Write Up of Near Death in Monterey

[Johanan]

This is what SSI said about it.

 

[vincent54]

Are the new divers hitting the open water with too little pool training or is the site too difficult? It is hard to believe two instructors would both be incompetent. If SSI has had complaints in the past, why hasn't there been previous disciplinary action?

I don't think I would even think about diving if I had read these stories. Lawsuit or not, sounds like a nightmare for the girl.
Thankful my instructor(NAUI) was a crusty old guy that treated everyone like they were his kids. Cheers

 

[herbdb]

The SSI letter seemed to hint that anyone who files a law suit was in the wrong. I hate nuisance lawsuits, but this one seems justified. There was negligence by a professional and expense were incurred through that negligence.

 

[SeaHorse81]

I think in this case, SSI should just be happy they're not dealing with a wrongful death suit.

 

[Garth]

The SSI letter seemed to hint that anyone who files a law suit was in the wrong. I hate nuisance lawsuits, but this one seems justified. There was negligence by a professional and expense were incurred through that negligence.

I didn't read that at all. The way I read it was that they are investigating it and that the instructors aren't teaching now from their protocol. I'm unbiased to SSI and feel that their letter was the best they could do given the lawsuit.

I could see how either party could have contributed to the incident but from reading just the California Diver article it's easy to get upset at SSI. I feel bad for both the female involved and the SSI organization. There are instructors everywhere that cut corners but these seemed to perpetuate an incident.

I know instructors personally that are incredible open water instructors but lack the ability to thoroughly teach tech classes but somehow they do anyway and it shows in their students. At the same time some of the best instructors in the world can't fix someone who doesn't have their entire mind set on improving skills and having the write technique/equip for the environment.

The above are only my opinions though. One side of the story.

At the minimum it is good that no one perished.

 

[PeterNBiddle]

The SSI letter seemed to hint that anyone who files a law suit was in the wrong. I hate nuisance lawsuits, but this one seems justified. There was negligence by a professional and expense were incurred through that negligence.

That is about the best you can get without your in-house counsel quitting. I'm shocked there's so much in it. It's just more stuff for Discovery.

 

[letterboy]

The SSI letter seemed to hint that anyone who files a law suit was in the wrong. I hate nuisance lawsuits, but this one seems justified. There was negligence by a professional and expense were incurred through that negligence.

you didnt actually expect them to say their instructors were wrong?

I agree with someone above who mentioned that the "experienced" boyfriend may/probably did set the instructors up for failure.

when my G/F got certified I only asked how her class was going, what she learned and tried to help her when she asked.

I thought some of the things the instructors were teaching sucked, kneeling on the pool bottom type of things nothing safety related, but I never told her that. she will only know that I felt that way if she reads this . . . (I love you honey)

when she did her checkouts, we were on vacation, I was on the same boat; but I always went the other direction from the teacher/students once we hit the water.

I am a firm believer that family members or significant others should not be in the water nor participate in any part of the class. as it is, they will 99.9% of the time "know better" and undermine the instructor.

When I helped with classes as a DM I cannot tell you how many times I overheard diving family members telling students "just do it, I will show you how to really do it later" . . .

 

[SeaHorse81]

I just reread the account, as info here and also obtained offline have convinced me of its authenticity. This quote from the end bears repeating:

We are all just animals bound to the same mortality as any other creature… but we also have the same attributes if we decide to use them. I am speaking of instinct. If a little voice is telling you something about your instructor… LISTEN! Bail on instructors that behave like these two Instructors did. Do not proceed! When you enter the sea (or lake, etc.) you need your intact instincts more than ever… so I highly recommend you learn to honor them.

This urgent message follows so very many bad experiences, not just in diving but in life. If we could drill in on this one so that people respect it going in rather than recognizing it after the fact, many tragedies and terrors could be avoided.

Several of us here have commented on the very dramatic style of the article. I don't know what Mr. Cassell's normal writing style is, but I think what we're seeing is evidence of remaining trauma, and not surprisingly so. My best wishes to him and his girlfriend, and I hope they are able to get whatever justice is possible, knowing that no outcome will make up for what has happened.

 

[raftingtigger]

is the site too difficult?

This is a VERY easy site. It is cold water, but other than that about as easy as it gets.

 

[Anna G]

If what the SSI press release states is factually true (the gf gave notice to file a suit, and there has been communication between SSI and both the gf and Mr Cassell), the following would be extremely disingenuous:

As of the day I submitted this article, SSI refuses to return either of our email or calls – in fact I think the President blocked me. My girlfriend and I are left alone to figure out her mounting ER & ICU medical costs and her continued treatment. I do not know if SSI decided to take any actions at all against the two Instructors responsible. Each day I see my girlfriend sinking into depression and fear due to the unknown. SSI could resolve her fears with one single effort to be helpful but they chose silence.

If indeed there has been ongoing communication between the gf/Mr. Cassell and SSI, I would expect it to stop once notice to file a suit is given. That only makes sense, if SSI was to be named in the suit their response at that point should be "please direct all future concerns to our legal dep't." Mr. Cassell in is article does not mention that there has been communication before such notice was apparently given, and since the only mention of communication with SSI is once it was allegedly stopped, a reader could easily infer that SSI never bothered to communicate with the gf/Mr. Cassell.

This is not a small omission. To me, it is an outright lie - either by Mr. Cassell in his article, or by SSI in their press release. I suppose the facts will come out in court.