I guess this was inevitable.

[Robert Phillips]

If the boat leaves before all divers and crew are on board how can any one with an ounce of sense blame the diver

By knowing far more of the story than you.

 

[Charlie99]

I'll just say one thing since I know a few of those involved and have spoken with them....The facts as stated in this thread are, as the old song goes, "Ain't Necessarily So."
Chris

Does your inside info tell you whether or not it is true that the boat moved to another dive spot, then started another dive without realizing a diver was missing?

Two wrongs don't make a right. Even if the diver were poorly prepared, or in such poor shape that he couldn't swim back to the boat, that is no excuse for the boat leaving him behind.

 

[ChrisM]

What I am referring to has nothing to do with whether dan could make it back to the boat or not. Other than that, I am keeping mum in the interests of all involved (not trying to be conspiratorial or keep secrets or be "nah nah, I know something you don't"... just now that it's in the courts, internet chatting can't make nothing but trouble)

 

[Robert Phillips]

Does your inside info tell you whether or not it is true that the boat moved to another dive spot, then started another dive without realizing a diver was missing?

Two wrongs don't make a right. Even if the diver were poorly prepared, or in such poor shape that he couldn't swim back to the boat, that is no excuse for the boat leaving him behind.

I think the facts of the story tell us that it is true that the boat moved to another spot as well as started another dive while under the assumption that said diver was still on the boat.
I had a very lengthy explanation of why Dan has the most responsibility for this incident ( it was not an accident,) but I read ChrisM's last post and I agree with him.
Let me just say this: You know very little about the incident, so maybe you should keep your speculation to yourself. You blaming the boat and everyone else with no info on the incident is just as bad as what you are accusing people of.

 

[caveseeker7]

If the boat leaves before all divers and crew are on board how can any one with an ounce of sense blame the diver

I spread the blame by listing the screw-ups in the first half of the post.
But ultimately I consider the diver responsible. No one forced him to dive, he didn't dive as planned and didn't plan as he should have. He probably shouldn't have been on that dive. If he can't accept responsibility for himself he definitely shouldn't have been on it.
Just my way of looking at things.

I've been diving on boats out here for years, and have seen good and bad dive masters. Ranging from complete physical absence while divers enter the water to two dive masters being there, one marking you off while the other insures you tank is open and full. The point is, you cannot and should not rely on everyone else doing a perfect job so you don't have to. In this case no one did a really good job except maybe the boy scouts.

 

[Charlie99]

I think the facts of the story tell us that it is true that the boat moved to another spot as well as started another dive while under the assumption that said diver was still on the boat.

This sounds like Ocean Concepts and the boat weren't exactly blameless.

What I am referring to has nothing to do with whether dan could make it back to the boat or not. Other than that, I am keeping mum in the interests of all involved

Why start being mum now Chris? You previously claimed "The facts as stated in this thread are, as the old song goes, "Ain't Necessarily So." Why make such statements if you aren't willing to be more specific, or to at least answer my specific question as to whether or not the boat was moved without the diver onboard.

The sort of veiled innuendo that you are throwing around reminds me of the Surgeon feared dead on abalone outing thread, where wild things like him disappearing to Mexico and insurance scam were being discussed, simply because the body didn't show up for a while.

 

[Turtle Diver]

To logg the dives was part of the overall procedure.

To check if everybody was back from the dive, we had to go, see the DM and sign the dive log sheet after every dive (the DM checked us in when we jumped in the water). This would make sure that everybody that got into the water for a dive came back. There would be also a roll call.
I would tend to believe that having people to sign is a little bit more "reliable" than a tick-off sheet with a roll call.

The procedure of logging most of the dive characteristics would ensure that everybody stays within the recreational limits of diving (minimum surface intervals, maximum depth etc.) and avoid DS.
I agree it doesn't insure that you're back on the boat but at least in my opinion it reduces the risk of someone not coming at all because of DS.

I would tend to believe that the DM and captain have a certain duty (or level of responsability) - especially on a commercial boat- which is to not only check that you're back on the boat but also make sure that you dive safe. It's not because you have a certification card and claim that you're an experienced diver that it's true. You'll see divers (of a boat or not) doing the first dive at 30 feet then the second at 100 feet without knowing they're doing something wrong.

No procedure will prevent me from jumping in the water for a swim just before the boat leaves and no procedure will prevent some guy for not following some basic diving rules (stick with your buddy etc...).

Just my opinion...

I'm all for signing my name and time to indicate I'm back in the boat, but I don't care to document my dive profile for the boat crew in that manner. I don't need a boat crew hassling me because they didn't like what I did. I'm old school enough to believe divers should be responsible for their dives. I don't want to be treated like a beginner, just because there are other beginners on the boat.

This question is now turning into a thread hijacking, so I will stop

 

[SDDiveGirl78]

I worked in a shop and on a boat after I got out of the Navy. You don't "Loose people" most of the times they are retarded and get lost. Every dive boat I've been on does a head count, twice and buddy checks. Self rescue is the most important issue. Yes where was his whistle? Or his Sea duck. Those things are LOUDDDDDD or his horn? And the 4 million... to help other Divers.please, I hope he's going to donate to DAN or to youth programs.

This guys will never be let on to a private boat again...he'll get his own. Or did he plan this? hmmm how strange.

 

[caveseeker7]

You don't "Loose people" most of the times they are retarded and get lost.

Leave it to a (n ex) sailor to get the point across straight and simple.

I hope he's going to donate to DAN or to youth programs.

Paying for DAN's DIDS would be a good start.

And let's not forget the Catalina chamber, with his diving and buddy skills he might just reap the benefits.

 

[Robert Phillips]

I worked in a shop and on a boat after I got out of the Navy. You don't "Loose people" most of the times they are retarded and get lost. Every dive boat I've been on does a head count, twice and buddy checks. Self rescue is the most important issue. Yes where was his whistle? Or his Sea duck. Those things are LOUDDDDDD or his horn? And the 4 million... to help other Divers.please, I hope he's going to donate to DAN or to youth programs.

This guys will never be let on to a private boat again...he'll get his own. Or did he plan this? hmmm how strange.

Dan had a whistle, but this was a live boat. He surfaced approx. 100 yards from the boat and started to blow. I doubt even the loudest whistle can be heard from 100 yards while deisel engines are running to keep the boat downcurrent of the rig. He did have a sausage that he could have deployed for better affect, but chose not to deploy until he was several hours adrift.