Two divers missing Whitsunday Islands

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I'll hold a different view. IF these guys "sold" their story, which it certainly looks like they did, I think they are sleazy. I'd hold the same opinion of the Taiwanese divers if they did too. Or the Komodo crowd. I'd go back to being neutral and un-caring if I found out that they reimbursed the cost of the search & rescue. If there is still money left over for them, I would not care.
 
i disagree Zip

if i was floating out in the ocean for 19hrs, survived and someone is stupid enough to pay me for my story about it - i will sell to the highest bidder

i just wouldnt lie about it :wink:
 
Here is an oil filled beacon, rated to 100m for only $325. This only one of many out there and even at $500 it's a bargain if you really want piece of mind. Half the cost of one of my camera strobes so I'm looking at ordering one.

Sea Marshall Personal Location Beacon (epirb)-Divers

So I guess these other devices won't hurt to have with you but this has been beaten to death here so many times, why not just get the one device that will give you the best chance of a fast rescue?

125Mhz is being phased out - Needs to be 406Mhz with 125Mhz localizer so this specific device is junk. Ideally a 406/125 unit with GPS would be ideal sealed in a dive canister - Mcmurdo make such a unit.
 
its similar here but workers compensation is different to workcover

workers comp will hurt you buy yearly premiums/insurance

workcover will hurt you by putting you thru an inquiry and then fine you

dont get me wrong.. these things are good things for employees (which i am one)

but the witchhunt mentality workcover has gets a bit full on... especially when sometimes its just a unintentional stuff up and **** happens but no-one died situation. im ready to bet many a queensland dive op woke up that day and shook their heads about the extra paperwork it was going to cause them

Can't resist putting my oar in here. Side Note Dennis nice to see another Canuck here.

I am familiar with WCB and Work Cover. I was a Unit Chief with BCAS and OFA III before I moved to OZ and here I teach first aid up to OFA level.

Almity WCB has an even bigger stangle hold there. They control first aid course content, get paid premiums, fine people, investigate claims, and pay claims. Do they have a vested interest in paying lesser payouts and issuing higher fines or what?

I agree these outfits like tax auditors will always find a way to at least recoup the cost of their involvement in investigations. In the end it will cost the Dive Op dearly and it will probably cost the Dive industry as well.

I won't get into the did they do it on purpose thing but I will say this. I think it is a crying shame that what appear to me to be irresponsible actions of these divers reflects on the Dive Op and the other divers on the boat (see post 99 this thread). I also think it is awful that their activity causes speculation about the safety of Diving in Australia.

I have other thoughts but I want to finish reading the entire thread before further comment.:popcorn:
 
Wellllllll I have finally finished reading this thread. I have personally watched these interviews as they were shown on TV here in OZ. I have heard students at work talking about how dangerous scuba diving is and particularly in Queensland. What everyone here seems to be missing is that our wonderful sport is getting a very public black eye. Queensland tourism is effected. A business can anticipate serious consequences that may effect a number of jobs and I personally heard the Queensland Police Representative say they found "No evidence of negligence on the part of the Dive Operator" To ME these ARE Facts.

I also personally heard them say in the first interview that they stopped trying to signal the rescue boat "to conserve energy". Fact if I was in that situation I would use as much energy as I could trying to get the attention of the boat.

Fact all the players in this have a vested interest in presenting their version of truth. Truth is elusive and filtered by our personal interpretation and experiences. Put three people in a room to witness an event and you will find 4 truths. What each person saw will be expressed according to their interpretation filtered through their emotions. The real truth is not filtered through emotions. I would suggest that friends an foes of this couple are very much effected by their emotions. I would personally be furious if I was on the boat and people discounted my honest efforts to locate them.

Obviously their dive did Not go according to plan or they wouldn't have spent time waiting for rescue. I doubt that they did this on purpose. I don't believe they are blameless and I personally subscribe to the opinion that they were overconfident in unfamiliar location, made some poor decisions and should have stayed with the less experienced divers.... THEY GOT OUT SAFELY (another fact)

I do not have a problem with them getting money for their story BUT I don't see why Queensland taxpayers and those that donate to cover rescue services should be out of pocket for this. IMO they should negotiate get the best deal they can and keep whatever is left AFTER THEY PAY FOR ALL OF THE RESCUE. They should have no problem wanting to make sure the service that saved them is there for others. I also PERSONALLY heard them say in the second interview as it was aired that they were "not ruling out sueing" I would like to see them get every penny they are entitiled to but not one cent more. I would love to see any money held in trust until the outcome of the investigation. If it turns out the Dive Operator is found to have done everything reasonable they should be reimbursed for loss of business and the damage their name has received.

