2008-11-12 Incident

Note: The following information was provided by Walter Pickel on 12/17/2008.

Victim #1
Rescue Or Recovery Or Near Miss Recovery
Todays Date 11.12.2008
Time Of Accident 1200
Date Of Accident 11.11.2008
County/State/Country Pasco/FL/USA
Name Of Accident Site

Wayne’s World (aka School Sink) off Stephens Drive in Hudson, FL
Information – http://www.tampadiving.com/sections/diving/cave_systems/system.asp?ID=88&region=FL
Date Recovery Started 11.12.2008
Time Recovery Started 1740
Victim Name Victim #1
Age Of Victim 42
Sex Of Victim Male
Victims Highest Cert Level Intro to cave
Cert Agency NACD
Date Of Training
Yrs Experience Diving
Total Number Of Dives
Number Of Dives This Year

Trained In Cave Diving
In training
Cave Diving Training Agency
Date Of Cave Diving Training
Years Experience Cave Diving
Total Number Of Cave Dives
Number Of Cave Dives In Last Year
Number Of Dives At This Location
Dates Of Dives At This Location
Maximum Depth At Location 99 ffw
Dive Partners Name Victim #2
Dive Partners Experience AOW
Dive Info for 24hrs prior
OriginalDivePlan

Recovery Description

Team 1 to search towards Main Street and Dog Tunnel
Maximum Known Depth 113
Water Temp 74 F
Depth Body Found 47 ffw
Distance To Nearest Exit 40′ penetration into the cave
Description Of Silt In Area

heavy thick dark brown silt on all surfaces
Normal Viz Distance 30′
Viz During Recovery 20′
Weather Conditions At Time Of Accident clear night
Entry Conditions At Site normal
Wet Or Dry Suit Bare drysuit
Full Or Shorty
Condition Of Suit new
Hood yes – mask strap under hood
Gloves no
Booties no
Weight Belt no
Pounds Kilos Of Weight
Buoyancy Compensator

AL Backplate, Halcton wing
BC Type Backplate + Wing
Degree Of BC Inflation 1/2 full at depth found
Mask Dacor Vista
Location Of Mask on face
Contents Of Mask 3/4 blood
Fins none on body
Type Of Fins Mares
Taped Fins spring straps
Snorkel no
Knife none
Location Of Knife
Number Of Tanks 3
Size Of Tanks

2 @ STEEL Faber 108, 1 AL40
Tank Material STEEL (Back) AL (02)
Tank Position backmounted + stage
Fill Pressure At Start Of Dive unknown
Pressure At Recovery 3500# PSIG
Tank Valve Configuration Normal ISO manifold
Position Of Isolation Valve closed
Number Of Regulators

3, 2 on bankmount tanks & 1 on O2 deco tank
Brand Of Regulators

Back – Apeks DS4/TX50, Deco – OMS
Octopus no
Long Hose yes, as normal
Regs Functional At Scene yes
General Condition Of Regulators working
Status Of Valve Opening

left post 1/2 rolled, isolator closed
Pressure Gauge

Back – Highland, Stage – Zeagle
PSI Reading On Gauge

Back – 3500# PSIG, Deco – 1000# PSIG
Number Of Lights 3 (1 Primary, 2 backup)
Type Of Lights

1 = Halcyon 18w HID, 2 & 3 = Oxycheq stowed DIR style
Lights Operational 1 = no, 2 & 3 = yes
Location Of Lights

1 = right hip, 2 = right shoulder, 3 = left shoulder
Number Of Reels 1
Type Of Reels

1 = DiveRite cavern reel (blue)
Reels Deployed

no, but 6 to 8 feet of line trailing behind diver
Location Of Reels

clipped to his side D ring with 6 to 8 feet of line spooled off, trailling
Distance From Guideline

used light to tie into the goldline
Guideline Condition intact but routing and tie offs torn out
Depth Gauge Type Seiko dive watch
Victims Depth Gauge Reading 99
Slate no
Tables no
Number Of Computers 2
Type Of Computers

1 – right wrist = VR3, 2 – left wrist = Sunto Viper
Computer Data

dive time = 1768 minutes, Max depth = 31 meters
Additional Description Of Equipment

camera in left pocket, contained no pictures of this dive but several of victim #1 and victim #2 at another cave system
Equipment Loaned unknown
Loaned From Who
Overall Condition Of Equipment working
Body State in rigor
Report Prepared By Walter Pickel
Preparers Address 205 S Matanzas Ave Tampa, FL 33609
Recovery Team Members

