Freediver dead at Volusia Blue Spring

My Condolences to the family also. This is more of a reason why you need a dive buddy. Dive safe everybody.

My condolences as well to the family of "Robert Jones". I am usually at Blue every Saturday am and had never met Robert. If not for a prior appointment, I would have been there this morning. Makes me wonder what if...

Scott

scott said:

My condolences as well to the family of "Robert Jones". I am usually at Blue every Saturday am and had never met Robert. If not for a prior appointment, I would have been there this morning. Makes me wonder what if...

Scott

Click to expand...

Scott, I don't remember if we've met or not. I lived in FL for most of my life up until last year. I dove Blue Springs a lot from 2003-2006 (and met a few DB members from time to time) and then slowly phased away from freediving.

The weird thing here is that I knew Rob from my other passion in life, skydiving. Rob was an avid wingsuit flyer and BASE jumper and even manufactured BASE gear commercially. I saw Rob at a skydiving event in February in Puerto Rico and he was talking to me about his newfound love for freediving and we were supposed to go in PR but never did (I don't think either of us had gear with us). Then I was in FL again last month at a wingsuit event (hosted by his company) and I was talking to Rob about freediving and Blue Springs.

He was an amazing man and always very giving to me. This hurts me most of all when I think of his wife, and when I think of the fact that I have dove Blue Spring solo myself, many times in the past, and got away with it all.

I only got to meet Robert in April, as I spent a week at his house for a skydiving event.
He seemed very passionate about freediving, and the short time I spent with him got to know him as a very humble, methodical, friendly and polite person.
From what we talked about in freediving, he didnt seem interested in personal bests, or records and mostly enjoyed the recreational side of things. Which does suggest to me he wasnt pushing things in terms of depth. Spending time under water, and enjoying the surroundings seemed to be his thing.

He will be so missed by everyone..can imagine how hard this must be on his wife and her grand-daughter (to whom Robert was almost like a father).

My condolances to anyone who knew him..