Divers lose boat, no pilot left aboard - Florida

[Belzelbub]

@reefrat recently posted about a dive op on Grand Cayman that did not leave a competent individual on the boat.

Competent individual is key. Leaving no one on board is idiotic. Leaving someone on board that is not competent to drive the boat is only slightly less idiotic. I can't believe divers still dive with no one on the boat. Two short stories (1 involving me) with leaving a boat with or without competent individuals.

1. I was returning from a diving trip and caught an exchange between a diver and Coast Guard on channel 16. I could only really hear the CG version of the conversation, so was not really in position to help. The gist was that the divers surfaced and could not see the boat. Divers at least had a VHF with them, which was good. Coast Guard finally got ahold of the boat, appropriately named "Lowlife." CG established that they were about 1 mile away from the divers. They calculated the heading and relayed to the boat. A fast boat that was responding to a different emergency was re-routed as this one was a bit higher up the emergency scale. Lowlife was heading the wrong direction when CG had them confirm current coordinates. Divers were picked up by CG, and transferred to Lowlife.

2. A friend and I were diving in the Keys. Vis was not what it should have been, so we aborted the dive. Came up downstream from the dive boat in a strong current, and we were making very little headway. My wife and kids were on the boat, and we were tied off to another friend's boat. Boat was tied off to another boat. Oldest daughter started the boat, wife freed the line, then took over the helm to come get us.

 

[Bob DBF]

Such a law would have to account for those situations. Perhaps a paragraph or two instead of a sentence on the subject should be on the books.

Better start a book, it will take one to cover every circumstance that is already found in books on seamanship. And do you think making a law will stop stop the practice, or just punish those who anchor properly?

I’m not a fan of leaving an anchored boat unattended, but I know how, and have the gear aboard, to make sure it’s there when I get back, assuming it’s not stolen. The knowledge to do this has been around for centuries.



Bob

 

[infieldg]

I respect the one who swam for the boat not just for their effort, but their summary ;

“The spearfishing community does this all the time,” Engle said. “We get complacent. It’s wrong, but it’s something we do. I’ve heard from others who have had people stay on the boat that fall asleep or don’t know how to use it if something goes wrong. I think it’s time for all of us to adopt safety procedures that include an occupied boat with someone capable of driving and assisting in an emergency situation. I don’t want this to happen to anyone else.”

I keep thinking now that I live on my boat I could go down too and reel off from the anchor. I mean... it seems safe, as I type this at my desk... I can see how they might have thought this was okay, as bad as it sounds. But as long as there's more than one diver in the water, I'm always having someone on deck even if it has to be me, imagining surfacing needing help and not getting it

 

[rjack321]

I dive from an anchored boat, an anchored but tended boat, and a live unanchored boat depending on the site.

These guys (and woman) made a mistake, it happens, sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. But you cant legislate when it is or isn't safe to dive.

 

[Bob DBF]

But you cant legislate when it is or isn't safe to dive.

Consider some of the laws that have been legislated...


Bob

 

[The Chairman]

Classic error in logic. It has never happened to me so it never will. How many times have we heard this with so many unfortunate results?

Hmnnn, you hit me with a "Classic error in logic" and then proceed with misleading vividness. Answer your question for us: "How many times?" No, it's not very common. We hear about it only once or twice a year and almost always it's by noob boaters who make stoopid mistakes. Never, ever write laws for the exceptions in life, especially when stupidity and/or ignorance are major factors.

This is where I rely on my philosophy: Dive and let dive. NitrOx was once considered dangerous as was solo diving. You would rather stay on the boat than dive? That's your choice. I've got my own dives to dive and there are some risks I'm willing to take and others that I won't even contemplate. Diving is all about limits. Know yours and honor them. don't assume that your limits are mine and I'll return the favor.

 

[kelemvor]

Better start a book, it will take one to cover every circumstance that is already found in books on seamanship. And do you think making a law will stop stop the practice, or just punish those who anchor properly?

I’m not a fan of leaving an anchored boat unattended, but I know how, and have the gear aboard, to make sure it’s there when I get back, assuming it’s not stolen. The knowledge to do this has been around for centuries.

I think you could create some reasonable rules about leaving a boat unattended in a few paragraphs. Sure, there will be some who ignore the law just as there are some that ignore any law. I'd like to believe the vast majority of captains/owners try to be law abiding citizens. A law would change the practice of leaving boats unattended those folks that wish to be on the up and up.

 

[The Chairman]

I think you could create some reasonable rules about leaving a boat unattended

You used the word "reasonable", and many of us who have done this certainly don't view any rule as reasonable that curtails our rights because a precious few irresponsible boat owners don't know how to secure their boat.

 

[seaseadee]

@The Chairman I won't debate the passing laws to fix stupidity thing, but instead pose this question: "Is what you describe a normalization of deviance?" To determine this we would need to first agree if leaving a boat unattended while you go off diving is a safe SOP. I suspect that you see it as safe, but the others don't.
The other question you have to ask yourself is this: "Do you see it as a safe practice only because you haven't had a mishap?" I'll bet a fresh dollar bill that all of those folks that morning thought they were fine because they did it a million times before. That tune changes dramatically after the incident. I'm also not certain that these folks were truly stoopid noobs.

PS I would never do it but that's because I recognize that I am a stoopid noob.

 

[James79]

Genuine question from a non boater;
Would running a reel or spool off the anchor line make an unintended boat a more reasonable option?
Respectfully
James