow leek) before I turn the tank back on. I then do all my checks including prebreathing both primary and alternate regs.
I have seen three or four divers reach a dive site having lost a significant volume of gas from a tank that was left turned on.

 

[DandyDon]

I do this as well, thanks to having learned about it here on ScubaBoard. However, I was surprised to learn that this isn't necessarily always as effective as I thought:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/4645976-post70.html

Just trying to be helpful.

Stay safe.

Yeah, I don't trust that watch the Spg for flutter. It's a good idea but no guarantee.

 

[deep blue dreams]

I was Steve's close friend for the past 20+ years. I was one of the guys who came out to retreive his boat and bring it home. It sucked to talk to his parents, family, friends & co-workers. For all of us we really appreiceate your attempt, really. It's nice to hear there are people out there that will help. I feel really bad that it appears that: lack of Buddy/redundant/malfunction/disrepair of his equipment was the root cause in this accident. Steve and others :grouphug: used to come to my house and we would go out frequently. I was the "tech" guy and would always be on the lookout for B/O equipment.... We all were. Steve over the last few years found that his dive partners had moved on to other demands of life. So he dove alone...
The girl on the boat was not a diver and was not boat savvy enough to respond in the emergency.. Not her fault.... Thanks again. I will miss Steve.
Rich

 

[DandyDon]

Thanks Rich. We seldom get much follow up info on these losses that we try to learn from. That must have been a long day for you, getting to the dock, ferry across, dealing with things on the island, long boat ride back. Good for you to help the family out.

So your friend was solo diving, incurred preventable gear problems, and failed to recover? Also having "girl on the boat was not a diver and was not boat savvy enough to respond in the emergency" was unfortunate. Must have been very tough on her.