What is the "typical" surface interval for two tank boat dives in Cozumel?

What were your surface intervals for two tank boat dives in Cozumel?

  • 30-40 minutes

    Votes: 2 1.9%
  • 40-50 minutes

    Votes: 8 7.6%
  • 50-60 minutes

    Votes: 36 34.3%
  • longer than 60 minutes

    Votes: 59 56.2%

  • Total voters
    105

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:eek:k: for that last line

Your assumption about me being a foreigner is only partly right... Long story short, I was born in Tanzania from Dutch parents. So although i was not born in NL, I still am a Dutchman by birth and upbringing... I did spend a lot of years abroad in my youth... Thanks for the compliment :)

You two should get a room!!!

Don't you love it when combatants kiss and make up :)
 
Haha! Cascas - who do you do your cave diving with?
 
Lorenzoid,

If you read my posts in the other thread, I was pretty clear about why I was concerned.

Sorry, but it was not clear to me after reading the other thread. I got the impression you were conflating the two possible concerns I mentioned, DCS risk and your Suunto going into unplanned deco mode, and I didn't understand which of them was the root of your concern.

Since this will be my first trip diving in Cozumel, I am not familiar with the dive sites, but I did get the impression from reading trip reports that there are swim throughs at depths, possible downcurrents as well as strong surface currents.

I found it concerning in many many of these trip reports, people with Suunto's described problems doing the the two tank dive profiles - either going into unplanned deco or having to ascend early and separate from the group.

So I guess this is the answer to my question. The real, underlying concern is your computer going into unplanned deco or having to ascend early. The solution to that is to get a different computer. You obviously don't like your Suunto's conservativeness--or at least don't like it for Cozumel. Instead of working around this by fretting over surface intervals and taking polls, why not get a less conversative computer? Then you won't have to worry the next time you dive in Cozumel or anywhere else. These threads seem to be a re-hash of the "Is Suunto Too Conservative?" threads--of which there have been several.


I think it's totally reasonable to ask why this might be happening so I asked for people to share their own experiences so I could get some insight into how to avoid what was, in my opinion, a bad dive plan.

But is it "a bad dive plan" because you feel the dive op is risking your safety or because of that computer issue again? Which computer you're diving with is irrelevant to whether it's a bad dive plan from a safety standpoint. As I noted, hundreds of divers dive in Cozumel every day--and as far as I know, with no greater incidence of DCS than anywhere else. So again, it seems to come back to your computer.

There were lots of responses that I found helpful - others not so much usually because they made some incorrect assumptions or they chose to go off topic.

I chose not to take offense but it was disturbing when these posters started putting words into my mouth - kind of like this one.

I have never said I am concerned about DCS in Cozumel - I am concerned about DCS because I choose to do recreational diving as a hobby.

And yes, you are being snarky, because you are posting with the tone that you have tried to refrain - but you just can't now since I am being so unreasonable.

Please don't read too much into what you perceive as tone. Few people compose posts on SB the way they would if writing an essay or something. I'm being curious, not snarky. I was curious whether you had some reason to believe diving practices in Cozumel dive ops were somehow less safe than elsewhere and trying to separate that question from any issues about what computer one is diving with. The two issues or concerns are valid, but they do not necessarily have anything to do with each other. It seems to me that talking about them separately would be most helpful. If the question is how to avoid a Suunto computer going into unplanned deco in Cozumel and what to do if it does, that's the question to ask. I think that was the main question in your other post, but it got confusing with all the responses talking about what is safe and what is less safe.

You admit that a poll on surface interval stats would be interesting - my curiosity stemmed from some very strong opinions voiced on the other thread so I thought it would be an interesting exercise if we actually polled the SI times based on hard data - ie. looking in your logbook (or software) - rather than recall that they went with a dive op that said they had a 60 minute SI policy.

No, I said (and aren't YOU getting defensive with the word "admit"?) that SI stats would be interesting IF there was some evidence that people are getting bent in Cozumel more than other places with similar diving. If that were so, then SI might be a factor.

And yes, I picked a dive op that has been recommended again and again by SB - something I have stated many times in that thread.

