Diver killed by propeller in Cebu

[Gilligan]

The one time I did not have my SMB and reel was the only time I've actually needed it.
Coconut point, Apo Island - getting caught in a down current and separated from the guide and my buddy. Never dived without it since. While it's nice to have, many divers don't use one

Like chip104, all it takes is one time to make you never dive without one again. I never do.

For me, Palau, late 1980's, still a very inexperienced diver. Surfaced about a half mile from the boat, divers scattered all over, strong winds, choppy seas, no SMB. Whistle + wind = useless. Experienced dive buddy with SMB = boat pickup. Case closed.

I also carry a small signal mirror. It's red on one side and regular on the other.

 

[peterbj7]

I haven't read all this thread.

The report says she was hit by "a boat propeller". Was this her own dive boat's or some other?

 

[World Wide Diver]

So as a 'rich' local diver why don't you care? Have you started an smb training class for the guides in your area? Perhaps you could donate some of your old smb's to the local guides?

Guides here!!! C'mon, remember Lembeh 15 years ago.

'Rich' - you live in a dream world.

I think you are becoming a bit out of touch with this region.

I understand.

 

[bill22]

I realize that I do not have the experience diving in the Philippines that others do, but over the last couple of years, I have made over a 100 dives there with 9 different dive operations, both foreign and locally managed, which I think is enough to have an opinion.

My own experience (I understand others may have had a "different" experience) in the PI is that we either surfaced at the boat or we deployed an SMB if we were doing a drift dive and the boat had to come and get us. I don't recall ever just "taking a chance" while diving there.

We don't know all the circumstances for this particular incident. How did she get separated (does it matter, it happens), did she have an SMB and fail to deploy it, what was her experience and certification???? We don't know.

I know that anytime I'm diving and there is a chance I'm going to have to come up in open water with the possibility of a boat running over me... I have my SMB with me.

Ultimately we are all responsible for ourselves. I think the "standard" release most of us sign when we dive with a shop, pretty much spells that out no matter what country we are diving in.

Bottom line it's a terrible accident. My condolences to the family.

 

[Mike Veitch]

Guides here!!! C'mon, remember Lembeh 15 years ago.

'Rich' - you live in a dream world.

I think you are becoming a bit out of touch with this region.

I understand.

you understand what exactly?

out of touch.. right..

 

[chip104]

I think you are becoming a bit out of touch with this region.

hahaha, this coming from you when your posts are full of crap. You have shown over and over again that you know nothing about the culture or the people.

I understand.

hahaha, sure you do...keep exposing yourself as the fool you are, just like in real life.

 

[bill22]

AWESOME post Chip

 

[Babydamulag]

SMB and Mirrors are REQUIRED DIVE GEAR. Don't dive without them.......unless you make another sequel of the movie "OPEN WATER".

 

[shugar]

a san miguel beer mirror... a must for every post-dive bar...

sorry babyd, carry on!

Jag

 

[peterbj7]

SMB and Mirrors are REQUIRED DIVE GEAR. Don't dive without them.......unless you make another sequel of the movie "OPEN WATER"/QUOTE]
Sadly not many "Norte Americanos" seem to understand that. You'll look very hard for a diver in UK waters who doesn't have a DSMB & reel (not so sure about a mirror); you'll look even harder down here for a visiting American diver who DOES have one. More people do have "safety sausages" that they can only inflate at the surface and then wave around - I suppose that's better than nothing, but no substitute for a proper DSMB.