2 Divers reported dead at Point Lobos, Ca.
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For those unfamiliar with Pt. Lobos and Whaler's Cove. Whaler's Cove is the only scuba entry/exit allowed in the park. It is deep in a protected cove and has a concrete boat ramp for the entry and exit. Even with huge swells the entry and exit are probably the safest and easiest in all of Monterey/Carmel diving.
At the mouth of the cove there are rocks where the waves can crash and churn. These are easy to avoid. The sand channel where the female diver was found floating extends from the middle of the protected cove out to the cove mouth, but well away from any rocks. There are underwater rock reefs, but they are easily avoided even in very heavy surge.
A link to a great diving map of the area. Point Lobos Underwater Maps.
IMHO, environmental factors - while they may have played a role, even a significant one - do not explain the double fatality.
At the mouth of the cove there are rocks where the waves can crash and churn. These are easy to avoid. The sand channel where the female diver was found floating extends from the middle of the protected cove out to the cove mouth, but well away from any rocks. There are underwater rock reefs, but they are easily avoided even in very heavy surge.
A link to a great diving map of the area. Point Lobos Underwater Maps.
IMHO, environmental factors - while they may have played a role, even a significant one - do not explain the double fatality.
Peter_C
Contributor
Since her tank was found to be empty, being out of air does lend itself to an OOA scenario. We will never know the actual cause of this families tragedy. The teenager that was present has my deepest sympathies, along with her sister. There was nothing anyone could have done different to save their lives due to the elapsed time frame. The dive team that assisted in her recovery and put everything they had into swimming out, and bringing her back in while giving rescue breathes are worthy of praise! They are folks I would dive with any day.
The take away should be watch your air consumption and have a dive plan in place that takes into account depth, time, and turn pressures. Learn what "Min Gas" is and set it as a hard rule never to be broken. Most divers get out of open water and never again practice an air share, nor ascent while sharing air. Make these a routine part of your dives and please be safe. Practice, is what turns a dangerous situation, into more of a drill you have already done, and are comfortable doing.
Edited to reflect they were a family of four
Last edited:
3D diver
Contributor
Not intending to quibble, but where did you read "empty tank"? I haven't seen that in the linked reports.
My speculation runs the same direction, though...i.e. OOA or some other mishap.
My speculation runs the same direction, though...i.e. OOA or some other mishap.
Hi all.
One of the divers that retrieved the female diver has given me some more details. I do not plan on asking for further information. PLEASE everyone, for the sake of the teen who lost both parents let's keep this discussion focused and on track.
The responses to my questions:
1. Where, as best you can describe it (or mark on a map) did you first see the female diver?
"We saw the woman pretty much in the middle of the sand channel, maybe slightly to the other side of the shore when you are at the boat ramp."
2. Were there any obvious injuries? any missing gear? (mask, weight belt, etc.) Did you note the spg reading? You mentioned in one of your first posts that she was out of air. Were you told or did you see that yourself?
"There were no visible injuries, I did not check all her gear but when you dive for a while you get a relatively reliable eye for "everything looks ok" - she looked okay.
I actually have second thoughts on the out of air. I did see her pressure gauge but don't recall for sure the value. I do think I saw the needle very low. However, I pumped some air in the BCD when I clipped her out. So it was not all out ..."
3. How was the female diver positioned? Face up, face down, other? I assume she was at the surface. Was the BCD inflated?
"She was def face down, I turned her around. I am not positive but believe her BCD was at least partially inflated. I have it only a little air and it was floating when the firefighters picked it up. However, she also had an 80 Ali tank which floats when it is empty. I don't recall a weight belt and assume they were integrated (unless dropped) which would suggest a at least partially inflated BCD.Same thing - I was focused on getting her out and am increasingly less sure what I actually saw vs what I assumed"
4. Where, when, and how was the male diver found?
"The male diver was found close to shore on the other side of the sand channel when standing on the boat ramp.He was hard to spot from where we were. We saw him after we pulled his wife out - approx 20 min after we saw her. It is not clear to me when he surfaced there. It is very possible he was there all the time but we did not see him."
