Whats the story behind Petra and her partner getting lost for a few hours ?? Thank god the coast guard found them!!


Flashlight saves divers lives

KEY WEST: Two scuba divers are happy they had the presence of mind to include a flashlight in their dive equipment Saturday.
The flashlight caught the attention of a Coast Guard rescue helicopter that was searching for the divers after dark. The helicopter crew then gave the divers' location to a small Coast Guard boat from Key West, which then pulled the two from the water — about three miles from their dive boat.
Both were shaken and tired but otherwise fine, the Coast Guard said.
The two could easily have drifted away and been lost for good, the Coast Guard said.

"If it weren't for their flashlight, these two divers could have been easily missed and this situation could have been tragic," said Capt. Scott Buschman, commander of Coast Guard Sector Key West. "I am very pleased that we were able to rescue these two people and that they had the proper safety equipment."
According to witnesses, the divers failed to return to their boat after an afternoon dive five miles south of the Marquesas. Around 6 p.m., when the dive boat captain realized he was missing two of his four divers, he contacted the Coast Guard.

The divers, a male, 42 and a female, 35, had failed to surface in time after diving in 30 feet of water.

The Coast Guard searched for the divers with an HH-65 rescue helicopter, the Coast Guard Cutter Key Biscayne, and a small boat from Key West. A second HH-65 rescue helicopter also was launched from Miami.

About two hours into the search, the helicopter crew spotted a small light in the water. The light was from the two divers, who pointed the flashlight at the helicopter as it searched for them.

So it was my third drop of the day. The four of us (Me, Steve, Todd and Barry) had been diving in pairs out near the Marquesas for the day while competing in the Key West Open.

Since it was nearly four o’clock, we were on the way in to Key West and Steve and I are getting ready for our third drop of the day. Barry piped in that since it was the last drop of the day and only 30 feet of water, he’d like to join us. So we start gearing up. Then Steve decides that he should stay aboard and get the boat ready for the ride back in to Key West so it’s going to just be Barry and me.

Please keep in mind as you read this recount of events that the entire day there was really no current to speak of and pretty clear vis. We’d been diving two up/two down all day, and I know that when Steve and I were up top, we were able to watch Todd and Barry’s bubbles pretty consistently throughout their previous dives.

Needless to say, none of like to drag a float ball around, and especially in 3-5 foot seas so we didn’t. In hindsight (which is ALWAYS 20/20, I think this dragging a float ball may have changed the course of events, but ya never really know.)

Barry and I get to the bottom and find a west current so we drifted to the coral head we were expecting to find and played hide and seek with a Black (and saw some of the BIGGEST LOBSTERS I’ve ever seen!!). The Black outsmarted us after 10 minutes or so and scooted out the back door. We’d been battling 3-5 seas the whole day so we decided to drift with the current and check out the area. We drifted for ten minutes or so (which is pretty much the only kind of diving we’re used to on the East Coast) and after about 20 minutes, I signaled to Barry that I was ready to go up. He agreed and up we went.

The first thing Barry said when he surfaced was “Wow – look how far the boat is.” Barry estimates the boat at being 200 yards east of us. He promptly inflated his safety sausage and we waited. And waited.

After about 8 minutes I thought: Ok – this isn’t cutting it, I’m going to inflate my sausage, so I did. After about ten minutes more, I started honking my underwater alert. I didn’t think it would do any good though because the winds were blowing 15 knots to the west and the boat was east of us. I had surfaced with 2300 lbs in my tank. I think Barry had 1800 (he was using a left-over tank).

We proceeded to watch the boat consistently for about 20 minutes. Sometimes it would be facing north or south, but 90 percent of the time, we were looking at the stern. It was unnerving. “Why aren’t they coming?” And then as we drifted further and further away, we would only see the boat sporadically as a wave lifted us up and we’d catch a glimpse.

Barry and I started to surmise quite a few things in that first 30 minutes.

1. It’s such a shallow dive. In their minds, we could be down for a reeeally long time. They may not even realize we’re *missing* for at least an hour – maybe longer.
2. The sun is setting directly behind us. Looking to the west INTO THE SUN will make it that much harder to spot divers – sausage or not.
3. They won’t hear yelling or any kind of a signal because the wind is blowing away from them.
4. We could be here for a while.

After 40 minutes, we never saw the boat again.

