Missing diver found dead during Florida lobster mini season

[Ghetto Diver]

It

From what I was told, he was found in SCUBA gear but no fins. Air was on, 2400psi in the tank. BCD was torn around the inflator elbow. Wearing something like 26lbs of lead, still attached.

I was in my LDS when this went down...from what was discussed from people who were out there listening to the chatter, he passed his fins up to his crew, then slipped away. Other than that, I have nothing really certain, but it makes sense.
May he RIP

 

[DandyDon]

I was in my LDS when this went down...from what was discussed from people who were out there listening to the chatter, he passed his fins up to his crew, then slipped away. Other than that, I have nothing really certain, but it makes sense.
May he RIP

Ok, I pass my fins up before my BC, and if I was wearing 26 pounds of lead - I'd either climb wearing the BC or pass the lead up first. So he may have fell in at that point.

I see others remove their reg from mouth before passing BC or climbing, but I never do.

 

[rhwestfall]

I see others remove their reg from mouth before passing BC or climbing, but I never do.

Isn't that part of OW training?

 

[Seaweed Doc]

Isn't that part of OW training?

Generically, yes. Reg or snorkel in if you're in the water. (Should also be positively buoyant on the surface.) But open water training might not involve a boat and details on how you get on board.

 

[Dan]

We are instructed to keep our reg on our mouths until we are safely aboard the boat here in Flower Garden Banks. If we get knock off the ladder after handing off our fins, we would still have the reg to breathe on while we are figuring out how to get back on the boat without the fins.

If I were not incapacitated at the time of the accident, hopefully I would remember to inflate my BCD to stay afloat. If the BCD failed to inflate, then dumping off my weights would be the next thing to do or removing the whole gear off.

 

[rhwestfall]

Thirty years of diving....

When I boat dive, regulator is in my mouth until I sit down.

Any "tourist" place I have been, the captain said it in the brief...

Heck, a surf entry or exit can be a killer too...

Basic stuff.

YMMV

 

[johndiver999]

The water was over 83 degrees, 26 lbs of
Lead is a lot unless the diver is very fat.

 

[nolatom]

Very sorry to hear.
Passing one's fins up with 2400 psi remaining--something's not right with the rig early in the dive?

Let's wait to hear more. Condolences to the family.

 

[AfterDark]

Assuming he was in any condition to do that. The fact that he had gas (time), ditchable weight, and probably experience, I would tend to think that a medical event rendered him incapable of self rescue. The torn BC inflator could have been an issue, or torn during the recovery.


Bob

A medical event from perhaps trying to swim 26lbs of lead and a BCD full of water to the surface? That's a medical in the making for most 70 year old. Made worse by no fins!

Or the effort of getting back to the boat with 26lbs of lead and BCD not holding air was too much by the time he got to the ladder caused a medical issue? If that was case then fins or no fins he was going to sink.

 

[AfterDark]

Very sorry to hear.
Passing one's fins up with 2400 psi remaining--something's not right with the rig early in the dive?

Let's wait to hear more. Condolences to the family.

Evidently the BCD was torn at the elbow for the corrugated hose. Read the thread it's in there, no waiting.

From what I was told, he was found in SCUBA gear but no fins. Air was on, 2400psi in the tank. BCD was torn around the inflator elbow. Wearing something like 26lbs of lead, still attached.

I take a dim view of a "dive boat" that has a ladder that requires the removal of fins. It's like a yacht without a bar IMO. Just not quite complete.