Fatality Cabo San Lucas March 3

[koozemani]

Thanks cabodetails and welcome to SB. I don't remember how Sunshine got mentioned here, but they did not fill that tanks huh? Guess there was some confusion, which happens when it's so difficult to get information. Very glad to hear that Sunshine has a CO monitor, altho I'd still test all my tanks there - still, shows that they are doing their part. They should have pics of that on their site; it'd be good for their business.

Sunshine was named in post #1 in the quoted article. It appears that it was named by the family.

 

[KC_Mike]

I have not made ANY posts asking the dive shop to come onto SB to defend themselves or to come onto Scubaboard at all for anything. Re-read the posts before you falsely accuse someone - TWICE. I have not asked the dive shop to do anything. I have no interest in the dive shop whatsoever.

I asked the Alberta Underwater Council if they investigate fatalities, and they replied that they do not.

Ayisha, I never falsely accused you of anything. I was not referencing any of your posts directly. There was a post by Cruiser however (again,not your post) that insinuated that the "parties" are welcome to join the discussion.

AggieDiver, I understand that speculation is normal in liue of facts, and I accept that. As I mentioned before I have read many posts on here and wanted to comment but for some reason I couldn't. Again, I think these discussions are valuable and hopefully lead to improved processes or at least increased knowldge. I know the majority of the naming of the shop came from the media, but there was enough buzz in some posts about the shop itself that I felt compelled to share my experience with them and my thoughts on the matter.

 

[DandyDon]

Great news for vacation divers who cannot talk themselves into buying a personal CO tank tester! $35 for a week long trip, less on extra weeks...!!

Carbon Monoxide Analyzer Rental

 

[johnZdiver]

Wow Don thats the best post so far to come out on this thread a CO checker rental.
I remember when I took my Open Water Class the instructor said if you dont feel good about the Dive dont make it. The same thing should go for any Shop or Dive Boat. There seems to be lots of PADI shops there in Cabo to pick from. I dont remember reading any thing real Bad about the rest of the Dive Business there so I feel better using one that there are NO posts about CO or Bad Dive Master and so forth. Why take a chance with your life.
I wont Dive with Conquest or Sunshine ever and as far as getting true info.on any of this I am going to wait until some real facts come out and that will be at the trial of who ever gets sued.

 

[DandyDon]

Wow Don thats the best post so far to come out on this thread a CO checker rental.
I remember when I took my Open Water Class the instructor said if you dont feel good about the Dive dont make it. The same thing should go for any Shop or Dive Boat. There seems to be lots of PADI shops there in Cabo to pick from. I dont remember reading any thing real Bad about the rest of the Dive Business there so I feel better using one that there are NO posts about CO or Bad Dive Master and so forth. Why take a chance with your life.
I wont Dive with Conquest or Sunshine ever and as far as getting true info.on any of this I am going to wait until some real facts come out and that will be at the trial of who ever gets sued.

It sounds like Sunshine was mentioned by mistake here? It could be a top notch operator that just happens to be in the same location that got accused in error. At any rate, it's good to test tanks even if you see a CO monitor in use as they have been ignored at times.

 

[bleeb]

I remember when I took my Open Water Class the instructor said if you dont feel good about the Dive dont make it. The same thing should go for any Shop or Dive Boat. There seems to be lots of PADI shops there in Cabo to pick from. I dont remember reading any thing real Bad about the rest of the Dive Business there so I feel better using one that there are NO posts about CO or Bad Dive Master and so forth. Why take a chance with your life.
I wont Dive with Conquest or Sunshine ever and as far as getting true info.on any of this I am going to wait until some real facts come out and that will be at the trial of who ever gets sued.

I think a significant lesson I've gotten from this and other CO threads is that a good outfit has gas handling and compressor operation procedures that make CO and other contaminants less likely, but no one is immune. Any compressor is a complex mechanical device and can have a bad day. It's just much less likely with a 'good' shop. But as a backup on fallible mechanisms, a shop with compressors that have in-line CO detection _with_ automatic shutoff are that much less likely to hurt you when (not if) they have a problem. But if you're in a situation where you don't know in advance whether this protective backup exists and is working properly, a personal checker also provides some added safety (i.e. trust, but verify.)

 

[cruiser]

I think a significant lesson I've gotten from this and other CO threads is that a good outfit has gas handling and compressor operation procedures that make CO and other contaminants less likely, but no one is immune. Any compressor is a complex mechanical device and can have a bad day. It's just much less likely with a 'good' shop. But as a backup on fallible mechanisms, a shop with compressors that have in-line CO detection _with_ automatic shutoff are that much less likely to hurt you when (not if) they have a problem. But if you're in a situation where you don't know in advance whether this protective backup exists and is working properly, a personal checker also provides some added safety (i.e. trust, but verify.)

"BUT NO ONE IS IMMUNE" is the bottom line here. And for whatever reason (most likely our need to believe in a false sense of security), this key point is repeatedly glossed over in discussions about carbon monoxide contamination.

 

[DandyDon]

"BUT NO ONE IS IMMUNE" is the bottom line here. And for whatever reason (most likely our need to believe in a false sense of security), this key point is repeatedly glossed over in discussions about carbon monoxide contamination.

I think it's just a matter of old standards. The sport was developed decades ago, safety was improved dramatically over the years, and by the 1990s the pros who had survived the early experimentation phases pretty well felt like they had it figured out - along with those who modeled after them. Even our dive computers are mostly based on 20th century technology. I started diving in 2001 and I can't think of any other big changes in our equipment and science since other than using 21st century technology to look at the air we breath. Some improvements sure, and DAN is progressive in other medical areas - but the equipment and attitudes are about the same as when I got here.

I don't know how long the poor lady in this accident had been diving, but she and her husband had a couple hundred dives each didn't they? He wasn't there, but other family members were - yet if they had been testing for CO, this story would be totally different. Either it would not have happened, or at least CO would not have been blamed - true or not.

Now that anyone can rent a CO tank tester for $35 ($46 with round-trip shipping) for a week long trip, I hope we start seeing more and more trip reports including CO results. It can be boring when the first 4 or 5 days of tanks all test clean, but the first time you see a problem is enlightening.

 

[johnZdiver]

Well Don I dont think the family pulled the name of Sunshine out of the air. I read that the Conquest Dive Master told them he filled his tanks with that company for the last three months and Im sure he wont take the fall for this himself. Nobodys going to be talking until after the court case is over.

It sounds like Sunshine was mentioned by mistake here? It could be a top notch operator that just happens to be in the same location that got accused in error. At any rate, it's good to test tanks even if you see a CO monitor in use as they have been ignored at times.

 

[DandyDon]

Well Don I dont think the family pulled the name of Sunshine out of the air. I read that the Conquest Dive Master told them he filled his tanks with that company for the last three months and Im sure he wont take the fall for this himself. Nobodys going to be talking until after the court case is over.

Ok, I don't know where the info came from, and it's so difficult to get such from Mexico. I am also doubtful about any court cases. I think we'll be left wondering as usual.

I like dive trips to Mexico and other nations, but I remind myself that I am leaving the oversight of the Coast Guard, DOT, our courts, etc.