Edd Sorenson saves ow diver in a cave

[Kevin Carlisle]

This is happening way too much. Several weeks ago he along with several others had to extricate the body of another dead ow diver in a cave. Today he saved one. People listen, there is nothing there worth dying for. If you need to go in caverns or caves, get trained. We dont want to meet you dead, the training will only make you a better diver so please stop this nonsense. Think of your family, Edd can't always be there, its usually too late when things go bad.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

There is a mountain in PA that used to have a sign saying how many people died on that road. Did little good. I always thought a better idea would have been to post the photos of the victims the way they found them. Would have made much more of an impact.

And it goes directly back to how they were warned in their classes. If they were at all. I show at a minimum the Deceptive video. My OW instructor had never heard of it. Some seem afraid to focus on what can really happen and the risks for fear of scaring off new divers. A scared off new diver is better than a dead one.

 

[ScubaSam]

Cave Diver (John) went in after two OW divers and made them come out the last time we were at Jackson Blue. They were pass the Reaper sign, in single tanks, no exposure suits, and don't remember if both had a small light with them. I'm pretty certain that if John had not gone after them, they both would have perish in there.

Edit: Adding link to John's thread from last year's incident.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ba...w-divers-i-met-jackson-blue-last-weekend.html

 

[FoxHound]

I'm really at a loss as to what is going through these people's heads when they go into these areas.......


Thankfully we have folks like Ed and Cave Diver that will save their bacon when they decide to dive and not think.

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

I have been on a recovery team, it sucks. There are no words for what its like looking at the family.
I dont care how long you have been Ow or Aow, you are not prepared for how bad things get when it goes bad in an overhead environment.

 

[CamG]

You can't make this stuff up!
Are people that crazy to rush into the after life?
We have real cave divers turning into super hero's saving people from themselves!

This is a pretty miraculous story I hope that OW divers read this and understand how insanely luck this girl was and how amazing Edd is!
Sorry I have to say that getting to her before it was a recovery is absolutely incredible!

CamG Keep Diving....Keep Training....Keep Learning!

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

Cam makes a good point. Resues are not what usually happens. Less than five recovery divers have actually made a rescue.

 

[Cave Diver]

Thankfully we have folks like Ed and Cave Diver that will save their bacon when they decide to dive and not think.

Thank you, but what I did is no where near on par with the things Edd has done. I was already there and just had to follow them in to bring them out. He's been called out to find lost divers and managed to track them down and get them safely out before they ran out of gas.

 

[tstormdiver]

I'm really at a loss as to what is going through these people's heads when they go into these areas........

Being I made this same mistake a few years ago, I can tell you exactly what is going on. To these divers, the danger is not real. It can not happen to them. It can be summed up in 2 basic ways, 1. Pure ignorance- they are oblivious to the dangers because they are so far beyond their training,... they don't know, what they don't know. This was my issue. Because I nearly became one of the statistics, getting a well deserved butt chewing & recieved the proper training, my views have done a full 180 on it. Or 2. Ego- the chest thumping bravado that one can do something dangerous & get away with it,... this time. "Look, I dove in an underwater cave & I'm still here". I will still say that when an untrained diver enters an overhead environment, they might as well be playing Russian Roulette. The luck will run out eventually.

Thankfully we have folks like Ed and Cave Diver that will save their bacon when they decide to dive and not think.

They can not & should not rely on Edd or anyone else to save them. Properly trained cave divers are taught to rely on their team & most importantly themselves in an emergency situation. Unfortunately Edd & others can not be everywhere all the time. I am in no way demeaning what Edd has done. He has saved many divers & has gone after those who don't make it. Very important to be sure. This year has been a very bad one in the numbers of fatalities. It is appearing that the leassons learned by earlier cave diving pioneers is being forgotten. It is sounding like there needs to be a redoubling of education about the risks & possible outcomes

 

[ScubaSam]

Thank you, but what I did is no where near on par with the things Edd has done. I was already there and just had to follow them in to bring them out. He's been called out to find lost divers and managed to track them down and get them safely out before they ran out of gas.

Agree, Edd is in a league all on his own with the countless rescue and recovery dives he's done. Dive community is fortunate to have Edd.

John, those two would have perished had you not reached them. Remember, the OW diver's response that he knows how to dive and he is not an idiot.