Boat's Emergency O2 Kit is "Out of Air"

[I Dive]

Many people probably won't like what I say here, but the way I see it, Mexico doesn't have a good reputation for anything except crime and people fleeing the country, so it doesnt' seem surprising to me that the diving industry isn't well qualified or equipped... If you choose to dive in a Hell Hole like that, you are accepting the risks that go along with the decision. Dont' rely on them to do anything positive or productive.

 

[DandyDon]

...ask your boat operators if they have emergency O2 on the boat and if they are positive it is full. You may even want to insist on seeing the bottles and gauges. Any reputable dive operator should respect this request.

I've had that happen in Cozumel on a big Op's boat, then a second of two bottles fail on a heart attack in the Bahamas, and I've thot about asking to inspect the O2 kits - but I've had enough grief over asking to see compressors, CO monitors, and quarterly test results. I gave up on that one and now carry my own analyzer, as well as encourage others to spend the $140 to do so.

So often we do see the kits boarded, but how do we know unless we do ask for an inspection. Haha, I'll let you know next trip I make.

I get the point about checking the boats O2. What I don't get is the dire need to use it in this case. From what was said in the op, DCS was not a concern.

Huh?

Who was the boat operation? If we know, we can avoid them.

Doesn't really matter. Too many like that really, enough that you don't know about it unless you do ask to inspect. Except - what happens if they say NO? Get off and scrub the day...?

Many people probably won't like what I say here, but the way I see it, Mexico doesn't have a good reputation for anything except crime and people fleeing the country, so it doesnt' seem surprising to me that the diving industry isn't well qualified or equipped... If you choose to dive in a Hell Hole like that, you are accepting the risks that go along with the decision. Dont' rely on them to do anything positive or productive.

That's a little harsh. Some truth therein, but a little excessive....

 

[I Dive]

It may be harsh, but I don't see how it's not true. It is what it is...

 

[DandyDon]

It may be harsh, but I don't see how it's not true. It is what it is...

How many dives you done in Mexico anyway...?

 

[I Dive]

I don't need to dive in Mexico to know the reputation of Mexico. The two years I spent in the military stationed in Texas taught me all I need to know about Mexico...

 

[Fly Girl]

Just a thought, and while not a substitute for the O2 cans, the diver could have at least been given NITROX if DCS was even a possibility. Once again, maybe it was not possible on this dive, but if the O2 cans are empty, it is an option to get additional oxygen into a person.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I would have never thought to check.

 

[DandyDon]

Just a thought, and while not a substitute for the O2 cans, the diver could have at least been given NITROX if DCS was even a possibility. Once again, maybe it was not possible on this dive, but if the O2 cans are empty, it is an option to get additional oxygen into a person.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I would have never thought to check.

Really, a new diver has enough to worry about getting him/herself and buddy safely prepared to dive. I don't know that I'd try to add that to the pre-dive check-list. Maybe, I don't know...?

 

[El Jefe]

Just a thought, and while not a substitute for the O2 cans, the diver could have at least been given NITROX if DCS was even a possibility. Once again, maybe it was not possible on this dive, but if the O2 cans are empty, it is an option to get additional oxygen into a person.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I would have never thought to check.

This is a great point and one that I thought of. Unfortunately there was no one on board this boat that was diving NITROX. I think you are smart to mention that NITROX is the next best thing to O2 if you want to get a diver a higher oxygen concentration. The highest concentration available would be the obvious choice. Unfortunately, like you said, not an option on this dive.

 

[String]

I see a dive boat operator as a floating taxi - his job is to get me to and from the site. If you decide in your own personal risk assessment that you NEED oxygen provision then either check before signing up with them or provide it yourself.

 

[El Jefe]

I get the point about checking the boats O2. What I don't get is the dire need to use it in this case. From what was said in the op, DCS was not a concern.

While there was not a dire need for it in hindsight, I struggle to understand how you could rule out DCS even from the minimal amount of information (numbness/tingling in extremities, disorientation, lightheadedness) in my post. Regardless, I think everyone will agree that the bigger point is that fact that there was no O2 on the boat, especially when the bright green DAN O2 kit was at least IMO advertising that there was o2 available (my/our bad for not asking specifically if the cans were full).

Who was the boat operation? If we know, we can avoid them.

The location we were in was within a days drive of the border (that's as specific as I will get). The point of the post is not to assign blame, but to learn from the incident. This was a US owned operator and I'd bet that there are full 02 bottles on that boat now, however, I'd still ask to see.

Many people probably won't like what I say here, but the way I see it, Mexico doesn't have a good reputation for anything except crime and people fleeing the country, so it doesnt' seem surprising to me that the diving industry isn't well qualified or equipped... If you choose to dive in a Hell Hole like that, you are accepting the risks that go along with the decision. Dont' rely on them to do anything positive or productive.

I have dived in Mexico frequently and never had an issue there. The crew and operator were rightly embarrassed after this incident. The operator is US owned, so to say that this happened because it was a Mexican operation just doesn't hold water. I take specific precautions appropriate to the locale that I'm diving in, but to say that you dive in Mexico at your own peril is just silly.