HI HI - Hauula, 'Barnacle Bill' UP6909, 19-25, SCUBA suit bought In Tacoma, Nov'82

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Been serching through Doe Network for men that have missing arms... none so far. I wish we knew a race

IIRC, the case report indicates that the arm may have been A-OK when the occupant & suit entered the water.

In other words, dis-articulation postmortem.
 
IIRC, the case report indicates that the arm may have been A-OK when the occupant & suit entered the water.

In other words, dis-articulation postmortem.

Right. This is going to be a tough one to crack with not much to go on, then. I feel for him, Drifting in the sea for so long.
 
Barnacle Bill, you reached Hawaii about November 19, 1982.

Were you on your way to Thanksgiving dinner?

Who mailed you a holiday card, shipped a gift? Wondered why you didn't call?

Alone on a boat in the Pacific, or part of a large crew?

Did you face mechanical or weather problems?

Who misses you?

Fourth of July this week -- where did you watch fireworks?

Someone misses you, someone know who you are.

Perhaps that person will read here and tell us your name....

Barnacle Bill, you arranged for good safety equipment and used it!
 
Float like a butterfly, in the pattern of the sea, float like a sea bird, weather is all that you see, as the islands upon the horizon, and the barnacles attach to the free,
it's time we say good night to the butterfly of the sea, and one day soon we will have the might to name the Does who are unknown, to give back to those a name, one
lovingly hath chose.
 
Robert Spurlock

This 19yo young man was stationed on the island about an hour drive from the UID location and went missing AWOL in December 1981. No missing arm, and no connection to Tacoma, but the time and place and age and height are in range. His circumstances are... inconclusive.

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/360dmhi.html

http://www.missingveterans.com/1981/robert-ernest-spurlock/

The arm could have been lost post-mortem. Thanks for checking in new places!

Because the heights match and time & place are so close I emailed Mr. Spurlock's listed contact.
 
Does anybody know if that type of dive equipment is high end and thus suggesting a more serious diving hobbyist, or was it the minimum type of equipment that a somebody diving after a few introductory lessons would more likely buy?
 
Does anybody know if that type of dive equipment is high end and thus suggesting a more serious diving hobbyist, or was it the minimum type of equipment that a somebody diving after a few introductory lessons would more likely buy?



I am a certified Naui Diver, trained to go 100 feet. I would NOT attempt to get a dry suit, and start dry suit diving, that is going into another territory than what I am trained for. I don't think an amateur would even think to go there with a couple lessons. You can't go on a reputable dive boat without showing your certification and a dive log history.

My training to be certified was about 5 months. Most of it was in the classroom. There is a science behind it, understanding that science and passing the tests makes you a safe diver. One wrong move and you can kill yourself. I have been a diver for 20 years. I could have expanded my certifications, adding deeper diving, nitrox gas diving, cave diving, entering wreck diving etc. I am trained to dive in the North Atlantic Ocean as opposed the Bahamas. Since I am trained to dive in the North Atlantic I can pretty much dive any where. If I was trained in the Bahamas, I would be stupid to try to dive in the North Atlantic.

I use a 1/4 inch neoprene wet suit for recreational diving in the North Atlantic. He had on a dry suit, today a good one costs between 2000 - $3,000.00. a dry suit has it's own valves, etc. a little more technical than a 1/4" neoprene wet suit. Compared to my suit that would be $400.00. That is just the start. you need boots, hood, dive computer, buoyancy vests, tanks, regulators. So recreational gear for the diving I do is total 2000.00 - 3000.00.

The Dry suit alone starts at 2000-3000.00 dollars not counting accessories.

Dry suits are usually worn by professional or advanced divers to keep themselves more comfortable in the water.

Dive Shops Are not on every corner. My husband and I frequented the same dive shop for anything we needed and tank refills so the dive shop owners know the local divers. They also know the recreational divers from the professional ones especially by the equipment they purchase.

I live in NYC on the Atlantic Ocean. I only know one commercial diver. He dives for Sea Urchins that is his job. On the side he retrieved the Coney Island Dreamland Steam Boat Pier bell that was lost in a fire in 1911. That is what divers that wear dry suits do, they are not tourist/recreational diving.
They are even more serious divers than a "Master Diver". It's their livelihood.

A dry suit diver is known in the dive world. Diving 101, never dive alone.

If he was commercial diving someone had to be operating the boat he dove from. If he traveled he would bring his own gear, because its a safety issue. He would not have brought that gear to dive as a tourist some where, he used it to work some where or was on some sort of expedition to look for something.


