Texasguy
Contributor
I was in the water around that time, 8:30a-1:00 trip, was near Deerfield pier diving Aqua Zoo. There was very small current and vis was 40ft. Water was choppy but below was peaceful.
One lost off of Deerfield Beach - Florida
- Thread starter DandyDon
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Coast Guard suspends search for 55-year-old diver near Deerfield Beach
MIAMI — The Coast Guard suspended its search for a 55-year old missing diver half a mile south of Deerfield Beach, Wednesday night.
After searching 3,932 square-nautical miles for over 68 hours, officials were unable to locate the diver who was reported missing from a dive boat on Sunday night.
“The Coast Guard’s search and rescue mission is one we take very personally, and it is never easy suspending a search,” said Christopher Eddy, the Coast Guard 7th District’s search and rescue mission coordinator.
Coast Guard Sector Miami watchstanders received notification from the dive boat, Lady Go Diver's, captain stating a man did not resurface after a group dive at 5:55 p.m., just south of Deerfield Beach in Crab Cove.
Involved in the search were Coast Guard Cutter William Trump (WPC-1111), Coast Guard Cutter Manatee (WPB-87363), Coast Guard Cutter William Flores (WPC-1103), Coast Guard Air Station Miami MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and HC-144 airplane crews, Coast Guard Stations Fort Lauderdale and Lake Worth Inlet Response boat crews as well as dive teams and land based agencies from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Lauderdale Fire Department marine units, Boca Raton Fire Department, and Hillsboro Police Department.
MIAMI — The Coast Guard suspended its search for a 55-year old missing diver half a mile south of Deerfield Beach, Wednesday night.
After searching 3,932 square-nautical miles for over 68 hours, officials were unable to locate the diver who was reported missing from a dive boat on Sunday night.
“The Coast Guard’s search and rescue mission is one we take very personally, and it is never easy suspending a search,” said Christopher Eddy, the Coast Guard 7th District’s search and rescue mission coordinator.
Coast Guard Sector Miami watchstanders received notification from the dive boat, Lady Go Diver's, captain stating a man did not resurface after a group dive at 5:55 p.m., just south of Deerfield Beach in Crab Cove.
Involved in the search were Coast Guard Cutter William Trump (WPC-1111), Coast Guard Cutter Manatee (WPB-87363), Coast Guard Cutter William Flores (WPC-1103), Coast Guard Air Station Miami MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and HC-144 airplane crews, Coast Guard Stations Fort Lauderdale and Lake Worth Inlet Response boat crews as well as dive teams and land based agencies from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Lauderdale Fire Department marine units, Boca Raton Fire Department, and Hillsboro Police Department.
seashepherd
Registered
True, however in practice the DMs are experienced pros, with greater situational awareness than most. All of the ones that I know are also excellent at babysitting the underwater tourists. It may not be in their contract, but they do it anyway as great human beings.
I was on that boat Saturday AM.... wow. I was on there last week. And the week before.
I have no buddy in FL since I moved here... I roll onto this boat by myself. They have partnered me with good folks, and I've had mellow dives. Whether the Castor wreck catching a dive with two dozen GG, or a really cool guppy drift on Moray Bend like Saturday... I've had nothing but good experiences.
The boat is responsible for counting divers who return. They are not responsible for divers that don't return. Divers (especially buddyless divers who arrive, like me) are responsible for themselves. You gotta dive to stay found. If you lose your buddy, its never your buddy's fault... its yours.
The boat like this is not here to babysit you once in the water.
Unless there was a medical issue, this diver (respectfully) blew it. I truly hope against the worst.
- K
I have no buddy in FL since I moved here... I roll onto this boat by myself. They have partnered me with good folks, and I've had mellow dives. Whether the Castor wreck catching a dive with two dozen GG, or a really cool guppy drift on Moray Bend like Saturday... I've had nothing but good experiences.
The boat is responsible for counting divers who return. They are not responsible for divers that don't return. Divers (especially buddyless divers who arrive, like me) are responsible for themselves. You gotta dive to stay found. If you lose your buddy, its never your buddy's fault... its yours.
The boat like this is not here to babysit you once in the water.
Unless there was a medical issue, this diver (respectfully) blew it. I truly hope against the worst.
- K
If they're not in the water (and with this op, they're not) how can they do such babysitting?
DM's are here to get divers safely INTO the water, and for those at a pitching ladder (as it has been rough the last several weekends) they are there to get those at the ladder safely back onto the boat. If someone takes a ladder to the chin, they'll dive in and help.
They aren't there to retrieve cameras or fins which drop into the abyss when butterfinger divers flub the hand off....they are there at the end of the dive to assure fatigued divers get back on the deck.
They can't help you if you don't make it back.
- K
seashepherd
Registered
Yup, I get it. That’s great for some. Personally I would never dive from or charter a boat like that. I don’t need help to climb a ladder. If that’s all their DMs do, no wonder bad things happen. sad.
SoFlaDiver954
Contributor
Not everyone wants to be babysat underwater. These boats mainly cater to locals, not vacation divers.
Ana
.
I'm a little surprised with the comments on this thread.
That I know, diving in Southeast Florida (at least Broward and many parts of Palm Beach) has been done "for the most part" without an in-water DMs since the late 80's. There's dozens of charters doing this continuously and I don't think there's any more accidents or incidents here than they are in locations with in-water DMs.
Truly diving here can't be much easier, the only challenge is being on the surface when seas are rough, which is why there's always someone onboard to give a hand in case the diver needs it.
Who knows what happened to this diver, but I doubt having one DM in the water for 6, 8 or more divers, would've changed much of the outcome.
If there's strong current a DM won't be able to show much to anyone, if there's little to no current the diver has all the time they may want to see whatever they may like. Do people really like to be all bunched up with strangers behind one person, instead of doing your thing by yourself or with your buddy?
I just came from Bonaire, very nice diving and was happy to not have to follow anyone on our boat dives, the DM only asked us to go in the same direction as the group, we made a point to take off as fast as possible for the first 5 minutes of the dive and then do our thing at our speed without dealing with anyone. We saw as much or more as the group did, without anyone bumping onto us or witnessing people floundering around.
That I know, diving in Southeast Florida (at least Broward and many parts of Palm Beach) has been done "for the most part" without an in-water DMs since the late 80's. There's dozens of charters doing this continuously and I don't think there's any more accidents or incidents here than they are in locations with in-water DMs.
Truly diving here can't be much easier, the only challenge is being on the surface when seas are rough, which is why there's always someone onboard to give a hand in case the diver needs it.
Who knows what happened to this diver, but I doubt having one DM in the water for 6, 8 or more divers, would've changed much of the outcome.
If there's strong current a DM won't be able to show much to anyone, if there's little to no current the diver has all the time they may want to see whatever they may like. Do people really like to be all bunched up with strangers behind one person, instead of doing your thing by yourself or with your buddy?
I just came from Bonaire, very nice diving and was happy to not have to follow anyone on our boat dives, the DM only asked us to go in the same direction as the group, we made a point to take off as fast as possible for the first 5 minutes of the dive and then do our thing at our speed without dealing with anyone. We saw as much or more as the group did, without anyone bumping onto us or witnessing people floundering around.
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That's a healthy attitude for someone with less than 25 dives. Stick to the tourist boats for now. I've done dives in California and Washington state when I really wished there was a DM guide in the water. I've also dived with some DMs that were not leaders. Experiences vary. Experienced locals don't expect a babysitter.
Never say never. As you dive more and develop confidence in and around the water and become more independent, you are likely to find you don't want or need your hands to be held.
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