Cove 2 Diver Incident...

[Sounder]

I was just watching King 5 while home with the boy and they had an aerial shot of an ambulance at Cove 2. The only details they gave was that there was a diver in distress who was rescued by a boat. They said they had no information regarding the condition of the diver.

From what I saw briefly on the 5 second helicopter shot, the ambulance didn't appear to be urgently tearing out of the parking lot and the firefighters' body language indicated they weren't doing anything urgently. There were two orange RIBs tied up in the water - one on the passenger dock and one near the beach/rocks.

I'm aware of one class planned to be at Cove 2 today but have no idea if this is related whatsoever.

Anyone got more?

[Nwbrewer]

http://westseattleblog.com/blog/

Hope everybody is OK.

[Pez7378]

http://westseattleblog.com/blog/

Hope everybody is OK.

The blog is updated again.

Here's a comment from the Blog

Seems like there are incidents here every month. I’m not trying to blame the victim but it does seem like a dangerous place to dive. Godspeed to the injured divers.Comment by WSratsinacage — April 3, 09 1:48 pm #

This is the kind of thinking we could do without.......

[CaptnJack]

Of course its dangerous, we are not supposed to be breathing UW.

[Nwbrewer]

from the blog -

1:36 PM UPDATE: Here’s what Fire Department spokesperson Dana Vander Houwen just told media at the scene: The two men, ages 35 and 39, were between 40 and 60 feet down, when they decided to make a “rapid ascent” - it’s not known yet why. A small private boat rescued the 39-year-old, who was in good enough condition to walk into the medic unit under his own power; the Coast Guard got the 35-year-old out of the water. Both are being taken to Harborview Medical Center, but Vander Houwen says neither has “life-threatening injuries."

[Norris]

I'm curious as to what prompted the rapid ascent x2?!?

I hope we get to hear more...

Also very glad that they are not having life threatening injuries.

[Joshua Smith]

I'm not going to start speculating here, but: It sounds as if someone or ones got spooked. I do hope nobody got hurt, but it sounds like a non-incident. (Non-incidents are the best kind.)

[Grateful Diver]

My first thought was "Gawd, I hope this means the six-gills are back" ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[Joshua Smith]

My first thought was "Gawd, I hope this means the six-gills are back" ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[Grateful Diver]

Well I think I know why they corked now ... on our class deep dive today, we found a weight pouch and a weightbelt at the I-beams. I used my SMB to bring the weight pouch in, and will go back tomorrow morning with my lift bag to retrieve the weightbelt.

I don't know why these two fellows decided to ditch their weights at the I-beams, but the thought of a buoyant ascent from 85 feet gives me the

If anybody knows them, perhaps you can help me reunite them with their gear.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[Joshua Smith]

Holy crap. Ditching weights in 85 fsw is a pretty sobering proposition. I wonder if they did it on purpose? Out of air?

[BASSMAN]

Glad to hear the divers are not seriously injured.
Hey Bob, while you are down there retrieving weights, look for the two 10 lb. lead chunks I lost out of my BC, three years ago at 80 feet. near the I beams. good thing I was over weighted, so I could stay down after I unknowingly lost the weight.

[BillZ]

Holy crap. Ditching weights in 85 fsw is a pretty sobering proposition. I wonder if they did it on purpose? Out of air?

I dont think that it was an accidental loss of weights.
The pouch that Bob brought up was a side weight bag from an integrated BC and the belt was a Seasoft 16 pounder. I'm not sure how much weight was in the bag but it wasn't light. Either it was one guy with a ton of weight or both divers ditched and did an emergency buoyant ascent.

[Joshua Smith]

Holy crap. Ditching weights in 85 fsw is a pretty sobering proposition. I wonder if they did it on purpose? Out of air?

I dont think that it was an accidental loss of weights.
The pouch that Bob brought up was a side weight bag from an integrated BC and the belt was a Seasoft 16 pounder. I'm not sure how much weight was in the bag but it wasn't light. Either it was one guy with a ton of weight or both divers ditched and did an emergency buoyant ascent.

Wow. I thought it was just someone getting the heebie jeebies down at the Honey Bear, but this sounds more serious. I wonder what the hell happened?

[Dusty2]

The mere thought of corking from that depth send chills down my spine! Hope they both made it OK.

[Grateful Diver]

I went down this morning with a lift bag to recover the weight belt ... but it was gone. Apparently someone else has already recovered it.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[babs13]

I dont think that it was an accidental loss of weights.
The pouch that Bob brought up was a side weight bag from an integrated BC and the belt was a Seasoft 16 pounder. I'm not sure how much weight was in the bag but it wasn't light. Either it was one guy with a ton of weight or both divers ditched and did an emergency buoyant ascent.

Same thoughts. They were pretty close together, one was on each side of the same I-beam. Hope the divers are okay.

[Jenbowes]

Someone posted this early on in the West Seattle blog:

I happened to be at Seacrest when this happened today, they were saying that one of the divers had a heart attack.

Comment by anna — April 3, 09 9:38 pm #

I've tried to find out more info since it happened, but no news. And as they say, no news is good news - if one had died or had serious bad juju occur, it probably would have made the news.

So, cross your fingers and hope for the best! Poor guys!