Propeller accident after diving at Galápagos Islands

[Queen Triggerfish]

Nathalie,
Thank you so very much for sharing your story. The description and emotion will cause me to not forget it. I am sure that I will remember your story when ascending. I, too, am one who would be captivated - and perhaps distracted - by that fish. I'm sure you have a long road ahead of you, but I'm so glad to know that you are here to share your story!

 

[DandyDon]

Scary story, and I really admire Nathalie's attitude as well as thank her for sharing. Wishing you all the best, dear lady.

I have always carried a SMB, from dive-1, including practice dives in a nearby, spring fed hole with no boats possible, and I shudder at divers who go to sea without one in case of a search need. I have not always shot it from the SS or taken that as especially necessary, but I will now.

It's still no guarantee against getting hit tho. I hung at 15-20 ft with others on a northern Cozumel reef once, outside of the park, as one of our group shot his - then listened to a speed boat approaching, and finally saw the boat run over the floating SMB! Then we listened for any more before surfacing.

Listening is no guarantee either, as you have explained from your not hearing the one that got you. Maybe it was the hood along with ears muffled from days of diving, perhaps with a boat engine with a lower, softer tone - I don't know. Together tho, all good tools to use.

It's also scary that the boat & crew was so poorly prepared for emergencies, Oxygen tanks not full, etc. I've seen that before too. Not so scary less than a mile from a dock well served by local ambulances and a nearby hospital, but for such a remote outpost - wow!

 

[Dive California]

Nathalie,

Thanks for your story. I dove the Galapagos Islands a few years ago (on the Agrressor) and the requirred SMBs for all divers...like you said most dives are drift dives. Perhaps the operation you used will start that policy as well.

Again, thanks for sharing.

 

[WimW]

Wouldn't it be possible to have a procedure to avoid situations like this - I mean where the boat starts moving just as you are ascending? Agreeing on some visual sign given by the boat that it is not safe to approach? Then again, it will depend on visibility as the OP did not even see the boat while surfacing - which seems a bit contradictory to it hitting her within seconds after starting the engines. Or is visibility in the Galapagos so bad?

 

[brrrandi]

SMBs - so so so important. I'm going to unroll mine and practice with it this weekend, even though I'm just going to the quarry.

Thank you Nathalie for your courage and story. Best wishes on your speedy recovery.

 

[vladimir]

I think that THIS THREAD, about a diver off Phuket that died in a propeller accident, yielded some useful insights. Among the suggestions was the use of propeller guards on dive boats, which seemed like an affordable, common-sense solution a dive operator should consider.

 

[Nathalie_nl]

Dear all,

Thank you all for you supportive replies. Especially the ones where I read that smbs are going to be used more make me happy. I read a couple of questions or remarks, which I'll try to answer or comment on.

#10 Peterbj7: "Can't help wondering what the boat captain was doing" - the captain (12 years with the company and captain for even longer) was strongly leaning on his experience with waves and currents. He anticipated where we would surface, based on the time passed and the spot he picked up the two girls from our group and made his way up there (but not to close). From what I've heard, this was the first time that his knowledge let him down.

#13 Dive California: the use of an smb by the diveguide became standard practice, the day following my accident. I suggested they should provide all diving customers with an smb, but they are affraid divers might get entangle in the rope. I agree that it's always a good idea to practice it a couple of times to master the skill of using an smb. For safety reasons they also no longer allow dive couples to surface by themselfs if one becomes low on air. As of now it's always the whole group who surfaces at the same time, close to the buoy of the diveguide.

#14 WimW: the visibility that day wasn't good. We had 'only' 7 meters, being 21 ft. The procedure now is that the whole group surfaces close to the buoy. When everyone has surfaced the dive guide signals to the captain that it is save to approach.

#16 vladimir: Regarding the sheelding of the propellers (2 engines of 200 hp) the owner states: "We thought about the remote possibility, that a propeller can hit a diver, many years ago. My partner bought 4 year ago, 2 diesel jet sky engines (100.000 US$) to try them out, but it didn’t work out, they where to slow and to heavy. We bought one year ago very expensive engines/propeller protector for our Yamaha engines, but it didn’t worked out. Our engines are to strong and to big. The vibrations loosen all the times the screws.Those propeller protectors are only working well on small out boarder on low speed. I guess that we need to invent our own propeller protector because not one of the day dive speed boats in Galapagos has find a solution up to now."
At the moment they are experimenting again with tunnel protection. But attaching them in a way they actually stay on, still is an issue.

