Four Divers Rescued By Coast Guard - Panama City, FL
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Hopefully the lessons learned were worth the trouble - glad you're OK.
We have actually never had someone on board while diving. Yes, it was a stupid mistake, but we definitely won't have that issue again.
Some of the lessons learned were that if you have your mind in the right place, and you set a goal, anything is possible. Never give up. Thank God for the life you're living today, because it could be gone tomorrow. Just because you think you're getting no where, just keep kicking, because just sitting there and going with the current will only make things worse. And of course, always have a safety observer on the boat.
Some of the lessons learned were that if you have your mind in the right place, and you set a goal, anything is possible. Never give up. Thank God for the life you're living today, because it could be gone tomorrow. Just because you think you're getting no where, just keep kicking, because just sitting there and going with the current will only make things worse. And of course, always have a safety observer on the boat.
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14 hours adrift - gawd! 
I knew some folks who spent half that much time in the Cozumel channel a couple of years ago. Heard they looked pretty rough coming out when they were rescued. Scary, but with your dad there with you, I can imagine how much better that was.
We seldom here from the divers involved in these stories. Thanks for sharing.
I knew some folks who spent half that much time in the Cozumel channel a couple of years ago. Heard they looked pretty rough coming out when they were rescued. Scary, but with your dad there with you, I can imagine how much better that was.We seldom here from the divers involved in these stories. Thanks for sharing.
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I would also not dive off an unattended boat. However, if I found myself in a similar situation, being a strong swimmer, I might have tried to swim at a diagonal to the current and approach the boat by a triangle. The decreased force of current may have allowed this strategy to be successful, particularly swimming freely without scuba gear. Having grown up near the coast in Southern California, I had a lot of experience with rip currents.
It's easy to second guess after the fact, I only hope I would be as level headed if I were the one in that situation. I learn from each of the incidents described in this thread. I'm very glad the 4 divers were rescued in this case.
Good diving, Craig
It's easy to second guess after the fact, I only hope I would be as level headed if I were the one in that situation. I learn from each of the incidents described in this thread. I'm very glad the 4 divers were rescued in this case.
Good diving, Craig
A PLB is always a prudent idea in high current areas offshore.
I have always been of the opinion that it was safer to dive solo and leave a competent boat handler onboard than dive in a buddy team with nobody aboard. In this case missing the boat was the only event/problem. All too often multiple events conspire to kill divers. Getting out of the water and on the radio quickly can reverse many of those compound problems. Even if you didn’t miss the boat, do you think you could get yourself and an unconscious diver out of the water un-aided?
I have always been of the opinion that it was safer to dive solo and leave a competent boat handler onboard than dive in a buddy team with nobody aboard. In this case missing the boat was the only event/problem. All too often multiple events conspire to kill divers. Getting out of the water and on the radio quickly can reverse many of those compound problems. Even if you didn’t miss the boat, do you think you could get yourself and an unconscious diver out of the water un-aided?
I run the SCUBA club at Gulliver Prep in Miami and will be using this thread during our meeting this week Many of my divers have boats before they can drive and I want to emphasize the importance of always leaving an observer onboard.
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