Alot of things can go wrong when you are diving that is why you need to dive with someone. They can save your life. I know a master diver that grabbed the wrong regulator and took in the wrong gas and died. He went in alone from the boat when he didn't come up someone else went in and retrieved his body. If someone was next to him they would have given him the correct regulator to breath the correct mixture he needed at that depth.

Point being someone had to know this ADVANCED DIVER and someone had to know he went missing in the water. I don't know anyone that wears a dry suit going in from the surf. They wear them going in off a boat that is anchored with someone else running the boat.

Anyone could buy a dry suit with a couple lessons or no lessons, but I just don't see it. No one is spending that kind of money unless they are serious about it. You don't spend that kind of money to jerk around in the water. When a $300.00 1/4" neoprene wet suit will do. Or better yet a $20.00 rental.
 
The Dry suit alone starts at 2000-3000.00 dollars not counting accessories.

Dry suits are usually worn by professional or advanced divers to keep themselves more comfortable in the water.

Dive Shops Are not on every corner. My husband and I frequented the same dive shop for anything we needed and tank refills so the dive shop owners know the local divers. They also know the recreational divers from the professional ones especially by the equipment they purchase.

Very interesting!

You talk about how dry suits are used by commercial divers. How long would it take to qualify and gain sufficient experience to work as a commercial diver at this level? I'm mindful that the estimated age range for this chap is 19 - 25.
 
I am a certified Naui Diver, trained to go 100 feet. I would NOT attempt to get a dry suit, and start dry suit diving, that is going into another territory than what I am trained for. I don't think an amateur would even think to go there with a couple lessons. You can't go on a reputable dive boat without showing your certification and a dive log history.

My training to be certified was about 5 months. Most of it was in the classroom. There is a science behind it, understanding that science and passing the tests makes you a safe diver. One wrong move and you can kill yourself. I have been a diver for 20 years. I could have expanded my certifications, adding deeper diving, nitrox gas diving, cave diving, entering wreck diving etc. I am trained to dive in the North Atlantic Ocean as opposed the Bahamas. Since I am trained to dive in the North Atlantic I can pretty much dive any where. If I was trained in the Bahamas, I would be stupid to try to dive in the North Atlantic.

He had on a dry suit, today a good one costs between 2000 - $3,000.00. a dry suit has it's own valves, etc. a little more technical than a 1/4" neoprene wet suit. Compared to my suit that would be $400.00. That is just the start. you need boots, hood, dive computer, buoyancy vests, tanks, regulators.

Dry suits are usually worn by professional or advanced divers to keep themselves more comfortable in the water.

Dive Shops Are not on every corner. My husband and I frequented the same dive shop for anything we needed and tank refills so the dive shop owners know the local divers. They also know the recreational divers from the professional ones especially by the equipment they purchase.

I.

Thanks for the detailed information. I am always amazed by the collective knowledge of this forum. So, this person was in all probability, was:

- A professional diver, or very serious, well trained and well experienced amateur.
- Had dove from a dive boat (not likely to be surf diving with un needed, elaborate gear)
- Had intended to do serious diving as professionals would be unlikely to bring serious gear for shallow recreational diving when it is not needed
- Had a partner(s). At the very least, another person would be needed to operate the boat, though it is theoretically possible to ignore the diving buddy commandment, then position the boat alone, then dive alone.
- Is probably not from Hawaii as local dive shop owners would probably know him at least by site and none came forward.

Gosh, what was this person doing that he would either dive alone, or his partners would not report him missing? I could see a badly run dive boat being tempted not to report an accident, but I imagine that it would be hard to keep it secret with crew and other customers.

I have read that wreck divers can be absolutely fanatic about keeping their diving sites secret so they can recover all the best trophies. Even then, I think it is a stretch that they would not report a fatal accident, at least in general terms. What do you think? Have you ever met wreck divers that you thought were so into their secret site that they would not report a fatal accident?

You talk about how dry suits are used by commercial divers. How long would it take to qualify and gain sufficient experience to work as a commercial diver at this level? I'm mindful that the estimated age range for this chap is 19 - 25.

That does seem odd. I have no idea, but the military is one way to obtain such training. I did some research.

Though it is possible to enlist for four years at 18, then take the six month long and very demanding "entry" level army / navy salvage diving course, then leave the military at say age 23, I think it is unlikely. The advanced salvage course is for higher ranks and one would need about five years of service as a minimum and also be willing to re-enlist. This would make a military diver with advanced salvage training about 24 years old at a minimum and still have say, a five year service obligation. Any ideas DQN?
 