Then I asked an expert why engine builders have not solved this problem yet. It turns out to be a political issue. Some classic reasons: 1. If the industry ever starts to use them, those injured in the past will sue them for not using
them earlier.
2. The industry has said they do not work and are no good for decades. If all of a sudden they
start to use them, how will they explain their statements from the past.
3. If they do start using guards, some people will still be hurt, some from the guard itself.
4. If they start using them, those with existing boats are going to say the industry should pay
to retrofit them to existing boats, and the industry does not want to pay for that.
5. Each step in the distribution chain (propeller manufacturer, drive builder, boat builder,
boat dealer say they do no know how or where the boat is going to be used so they don't
know what kind of guard to put on.

All in all very discouraging...

I also have a question. Being a PADI IDC Staff Instructor, I'm familiar with the PADI curiculum, but it would not surprise me if this applies to more recreational diving organisations:
During the open water course, the use of smbs is only mentioned briefly. This subject is gets more in depth coverage in the 'boat' adventure dive or specialty course (as facultative part of the advanced open water course). Problem is that this facultative part hardly ever gets taught, because there are more usefull modules to choose from. In my country it's common to learn diving while shore diving, in places designated for divers without any boats. And after the course the new divers take a plane to one of the tropical places in the world and dive off boats. Therefore many new divers dive off boats, without having any knowledge of this safety aspect. I would like to know if you agree with me that the use of smbs should be one of the skills students have to master during the open water course.


I'd also would love to get your attention for the relaunch of DANs campaign regarding propeller safety:
DAN Europe - Safety Campaigns

Nathalie.

 

[tracydr]

SMBs - so so so important. I'm going to unroll mine and practice with it this weekend, even though I'm just going to the quarry.

Thank you Nathalie for your courage and story. Best wishes on your speedy recovery.

Shoot, I'm going to start playing with them in the pool instead of just floating around on near the bottom! I don't practice my SMB skills nearly enough.
Natalie, thank you so much for sharing this story. I realize this must be terribly hard for you. I'm currently stuck in a wheelchair myself. If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know. I recently found an amazing orthopedic clinic. They're world renowned for saving difficult joints and limbs. And, they do have some funding and even college scholarships, if you're in need of that sort of thing.
write me a PM if you need anything at all.
I'm going to be a patient at the clinic for my own strange issue, multifocal avascular necrosis.

---------- Post added July 18th, 2013 at 05:47 PM ----------

Nathalie,

Thanks for your story. I dove the Galapagos Islands a few years ago (on the Agrressor) and the requirred SMBs for all divers...like you said most dives are drift dives. Perhaps the operation you used will start that policy as well.

Again, thanks for sharing.

I dove the Aggressor in Galapegos a few years ago as well. It was my understanding that the SMBs were given to us in case we were adrift and lost. Since ours didn't include spools nobody could have deployed them below the surface, even if they wanted to. I don't remember seeing anybody but the DM ever deploying an SMB,either. In fact, I'm not sure i remember the DMs even deploying the SMB. I still have that SMB and it definitely doesn't have a spool or any kind of line to allow you to deploy it from beneath the surface.
However, it seems to me that since the large boat was at a distance and the smaller pangas were used for pickups, we were at much less risk of injury from the propellors. Not zero injury but certainly less than when a large day boat is doing the pick-ups. The pangs are closer to the water's surface and slower so they are able to see the divers better, plus, I would assume that since they have much smaller engines, the damage might be less? I know nearly nothing about boats so I'm just guessing.

 

[Brodydog]

Nathalie, thank you so much for telling your story and bringing it to our attention. I really admire your attitude while telling the story and also in answering the questions and the fact that you are able to do this without laying a lot of blame on others. Sounds like you are one strong woman. Glad to hear you have done so well.

 

[DandyDon]

#13 Dive California: the use of an smb by the diveguide became standard practice, the day following my accident. I suggested they should provide all diving customers with an smb, but they are affraid divers might get entangle in the rope. I agree that it's always a good idea to practice it a couple of times to master the skill of using an smb. For safety reasons they also no longer allow dive couples to surface by themselfs if one becomes low on air. As of now it's always the whole group who surfaces at the same time, close to the buoy of the diveguide.

#14 WimW: the visibility that day wasn't good. We had 'only' 7 meters, being 21 ft. The procedure now is that the whole group surfaces close to the buoy. When everyone has surfaced the dive guide signals to the captain that it is save to approach.

