Saboteur
Contributor
Another great story by the "World's Most Interesting Diver".
What to do when your dive boat sinks?
- Thread starter Kimela
- Start date
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Not convenient but better than taking chances trying to get it if it is a true emergency. If for example I am on a liveaboard and it sinks, the company I booked through has my passport number and insurance details. If I manage to grab my driving license as proof of ID, the rest is fairly simple (if time consuming) as I know UK embassy or consulate staff would assist in the processes of sorting things out.
tcpip95
Contributor
I had my passport stolen out of my hotel room while staying in the Czech Republic. Scan your passport, save it as a JPG, PDF, etc. Then .ZIP it and encrypt it with a password, and email it to yourself, using an email account that you can get to from anywhere in the world (Yahoo, gmail, etc.). When you go to the embassy you can print that out and they will issue you a new passport.
John Bantin
Contributor
How far is Jakarta from Raja Ampat? How will you get there if your credit cards are with your passport? How far is Washington DC from Hawaii? Etc.
maj2
Contributor
Tough thing to plan for, since it is a rare occurrence, and there are many variables.
I was once on a dive trip where the dive boat sand. It was shortly after I was OW certified, and it was a spring cleanup dive of a bay on an island in the Detroit River that is a popular spot for boaters in the summer. The dive was in early April. The dive boat ferried us to the island, where we did the cleanup dives as shore dives. Due to the number of us taking part in the event, the boat made a couple of trips. On the first trip back after the dive, the boat had the dive gear (including me) and half of the divers (not me).
The boat hit a rock on the way out of the bay. It made it back to the dock on the mainland, where the people and most of the gear was offloaded before the boat went down at dockside.
Those of us left on the island realized after about 4 minutes that something was wrong when the boat was not coming back. Eventually, those who made it back to shore were able to get someone else (not part of the dive group) to get their boat in the water, and start ferrying the rest of us back to mainland. Once there, I found my gear safely on the wharf with the other retrieved gear under the watch of my friends who were on the sunken dive boat. The rest of the gear was retrieved from the boat later, and the boat was raised a day or two later. The trash we recovered on the cleanup dives was retrieved later as well.
Lesson number one for me was to keep my gear with me.
Lesson number two was to have some sort of shade. It was a bight sunny day, and being early April, there were no leaves on the trees yet. Shade was at a premium. I got a pretty good sunburn while waiting for the rescue boat.
I was once on a dive trip where the dive boat sand. It was shortly after I was OW certified, and it was a spring cleanup dive of a bay on an island in the Detroit River that is a popular spot for boaters in the summer. The dive was in early April. The dive boat ferried us to the island, where we did the cleanup dives as shore dives. Due to the number of us taking part in the event, the boat made a couple of trips. On the first trip back after the dive, the boat had the dive gear (including me) and half of the divers (not me).
The boat hit a rock on the way out of the bay. It made it back to the dock on the mainland, where the people and most of the gear was offloaded before the boat went down at dockside.
Those of us left on the island realized after about 4 minutes that something was wrong when the boat was not coming back. Eventually, those who made it back to shore were able to get someone else (not part of the dive group) to get their boat in the water, and start ferrying the rest of us back to mainland. Once there, I found my gear safely on the wharf with the other retrieved gear under the watch of my friends who were on the sunken dive boat. The rest of the gear was retrieved from the boat later, and the boat was raised a day or two later. The trash we recovered on the cleanup dives was retrieved later as well.
Lesson number one for me was to keep my gear with me.
Lesson number two was to have some sort of shade. It was a bight sunny day, and being early April, there were no leaves on the trees yet. Shade was at a premium. I got a pretty good sunburn while waiting for the rescue boat.
I am curious as to what are you thinking? Keeping a drybox in a place where it can both float free, but not be inadvertently knocked into the water when under normal operations seems like the trick. Maybe lash a drybox to a railing near your kit but have it attached with one of those magnetic keepers? Then it could break free as the boat went under water?
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The very first dive boat to sink was the "SCUBA" (yep that was the name) in 1958 off Catalina Island.
It was a lovely day for diving -all divers were in the water and underwater -dispersed around the boat California style then the Santa Ana winds began blowing into the island ...
There was no diver recall at that time so the skipper had to ride out the wind all the time sending May Day and dragging anchor right up to the shore on to the beach where the SCUBNA broke up.
The diver surfaced no boat! the jettisoned their SCUBA equipment (at that time called "lungs) swam to shore " where they awaited recue.
I was not on the boat but knew several divers who involved were including the deck hand
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Sea Sabres chartered a very large boat the Reposada for, at that time a once in a lifetime, trip to San Clemete-- Left at mid night by early the next morning the Sea Sabres were high and dry on the island . Backed off and every one had a great time diving and high adventure to remember for ever
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In 1961 I was president of the Sea Sabres. We had a charter to Catalina on the "Say When" -- departed in very heavy fog -- always great diving -- no swells and no wave action.
Several hours later I heard a big crash- looked out the port hole at a cactus - we were high and dry on Catalina . I recall grabbing my shoes --for I knew we would need to walk to safety
We all abandoned ship in an orderly fashion - huddled in a groups while the crew removed floor decking to examine damage internally -- none !
As a group we pulled rocks and debris from under the boat -- clearing the props and path way for re launching . The boat back off the island was inspected externally and internally no damage so we spent the day diving
Several years later the say when did sink in mid channel only the captain on board ,,, Hummm!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One sinking and 2 close calls
So those were tha dazzz of our dives
Sam Miller, 111
It was a lovely day for diving -all divers were in the water and underwater -dispersed around the boat California style then the Santa Ana winds began blowing into the island ...
There was no diver recall at that time so the skipper had to ride out the wind all the time sending May Day and dragging anchor right up to the shore on to the beach where the SCUBNA broke up.
The diver surfaced no boat! the jettisoned their SCUBA equipment (at that time called "lungs) swam to shore " where they awaited recue.
I was not on the boat but knew several divers who involved were including the deck hand
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Sea Sabres chartered a very large boat the Reposada for, at that time a once in a lifetime, trip to San Clemete-- Left at mid night by early the next morning the Sea Sabres were high and dry on the island . Backed off and every one had a great time diving and high adventure to remember for ever
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In 1961 I was president of the Sea Sabres. We had a charter to Catalina on the "Say When" -- departed in very heavy fog -- always great diving -- no swells and no wave action.
Several hours later I heard a big crash- looked out the port hole at a cactus - we were high and dry on Catalina . I recall grabbing my shoes --for I knew we would need to walk to safety
We all abandoned ship in an orderly fashion - huddled in a groups while the crew removed floor decking to examine damage internally -- none !
As a group we pulled rocks and debris from under the boat -- clearing the props and path way for re launching . The boat back off the island was inspected externally and internally no damage so we spent the day diving
Several years later the say when did sink in mid channel only the captain on board ,,, Hummm!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One sinking and 2 close calls
So those were tha dazzz of our dives
Sam Miller, 111
admikar
Contributor
After reading this thread -note to myself: NEVER travel with Tom Hanks (Apollo 13, Cast away, Captain Phillips) and NEVER dive with @John Bantin . 
Rich Keller
Contributor
For me #1 would be the wetsuit, it will keep you warmer longer and afloat. #2 would be fins so I could get away from the sinking boat as quickly as possible. When the boat goes down it creates suction that can pull you down with it even if you are wearing a life preserver. The larger the boat the greater suction will be when it goes down. If there is no time and my gear is still in my kit bag I would go over the side with that as it will float on its own for a long enough period of time for me to don whatever is in there that I need.
John Bantin
Contributor
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