One comment from me: In my experience the swells tend to push stuff into Whaler's Cove. Therefore ***SPECULATION**** the divers may have surfaced further out towards the cove mouth and been pushed into the cove proper. ****END SPECULATION****
One of the divers that retrieved the female diver has given me some more details. I do not plan on asking for further information. PLEASE everyone, for the sake of the teen who lost both parents let's keep this discussion focused and on track.
The responses to my questions:
1. Where, as best you can describe it (or mark on a map) did you first see the female diver?
"We saw the woman pretty much in the middle of the sand channel, maybe slightly to the other side of the shore when you are at the boat ramp."
2. Were there any obvious injuries? any missing gear? (mask, weight belt, etc.) Did you note the spg reading? You mentioned in one of your first posts that she was out of air. Were you told or did you see that yourself?
"There were no visible injuries, I did not check all her gear but when you dive for a while you get a relatively reliable eye for "everything looks ok" - she looked okay.
I actually have second thoughts on the out of air. I did see her pressure gauge but don't recall for sure the value. I do think I saw the needle very low. However, I pumped some air in the BCD when I clipped her out. So it was not all out ..."
3. How was the female diver positioned? Face up, face down, other? I assume she was at the surface. Was the BCD inflated?
"She was def face down, I turned her around. I am not positive but believe her BCD was at least partially inflated. I have it only a little air and it was floating when the firefighters picked it up. However, she also had an 80 Ali tank which floats when it is empty. I don't recall a weight belt and assume they were integrated (unless dropped) which would suggest a at least partially inflated BCD.Same thing - I was focused on getting her out and am increasingly less sure what I actually saw vs what I assumed"
4. Where, when, and how was the male diver found?
"The male diver was found close to shore on the other side of the sand channel when standing on the boat ramp.He was hard to spot from where we were. We saw him after we pulled his wife out - approx 20 min after we saw her. It is not clear to me when he surfaced there. It is very possible he was there all the time but we did not see him."
One comment from me: In my experience the swells tend to push stuff into Whaler's Cove. Therefore ***SPECULATION**** the divers may have surfaced further out towards the cove mouth and been pushed into the cove proper. ****END SPECULATION****
3D diver
Contributor
Sac Bee has ID'd the divers:
2 divers who died Friday were San Jose couple - AP State News - The Sacramento Bee
2 divers who died Friday were San Jose couple - AP State News - The Sacramento Bee
Peter_C
Contributor
This article has some of their photos, or at least I would assume they are theirs. Edit: They took the photos off the page. There was a link to some Flikr photos as the family took many photos.
2 dead Point Lobos scuba divers identified | Monterey News - KSBW Home
Looks to me like these were good people, who had a love for nature like so many of us.
2 dead Point Lobos scuba divers identified | Monterey News - KSBW Home
Looks to me like these were good people, who had a love for nature like so many of us.
CaliDenna
Contributor
This is so tragic. They looked so happy in their scuba photos Sincerest condolences to their daughter in this horrible time.
Scuba - a set on Flickr
Sincerest condolences to their daughter in this horrible time.Scuba - a set on Flickr
billt4sf
Contributor
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From the Sacramento Bee Page A4 Tue Feb 26, 2013
"Officials said Monday that the equipment used by a San Jose couple who died during a scuba dive off the Monterey County coast appeared to be intact and that investigators were still searching for a cause of their deaths.
"There was no trauma, there was nothing obvious", said Eric Abma, acting sector superintendent for the state Parks and Recreations Department.
Emergency crews found Volodymyr Butsky, 40, and his wife, Marina Butsky, 41 at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve on Friday."
"Officials said Monday that the equipment used by a San Jose couple who died during a scuba dive off the Monterey County coast appeared to be intact and that investigators were still searching for a cause of their deaths.
"There was no trauma, there was nothing obvious", said Eric Abma, acting sector superintendent for the state Parks and Recreations Department.
Emergency crews found Volodymyr Butsky, 40, and his wife, Marina Butsky, 41 at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve on Friday."
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