Dive JB this Weekend?

[Genesis]

Yep. That's what I mean about "in the vicinity".

A few hundred yards can be bad in fresh water. In salt it almost has to hit you to do the same thing due to the higher conductivity of the water.

In salt water it can be argued that you're safer underwater than in the boat during a thunderstorm.... this is not necessarily true in the case of fresh water.

[caveman21]

The instant that the strike occurred, I was hit with a sharp, momentary shock that caused my entire body to involuntarily spasm. At the same time, I remember hearing the muffled clap of thunder. Realizing that I was unhurt, I began calling out “are you okay, are you okay” to Rob through my regulator. In that brief moment I had lost track of his whereabouts, and I couldn’t see him as I spun around in the water. I made a quick search of the bottom, which was very turbid by now, then headed for the surface. He had surfaced looking for me as well. Rob immediately asked if I was okay, and if I too had felt the strike. There was absolutely no doubt what we had experienced.

Oh boy, does this sound familiar. A few years ago a buddy and I were zapped on Hill 400 in Ginnie. We didn't know until we exited what had happened.

I thought that the lightning strike while in the water stories were just that stories until Chuck and Rob came in after living through it. I just figured you would be safe in the water. A electrician said in theory if you are in water and not touching ground you would not get shocked. I guess he was WRONG! Edd

Sounds like the strike that happened at the first CDF Social. Lightning popped a water oak about 50 feet from the pavilion and scared the mess out of all of us. That's as close as I ever care to be to a strike. You could feel the power of it when it hit and about a minute later the oak it hit fell apart. I remember a couple of divers that were in the water felt it way back in the cave.

Ron White