divers rescued at barracuda

[Skittl1321]

Guess nobody remembers Dave's review of the Nautilus Lifeline:

6 left on Amazon Body Glove (Nautilus) Lifeline Handheld VHF Radio with GPS

If I were you I would not pay a dime for them. I just threw the last 4 flooded ones we had away. They cannot keep a seal and why do you think Nautilus is discontinuing them. I called and asked them if they could replace them under warranty—NOT.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

Wow- he should remove that he uses them from his website then. That does not sound like a good thing!

 

[mcohen1021]

I've done both Barracuda and SJ with Miguel, who this thread is about and I would do it again in a heartbeat. The day we went, currents were mild. We collected a few lions for a topside fresh ceviche... YUM.

Is it October yet?

 

[cvchief]

The Nautilus UW GPS/Radio sounds good and is cheap in comparison to true PLB's but the range of a tiny low-watt GPS Radio with an antenna that is going to be basically at water level is minimal (3-4 miles at best) and for it to be of any value there needs to be a boat with a marine radio in range of receiving it that has emergency GPS decoding built in that is turned on and that has someone is listening to it. That's a lot of limitations that in my opinion render the tiny hand held Nautilus GPS/Radio and others almost worthless as a rescue device.

Dave I believe said that he was able to communicate with his VHF base station in town from quite a ways away. I think it would hit his and some other elevated towers, like the Navy and the cruise ships. So, not worthless. Not a PLB by any means though.

My personal experience was I sent my flooded one back for replacement. The company is somehow part of or owned bt the aggressor fleet people up there in Canada. I was sitting at home watching tv when my cell phone rang. It was the US Coast Guard in Puget Sound. They called to ask about why my Lifeline was activated. They said it was lighting up all the emergency receivers in both the US Coast Guard and the Canadians. I told them it was in for repair and they asked if there was anything I could do as it was VERY annoying. I found an emergency contact for the Aggressor fleet and called. They told me it was on the bench, in a building in town and they would send someone to stop it.

So hey, the signal is alot better than you think.

Guess nobody remembers Dave's review of the Nautilus Lifeline:

6 left on Amazon Body Glove (Nautilus) Lifeline Handheld VHF Radio with GPS

If I were you I would not pay a dime for them. I just threw the last 4 flooded ones we had away. They cannot keep a seal and why do you think Nautilus is discontinuing them. I called and asked them if they could replace them under warranty—NOT.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

True they stopped making the one I have. And it was replaced once for flooding too. Now I just don't open it except in the dry to charge it. And the charge lasts for ever. I like having a VHF portable so I have more options than just pushing the BIG RED button on a PLB.

As I said before, I would use the VHF pretty quick if I was left floating. I think I would wait around quite a bit for the boat before hitting the PLB. That being said, I am thinking of getting a PLB too. You CANNOT have enough gear.

If my current one floods, I won't replace it as the new one is ONLY a VHF emergency beacon without voice. At that point it is a PLB without the range.

 

[scubafanatic]

Wow- he should remove that he uses them from his website then. That does not sound like a good thing!

It still may offer a comforting 'placebo' effect though.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

For the record: WE provide the new Nautilus PLB that does not have a radio. It does reach the Navy Rescue station and all of our boats have radios that will provide Coordinates to the beacon. Normal use is the Adventure dives to the Sleeping Shark caves. I don't think we have ever lost anyone at Barracuda.

Dave Dillehay

PS I need to update the web page!

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

FWIW, some of the strongest currents I have experienced anywhere, and that includes Barracuda, were at Cedral.

I guess the moral of the story is currents can happen anywhere. I once got separated (my own dumb fault) and blown off the reef on Columbia Pinnacles. Currents were strong, but this one was trying to blow my mask off. All I could do is launch my SMB and go for a ride. You sure feel small floating alone with nothing but deep blue below you. Really really small... Still a great dive though. My wife would disagree.

Jay

 

[boulderjohn]

I guess the moral of the story is currents can happen anywhere. I once got separated (my own dumb fault) and blown off the reef on Columbia Pinnacles. Currents were strong, but this one was trying to blow my mask off. All I could do is launch my SMB and go for a ride. You sure feel small floating alone with nothing but deep blue below you. Really really small... Still a great dive though.

I agree. My experiences at Barracuda Reef are such that I fully accept that there is no shame in a team being separated there because of strong currents. That is why you need both strong divers and good signalling devices when diving there. I see no big moral issue in the incident that led to this thread. Divers got separated in an area where diver separation is a known threat, and they were found quickly. No harm done.

 

[Skittl1321]

Did the divers get separated? I thought it said the captain lost track of them?

 

[boulderjohn]

Did the divers get separated? I thought it said the captain lost track of them?

Right--I misremembered.

 

[DandyDon]

Maybe because the ACR 2881 is not waterproof ... ?

I still want to know where he got that cockeyed, totally false idea? Did he ever reply?

Wow- he should remove that he uses them from his website then. That does not sound like a good thing!

I think he changed models, went to the newer one that doesn't flood as bad - but then he posted too, didn't he?

If my current one floods, I won't replace it as the new one is ONLY a VHF emergency beacon without voice. At that point it is a PLB without the range.

He likes the one with the walky talky so he can harass the boat skipper.

I am thinking of getting a PLB too. You CANNOT have enough gear.

Yeah, get a PLB, carry it everywhere you go just in case, and get the Aussie nylon canister for dive trips - low cost and light in your luggage.

I once got separated (my own dumb fault)

That happened to me once up north. I was chasing my camera (anyone with a camera is really a solo diver), and noticed that I had drifted off away from the group. I got a little nervous, but managed to regroup.