Non scuba deaths but request for information

[Graeme Fraser]

My stepson’s father and a friend drowned on Monday.

There won’t be any answers as to how. They were in a Dingy. The dinghy was found with particulars before alert sent out. Minus the two friends.

This was a swimming accident. There was no wind or waves. But the current off Brighton can be pretty strong.

My ex is asking me if I know what could have happened. I presume they went for a swim got separated and tried to fight the current.

This is why it’s diving related.

If fighting a current you’re generally fight a losing war and turning on your back and floating is probably your best, if scary, option.

This applies to divers on the surface too.

I’d like to hear other opinions about how best to avoid drowning when on the surface and caught in a current.

It might bring a little closure.
TIA

That's terrible. Sorry for you and the other friends and family involved.

With regards to divers, a common mistake people make is that a dive is over when you reach the surface. Worth checking out the RNLI Sea Survival Course which is specifically aimed at divers. The course material was written by Mark Powell, who obviously knows his stuff, and is offered through BSAC, PADI and SSI (apologies to other agencies I may have missed).

Take care mate.

 

[John the Pom]

Sometimes if a person accidentally goes overboard, the instinctive reaction of a person still in the boat is to immediately jump in to assist, which can place both people in a bad situation.

On one dive, we surfaced as a group some way down-current of the dive boat. The deckie helpfully threw a buoy to float out to us (a "mermaid" line) without checking that the other end of the rope was attached to the boat. As the end of the rope went into overboard, he dived in to try and retrieve it - wearing a wetsuit and no fins. Luckily the boat driver was still on board, and the only result was an amusing story.

 

[InTheDrink]

Sometimes if a person accidentally goes overboard, the instinctive reaction of a person still in the boat is to immediately jump in to assist, which can place both people in a bad situation.

On one dive, we surfaced as a group some way down-current of the dive boat. The deckie helpfully threw a buoy to float out to us (a "mermaid" line) without checking that the other end of the rope was attached to the boat. As the end of the rope went into overboard, he dived in to try and retrieve it - wearing a wetsuit and no fins. Luckily the boat driver was still on board, and the only result was an amusing story.

I did consider this. Will never know.

I hope they went quickly

And I really really hope people understand currents a bit more

 

[Scraps]

I'm very sorry to hear of this accident and especially sorry for your stepson's sake.

Unfortunately, as you already know, the answer to your question is to plan so that one does not find one's self in a current without flotation, thermal protection, readily available help, or communication.

It must be awful to bear the loss and not have answers.

Best wishes to everyone who is grieving.

 

[Wingy]

I think John the Pom has summed up what all of us would do in that situation....peace to youre friends and you, I hope there is maybe some small comfort in knowing/noting they were together

 

[The Chairman]

Never leave the boat unmanned.

 

[clownfishsydney]

Quite a few years back, a large sailing catamaran was found empty on the Great Barrier Reef. All three men who were on it were missing. There were neat piles of clothes on the back deck, showing that they had willingly got in the water and probably not in too much of a panic. The GPS unfortunately did not show the track back long enough to show what might have happened.

Some ideas of what may have occurred were that:

1. They were becalmed, went for a swim and the wind came up and blew the boat away
2. They ran aground and got in the water to push it off and it got away from them

Basically, as stated above, never all get in the water at one time from a boat that is not anchored or in a current.

 

[InTheDrink]

Thanks everyone for your input.

It will help my son and his mother one day.

Never leave a boat unmanned. It’s that simple

 

[Compressor]

I'm sorry for your loss. I agree with most of the points above; they are nice clues on what/not to do.
Flotation is important; as a boater myself, I never leave the boat unattended (occupants need to know how to operate the boat; even if rudimentary knowledge) and when in water carry some kind of floatation even if it means a boat fender when going for a "quick" swim.

Hope family finds peace during these difficult times.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Thanks everyone for your input.

It will help my son and his mother one day.

Never leave a boat unmanned. It’s that simple

I'm sorry that some were insensitive. I think that the most likely case is as was described in an earlier post.
One went for a swim or dropped something overboard by accident and went after it, the current caused a problem and the other went to help, not realizing that the current was to become his problem as well.

I'm very sorry for your family's loss.