Diver entangled 3 hours, escapes, bent

[Herb-alaska]

There have been three serious incidents involving the clams recently. One death, one more maybe.

Commercial Harvest diving in NW and AK can be very costly because of the way things are run I do not do this type of diving but I know of several friends that do and I have one friend that is trying to sign me on to tender for him. Harvest divers are assigned a poundage quota that can only be filled during small opening windows no matter what the weather window looks like. During the Monday and Tuesday opening you are in the water period! So they dive like crazy to get their poundage in waters that we would not even want to go for a boat ride in. The more people involved in the process the less the pay so they have a big incentive to keep people and costs down. The person with the permit is the only person allowed in the water no safety diver no Buddy etc, Diving with a buddy who has a permit makes it difficult because now your boat crew has
the hose lines
the water
the beach
other boat traffic
and a buddy boat to watch out for all at the same time that he is processing / cleaning the harvest,.

it is a very dangerous occupation with a great reward potential I could be looking at $8,000 to tender/crew for my buddy and it is all earned in about 10 days done at the rate of 2 days per week for 4 to 5 weeks. But then I could also be responsible for pulling my dead buddy up by the hose or running a boat on the rocks while I was tracking bubbles or sinking during in climate weather. So there are draw backs to the earning potential

 

[DandyDon]

Thanks for the insight, Herb.

 

[cascas]

I am never going to be a Geoduck harvester but if I was I think I'd want someone on the boat while I was down below harvesting. At least they would have been able to alert emergency services a bit sooner.

If you were a geoduck harverster, i do not think you would want to pay someone for just sitting there in case you have a problem... I do not know what a harvester makes per hour, I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to split that 2 ways...

 

[rhwestfall]

With the things being described here, I sense a new Discovery Channel show.....

 

[Fish-R-Man]

If you were a geoduck harverster, i do not think you would want to pay someone for just sitting there in case you have a problem... I do not know what a harvester makes per hour, I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to split that 2 ways...

The tenders in this case have an important role in the process. At least they did when I was doing it. If you are live boating, they have to tend the boat, tend the compressor, make sure that the diver has enough hose, but not too much, tend the water pump used to flush the clams from the mud/sand and its hose, etc. They play a very important role to make the guy underwater's job easier as well as safer..... For a guy to be doing this solo, he has to have a lot of faith in his equipment topside!

 

[billt4sf]

I'm glad I have a desk job!

 

[diveprof]

With the things being described here, I sense a new Discovery Channel show.....

Naw, they got folks diving for diamonds and gold - clams...? Well, unless they put the duck dynasty folks in it.... Folks want real TV. ( )

 

[tracydr]

Naw, they got folks diving for diamonds and gold - clams...? Well, unless they put the duck dynasty folks in it.... Folks want real TV. ( )

Have you ever eaten goeduck? It's like the lobster of the clam world. Hard to come by, sweet and delicious.
But, I had no idea how dangerous the diving was. I'd always heard of people digging them at low tide.

 

[DandyDon]

They can dig down 3 feet in the mud. China buys 95%, and the prices are up considerably...
China's demand for geoducks sends prices, profits soaring in NW | Local News | The Seattle Times

They are farm raised as well...

​

 

[tracydr]

I wish they would send it to the US instead of China, so we could enjoy it!