After I breathed my tank down from 2300 lbs to 1800 and we’d been floating for nearly two hours, Barry and I started talking survival stuff. It was after 6:00 p.m. by now and we were sure that some sort of a search was commencing. At least we hoped so. We decided to stop breathing our air because if we were going to be there into the night, we’d rather have the comfort of a reg in the dark of night instead of during daylight. I told Barry that it’d be a good idea to hook our stringers together so we didn’t have to worry about drifting apart or fighting waves to keep us together. (I got the idea from a similar post I’d read on spearboard wherein a pair of divers – I think it was a father and son – used the line from their guns to tie themselves together). Since we weren’t using our regs, we were quiet a lot of the time and just tried to keep the saltwater out of our mouths – a lot of spitting. We didn’t see land or a single boat for over 2 hours. That was the easy time actually because we just focused on each other (mostly it was Barry making sure I wasn’t losing my mind – to which I assured him I was ok, but when the sun went down, I couldn’t make any promises as to my state of mind.)

Every once in a while thoughts of my mortality would creep in; thoughts of my son; Nikki – did this happen to her?; and how so very helpless I felt, (boy, a cell phone would come in handy right about now!) but I did my best to focus on the present. We were cold, tired, and hungry, but we were not being followed by sharks, we were together and we weren’t injured. We’re both smart, healthy, and experienced divers. Those were the things that got me through. We’re ok right now. We’re ok right now. Don’t think about what COULD happen.

The sun went down 2.5 hours later at 7:53 and it was black. It was a spectacular sunset, I might add – though Key West sunsets will never be quite the same for me. We were approaching 4 hours in the water and Barry was shivering uncontrollably. Barry told me about the Coast Guard and what would be happening, and then I reasoned that even though I was nervous in the dark water, it was in our favor because we both had flashlights (I’ll give a shout out right now to Dan at Divers Direct on Northlake in Palm Beach who sold it to me on Friday!!) Every so often I’d peer into the water below us – not really sure what I was looking for, but looking nonetheless. I was so thankful we had no fish with us on our stringers.


Not long after the sun went down, we started to get a little more hopeful because it seemed as though there was more action. We could see two boats to the north of us, so we flashed our lights nonstop. We couldn’t tell if they were searching for us or just fishing, but we were trying anything and everything. Then Barry spotted the helicopter’s lights coming from the east and heading south. We turned our flashlights at it and waved and swirled and did SOS signals. I even put my sausage back up at the top of my speargun and shined the flashlight up the length of the tube, and it became a five-foot glowing red stick. The chopper maintained its path away from us and then suddenly Barry started shouting….”It’s banking! It’s banking!”….to which I responded: “What does THAT MEAN?!” He laughed and said, “They see us! They’re turning towards us!!” I started crying when the chopper zoomed over our heads and shined their spotlights on us until the Coast Guard Cutter motored in for the rescue. At 8:15, we got pulled from the water by the Key West Coast Guard, the little red rescue boat. We were both tired, hungry, dehydrated and yet so very much alive.

We answered all the questions at the military base when all we wanted to do was go home and shower and go to bed. My neck was rubbed raw from the wetsuit (today I look like someone has tried to choke me with a rope). I’d told Barry while we were floating…”I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I’m going to want to dive tomorrow.” Needless to say, that all changed. We woke up Sunday morning and it was a beautiful day. The sun was shining. We were in KEY WEST! And we were alive!! I asked my teammates if we could go out again. We took our time and moved slow, but out we went. It felt great to be back in the sunshine and saltwater – this time we had a dive buoy.

Barry, I’d like to thank you for everything you did for me out there. You were incredible. Even though we were alone in that big blue ocean, I wasn’t really scared and I think a lot of that I owe to you. You were positive, focused, strong, funny, and you kept your cool when I threatened to shoot you if you kicked me just one more time. I don’t think many people would be able to stay so clear-headed throughout such a dramatic situation. Thank you.

In the end, the four us made it to the weigh-in at the Key West Open on Sunday afternoon, and while I didn’t have any record-setting fish, in my heart WE were the winners. It felt great just BEING there.

P.S. Notice my shirt? After we shivered under the Coasties’ wool blankets for a while, one of the young men, brought me a USCG t-shirt. (Barry, did you get a t-shirt from them? ::wink, wink:: ) At the end of the night, I gladly turned in my wool blanket, but I assured them they weren’t getting the shirt back!

I have not much to add. Lisa covered it all very well. Bottom line is a shallow drop in a spot that had NO current the previous dive had a bottom current that swept them completely out of the area into the setting sun which basically obliterated our vision. All our searches assumed swimming divers who might have gone in any direction. A dive alert might have worked, but I am not sure with 15 knot winds & the distance involved. The only thing that would have really helped was towing a float which was offered at the beginning of the trip & turned down. I always let the diver decide what they want.

