Fatality on Benwood

[kelemvor]

One of my friends (Les Lee) was on the boat with Steven several times that week. Les didn't do the night dive that night, so he wasn't there for the incident. Anyway, Les had been raving about the operator and Steven in particular. Apparently Steven was one of those kind of guys that people warm right up to. It certainly sounds like the world was a better place with Steven in it. Very sad.

 

[DandyDon]

I have done lots of shore dives and a few times I have pulled my regulator out of my mouth before being completely on shore or being able to stand up. I have inhaled droplets of water (best way I can describe it - not a mouth full) and have gone into a severe coughing spasm. It has caused my throat to shut down and I could not get a breath of air in my lungs each time it has happened to me - luckily I was within a very short distance and could get myself to shore and it would take all my concentration to stop coughing and get a breath of air in my lungs before I thought I would pass out. Had I not been on land I am not sure I would have been able to steady myself and get a breath... I now make sure my reg stays in my mouth until I am on the boat or standing in waist deep water.

Boy, do I know that one. I once sucked some water into my throat from a faulty snorkel valve, not much but it does not take much to kick off a laryngospasm I guess. Thank goodness I was in the shallow end of a pool starting a practice & gear check (failed that one!) so I could stand up, but I still wondered for a minute. It was a family reunion and my younger relatives got a laugh. I was spooked.

Now I know to check a snorkel valve before trusting it. I carry a folded snorkel in my BC pocket that does not have a valve, sticks to my mask strap with velcro, as I do not want to get choked by chop on a long wait.

I am going to kiss that light and its SOS flash mode - $ well spent. Which EPIRB did you buy?

I think he meant PLB. An EPRIB is similar but not the same. The PLB I carry has a built in strobe, but you do have to set off the emergency satellite system to activate it - so a separate strobe might be nice. I am at my limit on how much stuff I can carry tho.

I am not going to post links to the PLB and Canister I carry again, don't want to seem like I am advertising, as I have above already.

Please do not fall for any natural but undeserved doubts, common for rescues that end unfortunately. You did a great job under stress.

 

[arrowskier]

Boy, do I know that one. I once sucked some water into my throat from a faulty snorkel valve, not much but it does not take much to kick off a laryngospasm I guess. Thank goodness I was in the shallow end of a pool starting a practice & gear check (failed that one!) so I could stand up, but I still wondered for a minute. It was a family reunion and my younger relatives got a laugh. I was spooked.

Now I know to check a snorkel valve before trusting it. I carry a folded snorkel in my BC pocket that does not have a valve, sticks to my mask strap with velcro, as I do not want to get choked by chop on a long wait.


I think he meant PLB. An EPRIB is similar but not the same. The PLB I carry has a built in strobe, but you do have to set off the emergency satellite system to activate it - so a separate strobe might be nice. I am at my limit on how much stuff I can carry tho.

I am not going to post links to the PLB and Canister I carry again, don't want to seem like I am advertising, as I have above already.

Please do not fall for any natural but undeserved doubts, common for rescues that end unfortunately. You did a great job under stress.

Thanks, I appreciate it! And yes, I have your links from above. Re the snorkel - I have an el cheapo freedive snorkel, no valve, nothing to break. I think I'll keep that one as my primary from now on, hearing your story!

 

[tridacna]

I (we) bought the PLB that DD recommended from the GPS store. Case from Oz. Getting it tomorrow.

DD - it's an EPIRB not EPRIB.

 

[KDAD]

Basking Ridge Diver,

Thanks for pointing this out. I have always been comfortable in the surf and never swallowed much water but now with gear on I can notice a difference. It may be the way the body sits at the surface or the weight of the gear but I can notice a tendency to get a little more water in my mouth than without gear on. Coupled with a tendency to remove the regulator when at the surface especially when in shallow water I can see how a situation can easily escalate.

Going to leave the regulator in from now on until back at the boat or standing in the shallows.

All I heard was his voice and saw a light. And then he started coughing, which escalated rapidly. I was slightly separated from the two men (he was with my husband and I was a few yards away), but when I heard this, I came over to them to investigate - and at first, could not locate Steve - shortly thereafter (no more than a minute or so), I found Steve unresponsive, not breathing, mouth open, face up.

To me - this is very interesting/telling. I have done lots of shore dives and a few times I have pulled my regulator out of my mouth before being completely on shore or being able to stand up. I have inhaled droplets of water (best way I can describe it - not a mouth full) and have gone into a severe coughing spasm. It has caused my throat to shut down and I could not get a breath of air in my lungs each time it has happened to me - luckily I was within a very short distance and could get myself to shore and it would take all my concentration to stop coughing and get a breath of air in my lungs before I thought I would pass out. Had I not been on land I am not sure I would have been able to steady myself and get a breath... I now make sure my reg stays in my mouth until I am on the boat or standing in waist deep water.

