Miami Beach charter leaves divers in open waters off Key Biscayne

[Scott L]

Yep, a Halcyon life raft is not a bad idea. Just what I needed, another scuba gear purchase. :depressed:

 

[Wookie]

The max depth and bottom time is overkill and I would avoid charters that went that far, but there should be roll calls off a check list before and after every dive, if not AD ain't divin'.

The max depth and bottom time isn't for your benefit, it's for mine. So, when you're in the helicopter on the way to the chamber, I have some information to give to the chamber, at least a little about the profiles you've been diving over the past 3 or 4 days.

 

[AfterDark]

The max depth and bottom time isn't for your benefit, it's for mine. So, when you're in the helicopter on the way to the chamber, I have some information to give to the chamber, at least a little about the profiles you've been diving over the past 3 or 4 days.

Good idea. Doesn't change my mind, but a good idea.

 

[ECPaul]

Sorry Blades, but even if the divers did everything wrong - the skipper should know exactly which divers went in, which came back, and not leave without them.

DandyDon, I completely agree, and I think that most everyone else reading this long discussion agrees as well. The real issue becomes what protocol the skipper should use "to know that all divers are back on board". I don't want to have to carry waterproof GPS devices or self-rescue life rafts when I'm diving to protect against such eventualities as being stranded.

And so I would recommend a simple redundant protocol that should become the norm for ALL dive operations, whether they are small 6-packs or large cattle boats:

1. Conduct a roll-call of all divers once everyone is on board and before pulling away from dock, then repeat same roll call once everyone is back on board after a dive. Record and confirm info on a clipboard.

2. Check number of tanks on board before pulling away from the dock, then confirm number of tanks on board once everyone is back on board after a dive. Record and confirm info on a clipboard.

Conducting these 2 checks would take no more than 60 seconds each time and avoid the kinds of "strandings" that we all hope will never happen to us or any other diver, but that still unfortunately happens. In my experience the majority of dive ops that I have used DO NOT conduct roll calls, but just ask the moronic question "is everyone back on board?"

 

[mike_s]

I have dove and will continue to dive with this operation frequently.

They *always* perform a roll call. I repeat *always*.

My question is: who on the boat answered "here" when their names were called.

Brian makes an excellent point. It happens all the time that folks answer up when they hear their name, or someone else's name called. I've had boats with 6 Chris' onboard. I've had multiple Mikes and Franks, and when I say Frank, people hear Mike. The only way to avoid that, to my way of thinking, is to call roll so you can see who is answering. That way, you stand a better chance of catching someone answering up for someone else.

I've been on boats where this has happened also. others answering "HERE" for someone else. Or at the end of the roll, someone asks "why didn't you call my name", only to find out the DM did call his name and someone else answered.


In the end, leaving two divers in the water is the responsibility of the captain. So he better make damn sure the DM/mate did the roll call correctly and have a fool proof system to weed out mistakes and idiots.

 

[Scott L]

I've been on boats where this has happened also. others answering "HERE" for someone else. Or at the end of the roll, someone asks "why didn't you call my name", only to find out the DM did call his name and someone else answered.


In the end, leaving two divers in the water is the responsibility of the captain. So he better make damn sure the DM/mate did the roll call correctly and have a fool proof system to weed out mistakes and idiots.

I am still a fan of a head count over a roll call. The combination of both is even better. Picking up divers from other charters could not possibly screw-up either method I would think. Should be a noteworthy event as it always seems to be here in the Palm Beaches..

 

[AfterDark]

DandyDon, I completely agree, and I think that most everyone else reading this long discussion agrees as well. The real issue becomes what protocol the skipper should use "to know that all divers are back on board". I don't want to have to carry waterproof GPS devices or self-rescue life rafts when I'm diving to protect against such eventualities as being stranded.

And so I would recommend a simple redundant protocol that should become the norm for ALL dive operations, whether they are small 6-packs or large cattle boats:

1. Conduct a roll-call of all divers once everyone is on board and before pulling away from dock, then repeat same roll call once everyone is back on board after a dive. Record and confirm info on a clipboard.

2. Check number of tanks on board before pulling away from the dock, then confirm number of tanks on board once everyone is back on board after a dive. Record and confirm info on a clipboard.

Conducting these 2 checks would take no more than 60 seconds each time and avoid the kinds of "strandings" that we all hope will never happen to us or any other diver, but that still unfortunately happens. In my experience the majority of dive ops that I have used DO NOT conduct roll calls, but just ask the moronic question "is everyone back on board?"

Completely agree. The best charter I've on yet did #1 except they also had a roll call of everyone as they were going in the water. Roll call before leaving dock, roll call as we entered the water and a roll call coming out. Also a word to remember and say to the crew that helps you aboard after the dive. I'll be going back to them as often as I can.

 

[emoreira]

Not leaving people in the water is a responsability of the captain, but we as divers should be consious that we need the boat to be there when we surface. We need to be sure that we are taken into consideration and that we are listed in the roll call.
Allowing someone else to answer for one when the DM is reading the roll call is something that one should not permit.
I've seen people showing boredom when the DM is listing the names of the divers and taking this as something not important, but when things like this happen, we understand that the roll call, and fulfilling all the security procedures is important.

 

[Thespis]

I wasn't exactly sure where to post this.

"Sunday to[sic] two divers off South Florida. Left behind by a commercial dive boat about three miles off Key Biscayne, the divers floated at sea for more than two hours before a passing boat picked them up and brought them to safety just before sundown."

Scuba divers left behind - Sun Sentinel

Thoughts, comments, concerns?

 

[Wookie]

Uhhh there are 10 pages of discussion here:http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ac...aves-divers-open-waters-off-key-biscayne.html