I was also surprised that my VHF reached 15-20 miles to the CG in Key West. Their response was magnificent: 3 small boats, a 110 cutter, & a chopper.

I can tell you this much: Lisa & Bubba are some VERY resilient individuals. To get up the next day & go diving after that ordeal pretty much defines hardcore. And a more pleasant, fun crew than Lisa, Todd, & Bubba cannot be found ANYWHERE.

If anyone has questions, please post them here & I will answer best I can. We can all benefit from analysis of the situation. Or you can call or PM me.

And big shout out to the several calls I have gotten from friends. You guys rock & you know who you are.

Very glad all are well.!
THANKS to all that helped.!


Dago.

OMG, I'm so glad to hear that this story has a happy ending.

Lisa, you got me thinking about buying a dive light without the batteries that would hold at least 1 smoke flare. Hopefully, you've started a good trend for divers this year.

"I was also surprised that my VHF reached 15-20 miles to the CG in Key West."

Realize that the Coast Gaurd Station in Key West is not listening to ch 16 on a marine vhf radio attached to a Shakespear 6 ft antenna. They have base stations and towers, possibly with tower top RX amps etc.... They can pick up a small boats VHF on ch16 in at Ft Jefferson easily. I would count on 50 miles with 110% reliability, and not be suprised to get the CG at 100 or more. 20 miles on ch 16 would work with a regular boat radio as long as it had a decent antenna. My house VHF can talk 20 miles to other boats, and it's a POS boat mobile with the cheapest Shakespear made.

The CG is a fantastic agency! Too bad no other govt agency represents like the CG.

We also theorized that the radio tower by Marquesas may have had a signal booster of some sort, but don't know.

I am glad both of you are safe and sound. Thank you for your detailed account of your ordeal. This will help everyone in becoming better divers.

[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]So it was my third drop of the day........

Great that you guys are OK, Lisa! :smthumbup: The current can definetly get tricky in that area, without question. :eek:

Dive Alerts are useful, but definetly limited. They are really only good up to quarter mile, in good conditions in my opinion. I don't think that one would have helped at all in that circumstance.

The red sausage (I like red or orange better than yellow) is way more reliable for a situation like that. Even two per diver can be a good idea in strong current situations.

I have tied a sausage to my speargun before to get more elevation. That can help in big seas or if you are far away.

"Dive Alerts are useful, but definetly limited. They are really only good up to quarter mile, in good conditions in my opinion."

Screen...While I definetly agree with the safety sausages I would say that a Dive Alert is a MUST have for people that do open water dives. Especially as often and in the conditions that they dive . The fact that they do late day dives makes it more so. I personally think 200yds is not out of the question in those conditions but the only way to know is to have one. Now she does so hopefully she will never have to try it out!

If your on our boat you or you partner will have one or you will not dive. We prefer everyone to have their own. Just my opinion !:toast:

As far as float ball goes. Surface conditions, current and boat traffic all play a part in a float ball for me.

East coast always due to amount of traffic in confined area close to shore.

Keys most of the time due to traffic unless calm surface with a captain that can stay with my bubbles.

Offshore west coast in rough conditions and or inexperienced captain.

...sure am glad this story had a happy ending. :thumbup:

If your on our boat you or you partner will have one or you will not dive. We prefer everyone to have their own. Just my opinion !:toast:

I agree. Everybody I dive with uses one, they are essential. But I would not ever rely solely on one. I've had them fail, surfaced in a storm, etc.

You can see a red sausage from a mile away, maybe two if the boat has a flybridge.

Steve,

Please, tell me a little more about what went on in the boat.

When did you start looking? Did you figure out the drift and were you successful? What sort of search pattern did you run? What would you have done differently from a searching standpoint?

I'm glad this ended well. Definetly a story to learn from. I always carry a dive light but never thought about it as a safety tool to help me be found at night if I ever got lost. I zip tied a brass clip on it and keep it clipped to the D ring on the shoulder of my BC. I always carry things such as a safety sausage, and a whistle (should get a dive alert) to help me out during the day, but never crossed my mind that I may not be found until after the sun dropped. This will change my thinking when I pack for my next dive.

I'm glad you guys got back o.k. and hopefully the rest of us can learn from it.

