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1999-11-22 Incident
Rescue Or Recovery Or Near Miss: Recovery
Todays Date: 11/22/99
Time Of Accident: 1100
Date Of Accident: 11/20/99
County / State / Country: Marion, FL, USA
Name Of Accident Site————————
Hal Watts’ Forty Fathom Grotto 7 miles west of I-75 on Hwy 326 Ocala, FL
Date Recovery Started: Nov., 20, 1999
Time Recovery Started: 1300
Age Of Victim: 32
Sex Of Victim: Male
Victims Highest Cert Level: Adv. EANx Instr.
Cert Agency: IANTD
Date Of Training: Sept., 1998
Yrs Experience Diving: unknown
Total Number Of Dives: unknown
Number Of Dives This Year: unknonw
Trained In Cave Diving: Yes
Cave Diving Training Agency: IANTD
Date Of Cave Diving Training: unknown, most likely ’98
Years Experience Cave Diving: unknown
Total Number Of Cave Dives: unknown
Number Of Cave Dives In Last Year: unknown
Number Of Dives At This Location: 3 to 4?
Dates Of Dives At This Location: 9-’98, 11-19-99
Maximum Depth At Location: 231 on trimix
Dive Partners: 1
Dive Partners Address————————
Atlanta, Ga.
Dive Partners Experience————————
IANTD Instructor: Cave, trimix, etc.
Original Dive Plan————————
Simulated trimix, using air on back, air on left stage and 80% O2 on right stage. Go to 190′ and if OK continue on diagional line to 215′.
Maximum Known Depth: 237′
Water Temp: 66-68 F
Depth Body Found: 156′
Distance To Nearest Exit: not a cave, under ledge on ceiling
Description Of Silt In Area: silt found on bottom where vicitim must have shot up from after problem
Normal Viz Distance: 40′ +
Viz During Recovery: 40′ +
Weather Conditions At Time Of Accident————————
Sunny
Entry Conditions At Site————————
Floating docks with steps into the water, sinkhole basin.
Wet Or Dry Suit: Wet
Full Or Shorty: Full with FJ and hood
Condition Of Suit: looked fairly new
Hood: Yes, 1/4″
Gloves: both gloves, thin style
Booties: Yes
Weight Belt: none
Pounds Kilos Of Weight: na
Buoyancy Compensator: OMS
B C Type: twin bladder
Degree Of B C Inflation: fully inflated on ceiling
Mask: unknown
Location Of Mask: on face and dry
Contents Of Mask: clear until ascent after recovery
Fins: Scubapro Gorilla
Type Of Fins: Gorrilla
Taped Fins: NO
Snorkel: no
Knife: unknown
Location Of Knife: ?
Number Of Tanks: twins plus 2 stages
Size Of Tanks: twin 98s, 2-66cf stages
Tank Material: LP steel
Tank Position: twin 98s on back, 66s on thighs, one on each side
Fill Pressure At Start Of Dive: 2640psi
Pressure At Recovery: twins had 1100psi, air stage had 1800, O2 stage missing, we’re still looking for it.
Tank Valve Configuration: twin with isolation, OMS
Position Of Isolation Valve: open
Number Of Regulators: 2 on twins, one on stage
Brand Of Regulators: Atomic, both on twins.
Octopus: yes
Long Hose: on primary
Regs Functional At Scene: worked fine at 156′
General Condition Of Regulators: new
Status Of Valve Opening: open all the way
Pressure Gauge: anolouge
P S I Reading On Gauge: 1100psa & 1800 psi
Number Of Lights: two
Type Of Lights: AUL canister primary, I did not notice the backup light
Lights Operational: unk
Location Of Lights: primary canister hooked up to SS backplate on divers right side with a goodman handle,
Number Of Reels: unk
Type Of Reels: unk
Reels Deployed: no
Location Of Reels: none noticed, this was not a cave environment
Distance From Guideline: straight up from bottom, wedged at 156′ under the ceiling.
Guideline Condition: excellent
Depth Gauge Type: Diverite computer Tek-3
Victims Depth Gauge Reading: 237′
Slate: unk
Tables: unk
Number Of Computers: 1
Type Of Computers: Diverite, tek-3
Computer Data————————
The police have it. I did not read the info myself, but another diver on the surface said it read 237′. dive time unknown by me.
Addtional Description Of Equipment————————
Equipment Loaned: no
Loaned From Who:
Overall Condition Of Equipment: excellent
Body State————————
Stiff, dry mask in place.
Report Prepared By: Hal Watts
Preparers Address————————
9487 NW 115th., Ave., Ocala, FL 32803 USA (352)368-7974, Fax-351-1994, email Hal@mrscuba.com
Recovery Team Members————————
Frank Citro, Jan Dyer, same address as above. Bill Foote,c/O Ocala Dive Center, Ocala, FL, Jim Charles, Theodore, AL., Keith Mattson C/O The Dive Station, Orlando, FL
Officer In Charge————————
A capt. with the Marion County Sheriff Dept. name unk to me.