Fiona Sharp death in Bonaire

[tursiops]

Any idea whether they've formally forbidden it at their piers or to take advantage of a shore diving tank package there when solo diving? Can't find it on their website.

I've stayed at Buddy's before, and liked it. I liked Apartment F1 at Sand Dollar better and really liked the Dive Friends Bonaire setup (tank exchange sites conveniently spread around), but I preferred Buddy's breakfast buffet (sorry, Breezes'N-Bites) and house reef (preferred Buddy's pier entry, and the option to head south toward Bari Reef or north toward the Cliff as opposed to mostly just Bari Reef from Sand Dollar Condo.s). I've wondered which I'd pick for a return trip.

But if Buddy's has gone anti-solo diving 'scuba police,' you may've clarified that!

They do not (at last report) "forbid" solo diving, but they do not support it (can't readily rent a pony, they do not teach Self-Reliant, they do not allow it from their boats or guided shore dives. As far as I know, no one wanders around making sure you have a buddy, nor is it forbidden from their dock, because you are not under their supervision. If you are off on a shore dive, you are on your own. of course.

 

[kensuf]

I've pulled six dead people out of caves. Every single one of them took an emotional toll on me. One of the worst was a double fatality, where the two divers were well known by a couple of close and dear friends.

We were still in the process of trying to recover all of the gear and come to grips with what happened while people were on the internet demanding answers. Unfortunately, we didn't have any answers at the time, it literally took Shearwater a month or two to be able to develop software that would allow us to interpret the computer download. Yet, people were demanding answers at a time when some of the people involved in the recovery simply wanted to be left alone to grieve for the loss of their friends.

While I agree that accident analysis is important to try and learn from mistakes so we can prevent them in the future, no one has an absolute right to all of the details, and in some cases, the lesson learned is nothing new.

Do we really need to go into extreme details of the events surrounding Dr. Sharp's death in order to learn that diving to 300' on air is a bad idea?

 

[Storker]

I've pulled six dead people out of caves. Every single one of them took an emotional toll on me.

FWIW (probably not much), but anyways:
My utmost respect.

 

[helodriver87]

I've pulled six dead people out of caves. Every single one of them took an emotional toll on me. One of the worst was a double fatality, where the two divers were well known by a couple of close and dear friends.

We were still in the process of trying to recover all of the gear and come to grips with what happened while people were on the internet demanding answers. Unfortunately, we didn't have any answers at the time, it literally took Shearwater a month or two to be able to develop software that would allow us to interpret the computer download. Yet, people were demanding answers at a time when some of the people involved in the recovery simply wanted to be left alone to grieve for the loss of their friends.

While I agree that accident analysis is important to try and learn from mistakes so we can prevent them in the future, no one has an absolute right to all of the details, and in some cases, the lesson learned is nothing new.

Do we really need to go into extreme details of the events surrounding Dr. Sharp's death in order to learn that diving to 300' on air is a bad idea?

I agree with you here for the most part. We see the same type of response in aviation initially. Everyone wants to know what happened right away. Because of course they do. They're probably going out flying that night. The difference is that you can say "just wait for the SIB and AIB to release their findings" and it calms some those impulses because people know the facts are coming. Even if it was 100% poor judgement, "what kind of idiot would do that" type stuff, the facts are all coming out.

All too often, we hear about a diving fatality and never get a comprehensive report or even structured details. It leaves people with questions. Do we need to be told yet again that 300 ft on air or taking a half dozen blind jumps is bad? No. Does it hurt to be reminded of the consequences? Definitely not. I think there's a need for more structure and publicized formal reports in accident analysis. The impulse to want the details right away will never go away. But if people know the key takeaways are coming, it'll temper those reactions.

 

[Popgun Pete]

People can have an episode such as a mild stroke which is totally unexpected and out of the water of no big consequence, but absolutely fatal underwater or while driving a vehicle. Answers are not always of a mechanical nature and sometimes bad things happen as people are not machines. I have seen this happen at first hand. Fiona's loss was a tragedy and it is best to leave it at that.

 

[doctormike]

Fiona's loss was a tragedy and it is best to leave it at that.

I think that you may be missing the point of the A&I forum..

 

[helodriver87]

Fiona's loss was a tragedy and it is best to leave it at that.

That's exactly how we ensure nothing is ever learned from it.

 

[boulderjohn]

Huh? Care to elaborate? I sincerely don't understand what "Buddy dive has banned solo diving" means. Who or what is banning solo?

We might - most probably would - argue whether solo diving is a good idea if we were to discuss the issue. Add tech/NDL/advanced depths and run times, and the terrain becomes seriously gnarly. And I don't think we'd ever agree on the topic. But can we at least agree on a common understanding of terms?

I think the problem is that you misunderstood the meaning of the term "Buddy Dive" in this instance. Buddy Dive is the name of a diving operation on the island. It is a coincidence that its name contradicts the term "solo dive."

 

[kelemvor]

That's exactly how we ensure nothing is ever learned from it.

Which would also be a tragedy.

 

[tursiops]

Do I have any additional facts? No, except that Buddy Dive has effectively banned solo diving: it is not taught, it is not supported, it is not allowed on their vessels or under their control.

If it’s true Buddy dive has banned solo diving,

I sincerely don't understand what "Buddy dive has banned solo diving" means. Who or what is banning solo?

They do not (at last report) "forbid" solo diving, but they do not support it (can't readily rent a pony, they do not teach Self-Reliant, they do not allow it from their boats or guided shore dives. As far as I know, no one wanders around making sure you have a buddy, nor is it forbidden from their dock, because you are not under their supervision. If you are off on a shore dive, you are on your own. of course.

I think the problem is that you misunderstood the meaning of the term "Buddy Dive" in this instance. Buddy Dive is the name of a diving operation on the island. It is a coincidence that its name contradicts the term "solo dive."

Wow, how quickly things get escalated and misinterpreted.
This nano-thread started when I commented that I had no more facts about Fiona's death, except that Buddy Dive resort (where she was staying and from whose dock she was diving) had stopped supporting/teaching solo diving. then an "IF" statement turned into a fact. Jeez.
Imagine how quickly the world would have exploded if I'd actually said something important!