Lizard Island fatality - Australia

[outofofficebrb]

It may have only taken a few moments. You're not looking at your dive buddies every single moment of your dive - otherwise you'd never see anything but them!

In the case of the Singaporean diver, no one noticed until she didn't surface -- I don't think that's acceptable, even if you're not looking at your buddy all the time. What about when you're doing your safety stop? What about when you continue diving and are just swimming around? You should be within a reasonable distance at the very least from your buddy in case you need an air share moment.

In the case of the Lizard Island fatality, from the Cairns Post:

“She could have literally been unconscious, unbreathing on the bottom for 10 minutes, or she could have been that way for 30 seconds.

“No one really knows, but there were other people in the water with her on the dive.”

If someone doesn't know whether it's 30 seconds or 10 minutes, then I don't think good buddy practices were being used regardless.

 

[Dan]

It was incredible. Cant recommend it enough! A bit sad seeing all the bleached and dead coral, plus a few sites that were decimated by Crown of Thorns or cyclones, but otherwise very colourful.

Speaking of pesky Crown of Thorns, here is a picture of a dive guide taking them out of bleached & dead coral and put them in skewer when I was in Pulau Pef, Raja Ampat, a couple months ago.

Dropbox - lM0032477.JPG

 

[outofofficebrb]

Speaking of pesky Crown of Thorns, here is a picture of a dive guide taking them out of bleached & dead coral and put them in skewer when I was in Pulau Pef, Raja Ampat, a couple months ago.

Ack, I can't see the photo.

 

[Dan]

Try again
Dropbox - lM0032477.JPG

 

[kingkong954]

....I'll be there (Code Hole) in November with Spoilsport. Just curious about what's the official report of her death.

Us too!... When?

 

[Dan]

21-24 Nov. When is yours?

 

[wgw04024]

A number of incidents I've ready lately seem to have the theme that someone 'disappeared'. As some have mentioned, bad buddy'ing imho. At one point, I felt I had good buddy skills, but after a trip with two friends (one i had not dove with), I realized I did not. The unknown person had done gue fundamentals in australia. He had much more rigid buddy system standards and formation standards than I was accustom too. I did have a fair amount of respect for his diving skills that I witnessed, so I went along with it and followed the system he had described. I have to say, i feel it made me a much better buddy, and increased my awareness overall I think. I can't thank him enough. Personally, I don't think you can overstate the importance of good buddy skills.

 

[outofofficebrb]

A number of incidents I've ready lately seem to have the theme that someone 'disappeared'. As some have mentioned, bad buddy'ing imho. At one point, I felt I had good buddy skills, but after a trip with two friends (one i had not dove with), I realized I did not. The unknown person had done gue fundamentals in australia. He had much more rigid buddy system standards and formation standards than I was accustom too. I did have a fair amount of respect for his diving skills that I witnessed, so I went along with it and followed the system he had described. I have to say, i feel it made me a much better buddy, and increased my awareness overall I think. I can't thank him enough. Personally, I don't think you can overstate the importance of good buddy skills.

Hi! Do you mind sharing some practices or tips that your buddy regularly employs for good buddying? Thanks!