On Saturday, August 19, 2006, John Mallard, left his son and another diver to return to shore only to be pushed out to sea. He fought for hours to reach shore on his own after failing to flag down the coastguard search helicopter or lifeboat.
Click here for the full story.
What lessons do you take from this story?
"I believe you're looking for me."
Started by
Dive_Girl
, Aug 23 2006 05:24 PM
15 replies to this topic
#1
Dive_Girl
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Posted 23 August 2006 - 05:24 PM
It's Winter time - you know you're a diver when you're scraping ice off your windshield INSIDE your vehicle...!
Once in a while, it is good to step back, take a breath, and remember to be humble. You'll never know it all - ScubaDadMiami. If you aren't afraid of dying, there is nothing you can't achieve - Lao-tzu. One dog barks at something, the rest bark at him - Chinese Proverb.
Once in a while, it is good to step back, take a breath, and remember to be humble. You'll never know it all - ScubaDadMiami. If you aren't afraid of dying, there is nothing you can't achieve - Lao-tzu. One dog barks at something, the rest bark at him - Chinese Proverb.
#2
Hipshot
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Posted 23 August 2006 - 06:37 PM
What lessons do you take from this story?
Two come to mind immediately:
* strobe light for BC
* safety sausage for BC
Much angst could have been avoided if he could have been spotted at the onset of the search.
Rick
#3
ScubaDadMiami
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Posted 23 August 2006 - 06:39 PM
Always bring the EPIRB and the rest of my survival gear. This includes outings where I will be close to shore and in shallow water.
"The most important thing is not to stop questioning." Albert Einstein
"For the diligent diver, closed circuit rebreathers are actually safer than open circuit scuba." Tom Mount
"For the diligent diver, closed circuit rebreathers are actually safer than open circuit scuba." Tom Mount
#4
gcbryan
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Posted 23 August 2006 - 06:42 PM
On Saturday, August 19, 2006, John Mallard, left his son and another diver to return to shore only to be pushed out to sea. He fought for hours to reach shore on his own after failing to flag down the coastguard search helicopter or lifeboat.
Click here for the full story.
What lessons do you take from this story?
Don't go swimming near Tod Head Lighthouse?
Know your local conditions and your recent experience level and maybe carry more lights than one blinking strobe.
Edited by gcbryan, 23 August 2006 - 06:43 PM.
#5
Dive_Girl
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Posted 23 August 2006 - 07:26 PM
OK, explanation of the acronym pretty pleaseAlways bring the EPIRB
It's Winter time - you know you're a diver when you're scraping ice off your windshield INSIDE your vehicle...!
Once in a while, it is good to step back, take a breath, and remember to be humble. You'll never know it all - ScubaDadMiami. If you aren't afraid of dying, there is nothing you can't achieve - Lao-tzu. One dog barks at something, the rest bark at him - Chinese Proverb.
Once in a while, it is good to step back, take a breath, and remember to be humble. You'll never know it all - ScubaDadMiami. If you aren't afraid of dying, there is nothing you can't achieve - Lao-tzu. One dog barks at something, the rest bark at him - Chinese Proverb.
#6
gcbryan
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Posted 23 August 2006 - 07:34 PM
EPIRB. Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. If I had one I'd bring it. If I commonly dove in conditions like those I'd get one.
#7
novicediver
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Posted 23 August 2006 - 10:12 PM
What lessons do you take from this story?
How about never leave your buddy?
#8
6Gill
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Posted 23 August 2006 - 11:18 PM
He has a dry sense of humor.
#9
BeachBunny
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Posted 24 August 2006 - 12:26 AM
It pays to be a strong swimmer!!
"In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different" CoCo Chanel
beachbunny@singledivers.com
"Be the change you wish to see in the world"
Ghandi
beachbunny@singledivers.com
"Be the change you wish to see in the world"
Ghandi
#10
Latitude Adjustment
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Posted 24 August 2006 - 05:37 AM
I'm not sure an EPIRB would have helped this guy swimming along the cliffs, last September we spent 1:44 looking for a diver wearing a bright blue and yellow wetsuit which you would think would be easy to spot. We were getting his EPIRB signal but with Darwin islands cliffs echoing the signal we couldn't get a direction fix.
An EPIRB just sends out a signal that you need more than one vessel to triangulate, not GPS numbers.
An EPIRB just sends out a signal that you need more than one vessel to triangulate, not GPS numbers.
I, Latitude Adjustment (insert log in name), do hereby swear, (politely), that I shall not hold SingleDivers, (SD), nor any SD poster, (real or imagined), liable, nor shall I seek legal restitution, (real or imagined), for any perceived, (real or imagined), offenses I may incur, (or Incurrrrrrrrrr on talk like a pirate day), that may or may not be posted on this or any SCUBA related board, (real or imagined), by anyone, (real or imagined), anywhere, (real or imagined). Further, I void any right to privacy, (real or imagined), as it may, or may not relate to any posting, (real or imagined), about me, to me, for me, because of me, all about me, my dog, my cat, my bird, my monkey, my family, (real or imagined), my friends, (real or imagined), or my world, (real or imagined).
