Bahamas Close Call Video

[danclem]

Wow. I was on the boat when Radha Wood went missing in the Bahamas, and it was nothing like the two divers in the video. I nominate them for a Darwin award. Do you know if the location of the video was Tunnel Wall? It looks pretty similar to the wall we were diving.

I am an underwater photographer, but my "insta-buddy" for this dive looked like a newbee so I left my DSLR rig on board for the wall dive to help keep track of him. He did fine, but moving through the water at a 45 degree angle next to a steep wall uses air pretty quickly. Our max depth was about 75 feet, and I think he was down 25 or so minutes.

Besides the Stuart Cove staff, myself and one other individual were the only divers with Rescue or higher certifications, which came in handy when we did a surface search.

Thanks for sharing,

Dan

 

[ahpoolman]

The surface conversation was as professional as I could be on the boat. I did read them the riot act a little when we first surfaced. At that point when they were safe of course, to be honest I was more worried about myself then them, once they were safe. We had another dive an hour later and I decompressed properly on that dive. On the boat I didn't want to make them really uncomfortable so the only people I talked to about it was the boat crew and my wife and brother. To add even more scare to it was, my wifes Dad was in the hospital with an illness and we got a phone call from the hospital and he had coded that night and we flew out the next day at noon. Getting on the plane was scary for me 14 hours later. I did call DAN that night (Everyone should have that insurance by the way) and told them my deco obligation and the seriousness of the situation of why I needed to go early and they gave me a hesitant OK to go the next day.. Aaron Hagen Gilbert AZ

 

[alohagal]

Dan,

Welcome back...Can you shed more light on the incident? Why Rahda was "combative?" What the theory might be?

Thanks,
Mary

 

[alohagal]

Wow. I was on the boat when Radha Wood went missing in the Bahamas, and it was nothing like the two divers in the video. I nominate them for a Darwin award. Do you know if the location of the video was Tunnel Wall? It looks pretty similar to the wall we were diving.

I am an underwater photographer, but my "insta-buddy" for this dive looked like a newbee so I left my DSLR rig on board for the wall dive to help keep track of him. He did fine, but moving through the water at a 45 degree angle next to a steep wall uses air pretty quickly. Our max depth was about 75 feet, and I think he was down 25 or so minutes.

Besides the Stuart Cove staff, myself and one other individual were the only divers with Rescue or higher certifications, which came in handy when we did a surface search.

Thanks for sharing,

Dan

And if I could ask one more question. WHO was the dive buddy for the husband, Mr. Woods?

Thanks,
Mary

 

[stevejaz]

Dan, if you wish to expand upon the Bahamas incident you were witness to, please do so here

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/accidents-incidents/287884-bahamas-missing-female-diver-59.html

I'm sure everyone would welcome your input.

Staying on topic, great video, I'll be sure to show it to my family.

 

[toefa]

Holy **it Aaron!! That is bloody scary! :dropmouth:

I don't think i could have contained myself from back handing them on the surface for risking their lives and those of the people around that have to save their oblivious a**es.

Well done on keeping an eye on them.

 

[Teamcasa]

Aaron, It take guts to do what you did. I hope the two divers learned their lesson and I'm happy you were not hurt saving them.

All new divers should watch that video and read the accidents & incidents forum.

 

[FredT]

Wall dives are like that.

It's easy for beginners to get "involved" with the dive. They think they are swimming horizontally when they still are negatively buoyant and really going deeper on a (sometimes not so shallow) angle. Suddenly they are way too deep and too inexperienced to realize they are narked out of their skulls and have no idea what the Wa-Was mean. When the end comes it's probably not pretty, but it will be quick.

I've had to do several rescues of newbies on walls in Mexico, Grand Cayman, The Tongue, and on oil rigs. The pattern is always the same. Only a small percentage of the rescued ever realize how close they were to dead and buried at sea. In 6000 ft of water nobody is going after them, and nothing will ever float.

Good rescue Aaron, and a many kudos for passing on the lesson now that it's on video.

BTW If you had thrown a down current into that mix those two would have been dead even with your intervention.

FT

 

[la_diver]

Were both divers about 12 years old ?

 

[ahpoolman]

Thanks for all your comments guys!