Diver dies in Islamorada

[biscuit]

Awhile back, I posted a link to the video of a Phoenix news reporter's telephone interview with her husband that same day, but I still haven't seen the official cause of death as determined by autopsy. However, if COD was indeed drowning as reported by the friend, then I have a hypothesis based on her husband's statements and those of others who say she was in excellent health.

Panic doesn't usually come out of nowhere-- something creates it in the diver's mind. I am not convinced that she did panic, although that might seem logical considering she was a novice. Yet the evidence is that she was a smart or conservative diver, heading to the surface when something didn't seem right, rather than continuing with the dive to see if the problem resolved.

So I don't think she was in a panicked state. Instead, I'm inclined to believe that this diver suffered a cramp in one or both legs and/or one or both feet while descending. If it quit once she surfaced, it makes sense that she signaled OK to the instructor. I think it started again at the ladder after her fins were off.

I can't count the number times I've seen this very scenario when someone is waiting to board-- fins are removed, the cramp hits, and the person lets go of ladder or line, instinctively grabbing the calf or foot with both hands. If the situation was almost any other, it's hard to understand why she didn't call out to the captain for help-- for instance, if she thought she was tangled up in something at the ladder. But a hard cramp can literally take one's breath away or make you inhale sharply and hold the breath, which would explain why there wasn't a call of alarm. Then when taking breaths again during or after cramps, most of us naturally gulp in large breaths of air-- it's the body's natural reaction after not breathing or after breath holding. But in the rough sea, she didn't inhale gulps of air. She got air and water, or only water. If she coughed or tried to attract attention, nobody would have heard it over the waves slapping against the boat.

Trying to hold one's position to climb the ladder, it's natural to tread water as if the fins were still on. That very action can lead to cramping by over-extending the foot with toes pointed down. I'm very prone to doing that myself. Had she still had her fins she may well have been able to grasp the toe of it to aid in stretching her own leg. Had her buddy been with her, together they could have stretched and massaged the muscle or tendon. Even if the sea isn't rough enough to toss someone around, I have seen people in the throes of cramping become oblivious to everything around them, including their regulators just inches away.

This diver was said to work out regularly, which suggests to me that there's cause to suspect leg or foot cramps. Lactic acid builds up in the muscles of athletes who run a lot or work out heavily on a regular basis, as well as in cyclists and mountain climbers. Lactic acid has been blamed for causing excruciating cramping. Perhaps someone knows whether she suffered from leg or foot cramps periodically.

There's no way to know if her drowning is connected to the scenario I described at the ladder; it's just my opinion but it's the only thing I can think of that answers every question in my mind. Whatever the case, it's a sad and tragic loss.

 

[DandyDon]

Perhaps so, Biscuit - plausible theory anyway. While we often never do learn the real facts of a lethal accident here, in the spirit of learning to prevent similar losses among ourselves - I still suggest...

1: Divers often ascend alone, sometime much more alone than this lady was, for a variety of reasons. Some cases involve buddy separation or even what I might call poor buddy protocols, but there other possible reasons and it happens a lot.

2: Alone or not, keep the regulator in your mouth at the ladder and stay connected to that reserve air supply until fully boarded. I wish this would be reminded more to newer divers.​

Now I am not much of a diver, more a klutz really, but some of my habits have saved me when I screwed up or encountered challenges so even tho we have much better divers posting here - I want to share that. There have been exceptions for me, like when I remove my kit in the water to board a smaller boat, or a couple of times I ran out of air (I did say I was a klutz), and I drill on deploying my folded snorkel to my velcro mask attachment. It's not backgas, and one has to know how to purge water that enters it and all, but it's a tool I've been glad I carried at times.

 

[biscuit]

I too have got away from some marginal circumstances because I'd previously drilled procedures into my brain until I do them without conscious thought. I'm a slow breather so fortunately running out of air has never been a close call. A rule that has helped me a lot of times is keeping my mask, with attached snorkel, on my face or under my chin until I'm on-board and sitting down at my gear bag. I rarely board without still wearing on all my gear and I never board without wearing mask and snorkel and carrying my fins.

But primary on my safety list is the buddy gear check and buddies remaining together come hell or high water... especially come hell or high water. That's the rule for myself and for my OW and AOW students. Any one of them would tell you that if I see buddies part ways during a training dive, they had better both brought something good to read because they are escorted back to the boat and that particular dive is over for them. Whether we're beach or boat diving, part of the briefing is having everyone select a 2nd buddy in case his or her own must surface. If necessary, a pair of buddies can even become a threesome so that the dive can continue for the lone diver if there's still time after escorting his or her buddy back to the beach or boat. Buddies are lifelines and absolutely have to be respected as such.

