Two fatalities in Monterey

[SlowEars]

Were the tanks with the gear?

Yes, the tanks were with the gear. I didn't really look closely, as I said, so I cannot confirm earlier reports that the gear had been cut off. I'm sorry. We wanted to mess with the gear as little as possible, so we left it alone until the coast guard was called. We are very new divers, so we didn't know what to look for. Sorry I can't help with more information.

 

[tddfleming]

Yes, the tanks were with the gear. I didn't really look closely, as I said, so I cannot confirm earlier reports that the gear had been cut off. I'm sorry. We wanted to mess with the gear as little as possible, so we left it alone until the coast guard was called. We are very new divers, so we didn't know what to look for. Sorry I can't help with more information.

I think you guys did great! I agree, gear should have not been messed with. And you confimed that the tanks were with the gear and the gear has been found. What more can one ask for???

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Well, I for one still find Thal's previously posted "outlook" as a still possible outlook, even given the "dived at Tahoe a fair bit" comment. Do Intro Dives happen at Lake Tahoe? Do non divers make "dives" with their certified diver friends at Lake Tahoe? If the OW checkout dives were "two" Saturdays, a non diving parent might say things in a way that is not as clear as Lake Tahoe.

From what is posted in this thread, I still think it possible this was the deceased diver's 2nd or 3rd dive after certification.

Yeah sure ... I suppose it's possible that statements by parents of kids who were involved in this program could be complete lies.

I guess if someone wants to believe an anonymous Internet poster who wasn't there ... but who dived once on the same boat a few years ago ... over what a parent of one of the kids involved had to say, that's their choice ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[np251]

Removed post, because i dont feel i can objectively deal with the trolls.

My apologies.

 

[np251]

same as before. Sorry

 

[waynne fowler]

We may never know what really happened on that weekend in Monterey. What we can be reasonably assured of is that the bereaved families will be besieged by those seeking to profit from this very unfortunate event.

As sad a commentary as that is, I think you're right. Lawyers will try to profit monetarily. Other's will mix half truth with fact to try and paint their own picture of the story and then write tome's to try and impress us with their intelligence. The biggest problem is trying to figure out which one's worse.

 

[DandyDon]

Yes, the tanks were with the gear. I didn't really look closely, as I said, so I cannot confirm earlier reports that the gear had been cut off. I'm sorry. We wanted to mess with the gear as little as possible, so we left it alone until the coast guard was called. We are very new divers, so we didn't know what to look for. Sorry I can't help with more information.

You did great. I would have been tempted to bring it up but your approach was better. So the kits were indeed tied together huh? That recently was mentioned here, with some doubt - but no doubt now.

 

[GuybrushThreepwood]

You did great. I would have been tempted to bring it up but your approach was better. So the kits were indeed tied together huh? That recently was mentioned here, with some doubt - but no doubt now.

I was there as well. The two kits were tied together with yellow rope, and included both BCDs and air tanks. SlowEars and I did not touch it, as we are diving newbies, but the Dive Master with us checked the gauges and noted that both tanks were empty.

 

[vshearer]

If the kits were tied with rope it sounds like the story about them being dumped is true. Also, when I read the quote about "these kids" diving at Tahoe I took it to mean the group as a whole, not necessarily the two involved.

 

[ItsBruce]

I'm intrigued by Thal's comment: "Now we need to know how much experience and what sort of preparation was made for the transition to ocean diving."

I'm going to take a WAG and say "none," for two reasons: (1) I flipped a coin and it came up "none," and (2) I've never heard of an agency instructor who teaches a diver to dive in a lake or quarry, including lessons on ocean diving. (Likewise, I've never heard of divers trained in warm water being taught about cold water / kelp ... beyond being told to get additional instruction as needed.)

Assuming I'm right, my question is: Is it the instructor's responsibility to train lake divers for ocean diving? Wouldn't a lake diver who goes to the ocean be exceeding his or her training? How is it different from an OW diver dying in a cave dive and someone saying it was a training error? (I suppose one could say the notion of "stay out of caves" was not sufficiently impressed.)

Side note to the divers who found the gear:

Did you notice the nature of the gauges, i.e. computers or just depth and pressure gauges? If not, no worries, you probably did not realize what it was that you found. In any event good work.