sailingk8
Contributor
In my short dive career I have dove with six different dive operators both six pack and cattle boats and what I have learned is regardless of the operator, you as the diver are responsible for your own safety as a diver, other than, as stated, the taxi ride out and back. We as divers are the only ones who ultimately know what we are capable of on that given day. I was on the Miss Lindsey when Kevin died. I've dove with him before, was there when he did some of his tech training. I was in the court room for the trial. The dive was not a complicated one but Kevin was dressed for Tech and before I jumped I looked over and asked him if he was ok. He looked a little stressed but Kevin was always a little stressed when he dove, and being in a drysuit and doubles he must have been a bit taxed getting off the boat. He jumped after I did and I didn't see him again until I surfaced. We waited on the bottom because the hang line was full of students. When he didn't show we thought he had technical issues on the boat. We proceeded with a wreck reel deployment and did a short tour of the wreck. When we surfaced he was on the deck receiving CPR.
The crew that day did what they thought was best to help Kevin and I know they were devastated by his death. The Coast Guard did what ever they could in the trial to make something, anything stick. It was very clear they had no one on their team who knew anything about diving which I personally thought a bit odd under the circumstances. I guess their main effort was to find fault with the boat's rescue proceedures. I find the whole episode sad, especially for Kevin's daughters and family but also for the crew on the boat. I'm not sure they could have done anything differently with the given circumstances. Kevin is and will continue to be missed. RIP KK.
I would like to add that a lovely memorial was placed on the Santori for Kevin by his friends and if you ever get the chance to see it, tell him we send our love.
The crew that day did what they thought was best to help Kevin and I know they were devastated by his death. The Coast Guard did what ever they could in the trial to make something, anything stick. It was very clear they had no one on their team who knew anything about diving which I personally thought a bit odd under the circumstances. I guess their main effort was to find fault with the boat's rescue proceedures. I find the whole episode sad, especially for Kevin's daughters and family but also for the crew on the boat. I'm not sure they could have done anything differently with the given circumstances. Kevin is and will continue to be missed. RIP KK.
I would like to add that a lovely memorial was placed on the Santori for Kevin by his friends and if you ever get the chance to see it, tell him we send our love.