General Vortex Incident Discussion

[ucfdiver]

Thanks! What are you using to illuminate for the video? And your lead diver is Jeff? Very nice!

2x35w HID's on camera. For the Ginnie video there's a 50w up front as well.

Jeff (Marchand on here) is leading @ Airport Sink, I'm leading at Ginnie.

 

[Docc]

The way my VR3 eats batteries, I'd bet it shut off long ago.

ummmmm........Shearwater.........

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

There's a few side passages that I think introduce different minerals, bacteria, or something into the water, because it goes white right after them.

Different limestone strata all together Those jumps go deeper, and into a different layer.

 

[K_girl]

What is around Vortex? If the truck was left behind where could he have gone and died on foot? Bus? Kidnapped?

This is really the question to be investigated. How would he have left the scene, leaving his vehicle, the possibilities I can think of are:

1) motorcycle (in back of truck bed)
2) towed vehicle
3) foot
4) taxi
5) friend or acquaintance
6) hitch-hike

So, if you can eliminate these, (or any other ways you can think of to get out) you eliminate the idea of a hoax. So -- how do you go about elimination? Some of these possibilities would have to have been investigated very shortly after the disappearance, most especially hitch-hiking, as you would need to appeal to the public for information very quickly.

 

[Blue Sparkle]

Nothing to stop a person walking out either. You could cover a fair bit of ground in a week, hypothetically speaking.

Also, there could be foul play that originated with someone else (i.e. not planned by diver).

 

[Divedoggie]

Ok Alex, I see your point and I will say leave it. I would like the Mods to go and put a video with trained divers cave diving the right way or post the video on Robs website with each one so people can see what happens when its done wrong.

The Cave Divers in this forum have become a bit more known in the SB community. Almost famous! Awareness of the extent of training for cave diving has been a benenfit to those who never knew or maybe had an idea, but weren't sure.

The speculation and mystery keeps us coming back, but there is learning to be had!
I'm grateful to read of the impressions and comments from the experts who frequent this forum. If I can talk my wife into it, our next vacation will be in N. FL and will involve education provided by one or some of the regular cave forum members.

 

[Dive-aholic]

If he planned to swap regs to save money, then thats even more faulty thinking. If that was common practice on earlier dives, how much money was he spending on overhauls? and how much downtime did he have on regs being overhauled?
There are so many strange inconsistencies.

New VR3, new sidemount rig...

He didn't have a new sidemount rig. His rig was something he put together from gear he already owned.

 

[ucfdiver]

He didn't have a new sidemount rig. His rig was something he put together from gear he already owned.

Is there a report online somewhere or did you cross paths with him at Ed's? Just curious if we know this for a fact?

 

[marchand]

Here it is embedded

[vimeo]14915761[/vimeo]

Look at that beautiful technique

 

[Jax]

Look at that beautiful technique

Well, *I* certainly agree . . .