By all that is wet, I do hereby swear, (politely), and attest, upon pain of never diving again, (real or imagined), that I understand and affirm, that I agree to the above.
_________________________________________(log in name signature)
Signed and Dated
By all that is wet, I do hereby swear, (politely), and attest, upon pain of never diving again, (real or imagined), that I understand and affirm, that I agree to the above.
_________________________________________(log in name signature)
Signed and Dated
#11
gcbryan
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Posted 24 August 2006 - 05:45 AM
I'm not sure an EPIRB would have helped this guy swimming along the cliffs, last September we spent 1:44 looking for a diver wearing a bright blue and yellow wetsuit which you would think would be easy to spot. We were getting his EPIRB signal but with Darwin islands cliffs echoing the signal we couldn't get a direction fix.
An EPIRB just sends out a signal that you need more than one vessel to triangulate, not GPS numbers.
Isn't this more or less what they put in airplanes (emergency locator beacon) in case of a crash? I'm talking about small, private airplanes and not all the stuff they put in commercial airplanes.
#12
Latitude Adjustment
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Posted 24 August 2006 - 08:01 AM
I'm not sure an EPIRB would have helped this guy swimming along the cliffs, last September we spent 1:44 looking for a diver wearing a bright blue and yellow wetsuit which you would think would be easy to spot. We were getting his EPIRB signal but with Darwin islands cliffs echoing the signal we couldn't get a direction fix.
An EPIRB just sends out a signal that you need more than one vessel to triangulate, not GPS numbers.
Isn't this more or less what they put in airplanes (emergency locator beacon) in case of a crash? I'm talking about small, private airplanes and not all the stuff they put in commercial airplanes.
An EPIRB is just putting a tone out on 121.5 mhz, you need a loop antenna to get a line on the signal, flying up and down that line you will find the signal getting stronger or weaker. It gets easier with two or more vessels/aircraft, where the lines cross is the signal source but when you get close to the source it's not as accurate and seeing a diver in the water is not easy. This is when the safety sausage, mirrors, strobes, your cameras flash, flares, dye markers or waving your bright fins come in handy. You DIR folks all in black, it was nice knowing you!
I, Latitude Adjustment (insert log in name), do hereby swear, (politely), that I shall not hold SingleDivers, (SD), nor any SD poster, (real or imagined), liable, nor shall I seek legal restitution, (real or imagined), for any perceived, (real or imagined), offenses I may incur, (or Incurrrrrrrrrr on talk like a pirate day), that may or may not be posted on this or any SCUBA related board, (real or imagined), by anyone, (real or imagined), anywhere, (real or imagined). Further, I void any right to privacy, (real or imagined), as it may, or may not relate to any posting, (real or imagined), about me, to me, for me, because of me, all about me, my dog, my cat, my bird, my monkey, my family, (real or imagined), my friends, (real or imagined), or my world, (real or imagined).
By all that is wet, I do hereby swear, (politely), and attest, upon pain of never diving again, (real or imagined), that I understand and affirm, that I agree to the above.
_________________________________________(log in name signature)
Signed and Dated
By all that is wet, I do hereby swear, (politely), and attest, upon pain of never diving again, (real or imagined), that I understand and affirm, that I agree to the above.
_________________________________________(log in name signature)
Signed and Dated
#13
sudsymark
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Posted 24 August 2006 - 09:48 AM
I'm all for not leaving your buddy. All it takes is a second for something to go wrong.
In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we underdstand; and we will only understand what we are taught. -Baba Dioum
#14
Dive_Girl
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Posted 24 August 2006 - 10:17 AM
I'm with gcbryan - add a backup light to the list.maybe carry more lights than one blinking strobe.
It's Winter time - you know you're a diver when you're scraping ice off your windshield INSIDE your vehicle...!
Once in a while, it is good to step back, take a breath, and remember to be humble. You'll never know it all - ScubaDadMiami. If you aren't afraid of dying, there is nothing you can't achieve - Lao-tzu. One dog barks at something, the rest bark at him - Chinese Proverb.
Once in a while, it is good to step back, take a breath, and remember to be humble. You'll never know it all - ScubaDadMiami. If you aren't afraid of dying, there is nothing you can't achieve - Lao-tzu. One dog barks at something, the rest bark at him - Chinese Proverb.
#15
Brinybay
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Posted 24 August 2006 - 03:33 PM
He has a dry sense of humor.
DOH!
"The cure for anything is saltwater--sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen
"A good marriage is like an interlocking neurosis, where the rocks in one person's head fill up the holes in the other's."
"A good marriage is like an interlocking neurosis, where the rocks in one person's head fill up the holes in the other's."
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