diver dies yesterday in Rhode Island

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We dove Beavertail, in RI today, lousy visability, surges and surf 1-2 ft. in our entry & exit point. NOAH radio warned of rip currents all along the south shore of RI to Nantucket. This was a result of a tropical storm that passed us by this week. Friday, I think it rained for 6 hours straight. Anyway, back at the shop after our dive we hear the news: a 51 year old man was diving alone and drowned off Jamestown, actually at my favorite spot. He died around 6: 30 PM which means dimished visability, the ocean conditions were 2-4 ft seas, there is alot of surge at that place, and it is a small island offshore which has strong currents along the front face. The man was found by our harbormaster who told us his air tank was empty. I figure, he got caught in a rip or some strong current and maybe had a bad bcd, so he couldn't get to the top. The bcd was weight integrated so he was stuck on the bottom. If he could have dumped his bcd and tank he could have made a free ascent to the surface and his wet suit would have provided boyancy. What a shame, alot of people I dive with think I am a wimp because I always push sticking with your buddy.I dove with a dm and 2 intelligent, educated women today and we stuck together. What a beautiful dive and new friends were made.
 
joed once bubbled...
The bcd was weight integrated so he was stuck on the bottom.

This makes no sense. The majority of your weight is always ditchable, even in a weight-integrated BC.

Regardless, my condolances to friends and family.

Scuba-sass
 
Unfortunately, like most diving accident reports, that one tells us almost nothing.

If he was "spotted by fishermen," he was likely on the surface, which implies that he was able to achieve positive bouyancy. I suppose he could've been caught in a net, though.

If his body was recovered at 6pm, he clearly started the dive much earlier (and with much better visibility).
 
yes - the details are already contradictory and as with most accidents we'll never really know what happened....
 
From www.cyberdiver.net
JAMESTOWN, Rhode Island (July 7, 2003) - A Burrillville man's diving equipment is being examined after he died early Saturday night while diving at Fort Wetherill State Park in Jamestown.

Robert Patnaude, 51, of 675 Cherry Farm Rd., had been diving alone when he came out of the water and changed air tanks, Lt. Dean Lees of the state Department of Environmental Management said.

After Patnaude returned to the water, he was heard calling for help, Lees said.

Rescuers from the Jamestown Police and Fire Departments and DEM police responded to the scene at about 6 p.m.

Fishermen in the area saw Patnaude from the rocks and noticed he was in trouble.

Merged w/ existing thread - Spectre
 
truly a sad turn of events...

my condolences to family and friends.
 
All I can say for sure is he was diving alone, his 2 buddies were on the beach. And when he was recovered, his tank was empty.
He died at Ft. Wetherill out on the small island off the penisula.
 

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