Second abalone diver fatality for the season - California

[DandyDon]

Abalone diver dies in Mendocino cliff fall | The Press Democrat

An abalone diver died on the rugged Mendocino County coast Friday, less than a week after the abalone season’s first fatality was reported, according to the Mendocino Volunteer Fire Department.
Firefighters said that the victim and a partner had finished diving at the Mendocino Headlands State Park Friday afternoon and were attempting to climb up the steep cliffs. One diver fell 100 feet back to the rocks below.
The fire department did not identify the victim.
Twenty-one volunteer emergency medical technicians and firefighters responded. A CALSTAR air ambulance, State Parks rangers, Cal Fire and a Mendocino Coast District Hospital ambulance were also dispatched.
A rescue truck, known as “the cliff truck,” was positioned at the edge of the cliff to anchor four firefighters, who rappelled down the cliff to reach the victim.
“It was a difficult spot that involved rappelling down a vertical cliff and over a cave and into some of the surf zone,” Chief Dave Latoof said in a statement. “We sent a team of firefighters that is well trained in rope rescue.”
The rescuers stabilized the victim and placed him inside a basket, which they hauled up the cliff.
The victim was transported to the Mendocino Coast District Hospital in Fort Bragg where he was pronounced dead.
Abalone diver David Alan Longmore of Upper Lake died May 31 near the same location.
Last year, at least six divers died along the Sonoma and Mendocino coasts while hunting for the much-coveted sea snail.

 

[drbill]

Hi, Don. I'm not sure I'd count this as a diving death. Would we then count divers who get in a fatal traffic accident on their way home from the dive site? Fortunately that won't happen to me, at least as long as I'm driving my Dr, Bill Mobile golf cart.

 

[DandyDon]

Hi, Don. I'm not sure I'd count this as a diving death. Would we then count divers who get in a fatal traffic accident on their way home from the dive site? Fortunately that won't happen to me, at least as long as I'm driving my Dr, Bill Mobile golf cart.

It depends on how one chooses to view it. It sounds like a hazardous entry/exit accident to, altho certainly not as much about diving itself as some other risks.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

More info has come out at Abalone diver from Bay Area dies in Mendocino County cliff fall | The Press Democrat

They did not enter where they exited. Given that what happened on the dive caused them to
climb the cliff, I'd chalk this one up as a dive death.


Chuck

 

[drrich2]

Firefighters said that the victim and a partner had finished diving at the Mendocino Headlands State Park Friday afternoon and were attempting to climb up the steep cliffs.

I've never head of anybody climbing a 100 foot (or more) cliff upon exiting a dive. I'm guessing divers, free or scuba, wouldn't be carrying much in the way of rock climbing gear. Can anyone familiar with the area explain what might have happened? Is this an area where if you pop up around the cliff, you either chance it or get swept out to sea or something?

Richard.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I've never head of anybody climbing a 100 foot (or more) cliff upon exiting a dive. I'm guessing divers, free or scuba, wouldn't be carrying much in the way of rock climbing gear. Can anyone familiar with the area explain what might have happened? Is this an area where if you pop up around the cliff, you either chance it or get swept out to sea or something?

Richard.

Depending on what the conditions are it is possible that they got swept into a different cove and had no choice but to try and climb out.
The North Coast is famous for conditions to be fine then a few hours later it goes to hell, especially if there's a big tidal change.
I remember once going out of a harbor at Albion and the seas were a manageable 6 feet. By the time we came back 4 1/2 hours later the seas had climbed to 12.5 feet and we almost didn't make it back into the harbor. I had to time the swells and made a run for it to get in with white water on my tail the whole time, trying to surf the boat and aim for the river inlet without beaching it or ending up on the rocks on the other side. I was never so scared.
I once had to fight a rip for 20 minutes straight to get past a drain out to get back into the cove I went out of. I did finally overcome the rushing water but by the time I got into the lagoon my legs cramped up and I had to recover for about an hour before I could hike back up the trail to the truck. If I would have given up I would have been swept out to sea a ways then I would have to have kicked into another cove nearby with sheer walls and no way up, so failure wasn't an option. That's when I discovered the NOAA condition reports and learned what a full moon did to the tidal exchange.

 

[DandyDon]

This article seems to answer some questions. Bold emphasis mine. Press Democrat | Mobile | Abalone diver from Bay Area dies in Mendocino County cliff fall

An abalone diver who fell to his death while climbing a steep cliff in Mendocino this weekend likely was unaware the upper half of the rock face was comprised of crumbling dirt, Mendocino Fire Chief Ed O'Brien said Monday.

“You wouldn't notice that from the bottom,” he said. “In all my years I've never seen anybody come up or down that cove.”

The diver was identified Monday as Aaron Blaine Smith, 55, of Pittsburgh.

Smith had been diving for abalone with a friend Friday off the north side of Mendocino Headlands State Park, near the town of Mendocino. Rough water may have pushed the two men into a cove not typically used by divers.

There was no obvious trail from the area. They left their gear at the base of the cliff and began a 100-foot ascent to the top. About mid-way up Smith fell, landing on rocks on the beach below.

A large contingent of firefighters, park rangers, deputies and paramedics responded to a 911 call for help, which came in at about 1:30 p.m.

Rescuers rappelled down the cliff with a stretcher. Smith still was alive when firefighters reached him but he stopped breathing as they pulled him up the cliff. Firefighters couldn't perform CPR as they moved up the side of the cliff, O'Brien said.

It took about 45 minutes to get the man to an awaiting Cal Fire helicopter. Smith was pronounced dead at Mendocino Coast District Hospital.

 

[drbill]

I still don't see this as a diving death, just a poor choice in getting back to the starting point.

I prefer to apply the phrase "diving death" to a fatality that actually occurs while diving or due to the dive itself.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I still don't see this as a diving death, just a poor choice in getting back to the starting point.

I prefer to apply the phrase "diving death" to a fatality that actually occurs while diving or due to the dive itself.

I agree.
This could be classified as remotely diving related since they were partaking in the activity prior. But to classify it as directly diving related, no it was not.

Man, you got to know the conditions and what they can do. The North Coast is nothing to screw around with.

 

[Akimbo]

I saw the chopper flying around, an all to common sight here. More often it is for tourists that get too close to the edge or swept off rocks by sleeper waves. In the water or not, it only takes one slipup. The rescue crews and fire department here are all volunteers and do a pretty amazing job... way too often.