Two fatalities in Monterey

[Peter_C]

How much closer can you get?

You do realize they lived 25 minutes from Lake Tahoe, that is a popular diving destination. The scooter bench mark test is performed in Lake Tahoe for instance. Again since you seem to know exactly how many dives they had, let us know? I sure have no idea if it was more or less than 50 dives. Making up numbers doesn't do anyone good.

 

[Scott L]

You do realize they lived 25 minutes from Lake Tahoe, that is a popular diving destination. The scooter bench mark test is performed in Lake Tahoe for instance. Again since you seem to know exactly how many dives they had, let us know? I sure have no idea if it was more or less than 50 dives.

I am clearly responding to the poster above. If not for speculation, why have the thread open?

 

[Tortuga68]

How much closer can you get?

Thal suggested that it may have been their first dive. Apparently it wasn't. Nor their second. They were certified before the trip, so I'd guess it was at least their 6th dive, or more?

Inexperienced, yes. Very early dive, probably. First dive, or first dive after certification, no (if we're to believe what's been reported)

Just trying to bring some facts to the discussion

 

[Michael Meyer]

"...if 3 people who read this thread take their gas management a little more serious..."

You only need 2 more...

I am a newbie and my family and I OW certified together last year. I had a serious discussion with my daughter (15) and son (12) about safety and gas management last night.

We also talked about adding an some sort of "out of gas drill" to our pre-dive checklist. Such as turn around close your eyes, exhale and hold your breath. Now turn back around and find my Octo. This will also be a reminder that we need to stay close together...

I am learning a lot from this thread... Too bad it had to be in the wake of this horrible event.

Rest in peace Stephen and Keegan.

 

[DandyDon]

Actually the blame does go to the organizers, these are kids, they are under 18, therefore not adults. It may seem harsh, yet that is how it is when you do activities with underage divers.

I guess you want to close the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and all other youth programs that require kids leave their homes?

I'm sticking with my usual advice for any newbie going on their first ocean dives: Hire a private DM for the first few. If it were my daughter or grandson, I'd want a private DM and me both on the first few.

 

[openmindOW]

From what I understand and please someone correct me if I am wrong, there were 19 paying customers on board the Monterey Express. I would assume they chartered the boat. There were three instructors with the youths. Simple math says there should have been 16 youths.

Were the two young people in an Instructional situation? That is, were they taking a class?

Were there Instructors on board? What relationship, if any, did they have with the two divers?

 

[Peter_C]

Were the two young people in an Instructional situation? That is, were they taking a class?

Back a few pages it states it was an ocean studies outing. NOT a scuba class.

Were there Instructors on board? What relationship, if any, did they have with the two divers?

It was written in lots of places there were instuctors on board The only relationship stated was one was a teacher at the high school. They were certified divers and responsible for their own actions.

 

[openmindOW]

Back a few pages it states it was an ocean studies outing. NOT a scuba class.

No, it did not clearly state whether or not the divers were involved in instruction.

They were part of an outing. However, that they were part of an outing does not necessarily mean that they were not involved in instruction.

It's a question. Were they involved in an instructional setting? Were they taking a class?

 

[Scott L]

It was written in lots of places there were instuctors on board The only relationship stated was one was a teacher at the high school. They were certified divers and responsible for their own actions.

You are kidding of course?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

You are kidding of course?

No kidding ... OW certification is supposed to prepare you for planning and executing your own dives. If you cannot do that, you shouldn't have passed the class.

There has been no indication in anything I've read that these boys were inept, and required a dive guide. As I understand it, this was an outing ... not a class. The instructors were along as adult chaperones ... just as there would be for any other type of high school outing.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)