As well, I have also made it very clear that I am totally happy with my choice of dive op and that I am confident I can dive safely in Cozumel in that thread.

I also made it very clear on that thread that I had done many dives with my Suunto using Nitrox without any issues, but because the MOD of some of the 1st dive sites in Cozumel exceeded the EAN that is available, I was asking what other people did and I got my answer - air for the 1st dive and Nitrox for the 2nd - and I also stated in that thread that I am good with that.

So I don't understand why - when I have also been very clear in my original post on the purpose of this thread - you feel there is any value to a post in this thread going into some long diatribe about my "actual" concerns in my other thread.

I am not agonizing over my Cozumel trip - rather I am quite enjoying all the new diving concepts I am learning - thanks again for those more experienced who took the time to share your knowledge - and hopefully others reading the thread can gain something that is useful for them as well.

I believe good planning and preparation is part of our Basic Open Water training so I don't know why you feel the need to be so critical -maybe I should over-analyze your motives for your post - now that would be a waste of my time.

[/QUOTE]

I apologize for sounding critical. It just struck me that you aren't the first diver to dive Cozumel with a conservative computer (or, computer aside, a desire to dive conservatively). I know you found some threads in which people diving Suunto said their computers barked at them in Cozumel, but this can happen anywhere. Two separate threads (this one five pages at this point) and a poll just struck me as a lot of discussion for a trip to Cozumel that should be relaxed and easy. "Good planning" is admirable, but I have to believe that loads of divers with computers of all kinds who put no advance thought into it have managed to enjoy their Cozumel dive vacation with no ill effects. Good for you to investigate your concerns to this level of depth--maybe the divers who fly off to Cozumel in blissful ignorance are not doing themselves a favor. Maybe I'm one of them--I am all too guilty of going to dive resorts in various places in the world without reading up on the diving in advance. I was just concerned you might be obsessing over it to the point it might take away the fun. From your reply, I get the impression you enjoy this kind of in-depth analytical thinking and are not at all freaking out. Have a good trip!
 
Probably some or all of these reasons :

I'm Dutch ( those two combined tend to sometimes sound too direct )

[youtubehq]QJ882QYzr-M[/youtubehq]

[youtubehq]CST7w_Otz7o[/youtubehq]
 
Hey remember (most of you won't) when your SI was calculated off a table and a wrist watch? With the ensuing argument about the differences between NAUI and PADI tables! The SI calcu was made only after you had changed your own tanks, eaten a torta or couple of tacos and washed it down with a beer or two, all the while drifting in the sun on a panga smelling of fish and gasoline and the captain fishing non-stop?

Troublesome image? Yes, we did have concerns about exceeding the lifetime of the ice for the ride back to town! :D
 
The real, underlying concern is your computer going into unplanned deco or having to ascend early. The solution to that is to get a different computer.

No, thanks. I clearly stated I did not want to get a different computer and specifically said so in my post.

You obviously don't like your Suunto's conservativeness--or at least don't like it for Cozumel.

I don't understand how you can know this. How would I even know since I have never been diving in Cozumel???

Instead of working around this by fretting over surface intervals and taking polls...

I never said I was fretting. I said I was curious - so I thought a poll would be interesting. Don't participate if it doesn't interest you.

No, I said (and aren't YOU getting defensive with the word "admit"?) that SI stats would be interesting IF there was some evidence that people are getting bent in Cozumel more than other places with similar diving. If that were so, then SI might be a factor.

This is what you said word for word: "And yes, the surface interval stats would be interesting. If there is some reason to believe that dive ops in Coz are not following as conservative practices as dive ops elsewhere in the world and that's leading to a higher incidence of DCS, then that would be interesting to know."

You chose to misquote yourself and amalgate your sentences together to make it sound like I misquoted you.

I said you admitted it was interesting. That is all.

I don't generally like to give unsolicited advice but perhaps you could follow your own advice and not read into the tone.

Also, I would like to respectfully suggest that IF there is something that is of more interest to you than what is posted then you should start your own poll.

But is it "a bad dive plan" because you feel the dive op is risking your safety...

