Diver dies on French Reef (Keys)

[NudeDiver]

You know, I think this exact scenario reads right out of Rescue Diver manual. Two divers, swimming toward the boat, rough seas, one behind the other, front one looks back, sees the other face down - had no idea second diver was struggling.

I can't for the life of me understand the fuss being made about speculation and guessing/wondering what may have happened and how to prevent it. Yes, for the people involved, its a sad event. However, for the rest of us, it's a training opportunity. There is nothing wrong with treating it as such and trying to examine it and learn from it and use it to help prevent yet another sad event.

I'm not going to speculate on any misdeeds from the boat operation (but if they didn't have a zodiac in the water, with a guy on board, ready to zip around and help divers, then shame on them), but FROM THE INFO PRESENTED, it does seem the divers could have done some things to lessen the possibility of the outcome presented.

a). Deploy SMB/SS, other signal devices and wait.
b). Submerge, get below current and swim toward boat.
c). Stay together, side by side, rather than one in front, one in back.
d). Stop and rest, rather than continuing to exhaustion.
e). Keep ego in check. Don't be afraid to ask buddy for help or to slow down, or to stop and rest. Also don't be afraid to signal the boat for help.

No harm at all in indicating things that might help the next set of divers who find themselves in this situation.

 

[savvycebe]

hi everyone- my first post here. im a dive boat captain in key largo. and i must say a SS or SMB is an excellent idea on any dive. i will also comment on the conditions yesterday...there was no current, just wind..

 

[Capt Scotty]

First I want to offer my condolences to the family and friends of the people involved in this accident. It is a sad day for all of us in the Keys. I was at another dive site in Key Largo yesterday afternoon when this happened. It was windy and there was a mild current. There was even more wind today and some good sized waves. The sad thing is I see divers everyday without a safety sausage. They spend thousands of dollars for gear but don't carry a $19.95 safety sausage. I know for a fact 75% of the divers that come to the Keys don't carry one. There will never be a law requiring divers to carry one. Most Liveaboards require them. We as divers can make ourselves have one and we can also require our buddy's to carry one. If everyone on ScubaBoard did this maybe we could prevent us all from reading another tread like this.

 

[Charlie99]

The element in common between this incident and several others is that a diver ends up dead after an extended unsuccessful effort to reach a boat upcurrent.

I hope that if I'm ever in a similar situation that I am smart enough to know when to stop struggling against the ocean, to stop over-exerting myself, and settle in for however long it takes for someone to find me.

Having good surface signalling equipment makes rescue more likely. Hopefully, knowing that I have good surface signalling equipment would lessen the probability that I keep struggling against a current until I have a heart attack or swallow enough water to cause problems.

 

[DandyDon]

hi everyone- my first post here. im a dive boat captain in key largo. and i must say a SS or SMB is an excellent idea on any dive. i will also comment on the conditions yesterday...there was no current, just wind..

Welcome to SB, and TY. I didn't think that reef was known for current but wind could indeed cause a problem. Every Key Largo briefing I remember, virtually all briefings, include "if you can't reasonably get back to the boat, fill your BC, wait, and signal." Anxious divers sometimes miss parts of briefings; I don't know what their deal was.

My bud & surfaced away from a Flower Gardens boat once, I rolled over on my back to pedal in, but he said he wasn't up to it - so plan C: full BC inflation and pop a sausage to signal for the "Dingy of shame." Maybe we shouldn't call them that?

 

[divengolf]

I've been certified over three years and have done about 250+ dives in that time. By reading SB religiously, I learned to always carry the following:

1. Storm Whistle (the BIG one, not the one that comes with the DAN sausage)
2. A Dive Alert
3. the 6' DAN sausage with Mirror and glo stick
4. Thumb reel with 150' of line plus a two way clip.
5. Strobe light (Princeton Tek)-advertised as good for 8 hours on a single AA battery
6. A BU LED light (four AA) in my BC pocket. Uses the same batteries as # 5, though changing batteries floating at sea may not be possible.

I carry these on every dive, no matter what. I carry the whistle clipped to my BC for quick access. That's probably the one thing that I'd need fastest before I float too far away.

Items 3,4 & 5 are in a pouch attached to the lower tank band and tucked in tight to my BC to reduce drag.

Now, thanks to Dandy Don, I've found a good collapsible snorkel (Oceanic) which I'll buy before my next trip.

Thanks again to SB for putting the info out to make us better and safer divers.

This forum (A&I) is invaluable.

BTW: I'm sure that others will add to my list. I look forward to your input.

 

[carriemak]

Condolences and prayers to the family and the buddy of the diver.

 

[diver 85]

In fact, thanks to DD, I now carry one of these in a BC pocket-----can't hurt & is VERY cheap insurance, if it works...lol...

 

[diver 85]

I've been certified over three years and have done about 250+ dives in that time. By reading SB religiously, I learned to always carry the following:

1. Storm Whistle (the BIG one, not the one that comes with the DAN sausage)
2. A Dive Alert
3. the 6' DAN sausage with Mirror and glo stick
4. Thumb reel with 150' of line plus a two way clip.
5. Strobe light (Princeton Tek)-advertised as good for 8 hours on a single AA battery
6. A BU LED light (four AA) in my BC pocket. Uses the same batteries as # 5, though changing batteries floating at sea may not be possible.

I carry these on every dive, no matter what. I carry the whistle clipped to my BC for quick access. That's probably the one thing that I'd need fastest before I float too far away.

Items 3,4 & 5 are in a pouch attached to the lower tank band and tucked in tight to my BC to reduce drag.

Now, thanks to Dandy Don, I've found a good collapsible snorkel (Oceanic) which I'll buy before my next trip.

Thanks again to SB for putting the info out to make us better and safer divers.

This forum (A&I) is invaluable.

BTW: I'm sure that others will add to my list. I look forward to your input.

see post #48 right above this one(for additional 'stuff').......

 

[bigken462]

OK, i'm missing something here. Are you being a good diver and picking up trash as you dive? Lol. Racking my brain trying to figure out how it could be used in diving.

I guess I need to go back and re-read some threads.

Kenny