Blue Sparkle
Contributor
For those who, like me, could not remember (even though one could be pretty sure by the "son & wife" part), Jarred is the father and Calvin is the son.
Father and son run over by dive charter
- Thread starter trtldvr
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For those who, like me, could not remember (even though one could be pretty sure by the "son & wife" part), Jarred is the father and Calvin is the son.
Shasta_man
Contributor
The part I find amazing is the high likelyhood of a boat coming over your little spot you wish to surface, so that you actually have to listen for a boat coming before you surface in the vast ocean. While that can happen anywhere, it's usually nowhere near the certainty it seems to be here. Now that's a lot of people in one place.
markmantei
Contributor
I disagree entirely. I had a situation a few months ago where a buddy surfaced about 30 seconds before me (came up faster from the safety stop), and the boat came to pick us up. It literally went right over my head just several feet from me. I still shutter at the thought, and now will not surface where there is boat traffic without a SMB deployed. I had one then, but didn't use it
Where there is divers doing boat dives with a "live" boat (not neccessarily a "drift" dive, but any time the boat will be picking up the divers) you have a much smaller "ocean" to deal with.
This is very unfortunate... I hope they fully recover.........
No matter what the circumstances (jumped in by mistake, fell in accidentally, etc...).... I would tend to place at least some blame with the boat operator.
The best drift diving operations I have dove with all have one thing in common.... the divemaster(s) are first in line and NOONE gets in the water before them. If someone wants to jump in or fall in prematurely, they have to go through the divemaster who is physically blocking the exit(s) by being there....... Prior to the DM staging him/herself at the exits, the exits are blocked by the folded ladders, closed transom doors, safety lines, whatever...... Never should the back of the boat be wide open for anyone to jump in on purpose or by accident while the engine is running. Following these simple procedures, if anyone gets chewed up in the props... it would be a divemaster and not a client.
Whatever litigation comes next, this point surely will be addressed.
No matter what the circumstances (jumped in by mistake, fell in accidentally, etc...).... I would tend to place at least some blame with the boat operator.
The best drift diving operations I have dove with all have one thing in common.... the divemaster(s) are first in line and NOONE gets in the water before them. If someone wants to jump in or fall in prematurely, they have to go through the divemaster who is physically blocking the exit(s) by being there....... Prior to the DM staging him/herself at the exits, the exits are blocked by the folded ladders, closed transom doors, safety lines, whatever...... Never should the back of the boat be wide open for anyone to jump in on purpose or by accident while the engine is running. Following these simple procedures, if anyone gets chewed up in the props... it would be a divemaster and not a client.
Whatever litigation comes next, this point surely will be addressed.
I disagree entirely. I had a situation a few months ago where a buddy surfaced about 30 seconds before me (came up faster from the safety stop), and the boat came to pick us up. It literally went right over my head just several feet from me. I still shutter at the thought, and now will not surface where there is boat traffic without a SMB deployed. I had one then, but didn't use it
Where there is divers doing boat dives with a "live" boat (not neccessarily a "drift" dive, but any time the boat will be picking up the divers) you have a much smaller "ocean" to deal with.
And where divers dive, fishermen usually fish. At least here.
Excellent piece of information re: being vigilant when divers are at the surface.
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We were diving north Cozumel last year and one of us sent up a SMB from the SS, only to hear a boat approaching. He held the spool loosely as the boat almost ran it over. Good practice, but no guarantees.
markmantei
Contributor
And DON'T have the reel clipped off to you
Excellent advice....
A few years ago at the Blue Heron bridge I saw a guy get dragged about 100 yards by a boat that ran over his float that he had clipped to his BC. Thankfully, this is a very shallow dive (<20') in protected water and the whole area is a no-wake zone, so the boat was moving slowly.
Noone was hurt, but it could have been worse...... the boater was cited for not respecting a dive flag, but SO was the diver for swimming too close to the channel and letting his flag drift INTO the channel where boats belong and divers do not.......
KeysCuda
Contributor
Couple quick points:
- Interesting maybe only to me: I've been out with a lot of Keys operators over the last near-four decades (first Pennekamp dive, Nov. 1972). Number of drift dives I've done in the Keys: 0. Kind of surprised to hear anyone's doing them here. I've advocated with some friendly operators for doing a drift drop onto wrecks when the currents were running but have not convinced anyone. Too much liability, apparently. I get that.
- In the few situations where I've been standing in full gear on a platform on a running boat, backing down or maneuvering ahead, it is not a situation entirely free of anxiety. Frankly, can't imagine doing it as an 11-yr-old.
Not criticizing, just sayin'.
- Shasta apparently has not been to Molasses or Looe on a warm weekend. Yeah, watch for props.
- Interesting maybe only to me: I've been out with a lot of Keys operators over the last near-four decades (first Pennekamp dive, Nov. 1972). Number of drift dives I've done in the Keys: 0. Kind of surprised to hear anyone's doing them here. I've advocated with some friendly operators for doing a drift drop onto wrecks when the currents were running but have not convinced anyone. Too much liability, apparently. I get that.
- In the few situations where I've been standing in full gear on a platform on a running boat, backing down or maneuvering ahead, it is not a situation entirely free of anxiety. Frankly, can't imagine doing it as an 11-yr-old.
Not criticizing, just sayin'.
- Shasta apparently has not been to Molasses or Looe on a warm weekend.
Yeah, watch for props.
- Shasta apparently has not been to Molasses or Looe on a warm weekend.
@Molasses... I like to lie on my back on the bottom waving at the people inside the glass bottom boat..... Watching those enormous props spinning by 15' above my head is a bit disconcerting...... Don't try this at home... LOL!
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