Diving Couple rescued in Gulf of Mexico off Hernando Beach, FL

[DandyDon]

Three if you count the Leisure Pro plug thread.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Oh well hopefully someone will pick that up and they will combine the works so it isn't scattered all over....

 

[tallen375]

First off, let me say that I am very glad you two got out of the water alive. You admonish yourselves for the first mistake you claim you made. Is it safe to say that you consider leaving your boat unattended is the second mistake? I only ask because you say you had done hundreds of dives in the area, and I wonder if anyone had warned you prior to this dive that the practice was dangerous as a general rule.

From the standpoint of your harrowing 24 hours in open water, how did you two keep your heads until you were rescued? I have a distinct feeling there is a heck of a story in that day at sea.

Again, IÃÎ very glad you two made it back to land, wiser I hope for the experience, and maybe even closer as a couple having endured what you did.

Cheers!

I just thank God for all the training I received in the Navy concerning open water survival. I am also a police officer trained to remain calm in stressful situations. I felt panic start to surface and I had to push it back down. It helped that I had my wife to worry about. she only had a 3 mil suit on. I had 6 mm.

As far as the practice of leaving the boat alone, we had another boat with us that morning but they had to return to port around noon and we didnt want to leave yet.
Our fault I admit.

 

[tallen375]

The divers if fact did have surface signaling devices. Each equiped with 4 foot SS and very loud wistles. Unfortunately all the boats we saw were more interested in what was directly ahead of them instead of scanning the entire surface of the horizon. Some boats passed as close as 50 yards away. Close enough for us to see the age and sex of the people riding in the back. Granted we made two hugh mistakes. Our biggest mistake was becoming complacent concerning diving. We have dove hundreds of times in that area and never saw a current as strong as it was that day.

Hi there. That was you? Very glad you survived. Heard you were on TV?[/QUOTE]

No more glad then we are. It was looking there for a while that it was going to be a recovery instead of a rescue.

 

[tallen375]

Oh, I've lucked out on some bonehead moves in the water before. Glad they all did. Since their ordeal made big news in the loss and then in the rescue, the all got a nice trip to NYC - but if they had it to do over I'm sure they'd rather not spend 24 hours floating with virtually no hope. Bet they're much safer divers now. Hope the solo diver finds reason to be safer too.

No argument there. The "solo diver" will be diving more with us now. The boys are also certified. They were down for a dive when the father was in the boat. When I first saw the boat the father was in the boat alone. Some time during our swim to the boat the boys came into the boat and the father went down.

 

[DandyDon]

Ah ha! Interesting. So they were taking turns diving so as to not leave the boat empty, and dad went alone on his. BTW, did you get Dive Alert whistles? They carry further than Storm whistles.

 

[tallen375]

Ah ha! Interesting. So they were taking turns diving so as to not leave the boat empty, and dad went alone on his. BTW, did you get Dive Alert whistles? They carry further than Storm whistles.

We got the loudest horn the Leisurepro had. Plus 6' SS, I am looking into flares and signal mirrors and EPERB

 

[DandyDon]

You don't carry signal mirrors?! I have mine hung from my neck, but the new DAN Tags include mirrors.

 

[diversteve]

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[DandyDon]

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All 3? thanks!!