Diving in lightning storm

[DiveMaven]

We were on the Nekton Pilot in the Bahamas with lightening storms all around us. Everyone's hair was standing on end, which was crazy to see. We weren't diving, but the boat got hit by lightening, which destroyed my rechargeable batteries and charger (which were plugged in), over 4' of each antenna was burned off, and the buttons on the consoles in the wheelhouse flew off. We were sitting inside about 10' below where it struck, and a guy was sitting right above us (outside but under cover). Wild experience to be sure!!

 

[tracydr]

I don't think I'd want to chance it. And, as far as lightening strikes being rare? Where? When I lived in OK, lots of livestock and people got hit by lightening, all the time. Not rare at all. I had a squad of 8 basic trainees under a tree get hit. My veterinarian lost a bunch of horses.
I've actually had my house hit by lightening four times, four different houses in three states. Last time, it killed a tree, burned up the garage door opener and some other electronics. The time before, all the electronics, including the TV satellite and cable system. Once, it got the whole house electrical system.
i don't think it's all that rare to get hit by lightening, although I think people are pretty cavalier about it, especially if they've never lived in a state with killer storms.
me, I'm not diving in a thunderstorm, unless I'm stuck in it. Recently, we were doing dive master training and a storm blew up suddenly. The guys wanted to stay out. Of course, I said I'm going in. I guess I'm the wimp, or, the voice of reason, whichever way you look at it. My instructor and the other student are AZ natives without much storm experience.
Minutes after we got out, we were experiencing flash flooding and 50mph winds.

 

[miked]

At the risk of a highjack (hopefully not) involving the frequently used comment "more people are killed by lightning than by sharks"
Has anyone else ever heard of the story (I'm guessing Urban legend) involving divers (in South Africa?) where there were sharks who became somewhat aggressive, causing them to abort the dive. As the first diver climbed aboard the boat, he was struck by lightning.
I read this in a newspaper-and I thought "April fools"-but I never found the truth-one way or the other.
Is anyone else familier with this tale??

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Being beneath the surface during a thunderstorm is not a problem- I have had this experience in both fresh and salt water multiple times. Being on the surface during a lightning storm is a TERRIBLE place to be, as is anywhere near water or away from it with a steel or aluminum tank strapped to your back. It is, in fact, a "lightening rod." The stories presented above verify this. Plan accordingly. In Colorado, storms build up and move quickly. One time on a dive in a local reservoir with a friend, a storm came up while we were on a dive to 40 feet, and dropped about 6 inches of hail (1/2 inch diameter stones) in a matter of about 10 to 15 minutes. Floating hail and dark clouds turned the mid day dive into a night dive. It also dropped the surface temperature by a bunch. Surfacing through the hail was really weird, and cold. I have been much more interested in the weather forecasts since that experience over 10 years ago.
DivemasterDennis

 

[tracydr]

Thanks Dennis! I grew up in Boulder!

 

[JamesK]

I would not say it is not a problem. I know two folks who were in a cave and got quite a jolt from a storm. The risk may be less, but their is still a risk.

 

[FuzzyNutz]

I had a squad of 8 basic trainees under a tree get hit. My veterinarian lost a bunch of horses. I've actually had my house hit by lightening four times, four different houses in three states.

I don't think I want to dive with you... and definitely don't want to be your neighbor!! If I had that luck, I'd start hanging rabbit's feet, horseshoes, 4-leaf clovers, and garlic all over the place!! Maybe even a little Buddha on the roof, lol!

 

[tracydr]

I don't think I want to dive with you... and definitely don't want to be your neighbor!! If I had that luck, I'd start hanging rabbit's feet, horseshoes, 4-leaf clovers, and garlic all over the place!! Maybe even a little Buddha on the roof, lol!

I've had some serious storm damage through the years. Couple baby tornadoes hit the farm, too.
I never really thought about the luck thing. Just a living out on the plains In the country thing.
although the lightning strike in Mesa, AZ, have to say, that one was pretty weird!

 

[vladimir]

lightening: a treatment at the beauty salon

lightning: what causes thunder

 

[Searcaigh]

I surfaced from a dive last March during a thunder storm with visible lightning coming down.

As the boat could not come close to the beach due to waves etc, we had to swim to shore and once I was fins off and on my feet the first thoughts going through my head were if I get hit on my tank valve or camera housing this wetsuit is going to melt on me and I will be wearing it for life :shocked2: