# 7/8 Missing Diver



## Desperado

I was watching the Blues fly today from my boat and heard the Coast Guard make several announcments about a missing diver 45 miles south of Pensacola. Does anyone have any information?


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## Desperado

Just found this.

http://www.wkrg.com/alabama/article...-of-orange-beach/1208084/Jul-08-2011_3-20-pm/


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## Naby

I wish the best to his family and those looking for him. I have heard of speared AJ's pulling divers down and wrapping them around structure.


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## spear em

this eats at my guts, a fellow spearfisherman is like a brother officer to me. the way i see it is we are family no matter what state you live in. yea we poke fun, draw the line and whatever, we do what we do because we love it and see a side that not many have the balzs to roll off and go take a look at. my heart aches for his family, but we are who we are. WE are spearfishermen.


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## RMS

Was 20 miles out this morning and could hear the CG half of initial report/ conversation. We were holding on a spot in 1ft seas and I got a somewhat nauseated when we heard the report. Felt really small and somber out there in our cc. My heart aches also.


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## Snatch it

My heart and prayers go out to the family and all involved!


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## shkad14

I just read where the Coast Guard called off the search. I dont know much about diving, but I am curious. If he had a dive partner, why didnt the dive partner notice anything wrong?

What could have happened to him?


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## lobsterman

shkad14 said:


> I just read where the Coast Guard called off the search. I dont know much about diving, but I am curious. If he had a dive partner, why didnt the dive partner notice anything wrong?
> 
> *What could have happened to him*?


 
It is highly possible he shot a big jack and he took him down or wrapped him up or took him thru the ringers on the rig? But that is just a guess. The news article posted about him showed past spearfishing tournaments that he had shot big jacks in and that is what he was doing this time. Spearfishing that is. But unless they find him it is all speculation.


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## shkad14

lobsterman said:


> It is highly possible he shot a big jack and he took him down or wrapped him up or took him thru the ringers on the rig? But that is just a guess. The news article posted about him showed past spearfishing tournaments that he had shot big jacks in and that is what he was doing this time. Spearfishing that is. But unless they find him it is all speculation.


If an AJ wrapped him around the rig, couldnt one of the other divers had dove down to find him?


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## NASTY

Spooky stuff when diving. Sounds like a great time but would take some cods!


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## FenderBender

My prayers are with the family and friends. Odds are good he could have had a heart attack underwater, or something of that nature. Once again, speculation. But I doubt it was from an AJ wrapping him around anything. One, Amberjack are closed and I doubt he would be shooting them. Two, he was experienced, and likely would have a knife to cut a shock cord if any fish wrapped him around a structure. It's a real tragedy, for sure.


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## Desperado

I was sad to hear they called off the search, but I understand why. I monitored forums to see if a volunteer diver search party was being formed, but I never saw anything. Spear fishing is a dangerous sport, and I'm sure we have all had close calls. Standing rules on my boat are DAN insurance and pony bottles. A little on the conservative side, but what can it hurt.


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## nautoncall

I know Billy well and this is horrible. He was very experienced and did push the limits, and YES he did have a buddy diving with him. 

I don't know the details. He had been down then supposedly surfaced for a moment without a mask or regulator then went down and they couldn't get to him or find him. 

Please pray for his wife Cathy and his kids.


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## Welchy

Sucks!! Thoughts and prayers go out to his family. I still think diving is safer then driving.


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## FenderBender

Was this Billybob, the spearo who used to post on here 2 or 3 years ago?


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## AAR

Shark Attack?


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## Bamagadbird

*AJ's*

Correct me if I am wrong, but AJ's are off limits til Aug. 1st.


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## nautoncall

I was wrong above. He was down by himself and his partner was in the boat. He surfaced with bloody froth, then went back down. He also was carrying extra weight. I'm not a spear fisherman but I was told to help him fight bigger fish. 

I can't imagine the families' closure issue without finding a body.


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## AAR

Golly!

I don't see how you guys handle that swimming with sharks stuff! I'd just about rather roll around with rattlesnakes than swim with sharks!


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## sniper

If he surfaced with bloody froth then he was already in trouble. Should have never gone back down alone. If he needed to deco he should have had someone go back down with him. Hard to imagine that many experianced divers would have allowed that to happen. I am sure there is more to the story.


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## shkad14

Im still trying to understand diving and spearfishing. Isnt it imprtant to find out exactly what happened and have it reported so it can be a lesson to other divers on what to be aware of and what could have been done differently to have saved him? That way if the same thing (whatever it was) happens to some one in the future, they can have a better idea of what to do?

I am big on education and study kayak fishing and its dangers all the time, just to be prepared. Seems like more could go wrong on a dive, so any type of learning would be benefitial. 

Am I


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## Welchy

Nope, not Billy Bob


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## nautoncall

No way to find out what happened. He was alone. We only know what the other partner saw breifly on the surface and who knows if his body will ever be found. It's truly horrible. 

I'm not a diver and don't know much more, but I don't think he went down to deco. He apparently didn't have a mask or regulator on when he surfaced and did not look good. When I say he "went back down", I don't know exactly but just from the conversation, he surfaced momentarily just enough for his partner to see he was in trouble and went under. I don't know exactly, but I assumed he jumped in after him and couldn't find him. Coast Guard dove the area and searched for a day or so before calling it off.


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## Billybob+

Hey Man! First, I agree that this is very tragic situation that we can all agree as fellow divers he was doing what he enjoyed. I pray earnestly for his surviving family members. 

and now, Fender...thanks for thinkin' of me! (I'm assuming I'm the Billybob you were referring to) Nope wasn't me, Now I'm wondering who "Welchy" is?

I don't get to go as much as I used to, I still make it out about once a week but I sure miss those mid week diving adventures!

Be safe out there everyone and if there is a bright spot in any of this just remember that the guy was doing what he obviously loved.



FenderBender said:


> Was this Billybob, the spearo who used to post on here 2 or 3 years ago?


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## Desperado

Guys,

This is all just an educated guess, but I believe pink froth at the mouth is signs of a ruptured lung. You can rupture a lung while scuba diving if you run out of air and "breath-hold" to the surface. The air in your lungs can expand faster than you can exhale it. If he had no mask or regulator it sounds like something happened to dislodge it (had an AJ knock mine out one time on the Avocet). Maybe he couldn't get his reg back or had sucked his tank dry and felt the need to make an emergency ascent.

As a spear fisherman I have occasionaly pushed the limits (depth, air, etc.). It is easy to get caught up in the moment and look down and see you are out of air fighting a big fish at depth. A few close calls has made me rethink my habits. I hope others will give themselves an honest evaluation.


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## reefcreature

from my understanding when a diver runs out of air they will panic and sometimes will take there mask and even take the regulator out of their mouth. that is sometimes found in lost divers in caves so i would assume it is possible for someone that ran out of air at depth in open water as well. again just an assumtion. prayers do go out to the family.


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## Orion45

What a terrible loss. I feel sorry for the family.


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## Lyin Too

was a body ever found?


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## nautoncall

No. They are having a memorial service on the Bluff overlooking the Fairhope Pier on Friday night.


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