(6/18/2005) Diver lost off Jupiter Point

[Bill51]

I was offshore yesterday and every 15 minutes the Coast Guard was broadcasting for all boaters in the Jupiter Point area to be on the look out for a lost diver.

I haven’t been able to find out anything more about the incident and the CG public affairs offices are closed today. Does anyone know anything about what happened and the outcome?

 

[Johnoly]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-dive18june18,0,118733.story?coll=sfla-news-palm

 

[metaldector]

While at the dive shop a guy came in who was on that boat yesterday. The only thing he added that wasn't in the Sentinel article was that everyone on the boat repeated the dive looking for the lost diver, but he wasn't found. He was diving with two other divers as stated in the article. Too bad.

 

[Bill51]

Thanks for the updates and it’s so sad to hear the story. It’s so frustrating to hear the radio calls for help and know there’s nothing you can do to help a fellow diver in trouble.

My prayers are with the divers family and everyone be careful out there.

 

[ILDiver]

It says he was seen surfacing. He was at the surface? Or seen mid water on his way up? I'm just wondering if he may have had a heart attack or something on his way to the surface. I know it's yough to speculate. But also if he was mid water someplace, finding him would be so much harder than scanning the surface or the bottom. And that is tough enough. Sorry to hear of the incident.

 

[Charlie99]

It says he was seen surfacing. He was at the surface? Or seen mid water on his way up?

Since the newspaper article identifies the person seeing him as the "owner of the dive center", it was most likely ON the surface.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

That would be the issue: "Randy Jordan, owner of Jupiter Dive Center, last saw him
surfacing as he should have been about 30 minutes into the dive"...

If on the surface, then he didn't "fail to surface". Randy Jordan apparently saw him on the surface.

If not on the surface, then what was he doing 'surfacing' alone? (With Randy Jordan watching him 'surface' (ascend?)...)

Did he surface then sink? And, ummmm, where was his buddy?

 

[ILDiver]

I guess I didn't assume that to mean the owner was on the boat. According to another thread about a different incident, seems to be a strong current in that area.

 

[JustJoe]

I guess I didn't assume that to mean the owner was on the boat. According to another thread about a different incident, seems to be a strong current in that area.

The current can be very strong. There was a fast current on Saturday in that area. I can't tell you what the conditions were on the day the diver turned up missing. Another problem is that at times the current can run faster on the surface then at depth and vice versa. On Saturday my buddy and I were diving NW Double Ledges, he was holding the float and the current on the surface was giving him a hell of a ride.

The usual Captain is NOT Randy. I can't remember his name. If Randy said that he last saw him on the surface my initial thought was that he last saw him in the shop (which is adjacent to the dock).

Joe

 

[Splitlip]

Randy often dives, so he might have been in the water.
Don't know the details.