Michael McFadyen's Scuba Diving Web Site
Home · Contact Me · Sydney Reef Dive Sites · Sydney Shipwrecks · NSW Dive Sites · Australian Dive Sites · Overseas Dive Sites · Dive Accidents and Incidents · My Yachting Adventures · 4WD Trips · Weather · Search 19 March 2024 17:03
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St George Scuba Club
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Dive Sites
Sydney Reef Dive Sites
Sydney Shipwrecks
Sydney Dive Visibility, Swell and Temps
Kelly Talking on ABC Sydney about Shipwrecks
NSW Dive Sites
Sydney Shipwreck Summary
NSW Shipwreck GPS/Marks
Australian Dive Sites
Overseas Dive Sites
Aircraft I have Dived
Old Bottles
Free Shipwreck Books

Dive Related Equipment
Shearwater Predator and Heinrichs Weikamp OSTC 2N
Uwatec Aladin Dive Computers
Apollo AV1 Underwater Scooter
Bauer Compressor
DIY Oxygen Stick - Nitrox
GoPro HD Hero Video Camera
My Camera Setup
Purchase of New Dive Boat
My Dive Boat - Mak Cat
My Old Dive Boat - Le Scat
My Dive Gear
GPS and Diving
Make Your Own Car Tank Rack

Marine Life
Rarer Sydney Marine Life
Bare Island Pygmy Pipe Horses
Bare Island Sea Horses
Bare Island Nudibranchs
Bare Island Marine Life
Encounter with Southern Right Whale and Calf

Other Dive Info
How Weather Affects Diving in Sydney
Visibility and Wave Averages in Sydney
Waves and Diving
Diving Weather and Sea Conditions
Tide Tables
Dive Accidents and Incidents
Dive Book Reviews
Site Map
Noel Hitchins 1951-2005
Lloyd Bridges - Mike Nelson in Sea Hunt
My Yachting Adventures
Below is a list of links to the main pages about my yacht, Catlypso and My Yachting Adventures:
  • Purchase of Catlypso
  • Details about Catlypso
  • Cleaning/Repairing Catlypso
  • My Yachting Adventures.
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    Michael's 4WD Trips
    Click here for a list of my Four Wheel Drive and Camping Trips.
    Home Brewing
    Click here for an article about Home Brewing.
    Sydney Dive Site Hints
    "Dee Why Wide has a huge ship's anchor stuck in a crack"
    Dive Accidents and Incident Reports
    Dive Accidents and Incidents Over the years I have witnessed a couple of minor incidents (not my buddies) as well as investigated a couple of even more tragic events. In early 2011 I was involved in the aftermath of a tragic incident on a dive I organised. Some of these are included here. I do not claim to be an expert in the area of training or theory as I am neither an instructor nor even a divemaster. However, I do have the experience of over 4,500 dives in all sorts of situations with a large number of these dives being deeper than 40, 50 and 60 metres.

    I assisted the defence of Gabe Watson who was charged with murdering his wife, Tina Watson, while on a dive in Queensland. I travelled to Alabama in the US to appear at the trial. However, the judge threw out the charge after the prosecution had presented its case.

    On two occasions I have had problems well after a dive had been completed (nothing happened during the dive). Both of these involved severe dizziness. One was certainly an inner ear trauma incident but the reason for the other is more difficult to determine. It may have been inner ear trauma, inner ear infection or decompression sickness (unlikely I think).

    I have also included a couple of reports from friends who had problems on dives as well as my comments on some well known Australian incidents where divers died.

    I encourage you to read these reports as they should help you to be a safer diver.

  • Was Tina Watson really Murdered on her Honeymoon? - SS Yongala at Townsville - Index to all articles. This covers the very unfortunate death of Tina Watson, the bungled Queensland Police investigation, the Australian legal proceedings, the US trial and more. I was personally involved as an expert witness.
  • Death of American Doctor on wreck of SS President Coolidge - Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu, 2 May 2013
  • Tragic Dive Accident Bare Island, Sydney - 3 February 2011
  • Deaths of Two American Divers - Great Barrier Reef
  • Diving Inquest Report - Death of Two Divers on Wreck of Himma - October 1991
  • Further Report on Death of Two Divers on Wreck of Himma - October 1991
  • Lost divers and then sunken boat - Wooli, December 2006
  • Rapid Ascent due to Poor Equipment and Lack of Octopus
  • Suspected DCS - Female
  • Lost at Sea
  • Diving with an Idiot
  • Severe Dizziness - Ear Trauma
  • Severe Case of Dizziness thought to be DCS but was likely Ear Trauma
  • Another Severe case of Dizziness - Probably Ear Infection
  • Decompression Sickness after uneventful dive
  • I Learned Something From That! Three divers adrift at sea off Sydney
  • Aussies Adrift off Florida
  • Blue Water Ascent from 60 metres
  • Diver Dies at Bondi Beach
  • The Three Stooges - Three Divers who Go Up the Wrong Anchor when doing a 47 Metre dive!
  • Sea Urchin Spiking - Pain from tiny sea urchins spines for more 15 months and still ongoing
  • My Diving Injuries
  • Confirmation of Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution - the short dive career of Dave Shaw
  • Copyright © Michael McFadyen 1990 to 2024
    Non-commercial use of an article or photograph is permitted with appropriate URL reference to this site.
    Dive shops, dive operators, publications and government departments cannot use anything without first seeking and receiving approval from Michael McFadyen.
    This web site has been wholly thought up, designed, constructed and funded for almost 30 years by Michael McFadyen without any help from the Australian Dive Industry.
    Website created 1996!