Shore dive fatality - Carmel, California

[Chavodel8en]

"Carmel Beach," not "a Carmel Beach"? If its Carmel Beach, that's unusual, never really heard of folks diving from that beach (what is there to see?). Lots of surf. Could be a very challenging entry.

 

[elgoog]

This is just to give some local context of the area and conditions - not going to speculate at all about the decedent's health, dive experience, equipment used, familiarity with local dive sites or anything.

The article mentions the accident was at Carmel Beach - there is a beach called that but I'm not aware of any shore dive sites off of it. I have seen people surfing there and have kayaked there myself. Surf gets big and I wiped out in my kayak multiple times getting in and out. Personally, I would not want to do it with 50lb of SCUBA gear on me.

There are a few sites just south of there like Carmel River Beach, Butterfly House, Monastery Beach, etc and they all are what I would consider intermediate sites at the very least (relatively easier by boat). They are all unprotected sites (open to the ocean) and you need to be very aware of the conditions when you dive there. They also involve decent surface swims depending on what you're planning on doing as well as challenging entry and exits.

Recent water conditions - Water temp has been 51-53F this month but it was pretty nice and sunny topside on Tuesday with temps in the high 50s. There was a local report for Butterfly House on Monday which said there was very little surface kelp. The site I dove on Monday is north of here and much more protected but I also observed most of the kelp being washed away by the recent storms.

 

[runsongas]

could be carmel river state beach. you get a few spearos diving from there sometimes.

 

[KevinNM]

my skinny nephew had a heart attack at 20 playing basketball, (undiagnosed heart weakness) and was saved by the AED, and a trained rescuer! There is another thread about over55 and heart risk, and getting stress tests, but really maybe getting "checked out for heart" applies to everyone, even young fit people
But since he had barely started swimming, this seems so odd.

I've heard a few talks by medical professionals about their personal cardiac issues and there is a huge wall of denial. Both of them knew there was something very much not right but pretended it wasn't. One was having a full blown heart attack and the other had developed atrial fibrillation and they both took hours to get help. So if you talk yourself into "it's OK' and go swimming in open water...

 

[Rob Wilks]

While Carmel Beach isnt the most popular dive site, I have seen many people (Including myself) either freediving for dinner or sightseeing the huge reef just beyond it. The swell wasn't overly large Tuesday, though (Total speculation here) the diver could, indeed, have been on his snorkle, negatively bouyant (Maybe forgot to attach his inflator hose to his BC, or was his air even on?) and overwhelmed by set after set of oncoming waves. Panicked, unable to locate his primary or octo, and had a similar, though fatal, experience Don had in the pool? If all the buddy checks were done, as the Commander stated, this would have been noticed. As was mentioned before, we may never know. I certainly wasn't there. As for a cardiac incident, it's possible of course. I hope we know what had taken place sometime in the future. All this is conjecture, and until further details are released, that's what we are left with.
I send condolences to his family and fellow divers. It must be a nightmare for everyone.

 

[robbcayman]

Wow, sad deal. I am 33 and dive in So Cal. This really hits home for me. I hope more info comes out. Diving is relatively safe compared to other extreme sports. I was reading a few weeks ago where a former NFL player (early 30's) was playing with his young son on the sidewalk tripped and hit his head and died. You just never really know.

 

[Bob DBF]

The swell wasn't overly large Tuesday, though (Total speculation here) the diver could, indeed, have been on his snorkle, negatively bouyant (Maybe forgot to attach his inflator hose to his BC, or was his air even on?) and overwhelmed by set after set of oncoming waves. Panicked, unable to locate his primary or octo, and had a similar, though fatal, experience Don had in the pool?

Although I don't know the conditions there, normally a NorCal beach, open to the ocean, slopes gently in to the water until may be knee deep then can drop to 3 to 6 feet deep (more?) trough depending on wave conditions.

I was going into the water one day and my weight belt slipped a bit. As I was fixing it, I stepped into the trough and fell in over my head. To conserve my back gas, I'd pop up take a breath with my snorkel, go down and try to fix the problem. As I got tired I realized unless I wanted to crawl out with my weights around my ankles, winded and no good for the dive, I should just use the reg, sort it out, and go on, which I did.

If I did not know the bottom conformation, did not have my tank turned on, and was not an active free diver, it could have ended much worse, but I was not supprised at the event just annoyed and embarrassed.



Bob

 

[Ongrade]

If it was Carmel River State Beach, it can be a really tough dive site. The entry is protected unless the tide is high, then it washes over the rocky point. It's a tough walk down steps to the water and the beach is steep with a significant undertow. You have to be really adept at timing the waves and get in and get away from the surf line quickly. If you don't the waves will pull the course sand out from under your feet and take you for a ride in the washing machine. Once in the water you have to surface swim out 100 yds or so before dropping or the rip current will pull you into the rocks. It's a great dive site though, once you get down and swim out through the first kelp line the depth opens up and there's lots to see, otters, sea lions, humpback and gray whales frequent Carmel bay in the late spring. It's also the only site this far north that I regularly see green moray eels.

 

[Bob DBF]

One reason I try to dive with a local when out of my area.



Bob

 

[Rob Wilks]

Here is an article in the Carmel Pinecone with a little more info. Looks as if the divers were attempting to dive Copper Roof House, or around there. That's between Butterfly House and Carmel Beach. Not much sand there. Slippery algae covered reef entry, and easily exposed to swell.

http://pineconearchive.fileburst.com/161230PCA.pdf

Article starts on front page, lower left.