San Diego Dive Fatality 9-29-09

[ShakaZulu]

When you get back in the boat, you first hand over your weight belt, and then you take off the BC??? I would like to know what really happened...

 

[gcbryan]

If this is like every other scuba accident there is nothing to learn from it. If it's health related there is nothing to be learned. If it is due to running out of air and panicking there is nothing to be learned other than the obvious.

Scuba is the only sport I've been involved in where there is almost never anything to be learned from an accident (and that's not a good thing).

 

[DandyDon]

How exactly do you practice dropping a weight belt? Don't you take your weight belt off every time you ungear after diving? Isn't this like practicing opening a door?

I'm all for practice but I've just never considered practicing dropping a weight belt.

Doing it on a deck is one thing, in the water is another. You can disengage your weight belt, but not drop it. It also allows you to practice putting it back on while holding your depth. If you have a weight integrated BC, practice taking out the pouches, then re-inserting them. Just make sure your buddy is aware and there in case you do drop them!

Yep!

On deck or at home you can practice with your eyes closed. In Santa Rosa NM for practice dives with 84 ft depth and muck at the bottom we do a fast grab and stop - but get into the feel of grabbing to pull. Any practice is better than none. We do it at the first of every trip anywhere...

If this is like every other scuba accident there is nothing to learn from it. If it's health related there is nothing to be learned. If it is due to running out of air and panicking there is nothing to be learned other than the obvious.

Scuba is the only sport I've been involved in where there is almost never anything to be learned from an accident (and that's not a good thing).

Wow do we ever disagree. Oh well...

 

[stefo2]

How many here regularly drill on weight dropping so they can in a panic...?

I don't drill it, but I dive regulary from a zodiac where getting back on the boat involves taking your gear off in the water, and if you dive with a belt, like I do, of course that comes off first. So I'm pretty confident it would occur to me naturally and I would be able to do it in a situation where it would become necessary.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Scuba is the only sport I've been involved in where there is almost never anything to be learned from an accident (and that's not a good thing).

Maybe that's because it's not really a sport.

When little Johnny crashes his bicycle flying down Kansas Ave (Potrero Hill, S.F.) and ends up partially paralized even though he was wearing his helmet, are there internet forums dwelling on the fact that we can't learn anything from it a week after that recreational accident?

SCUBA is just a recreation that if you screw up badly enough doing it you can die. It's even more dangerous if you are not in the best health and fitness. Then add in questionable decisions with regards to experience, ability and equipment; hell I think there is plenty to learn here even though SCUBA is not a sport.

 

[openmindOW]

Weight-ditching issues worry me. I have my OW students practice ditching with both a weight-belt and with my Shop's rental BCDs, which are weight-integrated. But some things can complicate weight-ditching under stress.

For example, weight-belts can move. We dive in cold water and our students wear 7 mil wetsuits. At depth, the 7 mils compress, and the belt can shift. In class, we remind our sudents to tighten their belts at depth. But can people forget to do so? Of course. It is possible for a diver's buckle to shift so that the buckle can slide under the BCD toward the diver's back. That could be a scarey thing for a panicky diver.

 

[ItsBruce]

Weight-ditching issues worry me. I have my OW students practice ditching with both a weight-belt and with my Shop's rental BCDs, which are weight-integrated. But some things can complicate weight-ditching under stress.

For example, weight-belts can move. We dive in cold water and our students where 7 mil wetsuits. At depth, the 7 mils compress, and the belt can shift. In class, we remind our sudents to tighten their belts at depth. But can people forget to do so? Of course. It is possible for a diver's buckle to shift so that the buckle can slide under the BCD toward the diver's back. That could be a scarey thing for a panicky diver.

Interesting point. I'm going to have to see if my weight belt shifts next time I'm diving. And, yes, I'm going to practice ditching it.

 

[drbill]

When you get back in the boat, you first hand over your weight belt, and then you take off the BC??? I would like to know what really happened...

Roy, I never hand over my weight belt when I return to a dive boat. In fact I rarely see anyone doing that unless they have medical or strength issues. My weight belt comes off after I remove my BCD on board.

I've been asked by the captain to retrieve weight belts which were dropped when divers removed them before boarding and the transfer failed. To me they pose a potential threat to divers below the boat.

Is this a practice promoted by some agencies? I don't remember it when I was certified in the 60s. But then it was the 60s, I was there and I don't remember much from that era!

 

[Teamcasa]

Roy, I never hand over my weight belt when I return to a dive boat. In fact I rarely see anyone doing that unless they have medical or strength issues. My weight belt comes off after I remove my BCD on board.

I've been asked by the captain to retrieve weight belts which were dropped when divers removed them before boarding and the transfer failed. To me they pose a potential threat to divers below the boat.

Is this a practice promoted by some agencies? I don't remember it when I was certified in the 60s. But then it was the 60s, I was there and I don't remember much from that era!

California diving may be different due to the size of our boats and their large swim platforms.

When we were diving in Hawaii we went out on a few different smaller boats that had single ladders. The routine was to hand up the weights first, BCD second followed by your fins. After that, we could climb up the small ladder and board the boat.

 

[FishOutUvH2O]

Like Teamcasa said, handing off the weight belt first is usually only done when the BC is going to be taken off and handed-up as well. I haven't encountered a situation, CA, or any other place that requires, or asks a person to hand-up their weight belt when they're going to re-board wearing their BC. Anyone encounter this?