diver presumed dead in Petawawa River

[Diver0001]

"There's a fair bit of danger involved with the rescue," said Sgt. Paradis.

There you go, Catherine .... you wanted to know why I think idiot instructors need to be taken out of circulation, by legal action if necessary........ well there you go.... now it has a name...

An experienced SAR diver thinks twice about getting in the water but the OW instructor throws a rank novice to his doom....

Sheesh. Crucify him!

R..

 

[scubapolly]

As we all know these articles are not written by divers and they tend to take things out of context or just write things that are plain wrong (how many times have we read about divers with empty OXYGEN tanks).

With that said- it sounds to me from the article like the DM was on shore, and the instructor was on the surface when the diver surfaced. As far as I know most agencies require assents with students to be made under supervision.

Also I agree diving in a river in Canada this time of year sounds a bit extreeme.

Diver0001- I whole heartedly agree!

Thoughts and prayers with all involved.

 

[Charlie99]

With that said- it sounds to me from the article like the DM was on shore, and the instructor was on the surface when the diver surfaced. As far as I know most agencies require assents with students to be made under supervision.

It sounds like there were two instructors, each with 2 students. One instructor was on the surface when the victim surfaced. The other instructor surfaced, along with the other student, just 15 seconds later.

That would be consistent with either a panicked bolt to the surface or a runaway ascent.

 

[Cacia]

Rob, agree on this one. A new diver in a class with an instructor is in a different category....than a cert with a DM.

 

[Ayisha]

Catherine, students usually start out in a wetsuit, even around here. However, most clubs don't start o/w training until the end of May, and even then, the water is typically only in the early 40's.

The rivers are high and fast right now. Some sites (like Lake Simcoe) still have thin ice, and aren't safe right now due to shifting ice creating an overhead environment. Some people are diving in places like Humber Bay, which is around 40 right now. The boat charters usually start next month.

It's very unusual for o/w training right now, and would be extreme conditions, even with the mild weather we've been having. I don't live in Ottawa, so I'm not sure how common this is there, but it seems unusual for Ontario in general.

 

[scubapolly]

It sounds like there were two instructors, each with 2 students. One instructor was on the surface when the victim surfaced. The other instructor surfaced, along with the other student, just 15 seconds later.

That would be consistent with either a panicked bolt to the surface or a runaway ascent.

Re-reading it, I think you might be right. When I initially read it I was under the impression that the one was a witness who just happened to be an instructor. I don't thing the author of the article is going to earn any awards in the near future for clarity in journalism.

 

[Cacia]

Shifting ice...I would have never known about that. Poor guy.

 

[Storm]

I live in Ottawa, about an hour and a half south east of Petawawa so I can't comment on the cponditions in the Petawawa Rover, but with the early thaw I doubt there any ice left there. The ice is competely out here and the Ottawa Rover is wide open. However, with the spring run-off, the water levels are high and the fedder rivers are swollen and fast running.

While I'll reserve the most of my opinions until more facts are made avaiable, I will say that in my rookie opinion, the only divers who should be diving open water at this time of the year should be VERY experienced divers.

For the most part, the water is way too cold and fast for rookie divers, and I cant honestly fathom how or why a check out dive would be running at this time of the year.


My sympathies and prayers go out to his family.

 

[cerich]

http://www.achannel.ca/ottawa/news_27631.aspx

Some more info.

This sucks and hit close to home, ex Canadian Forces member and used to teach in Northern Ontario....

It is because of stuff like this that Quebec regulated dive training in their province.

All CF members who dive recreationaly are already regulated under CFAO 50-10
(www.cfpsa.com/en/psp/recreation/ScubaPolicyNov04_e.pdf ), I'm guessing after this has made national news in Canada that there will be further restrictions....

 

[MarkH]

www.cfpsa.com/en/psp/recreation/ScubaPolicyNov04_e.pdf[/URL] ), I'm guessing after this has made national news in Canada that there will be further restrictions....

Those regulations are just the rules for official, military-sponsored clubs. If those were the rules for recreational divers (military members) in general, alot of us would be screwed.