Diver reported missing in 40 Fathom Grotto

[Dive-aholic]

The body was recovered from 105' depth last night around 7:30 EST.

 

[El Orans]

---

---

A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Both threads have been merged.

---

 

[oceanaddicted]

As expected the diver has been found at around 8pm last nite in 104' of water with equipment intact. Still unknown as to what happened and we may never know since it is difficult to prove anything other than drowning. Forty Fathom is a very serious advanced dive even for an Instructor with experience. Been there many times and the conditions, the location, not to mention the depths, poor vis and overhead environment are all factors for an accident. It is owned by diving pioneer Hal Watts but has been leased out to the Commercial Diving Academy out of Jacksonville and is a NAUI facility. Staff is well trained and extremely safety oriented but in situations like this it most likely boils down to diver error. Very sad for all of us in the diving community and my condolences to his family.

 

[ScubaSteve]

All Dumpster Diver did is paraphrased the article Rick and I quoted him directly. Nothing more, nothing less. If you say that reports have copme out stating that it was mis-information then we move forward with that information. Is there anything else in the requote worth sharing that may shed light on any part of this?

Let's nip this one in the bud.
Today's "re-quote" of the detective specifically did not mention the "coctails" mentioned in the original. This is most likely because the detective said no such thing, and raised hell with the newspaper for misquoting her in the first article.
Rick

 

[DiverDean59]

Here's another article.

Search for missing diver ends with body | Ocala.com | Star-Banner | Ocala, FL

 

[ScubaSteve]

Thank you DiverDean. That was a good article and I think added a fair bit to the original one that was posted.

I wonder if, in the extremely reduced visibility, a miscommunication may have happened between the divers when the friend initially thumbed the dive. 3 feet of water requires an elevated level of communication anyways, but 3 feet at night is a step farther again. The deceased was an instructor according to the article. Is there any indication of the experience level of the other divers? No matter what, it is terrible news.

 

[Rick Murchison]

All Dumpster Diver did is paraphrased the article Rick and I quoted him directly. Nothing more, nothing less. If you say that reports have copme out stating that it was mis-information then we move forward with that information. Is there anything else in the requote worth sharing that may shed light on any part of this?

Nothing new other than the recovery. The lesson for us all on this little item is that innacuracies - and there are always inaccuracies in the newspaper - can take on a life of their own if repeated, and it was important to stop this one in its tracks before it became "widely accepted" as a "fact."
Reporters are so accustomed to spicing up their stories with juicy little tidbits I think they do it without even thinking about how they can ignite all sorts of unfounded and unnecessary - and sometimes very harmful - wild speculation.

Rick

 

[oceanaddicted]

I say amen to that Rick! Bravo and the truth well said!

 

[oceanaddicted]

Here's the latest from Ocala:
Autopsy reveals diver drowned | Ocala.com | Star-Banner | Ocala, FL

 

[ScubaSteve]

Sheriff's divers discovered Spiegel's body in a cave around 8:15 p.m. Sunday, roughly 105 feet from the surface

I have never do this location so I turn this over to those who have first hand knowledge of the site. Is there actual caves in the area where the body was found or are they likely referencing an overhang of some sort?