A person can start dive training at 8 years old or older. (when your lungs are developed) Even if he started diving at 16 or 18 he could have been a commercial diver. He could have gotten alot of certifications at a young age under his belt and continued to move forward. You do not have to be a great swimmer, however you do have to be very comfortable in the water. The more dives you do and practice you have you become a better diver. You also have to think fast and react quickly if something goes wrong with your dive buddies.

There are several commercial dive academys all over the world. Here is one: http://www.professionaldivingacademy.com/about-us/equipment-package/
if you look at the site, you can continue to get additional safety & specialty certifications, obviously the more you get the better diver you become. I have dove on wrecks, however I would need a special certification to enter a wreck to do it safely and learn how to not get trapped in them. If I wanted to dive deeper than 100 feet which is what I am certified for I would have to get certifications in using Nitrox gas as opposed to air.


Here is more about Commerical Diving (Alaska) to give you more insight as to what they do. http://alaskacommercialdivers.com/

I do not believe a dry suit diver would go out on a regular recreational dive boat. I also don't think recreational Dive boats do that type of diving too much of a liability and their insurance would be astronomical.

All the great wrecks have been dived out. You may find a piece of silver ware with the ship name that is a trophy. Things recovered on the great ships like the titanic a human being could not dive it, under water marine vehicles were required.

The commerical diver I know that found the Dreamland Pier bell it took him over 20 years looking for it, keeping track of the areas he looked, etc. there is alot to it. My husband and I drove there one day to look it would never be something you could find in one day....it i now on display in Coney Island and sent to other places. He was happy for the recognition, not looking for a pay day. The last great treasure was found in Key West, sometimes it has to be turned over to the government or put in local museums. IT IS RARE to find any great treasures and it could take years and thousands if not millions of dollars. http://melfisher.com/default.html

It is only in the movies that people kill each other or deaths go unreported for treasures in the sea, lol I dive the NY Harbor and never know what we will come back with at the end of the day. I have alot of things thrown off of ships from the 1800's i.e Paris Medicine bottles, ink wells, nothing worth alot but our little trophies from our dives.

My opinion: he died in a commerical dive accident and he was lost at sea. If he washed up in 1982, he could have died in the 70's. At the time it was r reported to his family and they got an insurance pay out from the company. Remember being told lost at sea, no one is looking for that person. When he washed up in 1982, no one would have known that, only people that live in Hawaii. In addition there was not a vast internet of news and information that a relative would have known about it, to question whether or nor it could be their loved one. We know because we are involved with Namus research etc. Why would a family member even look in Namus now for a relative lost at sea in the 70's. The only reason he wasn't eaten by sharks was the rubber suit. I think the place to look is old newspaper articles for commercial divers lost at sea. Part of the insurance settlement, there could have been a cause the story would not be made public if it was a company that people would frown upon after a dive accident and not patronize it.

If his lower arm was a born deformity it would not effect him as a diver depending on what he did. He also could have lost the arm in the accident he was involved in underwater, the same thing that severed his arm could have severed his line and caused him to go into shock, float away and die.

I am a member of the dive world and never saw this story of Barnacle Bill Or in Namus, however, as a member of websleuths I came across it. If he bought the suit in Tacoma, he most likely went to Alaska to work and floated in from Alaska,
 
2 long shot birth and death records, just need to know how they died.

FRANCIS EDWARD JOHNSON III AGE 23
Birth October 23, 1951 Tacoma Washington
Died September 1974 Anchorage Alaska
Mother: Francie Louise Sayler
Father: Francis Edward Johnson


KENNETH W QUIGLEY JR. Age 20
BIRTH: December 31, 1979 WA
DIED: August 4, 1979
MOTHER: Geraldine Witham
FATHER: Kenneth W Quigley
 
He had a dry suit on which is rubber not very appealing to sea creatures.

He was wearing shorts?

Sea creatures eat all kinds of things. There are whales with all kinds of plastic in their stomachs, Sharks attack shark cages. They could rip that suit like it was tissue paper.
 
He was wearing shorts?

Sea creatures eat all kinds of things. There are whales with all kinds of plastic in their stomachs, Sharks attack shark cages. They could rip that suit like it was tissue paper.
He had shorts on inside the the dry suit. Sea creatures also go for things that are alive as opposed to dead.
 
He had shorts on inside the the dry suit. Sea creatures also go for things that are alive as opposed to dead.

They eat plastic. They grab fake bait.

Also, the sea is tough, Waves. coral. Jagged volcanic rock. Chum is not alive.
 

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