Galapagos Scuba Diving Fatality - February 12, 2010 - Eloise Gale

[Bubbletrubble]

Still can't imagine that they'd split husband/wife, two buddies traveling together, etc. There's plenty of trip reports here and on other boards, and as I'm going on a liveaboard to Galapagos in a few months I think I've ready every one of them. Have never heard of a solo diver or a force-split buddy pair.

Nah. I don't think they'd ever split up 2-man dive teams. That would be nuts.
They would most certainly try to pair up single divers.
If there were just one single diver, then they'd probably ask whether any 2-man teams wouldn't mind a third.
If no one was willing to buddy up with that lone diver, then I guess the DM would buddy up with the diver. IMO, that's not a good arrangement for the lone diver, though.
BYOB...

 

[RJP]

Nah. I don't think they'd ever split up 2-man dive teams. That would be nuts.
They would most certainly try to pair up single divers.
If there were just one single diver, then they'd probably ask whether any 2-man teams wouldn't mind a third.
If no one was willing to buddy up with that lone diver, then I guess the DM would buddy up with the diver. IMO, that's not a good arrangement for the lone diver, though.
BYOB...

I'd rather be paired with the DM than an unknown buddy pair. Either way I'm diving solo, but I like my odds better with only one other person I need to watch out for rather than two.

 

[InTheDrink]

For example: write up a statement of understanding that describes the diving and that needs to be signed by the participant and the participants most recent instructor; develop a network of instructors who are empowered to do local checkouts for you; put up videos that show (and explain) the actual diving conditions, insist that participants watch them before signing up; anyone else with ideas?

This is a good suggestion because it could have a chance of actually being adopted.

And that was my point about team diving/DIR etc. not being a realistic option. I would bet my (pretty substantial) mortgage that team diving will not be the norm nor presented as a standard when diving in the Galapagos or Cocos in the next ten years.

However, some other suggestions are more realistic (like better briefings). They can be put into immediate effect without major change management, training, costs, mentality/paradigm switch, etc., unlike pushing specific team diving protocols (e.g. DIR). It sounds like you think that putting a team diving mentality into a dive location would be a straightforward enough task but I'd argue exactly the opposite. Particularly as a lot of divers that go to these places are very experienced divers and would not tolerate being forced into a specific, different and - to some - restrictive way of diving.

However, your idea of a video of expected conditions prior to booking is an excellent one and could be easily implemented. Funnily enough, my buddy and I were about to book a trip to Cocos a few years back until my buddy saw a video (national geographic or something) of diving there and he suggested we wait til we got more experience. Which we did.

I mentioned in an earlier post that the best way to improve safety at these kinds of locations would be before anyone got into the water. I was thinking about briefings etc. However, it goes even further back. If people could have a good appreciation of the kind of diving they were likely to encounter prior to booking then you would generally get divers booking according to their ability.

It still doesn't resolve the conflict of interest problem however. It must be difficult for many operators to put up additional barriers/obstacles to generating income than they already have. You have a poor season, money is tight and stress is high, are you really going to turn down a diver with 49 dives (or whatever measuring tape you are using)? It is a tricky one.

J

 

[bsee65]

Better briefings won't help. By the time a briefing is being given, the unprepared diver only has two choices. Back out or try to muddle through. Very few choose the former, and the latter increases the risk of a mishap.

A video might help, if someone can see the challenges of the dive from it in a manner they can process. If a diver hasn't experienced current or heavy exertion to fight it, they might not get the significance. Visibility in dive videos often looks better than it might feel while you're down there. How will a video transmit the issues associated with colder water and thicker suits?

In my mind, the real answer is to provide a frame of reference with regard to other dive locations a potential Galapogos client should be familiar. Identify and grade the difficulty of a few dozen popular sites for temperature, current, visibility, and overall difficulty. Hopefully, the potential Galapagos (or other advanced site) diver will have familiarity with at least one or two to form a frame of reference.

 

[Thalassamania]

...

And that was my point about team diving/DIR etc. not being a realistic option. I would bet my (pretty substantial) mortgage that team diving will not be the norm nor presented as a standard when diving in the Galapagos or Cocos in the next ten years.

Since everyone who shows up in the Galapagos with a buddy is, to a degree, practicing this concept, you loose, but you may keep the house.

