Venice Beach - missing diver

[GrierHPharmD]

Apparently, we had a diving fatality off of Venice Beach, FL this weekend:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?threadid=68816&s=

 

[sherisk8z]

I was at the beach that day watching the rescue (recovery) attempts. What the story from the lifeguards was that she had no BC on and was found in only 15 feet of water..BUT, the situation turned into a criminal investigation. Again, that was what the lifeguards on the beach that day reported. A very sad story!

 

[sherisk8z]

http://www.newscoast.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040824/NEWS/408240596/1230/POLICEBEAT

 

[FSUgly]

Sorry to hear another life is lost in another preventable accident (Diving alone instead of with a partner).

I'm fairly new to diving, so I don't know of all the ways to go diving, but it says she was not wearing a BC. So does this mean she carried a tank out there in her arms with a reg attached? I don't understand the NO BC part.

 

[String]

BCs are a relatively new diving invention. Pre ABLJ days divers dived by simply weighting themselves correctly for the depth they want to go to. Its unusual these days but certainly was normal in the past.

As for preventable/alone - theres no 100% guarantee that someone else may have solved the problem. You could equally argue she should have carried a redundant air source for solo diving.

 

[FSUgly]

String, thanks for the "BC History Lesson. I did not know how they used to do it. Guess I always thought that there was some sort of BC.

And you;re right about no 100% guarantee. Guess I spoke a little quickly on the partner/alone thing. Esp when vis is usually so minimal there. It is ashamed though. And in only 15 ft of water

 

[fishnchips]

I used to dive without BC and no weight belt in warm water. No certification needed either.

 

[medic_diver45]

I don't agree with the assumption that a buddy would have definitely been of any use here (OF COURSE I'M NOT A CERT'ed DIVER YET (took the class before, missed the last checkout dive because of a broken leg) so feel free to tell me to shut up). From what I understand of the area, most people dive there for fossils (cause there's nothing else there from what I was told), which means you have your head down rooting in the sand (at least that's what I am figuring- correct me if I am wrong) and not paying attention to your buddy.

I am quite familiar with the sensation of an almost empty air bottle (from a mishap while wearing a SCBA as a firefighter-the low air pressure alarm didn't sound and I ran out of air) and once she became aware of the lack of air why didn't she dump her weight belt and surface, if it was only 15 ft that shouldn't have been a problem. Sounds to me like either she had some sort of medical event (she's a prime age for a coronary) or something fishy is going on here..... Just my humble uncertified opinion....

 

[Albion]

BCs are a relatively new diving invention. Pre ABLJ days divers dived by simply weighting themselves correctly for the depth they want to go to. Its unusual these days but certainly was normal in the past.

As for preventable/alone - theres no 100% guarantee that someone else may have solved the problem. You could equally argue she should have carried a redundant air source for solo diving.

My father was diving in the 60's and told me how when his air ran out he could just swim up :11: but by then his tank would be boyant so it wasnt a problem on the surface :11:

I like the part in the news rellease about how BC's help divers speed to the surface in an emergency, will have to try that one, not A little knowledge is a dangerous thing

 

[medic_diver45]

Remember, the press plays to the lowest common denominator. Keep in mind the "average" American has an IQ of somewhere around 85-90 (at least according to a journal article my psychology professor showed me); that sad figuring that the cut off for mild mental retardation is 75. But it seems about right if you look at a lot of people......*shakes head*