Training Scuba Ranch TX Diving Accident

[pdwh]

To the best of my knowledge yes. I felt like our instructors did a great job in terms of safety - there were 2 dive masters for our pool class for 6 people, in the lake we had probably 6 or 7 dive masters or assistants for 12 people total. Maybe more - there were a lot of new people. I have zero complaints on that. And when I say I had no idea where I was, I didn’t, but I knew where an instructor was and they knew what they were doing. It was still terrifying to be in a 3D/360 degree situation where if I got more than 8 feet or so away from my daughter she would disappear from my sight and I would have NO idea how to find her. I felt like she was pretty confident in her skills and would surface if she was lost - she stayed calm during all the training and responded well to issues when they came up, so I didn’t think she was any more of a risk than most adults and probably less than a lot. We even had a dive master with us on dive #4 the whole time. But yeah, the visibility was scary to me.

Not throwing shade on anyone from this past weekend or any other time in any way, but I want to learn as much as I can as fast as I can. I AM new, but it’s been a life long dream (I’m 46) and I love it even more than I expected to. I understand why someone would be like a dive bum and make just enough money to eat and dive all the time. We did our training then went on a dive trip, and I’ve been using my free time the last ten days to research future dive trips, try to plan outings to practice and build my skills, especially navigation right now, and doing pre reading on AOW and the options for that. I dream diving at night. I’ve never in my life been so driven to do something.

I'm a little over a year in and I've been like that all year. I haven't been in saltwater yet but just hit my 100th dive. It's been fantastic. I've taken so many classes (from several instructors) and learned so much new stuff, and dove enough to practice it and improve. The activity has helped my health tremendously. I'm almost afraid to go to one of those great warm water ocean diving spots with great visibility. I'm not sure I'll come back.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

I'm almost afraid to go to one of those great warm water ocean diving spots with great visibility. I'm not sure I'll come back.

Still looking for something to be skeerd of in that.

 

[pdwh]

Still looking for something to be skeerd of in that.

oh, not fear, but unending wonder and amazement. I can't get enough of diving in a lake with crap visibility and hanging out watching the bass and perch. I think once I dive in the ocean, I'll be stuck.

 

[boulderjohn]

"...we had probably 6 or 7 dive masters or assistants..."

There is a difference for ratio purposes.

Each certified assistant (another instructor, assistant instructors or divemasters) adds 2 students each up to a total of 2 certified assistants for 4 additional students beyond the instructors 8 student limit.

So, the absolute maximum of "students" is 12. However, this can be clouded because anybody else as an "assistant" who is not an instructor, assistant instructor, divemaster or divemaster candidate, adds to the student count toward the maximum of 12 (with 2 divemasters) or a maximum of 8 (with no divemasters). This would include non-assistant instructor, non-divemaster or non-divemaster candidate parents or certified friends.

Divemaster candidates do not count toward increasing the ratio, but also do not count as a student.

It would be very hard for someone who is not truly aware of the credentials of each diver to be able to evaluate any of this. The dive shop I worked for had a situation for several years in which everyone who assisted an OW class (yes, usually in poor visibility) was actually an instructor.

 

[kammel78]

It would be very hard for someone who is not truly aware of the credentials of each diver to be able to evaluate any of this. The dive shop I worked for had a situation for several years in which everyone who assisted an OW class (yes, usually in poor visibility) was actually an instructor.

In this neck of the woods being an "instructor" is worth just about as much as the plastic card it's printed on. I've a harder time finding an instructor I'd willingly dive with than a non-instructor.

 

[kammel78]

In the lakes in this part of the world, viz in the summer approaches 1, often -0- meters. ISYN. One lake it is stirred up silt (Athens - they chemically nuke the water so nothing will grow there). At Scuba Ranch it is algae so thick you could dip it up and spread it on your sammich (if you wanted an algae sammich).

My OW course was at Athens (curse, mumble, mumble grunt...)

I literally could not see the bright yellow flippers on the end of my legs. They would take each diver down one by one as that's all they could see, and it had to be within a couple of feet to get that. You demonstrated the skills, popped back up after maybe five minutes, and the next diver went down with the instructor. These locations are challenging because of that. And the themoclines, particularly at SR, yeah. Nasty.

Oh samsies. Athens...5' vis, mid-70s at 15'. We were in shorties cause no one told us better. Up and down the line one by one, now you're free to go, congrats, you're a diver. Not to mention getting yelled at by idiot owner.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Athens... Not to mention getting yelled at by idiot owner.

"idiot owner"

Bless their hearts.

 

[mcohen1021]

My OW course was at Athens (curse, mumble, mumble grunt...)

I literally could not see the bright yellow flippers on the end of my legs. They would take each diver down one by one as that's all they could see, and it had to be within a couple of feet to get that. You demonstrated the skills, popped back up after maybe five minutes, and the next diver went down with the instructor. These locations are challenging because of that. And the themoclines, particularly at SR, yeah. Nasty.

I was certified before Athens Scuba Park was born - at Squaw Creek, rior to them turning on the nuclear power plant. That was terrible. But I remember (Cliff?) the owner at Athens always telling me "Mark, you shold have been here yesterday, we had 30' ft visibility!" Well at least it was always better than Squaw Creek.

Only thing I've done worse than that is the 4 dives @ Marine Creek Lake this season - one was downright GROSS. And I unfortunately have a 5th coming before winter.

 

[teonchagi]

I’ve been diving at scuba ranch a lot. I did about half my AOW there (including search and recovery) and a lot of just for fun dives. The vis sucks but I’ve always been able to see my buddy at least. I did scream like a banshee when a random object I wasn’t expecting popped out of the murk. I avoid the bottom like the plague.

I’ve gotten turned around there and ended up surfacing to just casually swim back to the dock. That was my first day diving there lol. After that I learned the layout more and was able to navigate ok.

I am just really really curious what happened this weekend. It’s just not a big lake and I can’t fathom what could have gone so wrong.


Here’s a picture from a random dive on the Cessna at scuba ranch.

 

[kammel78]

"idiot owner"

Bless their hearts.

This guy? Calvin D Wilcher