General Vortex Incident Discussion

[lurk-n-learn]

Combination of medical school, diving medicine, and public safety diving leave an impression. Hope I was not too graphic.

Nope....you know your gasses! Comes with the job eh?

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

looks like he may have accomplished what he was in there for and that was to go farther than anyone. Too bad he didn't get out alive but no one would have believed he made it that far anyway....

There's still no proof that he went past the restrictions at the end.

 

[lurk-n-learn]

There's still no proof that he went past the restrictions at the end.

Isn't that why they want an ROV with camera?

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Why they want it and where he is doesn't have to be the same thing. They still don't have any evidence to say he's beyond that restriction... aside from none of the recovery divers having been beyond it - which speaks volumes IMO. Way easier to believe he's under sand.

Meh, there's other dead critters at Vortex anyway. Dunno how that impacts the cadaver dogs, but on any given day there's a 10# goldfish being munched on by its buddies.

 

[ScubaSteve]

A question for those in the know.....

Personally I still think he's in that hole somewhere, buried under a slide.

How obvious would a slide be to the people that were searching for him? I would have thought it would be obvious, even a week later when they were searching but is this even a possibility in this cave system?

 

[diverdoug1]

If the gap is only 4" (Mr. Limpet size), then come on now, he can't be in there! Cadaver dogs are good, but not infallible. Going through a 4" gap is beyond the realm of reality. Many posts allude to a hoax, which is possible. Another possibility that I have not seen mentioned is a dive injury which lead to confusion and ultimate incapacitation after exiting the spring. A scenario that could be used as an example of this would be a cerebral AGE resulting in a disorientation, he manages to exit the spring and wanders far enough into the woods that he has not yet been found. This sounds far fetched, but so is faking your death in a cave and abandoning your vehicle. Much less far fetched than fitting through a 4" gap! I am sitting here looking at a ruler, why the heck would anyone even consider it a possibility that someone is in there? If anyone thinks it is possible, please pull out a ruler and look at it and hold it up to your head before posting your reply.

 

[sansky]

It's disturbing that the family is still asking for more people to risks their lives on continued searches ... given that the best divers available have already searched and have concluded that further searches are too risky.

It's the same inability to take "no" for an answer that got this young man into the situation in the first place. I can understand their need for closure ... but what about the risks to those who are searching?

Last thing this story needs is another casualty ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Hooray for you! It is always tragic when a diver dies and I mean no disrespect to his family.
Sometimes though divers never cease to amaze me when they think they are bullet proof and capable of going beyond their experience just because they "got certified". Certification does not make you an experienced diver! Only experience get you there!

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

How obvious would a slide be to the people that were searching for him? I would have thought it would be obvious, even a week later when they were searching but is this even a possibility in this cave system?

Go to the beach, then go back a week later and tell me if you can really tell the ripples in the sand are different We know they're different, but how obvious is it, barring a hurricane?

Vortex looks different everytime I'm in there, the sand rolls naturally. If he's under sand, he'll 'turn up' eventually.

 

[LiteHedded]

Go to the beach, then go back a week later and tell me if you can really tell the ripples in the sand are different We know they're different, but how obvious is it, barring a hurricane?

Vortex looks different everytime I'm in there, the sand rolls naturally. If he's under sand, he'll 'turn up' eventually.

that'll be a fun surprise for someone

 

[ScubaSteve]

Go to the beach, then go back a week later and tell me if you can really tell the ripples in the sand are different We know they're different, but how obvious is it, barring a hurricane?

Vortex looks different everytime I'm in there, the sand rolls naturally. If he's under sand, he'll 'turn up' eventually.

I would have thought a "fall" would have been rock, not sand. That makes sense then. Thanks for the description.