Another CZM diving death Nov 21.

[Ron Lee]

I can attest that two days after this incident, the current was in fact ripping at this site. I only have about 25 -30 dives in Cozumel, so is it reasonable speculation that the current was just as strong two days earlier?

No. But a diver who was on the site at the same time as the other group may be able to provide his assessment of the current. Not sure who that person was or in which forum I saw the post.

 

[firstdive2005]

Holy moly, can I add to the speculation. Have you ever been on the dive? Well I have, at least 25 times. I have been on it with several newer divers and lots that did not want to penetrate. Never has the current been that bad to blow anyone off or miss the wreck.
Once at the bow, where there is a big 5ftx5ft hole I stuck my head and light in. Just like every movie in my head about doing that a Green Moray was sitting there, I almost ate my reg. My friend Rhonda decided to video the big galoot. I did laugh after tens seconds of gasping. HERES the speculation maybe she got spooked.

 

[cruiser]

Holy moly, can I add to the speculation. Have you ever been on the dive? Well I have, at least 25 times. I have been on it with several newer divers and lots that did not want to penetrate. Never has the current been that bad to blow anyone off or miss the wreck.
Once at the bow, where there is a big 5ftx5ft hole I stuck my head and light in. Just like every movie in my head about doing that a Green Moray was sitting there, I almost ate my reg. My friend Rhonda decided to video the big galoot. I did laugh after tens seconds of gasping. HERES the speculation maybe she got spooked.

Have you penetrated the wreck on one of your dives? If so, was the penetration deep into the structure, or easy-in and easy-out? I've got this picture swirling around in my head that occasional vacation divers who aren't penetration trained are getting in there and stirring up silt and did anyone run a line? Maybe there's big holes cut in the side of the wreck and it's a swim-through but I don't know so that's why I'm asking.

 

[Christi]

Have you penetrated the wreck on one of your dives? If so, was the penetration deep into the structure, or easy-in and easy-out? I've got this picture swirling around in my head that occasional vacation divers who aren't penetration trained are getting in there and stirring up silt and did anyone run a line? Maybe there's big holes cut in the side of the wreck and it's a swim-through but I don't know so that's why I'm asking.

Hi Cruiser,

Penetration in this wreck is not deep. It was sunken intentionally and swim throughs were created. Big holes were cut in the sides and there is line running through for the guides to follow. It's easy in and out for the most part with the doorways being the tightest spots - and it would be very difficult to get lost in there unless you went off on your own, didn't follow the line or the group. It is still an overhead environment and can still intimidate people and of course there is still risk involved. I consider it an easy (and boring) dive - but I can certainly understand and respect people not feeling comfortable going inside. I personally like to stay outside when I dive it because there are some great photo opportunities on the deck and around the perimeter of the wreck.

There is also a small patch of reef to the east of the wreck that I enjoy while others are inside the wreck.

 

[DandyDon]

Christi's assessment is right on, as expected - and mostly I agree with the boring part. I'd never request it, but it's something different to do once maybe. Last time I did it, Firstdive was on the dive with his magnifying glass which was nice - peeking at the little gobies hiding in their coral holes. Someone posted a pretty good video of the dive at Felipe Xicotenantl Cozumel Wreck Dive - YouTube

 

[ggunn]

Gord: It has NOT been posted here that the current was strong that day. This is the second time that YOU have said this. I offered you a possible "out" earlier (in that JAX said current had been strong a few weeks earlier) but no one who was actually in the water on that day has confirmed this. Can you produce a link to support this theory of yours? It is entirely possible that the current MAY have been strong but until someone who dived the wreck on that day, at roughly that time, then you're shooting blanks. And that's not your style.

It MAY be as you said following the part about the current: that she didn't enter and just got swept away. But at the same time, a diver can easily enough hang onto any part of the wreck to wait for the group to emerge assuming they are still over the wreck. Maybe she just wasn't over the wreck and had nothing to hang onto. But none of that means the current was particularly strong; just stronger than that diver's swimming ability.

OK, the current may or may not have been ripping there that day. Add it to the list of maybe's. As you say, there are other variations on the scenario where the current would have been less of a contributor. Forget I even mentioned the current.

My point is that when kicking against the current (or just kicking) for an extended period of time, a healthy experienced diver with plenty of air can get into an exhausted hyperventilated state which could be dangerous, even life threatening. I know, because it happened to me, and IMO, given the observable facts, it is a more likely scenario than CO poisoning.

But, as I said, it's speculation. We may never know what happened. The longer it goes, the less likely it is that we will ever find out anything definite.

 

[TexasKaren68]

Her husband was not on the dive. He was waiting back on shore.

I understand that she opted to go back to the boat by herself and was seen ascending to her safety stop. After that, who knows?

It is a mystery as to what happened, as twodawgs stated, and such a sad ending for a lady who was so much fun and so full of life.

 

[Mike]

I'd don't know what the percentage is, but I'd have to guess its as high as 75% of scuba deaths, the dive buddy is no where around. Live longer, never leave your dive buddy.

How many people who insta-buddy dive take 60 seconds before splashing in to actually discuss sticking close to each other, discuss hand signals, and then how many during the dive at least once ask for their insta-buddy's air pressure during the dive and give theirs? I don't see it happening.

I was on a dive on this very dive site last year, when there were 2 divers on our boat without buddies, they both splashed in without even buddying up together, each one penetrated the wreck solo, just hanging around the vicinity of the group of us 3 pairs of buddy team divers, not close to each other, sometimes one would be at the head of the group and one buried 4 divers back in the single file chain snaking through the wreck.

One of the solo divers went OOA on his safety stop and his personal lesson from it all was that he couldn't trust a rental gauge that said he still had 300psi on his stop, he felt that if he had a reliable accurate gauge he would have been fine.

I really wish people would take the dangers of scuba diving more seriously. I've seen too many husband/boyfriends downplaying the seriousness of the dangers of diving to their wife/girlfriend-vacation dive buddy out of fear of them becoming too nervous or not wanting to risk them not wanting to dive.

 

[Christi]

One of the solo divers went OOA on his safety stop and his personal lesson from it all was that he couldn't trust a rental gauge that said he still had 300psi on his stop, he felt that if he had a reliable accurate gauge he would have been fine.

I agree with your entire post Mike - but even if his gauge was accurate, he should have had more air in his tank - that is really cutting it close! I have a 300 - 500psi ON THE surface rule - BAD thing to breathe tanks bone dry!

 

[Mike]

I agree with your entire post Mike - but even if his gauge was accurate, he should have had more air in his tank - that is really cutting it close! I have a 300 - 500psi ON THE surface rule - BAD thing to breathe tanks bone dry!

Exactly.

He's an example of somebody underestimating the dangers of diving by not establishing a buddy and then rationalizing getting caught in an incident that this time he walked away from unscathed. Maybe to himself it was a gut check realization, but outwardly he showed no recognization of how a slight adjustment to the circumstances to the incident, for instance his gauge reading false enough to cause him going OOA in the middle of the wreck could have changed the outcome dramatically.

Reality is he breathed through his air quicker than anticipated, didn't want to tell the DM he had to go up prior to the end of the dive, pushed his air to the limits and then went OOA on the safety stop because he didn't leave himself enough margin for error. He never buddied up with anybody, his only choice was to emergency ascend.

Slightly different circumstances and he could have been a diver found dead in one of the rooms on the wreck and ended up an incident on here and the only concrete info would have been he was OOA based on examination of his tank. Circumstances of his death would have been a mystery, and circumstances of his death would have been preventable by simply establishing a buddy and diving safely with that buddy. It's just proof of how important a dive buddy is in the equation of safety in diving.