What you described sounds similar to my type of episodes - I have no history of lung issues or asthma - I am very active in running and working out. But the few times it has happened to me - I have been somewhat incapacitated and I can not imagine being in open water without support to regain my breathing. It is possible that he took on some water and had a similar episode... Even a snorkel can in my opinion help in these situations.

 

[Johnoly]

...but you also have to get your mind right before you go underwater again.

The very 1st dive that you go on again, won't be easy (but you need to get back underwater sooner than later). Explain to the DM that you will probably at first stay within arm's length with lots of OK's back and forth. About half way through that 1st dive, you'll start smiling and understand you are back to 100% confidence. The 2nd tank, you'll ditch the dive master and do like you always do and from then on everything will be like your normal routine. But with alot better gear and safety systems.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Thanks for the comment on my sticky. It was a hard one to write. It is so rewarding to know someone got value from it. I think we all want to turn a tragedy into something worthwhile. Somehow it seems easier to accept if you feel you can develop something positive from the experience. At least that is how it works for me. The other thing that worked for me was talking it out. My husband is not a talker so it has been harder for him to heal from it.

I couldn't do it in the thread at the time of the death for a number of reasons. My choice was to provide information to a couple Mods to filter it into the discussion. We all need to do what is right for us.

One thing I want to stress is that you need to do what is right for you. Please, please trust your instincts and whatever you do don't let anyone push you into doing anything you are not comfortable with. Some people need to get in the water pretty quickly, others need to take their time. You and your husband may find you respond differently. I had someone pushing me to get in the water too soon and said "NO, you may mean well but it is too soon for me." I was back in the water 19 days later. My husband came to the dive site with me but decided he wasn't ready to dive yet. I knew I needed to and so did our buddy so he sat the dive out. My husband was not ready to dive again for 3 months.

Reaction t being back in the water.... for me getting underwater was really kind of "ahhh.. relaxing like normal" I never saw her buddy dead on the bottom.. only on the surface. For my husband underwater was harder... he found her. What I am trying to say is that we all experience our trauma differently. You may find the underwater stuff is easy but the surface stuff is hard.

Please take care of yourself. I am so glad you are finding some help here and please feel free to PM me if I can be of assistance. All of that said nothing we can say or do can help as much as talking to the appropriate people in the real world. You wouldn't rely on medical advice from some random poster about a serious medical issue. It is not wise to rely too much on random posters about emotional issues either.

Something I have told my students for years. It is ok to need support, it just means you are a caring person, it is ok to be ok... it just means you were in the right state of mind for the event.... it is never ok not to be honest with yourself and your loved ones about it. All the best... sorry for the

 

[Peter69_56]

Thanks for the comment on my sticky. It was a hard one to write. It is so rewarding to know someone got value from it. I think we all want to turn a tragedy into something worthwhile. Somehow it seems easier to accept if you feel you can develop something positive from the experience. At least that is how it works for me. The other thing that worked for me was talking it out. My husband is not a talker so it has been harder for him to heal from it.

I couldn't do it in the thread at the time of the death for a number of reasons. My choice was to provide information to a couple Mods to filter it into the discussion. We all need to do what is right for us.

One thing I want to stress is that you need to do what is right for you. Please, please trust your instincts and whatever you do don't let anyone push you into doing anything you are not comfortable with. Some people need to get in the water pretty quickly, others need to take their time. You and your husband may find you respond differently. I had someone pushing me to get in the water too soon and said "NO, you may mean well but it is too soon for me." I was back in the water 19 days later. My husband came to the dive site with me but decided he wasn't ready to dive yet. I knew I needed to and so did our buddy so he sat the dive out. My husband was not ready to dive again for 3 months.

Reaction t being back in the water.... for me getting underwater was really kind of "ahhh.. relaxing like normal" I never saw her buddy dead on the bottom.. only on the surface. For my husband underwater was harder... he found her. What I am trying to say is that we all experience our trauma differently. You may find the underwater stuff is easy but the surface stuff is hard.

Please take care of yourself. I am so glad you are finding some help here and please feel free to PM me if I can be of assistance. All of that said nothing we can say or do can help as much as talking to the appropriate people in the real world. You wouldn't rely on medical advice from some random poster about a serious medical issue. It is not wise to rely too much on random posters about emotional issues either.

Something I have told my students for years. It is ok to need support, it just means you are a caring person, it is ok to be ok... it just means you were in the right state of mind for the event.... it is never ok not to be honest with yourself and your loved ones about it. All the best... sorry for the

So right

 

[arrowskier]

Bowlofpetunias, can you direct me to the thread where I can read about your accident? I would like to understand and share in what happened to you guys.


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

 

[bowlofpetunias]

PM sent. This thread is about your incident and I don't want to contribute to a hijack