Really, that's my point ... show up with a competent buddy that you dive with regularly or start swilling one of the various flavors of kool-aid out there that allow you to advertise for insta-buddies that behave like life-long diving soul mates. I happen to prefer the latter (flavor of choice being 100 hour Scripps model trained).

However, some other suggestions are more realistic (like better briefings). They can be put into immediate effect without major change management, training, costs, mentality/paradigm switch, etc., unlike pushing specific team diving protocols (e.g. DIR). It sounds like you think that putting a team diving mentality into a dive location would be a straightforward enough task but I'd argue exactly the opposite. Particularly as a lot of divers that go to these places are very experienced divers and would not tolerate being forced into a specific, different and - to some - restrictive way of diving.

If I were an operator I'd attempt to schedule kool-aid cruises, DIR this week, UTD next, Macho Solo the week after followed by Wimp Solo, then Macho Hog and Wimp Hog, followed by plain old buddy divers. And I'd plan the sites around the types of capabilities that such groups tend to bring (or lack).

 

[KeithB317]

I was on the Aggressor II for the trip 11-18 Feb 10 and would like to add some additional information that may fill in some gaps regarding the initial report and the replies and questions. My understanding was that Eloise was a qualified Master SCUBA Diver with 50+ dives experience and not a Dive Master. Her last dive, according to her declaration, was during April 2009.
Before the second dive of the trip I was interacting with Eloise regarding measuring her nitrox mix and setting her computer to reflect the reading. The mix was 32% nitrox. She was not familiar with how to use the sensor so I showed her and advised her that her computer needed setting to this reading. She had a 'Gecko' dive computer so, using her abbreviated instruction card, we set it and checked her PPO2 setting. It appeared to me that she was not very practised in using nitrox.
During the initial phase of the dive I did notice her descent from the 'panga'. I noticed she was descending and was holding her demand valve in her mouth with her hand. Although I was concerned by her relative inexperience and the fact she had not dived for a year, I was reassured by the fact that her buddy was a Dive Instructor.
I was not concerned or in anyway stressed by the dive briefing. It covered terrain, expected currents, depths, expected water temperatures and safety procedures if we were separated on the surface. Jaime asked if there were any questions, few relevent to the dive were forthcoming.
During the initial stages of the dive the currents were mild but on reaching about 30 metres the current did strengthen and was pushing us into deeper water. At this stage we were instructed to make our way to shallower water by Patricio. It was when we had all regrouped that Eloise was noticed to be missing.
In my opinion Patricio did everything he could have done under the circumstances. It was a regrettable incident but, good individual dive skills and buddy procedures may have prevented it.

 

[Texas Torpedo]

My condolences to the family, friends and those who were on the Aggressor with her.

Some may be interested in this: Eloise' dive buddy, Denise, has responded at John Bisnar's blog:

"I’ll add to John’s note, a few insights that may help in consideration for diving safety. First off, E.G. and I were not as far as part as these comments are beginning to allude towards and it does concern me that it is becoming portrayed that way.

During our first checkout dive the day before the accident, E.G. assembled all her equipment properly and seemed very comfortable with the gear. She had a new Suunto Gekko dive computer and asked the gentleman sitting next to her on the dive bench about the controls. He was the most experienced diver on the boat and probably the one I would have also asked for advice about setting up the computer."

Cont. here:
Scuba Diving Fatality - Galapagos - February 12, 2010 - E.G. :: California Injury Blog


PS. Since it was mentioned earlier. For those who are curious, the above is considered Fair Use under copyright standards. To copy an entire article, or even 50 percent of it is technically a copyright violation. Nobody has to file for copyrights any longer to protect their work / content. With regards to exposure, SB is protected under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act as an ISP as long as the content is removed after written request by the owner of the content.

 

[diverrex]

In my mind, the real answer is to provide a frame of reference with regard to other dive locations a potential Galapogos client should be familiar. Identify and grade the difficulty of a few dozen popular sites for temperature, current, visibility, and overall difficulty. Hopefully, the potential Galapagos (or other advanced site) diver will have familiarity with at least one or two to form a frame of reference.

