Scuba diver goes missing off Catalina Island

[Leejnd]

Wow. Just...wow. I learned of Laurel's disappearance right after it happened, but I am just hearing today that the boat moved to another site without her aboard.

As always, we need to wait to get confirmation and details, and any speculation about what really happened is just that - speculation. But all I can say is, if this is true...horrifying. Unforgivable. Tragic for all involved. Especially after Drifting Dan. The fact that this happened on a Sundiver boat makes it all the more horrifying.

Roll calls are just so important. It's just so basic! Any boat that doesn't do a person-by-person roll call with eye contact is simply not a boat I want to dive on. Please note I am NOT saying that's what happened - we don't know yet. But I will be watching this closely.

 

[AAdiver69]

This is indeed tragic. She has not been found yet.

I am not trying to diminish the responsibility of any dive operation but...divers do have a responsibility to dive...responsibly. Diving alone...out of sequence with the rest of the divers...no BCD...maybe aggressive diving... can all add up to tragedy for the diver, and the boat.

I've been on the Sundiver Express a lot. They have ALWAYS run a top notch, safe operation when I've been on board. At the same time, I have witnessed several divers diving poorly (poor habits, poor pre-dive checks, no real dive plan, etc) on this boat and MOST boats I've been on.

Divers need to be responsible for themselves.

Where the right gear. Have a way to stay afloat when you are done diving. I always count on the boat NOT being there as a worse case situation. I carry a large SMB and, if diving away from shore (oil rigs) I carry a small, waterproof, VHF radio. Currents change rapidly in SoCal and you may not surface near the boat.

Do the right thing. I personally never jump off a boat until I see that I have been accounted for. When I get back on, I ensure I'm properly accounted for...it's my but on the line after all.

I hope we can find her. Her family needs to know.

Godspeed Laurel

 

[MaxBottomtime]

The Sundiver Express is not a big boat, and with a midweek trip I can't imagine there were many onboard. Missing a diver is inexcusable, especially one who stood out as Laurel did.

 

[Buliwyf]

These are starting to look not so crazy.

 

[ChrisM]

The Sundiver Express is not a big boat, and with a midweek trip I can't imagine there were many onboard. Missing a diver is inexcusable, especially one who stood out as Laurel did.

Phil, was it confirmed off the express?

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I looked on their FB page but they just deleted all posts before January 4.

 

[ChrisM]

I looked on their FB page but they just deleted all posts before January 4.

Article said 48 footer sundiver website said express is a 48er. Answered my own question. And I was wondering if they'd delete the post incident posts. I was surprised anything was there (not that they aren't still accessible)

 

[Peter69_56]

I try and always have an EPIRB with me as I am somewhat paranoid about being left behind. Experienced it once and never again.

I do hope this was not a clearly avoidable incident.

 

[Leejnd]

My husband and I have a sailboat, and are preparing to retire in a couple of years and sail around the Pacific. We both have personal EPIRBs. But we have never taken them diving with us off a dive boat, only our own boat. I'm now rethinking that, big-time.

But I'm still holding out hope that the rumors are not true. While I have not dived on a Sundiver boat (I tend to stick to the boats closer to my home in Ventura County), I know of them and have many friends who are huge fans of the operation, and of Kyaa as a captain. Never heard a single negative comment, only raves. (With the obvious exception of the Drifting Dan case, which was more than a decade ago.) I am crossing all of my fingers and toes that this is not that, and that there is another explanation. Friends of mine who knew Laurel well and loved her are asking that we all reserve judgment until the facts come out.

I know, everyone always says that in these types of threads in this forum. And others will say, that's what this forum is for - to openly talk about the possibilities even if it's before we know all the facts. I find myself wanting to jumping to conclusions, and part of me wants to start the conversation now if only because this is one of THE most basic things in diving. Regardless of whether it's a passenger, crew, or volunteer, you just don't leave a site until you know for SURE that everyone is on board - every single soul. But I'm hearing that there may be other factors, complications - things that make this not so cut-and-dried, if that's even what happened at all.

I'm soooo hoping it's not.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

There is another discussion going on about this on my facebook group and the comments there are that this is indefensible. The fact that this is the second time for this boat is probably the nail in the coffin for it.

Years ago, they may still be doing it, DAN had a system that they sent FOR FREE to any operator. A board with tags. You took a tag when you splashed. When you came up you put it back. If a tag was missing the boat didn't move! How simple is that to do? Evidently it's too hard and too expensive, because free is so much, to implement.

Roll calls are easy to screw up. People moving around, talking, laughing, yelling, puking, etc. Someone answers for their buddy in the head or cabin.

Tags that each diver is physically responsible for are much more reliable. Some systems have you move one from in the water to out when you come back. NO GOOD! Can still be messed up when you tell your buddy to move yours and hers.

If a tag is missing you find out physically why before you go anywhere. Mate or DM checks, Captain verifies, then you move the boat. No one is allowed to remove or hang anothers tag. Get caught doing it? Done diving and banned from the boat.