Post-Conception Disaster: what you learned & will change

[Edward3c]

I've only done one LOB in 40 years diving. I was thinking of doing more now I'm getting older, but they're off my options list - for good.

 

[Manatee Diver]

From reading the other Conception threads, I learned just how selfish and entitled photographers can be and anyone else who feels that plugging in and charging lithium ion batteries on a live aboard type boat is a god given inalienable right.

Inalienable right? No not really, but the liveaboard industry doesn't have an inalienable right to my money. If they want me to spend $2k or often more on their liveaboard they better have a safe way for me to charge my cameras, lights, and other batteries, if they don't you aren't seeing my money. And I am sure that many share my opinions.

 

[Altamira]

I am sure not all liveaboards are the same as far as safety and amenities are concerned, especially emergency exit placement and numbers. From my perspective, being on a liveaboard that only has one realistic emergency exit from sleeping quarters housing 34 people, and an iffy roving safety monitor policy would be like cave diving on a single 63cf tank with no backup or training. Crazy!

 

[lexvil]

This incident just reaffirmed, to me, that people are F’n funny, they see something happen and can put themselves into the situation and become fearful yet can easily dismiss things like mask wearing and driving (covid and driving to dive are much more of a hazard)

This past Saturday driving to Monterey at 0300 crossing the valley I saw lights ahead as I got closer a smashed car and a power pole were in the road. On the way home I got stuck in traffic it took 2 hours to go what is usually a 10 minute part of the route and this was alongside the road

As I crossed through Santa Nelly to get on Hwy 5 I saw traffic slowing and looked over to the southbound side at the bottom of a cat on its side. 3 nasty accidents (don’t know if any were fatal) yet I still drive and so does everyone else.

I feel we as people are slow to adapt, for instance lithium batteries have become so commonplace yet we ignore the hazards! Some of the same people hare taking potshots at TA also refuse to wear a mask during the pandemic, 220,000 + people have died from the covid and many many more will have long term problems from it yet masks are “stupid” and I agree they suck but not as much as cloaking to death on ones own juices.

I hope some official actions are forced onto the dive board industry to mitigate this sort of thing from happening again, it will take regulations and an active enforcement agency, this will cost us all money and it’s money well spent and in the best case scenario it will look like money wasted because it will never happen again, at least until a new hazard comes into our lives that will have to cause serious harm before it’s addressed.

I choose to use reasonable precautions to mitigate danger where possible but to not live is fear and paranoia.

 

[drrich2]

I was on the Peace for a couple of day trips to Anacapa a number of years ago. I remember going down to the bunks, dropping my stuff off and thinking to myself "I'm not comfortable staying down here. It feels like I'm trapped." I would hang out on deck or in the upper cabin area. I was much more comfortable there.

You bring up a point here that could be a 'game changer' for some people. On Caribbean live-aboards I've been on, there's generally a top deck that's partially covered and has lounge chairs, and while it can get windy at sea the night's aren't all that cold.

A customer could, in theory I suppose, choose to sleep on a lounge chair on the top deck. If the thought of being trapped/confined below deck is troubling enough, you could tell the crew you get a bit claustrophobic at night on boats and sleep best under the stars. That's non-accusatory, non-confrontational and deals with the concern.

Wonder how many new 'claustrophobics' we'll see on live-aboards?

 

[Laurie S.]

I had always wanted to try a liveaboard and finally did one in the Red Sea in August last year. Later during the trip, while in Indonesia, the Conception tragedy occurred. Two weeks after returning home, the Red Sea Aggressor had a similar fire, that would have been just as tragic if one of the passengers hadn't awakened and raised the alarm. Even then a life was lost. I was on an identical ship to the Aggressor (Blue Horizon) in the Red Sea and was very concerned about what I was seeing during that week. No, I will not do another liveaboard for several reasons, only one being safety.

 

[lostsheep]

They blatantly disregarded safety regs and that disregard ended up killing 34 people. Does that mean nothing to you?

I saw this shortly after you posted and didn't want to reply hastily.

Of course 34 people's lives mean something to me . As alluded to before, the divers were mostly from my neck of the woods and I had met several in passing. I attended one of the funerals and my direct dive buddies knew several very well.

I do not believe there was any nefarious intent and I know how I would feel had I been one of the victims; I would want people to carry on.

 

[100days-a-year]

I am not claustrophobic or cleithrophobic but I do have dumasaphobia. I have been able to avoid liveaboards and cattle boats by owning my own boats and traveling in early life on taxpayer money.
I love some of my charter boat captain friends but refuse to let many people " other passengers " the ability to adversely affect my safety and comfort. Rather commercial dive with a bunch of reprobates that I do trust.

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

A night watch seems like a good idea. On our last liveaboard trip (after the conception fire) the captain introduced the new "extra" crew member: the dedicated night watch person. This was the first time there was a night watch.

On every LOB I have been on the below deck rooms had 2 exit options: the normal stairs and a very separate exit (one boat it went forward and another it went backwards through the engine room).

Battery charging has always been outside on the dive deck.

 

[chris kippax]

I learnt that your safety is your responsibility. No one cares for your safety as much as you do.
Be educated and make informed decisions.