Diver Missing Off La Jolla Shores

[DandyDon]

From Diver Overdue Off La Jolla Shores | NBC San Diego

Lifeguards began searching for a diver Monday night who was due home earlier in the evening.
Crews with the Lifeguard Service and the Police Department began searching for the overdue diver at about 8:15 p.m. Monday, according to a Lifeguard official.
Lifeguards said the man, Jeffery May, was supposed to meet with a new diving group early Monday morning. He has never gone out with the group before, his wife said. She hasn't heard from him since he left in the morning.
May's car was found nearby at a Lifeguard station and his clothing, identification and car keys were in a container in an area where divers meet before going in the water.
Lifeguards contacted the group he was scheduled to go out with. They said he didn't go out with them.
Though May, 41, was an experienced diver, this was his first time diving La Jolla Shores.
Lifeguards were searching from the shore, on vessels and from a helicopter.

 

[Bopper]

Search continues for scuba diver missing at La Jolla Shores

LA JOLLA — Authorities continued to search Tuesday for an Oceanside man whose wife said he hadn’t returned home from a Memorial Day scuba diving trip.
Lifeguard Lt. Greg Buchanan said that Jeffrey May, 45, last spoke to his wife at 7:45 a.m. Monday just before leaving for the outing at La Jolla Shores.
She called police at around 8 p.m., saying that she had not heard from him since, Buchanan said.
Lifeguards from San Diego, Oceanside, Encinitas, Solana Beach and Del Mar searched the waters Monday night and resumed the effort about 6 a.m., Buchanan said.
Thirty-two divers and six boats were scouring the water north and south of the foot of Vallecitos, aided by a Coast Guard helicopter.
Buchanan said conditions were good, with light winds and underwater visibility of about 20 feet.
Police found May’s car at the La Jolla Shores parking lot and found his personal gear - including car keys, clothes and sunglasses - at Kellogg Park, a popular staging area for scuba divers, Buchanan said.
May’s wife told lifeguards that her husband was an advanced diver who had not scuba dived at La Jolla Shores before, although he had experience diving in other locations, including nearby La Jolla Cove, Buchanan said.

 

[mdax]

That's too bad. Hopefully he didn't swim out too far and get into scripps canyon. Kellogg Park is a bit south and should have been mellow, shallow and pretty relaxing.

 

[BilgeRat57]

We were at La Jolla Shore in the morning Sunday and Monday. Sunday was a bit rough with about 8 feet vis.
Monday was a little better with around 10-12 vis but changing.
There was a rip current flowing towards the Marine Room area. Was getting stronger as we came closer to shore. Dont know much more about that. We left the area around 9a.m.

 

[mathauck0814]

He'd have to swim about a mile to get to Scripps. There are still very, very deep depths in the La Jolla Canyon right off Kellogg park (easily hundreds of feet). No word on this guys' training or equipment setup. So far as I can tell he wasn't well known in the local community either. Out of practice, (presumably) solo diving, I guess it's officially summer.

 

[SnorkelLA]

Wait, the group said that he never dove with them. So how do they know he even made it to the water? Did he have his gear with him in the car or what? I'm confused. Either way, I hope that he's found, but if he's been missing more than a day we can only hope they find the body.

 

[DandyDon]

Wait, the group said that he never dove with them. So how do they know he even made it to the water? Did he have his gear with him in the car or what? I'm confused. Either way, I hope that he's found, but if he's been missing more than a day we can only hope they find the body.

It was mentioned above that "May's car was found nearby at a Lifeguard station and his clothing, identification and car keys were in a container in an area where divers meet before going in the water," and in other news reports on the web not posted here that he had rented a tank and weights somewhere. There have been cases around the world where divers exited elsewhere and showed up, one case of a staged insurance fraud, but everything points to him being the the sea - and the rescue squads have done a great job looking for him. These searches can costs tens of thousands in a bankrupt state, but they do what they can.

 

[muzikbiz22]

These searches can costs tens of thousands in a bankrupt state, but they do what they can.

I am perplexed by this statement.

 

[Teamcasa]

I'm saddened by this. He was nice guy (I met him briefly) at a Honda deal.
Apparently, he was diving solo.

 

[DandyDon]

I am perplexed by this statement.

Oh, I admire their efforts greatly. Many searches are for divers who got themselves in trouble, the searches are quite expensive, the state has been in the news along with many others about how broke it is, but the search efforts are still admirable - and I don't think they try to get money back from survivors.