Beware of French Lady

[susanlouise]

When were you in Cozumel? The new moon was July 8th, and the full moon is going to be July 22nd.

I got there on the July 4 and left on the 11th (yesterday!).

 

[Diver Kat]

It gives you the choice of working your butt off and sucking your tank down to look at his pet <whatever>, or flying off into the distance alone and hoping the boat driver is really, really good and that you don't end up on the evening news in a story about how long it takes to pry a SCUBA tank out of a cruise ship prop..

Well there is a 3rd option that I often take when I don't feel like wasting my air/energy to squeeze into the group and look - I'll pass them all looking at the 'whatever', then drop down behind a coral head, sponge, etc. to get out of the current, and wait. Gives me a chance to putter around looking for little stuff myself.

 

[Pelagicsal]

Kat, that would be perfect for the "You know you're a Cozumel diver when..." thread!

About a week ago, during the washing machine that was Palancar Caves, I took out my slate, wrote Welcome to March! and showed it to a favorite divemaster. He agreed emphatically.

There've been strong and unusual-for-July currents on my dives, pretty consistently, ever since.
We didn't have the squirrelly currents in March, but it seems they might be here now.

Posted this on Facebook yesterday on surface interval between Barracuda and San Juan:
An E-ticket ride of a dive on Barracuda this morning! Bubbles went up a foot, then made a full-body veil on the way back down. Beautiful flight, breakfast at Playa Azul... Look out San Juan! Here we come!!
*****************

San Juan was singing, too, so we enjoyed another fast and fun tour. So busy playing in the current that I didn't even hear my usual Pink Floyd "Learning to Fly" performance as we passed above the finger coral carpet.

Before the briefing at Barracuda, the capi had said there was little-to-no current, maybe slightly south. Near the end of the briefing, I glanced up at him, and he gave the arm signal for STRONG current and indicated north.

So, welcome to March. Enjoy the rides!

 

[etexdiver]

Well there is a 3rd option that I often take when I don't feel like wasting my air/energy to squeeze into the group and look - I'll pass them all looking at the 'whatever', then drop down behind a coral head, sponge, etc. to get out of the current, and wait. Gives me a chance to putter around looking for little stuff myself.

I like that option. It's also a good place to take a relaxing pee while waiting on the group. Then the group comes along and wonders what you found because you're stopped. It can be pretty funny. Agreed, as well, on finding little stuff. Nudibranchs, decorator crabs, scorpion fish', eels, etc.

Wife jtexdiver said put her vote in for drift diving, too. I DO know some people who don't care for drifts, but i think it is more a case of nervousness over their skills and bouyancy. Different strokes for different folks, but if someone doesn't like drift diving, they should probably not dive Coz.

 

[Pelagicsal]

Then the group comes along and wonders what you found because you're stopped. It can be pretty funny... Different strokes for different folks, but if someone doesn't like drift diving, they should probably not dive Coz.

Especially funny when photogs push me out of the way for nothing.

I have taken to naming alternate travel destinations when someone requests a dive with no current....

 

[ggunn]

Well there is a 3rd option that I often take when I don't feel like wasting my air/energy to squeeze into the group and look - I'll pass them all looking at the 'whatever', then drop down behind a coral head, sponge, etc. to get out of the current, and wait. Gives me a chance to putter around looking for little stuff myself.

That's what I do as well. I try to stay pretty far back from the DM on high current dives, but if I don't see the object of his attention on the first pass I will usually drift off to find a calm spot and wait for the group to pass. There will always be another toadfish.

 

[supergaijin]

Before the briefing at Barracuda, the capi had said there was little-to-no current, maybe slightly south. Near the end of the briefing, I glanced up at him, and he gave the arm signal for STRONG current and indicated north.

What's this about?

 

[Pelagicsal]

What's this about?

About the often unpredictable currents in Cozumel and what we experienced on our dives Friday?

About the captain describing the current as he observed it, later indicating that the current had changed by moving his hand in a way that is common for direction of travel, then moving his arm in manner to communicate strong?

 

[deeper thoughts]

I remember that reef having a mild current(doublecheck my logbook)

 

[Zman96]

San Juan was singing, too, so we enjoyed another fast and fun tour. So busy playing in the current that I didn't even hear my usual Pink Floyd "Learning to Fly" performance as we passed above the finger coral carpet.

One of my favorite parts of a dive on Cozumel, the coral finger carpet half way through the dive. We have done San Juan in such currents when we came up we could barely see some of the northern hotels they were so far out in the haze of humidity. I feel like superman while doing those few northern sites, I love it.