Cave diver death at Ginnie Springs

[rongoodman]

Does every cave dive encounter a deco obligation? Are there short cave dives that are fun that don't need deco?

I just got back from a week in Mexico and on most of the dives my Liquivison X1 didn't even indicate an NDL, implying that it was greater than 99 min.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I just got back from a week in Mexico and on most of the dives my Liquivison X1 didn't even indicate an NDL, implying that it was greater than 99 min.

So if I understand correctly, the caves (cenotes) in Mexico are plenty extensive to keep one occupied on a fairly long dive, but it's just that they tend to be not as deep as the Florida variety?

By the way, if a mod wants to split off this tangent addressing general questions about caves from curious non-cave divers like me, I'd gladly follow it elsewhere.

 

[cerich]

So if I understand correctly, the caves (cenotes) in Mexico are plenty extensive to keep one occupied on a fairly long dive, but it's just that they tend to be not as deep as the Florida variety?

By the way, if a mod wants to split off this tangent addressing general questions about caves from curious non-cave divers like me, I'd gladly follow it elsewhere.

Mexico cave are shallow, and much different visually as well...in fact downright amazing. (florida caves are beautiful as well...but not quite the same)

 

[Lorenzoid]

Mexico cave are shallow, and much different visually as well...in fact downright amazing. (florida caves are beautiful as well...but not quite the same)

I've seen the cavern portions on guided cavern dives in Mexico, but I really have no idea what the depths are of the caves. I've just heard they are "shallow," and so I figured they are more conducive to no-stop diving than the FL caves. Someday!

 

[TSandM]

We did 90 minutes in Caracol today, turned the dive on time (first day of the trip) and never got below 20 feet.

Sometimes I think if you read the internet, you will end up believing that all cave diving is deep and high flow. Not true. Not even in Florida, but certainly, I have been cave diving in Mexico for 8 years, full cave and single stage, and have done ONE dive that we turned on deco. You can wear your knees out in Mexico without needing a deco gas.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

If I had to guess....

They have done this before, probably a few times. In the start they used stages but found on scooters they often didn't use that extra gas they were hauling around and it was a pain in the ... plus they never had a scooter failure and if they did, hitch a ride...they knew the cave well, nothing every really goes wrong... complacency.

Chris probably nailed it.

One thought I had, if we are trying to learn more from accident analysis, is what role a scooter may play psychologically during a cave dive. In high school driver's ed the teacher showed us a video about different psychological traits of motorists starring Disney characters such as Goofy demonstrating "Little Man - Big Car." Behavior with scooters can be similar. There is something about being on the trigger that can cause us to behave differently, be more complacent, more aggressive, less likely to be conservative during the dive, less disciplined ... whatever. I've seen divers who are very disciplined and conservative when swimming go "ball's to the wall" and break rules on the trigger.

 

[wgw04024]

but I would avoid Summer weekends unless you think you'd like an environment that's 33% Deliverance, 33% Mardi Gras, 33% Mad Max, and 1% Breaking Bad

It is Florida after all, isn't that always assumed?

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

You can wear your knees out in Mexico without needing a deco gas.

Not sure I understand this term...

 

[darushin]

Not sure I understand this term...

Basically your knee cartlidge will wear out before you hit deco in most cenotes.

Daru

 

[maxnico]

I just watched the video. Absolutely amazing accomplishment and you all made it look so easy. Thank you.