Solo Dive on the “Spiegle Grove” on a jet ski!!!

[av8er23]

I dove the “Spiegle Grove” in Key Largo yesterday. We pulled up to the side and were the only boat out there. We were gearing up and getting ready to hop in when we noticed a jet ski pull up. About that time we commented about how crazy he was to be 5-6 miles out on a jet ski in choppy water. We proceeded to stride off the boat one by one. The dive was great. It was my first time diving this site. The vis was about 40-50 feet. After finishing the dive all four of us boarded the boat. I noticed that the guy on the Jet Ski was gone but the Jet Ski was tied to a buoy about 150’ away. The captain told us that the guy just went down. He hoped off with mask and fins then pulled his bc and tank in to put on in the water. I thought that this guy was totally out of his mind. What opinions do you guys have?

 

[HowardE]

I'd say that's great.

Did he have a dive flag tied to the jet ski?

 

[scubafool]

Getting blown off of the wreck and surfacing 1/2 mile away from his boat might kinda bite.
But then again, if the currents were light, this guy knew the wreck, started his dive into the current, had a backup air source, etc, etc, etc, etc, ?? Even then, that is more risk than I would want to take on. If one could afford a jetski and dive gear, one could afford the dive boat fee, and could avoid a lot of risk inherent to this scenario, IMHO.

 

[markfm]

Yes, but it gets mucho credit for brass

 

[scubafool]

I THINK that I know what that meant. I would say more like stainless.

 

[DougK]

So did he dive solo? Not much room for a buddy and second set of great on a jet ski.

 

[String]

I dont see the problem. Everyone is responsible for deciding what level of risk theyre prepared to take. Its not THAT deep a site. If he had proper kit and a redundant air source then i have no problem solo diving.

I do however absolutely HATE any boat anchored or tied off on a dive site. I think its a very stupid idea. In this case, if he'd missed the buoy line, drifted or whatever he may have been in trouble. For that reason alone i wouldnt do it.
Its the one thing when diving abroad i dislike - having to return to a buoy line.

 

[drbill]

Well, isn't this just the kind of situation the Darwin Awards were created for?

Seriously, I don't think I'd do the Grove solo although when I dove it with buddy #1 (Andrea) we were both pretty engrossed in our image making and might as well have been solo. I do plenty of comparable dives off Catalina solo, but can always swim to shore. A 6 mile jetski ride sounds a bit much as a solo diver with few other boats there.

 

[TheRedHead]

Could he have launched his jetski from his nearby yacht?

 

[String]

... or towed the jetski on his dive as a giant smb