Never leave a diver behind

[drbill]

Rick is right... totally foolproof systems are almost impossible to put together. We do use a single check-out location as divers enter the water and a single return location with the same DM doing both. Our DM has a pretty amazing capacity to recognize people (far better than mine) and does not respond just to an "I'm here" but to actually seeing the face of the person whose name was called. Tank counts are often added to the mix. As a last resort, all divers are required to come to the bow for a roll call and second visual check.

We've never lost one during my time on the boat (yet). Fortunately, almost all dive locations are within an easy surface swim to the island and IF anyone were left behind in good physical shape, it would be easy to swim back to the island (we are often less than 25 yards from shore since the water drops off quickly).

 

[wreckchick]

The biggest boat I worked on carried 49 divers and snorkelers to three different sites. We did a roll call before we left the dock then at each site, after the ladders were raised (to prevent anyone from getting back in) the captain and I each did 2 head counts, if we both got the right number of people twice, we would do roll call. I was also vigilant about how the deck was arranged to make sure that missing tanks would be readily apparent to me.

I also highly recommend that as divers we take some responsibility on ourselves to prevent the crew from accidentally overlooking us. The best way that I've heard is to look around you and find a buddy team that you don't know and ask them to make sure that you're on board before the captain moves the boat and you'll do the same for them. It's an easy way to double-check the crew.

Rachel

 

[DiverBizz]

I've been on boats where the diver manifest was at the stern with the captain signing all divers in and out, along with asking them to say their name on their way up the ladder. The captain noted in and out tank pressure, then went back to the helm after everyone (not just divers) were accounted for. The boat didn't leave each site until every diver on the manifest was accounted for, then a physical head count was completed to account for everyone on board (cook, deck hands, DM's, people in their bunk).

I too have been on boats that use this method. When I am on 6 packs it is pretty easy to see who is missing. A few weeks ago I was on a certain boat for the first time with about 15 divers and the boat was moving to a different site when I noted a diver in the water. The staff said they knew he was not on board and was just getting ready to take off after he arrived, his buddy was already on the boat long before and was just talking with others and unaware if his buddy arrived back to the boat or not. I don't know if they knew he was in the water or not but it may me aware and on the next dive I made sure they knew I was entering the water and when I returned. I saw no visible way of monitoring but who knows what technique they used. As we checked in at the port, in the store, we signed the release and showed our c cards but people entered and exited the boat several times before leaving the dock. There was no count made before we left the dock, I know someone was in the head.

 

[Teamcasa]

I’ve been on many different boats, many different locations and have seen many different check-in/head count systems. They are all vulnerable to failure if the Dive Master and/or Captain does not take it seriously.

No matter the system, an attentive Dive Master and/or Captain makes the all the difference.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Good thread. I have to agree with Fallcreek196.
Rick, the most foolproof system I've ever seen employed (but I'm just a novice, of course) is aboard the M/V Fling (Gulf of Mexico). Everyone on board is checked in and assigned a number. Divers enter the water from a single gate and a DM stands there with clipboard in hand. He asks your name and number and checks you into the water. Upon return, that same DM is on the ONLY exit point with the same clipboard in hand. Again, one must provide name and number along with some pertinent diving info (depth/time). About 20 minutes later, another DM comes by with a clipboard (name and number) and asks how you are feeling. The boat doesn't move off site until BOTH clipboards are full and agree. I feel remarkably safe and well taken care of on that vessel.

I agree that in my experience the Spree & Fling have the closest thing to an absolutely idiot-proof system I've ever seen for avoiding ever leaving anyone behind... but what a monumental royal PITA! No jumping in from the wheelhouse during SI, no casual dips to just float around the boat in the warm August Gulf... the rigidity of the system saps a good deal of the fun that a group can have if they are responsible for themselves.
In "our" part of the gulf (Gulf Shores to Panama City), especially in the late summer, on the boats we like, we have an absolute blast with SI fun - lots of snorkeling and swimming and colorful leaps off the boat & such. But then we have the luxury of dealing with a group where we know every group member, and it's small enough to actually keep constant track of every individual. Still, our system that allows for lots of freedom and fun depends on mutual support and if it were a group of strangers I'd never propose it.
Rick

 

[Thalassamania]

OK, Thass... I've started this thread out in the general discussion area. I invite you to share the "system" that'll always work. Frankly, I don't think any system can defeat a sufficiently talented idiot.
Rick

Nothing is perfect, but redundancy is the key, and it is effective. If you have two systems that are 99.0% effective each, they when you put them both in place you have a system that is 99.9999% effective. If you make 300 trips per year, that's the difference between forgetting three divers every year and three divers per century. Put a third system in place and you're down to three divers every ten thousand years. What level of risk is acceptable to you?

We've always managed with an Operation Supervisor at the point of entry/exit combined with a roll call and a tank count, but then our folks are usually more cooperative than "party-time" divers.

What I'd indict the Sundiver for, is not having a redundant system in place. I think it gross negligence to proceed onto the next divesite based on nothing more that a roll call conducted by a DM that you just met that morning.

 

[merxlin]

I think it gross negligence to proceed onto the next divesite based on nothing more that a roll call conducted by a DM that you just met that morning.

But OK if it is a long time acquaintance? How exactly does that lessen the chance that the system works?

I believe there was a check in as you reboarded, then a roll call before the boat leaves the site. But this thread is not about the one incident (there are already 2 of those). I believe it was an attempt to get ideas for the best possible system.

A better point may be that even a redundant system is useless if the person operating the system is not competent. Easy to control when you are doing the hiring, less so if you are meerly providing transportation. I understand that the Capt is the FINAL responsible party, so whether it's his/her crew or supplied, the burden is theirs. Perhaps this system would work if the final roll call was done by another hand and not the same person that did the re-boarding check off. Less chance of making an assumption?

 

[Blackwood]

Nothing is perfect, but redundancy is the key, and it is effective.

Exactly. This can be as simple as having two checkers or as complicated as having things like ID tags and digital keypads.


Sure, there are instances like this Rick suggested where any system will fail (e.g. people checking in and then sneaking off the boat), but short of confining passengers, it's impossible to prevent such maliciousness.

 

[Hickdive]

For personal safety you can't beat borrowing a large sum of cash from the captain before you dive.

 

[merxlin]

For personal safety you can't beat borrowing a large sum of cash from the captain before you dive.

As long as the payment date wasn't the day before the dive................