Brett Hemphill
Paul Heinerth
Colt Smith
Walter Pickel
Lindsey Pickel
Michael McDonald
Robert Brooks
Officer In Charge Det. Hatcher – PCSO

Victim #2
Rescue Or Recovery Or Near Miss Recovery
Todays Date 11.12.2008
Time Of Accident 1200
Date Of Accident 11.11.2008
County/State/Country Pasco/FL/USA
Name Of Accident Site

Wayne’s World (aka School Sink) off Stephens Drive in Hudson, FL
Information – http://www.tampadiving.com/sections/diving/cave_systems/system.asp?ID=88&region=FL
Date Recovery Started 11.12.2008
Time Recovery Started 1740
Victim Name Victim #2
Age Of Victim 52
Victims Highest Cert Level AOW
Cert Agency
Date Of Training
Yrs Experience Diving
Total Number Of Dives
Number Of Dives This Year
Trained In Cave Diving No
Cave Diving Training Agency
Date Of Cave Diving Training
Years Experience Cave Diving
Total Number Of Cave Dives
Number Of Cave Dives In Last Year
Number Of Dives At This Location
Dates Of Dives At This Location
Maximum Depth At Location 99 ffw
Dive Partners Name Victim #1
Dive Partners Address
Dive Partners Experience Intro to Cave
Dive Info for 24hrs prior
Original Dive Plan
Recovery Description Team 1 to search towards Main Street and Dog Tunnel
Maximum Known Depth 113 ffw
Water Temp 74 F
Depth Body Found 56 ffw
Distance To Nearest Exit 170′ penetration into the cave
Description Of Silt In Area heavy thick dark brown silt on all surfaces
Normal Viz Distance 30′
Viz During Recovery 20′
Weather Conditions At Time Of Accident clear night
Entry Conditions At Site normal
Wet Or Dry Suit Bare drysuit
Full Or Shorty
Condition Of Suit new
Hood yes – pushed back behind head – mask strap under hood
Gloves half gloves
Booties no
Weight Belt weights integrated to BC
Pounds Kilos Of Weight 4# each hip
Buoyancy Compensator Custom Divers
BC Type Deluxe Harness Backplate
Degree Of BC Inflation 3/4 full at depth found
Mask low profile brand unknown
Location Of Mask behind head
Contents Of Mask mask off face – stratified blood in water surrounding body
Fins Tusa Impact Tri3x – with spring straps
TypeOf Fins blades
Taped Fins no
Snorkel no
Knife Halcyon knife
Location Of Knife left hip
Number Of Tanks 3
Size Of Tanks 2 @ STEEL Sheerwood HP100, 1 AL80
Tank Material STEEL (Back) AL (Stage)
Tank Position backmounted + stage
FillPressure At Start Of Dive unknown
Pressure At Recovery All = 0 PSIG
Tank Valve Configuration Normal ISO manifold
Position Of Isolation Valve open
Number Of Regulators 3, 2 on backmount tanks & 1 on stage tank
Brand Of Regulators Back – Apeks XTX, Stage – Zeagle
Octopus no
Long Hose yes, as normal
Regs Functional At Scene yes
General Condition Of Regulators working
Status Of Valve Opening all open
Pressure Gauge Back – Salvo, Stage – Zeagle
PSIReading On Gauge 0
Number Of Lights 3 (1 Primary, 2 Backup)
Type Of Lights 1 = Salvo 21w HID (borrowed from Tampa Adventure Sports) blinking, 2 & 3 = Intova stowed on upper shoulder each side
Lights Operational 1 = blinking, 2 & 3 = yes
Location Of Lights 1 = right hip, 2 = right shoulder, 3 = left shoulder
Number Of Reels 2
Type Of Reels 1 = thumb spool, 2 = DiveRite cavern reel
Reels Deployed 1 = depoloyed to gold line from dog tunnel, 2 dropped in dog tunnel
Location Of Reels in system
Distance From Guideline 15′ (above guideline)
Guideline Condition intact but routing and tie offs torn out
Depth Gauge Type Suunto Vytec
Victims Depth Gauge Reading 100
Slate wetnotes – no contents
Tables no
Number Of Computers 1
Type Of Computers Suunto Vytec
Computer Data dive time = 46.53 hours
Additional Description Of Equipment
Equipment Loaned Primary light loaned
Loaned From Who Tampa Adventure Sports
Overall Condition Of Equipment working
Body State in rigor, left index finger and left thumb in OK position
Report Prepared By Walter Pickel
Preparers Address 205 S Matanzas Ave Tampa, FL 33609
Recovery Team Members Brett Hemphill
Paul Heinerth
Colt Smith
Walter Pickel
Lindsey Pickel
Michael McDonald
Robert Brooks
Officer In Charge Det Hatcher – PCSO

Narrative
Note: This narrative was edited only to remove any comments that were speculative in nature. The
Regional Coordinator has approved these changes.

