Six left at sea - Thailand

[DandyDon]

I did my OW a little over 2 months ago and never was a SMB, sausage, DSMB, or anything similar even mentioned in the class (except maybe briefly in the classroom materials).

About a month ago I went I my first ocean trip to the Keys, I got my AOW on the trip and again, never was a SMB mentioned nor did the instructor or boat crew even ask / check if anyone had one. I actually did have one (and a line cutter, another item which was never mentioned in classes) because I'd done research on my own and determined that I wasn't getting in the ocean without one.

The first time an instructor mentioned to me that I need an SMB was when I signed up and did the classroom for the drift specialty, at this point it was said I'd need an SMB as they are required on drift dives.

In short, I'm not sure anyone should be surprised that new divers don't have SMBs as (from my experience with one of the certifying agencies) new divers aren't told about them and how important they can be. Of all the things I've done in my life that have required me to get licensed or certified my diving certifications have quite honestly been the most lacking.

I know, I got my SMB after reading a story in a dive magazine before my first trip. Padi is adding SMBs to OW at the first of the year I think.

 

[Skittl1321]

Still, every newbie should have enough sense to carry an SMB. Even I did when I was new, and it's been on every dive with me since. Good that Padi is going to start teaching those in OW next year.

I'm glad PADI is adding it to their course. I wouldn't have even known these things existed if it weren't for scubaboard. How does one "have enough sense to carry" it if they don't even know they are a thing? We were taught about dive flags, but that's it.

I'm unable to use a DSMB, but we have an SMB to put in our BCD pockets when we dive in the ocean. Hopefully we'll never touch the things.

 

[MMM]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

There have been a few people in this thread asking about/suggesting that the dive shop name be released. I would remind members that this forum has special rules including:
(1) You may not release any names here, until after the names have appeared in the public domain (articles, news reports, sheriff's report etc.) The releasing report must be cited. Until such public release, the only name you may use in this forum is your own.

(4) No trolling; no blamestorming. Mishap analysis does not lay blame, it finds causes.

One may argue that the "no names" policy was instituted to protect deceased divers but one could also argue that speculation about the dive operator could be problematic for other reasons. The right forum to be naming and shaming is Thumbs Down...not Accidents and Incidents.

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[supergaijin]

Diving standard in Thailand are very high compared with other part of the world...

...the fact that, sadly, bubbles mean nothing to boat captains here. I have had my DSMB run over by boats more than once here.

There are diving standards and then there are diving standards. Thai longtail captains are probably the most dangerous animals that you'll ever see diving in those waters.

Let's remember though that these people were at the surface for just over half an hour- hardly enough time to become "exhausted and freezing". A 30-45min delay (while not ideal) is not the end of the world. The article said it was dark by the time they were picked up.

What this tells me is that the trip was not very well planned. Diving oceanic water that close to sunset without adequate signalling devices is not a 'high standard' of diving safety. Throw in an 'iffy' boat and what do you honestly expect?

 

[koozemani]

There are diving standards and then there are diving standards. Thai longtail captains are probably the most dangerous animals that you'll ever see diving in those waters.

Let's remember though that these people were at the surface for just over half an hour- hardly enough time to become "exhausted and freezing". A 30-45min delay (while not ideal) is not the end of the world. The article said it was dark by the time they were picked up.

What this tells me is that the trip was not very well planned. Diving oceanic water that close to sunset without adequate signalling devices is not a 'high standard' of diving safety. Throw in an 'iffy' boat and what do you honestly expect?

"While not ideal" seems to be an understatement. With the clear vision of hindsight it might not be ideal, but to 4 novice divers the fact that their boat is gone, it's getting dark, and holy crap we're in shark infested waters "not ideal" is hardly the phrasing I think they would use. At they time, they had not idea that it would only be 30-45 minutes.

i do agree with the rest of your post.

 

[Divealpha]

I think I had around 30 dives when I ended up on the surface with a leaking BCD, and my buddy around Koh Doc Mai.... had to wait a while for the boat,but was absolutely not in danger....and what a view! And, we were not diving from longtail... Have done a lot of longtaildives, but usually with the same boat/skipper, and out from the beach. I feel I'm in very good hands, and trust him........ Would love to see a blacktip there, only seen the small leopard sharks once in a while.

Sent from my GT-P7500 using Tapatalk

 

[Joe Underwater]

There are diving standards and then there are diving standards. Thai longtail captains are probably the most dangerous animals that you'll ever see diving in those waters.

Let's remember though that these people were at the surface for just over half an hour- hardly enough time to become "exhausted and freezing". A 30-45min delay (while not ideal) is not the end of the world. The article said it was dark by the time they were picked up.

What this tells me is that the trip was not very well planned. Diving oceanic water that close to sunset without adequate signalling devices is not a 'high standard' of diving safety. Throw in an 'iffy' boat and what do you honestly expect?

Just to be clear, in your post #24, that first quote was not mine. It was from the owner of the dive shop. I don't happen to agree with him on that point, but the problem is not with the diving community, it's with a lack of the "culture of safety" we see in other parts of the world. Unfortunately we are at the mercy of Thai people, which we must by law use to captain foreign owned boats. The places we dive are shared by speed boats, longtails, and fishing boats, non of which have much concern for safety of divers in the water. This is why every guide/instructor deploys a DSMB on the safety stop or when diving the shallows where there is boat traffic. It's mandatory.

Despite the lack of concern for safety in Thai culture, diving in Thailand has a pretty good track record considering the number of boats and divers.

 

[Mike]

What this tells me is that the trip was not very well planned. Diving oceanic water that close to sunset without adequate signalling devices is not a 'high standard' of diving safety. Throw in an 'iffy' boat and what do you honestly expect?

Wasn't well planned by the dive operator or the divers? I hope you're referring to the divers. As long as divers keep thinking that their safety is guaranteed by the dive operators there will continue to be divers with no safety equipment, no contingency plans other than becoming a victim in an emergency.

Becoming a victim in an emergency is unfortunately about 90% of recreational divers dive plan.

The vast majority of recreational divers think that they are on a Disney ride instead of in a dangerous environment where without proper preparations for contingencies of what if's, they will end up dead.

 

[halocline]

Wasn't well planned by the dive operator or the divers? I hope you're referring to the divers.

In general, I agree with the sentiment that divers are responsible for their own safety, but this thread is about a boat allegedly abandoning divers in the water. No amount of dive planning could prevent that.

As usual, there are two sides to every story and as usual, it's interesting to see so many posters jumping to blame one side or the other, without really having the facts. That said, IF a dive boat left the dive site with divers in the water, that's a pretty serious risk IMO. It's probably best for a captain in that situation to wait for the other boat to arrive (or at least be visible on the way) for him to take his boat in for repair. In this case, half an hour on the surface in warm water with professional guides/instructors is nothing to panic about, but for some folks it could certainly seem like a lot longer!

 

[scubafanatic]

I'm glad PADI is adding it to their course. I wouldn't have even known these things existed if it weren't for scubaboard. How does one "have enough sense to carry" it if they don't even know they are a thing? We were taught about dive flags, but that's it.

I'm unable to use a DSMB, but we have an SMB to put in our BCD pockets when we dive in the ocean. Hopefully we'll never touch the things.

the recreational dive agencies are loath to address the dangers of scuba, so aside from air-shering, the real need for safety/signaling gear/lights is glossed over/ignored for the sake of busniess $ / political correctness.