US Expat fatality in Vanuatu

[The Chairman]

Way too many divers and unfortunately, a number of dive ops feel that "no overhead" does not apply to them. It's a slippery slope that starts with swim thrus and continues with any penetration that does not provide a continuous line to OW or demand three lights. That this wreck was on it's side would only add to any possible disorientation. All it takes is a moment's distraction and/or inattention and you're lost and soon to be dead. Although made to highlight the dangers of cave diving, it applies to all overheads and so I ask all my students to view this video:

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[Coztick]

It seems to me, overhead's were mentioned like a disclaimer. The danger was mentioned but no explanation was given. Like it had to be said for liability reasons. I don't think it should be mentioned during OW classes. Heck, don't wanna scare anybody. Scuba is fun and safe....After the OW dives and Before the cert. Is issued, I feel all students should have to watch the video and receive more information about the new dangers they can now access with their OW cert. Common sense is rare and doesn't apply to the overconfident. Maybe teach the dangers, test the knowledge and have them sign an agreement to stay within their limits of training? You, as an instructor, can't fix stupid but you owe it to the smart ones to emphasise the unseen dangers of this new environment. I know most of my scuba knowledge comes from scubaboard members!... THANK YOU ALL....

Kevin

 

[The Chairman]

I don't think it should be mentioned during OW classes.

I think you're being facetious, but I'm not sure.

Diving is all about limits. Depth, time and air are the three most obvious limits, but there are myriads of them like training, stamina, skills and so forth. If your OW course doesn't adequately define these limits for you who will? Darwin's not such a great teacher if you're the object of his lesson. I'm happy that SB fills in a lot of the gaps that should have been done by your instructor, but it doesn't have to be that way. Hopefully, people as well as instructors, will look at this and learn.

 

[Bennno]

Way too many divers and unfortunately, a number of dive ops feel that "no overhead" does not apply to them.

Exactly. So why are you ridiculing people that are pointing out what's potentially dangerous and irresponsible behavior?

 

[Coztick]

That statement was not facetious. I was suggesting that the safety info. on overhead's, downcurrents, entanglement etc. could be better emphasised and understood at the end of instruction. I can't complain about the rest of my instruction (padi) i just don't feel the hidden dangers were explained let alone emphasised. Some people don't continue the education...just my perspective...

Cheers, Kevin

 

[The Chairman]

Exactly. So why are you ridiculing people that are pointing out what's potentially dangerous and irresponsible behavior?

What ridicule? Lighten up, Francis.

I don't think it should be mentioned during OW classes. Heck, don't wanna scare anybody.

You said this. But I guess you meant this:

I was suggesting that the safety info. on overhead's, downcurrents, entanglement etc. could be better emphasised and understood at the end of instruction.

Maybe I'm reading what you said incorrectly... like I said, I thought you were being facetious and meant to promote such discussions. To clarify my feelings: all limits should be covered by your OW class, even if it boils down to "TAKE THE CLASS before you do any overhead".

 

[infieldg]

Blaming a guide for taking you somewhere YOU asked him to take you is stupid.

Yeah it's a tough one isn't it, in New Zealand our dive industry is being destroyed by new "adventure tourism" rules so extreme that one liveaboard operator I recently used lamented that if I fly home within the padi timeframes for flying and get bent it's fine but if I drive home over a hill 2 days later and get bent, he's screwed.

I would hate to see this happen everywhere, and love that I was able to hire a guide go beyond my 45m certification on the Coolidge.

But I did an awful lot of courses just to do this dive including tdi deco procedures, tdi adv enriched and tdi adv wreck and learnt enough to know not to do it on a single tank(!) and to treat a 62m dive in clear water like being inside a 20 story building whereas my friend Ry who did the same deco penetration dives as me to 62m had just 25 dives and only OW and I don't think that's enough to really appreciate the risk he was signing up for.

That said, the Coolidge is incredibly easy to exit and where Laila was diving was no exception, she was in a large lobby with Ewart's sea door at the top and excellent lighting.

 

[Coztick]

Holy crap! Good thing you were aware and trained and I assume playing guardian angel. That is part of what I was trying to get across, the lack of appreciation for the risks involved. I'm sure your buddy got the condensed version of tech. in your planning...

 

[Arwen]

After finishing OW and AOW courses in probably worst probable location (Egypt) it was very clear to me, that I should not enter overhead environments. Even if no one mentioned it to me (don't remember), it was surely covered in books. And as a doctor myself, I am used to trusting scientifically based information. So even during training I was the one showing books and asking to do required skills and repeat them even if I succeeded first time (guess I was very annoying). Everyone is responsible for themeselves, but even the most clever person can sometimes misjudge situation and do a "trust me" dive. But in this situation (it was mentioned, that she was swimming upright most of the time???)no one cared - neither she, nor others. Apparently she thought that someone else is to take care of her and the guide simply didn't care. People are getting more and more "tolerant" in western world. But more often it is indifference than tolerance. I mean, the person who filmed her on the other dives and saw how bad she was, probably out of tolerance said no word about unsuitable diving habits to her? Probably she was equally terrible diver during her certification, but nobody cared either. She thought, that getting certifications prooves she was good enought and people who taught her just didn't care to teach her proper way and let her go the way she was with certifications hoping to never hear about her again. Why bother?

 

[clownfishsydney]

The person who filmed her not only told the dive company that she should not be diving, he made sure he did not dive again with her as he was only getting bottom times of half the normal time.