La Jolla Woman Diver in Critical Condition.

[openmindOW]

I will confess that, despite my (and my buddies') emphasis on team diving, I have very occasionally allowed someone to return to shore on the surface alone.

By way of confession, let me say I admit that I have done the same but never with students. (N.B. I am NOT saying that the dive in question was a class of any kind whatsoever.) My recreational dives tend to be with experienced divers who are friends and who I have dove with before.

I am not saying this practice is okay; I'm just owning up to having done it. I didn't think TSandM should be the only one to honestly confess.

 

[DandyDon]

Here is yet another case of a competent diver ascending alone...

Excerpting from Renowned underwater photographer Wes Skiles died while diving off the Palm Beach County coast. | Gainesville.com

The man apparently alerted the other divers that he was ascending because he was out of film, Barbera said. The others continued in the water but later decided to ascend.

"On their way to the surface, they found him at the bottom of the reef motionless," Barbera said.

 

[piikki]

Below is a true story (I removed identifying info, shortened the story, and hope the poster does not mind the repost from another board) that I am very glad I happened to read the first season I began diving. It truly hit home the importance of two things 1) Get your buddy safely back on land (including out of heavy gear), and 2) Always treat “I am OK” with suspicion when something has gone wrong (ESPECIALLY with guys, they do not tell things!) The guy that this happened to is young, strong and healthy, nothing to predict an event like this. The next thing we saw from him was all his gear for sale

So me and 2 buddies got dressed hopped in the water and headed towards the wreck from shore. Around 7min into the dive I had a bad flood in my right glove, so I decided to turn the dive. I kept lots of air in my glove on the swim back to keep warm, got to the wall with a regular ascent, popped to the surface at around 15min, total with max depth of 60'. Once on shore I told my buddies to go ahead and finish the dive. The last 15' or so of my ascent I had a terrible chest pain when I breathed and had really big pain in my upper legs. So as my buddies left, I took my left fin off and then tried to get the right one off but I was weak and light headed, so decided to take a break and breath, then lost balance and fell on my back (very lucky). I stayed like that for a min so I could relax.. Then tried to get back up to get my gear off and my legs wouldn’t move, they were pretty much paralyzed as the rest of my body - or when I did get the chance to move my body, it wouldn’t go the direction I wanted to. I would reach forward it would go backwards. I tried to push myself onto land put couldn’t move my legs... So I battled as hard as I can to get to shore and get some gear off but no success. All kinds of things were rushing thru my head (paralyzed, brain damage, pass out ect..) Finally which felt like the longest dive EVERRRRRR my buddies came back to shore so I yelled for help. Once they saw me still in the water on shore I think they were shocked not knowing if it was a joke or what but they came quickly, cut me out of my gear and carried me to the vehicle. I couldn’t stand, walk, hold my head up, nothing. As we headed towards the vehicle a women called 911 and proceeded to call her husband who is diver. He came down to the dive site quickly and gave me some 02 and kept me warm ...

I can't imagine the horror, surfacing and finding a diver from my group drowned in 6" of water because they could not get up from under their gear... And the last moments of the diver when they realize thing like this is happening because they are all alone and losing control of their body.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I know this point may sound trivial but, one person can't legally leave the group and return to shore unless still within 100 yards of the dive flag. I know of people being ticketed precisely for that reason. Plus, let's not forget the minimal protection a dive flag gives a diver on the surface.

@Reef_Haven: FYI, at La Jolla Shores where this incident occurred, the only divers with floats are the instructors teaching classes. There are no laws mandating that divers use surface floats. I have done some drift dives in Florida which required pulling a surface float with dive flag. Frankly, I didn't care for it, although I understood the need for it in an area with boat traffic. Towing a float while diving some of the kelp forests here in SoCal would be...interesting to say the least.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

I am not happy with same dive same ocean dives.... I prefer not to dive with people who want to dive that way. We have someone who is an instructor and qualified Solo diver. The shop does not allow their instructors to dive solo because it sets a bad example. I think this attitude is silly... if they teach Solo Diver Courses... then I don't see how they can restrict their instructors in such a way. IMHO it indicates they don't believe in the courses they teach which is a worse example. Sometimes this person enters with us for "cover" to do the solo dive. I am not particularly happy about it but this is the only time I will accept a "same dive same ocean" diver!

If I am your buddy... I am your buddy.. I do not like anyone splitting off from the group and heading back alone. Our group has had a few people join us who didn't follow buddy procedures. We all wound up ending our dive and searching for those who couldn't be bothered following procedures regarding separation. They have been told they are not welcome to dive with us again..period!

Get in together.. get out together.. if someone needs to go back.. see them out of the water. When I am certain they are safe and well... I can decide if I want to re-enter and do a dive. I can live with the memory of a missed dive.. I can't live with the memory of a diver dead or injured because I was more concerned about a single dive than a human being.

 

[kpdivers]

Like M Boswell said... thumbs up... dive is over ....PERIOD! Sort everything else out at the surface. My dive buddies all know, when ANYONE of us throw the thumb, the dive is over, there is no questions underwater to what is wrong. If it's not a major issue, the diver should be rocking his/her hand which would lead to a discussion and sort out what is happening, before proceeding. It's amazing how we learned all this on discover scuba but seem to forget it as time goes on. BACK TO BASICS!

 

[Mike Boswell]

FYI: For anyone interested in this incident:

Yesterday I communicated with the reporter on this story. He has tried to follow up, but is having trouble getting information. The lady is apparently still alive, but the hospital won't provide an update on her condition unless the reporter has her identity. The lifeguards won't provide her identity. The police are not providing information either. She is reportedly from Temecula, CA and is in her 50s.

 

[scubaroo123]

Good Evening,
I am here to set the story correct so hopefully everyone would please stop making assumptions and take in consideration the families that this involves.

Sunday my family members went out for a routine dive. They all have done this numerous times before. There were three members of the dive party two of which are my family. The lady that is featured in this article was having problems with her mask and only her mask and choose to not complete the dive. Her BUDDIES took her back to shore ( side note this was a walk in dive not a boat) When an unfortunate event took place. We are uncertian as to what exactly happened, but was an medical event not related to the dive. The buddy system was followed please stop assuming you know what happend.

 

[D_B]

Thank you for your post and I truly hope that she is getting better.

We do not know what happened in many cases and through exploring the issues, thinking out loud so to speak, we find answers to questions that sometimes no one has discussed before ... People have commented on things learned here that saved themselves or someone else

 

[santafejoe]

Very Good Post Scubaroo123. She s in our prayers.