found the whole shebang that explained everything...
A diver from Yakima dies in an accident at Edmonds' Brackett's Landing underwater park.
By Melissa Slager
Herald Writer
EDMONDS - A 44-year-old Yakima woman died Saturday in a scuba diving accident at Brackett's Landing underwater park, a popular diving spot.
It was the third drowning in three days in Snohomish County.
The woman had been in the water for more than 21/2 hours before she was found.
The woman, who was described as an experienced diver with no known medical problems, had been diving with three friends, who also are from out of the area.
They swam on the water's surface to a directional sign about 175 yards from shore just north of the Kingston ferry terminal, before going underwater with the intent of swimming northwest to a group of marker buoys.
The group was underwater for just a few minutes before the woman's friends noticed she was missing, Edmonds police Sgt. Mike Blackburn said.
They searched on their own for more than an hour before calling 911 at 5:41 p.m., Blackburn said.
"They did all they could," Blackburn said.
Rescuers from the Edmonds police and fire departments responded. Police dive team members searched the area from a boat on the surface before a Coast Guard helicopter was called at 6:22 p.m. to aid the search.
The helicopter arrived at about 6:50 p.m. and located the woman within five minutes in 10 feet of water less than 100 yards from shore.
Police divers found no apparent problems with the woman's scuba gear, which was to be delivered today to the University of Washington for further study.
The Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct an autopsy.
The Snohomish County Dive Team and Seattle Harbor Patrol assisted in the search.
Ferry rider Lisa Sellers of Marysville watched the rescue efforts with her husband, Gerald, and their 2-month-old daughter.
"I wouldn't go swimming there now that I've seen someone pulled out of it. I think that's natural," Sellers said.
She said she was disappointed at the time it took to find the woman. "With a dive park in the city, you'd think they'd have people trained," she said.
Blackburn said the site is a complicated one for search and rescue efforts. Police divers did not go in the water because they had no firm idea of where to look for the woman and needed the assistance of the Coast Guard helicopter, he added.
http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/05/07/31/100loc_drown001.cfm
another article (short, no details)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/aplocal_story.asp?category=6420&slug=WA Wash Drownings
