Navarre accident

[MRXRAY]

I am still a bit lost on the details behind the group of three and what may have went awry there. Hopefully this information will be shared soon.

I can't say what happened after the 2 divers left me and Scuba066 to go for the person that drowned, and I quite frankly feel to awkward about asking. I saw the other two divers who went back for the girl who passed at the funeral Saturday, but nothing was said of the incident. I imagine it may stay this way for some time if not indefinitely. So we may never know what happened from the time Scuba066 and I submerged to the time that Andrea was pulled from the surf.

 

[ScubaSteve]

.........I quite frankly feel to awkward about asking........

I want to thank you for your involvement to this point on the thread. And I can say only this.....I cannot blame you for feeling awkward about asking for information. At no point will you be asked to in this forum. This forum would benefit from additional information however it should never be at the expense of anybody. Again, thank you for your information.

 

[MRXRAY]

Mr. XRay, thank you very much for this post. It made me think on it and yes, I am one of those divers whose Reg just dangles behind them. Although I am 99.9% a boat diver, the rule is the same: you shouldn't take your reg out until you are on dry land or the boat! But we all know that it happens. So next time I'm at the scuba shop, instead of buying some new fancy gadget for diving or for my underwater camera, I'm going "back to basics" and buying a strong clip to be sure my reg is always close by.

And that - if nothing else - is what this forum is for.

Thanks again!
Trish

Trish and everyone else, Get your gear squared away! Imagine stepping into a trough and then getting rolled by a wave...... Where is your reg? Maybe you get rolled again now by another wave, you're sweeping for your reg but it's not there......Maybe because you're upside down? I have spoke to a lot of surfers who have gotten rolled by waves who started swimming for the surface only to hit bottom. Surf can really disorient you especially when you are close to shore and may have your mask off. Get your gear where you know it's going to be all the time. Think about a retractor or clip for your gauges, and a hose clip or necklace for your regulator(s). A valuable lesson can be taken from the cave community when we get our gear on. Just look at them and you'll understand. When I reach for something, it's in its place every time no matter if I'm upside down, I can see or not. Make your gear this way and I think everyone will be safer.

 

[Missdirected]

I can't say what happened after the 2 divers left me and Scuba066 to go for the person that drowned, and I quite frankly feel to awkward about asking. I saw the other two divers who went back for the girl who passed at the funeral Saturday, but nothing was said of the incident. I imagine it may stay this way for some time if not indefinitely. So we may never know what happened from the time Scuba066 and I submerged to the time that Andrea was pulled from the surf.

nvm I re-read your post (39). I think I have it right? It appears;
* five submerged
* once on the other side of the trough 4 re-grouped
* upon re-grouping, it was realized one diver was missing and noted that she was still back at the entry point
* during re-group; two divers continue with dive plan, and two abort the dive to return to shore and the diver that did not show for re-grouping

Mr. XRay - I am in agreement ScubaSteve's last post.

Tricia - personally I have a necklace and love, love, love it. As x-ray said, I believe your gear should always be right there for you. I can find stuff on my set-up blind, if need be.

I don't know that that trough will ever fill in. One dive spot I frequent, Venice Beach, has a couple of troughs. I encountered a new one recently. You have to be prepared - otherwise that water is over your head before you know it.

 

[MRXRAY]

nvm I re-read your post (39). I think I have it right? It appears;
* five submerged
* once on the other side of the trough 4 re-grouped
* upon re-grouping, it was realized one diver was missing and noted that she was still back at the entry point
* during re-group; two divers continue with dive plan, and two abort the dive to return to shore and the diver that did not show for re-grouping

That is correct. Let me add though......

* upon re-grouping, it was realized one diver was missing and noted that she was still back at the entry point standing in waist deep water facing toward the beach.

 

[TSandM]

We had a diver die here in the Seattle area a year or two ago, who was walking along a line of rocks, and apparently was knocked off them by a wave. It was at the beginning of the dive, so he had a full tank, but he drowned. I was sad, and furious when I heard that. There is no reason an event like that, or falling in the surf, should result in a death (unless, of course, somebody hits their head on the rock or something of that sort, but it doesn't sound as though that was a possibility in this accident, and it was very unlikely in ours).

I have fallen in the shallows, in surf and in quiet water. It has been very comforting to know that my backup regulator is directly under my chin, and it takes less than a second to find it and put it in my mouth. I honestly think that, in most people's diving careers, the bungied backup is going to same THEM far more times than the long hose primary is likely to save anybody else.

I took away from our accident, that I needed to be really meticulous to be sure that I was ready to be underwater ANY time my feet were wet. Mask on, BC inflated, reg at hand. That way, if I end up "diving unexpectedly", it's an inconvenience, and not a tragedy.

 

[Nemrod]

I have dove there off and on for many years and several similar places along that coast. I usually find the dive to be very benign as you would expect. However, the surf can be a problem and more importantly there can be strong longshore currents. Last time I was there, summer before last, I used my kayak to get out and act as a surface float (I had no BC or any of that crap). I had a good dive but was constantly fighting a strong current that was being funneled by a sandbar. My kayak tow rope became entangled on a piling and when I went up to set it free I stupidly got down surf/current of the yak and a wave lifted it up and down on my head it came, nearly knocking me unconscious, everything went black except for the stars, my mask was knocked off and then the yak hammered me against the piling several more times just for good measure. I pushed it off and weakly held the line and just drifted to regain my senses, before I knew it I was hundreds of yards down shore from my entry point. Had I been separated from my yak or had I tried to swim against that current I would not be here. Even little, simple, shallow, baby dives like Navarre Pier can be dangerous under some conditions, I suppose the Boy Scouts motto is relevant, always be prepared. Having been tired by the current I was fixating on a problem, the tangled rope, and not the real problem, the current that was tiring me out. I should have abandoned the dive or cut it short before becoming so fatigued. N

 

[ReefHound]

That is correct. Let me add though......

* upon re-grouping, it was realized one diver was missing and noted that she was still back at the entry point standing in waist deep water facing toward the beach.

This would seem to indicate a problem from the get go. Five divers had agreed to a plan and for some reason one did not follow the plan. Perhaps she submerged and popped back up or never submerged. A lot of possibilities here from being under weighted to equipment issues (air off, mask fogging, etc) to stress/anxiety or even medical. And it could be an independent issue not relevant to the outcome.

That she was facing toward the beach is odd. As if making her way out of the water or dealing with some issue. Did she ever turn around and see the other group on the surface? Did the two who aborted return above or below the surface?

 

[MRXRAY]

Did she ever turn around and see the other group on the surface? Did the two who aborted return above or below the surface?

I did not see or am I aware of either. I have not had a conversation related to diving with either of the two that returned to shore but I would like to ask what happened after I submerged, but right now I feel it's not a good time. Maybe in the future we'll have that conversation or we'll hear something from the medical examiner.

 

[snepdiver]

I would like to thank all of you that are active in discussing this incident. It has been a very informative discussion. Everytime I think of a question I want to ask or a comment I want to post, I log on and someone has beat me to it. I think that is great. We are all trying to learn from this tradegy.