Scuba diver dies after being found floating at Kurnell, NSW, Australia

[redacted]

Agreed! For some, it's a bizarre competition on who has the smallest, lowest lift 'micro-wing', with no reserve capacity for contingencies (over weighting miscalculation, strong downdraft currents, buddy rescues). Whatever caused Quero's emergency, 'surplus' wing lift capacity would have saved her life!

And then there are those who are so proud of their low air consumption. I'm have trouble coming to grips about where almost 20 cu ft of gas went in a rather short time in shallow water. It is fairly clear this is not a single problem or single bad decision accident. It looks like it may have involved more than just a couple factors. A half dozen or more would not surprise me at this point, any one of which may have made the difference.

 

[AfterDark]

Agreed! For some, it's a bizarre competition on who has the smallest, lowest lift 'micro-wing', with no reserve capacity for contingencies (over weighting miscalculation, strong downdraft currents, buddy rescues). Whatever caused Quero's emergency, 'surplus' wing lift capacity could have saved her life!

+1 there! I use a 94lb lift wing! Why? It gives me the lift to get ANYONE off the bottom under any conditions. Plus I got it really cheap!

 

[DandyDon]

+1 there! I use a 94lb lift wing! Why? It gives me the lift to get ANYONE off the bottom under any conditions. Plus I got it really cheap!

The risk of using my 60# lift or your 94# lift to bring someone or thing up is if we lose contact, the extra lift can shoot us up like a Polaris. I still like having the option, and getting high on the surface if desired.

Someone wants to travel with their little 12# lift wing/BC - fine, but please call it a Tropical wing/BC - not suitable for colder water with heavy wetsuits or dry suits. Yeah, a balanced rig would have been the answer, but mistakes happen, miscounts, etc. I am not a shore diving fan, and I am amazed that she could walk all that gear & excess lead in & out of the water with that huge camera - until she couldn't.

 

[Dive Bug Bit Me]

I maybe come out on the other side of the debate. I've done some big dives with multiple stages on my #45 wing. I balance the rig before the dive and the additional lift I need is minuscule. I don't see the need for a monster wing flapping behind me. Just enough to lift me and a buddy.

 

[Jax]

Why were the weights not ditched(?) is a very logical question, that I so far have not seen answered.

Exactly, and if anyone is practiced in ditching weight, it is an instructor.


This made be take my new crushed neoprene to the pool. I find I can swim up two HP 100's way more easily, and the suit itself will inflate and lift easily. Compared to a trilam.

 

[Cave Diver]

Many good points being made and possibilities brought up. Question: Where was her buddy?

Now I'm as or more guilty than anyone of not being a good buddy in that I drift off and do my own thing. That said I've had buddies that just will not let me do that. Every time I think "check on X" there he'd be right behind, above and to my right, every time! It was almost annoying. A much better buddy than I. Darn shame she didn't have a buddy like that.

From what I was told, during the entire dive Marcia was constantly drifting away from her buddies, causing them to have to continually keep track and keep up with her. She was asked several times to remain closer and she shrugged it off. The last time this happened was when they surfaced. I've dove with inattentive buddies before, and it's quite a chore keeping up with someone if they're not willing to do their part.

 

[dshorwich]

Quero responded she had 50 bar

Her gauge showed 10 bar but the tank was empty. Also, she had about 26 lbs weight using a 10 litre (80 cf) steel tank

I'm have trouble coming to grips about where almost 20 cu ft of gas went in a rather short time in shallow water.

If she was using an HP tank, and her gauge was reading 10 bar too high, then she may have had only about 13 cuft of gas left when she redescended. If it was an LP tank, then appx. 20 cuft would be seem to be correct. (If I've miscalculated, I'd appreciate being corrected.) Does anyone know if the tank was LP or HP?

 

[Diver0001]

Why were the weights not ditched(?) is a very logical question, that I so far have not seen answered.

The weights were not ditched. Why is a mystery. From what I know at least part of the weights were in integrated weight pockets and the mechanism was tested and appeared to be ok.
R..

 

[AfterDark]

The risk of using my 60# lift or your 94# lift to bring someone or thing up is if we lose contact, the extra lift can shoot us up like a Polaris. I still like having the option, and getting high on the surface if desired.

Someone wants to travel with their little 12# lift wing/BC - fine, but please call it a Tropical wing/BC - not suitable for colder water with heavy wetsuits or dry suits. Yeah, a balanced rig would have been the answer, but mistakes happen, miscounts, etc. I am not a shore diving fan, and I am amazed that she could walk all that gear & excess lead in & out of the water with that huge camera - until she couldn't.

I'm pretty well practiced from bring up bags of shellfish with my UniSuit back in the old days.

These days I use a lift bag for things but would only use my wing for a diver. I have more control using my wing. I recall a story of a diver turned sand dart at the U853 in 120fsw after giant striding off the boat. His buddy finished him off by attaching a lift bag to him and inflating it. He arrived at the surface dead.

 

[Progen]

Exactly, and if anyone is practiced in ditching weight, it is an instructor.


This made be take my new crushed neoprene to the pool. I find I can swim up two HP 100's way more easily, and the suit itself will inflate and lift easily. Compared to a trilam.

Perhaps I'm a newbie so that's why I'm saying that when someone's under pressure as in life threatening pressure, even the most intensive of training can vanish in an instant. Way I look at it, as a newbie of course, there's a difference in ditching your weights as a demonstration and ditching it because you have no more air, am in an unfamiliar configuration and just MUST get to the surface IMMEDIATELY.