Special Thanks Monastery Panel Discussion Members. Phase One is done!

[Ben_ca]

As you can see combinations of things lead to diving accidents. I forgot to put into my last post that I also ate a vegi taco the night before and it gave me gas. I was probably thinking about that when I took my first step.

It is not the combination of things all together but a chain of bad decisions that gets people in trouble.... Diving on a marginal day then having a gear malfunction is a good example... Not much room for error.

I am troubled that you cannot admit that you dove Monastery on a marginal day and that's why you got rolled.... maybe that's the problem the picture in your head of a diveable day is radically different from what I would call diveable.

Maybe that's what gets inexperienced guys in trouble. What would look diveable waves at any other beach can get you rolled pretty good at Monastery.

 

[bbianchi]

Personally I don't plan on diving Monastery unless there are some seasoned divers there with me. Granted I won't be certified until Sunday I still think its best in sites like that to learn from people that know the tricks.. beats learning the hard way.

 

[miskatonic]

It is not the combination of things all together but a chain of bad decisions that gets people in trouble.... Diving on a marginal day then having a gear malfunction is a good example... Not much room for error.

I am troubled that you cannot admit that you dove Monastery on a marginal day and that's why you got rolled.... maybe that's the problem the picture in your head of a diveable day is radically different from what I would call diveable.

Maybe that's what gets inexperienced guys in trouble. What would look diveable waves at any other beach can get you rolled pretty good at Monastery.

I have been in rough and tough conditions. (This last weekend for example.) When I got rolled the conditions were prime for diving. Conditions were so good (flat nearly everywhere else) we decided to Dive Monastery. No doubt there was some inexperience on my part and that is what contributed to the accident. However there were a lot of other people around me that were a lot more experienced than I was at the time. We all made the decision to dive that day.

I did 2 dives at Monastery last year. Yeah it is a good dive. Yeah it ranks among the best shore diving in the area. To me it just isn't worth the wear and tear on gear and the increased risk.

 

[scubaddiction]

Hey Doc,
I want to say that Buck and I both support your efforts to help keep divers and beach-goers safe.

When the diver from Las Vegas died a few months ago, Buck and I were really shocked. We had just met him the night before at Breakwater. When he said he was diving Monastery the next day, we didn't question it, although the surf at that time was rough even at Breakwater. We figured he probably knew what he was doing. From what I remember we just encouraged him and his friends to stay safe. Anyhow, Buck and I were, like I said, shocked when we realized that the dead diver had been talking, breathing, living just less than 12 hours before. I don't know what these guys were thinking when they went down to Monastery the next day and conditions were terrible and all three of them caught trouble. It was a poor decision to dive Monastery that day. Sad indeed.

I would like to say that there is no place for bravado in diving. I know I don't post here often, but I do pay attention to what happens on this forum and from what I can see, so many people get caught up in petty or egotistical arguments about whether or not some diver was a good enough diver to dive Monastery. The problem is that the arguments themselves perpetuate the intrigue and victory of diving this site. Bravado is BS.

How about we all agree that since December, three people have died at this beach. Two of whom were simply trying to rescue a child who was about to die! Something has to be done and luckily for this community, Doc has the initiation to organize it! So, I want to thank not only Doc, but the people who showed up to participate in the discussion regarding the sign.

Thank you for your concern and for taking action!

I say that if you don't agree with the action being taken, then showing up for the discussion panel would have been a good idea OR organising your own safety task force might be a consideration.

Let's be grateful somebody is doing something to keep people safe at a beach which, (and there should be no argument here) has killed people.

 

[DocWong]

Thanks everyone for all the kind words! Now onto Phase 2: Monastery Video Shoots. Hopefully we can get the footage of the various entering and exiting strategies in 3-4 shoots in varying conditions.

I'd like to video easy days where anyone can safely enter and exit to doing days when no one has any business diving there!

Russ from Backscatter will be doing some underwater shots. Hopefully he can get some shots underwater right outside where the wave breaks and show how the waves can pull one under.

 

[Jim Ernst]

Hey Doc,
I want to say that Buck and I both support your efforts to help keep divers and beach-goers safe.

When the diver from Las Vegas died a few months ago, Buck and I were really shocked. We had just met him the night before at Breakwater. When he said he was diving Monastery the next day, we didn't question it, although the surf at that time was rough even at Breakwater. We figured he probably knew what he was doing. From what I remember we just encouraged him and his friends to stay safe. Anyhow, Buck and I were, like I said, shocked when we realized that the dead diver had been talking, breathing, living just less than 12 hours before. I don't know what these guys were thinking when they went down to Monastery the next day and conditions were terrible and all three of them caught trouble. It was a poor decision to dive Monastery that day. Sad indeed.

I would like to say that there is no place for bravado in diving. I know I don't post here often, but I do pay attention to what happens on this forum and from what I can see, so many people get caught up in petty or egotistical arguments about whether or not some diver was a good enough diver to dive Monastery. The problem is that the arguments themselves perpetuate the intrigue and victory of diving this site. Bravado is BS.

How about we all agree that since December, three people have died at this beach. Two of whom were simply trying to rescue a child who was about to die! Something has to be done and luckily for this community, Doc has the initiation to organize it! So, I want to thank not only Doc, but the people who showed up to participate in the discussion regarding the sign.

Thank you for your concern and for taking action!

I say that if you don't agree with the action being taken, then showing up for the discussion panel would have been a good idea OR organising your own safety task force might be a consideration.

Let's be grateful somebody is doing something to keep people safe at a beach which, (and there should be no argument here) has killed people.

Kudos to you Sunny for this post, And to Doc for all of his efforts!!