Well, that's one approach, and I guess safer. Some Cozumel Ops are like that, but I won't dive with them. I do carry my own Smbs & reel and use it. One trip I had to get onto my home bud so he'd take turns with me. I carried the Smb from day-1, dive-2 in case I needed to be found but it took me a few years to accept that carrying the reel, shooting it from below, after first practicing in controlled practice dive settings was an important practice. The first time my home bud saw me shoot mine in a practice dive location, from 70 ft, he decided to shoot his too for the first time - then floated up too fast, so I had to tend to my own line while untangling his from about his body & gear.

I'd think it even more important for the Gallops, but I guess it's challenging to get the idea across to all. For those without their own Smb & reel and experience using it, I can see the all-ascend-together plan, but those with their own would then be without a guide unless they also ascend at the same time.

#16 vladimir: Regarding the sheelding of the propellers (2 engines of 200 hp) the owner states: "We thought about the remote possibility, that a propeller can hit a diver, many years ago. My partner bought 4 year ago, 2 diesel jet sky engines (100.000 US$) to try them out, but it didn’t work out, they where to slow and to heavy. We bought one year ago very expensive engines/propeller protector for our Yamaha engines, but it didn’t worked out. Our engines are to strong and to big. The vibrations loosen all the times the screws.Those propeller protectors are only working well on small out boarder on low speed. I guess that we need to invent our own propeller protector because not one of the day dive speed boats in Galapagos has find a solution up to now."
At the moment they are experimenting again with tunnel protection. But attaching them in a way they actually stay on, still is an issue.

Taking only well trained & prepared divers out would be the preferred answer, but not good for business. My dad decided we needed our first ski boat in the 70s for some reason and insisted on a jet for safety. We never had to worry about props on our own boat, but we discovered many more problems. I taught my grown sis some basics about driving with a trailer, backup, and offloading the boat - but none of us were ever trained in boating. She & I lost interest after a few years, my brother traded for a larger one, but he burned out too in time. Besides, our lakes are all too low now, and he's into flying again.

Yet, even tho I am not well educated and experienced on boating, I just do not see guards as the answer for the bigger boats. It's always been a danger worldwide, and divers need to learn.

I also have a question. Being a PADI IDC Staff Instructor, I'm familiar with the PADI curiculum, but it would not surprise me if this applies to more recreational diving organisations:
During the open water course, the use of smbs is only mentioned briefly. This subject is gets more in depth coverage in the 'boat' adventure dive or specialty course (as facultative part of the advanced open water course). Problem is that this facultative part hardly ever gets taught, because there are more usefull modules to choose from. In my country it's common to learn diving while shore diving, in places designated for divers without any boats. And after the course the new divers take a plane to one of the tropical places in the world and dive off boats. Therefore many new divers dive off boats, without having any knowledge of this safety aspect. I would like to know if you agree with me that the use of smbs should be one of the skills students have to master during the open water course.

It's been over 10 years since I did the OW course, but I just do not see including Smb & reel in that accelerated training. AOW would be a good course for it, but I had to learn on my own as we didn't cover it then.

Shoot, I'm going to start playing with them in the pool instead of just floating around on near the bottom! I don't practice my SMB skills nearly enough.
Natalie, thank you so much for sharing this story. I realize this must be terribly hard for you. I'm currently stuck in a wheelchair myself. If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know. I recently found an amazing orthopedic clinic. They're world renowned for saving difficult joints and limbs. And, they do have some funding and even college scholarships, if you're in need of that sort of thing.
write me a PM if you need anything at all.
I'm going to be a patient at the clinic for my own strange issue, multifocal avascular necrosis.

I dove the Aggressor in Galapegos a few years ago as well. It was my understanding that the SMBs were given to us in case we were adrift and lost. Since ours didn't include spools nobody could have deployed them below the surface, even if they wanted to. I don't remember seeing anybody but the DM ever deploying an SMB,either. In fact, I'm not sure i remember the DMs even deploying the SMB. I still have that SMB and it definitely doesn't have a spool or any kind of line to allow you to deploy it from beneath the surface.
However, it seems to me that since the large boat was at a distance and the smaller pangas were used for pickups, we were at much less risk of injury from the propellors. Not zero injury but certainly less than when a large day boat is doing the pick-ups. The pangs are closer to the water's surface and slower so they are able to see the divers better, plus, I would assume that since they have much smaller engines, the damage might be less? I know nearly nothing about boats so I'm just guessing.

Damn Doc Tracy! MAC sounds dreadful. Wishing you the best there.

I understand you to be an experienced and accomplished traveling diver, so I am surprised you don't use your Smb & reel more - but your Gallops experience illustrates shortcomings in training for boat diving. I guess it's just not pushed enough. Yeah, I want to use them for pangas and ribs too, even tho I have witnessed a panga run over one we shot once. Still the best approach.