Lost at Sea...........

[Charlie99]

Hope that answers the question for you.......

It clarified a lot of details. I really appreciate your willingness to post your experience for all of us to learn from.

Charlie Allen

 

[discrepancy]

fpsnDiver,

I couldn't help but see the common factors between your emergency and another one that occurred in Australia some years ago. Sorry if I'm breaking some sacrosanct rule of the internet, but here is the link to a similar emergency posted by a Sydney diving icon and one of our most experienced divers 14,000 miles and 12 years apart from your experience.

http://www.michaelmcfadyenscuba.info/articles/lostboat.htm

Sounds like you faced a common predicament, common dangers and common equipment and survival considerations.

I really do hope all our diving compatriots will post their near-misses for others to read and learn from. I have never faced the problem you and my fellow Sydney diver faced separately, but in both your posts I sure have learned to be mindful of how quickly things can go wrong enough for any of us to face the terror of a cold lonely death at sea.

Many thanks, and thank you both for your courage in sharing your experience.

 

[fpsndiver]

fpsnDiver,

I couldn't help but see the common factors between your emergency and another one that occurred in Australia some years ago. Sorry if I'm breaking some sacrosanct rule of the internet, but here is the link to a similar emergency posted by a Sydney diving icon and one of our most experienced divers 14,000 miles and 12 years apart from your experience.

http://www.michaelmcfadyenscuba.info/articles/lostboat.htm

Discrepancy,

Sounds like your mate had quite the time as well eh? We definitely tie the anchor heavily, both on the boat with back up ties, and on the wreck. We actually heavily foul the chain, and tie in the chain with sisal. If the hook comes out now, it will shock the hell outa me. Big lesson learned here.

Tom

 

[discrepancy]

NORMANNIA Incident​

Fortunately for us, 2 other experienced divers(My brother and Scott Corbett) were on Jeff's boat, and finally realized that something was amiss, and came looking for us. After we had been up for 2.5 hours,they found us, and got us back on terra boata.

fpsndiver, there was some sort of angel looking over you that day. Forty-two nm out to sea, bobbing about in the slop for 2.5 hours with dark coming on, you guys weren't just a needle in a haystack, you were the needle in the next paddock! It's some sort of minor miracle that anyone found you. I hope you bought a lottery ticket that day.

 

[OBXDIVEGUY]

Here ya go, waterproof, diveable, smoke / handheld flare:
http://www.landfallnavigation.com/ssdns.html

Same thing us Coasties use. There is even a canister for deeper dives:
http://www.mcmurdo.co.uk/?Menu=17&Page=/Contents/ListProducts.asp&ID=1013http://www.mcmurdo.co.uk/?Menu=17&Page=/Contents/ListProducts.asp&ID=1013

 

[Cacia]

I enjoyed your post. It really piqued my interest what you said about putting an EPERB in your camera housing. I looked at EPERBS the other day and would like to know how/where you came up with that idea of "stuffing it in your housing"?

 

[fpsndiver]

I enjoyed your post. It really piqued my interest what you said about putting an EPERB in your camera housing. I looked at EPERBS the other day and would like to know how/where you came up with that idea of "stuffing it in your housing"?

I have a video camera, and the housing is large enough to contain the camera and an epirb. There is enough spare room in the housing, because it was originally milled for analog camera....when digital cameras came out, and their size reduced, the housing is way too big for my little digital camera. I actually used my housing in the Virgin Islands to put my wallet and land camera in when swimming to shore at Jost van Dyke from our boat to the Soggy Dollar Bar (my dollars weren't soggy). So when this incident happened to Jeff and I, we really were thinking that we need to invest in EPIRBs with GPS capabilities. The housings are most of the expense on these units, so if I could fashion my own housing for it, by stuffing it into the spare area in my video housing.......saved 300 bucks! No brainer. I love my video housing. Now if it floods, I lose a camera and an EPIRB. Will DAN photography equipment insurance cover the EPIRB too?

Tom

 

[Cacia]

That sounds like a great idea. I am not sure my housing is big enough but I will start pondering this!

I just was noticing Breitling makes a marine watch that has a EPIRB in it and you pull a pin. Not sure if it goes to depth though.... Again, great post.

 

[Doc Harry]

Thanks for the story.

Recently I put together a signal kit after some scary dives in the Keys in heavy current and bad weather.

I also bought a McMurdo locator beacon with GPS that comes with dive canister. The canister mounts the 2-inch webbing of my waistband. Afterwards I discovered that this particular brand of beacons didn't get very good reviews. There is another beacon that seems to be better.

Before you buy see this web site for further information and reviews of personal locator beacons:
http://www.equipped.com

 

[fpsndiver]

Thanks for the story.

Recently I put together a signal kit after some scary dives in the Keys in heavy current and bad weather.

I also bought a McMurdo locator beacon with GPS that comes with dive canister. The canister mounts the 2-inch webbing of my waistband. Afterwards I discovered that this particular brand of beacons didn't get very good reviews. There is another beacon that seems to be better.

Before you buy see this web site for further information and reviews of personal locator beacons:
http://www.equipped.com

Harry,

Thanx for the info.......mcmurdos pains wessex fast find w/gps is the one I was looking at........that study angers me a little. These companies ought not be able to sell this stuff if it doesn't work properly :kopfab: !