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

[Scuba_Jenny]

Some instructors I know went diving with JDC and was told to do a drift dive with no float. The Dive Master in the water had no float.

I am not surprised by this. A group of us went diving off another boat in Jupiter, and only the DM had the float. I thought it odd that they didn't break us up in groups, but since only one flag was on the boat, we stayed with the DM.

 

[H2Andy]

apparently, "last saw him surfacing" means Randy saw the diver heading for
the surface.

apparently, the diver never reached the surface, or the current swept him
away before anyone saw him *on* the surface:

http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s050618.html

does anyone know any different?

 

[Doc Intrepid]

"At the time of the dive, the current was 2 to 3 knots at depth and 4 to 5 knots at the surface."

Holy Helplessness...

"4 to 5 knots on the surface"??

Trying to swim against 2 to 3 knots at depth would wear you out in a heartbeat, thats a hell of a current in and of itself - but to surface into a 4 to 5 knot current?

If the dive lasted much longer than 10 to 15 minutes total, this guy would have surfaced well out of eyesight of the boat.

 

[baitedstorm]

I know that sitting on a boat full of students and hearing that call over the radio really sucked! The current was Ripping that day where I was, and only got stronger the further North you went. I'm wish I could say I was suprised over this accident, but I'm not in the least. That dive is an extremely advanced dive. The times given really aren't making much sense, not unless they were deco diving.

This one hit home pretty hard for me, those of you that know me know something simalar happened to me with Randy and at the exact same site. I was VERY lucky I escaped with my life. To this day, I will NOT!!! take divers out to that site. There's just not enough money in the world to convince me to put someone elses life at risk.

That dive is a power trip to stroke an ego and nothing more. I hate that this happened again. I'm thinking PADI needs to do some quality control.

 

[standrod]

I was with Dan Brady on the Blue Tang that day. We stopped our normal 3rd tank dive and went to the site as soon as the call went out. Dan and I dove the same dive as did the divers did again from the Republic IV.

The current was very strong. Our divemaster went in the water with us with the float ball but the current pulled him away from us so we had to shoot up our own surface marker.

The visibility on the hole was 80'+.

I could see how someone could get swept away very quickly then.

We also saw many caribean reef sharks that circled us the entire time, even on the way up. They didn't bother us but were very curious. I could see how that might could have paniced someone.

I feel bad for the guy and his family and all involved.

The Temptation was another dive boat that really helped in the search.

 

[SteveFass]

Isn't that a bit deep for breathing Nitrox?

 

[standrod]

you change the nitrox mix based on how deep you go.

 

[JWU42]

I think anything below 100' can benefit from some He in the mix. A dive towards 150' should be a Trimix dive for sure.

Co2 buildup could be very possible factoring in current, age, Diver's location (NY - likely not dove recently). This is highly speculative - I know. It also points the ABSOLUTE need for a SMB and other signal equipment (mirror, streamer, whistle, etc.) while diving offshore in a dynamic environment like SE Florida.

** Disclaimer - I only felt the need to respond since the majority of my dives have been in this part of the world **

 

[baitedstorm]

Thanks for the update Marcus. I was listening to Temptation and Blue Tang going back and forth over the radio from my boat. We were actually in Juno diving a 3 tanker. It's something I suppose I will never get use to hearing. I wish I could say this was the first one I've had to listen too. My stomach still gets in knots thinking about this man and the impact this accident will have on so many other peoples lives. He made the ultimate sacrifice for a high adrenaline dive, I wonder if his family will think it was worth it.

Divers, KNOW your limits! Be that one who will stand alone and say "hey guys, this dive sounds a little out of my league". My heart is broken and I didn't even know the guy.

 

[Lead_carrier]

I think anything below 100' can benefit from some He in the mix. A dive towards 150' should be a Trimix dive for sure.

Co2 buildup could be very possible factoring in current, age, Diver's location (NY - likely not dove recently). This is highly speculative - I know. It also points the ABSOLUTE need for a SMB and other signal equipment (mirror, streamer, whistle, etc.) while diving offshore in a dynamic environment like SE Florida.

** Disclaimer - I only felt the need to respond since the majority of my dives have been in this part of the world **

Not to bash, but JW, you're right. This is very highly speculative, we know nothing of his dive history or when he last dived, whether he had any of the signal equipment you mentioned.

What we do KNOW, current was ripping. We've lost another buddy.