The Down Current Killer

[dumpsterDiver]

I think you all need to seriously consider learning to be a buddy. "I don't care" should never be part of the buddy arrangement.

Edit.....I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say this was a language barrier....lost in translation. BUT, someone, his buddy and the DM/Captain should have been looking for him as soon as they realized he was missing. In fact, the Buddy should not have been able to separate and surface without knowing where the other diver was going (i.e. depth, direction etc.).[/QUOTE]

Really? I have not done many drift dives in less than 10 ft visibility, along vertical walls, in strong currents...in fact, I don't recall any dives that fit that description, but it would be extremely easy to get separated and once that occurs, there is not a whole lot more that can be done except wait on the surface and look for bubbles or soemthing... Come on over 330 feet deep .. bad vis, strong current, down currents... what exactly is the operator to do once separation occurs?.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I think you all need to seriously consider learning to be a buddy. "I don't care" should never be part of the buddy arrangement.

Edit.....I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say this was a language barrier....lost in translation. BUT, someone, his buddy and the DM/Captain should have been looking for him as soon as they realized he was missing. In fact, the Buddy should not have been able to separate and surface without knowing where the other diver was going (i.e. depth, direction etc.).

Really? I have not done many drift dives in less than 10 ft visibility, along vertical walls, in strong currents...in fact, I don't recall any dives that fit that description, but it would be extremely easy to get separated and once that occurs, there is not a whole lot more that can be done except wait on the surface and look for bubbles or something... Come on over 330 feet deep .. bad vis, strong current, down currents... what exactly is the operator to do once separation occurs?.

With decent situational awareness a diver should know where they last saw the person. If you read my post and try to comprehend it (I have altered your bolding to help out), I was not saying it is impossible to separate.....just that a buddy should have an idea of where their buddy is (or where they lost them) or consider it a solo dive and treat/plan with your buddy accordingly.

 

[flots am]

Don't know who to blame, but I felt that the local dm or the dive center should pay the full responsibilities as they didn't take immediate action whilst a diver was lost. What we were told by the local dm and boatman, he was their return divers and that's the way he dove (alone) always. He was familiar with the dive site very much. Whatever they told us, just Bullsh*t, everything's over.

Neither the dive operator or the DM can keep anybody safe. Only your specific buddy can really be effective. This is because there are only two useful distances when diving with a buddy: "Close enough to grab within a kick or two" and "everything else"

Once you're past grabbing distance, and especially if the other diver is dozens of meters above or below you, there's really no guarantee you will be able to catch-up without being injured or killed.

flots.

 

[DandyDon]

I thought he explained: The lost diver was a local DM, who insisted on solo diving at the back end on his on - and thought be capable. From the story, I don't see how anyone could have helped him.

 

[flots am]

I thought he explained: The lost diver was a local DM, who insisted on solo diving at the back end on his on - and thought be capable. From the story, I don't see how anyone could have helped him.

DM or not, if you're not within a couple of fin kicks of "grabbing distance", you don't have a useful buddy.

In any case, the DM is expected to be self-sufficient and should have been able to deal with a down-current. Everybody is lucky the "solo dm" didn't have a new diver as a "buddy" or this would have been a double-fatality.

flots

 

[JamesK]

Thank you for the clarification and I apologize my misunderstanding and possibly rude attitude.

I still feel many many things went horribly wrong.

 

[Mike]

Why is this a post about yet another mysterious 'down current' taking a life when it should be about a death as a result of avoiding basic dive safety by not diving in buddy pairs?

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Why is this a post about yet another mysterious 'down current' taking a life when it should be about a death as a result of avoiding basic dive safety by not diving in buddy pairs?

What facts indicated to you that the presence of a "buddy" would have resulted in anything other than two dead divers instead of one? Buddies are excellent safety redundancies on many, even most, kinds of dives, but they are not always beneficial.

 

[peterbj7]

I'm sorry, I don't feel having a buddy is a benefit. It's often a burden. I am usually happier when solo diving, even when there may be two of us in the same bit of ocean.

 

[SangP]

I'm sorry, I don't feel having a buddy is a benefit. It's often a burden. I am usually happier when solo diving, even when there may be two of us in the same bit of ocean.

If it's one of those I'm good enough and don't need anyone else comments, I'll pass.

One of the first things I ask a potential new buddy is "do you prefer diving alone" an obvious answer will have an obvious outcome... next!

The very first question of course would be are you a photographer?