Incident at Dutch Springs 21 May

[scawt]

Vis at Dutch was 30+ ft on Saturday. There were a few spots where it was stirred up, but nothing less than 10 ft vis. Water temp at 60ft was 49 degrees and 56 degrees at 17ft.

The plane is still in 30 ft of water, but it sits on the island and has steep drop-offs going to 60ft.

 

[scawt]

Was there until late afternoon, heard, nor saw anything about this. Nothing in the local online newspapers or tv stations. I hope this is nothing more than here-say.

Saw it personally. It was on the left side of the peninsula.

Happened right before 4 because 2 in my group were going in for their last dive before they had to return their DUI drysuits at 5.

Wish it was hear-say.

 

[Rescue Diver68]

Does anyone know if the diver was particpating in the drysuit demo?

 

[jar546]

Vis at Dutch was 30+ ft on Saturday. There were a few spots where it was stirred up, but nothing less than 10 ft vis. Water temp at 60ft was 49 degrees and 56 degrees at 17ft.

The plane is still in 30 ft of water, but it sits on the island and has steep drop-offs going to 60ft.

Agree, vis was pretty darn good and there are steep drop offs at the plane on the underwater island.

Saw it personally. It was on the left side of the peninsula.

Happened right before 4 because 2 in my group were going in for their last dive before they had to return their DUI drysuits at 5.

Wish it was hear-say.

Sorry this is true. Condolences to the family. Seems like this is an annual occurrence there.

 

[midas6t6]

For what it's worth, his weights were dropped - we found them at the Cessna shortly after they dropped but no one was in sight. Vis was 25' or more in the area even further down the slope. Don't know how big he was but it was a lot of weight - not marked but @ 21 - 24 lbs. I'm guessing they weren't dropped right away, probably when he was near the bottom (30") because there wasn't a lot of silt stirred up.

 

[Airleron]

If the information here is accurate, this accident was so preventable. My heart breaks for the family.

Please Please Please folks, take 20 minutes in a pool or your next shallow dive and practice ditching weights. My buddy and I did just that this past Saturday, we ditched weights at least 5 times each. Know your gear without looking at it. It can possibly save your life.

 

[SoccerJeni]

Very sad news, and it just reaffirms my desires to take a rescue course. I would training on how to help my buddy in incidents like this.

Good suggestion on practicing ditching weights. I will add that to my list next time I practice.

 

[DandyDon]

Oh no ditching the weights is hard to practice but it is important to remember.

My home bud & I drill on that on the first dive to any trip, be it to New Mexico to practice or old Mexico for the sea.

Yep. Also, orally injecting gas into the BCD. Probaly over-weighted if so negative while OOA...

We do that one too.

For what it's worth, his weights were dropped - we found them at the Cessna shortly after they dropped but no one was in sight. Vis was 25' or more in the area even further down the slope. Don't know how big he was but it was a lot of weight - not marked but @ 21 - 24 lbs. I'm guessing they weren't dropped right away, probably when he was near the bottom (30") because there wasn't a lot of silt stirred up.

Dropped on rescue perhaps? Was the lead all on a belt or pouches? I'll wear 24# with my 7 mil suit in FW, but integrated so that I have 14# to ditch, 10# in back.

 

[BettyRubble]

It is no secret that proper weighting and ditching have been my battle cry since I began diving. Just gave my soap box speech to a diver Monday while diving Morehead. This diver was diving wet with 28 lbs....versus me wet and 2 lbs...we both had steel 100 tanks, about same build....I was in a 5 mil vs the diver's 7 mil. Was able to convince the diver to start dropping weight and got it down to 20 lbs in two dives and the diver is going to seek a peak buoyancy class to reduce it further.

I can't believe this diver had 175 dives to date and apparently no dive buddy had pushed this discussion. Sometimes we are too polite for our own good.

If you dive with someone who is overweighted, force the discussion. Whether it is a long time buddy or a insta-buddy, the only way to address overweighting is to address overweighting.

Ok, I'm off my soap box.

 

[DandyDon]

It is no secret that proper weighting and ditching have been my battle cry since I began diving. Just gave my soap box speech to a diver Monday while diving Morehead. This diver was diving wet with 28 lbs....versus me wet and 2 lbs...we both had steel 100 tanks, about same build....I was in a 5 mil vs the diver's 7 mil. Was able to convince the diver to start dropping weight and got it down to 20 lbs in two dives and the diver is going to seek a peak buoyancy class to reduce it further.

I can't believe this diver had 175 dives to date and apparently no dive buddy had pushed this discussion. Sometimes we are too polite for our own good.

If you dive with someone who is overweighted, force the discussion. Whether it is a long time buddy or a insta-buddy, the only way to address overweighting is to address overweighting.

Ok, I'm off my soap box.

Ok, when I said "I'll wear 24# with my 7 mil suit in FW" I meant with a standard 80. A 100 steel is certainly much different, depending on the make & model. See Scuba Cylinder Specification Chart from Huron Scuba, Ann Arbor Michigan

We don't have enough info on this diver to know if he was grossly overweight but it does sound like maybe he was. For an ascent with one diver OOA, it's certainly advisable for each to hold the other's BC firmly until well stabilized on the surface, be prepared to drop weights and/or orally inflate - yes.