Two divers experienced a harrowing ordeal after losing their boat while diving approximately 5 kilometers off the coast of Mindarie, a suburb north of Perth in Western Australia. Ryan Chapman and his diving partner found themselves stranded when they resurfaced to discover their vessel had vanished.
Ryan Chapman, recounting the incident, explained, “We went out, anchored up, and originally things were all good for 45 minutes.” However, he admitted that his eagerness to dive may have contributed to the mishap. “I didn’t really pay attention [to the boat]. I just started getting into it, really enjoying it. I think the wind might have picked up, and I was overly eager to get into the water, so I didn’t tie my knot properly.”
Their situation quickly turned alarming when Chapman looked around and asked, “Where the [expletive] is the boat?” and realized it was no longer anchored. Initially fearing that the boat had sunk, they began searching the waters for any sign of it. After a brief moment of panic, they decided to swim toward another boat visible about a kilometer away.
After about one-and-a-half hours in the water, the divers managed to signal to passing fishermen who were worried about seeing their boat drifting. “I was pretty confident in our ability to make it back to shore if we needed to,” Chapman noted. “But it would’ve taken a few hours and the boat would’ve been long gone.”
Once rescued, the divers were able to determine the direction in which their boat had drifted. They eventually located it approximately 2 kilometers from their original spot. “We found the anchor, re-anchored and had another dive. But this time we had one person on the boat and one in the water,” Chapman remarked.
In retrospect, Chapman acknowledged that they should have taken more time to consider their choices. “In hindsight, we probably should’ve taken a moment to reflect on the decision-making, but we figured we’d just continue to send it.”
Chapman shared footage of the incident, captured on his GoPro, to promote diving safety. He emphasized the critical importance of having a designated person remaining on the boat at all times, along with the necessity of double-checking anchorage. “I knew I was going to cop a lot of flak,” he admitted. “The reason I agreed to air it and own up to stupidity was for awareness – it’s easy to get complacent and think everything’s all good.”
While acknowledging the potential dangers of the situation, Chapman also reflected on the lessons learned. “In hindsight, it could’ve been a lot worse. It takes courage to own up to your stupidity.” His experience serves as a cautionary tale for divers and emphasizes the importance of vigilance and preparation while enjoying water activities.
