7 missing divers - Jupiter - all found

[islanddream]

The missing divers were from the Emerald. Captain Brian from Jupiter Dive Center rescued the divers. The news media made it sound like the divers were diving with JDC.....they weren't.

The seas were high that day and the wind was blowing like crazy. We've had crazy weather this past week. When our seas are 4-5 feet, it's almost impossible to see an SMB unless it's standing up properly and it's a nice long one. I carry a 6' SMB and it's come in handy more than once.

I certainly can understand how divers can get separated on an Emerald shark dive. Randy heads for the bottom and the divers are to get down as quickly as they can so they don't drift past the point where he has landed. The current was pretty brisk this week and the viz wasn't great. So if a diver doesn't descend fast enough, he'll get ahead of the desired meeting point at the bottom since the current is more swift the higher he is in the water column. It's a recipe for getting separated and end up missing from the group. I'm so glad all the divers were safely found. Captain Brian and JDC rock!

 

[MaxBottomtime]

So has anyone said what happened yet? Did they drift away from the float? Did they get separated at the beginning of the dive? How was a helicopter and other boats able to get to them before their own boat?

 

[The Chairman]

I haven't heard a thing one way or the other.

As a caveat, it should be noted that dives within Florida's state line must be conducted with a dive flag. Dives 5 miles out do not require one. Hunters detest having to be dragged around by a flag. Emerald Charters does a number of both Shark and Hunting dives outside of the five-mile limit.

 

[reefman]

I haven't heard a thing one way or the other.

As a caveat, it should be noted that dives within Florida's state line must be conducted with a dive flag. Dives 5 miles out do not require one. Hunters detest having to be dragged around by a flag. Emerald Charters does a number of both Shark and Hunting dives outside of the five-mile limit.

It's 3 miles(not 5)MR. CHAIRMAN!!

Reefman
Key largo

 

[The Chairman]

It's 3 miles(not 5)MR. CHAIRMAN!!

Reefman
Key largo

Thanks for straightening me out!

BTW, it's 9 miles in the Gulf.

Saltwater Fishing Regulations

 

[sportxlh]

It's very common for hunters to dive without a float ball or flag in Jupiter. Many dive shops will give locals a private drop on good sites while dropping the main group on a more scenic nearby ledge. Most divers send up their SMB on a reel when they begin to surface.

Fins on ladders (Christmas tree ladders) are great when drift diving too, let's divers get on the boat quickly while the boat is drifting, not under power.

Glad the 7 divers were rescued!

 

[HalcyonDaze]

The missing divers were from the Emerald. Captain Brian from Jupiter Dive Center rescued the divers. The news media made it sound like the divers were diving with JDC.....they weren't.

The seas were high that day and the wind was blowing like crazy. We've had crazy weather this past week. When our seas are 4-5 feet, it's almost impossible to see an SMB unless it's standing up properly and it's a nice long one. I carry a 6' SMB and it's come in handy more than once.

I certainly can understand how divers can get separated on an Emerald shark dive. Randy heads for the bottom and the divers are to get down as quickly as they can so they don't drift past the point where he has landed. The current was pretty brisk this week and the viz wasn't great. So if a diver doesn't descend fast enough, he'll get ahead of the desired meeting point at the bottom since the current is more swift the higher he is in the water column. It's a recipe for getting separated and end up missing from the group. I'm so glad all the divers were safely found. Captain Brian and JDC rock!

Seems that in this case the divers got separated on the Deep Ledge, which is usually the first dive and doesn't feature a stop - the ledge starts at 120; the divers usually level off between 80 and 100 to get the locals' attention and then work their way up while drifting. They initially jump without a marker; as the ascent starts the guy with the goodie box will shoot a DSMB and attach it to the crate. The current can really howl out on the Deep Ledge - at 3-4 knots on a really sporty day you'll be flying. Have fun carrying a flag on a day like that and then trying to do anything else - personally, I loathe the damn things.

Taking a closer look at the PBSO video, I think Randy himself might have been in that group; I see one diver with a yellow Apollo scooter and when he climbs up on the ladder you can see a carving knife attached to his BC by a lanyard. I know that at least three of the other divers in that group were regulars (i.e., some of them on the boat multiple times per week), so it seems like that was the "main body." I'm guessing the boat either was unable to keep track of them throughout the dive or had to break off and pick up stragglers.

Judging from the reported timeline of events (assume divers splash around 9 am, call to PBSO coming in around 10:30 am, rescue of all seven divers reported by 11:30 am), it seems they were probably bobbing around for around 90 minutes before being picked up. Given that four boats (2 PBSO, SeaTow, and JDC) converge on the location within minutes of the helo's camera zooming in on the group, it seems likely all of them were homing in on the Lifeline units that were activated.

 

[Wookie]

It's 3 miles(not 5)MR. CHAIRMAN!!

Reefman
Key largo

What if I said it was at the shoreward edge of the gulf stream, and I have case law to back it up? We all know that it's 3 miles in the Atlantic and 9 miles in the gulf, except by Florida Constitution, it isn't....

And it isn't really 9 miles either. It's 3 leagues. Nit picky for sure. Except the Atlantic thing. That makes a huge difference for many things.

 

[The Chairman]

And it isn't really 9 miles either. It's 3 leagues. Nit picky for sure. Except the Atlantic thing. That makes a huge difference for many things.

If'n it's gud enuf fer the FWC, than thar it's gud enuf fer me.

FWC Maps Florida state waters are from shore to 3 nautical miles on the Atlantic and from shore to 9 nautical miles on the Gulf. In most places, federal waters extend from where state waters end out to about 200 nautical miles or to where other country's waters begin.

Of course, once it goes to the courts it's a crap shoot. What case was this, Frank?

 

[Wookie]

Of course, once it goes to the courts it's a crap shoot. What case was this, Frank?

http://archive.flsenate.gov/data/Publications/2008/Senate/reports/interim_reports/pdf/2008-142ju.pdf

FWC uses 3 NM because it's a line on a chart. Easy for everyone to know where they are. Objective rather than subjective. That pesky gulf stream wanders around a bit. But it could mean that you could fight a fishing charge, say, taking red snapper if you had enough money.