Puget Sound Fatality

[ivakdiver]

I am having some difficulty understanding the "Redundo River". I have some experience in currents but am not clear on the size/location/features of this apparently well recognized danger (by some divers). I was surprised to find no useful information or warning about this danger on the site addressing this scuba resource: The Perfect Dive : Redondo - Des Moines, WA - USA: Pacific Northwest. Is that part of the problem that results in divers being unprepared for this hazard?

Just started reading this thread and what this poster is stating makes a lot of sense to me. Describing this Site as A Perfect Dive Site, without mentioning the possibility of encountering this current seems kind of strange. Admittedly it can be done safely most of the time, BUT, if I had read this Site description, and decided to do a dive here, I would have been totally unprepared for this current. Does anyone know if these divers were from the area, trained locally or visiting the area? Would they even have been aware of the possibility of encountering this kind if current?
Condolences to those affected by the loss of this diver! Always sad!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Just started reading this thread and what this poster is stating makes a lot of sense describing this Site as APerfect Dive Site, without mentioning the possibility of encountering this current seems kind of stupid.

Understand that "The Perfect Dive" is a site that collects and publishes reviews from its readers. If the reviewer didn't encounter current on their dive, they're unlikely to mention it.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[jewelofnile69]

Don, any word on cause of death? Anyone else from the area? I know we are currently speculating right now and will likely truly never know. And I'm sure cause of death will likely be something that doesn't really tell us what exactly happened....guess I'm just curious.

Bob, how were those Chicagonians?

---------- Post added March 13th, 2013 at 12:15 PM ----------

Just started reading this thread and what this poster is stating makes a lot of sense to me. Describing this Site as A Perfect Dive Site, without mentioning the possibility of encountering this current seems kind of strange. Admittedly it can be done safely most of the time, BUT, if I had read this Site description, and decided to do a dive here, I would have been totally unprepared for this current. Does anyone know if these divers were from the area, trained locally or visiting the area? Would they even have been aware of the possibility of encountering this kind if current?
Condolences to those affected by the loss of this diver! Always sad!

Understand that "The Perfect Dive" is a site that collects and publishes reviews from its readers. If the reviewer didn't encounter current on their dive, they're unlikely to mention it.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Understood. You know when you go to a place like Bonaire, Cayman, Key Largo, etc., often times you'll pick up a guide that lists all the local dive sites with a description of the site. It may say something like "good beginner site" or "intermediate site because such and such is possible to happen." Is there anything like this for the area?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

The Chicagoans were great ... Mike Blazer posted up in Reply 42.

We have a book called "Northwest Shore Dives" that many locals consider the "Bible" of our most popular shore access sites. It contains a great deal of useful information and I've found it to be pretty accurate. Unfortunately, it's also rather dated ... nearly 20 years old now ... and I don't think the author has any intention of doing any updates. It also doesn't contain all of our popular shore sites.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[jewelofnile69]

The Chicagoans were great ... Mike Blazer posted up in Reply 42.

We have a book called "Northwest Shore Dives" that many locals consider the "Bible" of our most popular shore access sites. It contains a great deal of useful information and I've found it to be pretty accurate. Unfortunately, it's also rather dated ... nearly 20 years old now ... and I don't think the author has any intention of doing any updates. It also doesn't contain all of our popular shore sites.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Glad it went well.

Sounds like you have some work to do...

 

[Darnold9999]

Interesting scenerio Bob.

My initial response to increasing current as described is to either duck behind something or grab on to something (a knife stuck into a muddy bottom works) get breathing under control (get CO2 under control to reduce panic), decide what to do and then do it. Not knowing anything about the site and the nature of the current I would probably choose to get away from the bottom into more open water in hopes of diluting the current flow and surfacing filling my BC/filling my drysuit/kicking/dropping weight(in that order). Alternatively if there were enough bottom features would move from feature to feature crawling along the bottom in hopes of finding a way to get out of the current. A judgement call at the time and would largely depend on topography and the dangers above (boats etc.).

With an inexperienced buddy grab the bottom and motion them to get behind me out of current, if they still had air - then discuss options. If they were out of air probably latch on the the bottom, donate - get settled and then blast for the surface dropping weights, filling BC and drysuit and hoping the combination would be enough to counteract the downcurrent. A long surface swim would not enter in to the calculation - nor would being swept out to sea at that point. Drowning is much more immediate.

All this is not to say that the buddy in question did anything wrong. I have been caught in unexpected current more than once so these responses were learned the hard way. CO2 loading as you struggle against a current plays hell with your ability to problem solve so I have learned to do whatever is necessary to fix that problem first - even going with the current if that is the only option. Once you have your breathing under control and CO2 overload dealt with thinking clearly becomes possible.

 

[GrandpaScuba]

I have yet to find anyone who has heard what actually happened. Anyone out there have any new information? I understand that the woman's name was Leanne Miller. Can anyone elborate on who she was, what kind of diving experience did she have, where she was from?

I hope we can all learn from the diving accidents that happen. But to do so, we need to know about the person and the events.

 

[DandyDon]

I have yet to find anyone who has heard what actually happened. Anyone out there have any new information? I understand that the woman's name was Leanne Miller. Can anyone elborate on who she was, what kind of diving experience did she have, where she was from?

I hope we can all learn from the diving accidents that happen. But to do so, we need to know about the person and the events.

I don't think we are allowed to post victim's names until released in news, but it was here: Scuba diver dies at Redondo | UPDATE - Federal Way Mirror

I am guessing that the buddy is just not ready to relate the whole story publicly, and my lawyer wouldn't want me to say much either.

 

[GrandpaScuba]

I don't think we are allowed to post victim's names until released in news, but it was here: Scuba diver dies at Redondo | UPDATE - Federal Way Mirror

I am guessing that the buddy is just not ready to relate the whole story publicly, and my lawyer wouldn't want me to say much either.

Thanks DD. I wouldn't have mentioned her name, but I saw it already listed somewhere in this thread. Also, the same day I saw it here, I heard a news-teaser on KOMO saying that the diver's name was to be released that day.

I've been diving in Puget Sound since the spring of 1980. I kind-of take it personal every time I hear of a Puget Sound diver fatality.

 

[mblazer]

I dove Redondo two days after the incident, and there was already a memorial set up for Ms. Miller. I've been following the threads both here and on NWDC, but no further news as of yet - just a lot of sniping about what to do or not do in a situation presumably like this one between someone who knows the site like the back of his hand, and others who's knowledge of the site appears to be more limited. More to the point, I have little doubt that her dive buddy is still in shock, and I have a feeling that it will be quite some time before anyone outside of the authorities hears anything new.