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

[boulderjohn]

I have hesitated to say this because it is a bit macabre....

I have never participated in a scuba body recovery, but I read a very detailed description of a recovery from a cave a year or so ago. (It is posted in ScubaBoard if someone wants to seek it out.) In this case, an OW diver ventured into a cave and even went into a very small restriction, where he died. It is not clear whether he took his gear off in order to enter the restriction or in an attempt to escape, but he was separated from his BCD. What was interesting to me was the detail (mentioned twice) that the recovery was especially difficult because of how negatively buoyant the body was. Note that this is not a body with any weights on it at all. I am wondering if in death our bodies might not become much more negative, likely due to the loss of every last bit of air from the lungs.

 

[Steve_C]

One of the first principles of solo diving is that it should not be a pinnacle dive. Solo dives should be within your training and skill. For some, like me with only a few dry suit dives, diving a dry suit is a pinnacle dive for some time after they get the dry suit.

 

[DandyDon]

I have hesitated to say this because it is a bit macabre....

I have never participated in a scuba body recovery, but I read a very detailed description of a recovery from a cave a year or so ago. (It is posted in ScubaBoard if someone wants to seek it out.) In this case, an OW diver ventured into a cave and even went into a very small restriction, where he died. It is not clear whether he took his gear off in order to enter the restriction or in an attempt to escape, but he was separated from his BCD. What was interesting to me was the detail (mentioned twice) that the recovery was especially difficult because of how negatively buoyant the body was. Note that this is not a body with any weights on it at all. I am wondering if in death our bodies might not become much more negative, likely due to the loss of every last bit of air from the lungs.

I think it depends on water temps. In warmer water, buoyancy increases from biological actions.

 

[Cave Diver]

I think it depends on water temps. In warmer water, buoyancy increases from biological actions.

Depending on water temps, that can take days. Bodies tend to sink initially, because water takes the place of air in the lungs, (generally) making it negative. After decomp sets in and gasses start to accumulate, the body will float as positive buoyancy is established.

 

[sydney-diver]

I received a wake up call at a dive site close to where this incident occurred with the size of my wing. I was diving with my drysuit when one of the zip seals failed and the suit flooded. It was extremely difficult to swim to the surface, I had to fin as hard as I could and each time I stopped I would sink again. I was ready to ditch weight and then I could have ascended easily but I can see how you could go through air much quicker than normal in such a situation - as an earlier poster mentioned it's easy to get fixated when you're close to panic. I now only use the small wing for tropical diving.

 

[tracydr]

I am so angry at Quero. I am sure she could have rented or borrowed the appropriate wing. Surely she must have noticed, in previous dives, that her wing was underperforming? Didn't somebody mention that she was overweighted? I'm just so mad at her for not doing what she knew was the right thing.
Just needed to get that off my chest. Thanks!

---------- Post added October 14th, 2013 at 03:10 PM ----------

I received a wake up call at a dive site close to where this incident occurred with the size of my wing. I was diving with my drysuit when one of the zip seals failed and the suit flooded. It was extremely difficult to swim to the surface, I had to fin as hard as I could and each time I stopped I would sink again. I was ready to ditch weight and then I could have ascended easily but I can see how you could go through air much quicker than normal in such a situation - as an earlier poster mentioned it's easy to get fixated when you're close to panic. I now only use the small wing for tropical diving.

During my drysuit class, I found out that my old jacket BC wasn't capable of floating me. I later found out that it also had a slight leak. I think back to that week with terror. I actually "made-do" for several days, knowing that my wing wasn't capable of floating me on the surface,because I was out of town and I didn't want to make an expensive purchase at an island dive shop without many options.Scary!

 

[DandyDon]

I received a wake up call at a dive site close to where this incident occurred with the size of my wing. I was diving with my drysuit when one of the zip seals failed and the suit flooded. It was extremely difficult to swim to the surface, I had to fin as hard as I could and each time I stopped I would sink again. I was ready to ditch weight and then I could have ascended easily but I can see how you could go through air much quicker than normal in such a situation - as an earlier poster mentioned it's easy to get fixated when you're close to panic. I now only use the small wing for tropical diving.

The main reason we have this forum and discuss these issues..!

During my drysuit class, I found out that my old jacket BC wasn't capable of floating me. I later found out that it also had a slight leak. I think back to that week with terror. I actually "made-do" for several days, knowing that my wing wasn't capable of floating me on the surface,because I was out of town and I didn't want to make an expensive purchase at an island dive shop without many options.Scary!

 

[tkdgodess]

Interesting how this unfolding in discussions. From using unfamiliar gear, not heeding advice from experienced local divers, decided to descend again with low on air to what 13 meters, choosing to ignore or leave buddies, not ditching weight. Time to eat some humble pie and leave your ego at the door reminder for seasoned diver pros and divers. Glad i've never taken the light ribbing for my 55 pound wing for my steel doubles to heart. Its big, its pink, it floats my rig...

 

[AfterDark]

My 94lb wing has caused me some "light ribbing" also. Tell it some who cares is my response.

 

[tracydr]

Just a clarification. Apparently, Quero re-descended to less than 3 meters and was found at this depth.