On Sun, 22 May 2005 09:32:47 +0800, Robert Delfs <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:


>>>Bottom line is that when somebody is lost, the park ends up having to
>>>organize the search and rescue operation
>>
>>THAT's the true reason they don't mind over-killing.
>>
>>In Cozumel, when someone is lost, EVERY operator in the Coz dive
>>association is automatically alerted via radio to head over the
>>search area if they are close to it.  The park people in Coz
>>mostly collect Park Fees.  :-)   It's always some dive shops that
>>eventually found the lost diver(s), sometimes several hours later.
>
>One thing you may not realize about Komodo is that at any given time,
>there aren't that many boats operating in the park, and the sites are
>spread out over a large area.

True.  But in that respect, its not really different from the area
around Peliliu Corner (where the daily tide changes between the
Phillippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean ROUTINELY blow divers miles
away.  :-)   I was blown away a couple of miles when we met the
tide change at the beginning of the dive, and by the time I surfaces,
about 15 minutes from the beginning of the dive, the two tenders with
twin JET 400 HP motors were busy picking up divers in all directions,
a couple further down stream from where I was.

The only LOST divers there were 5 Japanese in a boat without any
backup motor, and NO RADIO to call anyone for help.  An extensive
air search did not find the victims who drifted for 5 days before
dying because one of the divers kept a diary of his ordeal before he
died!

>Especially in the off-season when a lot
>of boats relocate to Raja Empat for 3-6 months, there may only be 2-3
>boats in the park.  That's not a whole lot of operator resources to
>mobilize.   I don't have good data on this (wish I did), but it seems
>clear that some people who were lost and found gott picked up by other
>dive operators, but not many instances of that.  The rangers (floating
>ranger stations and speed-boat patrols) are responsible for picking up
>the most of the divers who have been recovered that I know about, but
>that may just reflect the fact that those incidents get reported.  I
>believe local fishing boats have picked up a lot more divers than
>operators have.  Probably just a function of the fact that there are
>more of them around, relatively speaking.

In a region that big, but clearly not as big as the Pacific Ocean
down-current from Palau, I would think that the "official" rescue
squads (speed-boat patrols and nearby air search/rescue facilities)
are needed rather than the chance rescue by other dive operators
and fishing boats.


>>>So if you come to Komodo, bring an SMB, light and hooter,
>>>
>>>Robert
>>
>>Do they have hooters from Hooter's Restaurant for rent?   :-)  I
>>would like to rent a young, blonde, and well-equipped one.
>>
>>da Feeesh.
>
>We're definitely going to make that a mandatory requirement for all
>boats!  :-)

Good!

La Poisson.