Fla. Scuba Diver To Go World Record This December
LAUDERDALE-BY-THE SEA (CBS4) – A Florida scuba diver who ended his bid to break a world record for the longest saltwater dive after just 12 hours said he will try again later this year.
Allen Sherrod started his attempt Tuesday morning around 8:30 a.m. just off the Lauderdale-by-the-Sea shoreline. He had planned to be there for 72 hours but his crew pulled him out Tuesday night because the rough surf.
"The conditions just continued to worsen," he said Wednesday.
Very strong southerly currents and 4-to 6-foot swells made it extremely dangerous for safety divers to swim 200 yards offshore to where Sherrod was. Sherrod had planned to use up to 60 tanks during his underwater effort. All of them were to be changed underwater, day and night, with help from his team of divers.
Because of the rough seas, his safety team on Tuesday afternoon had asked the Volunteer Fire Department's Beach Patrol, which operates a water scooter, to help it transport fresh air tanks out to where Sherrod was staying.
Even that assistance wasn't enough. A few hours later, Sherrod's safety divers recommended aborting the world record attempt because of the danger.
Sherrod, who already holds the world record for the longest freshwater scuba dive at 120 hours, not only wanted to break the record for longest saltwater dive but also bring attention to a new artificial reef off the coast of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. He hopes try for the record again this December if the conditions are right.
