Tina Watson Death - The Full Story

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Here's a gem about drowning that did not come out.

A couple of years ago I read an article that was linked from a SB thread that said that typical drownings (they were talking about surface swimmer drownings) do not usually occur in the way we think they do. They are not preceded by a thrashing panic. The swimmer is more likely to have a more passive giving up and sinking below the surface.

At that time I was reminded of an incident a friend described to me about a near drowning she witnessed in a scuba incident. It happened at the Speigel Grove site in Florida. She was on a boat having completed her dive when suddenly the DM of her boat started shouting to another moored boat. One of that other boat's divers had surfaced and was struggling to get to that boat, not having properly inflated the BCD. The other boat crew froze as the diver tried to make his way to them, his head barely staying out of the water. Finally the diver just started sinking. The DM from her boat jumped and did a free dive down to about 20 feet before catching the descending body. When they got him to the surface he was unconscious, but luckily CPR brought him around.

Sound familiar?
 
Sure does.. I believe this is an article about it
Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning


by Mario on May 18, 2010
in Boating Safety,Coast Guard,gCaptain
The new captain jumped from the ****pit, fully dressed, and sprinted through the water. A former lifeguard, he kept his eyes on his victim as he headed straight for the owners who were swimming between their anchored sportfisher and the beach. “I think he thinks you’re drowning,” the husband said to his wife. They had been splashing each other and she had screamed but now they were just standing, neck-deep on the sand bar. “We’re fine, what is he doing?” she asked, a little annoyed. “We’re fine!” the husband yelled, waving him off, but his captain kept swimming hard. ”Move!” he barked as he sprinted between the stunned owners. Directly behind them, not ten feet away, their nine-year-old daughter was drowning. Safely above the surface in the arms of the captain, she burst into tears, “Daddy!”
How did this captain know, from fifty feet away, what the father couldn’t recognize from just ten? Drowning is not the violent, splashing, call for help that most people expect. The captain was trained to recognize drowning by experts and years of experience. The father, on the other hand, had learned what drowning looks like by watching television. If you spend time on or near the water (hint: that’s all of us) then you should make sure that you and your crew knows what to look for whenever people enter the water. Until she cried a tearful, “Daddy,” she hadn’t made a sound. As a former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, I wasn’t surprised at all by this story. Drowning is almost always a deceptively quiet event. The waving, splashing, and yelling that dramatic conditioning (television) prepares us to look for, is rarely seen in real life.
The Instinctive Drowning Response – so named by Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D., is what people do to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in the water. And it does not look like most people expect. There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind. To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this: It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) – of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In ten percent of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it is happening (source: CDC). Drowning does not look like drowning – Dr. Pia, in an article in the Coast Guard’s On Scene Magazine, described the instinctive drowning response like this:

1. Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled, before speech occurs.
2. Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.
3. Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.
4. Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.
5. From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.

(Source: On Scene Magazine: Fall 2006)
This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble – they are experiencing aquatic distress. Not always present before the instinctive drowning response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long – but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in their own rescue. They can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc.
Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are n the water:

* Head low in the water, mouth at water level
* Head tilted back with mouth open
* Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
* Eyes closed
* Hair over forehead or eyes
* Not using legs – Vertical
* Hyperventilating or gasping
* Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway
* Trying to roll over on the back
* Ladder climb, rarely out of the water.

So if a crew member falls overboard and every looks O.K. – don’t be too sure. Sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don’t look like they’re drowning. They may just look like they are treading water and looking up at the deck. One way to be sure? Ask them: “Are you alright?” If they can answer at all – they probably are. If they return a blank stare – you may have less than 30 seconds to get to them. And parents: children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out why.
 
Sure does.. I believe this is an article about it
Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Thanks--that's the article I was talking about.

It reminds me of the discussion about whether or not Tina's passive sinking was consistent with a drowning diver.
 
post doubled up

---------- Post added at 10:48 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:42 AM ----------

Thanks--that's the article I was talking about.

It reminds me of the discussion about whether or not Tina's passive sinking was consistent with a drowning diver.

Thank you for reminding me of that article! I really wish we could get Dr Edmunds comment on it. I don't think that article can be printed enough.. it could make so much difference.
 
This thread has ended up being a lot more informative than I thought it was going to be. It has evloved in ways that are a tribute to the people who have added to the conversation consistenntly.

Thanks for all of the contributions. I've learned a lot and have been reminded of a lot from reading the pages here. Timely as well. I am off to Kao Thao today to get back in the water after 6 months of not diving. It helps to be back in the right frame of mind at least. It is good that these posts have gotten me going over the sport/recreation I love so much.

