TSandM: Missing Diver in Clallam County, WA

[lamont]

Am I reading the current tables correctly? It appears to me that they hit the site at peak current on a very low current cycle, but still at max current.

This page suggests a current offset which would put them at slack for Duncan Rock:

Duncan Rock

Current observations:


Current Station: Strait of Juan de Fuca (Entrance)
Slack before ebb: +150 minutes, at least on minor floods turning to minor ebbs

---------- Post added August 29th, 2015 at 02:45 PM ----------

I'm confused by the amount of current discussed at this site on that day. When I was there current wasn't a big factor. If there was a lot of current I don't see how anyone was staying at the site to do the dive in the first place.

I'm also unclear how one could search for 1 minute effectively and then come up while someone else was "blown away".

I'm just trying to picture the scenario. I'm unclear if the current was enough of a surprise that everyone just cancelled or cut short their planned dive or did others conduct their dive as planned.

Something was said about the others coming up and calling it a "wild ride" so I guess current must have greatly limited the planned dive?

Peter posted that the current on the surface was not bad, which is probably why the dive was not called on the surface. Surface conditions don't necessarily translate to conditions at depth. It can be nasty on the top and calm on the bottom or vice versa. In an area with lots of bottom contouring and canyons currents can be unpredictable (even along pretty smooth shorelines I've seen weird currents that haven't behaved like I expected).

Also if she embolized or had a medical event then "blown away" likely means "rendered unconscious and taken away by the current".

 

[JackConnick]

This is a tragedy and I guess it's natural that there's a lot of "back-seat diving" going on here. Conditions were about as good as it gets out there and many others were in the water and did fine. Lynne was as experienced as it gets and something went very wrong. It happens, it's an inherently dangerous sport, as we are reminded every time we sign a waiver.

The only time I went to dive there it was with some other very experienced divers who had dove it before. It had glassy rollers going over most of the rock and it was foggy. We were suited up, on the swim step and we all looked at it and called it. If we got blown off it, nobody could of found us. This is an extremely exposed site and even in good conditions, it can be tough at times.

 

[Akimbo]

This is a tragedy and I guess it's natural that there's a lot of "back-seat diving" going on here….

Do you really think so or is it more people trying to understand a complex dive site with conditions that few recreational divers ever get to experience? Maybe I’m just an optimist?

 

[Jax]

... more people trying to understand a complex dive site with conditions that few recreational divers ever get to experience? Maybe I’m just an optimist?

Exactly.

 

[Diver0001]

Again I'll ask--------anyone know the ~ current that (time of) day????........tia.........

Peter's description of the current, if I'm not mistaken, was that it was strong. According to tidal information on the day of the dive, tidal exchanges were about 5.5ft at Neah and tidal currents maxed out at under 1kt at the measuring station in the middle of the strait. I would personally characterize this as strong but not undiveable.

The problem in using this data is that the measuring stations are not at Duncan Rock. Local geography could significantly influence the manner in which tides cross. For example I know a site near where I live that has a feature under water that is shaped a little like an airplane wing. If the prevailing currents in the area were 1kt then you wouldn't be able to dive near this feature because you'd be blown right across it with no control.....

So general information about the current is as above but says little to nothing about conditions at Duncan Rock during the dive.

R..

 

[BRT]

This page suggests a current offset which would put them at slack for Duncan Rock:

Duncan Rock





---------- Post added August 29th, 2015 at 02:45 PM ----------



Peter posted that the current on the surface was not bad, which is probably why the dive was not called on the surface. Surface conditions don't necessarily translate to conditions at depth. It can be nasty on the top and calm on the bottom or vice versa. In an area with lots of bottom contouring and canyons currents can be unpredictable (even along pretty smooth shorelines I've seen weird currents that haven't behaved like I expected).

Also if she embolized or had a medical event then "blown away" likely means "rendered unconscious and taken away by the current".

Thanks Lamont. The current table showed only a knot but with an adjustment for Duncan Rock itself that dive time would make more sense. Although I can understand wanting to take a little ride also.

I'm not trying to back seat dive or to find or place blame. My guess would be some medical problem happened and those are often not fixed even on a golf course. I was just curious about the timing, whether they wanted a ride in the current or whatever.

 

[diver 85]

[QUOTE I can’t imagine that it is consistent enough for anyone to answer that question.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, have dived in 9 to 10 or so knot--was wondering what this maxes out @.......

 

[Diver0001]

I don't think I could hold station in anything much over 2kt. At 9-10kt only the fastest of fish could hold station. A diver in this kind of current wouldn't be so much "diving" as being thrown around at the whim of the ocean. For comparison, the Rhine river, which flows fairly quickly for a large river, has currents at about 4-5kt.

R..

 

[lamont]

Peter's description of the current, if I'm not mistaken, was that it was strong. According to tidal information on the day of the dive, tidal exchanges were about 5.5ft at Neah and tidal currents maxed out at under 1kt at the measuring station in the middle of the strait. I would personally characterize this as strong but not undiveable.

It was actually a +4.8ft flood followed by a -1.6ft ebb exchange, which is very mild for around here.

 

[pensacolaracer]

I only knew Lynne through a few of the forums although many of the folks I used to stomp around the PNW with dove with her. I have much respect for her and Peter. If there is the tiniest bit of positive in any of this, I will say that it has given me, on more than one occasion over the last few days, a pause to reflect on my own diving and the diving of my buddies. There have been quite a few discussions on "buddy separation" and the different ways to handle it. I certainly think Lynne would want those types of discussions.

I am in no way affiliated with this product.... DiveTracker SPORT - Desert Star Systems LLC but my buddy in Florida has one with 2 receivers. It works way beyond expectations. We have scootered over a mile away from the anchor and found our way back every time.

I am just about ready to hit the purchase button on a set for myself. They are not cheap and there is a step down set available for about half the price. Oddly enough, I never considered using them as buddy finders until reflection on this thread. I always though of and used it as a tool to get back to the anchor.