Breaking...Emerald Loses Divers off Jupiter 6/21

[sportxlh]

I'm not a fan or a hater of Emerald. Some of their practices are just like other Jupiter operators. It's common on JDCs or Capt Sl8er's boat for lobster hunters and spearfishers to be no where near a float ball held by a guide and sight seeing divers that stick with the DM. The hunting divers (or photography divers) shoot up an SMB on a reel at the end of their dive and surface long distances from anyone else. I've surfaced 3/4 of a mile or more from the main group when lobstering. That part of Emerald operation isn't all that different from other boats.

Does anyone know who is driving Emeralds boat these days? I know John, who used to be a back up captain with JDC, was the captain for a while. I always had good experiences with him when he was still with JDC. If he was running the boat, my bet is the instances of lost divers was pretty much unavoidable

Some of the Emerald DMs used to post of SB, but I'm sure they got sick of having to defend the shark feeding practices: they don't post much any longer

 

[Chip Elliott]

I plan on using them the next time I go to Florida... Stuff happens, no big deal. Maybe all divers should be given a Nautilus, make it part of the dive package. In a case like this, it may have expedited a rescue.

I would like to edit your one sentence: Maybe all divers should [be given] BUY a Nautilus, make it part of the [dive package] required gear to go on an advanced drift dive.

 

[Flotsam]

I've started drift diving in that area, so I've been looking at Nautilus and the handheld VHFs with GPS. Since Nautilus had to drop the radio, what's a good alternative? I have an Arc Resqlink (for kayaking/backpacking) that I can put in a dive canister, but it seems in most cases contacting the boat with your GPS coord would be enough. No need to call out the big guys... I'm guessing the first group of Emerald divers 'lost' had a Nautilus, because of all the boats converging on them at the same time

Would you carry both, PBL and something to contact boats in the area? I already carry SMB, mirror/whistle, strobe

 

[AdivingBel]

I would like to edit your one sentence: Maybe all divers should [be given] BUY a Nautilus, make it part of the [dive package] required gear to go on an advanced drift dive.

As I've been told by someone I hold in high regard..."Don't discourage others when they are acting in regards to their own safety." That said, if it makes you feel better to have a Nautilus for this type of diving, I applaud your proactiveness. It can't hurt. The truth is the Jupiter dive ops do thousands of these dives every year and very, very, very (I'll not add more, but you get my point) few go missing. Requiring OTHER divers to buy a Nautilus in order to drift dive off Jupiter?? Oh puleeze...someone needs to get off the internet and go diving...geez.

 

[Bubblesong]

. Send up your SMB when you start ascending. The earlier the better. He's never lost me before.

Glad you are still around. But from the article the divers DID have SMB's, so they must have been dragged by current farther than expected.
Someone on this thread thought it was a new-to-Emerald captain as well. If so, he might not have been as aware of all the local conditions.

 

[Schwob]

Only indirectly related:
I don't like more requirements as such there are plenty imho. Never dove in FL yet, but am going to. I have a Nautilus and I bring it when at sea (and SMB, and mirror and light). But it's the only Nautilus in the family. It's electronics in the water, protected by plastic. The real protective hull needs to stay closed for diving and relies on a single seal. It needs to be opened for using it when floating at the surface in whate very sea state. One way or another, it will die someday and they don't make a version with radio anymore, so not sure what I'd replace it with.
But contacting the boat or nearby boats with GPS coords when needed makes so much much more sense to me than just putting my life completely into someone's hand. What if the captain has a stroke, what if..???

If my Nautilus is dead or I don't bring it, it's down to signaling and hope someone is looking in the right place. Proven to work surprisingly well over time. But certainly dependent on others as well as circumstances more than if you could tell 'em where you are...

That said, I might well trust a good boat captain or a good deck hand more than a piece of electronics. After all the latter alone won't get me home at all. But there certainly is something to be said for back-up. I am just fine with that being a personal choice or a choice by operation and not something regulated...

 

[uncfnp]

No dogs in the political aspects of this thread but I am a frequent vacation diver in this area.

Any boat that has misplaced divers, to the point of needing to call for assistance, in less then 2 months is concerning. Yes stuff happens but at that frequency a reason needs to be identified and steps taken, if applicable, to prevent and possibly stop an escalation in the risk. Simply acknowledging that it happens does nothing to identify the cause and maximize prevention.

