Abalone Diving
Northern California Diver Deaths
This page chronologically lists abalone diver deaths. Month, the dive area, sex, age and residence are listed along with links to media reports detailing what happened. Worth noting is that this list is restricted to abalone diving-related deaths. It is provided as a sober demonstration that dangers associated with this sport are quite real.
2008
2007
| NOTE - the "mix-up" in counts seen in the headlines is our local paper's way of confusing abalone diver deaths with other deaths that have occurred off the north coast. So far, by mid-October, seven abalone divers/shorepickers have died this year along with 3 deaths on the water but not related to abalone. |
| October | Westport, Mendocino County | Male, Bay Area (unconfirmed) | Abalone diver found dead |
| June | Jack Peters Beach, Mendocino County | Male, 51, San Francisco, CA | San Francisco
abalone diver sixth to die off Mendocino coast in '07 Drowned Abalone Diver Identified Abalone Diver's Death is 9th of Year off North Coast |
| May | Point Arena Lighthouse, Mendocino County | Male, 59, San Jose, CA | Drowned
Abalone Diver Identified Diver's Death 8th this Year Off North Coast |
| April | Fort Bragg, Mendocino County | Male, 51, Oakland, CA | 4th Abalone
Hunter in 5 days Dies |
| April | Point Arena Lighthouse, Mendocino County | Male, 36, Suisun, CA | Third Diver
Drowns Off Mendocino Coast |
| April | Point Arena Lighthouse, Mendocino County | Female, 60, Gilroy, CA | 2 Die Hunting
Abalone |
| April | Caspar, Mendocino County | Male, 70, Atascadero, CA | 'Angry' Sea
in Mendocino Cove took Season's First Victim 2 Die Hunting Abalone |
2006
| 2006 looks like it was a pretty gentle year compared with what we're seeing in 2007. However, anyone who does a news search on the 2006 abalone season will quickly see that there were a number of close calls that never made it into this list. Thankfully. |
| April | Mendocino Headlands, Mendocino County | Male, 65, Camp Connell, CA | Diver Dies |
2005
| September | Russian Gulch, Sonoma County | Male, 31, Santa Rosa, CA | SR man dies
while diving at coast Drowning victim was SR market director |
| June | Timber Cove, Sonoma County | Male, 59, La Habra, CA | Abalone Diver
Dies Offshore Body of Diver Identified |
| June | Van Damme, Mendocino County | Male, 57, San Jose, CA | Missing Divers Body Recovered |
2004
| November | Van Damme, Mendocino County | Male, 56, San Francisco, CA | Body of Diver Found 200 Miles
Away Officials continue search for diver Diver missing, feared dead |
| September | Salt Point, Sonoma County | Male, 51, Sebastopol, CA | Officials Unsure How Sebastopol Abalone Diver Drowned During Weekend Trip with Friends |
| August | MacKerricher, Mendocino County | Male, 50, Auburn, CA | Divers Remains
Found Great White takes Diver Near Westport Shark Victim's Body found off Mendocino County Coast |
| May | MacKerricher , Mendocino County | Male, 33, Fort Bragg, CA Male, 77, Fort Bragg, CA |
Divers Drown off Mendocino Coast |
2003
| May | Fort Ross, Sonoma County | Male, 42, Berkeley, CA | Officials Release ID of Drowning Victim |
| April | Elk, Mendocino County | Male, , Sacramento, CA | Drowned Diver was Sacramento Man |
2002
2001
|
October |
Buckhorn Cove, Mendocino County | Male, 50, French Gulch, CA | Man Dies While Diving for Abalone |
|
May |
Fort Ross, Sonoma County | Male, 49, Sunnyvale, CA | Diver Missing Near Fort Ross |
|
April |
Fort Ross, Sonoma County | Male, 35, San Jose, CA | Abalone Diver Dies Off Fort Ross On Season Opeaner |
2000
|
September |
Gerstle Cove, Sonoma County | Male, 41, Redwood City, CA | Diver Gets Tangled in Kelp, Drowns |
|
August |
Point Reyes, Marin County | Male, 70, Vallejo, CA | Diver Dies Off Pt. Reyes |
|
May |
Jack Peters Creek, Mendocino County | Male, 60, San Jose, CA | Mendocino Coast Body Find Identified |
1999
|
November |
Sea Ranch, Sonoma County | Male, 39, Hayward, CA |
Abalone Diver Drowns In Waters Off Sea Ranch Brother: Diver died taking risk |
|
October |
Sea Ranch, Sonoma County | Male, 20, Cupertino, CA |
Body of Missing Diver, 20, Found Snared in Kelp Bed Still no sign of diver off Sea Ranch |
1998
|
September |
Fort Ross, Sonoma County | Male, 43, Cool, CA | Diver Falls Ill, Dies at Coast |
|
August |
Fort Ross, Sonoma County | Male, 29, Santa Cruz, CA | Man Identified in Diving Death |
1997
|
November |
Russian Gulch, Mendocino County | Male, 32, Plymouth, CA | Diving Victim Identified |
|
August |
Salt Point, Sonoma County | Male, 19, Antioch, CA | Diver, 19, Drowns at Salt Point |
|
August |
Albion Cove, Mendocino County | Male, 28, Willits, CA | Autopsy Awaited in Divers Death |
|
April |
Fort Ross, Sonoma County | Male, 31, Santa Rosa, CA |
Police Investigate Death Of Santa Rosa Diver Officials Identify SR Drowning Victim SR Abalone Diver Drowns at Fort Ross |
1996
|
October |
Salt Point State Park, Sonoma County | Male, 49, Sonoma, CA | Abalone Diver Missing on Coast |
|
September |
Fort Ross, Sonoma County | Male, 78, Albany, CA | Diver's Body Found in Kelp |
|
August |
Little River Cemetery, Menodocino County | Male, 25, Redding, CA | Redding Man Dies in Dive |
1995
|
September |
Van Damme, Mendocino County | Male, 46, Santa Rosa, CA | Body of SR Man Found |
|
June |
Timber Cove, Sonoma County | Male, 35, San Francisco, CA |
S.F. Man Dies While Diving for Abalone Diving Crews Recover SF Man's Body |
|
June |
Davenport, Santa Cruz County | Male, 47, Ben Lomond, CA | Drowned Diver Identified |
|
April |
Stillwater Cove, Sonoma County | Male, 31, Antioch, CA |
Man drowns diving for abalone Antioch Man Drowns While Abalone Diving Abalone Season Opens on Grim Note |
1994
|
September |
Point Arena, Mendocino County | Male, 37, San Rafael, CA | Abalone Season Ends: One Diver Fatality Total |
1993
|
April |
Horseshoe Cove, Sonoma County | Male, 35, San Francisco, CA | Abalone Diver Drowns in Surf |
Last Modified: November 11, 2008