Wayne’s World Recovery

Date: November 12, 2008

Walter Pickel and Brett Hemphill met at Scuba West in Hudson, FL at 4PM. Colt Smith arrived at 4.15 and Paul Heinerth arrived at 4.30. We discussed possible search scenarios and decided teams. Brett and Paul would be Team #1 and Walter and Colt would be Team #2. We left Scuba West for Wayne’s World at 5PM. We arrived at Wayne’s World at 5.05PM and parked vehicles. At 5.15PM we briefed the Pasco County Sherriff’s Office Public Affairs Officer (PAO).

Team #1 entered the cave at 5.50PM. At 6.16PM Paul surfaced with Victim #2’s body and then submerged into the cave again. Victim #2 was positioned on the stairs for inventory. The inventory was performed by Walter Pickel and Michael McDonald.

At 6.20PM, Paul resurfaced with Victim #1’s body. Brett had stayed inside the cave and he pushed Victim #1 through the small entrance while Paul was pulling from the outside. It appears that Victim #1 had tied himself into the main gold line at 47′ FFW, with his primary light cord. His O2 tank was also clipped to the main gold line at the same location, approximately 40 feet inside the cave from the main entrance. His O2 regulator had been deployed and read 1000# PSIG. He had apparently been breathing O2 from his deco tank. As topside discoveries would show, Victim #1’s right back mounted bottle was empty but his left was full @ 3500# PSIG; his isolator was in the closed position. When Walter tested the isolator valve positioning, a strong hiss could be heard when Walter opened the valve. Walter quickly re-closed the isolator valve and the SPG read 2700# PSIG. Topside inventory was performed by Walter Pickel, Lindsey Pickel and Michael McDonald.

The Recovery Dive

When Paul and Brett entered the cave they immediately and saw Victim #1. 20 feet past him was his 1st fin and 50′ further and at the lowest point in the Dog Tunnel passage they found his 2nd fin. Of important note, was that the gold line past the anchoring three-way arrow rock headed into the Dog Tunnel had been completely pulled away from all placements and tie off which were originally on the right wall. The gold line was loose and laying close to the floor. Also important is that 5′ past the second fin at a depth of 80′ which is as deep as you can get in this small section of the cave was a body size impact crater which was observed by both Paul and Brett.

As Paul and Brett continued up into the next room at 130′ penetration they could see Victim #2 approximately 30′ ahead and near the highest point of the hill floating upside down. By the time Brett signaled Paul, Brett believes Paul had already seen the body. As they approached Victim #2 they decided that Paul would attend to his removal and Brett would attend to stabilizing the environment. There is an anchoring rock as you are coming up into the room; this tie off was intact; all gold line before it and past it had been completely pulled free from its original positioning. The next stationary tie off was at 90′ deep at the dog leg left restriction going into the Short Cut Tunnel. The main gold line had slipped into a crack, i.e. a ‘line trap’. This occurs when the line slips into an area too small for a diver to swim through. Brett began to pull approximately 60′ of the gold line out of the impassable section of limestone bedding plane prior to the passable chute leading to the dog leg left restriction. This was done for the safety of the recovery divers Paul and Brett.

The Cleanup Dive

Paul and Brett dove School Sink on 11.18.2008 to clean up any debris that remained. Upon reaching 60′ penetration in the Staircase Tunnel, Brett noted that Victim #2’s main safety reel (his name was on it) had been dropped in the tunnel. Victim #2’s spool had been tied off to existent line in the Staircase Tunnel. Only inches of line were left on his spool.

Additional notes

The Short Cut Tunnel is relatively small (3′ height) and contains salt water and fresh water mixing layers which make it difficult to focus or even determine visibility. In the Short Cut Tunnel, it is possible to lose the line.

Victim #1 was found in the main cavern at a depth of 47′ by his O2 bottle; the O2 regulator had been deployed.

Victim #2 was found at the ceiling of the School Sink #2 dome. He was found with stratified blood around his head: his mask was pushed back behind his head.

Recovery Team Members

Paul Heinerth – Recovery diver
Brett Hemphill – Recovery diver
Walter Pickel – Topside supervisor, inventory, note taking, handling bodies
Lindsey Pickel – Topside assistance with inventory and handling bodies
Colt Smith – Topside assistance with inventory and handling bodies
Michael McDonald – Topside assistance with inventory and handling bodies
Robert Brooks – Topside assistance with inventory and handling bodies

Sketch