Dave Shaw

2024-09-29T00:17:35Z

2A02:A440:EAB3:0:E9A4:EE83:65BD:375A:

{{short description| Australian technical diver and former record holder killed in a diving incident }}
{{other people2|David Shaw}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2014}}

{{Infobox person
| name = Dave Shaw
| image = File:Dave Shaw.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Dave Shaw at [[Boesmansgat]] in 2005
| birth_name = David John Shaw
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1954|07|20}}
| birth_place = [[Katanning, Western Australia|Katanning]], [[Australia]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2005|1|8|1954|07|20}}
| death_place = [[Boesmansgat]], [[South Africa]]
| nationality = Australian
| spouse = Ann Shaw
| children = 2
| other_names = David Shaw
| occupation = Airline pilot
| years_active =
| known_for = Cave diving depth record
| website = {{URL|www.deepcave.com}}
}}

'''David John Shaw''' (20 July 1954 – 8 January 2005) was an Australian [[Scuba diving|scuba diver]], [[technical diving|technical diver]], and [[airline pilot]] for [[Cathay Pacific]], flying the [[Lockheed L-1011 TriStar|Lockheed L-1011 Tristar]], then the [[Boeing 747-400|747-400]], and then the [[Airbus A330|A330-300]], [[Airbus A340#A340-300|A340-300]], and [[Airbus A340#A340-600|A340-600]].<ref>{{cite web|website=Deep Cave|url= http://www.deepcave.com/pages/3/index.htm |title=Deep Cave Diving with Dave Shaw}}</ref> He flew for Cathay Pacific from 1989 until his death in 2005. Before flying for Cathay Pacific, he flew for Mission Aviation Fellowship in Papua New Guinea and Tanzania. He also flew [[agricultural aircraft]] in [[South Australia]] and [[New South Wales]].

== Dive equipment ==
Shaw's first [[rebreather]] was an AP Inspiration [[Rebreather#CCR|closed circuit rebreather]], with which he eventually dived to depths beyond its purported capability. This prompted him to not only purchase a Mk15.5 but to replace its analogue electronics with the digital ones of the Juergensen Marine Hammerhead, resulting in a specially modified POD designed to handle extreme pressures. The Mk15.5 was his rebreather of choice for dives deeper than {{convert|150|m|ft|-2}}. For extended dives in caves shallower than 150 m,{{citation needed|date=March 2015}} Shaw used his Cis-Lunar since he believed it had superior redundancy capabilities, but could not cope with extreme depths.

== Diving records ==
On 28 October 2004, Shaw descended to a depth of 270m at [[Boesmansgat|Bushman's Hole]], [[South Africa]], breaking the following records:
* Depth on a rebreather
* Depth in a cave on a rebreather
* Depth at altitude on a rebreather
* Depth running a line
He used a Mk15.5 with Juergensen Marine Hammerhead electronics and the following [[Gas blending|gas mixtures]]: [[Trimix (breathing gas)|trimix]] 4/80, 10/70, 15/55, 17/40, 26/25, air, [[Nitrox|nitrox50]], 100% [[oxygen]]. The cave elevation was {{convert|1550|m|ft}} and the dive duration was 9 hours and 40 minutes.<ref>{{cite web |website=ScubaRecords.com |url=http://www.scubarecords.com/ |title=Scuba Diving World Records - Deepest Longest - Dave Shaw - Nuno Gomes - Verna Van Schaik - Pascal Bernabé - Mark Elyatt - Johan Beukes}}</ref>

On this dive, Shaw discovered the body of [[Deon Dreyer]], a South African diver who had died in Bushman's Hole ten years previously. The body was at a depth of {{convert|270|m|ft}}.<ref name=OM>{{cite journal |journal=[[Outside (magazine)|Outside]] |title=Raising the Dead |last=Zimmermann |first=Tim |date=1 August 2005 |access-date=12 July 2021 |url=http://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/africa/south-africa/Raising-the-Dead.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712050721/https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/water-activities/raising-dead/ |archive-date=12 July 2021}}</ref>

== Last dive ==
Shaw died on 8 January 2005 while attempting to recover the body of [[Deon Dreyer]].<ref name=OM/>

