Northwest Dive Club

This doesn't sound good. I really hope she is okay.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Resc ... 38781.html

This is the part that really bothers me...

Witnesses on shore called 911 to report hearing a diver in distress, but the response was briefly canceled after the diving group reported they were all OK and accounted for. It was a few minutes later when they realized they were indeed missing a woman.

Out with a new diver and what appears to be no buddy system...

Anyone have any more details?

This references the woman as being from Portland.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2015/06/1 ... .html?rh=1
Aquatic Sports had a dive there today meeting at 11:00am.

Just happened on the story and although it does not look good my thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved.

Another reminder that we all need to be careful and keep an eye out for each other. Sad for everyone involved, can't imagine what it must feel like to have been there.

If the story is as reported, it is an object lesson in how bad group diving in Puget Sound is as a practice. Even when our viz is good, it's not good; if you have eight people in the water, it's just all too easy to lose track of one of them.

I have been in situations where people wanted to dive as a group, and I will not do it. I insist on having one person who identifies as MY buddy. I can't watch eight people in Puget Sound (and it isn't much fun to do it elsewhere). I want one or two people who I've committed to watching and being available to for help, and who have made the same commitment to me. I can't help but think that, if this poor woman had had one buddy, who knew she was new and was keeping track of her, that this story might have ended differently.

There is an addendum to the article now that reads, "Note: An earlier version of this article mischaracterized how well the eight divers knew each other. The group was made up of four pairs of people who knew each other well but the group as a whole first met Wednesday morning."

Any word on if the diver has been found yet?

Coast Guard crews from Station Seattle, Air Station Port Angeles and aboard the Terrapin searched more than 540 trackline miles over a period of 25 hours. Personnel from the Navy, Tacoma Police Department and Tacoma Fire and Rescue were also involved in the search. Tacoma Fire and Rescue personnel are still actively searching.

http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2543930/

LCF wrote:If the story is as reported...

Which, let's face it, isn't often at all.

LCF wrote:If the story is as reported, it is an object lesson in how bad group diving in Puget Sound is as a practice. Even when our viz is good, it's not good; if you have eight people in the water, it's just all too easy to lose track of one of them.

I have been in situations where people wanted to dive as a group, and I will not do it. I insist on having one person who identifies as MY buddy. I can't watch eight people in Puget Sound (and it isn't much fun to do it elsewhere). I want one or two people who I've committed to watching and being available to for help, and who have made the same commitment to me. I can't help but think that, if this poor woman had had one buddy, who knew she was new and was keeping track of her, that this story might have ended differently.

+1. I am all for diving in a large group, so long as everyone has a designated buddy. Then if everyone wants to swim the same route and see things together they can do so, but everyone has 1 buddy that they're actually paired with. I've led several dives for large groups of friends and that is the only way I'll agree to do so.

I know that chances now are slim for a positive ending to this story. My sincerest prayers are with the family of the woman. And no matter what happens I hope that search can find the woman so that her family can find closure with everything.

A little more info and discussion over on ScubaBoard. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/accide ... davis.html

My condolences to the family and to her dive buddies. So sad.

A body has been recovered, dressed similar to the missing woman.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2015/06/1 ... .html?rh=1

finnegankp wrote:

LCF wrote:If the story is as reported, it is an object lesson in how bad group diving in Puget Sound is as a practice. Even when our viz is good, it's not good; if you have eight people in the water, it's just all too easy to lose track of one of them.

I have been in situations where people wanted to dive as a group, and I will not do it. I insist on having one person who identifies as MY buddy. I can't watch eight people in Puget Sound (and it isn't much fun to do it elsewhere). I want one or two people who I've committed to watching and being available to for help, and who have made the same commitment to me. I can't help but think that, if this poor woman had had one buddy, who knew she was new and was keeping track of her, that this story might have ended differently.

+1. I am all for diving in a large group, so long as everyone has a designated buddy. Then if everyone wants to swim the same route and see things together they can do so, but everyone has 1 buddy that they're actually paired with. I've led several dives for large groups of friends and that is the only way I'll agree to do so.

I know that chances now are slim for a positive ending to this story. My sincerest prayers are with the family of the woman. And no matter what happens I hope that search can find the woman so that her family can find closure with everything.

This is just my two cents, but it can support the reasons why some do not wish to dive as a group. I was recently diving with our Thursday South Sound dive crew. There was 7 of us and we did pair off, but it was in the end 3 of us diving together. Our dive lasted the usual 1 hour however when I surfaced in the end I was with the wrong TWO divers of the other 2 dive buddies AND I DID NOT EVEN REALIZE IT HAPPENED. We were all diving the same kind of profile and even though the other 4/ 2 person buddies teamed up we crossed paths and somehow I did not even notice getting separated. One of my buddies had a yellow pony bottle, but also one diver who dives a re-breather that has a yellow casing.Nothing bad happened but it is a very clear show that no matter how good you think you are anything can happen. For the record when I did surface I stood on shore with all dive gear until I seen my dive buddies surface and I signaled that I was OK and they replied with the same. I was not walking off without them knowing when they surfaced where I was and that everything was fine. especially the day after Les Davis incident. I know there will be a number of people who would be saying why did we not search for each other then surface when we got separated, but remember I had no idea I was even separated from my buddies. So even if they had surfaced I would not have known a thing until my dive was finished. The names have been left out of course cause this is just an example of something that happened and I am sure it is not the only time.

... it would appear that a diver found Ms. Sneed's body in 40 feet of water yesterday ... hopefully it will give her friends and family some closure ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-north ... man_1.html

My heart goes out to her children, especially her son.

An unbelievable tragedy. My heart also goes out to her children. My prayers go out for them.

Gdog wrote:An unbelievable tragedy. My heart also goes out to her children. My prayers go out for them.

Well said. Very very sad. Extra prayers for her son.

OMG, 15 years old and faced with this tragedy? I prey he has family who can support him and his sisters as they attempt to adjust to this. God knows he will need it. 15 is a very vulnerable age and to be faced with this?