Diver deceased at Manatee Springs, 2/19?

[Divin'Papaw]

My thoughts and prayers to his family and friends. He was so young. Same age as my oldest daughter. Just horrible.

 

[Daedalus]

I was at Manatee Springs Saturday Feb 17th and the flow going into the siphon was very strong. If someone were to have a gas failure problem and they were downstream of their buddies with no way to signal them, it would be very bad. I do not know if that is what happened in this case, but I think it is a possible scenario.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

My parents are getting worried about all these diver deaths. They think I'll get killed. There was no way they'd let me do cave training before the article.....(even though, having cave training would keep me MUCH safer. They don't agree.)


I'm 17, soon to be 18. The problem I see and pointed out to my parents with both deaths mentioned in the articles is broken rules. The 19 year old in Catfish died because he didn't stay with his buddues/they didn't say with him. It was a trio? I try to dive in pairs, because you are less likely to leave the third wheel behind. I've been in Catfish a few times, and it's not a huge thing--no buddy could be too far away, it's easy to wander off though, assuming you aren't too far off. And I've gone into the cavern enough to read the "stop" sign there. The flow wasn't ridiculously strong, you could feel it though. I touched my fins to the ground and my fingertips to the ceiling and was able to stop myself very easily. And personally, if I had a light, I probably would explore a little inwards. I know I would want to, so I wouldn't dream of even trying to breka that park rule--I want to stay alive! The second death was a solo cave diver. I don't think it's smart to dive in a cave solo. I read recently about another guy who died doing that, partly also because he didn't follow the rule of thirds.


It's very sad how many divers have died recently. If it keeps up, I worry that my parents will ban me from diving until I'm off for college.

 

[DandyDon]

I'm a parent and grandparent - and I can understand their feelings.

Invite them to be your dive buddies.

They probably won't, but do dive save and keep your dive stories safe. Their concern is real, and your loss would be devastating. I grief for my neighbors who lost their son in this accident.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I'm a parent and grandparent - and I can understand their feelings.

Invite them to be your dive buddies.

They probably won't, but do dive save and keep your dive stories safe. Their concern is real, and your loss would be devastating. I grief for my neighbors who lost their son in this accident.

I'm working on getting my dad diving. The real problem is that he works in a hospital (anesthegiologist), he takes care of people who have burned themselves badly, fallen off of anything that moves, or drunk their liver/smoked their lungs into submission. As a result, I've launched less than 15 bottlerockets in my entire life, had to sew a seatbelt into my gokart and wear a helmet, even though it had roll bars, dirtbikes were out of the question (ironically, the one time I disobeyed and rode my neighbor's dirtbike, I gave myself a 3rd degree burn on one leg, a good size part of it too. Got in alot of trouble that that one.). My parents would disown me if I went bungee jumping, or mowed the lawn without shoes on (riding mower, for years I was require dto wear steel toed boots). I'm still alive and I'm decently cautios. I'm not anxious to die, I have yet to make fortunes or make the entire world think like I do! Buy my parents tend to be nervous, especially of things they don't understand. All they know about diving is folklore says people die in caves and that it's dangerous. They don't want to get in springs (too cold) or salt water (sharks!), and the gear is too cumbersome, yet the only way I'll be able to convince them that not everyone dives solo, and dies, is to get them in the water!

However, deaths are a sobering example of how careless you can get. In normal life, I do my best driving after someone tailgates me. I see their example and realize I've been driving too close to cars myself, so I correct it. However, that doesn't take a death to teach me a elsson.

 

[DandyDon]

All this sounds reasonable...

I'm working on getting my dad diving. The real problem is that he works in a hospital (anesthegiologist), he takes care of people who have burned themselves badly, fallen off of anything that moves, or drunk their liver/smoked their lungs into submission. As a result, I've launched less than 15 bottlerockets in my entire life, had to sew a seatbelt into my gokart and wear a helmet, even though it had roll bars, dirtbikes were out of the question (ironically, the one time I disobeyed and rode my neighbor's dirtbike, I gave myself a 3rd degree burn on one leg, a good size part of it too. Got in alot of trouble that that one.). My parents would disown me if I went bungee jumping, or mowed the lawn without shoes on (riding mower, for years I was require dto wear steel toed boots)(

I like this much.

Now, if you'll show your folks you appreciate these concerns, perhaps they can be more reasonable about the diving?

 

[PfcAJ]

This has been a sad week for cavediving. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

 

[stepup]

That is very sad and kinda hits close to home as I am about the same age. I am 20 and it seems like this kind of stuff is happening more often to younger divers. It is very sad and I send my condolences to his family.

 

[dave4868]

However, deaths are a sobering example of how careless you can get. In normal life, I do my best driving after someone tailgates me. I see their example and realize I've been driving too close to cars myself, so I correct it. However, that doesn't take a death to teach me a elsson.

It's good to hear your words of moderation, humility, and good common sense.

You're outstanding for a young diver, especially when "extreme" and "no fear" are popular modern buzzwords so in vogue today.

Dave C

 

[csl590]

Diving is getting more and more popular every day. There are more divers now than ever and the media, and message boards like this allow us to find out about every bad thing (and good) that happens. I am quite sure there arent more deaths by percent of dives made just alot more dives being made by alot more people. Dan keeps pretty good stats on this stuff. Its always sad when someone is hurt doing something we all love so damn much. Its easy to feel like every diver is your brother or sister and every death sinks deep into you, and doesnt bounce off or slip by you like the death of someone involved in an activity you have never been interested in. I actually logged on today to find information on my dive buddies friend who died yesterday during an ice dive in canada. Im saddened by all ive read.