Key West Spear Diver

[trtldvr]

I am just now hearing that a 17 year old spear diver from KW has past at Jacksom Memorial Hospital in Miami. The reports I am hearing is OOA at 120 and rapid ascent. I have not yet been able to confirm anything, but I am about to try to nail it down. Has anybody else heard anything?

Candolences to the family.

Safe dives
Trtldvr

 

[trtldvr]

This is what I have been able to learn from a very reliable source. Diver was spear fishing with a buddy they had made a dive to 100 ft. It is not clear if diver had made a second dive solo or had stayed down after buddy surfaced, but either way was at 100 solo resulting in a solo OOA situation. Diver performed a fast CESA and made it to surface. Diver while on the surface verbalized "feeling weird" to buddy and then slipped under surface. Buddy was able to recover him quickly and was taken to shore and then to LKMC (Lower Keys Medical Center). Patient was then airlifted to Miami to be pressed. Patient became symptomatic when ever pressure was decreased and sadly could not be saved.

Before everyone starts to condemn his dive practice, think of this.By all acounts he was a good kid and an experianced diver. In my oppinion he pushed the limits and got caught, a sad case of "teenage invincibility". I was not a diver at that age, but I still did many risky things, and often wonder how I survived my high school years.

My heart goes out to his parents, and if you are a parent go hug or call your kids.

Safe dives
Trtldvr

 

[deeper thoughts]

Prayers to the family

 

[DandyDon]

Sad to hear. There are important reasons why Condolences should be posted on Passings only, not here - but still unfortunate.

Trtldvr, I've done some stupid things every decade of my long life and have been so lucky, and I don't want to criticize the poor boy - but basic scuba training tells us to not dive or remain down alone, at least without a pony. We keep getting harsh reminders and I guess this is another one.

It seems that cameras and spearguns tend to lead to more OOA...?

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Agreed don, if he was chasing fish he could have expelled air out, and to task load during a dive should be a padi specialty. Never the less he was enjoying his life before he lost to a long life. Dammit Jim!

 

[tstormdiver]

It seems that cameras and spearguns tend to lead to more OOA...?

I would say that it is because of the amount of task loading in these activities, taking away the awareness of one's air supply.

 

[reefman]

Teenager dies Tuesday after Sunday dive accident | KeysNews.com

reefman
key largo

 

[reefman]

Cudjoe Key teen dies after scuba diving




reefman
key largo

 

[joe8mofo]

Darwinism continues to work, Solo at 100ft with no gas management awareness == fatality. I get that teenagers can do stupid things; however in this environment stupid often leads to death or at least a near-miss. One can say that gas management needs to be taught more; however he bested that by diving solo (which is against training).

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Joe he is a spearo, kevin is a member of spearboard, so he was past being a recreational scuba diver. he was out with his friends spearing, and had an accident when ran out of air at depth. At a 120' maybe not so much gas management, but how about narcosis. His age only suggest inexperience.

I solo dive at his age every day I could, barley made it to the surface sometimes, it is what it is.

I know a lot of 16 year old spearo's, they have great big fish they spear, and have there story, it is no diferent then a middle aged spearo telling is spear story.