Diver dies after being rescued in Jupiter

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Live free or die. Unfortunately sometimes we die.

Nobody is getting out of here alive - so Live Free.... lol

 

[KDAD]

@Basking Ridge Diver
I don't know if I can do the pushups, pull ups and running test but if I work on it over the winter can I still get on the boat as long as I can lift my own gear and self up the ladder until then?

Threads like this and my own tight fitting clothes are seriously motivating me to get into GUE shape.

 

[CuzzA]

I suck at pulling myself up, but I can bench press a man. So for this theoretical test do I do ten pull ups or pick up the guy testing me... Maybe see how far I can throw him for good measure. lol

 

[Nickolaos]

wow I think my point was missed completely. I was not advocating a physical fitness test to dive or BMI check. I would say that if you know you can't currently pass the swim test that was originally required for the open water cert you should get your self back into that shape at the very least. Key words "you" and "yourself".

I was merely suggesting (I guess its a ridiculous suggestion) that we as divers take an honest assessment of ourselves, our health and condition, and make the decision to dive acknowledging that we are putting others at risk when we choose to dive with known high risk factors. Its not just a matter of choosing to take that risk and die doing what you love, unless you dive completely solo and don't expect a rescue attempt when something goes sideways.

Hi, Ive been monitoring this thread and other threads related to David's death.
I am a close friend and I am here to read unbiased opinions of what happened.
I am still not positive on cause of death but I see this thread turned into a BMI talk and a pre-qualified to dive talk.

David was overweight, yes.
But he was part of the British military, he was an emt, a firefighter, he would routinely go on 25-50 mile bike rides with me, he almost constantky hiked, he ran 2 sprint triathlons and a full triathlon and he recently got certification to be a rescue diver (a hurtful irony to this)

His death may have been cause from seasickness which prompted a 'dive in anda you'll feel better' action and then the captian and lack of a deck hand (possibly) to be able to assist him to get out of the water between his weight and the 5-8 ft seas.

 

[kelemvor]

Hi, Ive been monitoring this thread and other threads related to David's death.
I am a close friend and I am here to read unbiased opinions of what happened.
I am still not positive on cause of death but I see this thread turned into a BMI talk and a pre-qualified to dive talk.

David was overweight, yes.
But he was part of the British military, he was an emt, a firefighter, he would routinely go on 25-50 mile bike rides with me, he almost constantky hiked, he ran 2 sprint triathlons and a full triathlon and he recently got certification to be a rescue diver (a hurtful irony to this)

His death may have been cause from seasickness which prompted a 'dive in anda you'll feel better' action and then the captian and lack of a deck hand (possibly) to be able to assist him to get out of the water between his weight and the 5-8 ft seas.

Considerably better shape than I am in from the sound of things.

I have to wonder about the wisdom of taking a small boat out on a dive trip in 5-8. I've been diving in 4-6' seas in the west palm beach area. It was downright dangerous getting back on the boat. 8' waves are REALLY big waves when you're sticking out of the water by 8 inches. I have to wonder about the wisdom of going out in water like that. Was it a situation where things were calm (or calmer) and the weather turned?

 

[Herb-alaska]

Right. I think the issue here is that he also made some life choices for others (like the helpers and other divers); is that OK too?

Did he make a Life choice for others really? Did someone else put their life in jeopardy to bring his dead body onto the boat? I would hope not you never make a second accident to rescue the first one. Now you say that the simply act of having to haul his body over the side was a life choice no that life choice was made when they accepted his money for the trip. If you say it was the life choice of having to ride back while his dead body was covered up I would say that was made when you paid the money and got on the boat. I still hold to the fact that it was his choice to risk diving in his medical condition the same way you smokers have the choice to dive after smoking both folks have a increased opportunity to becoming a diving fatality.

 

[tursiops]

Did he make a Life choice for others really? Did someone else put their life in jeopardy to bring his dead body onto the boat? I would hope not you never make a second accident to rescue the first one. Now you say that the simply act of having to haul his body over the side was a life choice no that life choice was made when they accepted his money for the trip. If you say it was the life choice of having to ride back while his dead body was covered up I would say that was made when you paid the money and got on the boat. I still hold to the fact that it was his choice to risk diving in his medical condition the same way you smokers have the choice to dive after smoking both folks have a increased opportunity to becoming a diving fatality.

LOL. Does your rambling reply actually apply to me, if I am not, and never have been, a smoker?

 

[svs]

5-8 on Thanksgiving may be an exaggeration. I came to Jupiter that day and it looked pretty calm from the shore, and I was on a boat next day and it was 2-4. There are occasional higher waves in a gulfstream but I think it was getting better not worse on that day

 

[Herb-alaska]

LOL. Does your rambling reply actually apply to me, if I am not, and never have been, a smoker?

Actually it does apply to you, and I will try to make it clear for you. Regardless of if you are or are not a smoker, overweight or not your reply indicates at you are not they type of Diver that I would ever buddy with. The man died doing what he enjoys doing and regardless of your opinion you do not have the right to try to take that away from him or others like him.

 

[Wookie]

There's an interesting discussion in that spearboard thread regarding USCG requirements for deckhands on dive boats. I wonder if any of the boat captains on scubaboard can fill us in. Someone on spearboard quoted an USCG rule citing "additional" deckhands being required if there's more than 50 passengers.

I've certainly been on 6packs with no deckhand before. Is it a matter of the larger "inspected" vs "uninspected" vessels?

Not that it sounds like it was a significant factor to me. If the guy had to be hauled onto the boat in the first place...

First off, a 6 pack is an uninspected Passenger Vessel. Very few rules, and no one inspects them anyway. A UPV over 100 tons gross may carry 12 passengers. Minimum manning requirements are found on a vessel's Certificate of Inspection. Guess what? No COI, no minimum manning. But the Emerald is not a UPV. It is an inspected passenger vessel. Now, District 7 allows dual registry, inspected as well as uninspected. Maybe if Emerald goes out without more than 6 they get to leave the deckhand home. I doubt it though.

"Additional deckhands" may be required under the terms of the COI, but not for passenger count. Spree was authorized 38, 88, or 129 passengers depending on route, but I was never required more than 2 deckhands, but I was required 2 deckhands in all situations. That's because I was a 2 deck vessel, not because of anything else.

Deckhands are not required to be divemasters. They are deckhands, and must be able to lift 70 lbs. The CG does not expect a deckhand to lift an unresponsive body from the water. Deckhands must have a ton of training that has nothing to do with being a DM. Most dive boats ignore this requirement. They can because they operate domestically only.

Finally, I had to recover 2 dead guys at sea. Each weighed over 400 lbs. Luckily, I weigh over half that much, and I'm strong as an ox to boot. We used the crane to get one guy up to the sundeck for the ride home. The other stayed on the swim platform.