Scuba diver dies after being found floating at Kurnell, NSW, Australia

[unlvcrjchick]

Quero was built like me, and I get cold diving 80F water in a 7mm wetsuit.

So much could have happened with the drysuit.

An inadvertent breath-holding -- it only takes 4 feet, you know.

An uncontrollable ascent -- too much gas in the feet of the suit -- I hate that.

Of all things, take away: It can happen to any of us, at any time.

And that lesson was heard loud and clear. In fact, it puts a cloud on my upcoming dive trip because I'm saddened and unnerved about this story: if this experienced woman can die while diving, what chance do I have with fewer than 30 dives?




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[BDSC]

what chance do I have with less than 30 dives?

Your chances are quite good actually as long as you continue to stay within your comfort level for the training you have received. What happened is sad but don't let it spoil an upcoming trip.

 

[AfterDark]

And that lesson was heard loud and clear. In fact, it puts a cloud on my upcoming dive trip because I'm saddened and unnerved about this story: if this experienced woman can die while diving, what chance do I have with fewer than 30 dives?




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When it's your time nothing can stop it. Some of us live a long time others don't a lot of it is random and we have little control, even if we fool ourselves into thinking we do.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I'm guessing he meant quite good of something not happening to you.

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[chillyinCanada]

Unlvrckj, follow your training and you will be fine. Quero had many more lifetime dives than you may ever reach and she would certainly not want this to put any damper on your love for diving. Enjoy your vacation, fall more in love with it. Continue to improve your skills. Share your love of diving with others. Hope to build a legacy as rich as Quero's.

 

[Cave Diver]

I believe that she was diving a new dry suit, and struggling with controlling her buoyancy.

Around last Fri she mentioned leg pain that she was taking Ibuprofen to try to releave, and she thought the leg pain was associated with her struggling to control her trim in the new dry suit, and in shallow diving conditions.

Quero stated later that she had resolved the buoyancy issues.

And that lesson was heard loud and clear. In fact, it puts a cloud on my upcoming dive trip because I'm saddened and unnerved about this story: if this experienced woman can die while diving, what chance do I have with fewer than 30 dives?

Thousands, if not 10's of thousands of dives are completed successfully every day, all over the world. At this point, we don't know what factors may have contributed to this incident.

As a new diver one of the most important things you can do is to stay within your training, experience, and comfort zone. Don't let someone else pressure you into dives you're not ready for.

Any time we embark into the underwater world, there is some degree of risk. But there is a degree of risk in practically everything that we do, whether it's getting into the shower, or driving to work. Don't let the fear of "what if?" keep you from doing things you enjoy. Instead, use it to temper your actions and make good decisions in managing those risks.

Having known Quero, I think that I can safely say that the last thing she would want, would be for her death to stop someone else from exploring the underwater world that she so loved.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Around last Fri she mentioned leg pain that she was taking Ibuprofen to try to releave, and she thought the leg pain was associated with her struggling to control her trim in the new dry suit

Gypsyjim, I know you've said not to speculate but find I can't help myself. What if her leg pain was actually deep vein thrombosis?

 

[unlvcrjchick]

Thank you all for giving me some proper perspective; great people on this board. I do love diving and want to continue: I just felt so sad about poor Quero and for her friends and family that I allowed it to overwhelm my common sense. I know that statistically I have a better chance of surviving a dive than I do driving home at night (especially the way people drive in Las Vegas...). What I can do is learn from this and always remember to dive within my comfort zone and training - I always did that anyway (e.g. while I'm certified to go to 100 feet, I don't like venturing beyond 75-80 feet), but this was a poignant reminder of how important that is.

My sincerest condolences to her friends and family.

 

[DandyDon]

Gypsyjim, I know you've said not to speculate but find I can't help myself. What if her leg pain was actually deep vein thrombosis?

Had one. Limped to the dives for 2 days, drove back to Texas, waited until my GF left the next day, drove to the doc's office, raised my trouser leg - action! They still let me limp to the various tests and do treatment as outpatient. No, speculating here serves no purpose as she was much better a diver, much more reasonable, and probably healthier than I. On some threads I'll join in with the what-ifs for the possible education even if just guessing on a cause, but we have no possible cause to work with - so I'll wait.

And agreeing to disagree, I have no respect for "When it's your time nothing can stop it," or I wouldn't have explored all the ways to make my diving safer. Catastrophic events can surprise us at times, but usually it's dive the plan and rinse the gear.

Thank you all for giving me some proper perspective; great people on this board. I do love diving and want to continue: I just felt so sad about poor Quero and for her friends and family that I allowed it to overwhelm my common sense. I know that statistically I have a better chance of surviving a dive than I do driving home at night (especially the way people drive in Las Vegas...). What I can do is learn from this and always remember to dive within my comfort zone and training - I always did that anyway (e.g. while I'm certified to go to 100 feet, I don't like venturing beyond 75-80 feet), but this was a poignant reminder of how important that is.

My sincerest condolences to her friends and family.

There is just so little to possibly learn from this tragic loss, at this point - as we just have no cause yet. You should be fine. Keep your affairs in order in case of a car wreck or other catastrophic event, dive with safe buds & Ops, plan your dives and follow your training.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Dandy, I'm glad you DVT turned out that way for you but a very healthy young friend of mine was not so lucky, hence my giving it some consideration in this case.