I never remotely suggested that I felt the dive op is risking my safety - I always take responsibility for my own safety.

What I said was I wanted to avoid going into unplanned deco or having to ascend early and separate from the group.

I asked for people to share their own experiences so I could get some insight into how to avoid what was, in my opinion, a bad dive plan.



Which computer you're diving with is irrelevant to whether it's a bad dive plan from a safety standpoint.

I disagree.

I asked Suunto divers to help me find a strategy to avoid having to engage in what could be considered unsafe dive practices that could potentially put me at increased risk of having an incident.

Prevention is way better than having to deal with a problem in the water on the fly - that is how I was trained and how I choose to dive.

As I noted, hundreds of divers dive in Cozumel every day--and as far as I know, with no greater incidence of DCS than anywhere else..

I really don't understand why you keep harping on this? I have never said this or suggested this.

I believe that there is a risk of DCS everytime you choose to dive - period.

If the question is how to avoid a Suunto computer going into unplanned deco in Cozumel and what to do if it does, that's the question to ask... I think that was the main question in your other post, but it got confusing with all the responses talking about what is safe and what is less safe.

Agreed. But I have no control over how other people respond.

It seems to me that talking about them separately would be most helpful.

Once the thread evolved into a discussion about other things, I posted my question about the Suunto algorithm in the Computer forum.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/co...suunto-algorithm-know-if-valid-statement.html

It was very enlightening - I learned a lot about the Suunto RGBM algorithm - and more!

Check it out if you are interested - or not. Your choice.

I apologize for sounding critical. It just struck me that you aren't the first diver to dive Cozumel with a conservative computer (or, computer aside, a desire to dive conservatively). I know you found some threads in which people diving Suunto said their computers barked at them in Cozumel, but this can happen anywhere. Two separate threads (this one five pages at this point) and a poll just struck me as a lot of discussion for a trip to Cozumel that should be relaxed and easy. "Good planning" is admirable, but I have to believe that loads of divers with computers of all kinds who put no advance thought into it have managed to enjoy their Cozumel dive vacation with no ill effects. Good for you to investigate your concerns to this level of depth--maybe the divers who fly off to Cozumel in blissful ignorance are not doing themselves a favor. Maybe I'm one of them--I am all too guilty of going to dive resorts in various places in the world without reading up on the diving in advance..

I accept your apology. I choose not to follow the "Trust Me Dive" philosophy. You can choose to dive however you wish.


I was just concerned you might be obsessing over it to the point it might take away the fun. From your reply, I get the impression you enjoy this kind of in-depth analytical thinking and are not at all freaking out.

I am not freaking out. However, taking time and energy to reply to clarify my position on what I feel are misleading or inaccurate statements are not enjoyable.

Going forward, I hope that there can be a moratorium on attributing any further speculations you may have on my behalf.

Have a good trip!

Thank-you!
 
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I think the thread and poll was an interesting exercise. Off the top of my head I would probably said that the "standard" SI for Caribbean diving was 60 minutes. Reviewing my log I see that my SI in Coz was usually 75 minutes and for GC 50-55 minutes.
 
Hi gasgirl,

I've enjoyed reading both your threads in their entirety. Computer aside, you do seem a bit nervous concerning your upcoming trip to Cozumel. Hopefully, the additional information you've learned will increase your confidence. I'm certain you will enjoy your trip and have wonderful dives.

My son and I had a recent week trip to Cozumel and dived with Aldora and their 120 cu ft steel tanks. First dives each day were on air though only a single dive exceeded the MOD of EAN 32 (yes, this was Punta Sur, Devil's Throat, 127 feet). It would have been nice to use nitrox on some of these dives. Second dives were all on EAN 32. First dives averaged a max depth of 102 feet, avg depth of 56 feet, and avg dive time of 68 minutes. Second dives averaged a max depth of 81 feet, avg depth of 49 feet, and avg dive time of 84 minutes. Our SIs averaged 1:55 with a range of 1:44-2:15. BTW, we dive Oceanic computers running the DSAT algorithm. Before that, for me, it was a Cochran.

Enjoy Cozumel, I look forward to follow up,

Craig
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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