I dive regularly in California but my wife won't (so far) dive in cold water so she is a twice a year vacation diver with about 90 dives and AOW. We have talked about going to Galapagos some day but I want her to get a lot more experience first. She has at least made a couple dozen dives in Cozumel current. Our LDS we would book through has made it clear she should make some California cold water dives in a thick suit first before going to Galapagos and I agreed. I suspect after reading this thread and others on Galapagos we may never make it there, but that's okay cause there still lots of interesting places to go. For instance for the same money or less I could happily go to Truk and have some great dives.

During the initial stages of the dive the currents were mild but on reaching about 30 metres the current did strengthen and was pushing us into deeper water. At this stage we were instructed to make our way to shallower water by Patricio. It was when we had all regrouped that Eloise was noticed to be missing.
In my opinion Patricio did everything he could have done under the circumstances. It was a regrettable incident but, good individual dive skills and buddy procedures may have prevented it.

It's the first bold statement that is always troubling in these instances. That no one initially noticed that she was gone. A practice I'll admit to doing with some of my buddies is "follow the leader single file diving". You just shouldn't do that in a challenging environment, you need to be side to side.

I've also noticed that in single file diving it's usually the less experienced diver following. I understand why that diver finds it comforting to be following along keeping the diver ahead in sight, but that's backwards, it's way too easy for something to happen to the inexperienced diver that the experienced diver just doesn't see quickly enough. The experienced diver should be behind if not side by side, side by side of course being vastly preferred.

 

[dave4868]

I was on the Aggressor II for the trip 11-18 Feb 10 and would like to add some additional information that may fill in some gaps regarding the initial report and the replies and questions. My understanding was that Eloise was a qualified Master SCUBA Diver with 50+ dives experience and not a Dive Master. Her last dive, according to her declaration, was during April 2009.
Before the second dive of the trip I was interacting with Eloise regarding measuring her nitrox mix and setting her computer to reflect the reading. The mix was 32% nitrox. She was not familiar with how to use the sensor so I showed her and advised her that her computer needed setting to this reading. She had a 'Gecko' dive computer so, using her abbreviated instruction card, we set it and checked her PPO2 setting. It appeared to me that she was not very practised in using nitrox.
During the initial phase of the dive I did notice her descent from the 'panga'. I noticed she was descending and was holding her demand valve in her mouth with her hand. Although I was concerned by her relative inexperience and the fact she had not dived for a year, I was reassured by the fact that her buddy was a Dive Instructor.
I was not concerned or in anyway stressed by the dive briefing. It covered terrain, expected currents, depths, expected water temperatures and safety procedures if we were separated on the surface. Jaime asked if there were any questions, few relevent to the dive were forthcoming.
During the initial stages of the dive the currents were mild but on reaching about 30 metres the current did strengthen and was pushing us into deeper water. At this stage we were instructed to make our way to shallower water by Patricio. It was when we had all regrouped that Eloise was noticed to be missing.
In my opinion Patricio did everything he could have done under the circumstances. It was a regrettable incident but, good individual dive skills and buddy procedures may have prevented it.

Thank you for providing objective facts and reasonable conjecture. Barring medical or equipment issues being found, I tend to agree with you that good individual dive skills and buddy procedures may have prevented this tragic loss.

Aside from a dive operation fully disclosing the conditions one can expect on a dive, the individual diver's own self-assessment of their abilities is really crucial.

IMO, solutions which involve other people assessing an individual diver's capability may lead some divers to de-emphasize their own responsibility for self-assessment.

I think there's great value in providing objective dive site info, suggesting experience levels and pre-screening divers (if it's done prior to booking), but the best screening is usually done by the individual diver, especially if they know they alone are responsible for a potentially deadly assessment and choice. IMHO, we need to keep reminding divers of that fact.

Dave C

 

[openmindOW]

Part of the problem is the language that we are using, we are saying that diving in the Galapagos is an advanced dive.

What most of the divers in the world are hearing is, "you can dive in the Galapagos if you are a certified open water diver who has completed five adventure dives since your entry level training."

And no one is doing anything about that major definitional gap, they're all pretending that its not there ... ho, hum, there is no elephant in the living room.

True. And dive Shops sell dive trips.

Trip Sellers generally don't like to tell a potential customer that he or she is not qualified to go on a trip.