Diver Death in Cayman

[JCAT]

I'm with letterboy, something is not right. The OP keeps coming back to having someone remain on the boat, which has ZERO relevance to this divers death.

What EXACTLY was the COD? (Cause of Death) Surely, that much could be established...

If I had to put money on it, I would say the diver died of an MI while diving and there was nothing anyone could have done about it, including the DM.

That does not make it the divers fault, nor the Dive Ops fault. Accidents like this happen.

Eventually the truth of this death will come out. If not now, then a year from now.

 

[fosterboxermom]

Here is a link that shows a Google Earth view of the area the diver was found by the fishing boat in. It's called Dolphin Point: Dolphin Point / Dolphin Point, Cayman Islands (general), Cayman Islands, North America

I have not dove this particular site, but I have dove many of the other sites in close proximity.

Note that the word "site" is usually designated by some sort of a bouy or marker at a specific location. Keeping that in mind someone could dive off the area called Dolphin point without actually being at the "dive site" Dolphin point.

When you zoom in and view the map of this area, the light green area is normally a hard coral bottom, covered with thin layer of sediment and plants. IME, this area typically ranges from 10-70' and may be punctuated with shoals or coral heads.

The dark line between the lighter blue area and the greenish area is where the mini wall starts. The mini wall starts as shallow as 40' in places and drops off to about a max depth of about 120' although 70-90' is probably about average.

The light blue area in between the dark blue/black and the greenish area is typically sand flats. The sand flat can be a narrow strip, or a hundred+ yards wide, depending on the specific area. The flats can also contain coral heads and shoals.

The dark blue area is the main wall. The top of the wall typically starts around ~120' and is usually pretty dramatic. It does have a slight slope to it for the first 50-100' before becoming more vertical.

I'm not familair with the particular site that this group was at, so I can't comment on the accuracy of a hard bottom at 140'. In my experience, it would be unusual to find the bottom that deep without being close to the actual wall itself. If they were not on the wall, then its is likely that the diver would have to cross a fairly large sand flat before hitting the main wall and being able to go deeper.

If I can find depth charts for this specific area, I'll add them later.

I want to say thank you for coming back here to give more information. I was also want to thank you for being much more coherent in these later posts. I understand you were incredibly upset previously but it's nice to see someone posting coherently. Some people NEVER seem to learn how to do that.

Within the limits imposed on you, you've answered most of the open factual questions that you could. Questions that arose from the beginning of the thread.

I have one remaining. There is a lot of confusion here on "check out dives." Can you tell us if the couple was fully certified having done their 4 OW check out dives in Colorado or in GC? In any case, are you perhaps meaning to say "two refresher dives" before the fatal dive rather than "checkout."

My definitions:
checkout = the 4 dives done with an instructor prior to being certified
refresher = dives done with an instructor to gain experience, get back into diving after an absence, etc.

Thanks and please keep posting if you can.

Thank you for that. I realize I was very emotional and had to take a break. To answer your question, yes they were fully certified, I saw their c-cards. Pam called it 2 check out dives with DD the day before according to Pam. They must have done all their dives in CO because they had their c-cards. And this was going to be their 7th dive so maybe they were refresher dives, next time I speak to her I will ask her that. Thank you for clarifying that with me as well.

 

[JDMerk]

No, the thread kept going while she took a break. If you don't like the thread no-one's forcing you to read it, or make pointless non-contributions like this.

If you would read my post you might deduce that she was the one who said she wished this thread didn't exist...not me. I am not passing any judgment and I don't have anything invested here, I am just giving her advice.
I assure you and her that with out sufficient fuel this thread WILL die.

As to the pointless contribution comment...if you aren't able to comprehend my contribution its best you keep quiet.

I'm not going to sit on here and bicker as you have been with various other members over the last dozen pages or so. Continue to throw salt in the wound if you will but I have delivered my piece.

 

[InTheDrink]

I'm with letterboy, something is not right. The OP keeps coming back to having someone remain on the boat, which has ZERO relevance to this divers death.

What EXACTLY was the COD? (Cause of Death) Surely, that much could be established...

If I had to put money on it, I would say the diver died of an MI while diving and there was nothing anyone could have done about it, including the DM.

That does not make it the divers fault, nor the Dive Ops fault. Accidents like this happen.

Eventually the truth of this death will come out. If not now, then a year from now.

Not having someone on the boat I guess shows disrespect for the law of the land. This view is reinforced by disrespect of PADI's guidelines for OW depths.

A major contributing factor appears to be having the new diver well outside his training comfort zone. I say 'appears' cos COD hasn't been clearly communicated. What is an MI - I'm not familiar with this term.

postscript: Ok, so MI is a heart attack. God knows how you've jumped to that conclusion. Seems way down the %age likelihood scales to me...

Thx,
J

 

[fosterboxermom]

I'm with letterboy, something is not right. The OP keeps coming back to having someone remain on the boat, which has ZERO relevance to this divers death.

What EXACTLY was the COD? (Cause of Death) Surely, that much could be established...

If I had to put money on it, I would say the diver died of an MI while diving and there was nothing anyone could have done about it, including the DM.

That does not make it the divers fault, nor the Dive Ops fault. Accidents like this happen.

Eventually the truth of this death will come out. If not now, then a year from now.

His remains just arrived in CO yesterday and I am sure there was a death cert with him. I don't know what was on it. His son met the plane and Pam assumed everything went as normal. That the receiving Funeral Home was there to get him His memorial service will be this Thursday. So Pam said there should be a death cert with him but ever she doesn't know exactly what the ME put on it at this time. I think I can say with certain it was not an MI. But don't quote me on that it is just speculation.

 

[JDMerk]

And a point of English - you can have 'Gone to the depths from where it came' or 'Gone to the depths whence it came' but not 'Gone to the depths from whence it came'. Just to be niggly.

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help" - King James Bible, Psalms

That is unless you consider yourself to be a more reputable source on the proper use of the English language than the King James Bible.

 

[InTheDrink]

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help" - King James Bible, Psalms

That is unless you consider yourself to be a more reputable source on the proper use of the English language than the King James Bible.

Just cos God says it don't make it right

I know, usage of word is disputed and is indeed often used the way you used it. It's still an annoying tautology.

 

[vondo]

Thank you for that. I realize I was very emotional and had to take a break. To answer your question, yes they were fully certified, I saw their c-cards. Pam called it 2 check out dives with DD the day before according to Pam. They must have done all their dives in CO because they had their c-cards. And this was going to be their 7th dive so maybe they were refresher dives, next time I speak to her I will ask her that. Thank you for clarifying that with me as well.

If they had cards with their pictures on them, then I think it's perfectly clear that they were fully certified in CO. No need to bother her with questions like that, IMO.

 

[fosterboxermom]

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help" - King James Bible, Psalms

That is unless you consider yourself to be a more reputable source on the proper use of the English language than the King James Bible.

I thought you wanted to know information about the accident. Doesn't sound like it when you make comments like this. Maybe you need a break.

 

[fosterboxermom]

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help" - King James Bible, Psalms

That is unless you consider yourself to be a more reputable source on the proper use of the English language than the King James Bible.

If they had cards with their pictures on them, then I think it's perfectly clear that they were fully certified in CO. No need to bother her with questions like that, IMO.

Ok, you are right. Thanks