We should be talking about how everyone won because everyone survived but we are seeing nothing but loss.... loss of reputation for the divers, the Operator and diving as a whole.

Can we please chose to win here? Choose to learn... stay with the group in unfamiliar sites, follow the dive plan, carry and use Safety floats, whistles, carry a signal mirror and learn how to use it, carry a strobe, and do the things they did right... hook to your buddy... stay calm but above all do everything in your power to avoid the problem in the first place!

Everyone needs to take responsibility for their own actions and learn from them. The wise learn from other's mistakes, the foolhardy insist on making their own mistakes!

What doesn't kill ya learns ya! Sorry this is so long but I decided to read the entire thread and not send a response every time I got worked up about something.
 
Thanks for your post bowlofpetunias, I agree with everything you say.

I doubt that they did this on purpose.

I agree, there is no other rational explanation, none of the facts lend any credence to the deliberate Open Water scenario.
 
Here is the most recent newspaper links from Australia on this one

Divers Neely and Dalton snub boatmates at bash | The Daily Telegraph

They are back and had a party to thank everyone involved in their rescue EXCEPT those on the boat who searched through the night. I understand why they wouldn't invite boat staff if they are still considering a law suit against the company. I would be pretty upset if I had been one of the other passengers on that boat who had searched through the night, had my holiday ruined, been put through all this through no fault of my own and then got snubbed on top of it. They aren't just painting every single crew member but also every person on that boat in a terrible light.:shakehead:

They keep offering to donate to the rescue service but that doesn't seem to have happened yet. Maybe I am a bit cinical but a Nice big Party now that is more fun and gets more media coverage.:dork2:
 
Here is the most recent newspaper links from Australia on this one

Divers Neely and Dalton snub boatmates at bash | The Daily Telegraph

They are back and had a party to thank everyone involved in their rescue EXCEPT those on the boat who searched through the night. I understand why they wouldn't invite boat staff if they are still considering a law suit against the company. I would be pretty upset if I had been one of the other passengers on that boat who had searched through the night, had my holiday ruined, been put through all this through no fault of my own and then got snubbed on top of it. They aren't just painting every single crew member but also every person on that boat in a terrible light.:shakehead:

They keep offering to donate to the rescue service but that doesn't seem to have happened yet. Maybe I am a bit cinical but a Nice big Party now that is more fun and gets more media coverage.:dork2:
Recent?! That story was published 16 days ago; really has been covered. And while we cannot take sensational news stories as fact, exspecially quoting their agent, small surprise that they snubbed their critics...
But crew and passengers onboard the Pacific Star, who have publicly accused the divers of being reckless, were left off the invitation list.

"In the nine days since it took place, the owners of the boat have not been in contact with them at all to ask if they're OK or to express any sympathy or to apologise," said the couple's celebrity agent Max Markson.

"Plus, they've put repeated news releases out criticising Rich and Ally so I don't think the people who run OzSail, I mean, they were very rude to me as well on the phone, I don't think there's much point inviting them to have a drink."
If we are to take that at face value, hell no I wouldn't drink with them. I might even have an attorney hired who'd forbid it.

I don't remember if it's been established whether they have a lawyer or not, considering action or not, or how much they actually got for their story - but if I'd spent the night bobbing like a cork in those waters, and was getting this much attention (I'd need to be better looking with a cute GF of course), I'd have hired a local publicist - even if I made a bad choice with that one, and I might have an attorney working on damages too? I wasn't there, can't say for sure, but might.
That one is even older. :shakehead:
 
Geoff, your attention towards me is starting to make me a little uncomfortable. Did I steal your parking space at the mall???
Uh, I’m with ScubaJennifer on this.
Perhaps she just rubs you the wrong way - as you do me. J When faced with different opinions is it always taken so personal?

Geoff H: are you like losing sleep over this?
I’m getting worried about you dude.
Have you sought help re: Post Accidents and Incidents Stress Syndrome from the diving medicine forum?
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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