three divers rescued in the St Lawrence

[Stoo]

The Watertown Times today published that the diver died of a heart attack according to the coroner. Again condolences to the family and friends.

This ties in with a common "theory"... although one which seems to developing into more than that... that more and more, diving deaths are really health issues, that come to a head with diving. If you couple this with a tendency towards deeper, more hazardous diving, it's a recipe for trouble.

I'm not sure what the average age of an active diver is, but it's obviously significantly older than it was years ago. As I write this, I am overlooking the harbour in Tobermory. I just watched a dive boat leave the harbour (coincidentally, the same boat that saw a fatality a couple of weeks ago), and I would say that without a doubt, 5 of the 7 divers on board were obese. Not chubby, but obese. What a doctor would call "morbidly obese".

I mentioned earlier that I know the two surviving divers in this saga quite well, but not the third one. It is my understanding that he was a larger gentleman, and so the report of a cardiac event isn't especially surprising, when you consider the current on this wreck. (The water often "boils" on the surface over that wreck...)

So get your asses off the couch and get some exercise friends. This "sport"of ours is not one for out of shape people... And don't get me started about the number of divers that smoke.

 

[Michael_Lambert]

We do an extreme sport in an extreme condition.. It puts HUGE loads on our bodies..

People say that swimming is one of the best forms of cardio to give your body a work out, so just imagine if the same people did the same test on a diver who is swimming through a heavy current with the drag of 200+ pounds of gear.. People may not see it but we put our bodies through the ringer under water..

 

[scubadiver888]

This ties in with a common "theory"... although one which seems to developing into more than that... that more and more, diving deaths are really health issues, that come to a head with diving. If you couple this with a tendency towards deeper, more hazardous diving, it's a recipe for trouble.

I'm not sure what the average age of an active diver is, but it's obviously significantly older than it was years ago. As I write this, I am overlooking the harbour in Tobermory. I just watched a dive boat leave the harbour (coincidentally, the same boat that saw a fatality a couple of weeks ago), and I would say that without a doubt, 5 of the 7 divers on board were obese. Not chubby, but obese. What a doctor would call "morbidly obese".

I mentioned earlier that I know the two surviving divers in this saga quite well, but not the third one. It is my understanding that he was a larger gentleman, and so the report of a cardiac event isn't especially surprising, when you consider the current on this wreck. (The water often "boils" on the surface over that wreck...)

So get your asses off the couch and get some exercise friends. This "sport"of ours is not one for out of shape people... And don't get me started about the number of divers that smoke.

I'm not getting into technical diving yet but considering it. The books I read and people I talk to make it abundantly clear that having a decompression obligation changes everything. As a recreational diver I always have the option to swim for the surface (CESA). I've read/hear a lot about how the equipment has to be better, you have to have adequate exposure protection, etc. but no one is talking about you have to be sure you are not going to have a medical emergency.

When was the last time you had blood work done? I get mine done annually now that I'm diving locally (Ontario). Going to the doctor Tuesday. If you are over 40 and diving in conditions like the Keystorm (forget the Jodrey) you really need to know you are not a candidate for heart disease. My brother had a body which looks like Adonis. He ended up in the hospital with a serious heart attack in his forties. By the time he was 50 he'd had three more. So just because you don't look obese doesn't mean you are safe either.

 

[rhwestfall]

never mind.....

 

[Nitrodiverrr]

If the diver died of a heart attack it sounds like deja vue to the fatality in 2008 that occoured on the same wreck. That incidents COD was also determined to be caused by a heart attack.

Not being a medical profesional, I was wondering if an underlying dive related problem could cause an autopsy to show COD as a heart attack ?

 

[Ayisha]

I know that a heart attack is being reported, but I'm wondering if Mike had an onboard O2 monitor and bail-out bottle? I know that Blair dives with a bail-out bottle but I didn't know Mike. Which rb was Mike using?

 

[Stoo]

When was the last time you had blood work done?.

I suppose one of the advantages of getting older, is that doctors tend to start to look for trouble. Last year I went through a series of tests following an episode of irregular heartbeat... now controlled with a wee pill...

It was fascinating doing a stress test... Nothing to it and the Cardiologist ranked me as his "top victim" (whatever that meant) in a while. It wasn't difficult, but I suppose next time I should do it in my drysuit, 130s and a couple of stages. I suspect I'd drop in about 2 minutes. Oh ya, while breathing through a regulator.

It would probably do us all well to have such a test every couple of years... or at least those of us that are getting up there in age.

 

[TSandM]

Don't I remember that this diver was 39? Although we do see heart attacks nowadays in people in their 30's, it is rare, and usually folks who either have a strong family history for early MIs, or diabetes.

I remember a lecture in medical school that made an impression on me. They showed us the aorta (big central artery) of a 12 year old boy who was killed in a car accident. You could already see the changes of arteriosclerosis in his vessels. Arterial disease is not entirely something of the old, and especially not in our current world. It is a disease of bad diet, bad habits, bad genetics, and inactivity. There are some very impressive long term studies that show that a healthy diet and an active lifestyle significantly lower the risks of arterial disease, but both are becoming more and more rare.

I lost a very precious friend in his late 30s from a diving accident. His autopsy showed he had bad arterial disease, and the most plausible theory of his death was that he began having chest pain underwater, and ended up embolizing from an urgent ascent.

We should all look in the mirror every morning, and be honest with ourselves about whether we are in good condition to participate in active, high risk sports. (I spent the day rock climbing, and thinking about these things.)

 

[izimm]

The Ontario Underwater Council publishes incident reports going back around 20 years.

Year: fatalities
2011: 4
2010: 1
2009: 0
2008: 3
2007: 4
2006: 4
2005: 4
2004: 4

It seems that 2009 and 2010 were actually good years. Looking at the incident reports some of the past deaths were people totally ignoring proper dive training (possible not even certified). This year the deaths have all been certified divers and in most cases active members of the community.

Some guy gets some scuba gear and tries to retrieve his pickup truck from the bottom of a river isn't going to hit home with people who frequent ScubaBoard. A certified diver who has been diving with people who frequent ScubaBoard will stand out a lot more. I think this year, there aren't an unusually high number of fatalities but there are more people we we know this year than in the past.

I would keep two things in mind when looking at these stats.....
As they are captured and investigated by the OUC, I am not sure they investigate the all incidents that happen on the US side of the river.
2nd one....and goes more to the point of the original question....we have 4 showing already this year (same as 08, etc) BUT...in reality...we are only 1/2 way through the season.

I have been teaching/crewing, DM'ing etc in this region for only the past 4 yrs....but this year does seem to have larger number of incidents (and sadly....more fatal ones) than I can recall in those previous 4 years.

Every time I hear of yet another incident.....I think back to my dives and ask myself the question....am I still following all the proper procedures and safety measures I have been taught and teach my students.

 

[izimm]

Not much point speculating as nothing is really known.
Assuming tech gear and trimix then blind panic is not very likely, use a single 80 with air in 200 feet of cold water and all bets are off.

( I have no idea what they were actually diving)

Obviously, most of the questions about the level of training the divers had have been answered.

The thing that I would like to add is that most of the charter operators I know in that area (and any worth their salt) would NOT agree to taking anyone to the Jodrey that was not properly equipped (ie...no single 80's) or have the appropriate training.