Father drowns on family Niagara river dive trip - Ontario, Canada

[ryanski]

i never even heard of this accident. I dive the river often not in that section though.

 

[rhwestfall]

there was no coverage of the event on the US side.

 

[ryanski]

that would explain it. i didn't do any local diving this year so didnt hear about it from dive shops or anything if anyone around here even knew.

 

[scubadiver888]

that would explain it. i didn't do any local diving this year so didnt hear about it from dive shops or anything if anyone around here even knew.

It was the second death in that area in the past few years. I dive the area a few times every year. After the first death, I heard nothing. There was a death last year in Tobermory as well. Didn't hear about it in Tobermory. Heard about all the deaths here on ScubaBoard. It just isn't something locals like to talk about.

I think the important take away from this accident is that learning an area from a local diver might be critical. There have been places I went diving and having someone with local knowledge wasn't critical. This area however was an eye opener for me. I went diving this area for two years with someone who has thousands of dives and many of them in this area. Even after that, the first time I tried diving with a buddy not familiar with the area we had a bit of a scare. Her fin got ripped off and with only one fin she lost control. I was only 2 feet from her but things happen so quickly and the visibility was so low that I lost her in, literally, a second.

Now when I dive that area with some diving it for the first time then I, literally, hold on to their harness and they hold on to mine.

It is an exciting drift but it can be quite unforgiving if you aren't 100% focused.

 

[Joneill]

Found a video of this place.

That looks a bit stressful, he is using a lot of hands as well.

To each his own, but I don’t get it? Risk diving in conditions like that to see... very little through the cold, low viz water: rocks, a gravelly bottom and a few fish? No thanks!

Condolences to the family, though!

 

[rhwestfall]

Old bottles, interesting fish, a fun ride, even historic wrecks...

... we do what we can to have fun....

 

[rhwestfall]

You ever see a sturgeon where you dive?

 

[Joneill]

You ever see a sturgeon where you dive?
View attachment 554610

Can't say I have since there are no sturgeon in the Carribean or South Pacific (and I can barely see one in that pic).

 

[DandyDon]

I can barely see one in that pic

I cleaned the photo a bit. Hope rhwestfall doesn't mind.

 

[Joneill]

I cleaned the photo a bit. Hope rhwestfall doesn't mind.

View attachment 554621

Wasn’t meaning literally - more of a comment on the challenging viz in that area. I expect that reduced visibility makes the diving more challenging and, potentially, more dangerous if anything goes wrong - especially with the accompanying swift currents.