Diver Drowns in water off Monterey Beach..

Very sad news. RIP

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/08/21/state/n134830D73.DTL

     About  5-6+  years ago I was free diving from my kayak at Monastary Beach, probably less than 100 yds from the beach.     I heard a cry for help from somewhere very close by in the heavy kelp , but when I looked there was nobody there.     At first I thought someone was playing games possibly, but about 30 or so seconds later I hear " HELP" again from just behind me, about 30 feet away.  It was obvious this diver was struggling just to keep her head above the water.   I quickly paddled over and helped her out.    Another diver swam over from the beach and helped me get her out of her weight belt and  dive tanks.. I  had to hold on to her, paddle back to the beach and drag her onto the shore where she lied there completely exhaused and unable to move.
   She was trying to navigate back to shore under the kelp, but ran out of air.  In panic mode she completely forgot to release her weight belt, or manually inflate her BC.    Her diving partner was nowhere to be found until later.   I only briefly talked to her to be sure she was OK.   Think she said she was from Vallejo, or Novato.. ?   She was definitely pretty shook-up.
  The funny part was my wife was sitting right there on the beach and didn't notice any of it...    I walked back up with my kayak and told her     "  Saving lives is like peeing in your wetsuit,  it gives you a warm feeling but nobody notices "  Hahahaha
   
     I've always thought about that event though and wondered what the outcome would have been had I not been there at that moment .    Like,,, was I put there for a reason ?   Was it,( is it ) a " Pay it Forward"  event in time?

   That same year there were 5 other accidents at that same beach, 4 which were deaths.  I'll never forget one time there, seeing a lot of rescue vehicles and one person sitting on the tailgate with his head hanging low as they searched for his dive buddy.  It's  nicknamed "Mortuary Beach " for a reason...   

Very sad...

Porky and I were out there that day, but luckily had no problems and made it home safe and sound....

RIP.

Sincerely,

Jim

just got back from visiting family in Minden NV, close to where the two teenagers who drowned were from.  I found a dead diver a few years back at coral street, it never really leaves you.  Big ass reminder that when diving you are one breath away from death.

RIP

I found a dead diver a few years back at coral street, it never really leaves you.  Big ass reminder that when diving you are one breath away from death.

RIP

I hear ya Eugene. When I was working for the Forest Service I found a dead rock climber at the base of Tahquitz rock....that was like 5 years ago and I can remember every detail like it was yesterday...

 

http://www.mountainproject.com/v/fatality-at-tahquitz-rock/105790577

Sincerely,

Jim

That sucks, i did see a low flying coast guard chopper later that morning buzzing back and forth.

Was this another scuba diver or a free diver?

Eugene was the guy you found, scuba?

That sucks, i did see a low flying coast guard chopper later that morning buzzing back and forth.

Was this another scuba diver or a free diver?

Eugene was the guy you found, scuba?

scuba.  He used to dive a lot, but had not been in the water recently according to his brother.  When I found him his gear was still on him, but the regulator was out of his mouth.  Floating face up in the kelp.