Diver survives 58 hour ordeal after being presumed dead off Guernsey

[GC1]

Gludy do you have a hat? If so you had better start eating it. Todays METRO newspaper headlines, DIVER SURVIVES 58 HOUR ORDEAL, a diver from the channel islands was treading water in a temp of 17 degrees all that time, rescue teams called off their search, but a passing yacht saw him, LUCKY or WHAT?

The diver was dragged out by the tide during a solo dive on Saturday at 9am, coastguards and police frogmen finally called off an intensive search on Monday afternoon, however a yacht sailing past Guernsey spotted the 35yr old treading water and rescued him. He had been dragged out to sea - the tide flows incredibly fast up through the channel, when he got to the surface he said he could see the land passing him like an express train /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif The flow was so strong he couldn't swim against it, the tides brought him back to virtualy where he had started.

All he had on was his wetsuite and fins, I have both on my boat and a drysuit, perhaps I will put these on if I have to abandon ship, anyone else carry this type of equipment?

The GPS PLB (personal location beacon) that I bought yesterday is going to stay with me all the time, they even do a dive canister for it for divers, how many lives could have been saved for an investment of less than £400 on a McMurdo Fastfind plus EPIRB, the non GPS versions are even cheaper and still do the job although a little slower apparently.

GET ONE BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!

The non GPS versions are available for £270 Here

 

[scej]

I have 406 Epirb on the boat and also a Breitling emergency which i wear all the time on board. When I dive i have a dive canister with a Flare in it

 

[DAKA]

[ QUOTE ]
a Breitling emergency which i wear all the time on board.

[/ QUOTE ]

I very nearly bought one of these 3 years ago but I couldn't establish if the watch was waterproof once the wire aerial was pulled out, any information would be appreciated.

(I do have a fast find plus 406 mhz but the Breitling has the edge on style)

 

[Gludy]

"Gludy do you have a hat? If so you had better start eating it. "

Not really, very few people fall into the water in a neoprene suit designed to stay in the water and keep them warm for hours!!

The problem is your inability to digest the facts /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Would your child or you survive that ordeal without such a wet suit?

I am simply stating that a spray hood can and does often save lives and is a very important bit of safety kit that costs very little. I support your plugging of the EPIRB - it just seems to me that you are happy to blow god knows how much on this saftey cadget and that but have a blind spot with the spray hood that costs very little.

This diver was well protected from the cold - folks who fall in accidently do it without wet suits or flippers and can do it in water as cold as 5C around our coast.

It is also not stated how rough/calm the sea was etc.

For the record I am sure there have been many cases of people surviving a long time without the spray hood but there are many documented cases of people drowing due to water spray inhalation and often dying very quickly indeed after falling in.

Now please look for that hat and try stuffing it in your mouth before you let rip!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[rickp]

Re: Diver survives 58 hour ordeal after being presumed dead off Guerns

When an immoveable object meets an irresistible force...... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Rick

 

[Gludy]

"the non GPS versions are even cheaper and still do the job although a little slower apparently."
Not according to the CG chap at Falmouth who told me there was little to no difference in the time to find between the no-gps and gps units!!! I personally have gone for the GPS anyway but that is what he stated and it was all reported in a heated Gludy thread on this forum where I was proved wrong by my own evidence from Falmouth!!!

 

[Gludy]

Re: Diver survives 58 hour ordeal after being presumed dead off Guerns

whicj one am I @ I hope its the "irresistible force" - sounds better for some reason!!

 

[GC1]

The Breitling is 121.5mhz so different to the 406mhz /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif You also need to be in a position to hold up the coiled aerial that is attached to the inside of the wind off cog, perhaps a little difficult when in waves and swallowing water but better than nothing.

 

[duncan]

I suggest a mask and snorkle would also contribute to his survival in a similar vein to the sprayhood - ie making breating easier overall (and yes I know you have to suck and blow a little harder breathing through a tube).

I am a little surprised he didn't go with the tide to a new destination but not knowing his starting point or the tide situation it's difficult to understand his options fully.

On my boat this stuff is 'grab bag 2' territory and we don't carry them for everyone only family.

 

[Gludy]

Good point there Duncan. Of course the mask and snorkel would be a very effective spray hood but maybe GC1 makes everone wear those all the time on his boat and therefore can save the dosh on the spray hoods?

Also I cannot beleive that GC1 made reference to swallowing water!!! I thought that did not happen in his universe!

he is correctly so aware of safety on most issues but blind on this basic one ..... amazing logic.

I had decided to leave him alone but this latest eat your hat bit has got me going again. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[GC1]

Oi, my blackberry is set up to monitor aggravating posts and has just sent me an alert. You were wrong admit it, now get on with that eating /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I can't understand why a lifejacket with gas cannister is say £45 and the plastic spray hood £19.99, extortion rings a bell. The way they fit on is very simple attaching to the toggle at the back, so perhaps a role of cling film would do, with a small breathing hole of course, then again I think I will use my mask and snorkle /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

My 4yr old has her own wet suit care of the for sale forum on here, that is by the grab bag, you have to use all possible thought in the fight for survival /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[duncan]

I have one more that C will grow into Pete - will drop it over some time if you wish.

 

[GC1]

Great, thanks.

Are you around for a meeting in the Annex in the near future?

 

[st599]

Re: Diver survives 58 hour ordeal after being presumed dead off Guerns

If her wetsuit is easy enough to get on quickly, in an emergenct on a rocking boat, it's too big.

If the Royal Naval Sea Survival school say that sprayhoods are essential to prevent spray-related and secondary drowning - I for one beleive them - If you want to risk your family, that's your business.

 

[GC1]

Re: Diver survives 58 hour ordeal after being presumed dead off Guerns

Don't talk rubbish, any wetsuit will keep a warm layer of water between the sea and the person and is better than nothing, as for talking such rubbish about me not caring, I do care and I am considering all options including spray hoods, I have enough safety kit on my boat, if spray hoods were SO VITAL they would be permanently fixed to lifejackets, get a grip and back to reality and stop talking utter b@llox, all in the best possible way may I say /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

By the way, I would rather have my GPS EPIRB and no spray hood than a posh sprayhood and no GPS that would just prolong my slow agonising death, stick that in your pipe and smoke it /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[oceanfroggie]

Re: Diver survives 58 hour ordeal after being presumed dead off Guerns

Newtons laws of physics were correct.

1 x Unit of Spray Hood = 1 x Unit of GPS EPIRB

Forces having equal and opposite reactions, etc

Get a life you too, have you nothing better to do than argu trivia, when you could be down on the boat this evening, polishing the teak, or arguing the point in a pub. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[JKay]

Re: Diver survives 58 hour ordeal after being presumed dead off Guerns

1 x dead(no sprayhood)=1x epirb(find body)

cheers Joe

 

[Gludy]

Re: Diver survives 58 hour ordeal after being presumed dead off Guerns

"if spray hoods were SO VITAL they would be permanently fixed to lifejackets"

Well with that logic GPS EPIRBS would be permanently implanted in our bodies!

 

[JKay]

Re: Diver survives 58 hour ordeal after being presumed dead off Guerns

Paul ,Pete has already had that done /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

cheers Joe

ps How is Mr Dave Levine of SA fame

 

[bbg]

[ QUOTE ]
Gludy do you have a hat? If so you had better start eating it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh dear ...

story not what it first seemed.