When are we gonna learn?

[Hank49]

Maybe there is more to the story, but getting tangled in kelp doesn't sound life threatening if you have a knife. And the DM was there with him and neither could cut the kelp away? Too sad.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

... at 14 dives, when something unexpected happens it's fairly likely you're not going to react in a calm, rational manner ... and problems that should be easily and routinely resolved are suddenly anything but easy and routine ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I would think that if a diver was insecure enough to hire a dedicated divemster to watch over just one person that this implies that the customer was well aware that this dive may stretch his competencies.

Once he hires this dedicated professional who was presumably intimately aware of the unique or special challenges or dangers that this site presents,. THEN I feel that the DM bears a significant responsibility to verify that the customers past experience and certification level are compatible with the dive. If not, then the DM could exercise a whole host of potential responses which could have ameliorated the danger, ranging from an alternate site, bailing on the dive, revised dive plan etc.

People are responsible for themselves, but if the dive itself was clearly outside of the customers abilities, then a good bit of the blame should go toward the divemster.

 

[KevinNM]

Iirc the situation correctly, the dive shop provided a marginally qualified unpaid DM (or DM trainee ) with limited experience with the site after the diver asked for and paid for an experienced and qualified DM.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I would think that if a diver was insecure enough to hire a dedicated divemster to watch over just one person that this implies that the customer was well aware that this dive may stretch his competencies.

Once he hires this dedicated professional who was presumably intimately aware of the unique or special challenges or dangers that this site presents,. THEN I feel that the DM bears a significant responsibility to verify that the customers past experience and certification level are compatible with the dive. If not, then the DM could exercise a whole host of potential responses which could have ameliorated the danger, ranging from an alternate site, bailing on the dive, revised dive plan etc.

People are responsible for themselves, but if the dive itself was clearly outside of the customers abilities, then a good bit of the blame should go toward the divemster.

DM's aren't always competent ... and often have more faith in their c-card than their skills would warrant ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[BRT]

All in all, cards don't mean much. One of the most competent divers I know has no cards. I've seen "rescue divers" who were incompetent.

 

[boulderjohn]

Iirc the situation correctly, the dive shop provided a marginally qualified unpaid DM (or DM trainee ) with limited experience with the site after the diver asked for and paid for an experienced and qualified DM.

This is a situation neither a dive shop nor a DM trainee wants to be part of.

The difference between a DM, no matter how marginally qualified, and a DM trainee, no matter what skills he or she may already possess, is huge. The first carries mandatory liability insurance to cover such an event; the second does not (or at least is not required to).

A few years ago a DM who had not stayed current with his certification and was no longer insured was involved in a fatality for which he had to accept a lot of blame. He killed himself shortly after. The shop that employed him went out of business.

 

[drrich2]

Anyone familiar with the site inclined to opine what minimal level of experience and training a dive there under typical conditions calls for?

On a side note about casino point on Catalina Island; is the site used by a much larger number of divers compared to other sites? Is the death rate dyspropotionate to usage?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Anyone familiar with the site inclined to opine what minimal level of experience and training a dive there under typical conditions calls for?

Race Rocks is actually multiple sites. Inside it's not much ... some kelp to deal with, not much current, and usually people go there to interact with sea lions. Outside can be anywhere from benign to scary, depending on what the current decides to do ... and it can be unpredictable. But I wouldn't take someone there without true advanced skills. It's one of those places where you have to be good at reacting to changing conditions. Last time I was there the current blew us off the site. I shot a bag from 70 feet, and by the time we surfaced we were a quarter-mile or so from the dive site. Not a biggie ... the boat just followed our buoy ... but for someone unskilled or unprepared it could be a bad situation. They lost a diver there a couple years ago ... and found his body nearly a year later several miles from the site.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Scubagolf]

This link is to a recent college dive club trip to Race Rocks.
Victoria and Race Rocks Dive Trip @ UBC Aqua Society Scuba Diving (Sat 07:00, 2016-11-26) | etrigg.com

The skill level needed is listed as:

"Requirements: Cold water diving experience and comfort in diving in strong current environments."