Diver Death in Nanaimo-Wreck Safety

CaptnJack · Post by **CaptnJack** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:20 am

1st I agree that the woman's relationship with him isn't very relevant. This wasn't any sort of teaching dive was it??

2nd I know people I consider "wreck penetration experts" but I suspect they also approach any overhead with a profound sense of humility. Just cause they sorta stripped alot of the potential entanglements and debris out of those artificial reefs doesn't lessen their potential depth-silt-disorientation hazards.

BlutoDiver · Post by **BlutoDiver** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:17 am

I was just up diving on the Bretton and Saskatchawan. This was the first time I had dived the Bretton and I ran a line for my one penetration dive. The run I did had minimal silt and several nearby exits, usually 2 compartments away. my run was approx. 200' and my depth was 121'. On the Saskatchawan I did not run a line for my run up Burma Road, which sits at about 100' and runs about 275'. However, I did keep in the main passage which has numerous exits, one in almost every other compartment. My rule on that ship is 'if I can't see the light of an exit, either in that compartment or the next immediate compartment, I run a line. I got caught in the steering gear room of the MacKenzie when my buddy finned up and out of the dead end compartment, sending the vis down to nothing. I got out after 15 minutes with 600 PSI at 100'. Thankfuly, there was a stage bottle on the mast for emergencies.

BDub · Post by **BDub** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:01 pm

BlutoDiver wrote:My rule on that ship is 'if I can't see the light of an exit, either in that compartment or the next immediate compartment, I run a line.

That works fine in good vis, but what if it gets silted out and you can no longer see an exit?

BlutoDiver · Post by **BlutoDiver** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 4:22 pm

That's why I look for an exit before entering. I keep myself oriented to the next exit.

CaptnJack · Post by **CaptnJack** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 4:30 pm

You might want to rethink that "visual" approach in light of this and other deaths this year on the Speigel Grove.

You already had one silt out that you barely survived although you didn't say what size tank(s) you had 600 psi remaining in @ 100ft. But at the very least you had to use a hang cylinder because you didn't have enough gas of your own to surface safely.

I would consider that a sign that you came too close to the edge once already. God may or may not play nice next time.

BlutoDiver · Post by **BlutoDiver** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 1:03 pm

My silt out was 15 years ago. I had <100 dives and was using an HP 100. I didn't repsect the reef as a wreck. As a result, I went into a compartment that I didn't know. No exterior survey,no line, no brain. And a C&^#*@$ F%$* for a dive buddy. I was lucky.

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 7:29 pm

BlutoDiver wrote:My silt out was 15 years ago. I had <100 dives and was using an HP 100. I didn't repsect the reef as a wreck. As a result, I went into a compartment that I didn't know. No exterior survey,no line, no brain. And a C&^#*@$ F%$* for a dive buddy. I was lucky.

Thank you for pointing out the errors, and welcome to the group!

We try to promote safe diving, and there are many arguments that could be made that a <100 dive inexperienced diver with a 100cu' tank, at 121fsw, penetrating without a line, etc., had no business being in that situation and how dangerous it was.

I appreciate and commend your willingness to discuss the part about "being lucky" and "no brain." I hope that as newer divers read these threads they can pick up bits of wisdom like that which will hopefully help keep them safe.

Welcome again!!!

Crystaltear · Post by **Crystaltear** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 3:43 pm

Daniel was a friend of mine. He was an instructor of the dive shop which I got my training from.

He's been certified as a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer since 2004. I don't know how experienced that everyone considered it to be. But to me, it was a shock. I was supposed to do a training on the same wreck the next day. The charter was cancelled due to the incident, but I didn't know who was involved at that time. When I finally found out it was Daniel, I don't want to go through how difficult it had been again. This happened a week before my final exam, I missed all my classes, and 3 of my papers were past due.

Daniel was a very happy and optimistic person. He's well loved, but most of his friends handled the situation well. Last Friday night, most of his friends from the diving community gathered together to remember him and his life. The girlfriend he was diving with appeared to be alright. I didn't see his ex-girlfriend(common law partner, also a diver) that night. Last Sunday at Whytecliff Park, a popular local dive site, another memorial was held by some of his childhood/family friends.

He'll always be remembered.

G.