The tale of “The ScottBot”
An innovative re-use of technologies provides a useful tool for searching difficult locations.
May Is Water Safety Month: What Actually Prevents Drowning (2026 Update)
May is National Water Safety Month. Join California Recovery Divers in continuing to raise awareness about drowning prevention, life jacket use, and staying safe in unpredictable open water and all of California water ways.
Staying Safe Around California Aqueduct Canals: What to Do If Someone Falls In
California's aqueducts are deceptively dangerous. Learn critical water safety tips and exactly what to do if someone falls into a swift-water canal.
2025 Wrap - A Big Thank You
Reflection and appreciation for our donors and supporters as we wrap 2025. See how your tax-deductible contributions directly funded our zero-cost, volunteer underwater recovery missions in 2025.
How it all works
We hope you never have to call us. But if a water tragedy strikes, here is a straightforward guide on exactly what families can expect from our recovery process.
7 Myths And 1 Truth About The Search and Recovery of Drowning Victims
We set the record straight on the 7 most common myths about underwater search and recovery to help families understand the hard realities of the process.
Your Sonar is a Toy
Wondering why recreational boat sonar isn't enough for a recovery? We explain the vast difference between consumer fish-finders and professional side scan sonar.
Side scan SONAR searches
Side scan sonar creates an underwater search system that is efficient and safe. The overall system ensures complete coverage, and assists in navigating the boat and accurately identifying underwater targets.
Wide Area Hand Searches
We can expand our tender-directed searches to cover larger areas using boats and specific anchoring techniques.
Best Practices in Recovery
Learn the foundational best practices of tender-directed recovery diving. See how our teams efficiently and safely search in zero-visibility black water.
The Point Last Seen
The "Point Last Seen" (PLS) is the most critical piece of information in a water recovery. Learn why it dictates how the entire underwater search process unfolds.
Tale of a Work Boat
When grant makers fell through, our donors stepped up. Read the story of how our custom work boat was funded to support safe, highly efficient underwater recoveries.
The Untold Story: How Teeth Help Solve Mysteries
Identifying a drowning victim is a complex, methodical process. Learn how dental records and forensic science play a crucial role in bringing closure to unsolved water mysteries.
Navigate Smoothly: Safety Tips for Your July 4th Boating Adventure
Holiday weekends see a tragic spike in water accidents. Keep your family safe this July 4th with these critical boating and open-water safety tips from professional recovery divers.
May is Water Safety Month
May is National Water Safety Month. Join California Recovery Divers in raising awareness about drowning prevention, life jacket use, and staying safe in unpredictable open water.
Recovery Diving in Baltimore
Our thoughts on the tragic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. A professional perspective on the incredibly dangerous, zero-visibility recovery diving required in Baltimore.
A Look Back
Looking back at 2023, a year of tremendous growth for California Recovery Divers. Reflecting on our missions, our volunteers, and the grieving families we were able to serve.
Some Days Disappoint
Not every search ends in an immediate recovery. Read a candid reflection on the harsh realities of underwater search conditions and when teams must temporarily admit defeat to Mother Nature. Mother nature isn’t always kind.
Is that what it looks like?
Searching with side scan sonar requires mapping and meticulous investigation. See how our teams analyze underwater shadows to confirm or dismiss targets. Things aren’t always what they seem.
Underwater fingerprints?
Can you recover fingerprints from an object submerged in water? We explore a groundbreaking FBI study on aquatic forensics and what it means for underwater search operations.