Shaw recorded his dive with an underwater [[Video camera|camera]], which allowed researchers to determine that he suffered from respiratory issues due to the high pressure.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Mitchell SJ, Cronjé FJ, Meintjes WA, Britz HC |title=Fatal respiratory failure during a "technical" rebreather dive at extreme pressure |journal=Aviat Space Environ Med |volume=78 |issue=2 |pages=81–6 |date=February 2007 |pmid=17310877 }}</ref> Shaw ran into difficulties when the body unexpectedly began to float. Shaw had been advised by various experts that the body would remain negatively buoyant because the visible parts were reduced to the skeleton. However, within his [[drysuit]], Dreyer's corpse had turned into a soap-like substance called [[adipocere]], which floats. Shaw had been working with both hands, and so had been resting his can light on the cave floor. The powerful underwater lights that cave divers use are connected by wires to heavy battery canisters, normally worn on the cave diver's waist, or sometimes attached to their tanks. Normally he would have wrapped the wire behind his neck, but he was unable to do so; the lines from the body bag appear to have become entangled with the light head, and the physical effort of trying to free himself led to his death.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_jbYZq0Yvw&t=2870 47:50 @ TD2006 #1: Intro and Boesmansgat Expedition Don Shirley | YouTube]</ref> Three days later, both of the bodies that had become entangled in the lines were pulled up to near the surface as the dive team was retrieving their equipment.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVZ_XAXUWlw&t=645 10:45 @ ''The Big Black'' The last dive of David Shaw | YouTube]</ref>

Shaw's close friend and support diver, Don Shirley, nearly died as well and was left with permanent damage that has impaired his balance.<ref name=OM/>

The dive on which Shaw died was the 333rd of his career. At the time of his world record dive, he had been diving for a little over five years.<ref>{{cite book |title=Diving into Darkness: A True Story of Death and Survival |first=Phillip |last=Finch |isbn=978-0-312-38394-7 |lccn=2008024271 |location=[[New York City|New York]] |publisher=[[St. Martin's Press]] |date=2008 |page=295 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RTgh4Hn3TNgC&pg=PA295}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/515/good-guys?act=3|work=This American Life|title=Episode 515: Good Guys, Act 3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.npr.org/2014/10/31/360358240/where-no-one-should-go|work=Snap Judgment|title=Where No One Should Go|date=31 October 2014|publisher=NPR.org|author=Washington, Glynn}}</ref>

His death has been profiled in a number of documentary films, including the 2020 documentary feature ''[[Dave Not Coming Back]]''.<ref>Douglas Laman, [https://thespool.net/festivals/dave-not-coming-back-austin-film-festival-documentary-review/ "AFF Fest: “Dave Not Coming Back” is a poignant look at loss and risk"]. ''The Spool'', October 25, 2020.</ref> Australian band [[We Lost the Sea]]'s 2015 concept album ''Departure Songs'' features songs inspired by failed, yet epic and honourable individual journeys or events throughout history where people have done extraordinary things for the greater good of those around them, including a track titled "The Last Dive of David Shaw".

== Personal life ==
Shaw was a [[Christians|Christian]]. He and his wife, Ann, lived in [[Hong Kong]], where they were members of a small Christian congregation.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTlmJeP2Cr0&t=240 4:00 @ "To Boldly Go" (2005) Dave Shaw's Final Dive | YouTube]</ref> They had two children, Steven Shaw and Lisa ([[née]] Shaw) Moyers.<ref>''Diving into Darkness'', pp. 29-30.</ref>

== See also ==
* ''[[Dave Not Coming Back]]''

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [http://deepcave.com/pages/3/index.htm DeepCave.com] - Shaw's personal webpage, with his final updates regarding preparations for the fatal recovery of Dreyer's body.
{{Underwater diving|hisdiv}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shaw, David}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:2005 deaths]]
[[Category:Australian aviators]]
[[Category:Australian Christians]]
[[Category:Australian underwater divers]]
[[Category:Commercial aviators]]
[[Category:Sport deaths in South Africa]]
[[Category:Underwater diving deaths]]
[[Category:Deaths by drowning in South Africa]]
[[Category:21st-century Australian people]]

AviationSafetyX Wiki - User contributions [en]

Dave Shaw