Actually, I also prefer that spouses not take pool or open water classes together and instead train with a new buddy. I don't think we can help taking a lot for granted with our spouses, and some couples don't always leave their disagreements on dry land, whereas partnering with someone new tends to make us pay more attention to details and clarify communication. There will be plenty of time to dive together as spouses after training.

 

[Scuba_Dom]

As the month go by, I find it harder not to jump in a respond to every post and story, but there is so much guessing and assumptions I just cannot stand it any longer.

There are many gaps in the story and there are some things that I’ll never know. But here are a few facts,

My wife drowned on the surface, there were no medical conditions. She was at the gym 3 times a week and biked 3 miles most every night after work. She was also 5ft 4 and 137 lbs.

Both of us had a total of 14 dives each. Neither of us had been past 60ft.

The sea was rough that day and the swells above water were at 5ft in 3 to 5 second intervals
and surge below was pulling. There was also a CG small vessel warning issued that morning as well. (After the fact information)

Yes, there were 4 divers and one instructor, however; only my-self and my wife were students. The other two divers were there for a guided tour of the Eagle

The other two divers had already begun their decent before we got to the line. At the surface before heading down the line, Aviva and I signaled each other the OK and started our descent; the DM/Instructor was still on the line to the bow when we started down.

I was about 20ft down when I looked back to see Aviva going up, she was intercepted by the instructor and they surfaced. I saw two sets of fins and legs at the bow and held my position on the line to see if they came back down or moved off. For what seemed like minutes of waiting, I started back up the line. I guess the instructor felt me coming and he poked down and signaled me the OK and thumbs down to continue my decent.

I got down to the Eagle, and waited. After a minute or two, the instructor came into view alone, and pointed towards the other two divers that were already exploring the ship. He swam ahead and joined the other two divers and began to lead them. I assumed he got Aviva on board the dive boat and started the assigned dive task for my first AOW dive.

About 15 minutes into the dive we headed back to the line to ascend, at 15 to 20 ft we did a safety stop, the instructor wrote 3 mins on his slat showed it to us we all acknowledged and he headed to the surface. After the 3 minutes were up, I headed up, first, made my way to the back of the boat.

Both the capt and instructor where looking over the side watching the bubbles of the other two when I was at the ladder. I made it on board where they informed me that my wife had gone a drift. You all know what happened after from the news report, but what was not reported was that the instructor, never asked what was wrong at the surface, the only signal she made was to point at the boat, he sent her alone in the rough seas to the back of the boat and descended before she go back aboard.

Also not reported in the news was the fact that she was on the safety line at the ladder, handing her fins to the capt but he did not take them, he instructed her to place them on her wrist, it was during this time that she came off of the safety line and started get pulled away by the sea swells. He did not try to reach her, he did not throw her a rope, instead, he stated that he tried to extend the safety line but she could not reach it. (This is all in the police report) After that, he took a heading of her drift and claims he tried to recall the other divers by pounding on the ladder with a weight.

No radio calls were made for help until he called the dive shop after we pulled her body back onboard, even thou there were fishing boats in the area that may have been able to assist.

Times reported were also incorrect, 15 dive time, 3 min stop. At best 5 to 7 minutes to get everyone back on-board pull out and another 5 to find her. You can do the math.

This is all I am willing to share, but hope it settles you couristy and speculation.

 

[Scuba_Dom]

However, were they done with their AOW? Only if the husband tells us so, or not.

No we were not, it was our first day of AOW and our first dive below 60ft and our first wreck dive

 

[mselenaous]

Scuba Dom
Thank you for finally sharing the details from your first hand knowledge of the incident. In lieu of facts, there is speculation. Sharing the details of how these tragedies occur help us all learn from them and hopefully prevent future recurrences.

My condolences on the loss of you wife and dive buddy.

Elena

 

[DivingPrincessE]

Wow, so you were on the way back up and the instructor turned you around to do a dive while your wife was dying on the surface. Unbelievable. Then the boat crew wouldn't take her fins in 5 ft seas. She was so close to safety. It's incredibly heartbreaking and it seems every single person that works for this dive op is a moron and culpable.

