San Diego Dive Fatality 9-29-09

[uwscotch]

There is a very active investigation going on at this point.

 

[Leejnd]

And I hope that anyone who drills does it to prevent panic. I don't know how much good it does once panic sets in.

Good point. And also just a good reminder to do drills at all! This is particularly pertinent to me right now - I leave on Thursday on a trip that ends with a week in the Galapagos, and we'll be diving for two days there. My husband and I have done a couple of skills and drills dives recently, in preparation.

And on the topic of diving in areas that are new to you, here's what WE did in advance of our trip:

1. Read every post we could find in the South America forum about the Galapagos
2. Found links to blogs about Galapagos diving, and read them
3. Researched the sites, and chose sites that we felt were within our skill levels (eschewing sites known for super-strong currents, for example - who wants to work hard while on vacation?)
4. Watched posted videos of dives at the sites we're going to, so we could get a feel for what we would experience
5. Posted questions in the South America forum about the sites, to get some answers about the types of challenges we might encounter
6. Had several in-depth PM discussions with members who have experience diving in the Galapagos
7. Did research on the different dive ops, and chose one that is well reviewed

Some of what we learned about Galapagos diving includes:

1. We'll be diving off small boats, and will do backward rolls to enter
2. The dives will all be drift dives
3. We'll be wearing 3-mil wetsuits, lighter than we're used to, so we will need less weight. We will do buoyancy checks on the first day, when we'll be diving easy sites in a calm bay with no currents.
4. At one of the sites on the second day, we'll probably have to descend immediately upon backward rolling (there's a term for this type of entry, but can't remember what it is) because the surface tends to be really choppy with strong current. Consequently, hubby will be wearing his specially-designed scuba earplugs that help him to quickly clear his ears, because without them he tends to take too long and the surface current could whisk him away before he can get down to the reef where the currents dissipate.

...and more. The point is, even though I've never dived in the Galapagos before, I have a very good idea what to expect, and won't be surprised at the conditions and challenges unique to the area.

If everyone did this before they dove a new location, I suspect this forum would have far fewer threads.

 

[Thalassamania]

Please ... tell me about the ear plugs.

 

[Teamcasa]

...How many here regularly drill on weight dropping so they can do it and not [-]in a[/-] panic...?

I think this is what you meant.

Practicing skills should in most cases stave off panic but should it set it, all of the rules change.

 

[Leejnd]

Please ... tell me about the ear plugs.

Scuba Diving Earplugs

My husband has very narrow eustacian tubes. It takes him FOREVER to equalize. In our first year of diving, he kept getting barotrauma. Each time, he had to stop diving for long periods of time to let it heal. Drove me crazy. A DM recommended these earplugs. He's been using them ever since. They really do make a difference - with them, he can clear almost as quickly as I can. Without them, I get bored sitting on the bottom waiting for him. Two months ago he did a dive without them and took so long to clear that we ended up getting swept off the dive site by current, and missed the Underwater Island (back side of Anacapa) entirely! That was a loooong surface swim back to the boat.

Anyway, they work for him. He doesn't like wearing them because they bug him a bit, so he only wears them when there's going to be current and a good reason to descend quickly. I wish he'd wear them every time.

 

[Teamcasa]

Unfortunately I am fully aware of the details involving this fatality as well as the near drowning at La Jolla Shores. There is a very active investigation going on at this point. I will not post any details regarding this event. People will have to wait it out because there may be various charges involved in this death.

Thanks.

However, despite the actual facts, in this forum many members run through different scenarios in order to share and learn how to prevent similar issues when they dive.

 

[Teamcasa]

Scuba Diving Earplugs Anyway, they work for him.

That's all that really matters.

 

[scubadada]

Why wasn't someone, a buddy, a divemaster, another diver, able to save this unfortunate diver from death? I don't understand how someone very near the boat, on the surface, was allowed to redescend and die.

 

[Thalassamania]

I have trouble with that too.

 

[Teamcasa]

Why wasn't someone, a buddy, a divemaster, another diver, able to save this unfortunate diver from death? I don't understand how someone very near the boat, on the surface, was allowed to redescend and die.

That seems to be a reoccurring question.