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

[BubbleBlocker]

I think it's important to not build the Galapagos into somewhere it isn't. It may be somewhat challenging diving but I don't think it's necessarily particularly challenging diving with the appropriate experience and there are plenty of places that present very similar challenges no douby closer to home.

Having been there twice I completely agree. That said, it's certainly not for the novice diver.

Further, there is rarely if ever any indication on advertised trips regarding the prohibitive nature of conditions, the proximity or lack thereof of medical facilities, or the ratio of divers to dive guides, for example. In terms of practices, the operators almost always state that they put the comfort of the client first for a dive experience of a life time.

Perhaps we,as traveling divers, should have our own checklist of questions and prerequisites which we can review with dive operators prior to booking a vacation that address such issues?

All good points. On my first trip to the Galapagos, there clearly were divers there that should not have been. The conditions on that trip were much calmer than the second. Still, the two teenage boys on the trip who were there with less than 50 lifetime dives clearly should not have been on the trip. They were routinely exceeding depth limits (they were diving nitrox) and seemed to me to be accidents waiting to happen. Although the currents were relatively mild and the seas were calm, we were still doing a lot of blue water diving looking for whale sharks. I felt that we were fortunate that everyone returned safely from that trip. On my second GA trip, one of the two divemasters became very ill early in the trip and was unable to dive for more than the first couple of dives that week. So, there was a single divemaster in the water for 14 divers. Thankfully all divers were very experienced and self sufficient. It would have been a difficult week if there were a lot of divers who needed a lot of hand holding and even as it was it was sometimes difficult to find divers in the high seas even though everyone was shooting sausages from depth on their safety stops.

The key really is to be informed and prepared for the potential conditions. Don't rely on a dive operator to make the decision for you regarding whether or not you have sufficient experience.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I have heard of Galapagos diving and the currents that one can encounter. Like Lynne it is not on my list of dives to do. I'm not that big on sea life and prefer wreck diving. The Galapagos does not seem to offer that so along with the cost and effort involved to get there it does not appeal to me. I'd rather go to Truk Lagoon or Scapa Flow if I have to travel that far.

 

[scubaskipper]

You're always going to get what you get in the deep blue sea. Adapt, over come, sit it out, whatever makes best sense to you. Make good decisions, your life may depend on it. Over confidence and inexperience can sneak up on you when you least expect it. A lesson for all of us here.

 

[Wookie]

Who was Denise and was she bouncing to 165' after a previous dive already??? Nitrox or not. Anyone get bent?

She is an experienced liveaboard divemaster and tech diver. I'll vouch for her anytime.

 

[Valwood1]

While it's great to talk about the importance of "experience" (which means...number of dives? Locations? Combination of the two?), the fact is that nobody really understands what bad current or bad surge or bad other conditions are like until you are in them. You can read all about them, and know all the proper techniques, and see all the disclaimers from the dive ops, but until you're facing those conditions, you just have no concept of the problems they present.

If you're lucky, you've faced a mild current on one trip, and maybe a moderate one on another trip, and then a strong one on yet another trip, so that your experience and confidence build after each event. If you've had those experiences, and also have decided that you are physically strong enough to withstand those conditions, you have some reasonable chance of responding correctly when you hit that rip-roaring, I-wish-I-was-back-on-the-boat current. If not, it's no surprise that even a diver with a lot of dives can . . . panic, or at least respond incorrectly.

 

[dave4868]

While it's great to talk about the importance of "experience" (which means...number of dives? Locations? Combination of the two?), the fact is that nobody really understands what bad current or bad surge or bad other conditions are like until you are in them. You can read all about them, and know all the proper techniques, and see all the disclaimers from the dive ops, but until you're facing those conditions, you just have no concept of the problems they present.

If you're lucky, you've faced a mild current on one trip, and maybe a moderate one on another trip, and then a strong one on yet another trip, so that your experience and confidence build after each event. If you've had those experiences, and also have decided that you are physically strong enough to withstand those conditions, you have some reasonable chance of responding correctly when you hit that rip-roaring, I-wish-I-was-back-on-the-boat current. If not, it's no surprise that even a diver with a lot of dives can . . . panic, or at least respond incorrectly.

A major benefit of experience is that it can give a diver the courage or self-confidence to abort a dive without shame.

Feeling compelled to keep up with other divers in adverse conditions can be very dangerous. For the less experienced diver, emotional and physical stress can quickly trump rational thought.

Personally, I have a rule that I never chase a buddy, never go beyond my comfort zone if they are leaving me behind. I don't worry about what the other divers might think of me.

Dave C

 

[SteelfishScuba]

Grover, I am curious as to where your brother got this article, as I could not find anything else with this information posted on the net?
I have dove in the Galapagos several times, so I am curious about this post.

 

[Grover48]

I will ask him and get back to you.

 

[Rhone Man]

I guess many of you heard about Galapagos currents but havent seen`it in action. Here is a sample

Astonishing. The bubble streams appear almost horizontal...

 

[Thalassamania]

The bubble stream is at about 30 degrees, that would make the current in the neighborhood of 1.2 knots.