 

[DivingPrincessE]

Wow, so I just went and looked for the Key Dives website...and I'm in shock.

When you first open the website an animation displays the words "Fun" "Adventurous" "Safe" Then it says "The safest dive shop in the keys" What a slap in the face to Aviva's family to even call it a "safe" op let alone the "safest dive shop in the keys."

Then it says "Guided diving in our specialty"....oh except that we won't keep an eye on you and make sure you get on the boat safely...

THEN it labels itself as "Goochi" diving where they take care of every little thing for you from setting up your gear, to switching over, to breaking down....oh except that they won't take your fins from you in 5 ft seas even though you're a brand new diver.

What a joke this website is. Frankly I'm pretty surprised that it's not called Scuba Dom's Dives by this point. I think this dive op is too incompetent to still be operation, but to call themselves "the safest dive shop in the keys" and stress guided diving and how well they take of you....that is just insulting!!

 

[Mike Boswell]

Scuba Dom,

This is so very sad. Thank you for your post. If it means anything to you, those of us reading it now will learn and benefit from your heartbreaking story.

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

As the month go by, I find it harder not to jump in a respond to every post and story, but there is so much guessing and assumptions I just cannot stand it any longer.

There are many gaps in the story and there are some things that I’ll never know. But here are a few facts,

My wife drowned on the surface, there were no medical conditions. She was at the gym 3 times a week and biked 3 miles most every night after work. She was also 5ft 4 and 137 lbs.

Both of us had a total of 14 dives each. Neither of us had been past 60ft.

The sea was rough that day and the swells above water were at 5ft in 3 to 5 second intervals
and surge below was pulling. There was also a CG small vessel warning issued that morning as well. (After the fact information)

Yes, there were 4 divers and one instructor, however; only my-self and my wife were students. The other two divers were there for a guided tour of the Eagle

The other two divers had already begun their decent before we got to the line. At the surface before heading down the line, Aviva and I signaled each other the OK and started our descent; the DM/Instructor was still on the line to the bow when we started down.

I was about 20ft down when I looked back to see Aviva going up, she was intercepted by the instructor and they surfaced. I saw two sets of fins and legs at the bow and held my position on the line to see if they came back down or moved off. For what seemed like minutes of waiting, I started back up the line. I guess the instructor felt me coming and he poked down and signaled me the OK and thumbs down to continue my decent.

I got down to the Eagle, and waited. After a minute or two, the instructor came into view alone, and pointed towards the other two divers that were already exploring the ship. He swam ahead and joined the other two divers and began to lead them. I assumed he got Aviva on board the dive boat and started the assigned dive task for my first AOW dive.

About 15 minutes into the dive we headed back to the line to ascend, at 15 to 20 ft we did a safety stop, the instructor wrote 3 mins on his slat showed it to us we all acknowledged and he headed to the surface. After the 3 minutes were up, I headed up, first, made my way to the back of the boat.

Both the capt and instructor where looking over the side watching the bubbles of the other two when I was at the ladder. I made it on board where they informed me that my wife had gone a drift. You all know what happened after from the news report, but what was not reported was that the instructor, never asked what was wrong at the surface, the only signal she made was to point at the boat, he sent her alone in the rough seas to the back of the boat and descended before she go back aboard.

Also not reported in the news was the fact that she was on the safety line at the ladder, handing her fins to the capt but he did not take them, he instructed her to place them on her wrist, it was during this time that she came off of the safety line and started get pulled away by the sea swells. He did not try to reach her, he did not throw her a rope, instead, he stated that he tried to extend the safety line but she could not reach it. (This is all in the police report) After that, he took a heading of her drift and claims he tried to recall the other divers by pounding on the ladder with a weight.

No radio calls were made for help until he called the dive shop after we pulled her body back onboard, even thou there were fishing boats in the area that may have been able to assist.

Times reported were also incorrect, 15 dive time, 3 min stop. At best 5 to 7 minutes to get everyone back on-board pull out and another 5 to find her. You can do the math.

This is all I am willing to share, but hope it settles you couristy and speculation.

Thank you so much for sharing what happened to your poor wife. I can't imagine how hard it must have been for you. I'm sure that reading over this thread was exceedingly hard for you, too, even though the sole purpose of discussions like these is to learn and thereby help prevent similar accidents in the future. Once again, thank you. It's rare to get first-hand accounts of what actually happens during diving accidents.

Peace.