Drifting in Florida does carry risk. Part of the responsibly is on the diver. The dive float is one way to minimize the risk but there are situations when divers do not follow or get separated from the float. Hunters are a prime example and these individuals need to be experienced in drift diving and carry gear to aid location. A DSMB and ability to use it is absolute. Some form of GPS and/or VHF is also a very good idea for these dives and divers. The original Nautilus with the combo ability was ideal and I have seen hunters carry it and even use on occassion.

But the most critical factor is the boat Captain and crew. I routinely dive a certain boat in WPB and hunt. I am often solo. I had great confidence in my boat and Captain. But I recently learned that the boat has changed hands and has a new Captain. I don't yet know this Captain and I admit to some reservations with the same style of diving that I was comfortable with previously. Until then I would probably not dive as independently as I was accustomed to without some form of GPS/radio. Certainly not in poor conditions or areas less heavily travelled.

 

[scubadada]

I've done much of my diving in SE FL for the last 10 years and have a few comments. I routinely use 3 operators in Boynton Beach, 1 in West Palm, and 1 in Jupiter.

In Boynton Beach, none of the operators I use puts a DM in the water, all divers and groups of divers are required to take a float and dive flag. If one gets separated from their group's flag, it is recommended to ascend and get re-dropped and/or send up a SMB. Nobody should end up very far from a flag.

I use the same operator in West Palm that @uncfnp does. They do put a DM in the water with a flag. Even when you don't dive with the DM, the general drift is evident and an individual sends up a SMB. There is a general max dive time and everyone should be on the surface by about the same time. I don't have experience with the new captain yet either, but will give them a try soon.

The operator I use in Jupiter puts a DM in the water with the flag. As @sportxlh mentions, even if you don't dive with the DM or get separated, the general drift and location is known. Here the bottom time is 45 minutes and everyone is on the surface in 55 minutes or less.

Using a flag is not foolproof. I have been separated from my boat a few times, but never lost. Big seas, heavy rain, fog or clouds can make it difficult for the best captain. About 4 years ago I was hit by a fishing boat in Delray, racing in for tournament fish weigh in during a no visibility situation. Fortunately, an emergency descent prevented major injury.

I do not dive with Emerald Charters and do not have firsthand knowledge. I have heard that they do not, or do not always dive with a flag. I don't know if they have a designated maximal bottom time to put their divers on the surface at a predictable time. Both of these factors may decrease the risk of being lost during drift diving in SE FL. The experience of the captain and crew is obviously, pivotally important.

Good, safe diving,

Craig

 

[Colliam7]

Yes stuff happens but at that frequency a reason needs to be identified and steps taken, if applicable, to prevent and possibly stop an escalation in the risk. Simply acknowledging that it happens does nothing to identify the cause and maximize prevention.

Very well said. I do not wish ill in any way to the operation involved in this incident, or any other for that matter. I am confident that the captain experienced some very stressful minutes (possibly moreso than the divers who, if I interpret the news report accurately, handled it very well).

But, whenever an operation experiences two incidents like this in a reasonably short time frame, they are obligated to thoroughly review their staff AND their procedures. That doesn't mean there is anything wrong with the staff. But, perhaps their procedures - which may include communication with dive customers - can be modified to prevent a re-occurrence.

 

[Joneill]

I plan on using them the next time I go to Florida... Stuff happens, no big deal. Maybe all divers should be given a Nautilus, make it part of the dive package. In a case like this, it may have expedited a rescue.

I plan on using them the next time I go to Florida... Stuff happens, no big deal. Maybe all divers should be given a Nautilus, make it part of the dive package. In a case like this, it may have expedited a rescue.

"Stuff happens, no big deal"...

Really? You are being way too forgiving here. To me, losing large groups of divers that need to be found by others on 2 separate occasions in a short time period is a HUGE deal and this Op (and likely others) needs to re-evaluate their procedures to determine what improvements might be warranted to prevent recurrence.

That doesn't mean I would not consider diving with them or that they are a bad operator - but I'd like to see a remediation plan that speaks to how they plan to minimize the possibility of this type of incident occurring moving forward. At present, it appears there are procedural gap(s) that put divers at risk for post-dive recovery.