One dead and one Missing at Buford Springs (FL, USA)

[SlugLife]

re: Cave Sign

Based on the police-report and the Facebook reports (rumors), it sounds like these two divers wouldn't have cared whether or not there was a sign.

re: Report

I'd like to see the diver's computer-logs myself, for both dives and both divers in addition to the report.

 

[Manatee Diver]

Based on the police-report and the Facebook reports (rumors), it sounds like these two divers wouldn't have cared whether or not there was a sign.

Maybe, maybe not. But it is a pretty minor cost to hopefully stop most people.

 

[lostsheep]

Is going to 137 in an overhead with a single tank and a buddy stupid?

Yes

 

[kelemvor]

Personally I am putting my trust that the accident board will release a factual report in the next couple of weeks. This is their first opportunity to show the cave community that there is a changing attitude about accident analysis. So I am going to give them a chance and largely refrain for speculation until then.

I've heard some rumblings that there are changes in the wind as well. Therefore, I'm optimistic that this will be the first accident with a timely release of details.

 

[Manatee Diver]

I've heard some rumblings that there are changes in the wind as well. Therefore, I'm optimistic that this will be the first accident with a timely release of details.
View attachment 729889

I have a thread in the cave forum with the video from the NSS-CDS conference where they (Jon Bernot and Charlie Robinson) announced it.

 

[johndiver999]

Yes

So 137 depth there is stupid.. That seems like a pretty clear and definitive answer/opinion - rather than pure speculation. I'm not too familiar with that site myself.

At what depth would not be stupid, in your opinion?
How many feet away was the body from the "smart" versus the "stupid" distance/depth?

 

[Josh the diver]

So 137 depth there is stupid.. That seems like a pretty clear and definitive answer/opinion - rather than pure speculation. I'm not too familiar with that site myself.

At what depth would not be stupid, in your opinion?
How many feet away was the body from the "smart" versus the "stupid" distance/depth?

well padi, TDI, and SSI say for cavern diving no more than 130' linear distance in to a cavern so if you are at 137' you are past both recreational depth limits and penetrative distance.

 

[DeepSea]

I don't think you can get to 137 without actively swimming back into the cave.

It is easier than you think, if you go to the right of the "big rock" @ ~127, you can go behind a boulder pile near some source seeps and get to 140.

 

[Bowers]

So 137 depth there is stupid.. That seems like a pretty clear and definitive answer/opinion - rather than pure speculation. I'm not too familiar with that site myself.

At what depth would not be stupid, in your opinion?
How many feet away was the body from the "smart" versus the "stupid" distance/depth?

Besides for agency standards and potential for narcosis causing problems.. at 5atm the “average” unstressed diver can make an al80 last 15minutes. [77cf/(1cfx5ata)] Thats not accounting air used getting there and having enough to get back to the surface at a safe speed. Now put a diver under stress and his air consumption doubles so the tank lasts only 8 minutes, then make him share air with another stressed diver who had a failure and the tank gives you 4 minutes. Then account for a need to do a 4.5 minute ascent to arrive safely at the surface as well as subtract what air it took during the decent to depth…. If nothing goes wrong you can make the dive without issue, but you’re gambling on your life that you and your buddy won’t have a regulator problem and/or won’t have anxiety if you end up sharing air..

 

[JahJahwarrior]

NSS-CDS minimum starting gas volume is 40cuft for cavern diving, or 75cuft for cave diving. 75cuft in an al80 is 2,895psi...of course, they clearly violated multiple rules, but I hadn't seen this one called out. I remember Rich Courtney making us do the math between each dive to confirm we had enough gas to start, and confirming turn pressures based on who had the lower cuft, real fun with dissimilar tank sizes...but it's kept me alive, so there's that...