Dead abalone diver found - Salt Point State Park, California

[DandyDon]

Body of abalone diver found in Fisk Mill Cove in Salt Point State Park

The body of an abalone diver was pulled from the ocean at Fisk Mill Cove in northern Sonoma County just after 2 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.

Several agencies responded, including the sheriff’s helicopter, Henry 1.

The victim, who was not identified, was in his early to mid-30s, said Sgt. Spencer Crum, Sheriff’s Office spokesman.

A woman hiking along the cove in Salt Point State Park spotted the body in the water around 1:45 p.m. and called 911, Crum said.

A California State Parks lifeguard retrieved the body, according to dispatch reports. The sheriff’s helicopter then lifted the body from the beach to the parking lot above.

A vehicle in the parking lot is believed to belong to the victim, Crum said.

 

[wgw04024]

Wouldn't there be alot less accidents with abalone diving if you didn't have to free dive?

 

[DandyDon]

Wouldn't there be alot less accidents with abalone diving if you didn't have to free dive?

And a lot less abalone.

 

[iamrushman]

tragic accident for a lone diver.....condolences to family, friends, and colleagues....

 

[Akimbo]

Wouldn't there be alot less accidents with abalone diving if you didn't have to free dive?

Most of California's North Coast has really rugged shore access... NOTHING like the southern California beaches you see on TV. My guess is a lot more people would be hurt from slipping on rocks, getting heart attacks, and sliding down cliffs if they were hauling Scuba gear and wearing drysuits. Scuba would also probably make attempting these dives by less prepared people much more attractive, which would increase incidents. No doubt that @DandyDon's reason is the motivation for the restriction, but the unintended consequence "might" actually be positive in this case... even if you're not an abalone.

 

[DandyDon]

Most of California's North Coast has really rugged shore access... NOTHING like the southern California beaches you see on TV. My guess is a lot more people would be hurt from slipping on rocks, getting heart attacks, and sliding down cliffs if they were hauling Scuba gear and wearing drysuits. Scuba would also probably make attempting these dives by less prepared people much more attractive, which would increase incidents. No doubt that @DandyDon's reason is the motivation for the restriction, but the unintended consequence "might" actually be positive in this case... even if you're not an abalone.

Maybe so, along with boats that cater to abalone divers. Of course, one the abalone are extinct, no one would die looking for them.

 

[Akimbo]

Maybe so, along with boats that cater to abalone divers...

There aren't many harbors up here for commercial dive boats to put out from. Marinas are +/-100 miles apart once you get north of Pt Conception.

 

[Bob DBF]

Maybe so, along with boats that cater to abalone divers. Of course, one the abalone are extinct, no one would die looking for them.

Kind of like what happened in SoCal. Now that CF&G stopped abalone diving down south, which was commercial and on SCUBA, the abalone may come back.


Bob

 

[Laurie S.]

We just got back from abalone diving at Van Damme. My husband has been doing it for 44 years and suggested to Fish and Game that if they wanted to protect the abalone, just raise the size limit to 8 inches and not decrease the take limits. Makes sense to me.