Hanauma Bay - Oahu Diving Fatality

[ScoobaDood]

1+.

In the "near incidents" I've witnessed at the surface over the years, a diver can get in trouble, forgets to or cannot inflate their BC, begins to panic and completely forgets their training. It seems that every year several divers drown this way. Often within a stone's throw of shore or a dive boat.

If a buddy is there, alert, and close enough to get them calmed enough to drop their weights (or do it for them) they live.... if not, we read about it here.

Best wishes.

When I got my Cert the Instructor made it a point to say that the skills drilling was over for the course, but insisted that skills drills should be a part of every dive to help them become second nature. I understood what he meant, but after reading about incident after incident where people panic and forget, I understand what he meant even more.

Here is to this particular forum drying up from lack of events to report on.

 

[Tricia]

We were lucky I got that one right. We've both trained a lot more since, but complacency continues to be our big risk.

Not a hijack at all. May not be what happened on this accident, but some of it or variations might apply. It wouldn't take long to find a long list of too recent threads in this forum where much of this does. I am hesitant to tell others on a boat how to dive as I am far from a good example at times, but sometimes I'll work reminders into the conversations, or ask a boat pick buddy...

How do you feel about keeping your reg in your mouth until fully boarded?

Pardon my curiosity, but when is the last time you dropped weights as a practice?​

I often try to help with divers reboarding since I'm such an air hog and usually one of the first, and many a trip I've suggested "reg back in mouth" at the ladder. Once it turned out to be an Inst trying to give directions to a student tho, so - who knows when?

Don, if it's any comfort to you: this is one diver who always keeps her reg in her mouth until she's back on board (except for a moment when I'm stable at the surface and take it out to puke (chronic seasickness ), but then I pop it right back in)! And I learned to do that from wise posters like you and others on this board - along with 100+ other great tips (like ALWAYS being ready and prepared to drop your weights). So somebody IS listening!

Trish