Really glad to hear everything turned out okay for all involved. Not to derail the thread but we were diving in Marathon about a year ago and there were 3of us on the boat which meant 2 down 1 up. I surfaced before the guy I was diving with and by the time I threw all my stuff up on the boat and got on board we had lost the bubbles of the diver that was down. He had started following the reef line back the opposite direction and he was a long way from the boat when he surfaced, at least 300 to 400 yards away with a decent wind blowing. He was by chance using a friends BC that day due to problems with his own, the friend had a signal alert that used the compressed air from the tank. I am 100% we would not have found him had it not been for the dive alert. After that day it was an easy decision for me to invest the money in one. Dive safe everyone.

Glad to hear you two are safe. It kills me to hear the stories with bad endings. Congrats on the fish Petra. Lookin good after a near death experience I might add.

Wow!! Incredible story! Glad it had a happy ending.....

Just one more reason for the raft, inflator and 150' feet of line I carry in under my BC.

Wow!! Incredible story! Glad it had a happy ending.....

Just one more reason for the raft, inflator and 150' feet of line I carry in under my BC.

Do you mind expanding on this subject?

Wow!! Incredible story! Glad it had a happy ending.....

Just one more reason for the raft, inflator and 150' feet of line I carry in under my BC.

Mike, the raft and line isn't a bad idea, but the George Foreman grill and blender is way over the top.

I'm glad you guys got rescued and way to get back on that bucking bronco by going back out the next day. :chuck:

Dave

Do you mind expanding on this subject?


I think we have talked about this a couple of times on the board....but a few of us have made set ups that fit under our backplates in a mesh pack (I got the idea from Double-Gun). I carry a small one man raft, an inflator that fits on my quick connect, a small foil space blanket (sealed in plastic) and 150' feet of line with a clip. Surprizingly, it takes up very little room and is never in the way. David also carries a smoke flare.... I had to leave the George Forman grill on the boat...lol

Maybe I'm a little paranoid and "over prepared".... but I frequently dive the Grounds and in rough conditions and have been "afloat" twice... I don't care to do it again.

In the event of "an extended swim".....I would inflate the raft.... attach my weightbelt to the clip and use it like a small anchor.... then open the foil blanket and attach to the top of my speargun.... my theory is that most radar would pick up the metal in the space blanket.
IMHO...it's hypothermia that would do you in....so being out of the water would keep you warmer and make you much easier to see.

Mike

I think we have talked about this a couple of times on the board....but a few of us have made set ups that fit under our backplates in a mesh pack (I got the idea from Double-Gun). I carry a small one man raft, an inflator that fits on my quick connect, a small foil space blanket (sealed in plastic) and 150' feet of line with a clip. Surprizingly, it takes up very little room and is never in the way. David also carries a smoke flare.... I had to leave the George Forman grill on the boat...lol

Maybe I'm a little paranoid and "over prepared".... but I frequently dive the Grounds and in rough conditions and have been "afloat" twice... I don't care to do it again.

In the event of "an extended swim".....I would inflate the raft.... attach my weightbelt to the clip and use it like a small anchor.... then open the foil blanket and attach to the top of my speargun.... my theory is that most radar would pick up the metal in the space blanket.
IMHO...it's hypothermia that would do you in....so being out of the water would keep you warmer and make you much easier to see.

Mike


One of the main reason I dive dry.
Always have 2 bottles of water in my pocket also.
I figure being dry and warm with some fresh water i can last a few days.


Dago.

Halcyon makes this one it packs away very small http://www.halcyon.net/mc/dlr.shtml

I don't have one but it's not a bad idea.

I think we have talked about this a couple of times on the board....but a few of us have made set ups that fit under our backplates in a mesh pack (I got the idea from Double-Gun). I carry a small one man raft, an inflator that fits on my quick connect, a small foil space blanket (sealed in plastic) and 150' feet of line with a clip. Surprizingly, it takes up very little room and is never in the way. David also carries a smoke flare.... I had to leave the George Forman grill on the boat...lol

Maybe I'm a little paranoid and "over prepared".... but I frequently dive the Grounds and in rough conditions and have been "afloat" twice... I don't care to do it again.

In the event of "an extended swim".....I would inflate the raft.... attach my weightbelt to the clip and use it like a small anchor.... then open the foil blanket and attach to the top of my speargun.... my theory is that most radar would pick up the metal in the space blanket.
IMHO...it's hypothermia that would do you in....so being out of the water would keep you warmer and make you much easier to see.

Mike

Mike
i dont supose you would take some photos of your set up and share

thanks
Chris

Yup....I'll post a few pictures in the next few days.

