Spiegel Grove fatality - Key Largo, Florida

[DandyDon]

Man dies after diving the Spiegel Grove wreck in Key Largo Friday
www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/florida-keys/article252988388.html

A Lake Charles, Florida, man was found unconscious soon after entering the water to scuba dive off the Florida Keys Friday morning, and he died at an area hospital about an hour later, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

Roy Jasper, 67, was pronounced dead at Mariners Hospital in Tavernier at 12:41 p.m., the sheriff’s office said.

He and two other people had just entered the water from a private boat off Key Largo to dive the wreck of the Spiegel Grove around 11:30 a.m. when the other divers noticed he was drifting away, Adam Linhardt, sheriff’s office spokesman, said.

The divers swam him back to their vessel, where a nearby commercial boat captain helped them perform CPR, Linhardt said. They drove the boat to Garden Cove Drive in Key Largo where waiting medics took him to the hospital.

Linhardt said police do not suspect foul play. The Monroe County Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

 

[CuzzA]

From the Miami Herald, but the site won't let me post the link.

Remove the s from http. For some reason the MH won't post on this site with it.

 

[Rollin Bonz]

Headline : "Man dies after diving the Spiegel Grove wreck in Key Largo Friday"

In the article: "He and two other people had just entered the water from a private boat off Key Largo to dive the wreck of the Spiegel Grove"

Am I missing something?

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

Headline : "Man dies after diving the Spiegel Grove wreck in Key Largo Friday"

In the article: "He and two other people had just entered the water from a private boat off Key Largo to dive the wreck of the Spiegel Grove"

Am I missing something?

Literally the first sentence of the piece…

A Lake Charles, Florida, man was found unconscious soon after entering the water to scuba dive off the Florida Keys Friday morning, and he died at an area hospital about an hour later, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

 

[Kimela]

We have done the Spiegel on two occasions. The first time there was zero current. We were told the current could change on a dime and went down and up the line accordingly. The second time, last summer, I was the first person off the boat and had not been warned that I was jumping INTO a fairly strong current. I did my giant stride at the back of the boat, and the line I needed to swim to was perpendicular to the boat (I found out AFTER I was in the water). A younger, quite strong dive guide jumped in and pulled me to the line. Going down the line we were like flags in the water. By the time I got to the wreck I was exhausted and frankly, should have called the dive. But once I saw the first entry point to the wreck I calmed down and was fine. Going back up there were people climbing over me on the line to get to the surface. Very uncomfortable, but by this point I was ok with my skill set and not exhausted, so all ok. I was more worried about the yahoos climbing over me to get to the surface.

If this 67 year old man experienced what I did - and jumped in away from the line leading him to the line down to the wreck, I can understand why he would be stressed and panicked. If I were not in as good of shape as I'm in (and it ain't stellar!), I wonder how much more difficult that could have been for me.

The Spiegel should not be 'sold' as 'just a wreck dive'. It's not the Kittiwake! If the current is 'sporty' it will be difficult for those who are not in great shape or whose health is compromised. I won't do it again. I'm too old and/or not in good enough shape to fight that current.

Condolences to the family. Tough all the way around.

 

[Rollin Bonz]

Literally the first sentence of the piece…

I see that but "just after entering the water" does not equal "after diving the Speigel Grove". Doesn't sound like he actually did a dive. The headline makes it sound like he'd finished a dive, but turns out he had just gotten into the water. Quite a big difference, don't you think? Rules out quite a few problems one might encounter on a dive when one never actually did a dive...

Like saying someone died on a mission to the moon when the rocket exploded on launch Technically correct I suppose, but misleading at a minimum.

 

[Jcp2]

So were crew members on Apollo 1 and Challenger astronauts or mere passengers?

 

[The Chairman]

Doesn't sound like he actually did a dive.

He may not have reached the Grove, but he did make a dive.

By the time I got to the wreck I was exhausted

Anchor line obsession will do that to you. You're feeling the water whip around you in a frenzy, your mask feels like it might get ripped off at any second, and you're questioning your sanity for just being there. You... just... want... to... get... to... the... bottom ASAP!!! It robs you of situational awareness including what it's doing to your body. Slow down. Use just your arms to pull yourself down, make sure you're not kicking, and go slow. No, slower than that. That wreck ain't goin' nowhere!

 

[Rollin Bonz]

So were crew members on Apollo 1 and Challenger astronauts or mere passengers?

Of course not. But I don't think those tragedies had headline stating anything to the effect of occuring "after" their main mission.

 

[Rollin Bonz]

He may not have reached the Grove, but he did make a dive.

Agreed. But "after" implies he completed the dive. Much longer set of possible causes of a fatality "after" diving the Speigel Grove than "shortly after entering the water".

Maybe I'm splitting hairs, but I don't think "after" was the proper phrasing here.

At any rate, condolences to the family and friends. Terrible to have it occur anytime.