Death at the Blue Hole

[Mr T.]

I totally agree, and even you and Bren will have to agree on this one

Oh I don't know....


No, seriously, this is unacceptable (in both loss and risk mitigation) and I agree wholeheartedly with Andy.

Alas, my experience of Russian divers (quite extensive, invariably PADI and in the far-flung) is that, perhaps because of the laxity of the in-country certification process in Russia, divers can simply pay an 'instructor' for the PIC and cert card, and he/she will sign them off as having taken and passed the course, without doing any of the practical learning or in-water side; over and above 'perhaps' reading he OW book.

A case of incidents just looking for venues.

Unless I am presented with proof to the contrary - i.e. I see it, in water, in front of me, with my own eyes - then I tend to view Russian divers in the same way I view Nigerian 'businessmen' offering to deposit "$25 Million" in my bank account - with a healthy dose of scepticism and a wide berth.

I'm sure there's more to this - for instance, I'd like to hear from the dive centre why this was allowed to happen; why the instructor agreed to do 60 metres (let alone one Muppet opting for 100 metres!) on a single ally 80, on air?!

Like I say: incidents looking for venues - well, looks like they found one...

[Simon TW]

I've got it planned for October, well I did have.

Dahab has a rule that prohibits diving without a guide, therefore no diver should be allowed to go solo.

I intend to go with a friend that I have here in Hurghada, he is an experianced instructor and before moving to Hurghada he was at Dahab and has done the blue hole and the canyon many times. We were talking about this last night and he was telling me about comming to do the deco at one time and as he was aproaching his cylinder (left for deco complete with weights and regs) he saw another diver pick it up and start to fin off with it. If he had been a minute later he would have been in the sh1t.

Now he recomends taking the deco cylinders on the full dive, or have a saftey diver guard them.

We also were discussing the fatalites here and I was quite surprised to find out that it is around 70 per year. Which does sound rather a lot.

[BJ]

Many of those that die in in Dahab's Blue Hole are actually dive-guides. Many dive guides have traditionally been drawn from a pool of backpackers who make their way down to the Sinai and pick up a bit about diving on the way. Because they have lots of time in the water they become very proficient and competent.
However, back in the days when I dived through the Blue Hole (depth to the top of the tunnel then was 56m according to my logbook) I asked the very famous dive-guide who knew the dive well what he thought the dangers were. He discounted narcosis and thought it was all about air management. Even then I was surprised he was totally unware of high ppO2 problems.
The Russians are still at this point of development with their diving.

The non-diving father of another girl whose body was recovered sadly toted her tank all round the world trying to prove the air in her tank was contaminated and hence poisonous. He couldn't get his mind round the fact that pure air can become poisonous at sufficient depth.

[Lanny]

as he was aproaching his cylinder (left for deco complete with weights and regs) he saw another diver pick it up and start to fin off with it. If he had been a minute later he would have been in the sh1t.

What happened after that? I can't believe another diver would be so thoughtless and selfish. Did he have any defence for his actions?

I think I would have responded in a physical manner in similar circumstances (having completed my deco), although I don't remove my deco cylinders in open water.

[Andy Phillips]

Many of those that die in in Dahab's Blue Hole are actually dive-guides. Many dive guides have traditionally been drawn from a pool of backpackers who make their way down to the Sinai and pick up a bit about diving on the way. Because they have lots of time in the water they become very proficient and competent.
However, back in the days when I dived through the Blue Hole (depth to the top of the tunnel then was 56m according to my logbook) I asked the very famous dive-guide who knew the dive well what he thought the dangers were. He discounted narcosis and thought it was all about air management. Even then I was surprised he was totally unware of high ppO2 problems.
The Russians are still at this point of development with their diving.

The non-diving father of another girl whose body was recovered sadly toted her tank all round the world trying to prove the air in her tank was contaminated and hence poisonous. He couldn't get his mind round the fact that pure air can become poisonous at sufficient depth.

John,

This used to be true, but I think 99% of the centres, certainly those based in Dahab make there guides well aware of the ramifications of the the arch. Not least of which it will now be shut and they can not go there. Without any real detail it is hard to judge, but my first thought was it would be an outfit from out of town that came up to do the Blue Hole.

So many have already died there, it is hard to imagine how it can happen again.

All the best,

Andrew

[Helen F H]

Ok apologies for being thick, but does anyone have any information on the blue hole? What is the draw to the place? Any links? (not that i want to do it - unless i win the lottery and i can get my james bond minisub down there)

[And]

http://www.divernet.com/travel/0602dahab.htm

[Finless]

http://www.divernet.com/travel/0602dahab.htm

I was just going to say that Louise T from Diver Mag had dived it and that there was an article in Diver Mag.

Andy just had to show off and be cool and put a link to the very article I was thinking of. That is spooky that is! How did he know?

[Simon TW]

What happened after that? I can't believe another diver would be so thoughtless and selfish. Did he have any defence for his actions?

I think I would have responded in a physical manner in similar circumstances (having completed my deco), although I don't remove my deco cylinders in open water.

Well after a little underwater arguement, (the other diver thought that he wanted to nick his find) he managed to pop the reg in his mouth and open the bottle.

This wasn't at the blue hole but at the canyon. there are loads of divers at Dahab mostly shore diving and after the deco and surfacing he wasn't to be found in the crowd.

[big kev]

Dear Bren,

This post is about a muppet with a death wish so why do you have to muddy the waters by having a go at training agencies?

If PICs are being signed and C-cards issued improperly then that is a matter for PADI Russia which is based in this country, in Bristol - the cost of a local phone call if you have something to tell them.

PADI don't even teach air diving to this depth so how are you making the connection? Stop - Breathe - Think - then post.

The world is full of idiots, macho men, morons and scuba gods and those that just won't listen. Thanks to them we are all tarnished with the untruth that diving is dangerous - it is not, even for those of us that do it day in day out for a living. To die diving is just pathetic. I intend to die in bed with me flippers on!

May all your dreams be wet ones!

Kev.