Being a new scuba diver, the thought of being lost at sea has crossed my mind a few times. :( i took some of my training from the Navy and addapted it to scuba. I carry 2 bottles of water (small ones) 2 flashlights and a empty flash light container has glow sticks and a broad flimsy brim hat rolled up. when i got my BCD i bought with it a whistle and safety sausage. i also keep a dive flag rolled up in one of my pockets. just one more thing to have waving that can attract attention.:pray:
But i still wounder if i would be able to keep my head on my shoulders and make the right choices if that ever happened.
i am very happy that every thing turned out for the good.

Wow , what a story ! Guess you never think you'll be part of a bad experience but guess its good to be prepared. That is a really scary deal. Glad you 2 got out in good shape. Its good to hear some good news on a diving mishap instead of the bad stuff. Did you use up your share of prayers?I sure would have ! Great story ! Good ending ! Good memories!

Steve,

Please, tell me a little more about what went on in the boat.

When did you start looking? Did you figure out the drift and were you successful? What sort of search pattern did you run? What would you have done differently from a searching standpoint?

Sorry for the late reply. We started seriously looking about an hour after they went down. Did large circles. Based on what we knew, I would not change it. Of course, if I had known they were caught in a west current, I would have run west until I found them.

Also on the subject I have purchased a Standard Horizon HX850S handheld VHF with integrated GPS & SOS strobe. This thing is pretty trick. I will also buy a Dagodiver special canister for it as soon he gets some more built. Will post pics when I put it all together.

I dont condone littering, however a trick i have used to track the drift of a diver, floated guns, floated stringer etc in less than desireable conditions is to put paper towels, napkins or other misc paper products in the water at 1-3 min intervals.
After about 10 -15 mins you will have marker/Line to set a bearing by and begin your search. It is really helpful when the wind and current are in opposing directions.

Chris

So glad to here all is well.

Here are a few pics of my set-up..... not fool proof, but it at least gives me a little peace of mind in the event I had an emergency.

http://www.spearfishingplanet.com/photopost/data/500/medium/02860011.jpg
Raft, mirror, space blanket, inflator and +150' of heavy nylon line. Note I cut out the handles to make it more compact.

http://www.spearfishingplanet.com/photopost/data/500/medium/02860009.jpg
Inflated Raft

http://www.spearfishingplanet.com/photopost/data/500/medium/02860008.jpg
The whole deal rolled up in a mesh bag under my BC..... I never even notice it is there.

Here are a few pics of my set-up..... not fool proof, but it at least gives me a little peace of mind in the event I had an emergency.

http://www.spearfishingplanet.com/photopost/data/500/medium/02860011.jpg
Raft, mirror, space blanket, inflator and +150' of heavy nylon line. Note I cut out the handles to make it more compact.

http://www.spearfishingplanet.com/photopost/data/500/medium/02860009.jpg
Inflated Raft

http://www.spearfishingplanet.com/photopost/data/500/medium/02860008.jpg
The whole deal rolled up in a mesh bag under my BC..... I never even notice it is there.

That's pretty slick looking. Thanks for the post.

Thanks Mike I appreciate you taking the time to post.

Chris

I dont condone littering, however a trick i have used to track the drift of a diver, floated guns, floated stringer etc in less than desireable conditions is to put paper towels, napkins or other misc paper products in the water at 1-3 min intervals.
After about 10 -15 mins you will have marker/Line to set a bearing by and begin your search. It is really helpful when the wind and current are in opposing directions.

Chris

I hear ya there brother. I have also heard of people throwing another marker bouy with a 1-2lb weight and a short rope so the weight gets pulled by the current at the bottom but it has to be short enough not to get snagged on the bottom structure.

Im seriously considering a raft similar to the ones posted or that Haylcon deal. being left afloat is a fear that has got me thinking a few times when diving conditions was less than Ideal.

I hear ya there brother. I have also heard of people throwing another marker bouy with a 1-2lb weight and a short rope so the weight gets pulled by the current at the bottom but it has to be short enough not to get snagged on the bottom structure..

Brandon, you don't care to characterize the current on the bottom, as the diver (for a rescue) will be on the surface. The reason for the weight on a short rope (3-4 feet) is to provide some resistance like a diver in the water would. With wind and current, two different objects like a diver vs. an unweighted float (like a life vest), would track differently. The unweighted life vest may follow a track comprised of both the wind and current vectors, but the diver may follow the current vector more than the wind, at a different speed. The weight added to the life vest will add resistance to reduce the effects of the wind, and may result in a track much closer to a diver's.

Mike, awesome setup!

I am very very glad you 2 are back on dry land safe and sound!

I have some good information about Search and Rescue.

http://www.spearfishingplanet.com/showthread.php?t=6978