Cheers, everyone!
 
Have a safe trip and enjoy your diving! OMG 6 months? I can't imagine that.. I complained bitterly and felt terribly hard done by during "THE BIG DRY" of 2010 when I went to Canada for a family emergency. I went from the 29 of March to the 4th of June without diving! I thought I was going to shrivel up! At least I got to make up for it with 9 dives in Calif in June, a couple more at home then a trip to PNG with 21 dives.

As terrible as the situation around Tina's accident has been. I honestly think an untold number of people will be safer because of it. I pray that those who love her find some comfort in that!
 
Thanks for the well wishes, Bowlofpetunias. I have one more science class to teach, a meeting about boring educational, teacher stuff that no one really cares about, a run home on my motorbike through the crazy Hanoi streets, and then off to the airport in a taxi with scuba bags packed, a few beers grabbed from the fridge for the ride to Noi Bai Airport and my wife in tow (not necessarily in that order :)). I am super excited to be getting back in the water with my fishy friends and then eating Thai food in between dives…Yummy!

I imagine all things diving are now in “the most despised” category for Tina’s family. They feel Gabe Watson is guilty of killing their daughter. There is little I can see that will help them overcome this other than a great deal of time and perhaps a change of venue out of Alabama. Well, that would be my take on the situation, but it is easy for me to pick up stakes and move elsewhere to reinvent myself. Others have a harder time doing that and leaving their family and support network behind.

I really hope this doesn’t get vigilante ugly in any way. I am sure this has crossed the Watson family’s mind a few times. Maybe the change of venue ought to be his when I stop and think about it. That might also be a good catalyst for Tina’s family to move on as well. I doubt this will take place, though.

Cheers!
 
Probably a bit difficult for Watson to move considering the family business is there and all:idk:

Well it certainly has been ugly enough but I suspect that Thomases are unlikely to go beyond what has already happened. So far it seems to me they have been exploring and pursuing every legal opportunity to fiind their interpretation of Justice. I certainly hope I am right in my opinion that they are only likely to do what they think is right and not step over the line. I suppose people can be capable of things even they don't think they are capable of under the right set of circumstances. While I may not agree with their conclusions I certainly respect their tenacity. I choose to believe all the publicity seeking, interviews and so on are an honest effort to find their "justice" not less admirable motives.
 
Much of the posting here devolved into near name calling, but has rallied of late, and more good information like that which came from Boulderjohn and bowlofpetunias has been the predominant focus. Yet another real example and explanation as to what happened and why the events looked like they did.


If any good would come of verifying a source and confirming its validity, I will be willing to work with K_girl and to not divulge the name. However, I don't think it would prove anything. 99% of us know her to be honest and forthright. But I appreciate your confidence K_girl, and will honor your request if you really think that it would add something and be helpful overall. Maybe we should PM each other for some discussion.


The tit for tat arguing is not productive. It muddies the clearer picture that Clownfishsydney and others have worked hard to portray. Perhaps Clownfishsydney can give a final summation before he retreats from posting on this subject here on Scubaboard. IMO once the court case was over, this thread was supposed to fill in missing pieces and answer questions.


It is largely a successful thread, but it did attract quite a few people who hadn't read McFadyen's blog nor the previous SB threads. It also attracted both sides of the Watson and Thompson relatives/friends, who are looking for an outlet to vent frustrations, and this thread has an audience. The problem is, personal attacks, sarcasm, and bickering makes people less empathetic toward both families.


We may be able to come to somewhat of an understanding and agreement as to what actually occurred 8 1/2 years ago, but we are never going to agree on whether we like someone or not. It really doesn't matter whether or not Gabe is a nicer guy than portrayed, overbearing, watched the sessions, threw pizza, had nice girlfriends in the past, cut the flowers, etc., It is all a matter of opinion and perspective but it doesn't change the clear facts.


As divers, I think we can all agree on some generalities. There are pages of anecdotes and examples that will make us better and wiser divers. Undoubtedly, something learned here will save someone's life. Maybe one of us will recognize and respond to a problem that we otherwise wouldn't have. Perhaps steps will be taken well in advance of dives that will prevent an accident.


The chain of events was well outlined by Clownfishsydney, and is the most solid evidence presented on either side, over the last nearly 9 years. If we set emotion aside and step back and look at it we can see a fairly close approximation to how it all played out.


It is mind boggling to hear that an appeal is in process. If it is true, that in itself will keep these threads open.
 
I was told by someone in the media here that there was an appeal but I would think if that information was correct it would have been verified by someone here by now:idk: I hope my "source" was misinformed! The only thing an appeal will achieve is more pain IMHO.
 
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