RogerAGrimes
Contributor
Sorry about the late post, but I didn't see this one posted here (although it may have been).
A new diver in her 50's, diving off the Starfish dive charter boat (an excellent operation), apparently drowned or nearly drown 10 days ago.
Woman Nearly Drowns While Diving Off Boynton Inlet - West Palm Beach News Story - WPBF West Palm Beach
The story I heard from someone on the boat during the incident is that the woman was a new student doing her first boat dive (I think she had already done some qualifying spring or quarry diving). It was on a wreck (not sure which one). She was feeling uncomfortable during the dive and went to the instructor. The instructor tried to calm her down and find out what was wrong. He eventually led the student to another instructor\trusted class helper and handed her off at a shallower depth, so he could remain with the other students below. The helper had a hard time getting the woman to keep her regulator in (and I think her mask was coming off as well), and eventually rushed her to the surface and handed off to the boat crew. The boat crew said she was unresponsive, not breathing, with blue lips when she was first brought up. She started puking sea water before CPR could be done and re-started breathing. They put her on O2 and rushed her back to the inlet (a short ride in from the dive site) to waiting paramedics while another boat came out and picked up the remaining students. The victim was able to walk off the boat to the paramedics (talk about a remarkable, lucky recovery), and was kept overnight at a local hospital (or transferred once...I forget) to watch for any aspiration issues.
I apologize for not having more details, and I'm not sure what the reason was for the incident. Although, unrelated or not, the seas and currents were pretty tough yesterday (when I dove Boynton Beach). Waves were breaking over the charter boat on the way out and diving one of the wrecks made everyone hang like a flag on a flag pole (had to use two hands to stay on the line on descent and ascent. Current would try to pull your mask off if you turned any way but directly into the current, and at least one other diver had a panicked ascent due to current\mask issues. I was actually amazed about how well everyone did overall, considering the conditions and the fact that half the boat was puking topside.
A new diver in her 50's, diving off the Starfish dive charter boat (an excellent operation), apparently drowned or nearly drown 10 days ago.
Woman Nearly Drowns While Diving Off Boynton Inlet - West Palm Beach News Story - WPBF West Palm Beach
The story I heard from someone on the boat during the incident is that the woman was a new student doing her first boat dive (I think she had already done some qualifying spring or quarry diving). It was on a wreck (not sure which one). She was feeling uncomfortable during the dive and went to the instructor. The instructor tried to calm her down and find out what was wrong. He eventually led the student to another instructor\trusted class helper and handed her off at a shallower depth, so he could remain with the other students below. The helper had a hard time getting the woman to keep her regulator in (and I think her mask was coming off as well), and eventually rushed her to the surface and handed off to the boat crew. The boat crew said she was unresponsive, not breathing, with blue lips when she was first brought up. She started puking sea water before CPR could be done and re-started breathing. They put her on O2 and rushed her back to the inlet (a short ride in from the dive site) to waiting paramedics while another boat came out and picked up the remaining students. The victim was able to walk off the boat to the paramedics (talk about a remarkable, lucky recovery), and was kept overnight at a local hospital (or transferred once...I forget) to watch for any aspiration issues.
I apologize for not having more details, and I'm not sure what the reason was for the incident. Although, unrelated or not, the seas and currents were pretty tough yesterday (when I dove Boynton Beach). Waves were breaking over the charter boat on the way out and diving one of the wrecks made everyone hang like a flag on a flag pole (had to use two hands to stay on the line on descent and ascent. Current would try to pull your mask off if you turned any way but directly into the current, and at least one other diver had a panicked ascent due to current\mask issues. I was actually amazed about how well everyone did overall, considering the conditions and the fact that half the boat was puking topside.
