Two Japanese divers found alive off Palau

[kevink]

It was the writer of the story that gave the misimpression Fish-N-Fins was involved. They run a safe, tight operation with a lot of experienced local guides and boat drivers.

When I left there in '01 almost no one dove with the DM carrying a 'ball' as a surface marker. The only operation that did was the PalauSport, a Japanese liveaboard. With the drift dives in Palau it is really close cooperation between the guide and the driver that brings people back safely. If the guide or the driver miss the mark you may be out for a swim.

As far as coming up 1/2 mile from the boat, picture a 3 knot drift, tied with an hour long dive and picture how far you are going to travel. With a lot of chop and no ball it is tough to peg exactly where the divers will be when they come up. The guide should have known to come up from the dive after they passed over the end of Peleliu. You don't want to drift too long in the passage between Peleliu and Anguar.

To the best of my knowlege there is still no helicopter in Palau, and only 1 small plane that could enter into the search. Many of the 27' skiffs that are used in Palau are not suitable for long searches in the open waters around Anguar, especially in 6' swells. That pretty much leaves the liveaboards and a few of the Sea-Cats.

Just my 2c's.

 

[Divmstr223]

I guess after listening to you guys explain how it is down there with drift diving as a normal practice; I guess it's just dive at your own risk ....yikes!

I sure wouldn't want to chance surfacing that far away from the boat with hopes that they will pick me up....I've read too many bad stories about lost divers to invest stock in that idea...lol

 

[Willie]

With the drift dives in Palau it is really close cooperation between the guide and the driver that brings people back safely. If the guide or the driver miss the mark you may be out for a swim.

Sounds to me like an excellent reason to send an SMB up during a safety stop. Very little cost and almost no effort involved.

Willie

 

[Mike Veitch]

Sounds to me like an excellent reason to send an SMB up during a safety stop. Very little cost and almost no effort involved.

Willie

Yes, that is standard practice in Palau, in fact the Rangers do spot checks on the guides. I wish people would stop speculating and saying this particular DM did not have a SMB/sausage, it does not say in the report if he did or not, odds are he did... Remember this was written by someone in Guam (2 hour flight away) who is a reporter...

Problem with Peleliu in those conditions is that its a washing machine and the current can spit you out in a different direction than either the DM or boat driver expects. Thats the problem with big seas and Peleliu, can be hard for the driver to spot your sausage/smb....

 

[Diver Dennis]

Good point about the SMB Mike. Everyone in Palau I dove with had one. The article did say they had a "floatation" device, which may have been the SMB. It's just like non divers saying "Oxygen" tanks.

 

[MoonWrasse]

Good point about the SMB Mike. Everyone in Palau I dove with had one. The article did say they had a "floatation" device, which may have been the SMB. It's just like non divers saying "Oxygen" tanks.

Well, there IS some oxygen on those tanks...

I don't think it was a case of floation marker or not - but rather that they lacked a mirror or signal device which would probably be easier to see in the open seas from a longer distance, aiding search efforts.

The divers were wearing wet suits and had a camera and a flotation device, but no mirror or flashlight to signal search planes, he added.

 

[DandyDon]

Good point about the SMB Mike. Everyone in Palau I dove with had one. The article did say they had a "floatation" device, which may have been the SMB. It's just like non divers saying "Oxygen" tanks.

Yeah - ok, I was wrong to crticize the DM based on a reporters story. He may well have had one, and still got seperated. Obviously he did manage to keep the two of them together and not give up hope. Not sure I could have.

The main reason for the forum is to learn from accidents, and I think we have.

 

[Mike Veitch]

It is because of diving Peleliu on a weekly basis that i bought a water chemical marker. It has lived in the pocket of my BC ever since. That is the best one for a plane to find. It creates a huge discoloured patch on the waters surface but does dissipate rapidly. As i stated before... i hate diving Peleliu Corner...

Interestingly enough, most rescues i know of in Palau the people were spotted from the small plane, what did they spot you may ask? At least one diver in each group was wearing bright yellow fins and that is what caught the eye... not an orange SMB/sausage....

Sooo i would suggest the purchase of a day glo yellow SMB/sausage as opposed to the common orange one...

 

[Cacia]

yea, some are yellow now. I did the dive once. It was freaky.

 

[DiverBuoy]

My current signalling tube was getting older and rather than have it fail me at an inopportune time I ran down to the grand opening of the new Foothill Ranch Sport Chalet a few blocks from my house (glad to have a REALLY close dive shop finally) and picked up a replacement: