Cozumel Incident 9/4/11

[Ron Lee]

My suggestion is that people consider a rescue diver class. Being able to help another is not confined to events like this. Something could happen at 60' or 110'.

 

[WSOPFAN]

It looks like the info given for both Gabi and Opal changes by the minute........for any updates check here as previous updates may not have been accurate......

Rally for Opal & Gabi & Heath's Recovery Scuba Mau | Facebook

 

[CozumelAntonio]

I don't know John. I am aware of some appeal in going deeper than most, something of an extension of us swimming where the vast majority never do - below & for an extended time, and I think the three were somewhat experienced below 130 - maybe in the 200 ft range. I am also curious about what is at 250 ft, what's different, any black coral left by the poachers, etc. I am no longer interested in going to 200 as I was years ago, but there is appeal.

I call it the "deep bug" and when it bites you watch out. I have seen many divers bitten by it, mostly men, very few women. I was bitten a few years ago, and there is that "appeal" you mention, the "lure of the deep" I think many divers here have probably felt it, and it can be dangerous as this situation proves. I did a very stupid dive many years ago, and fortunately got it out of my system after realizing just how lucky I was that an o-ring or hose didn't decide to quit on me during the dive. The deep bug has claimed many divers over the years.

At this time (pre-wilma) I was diving regularly and in much better shape than I am now. I was bitten by the deep bug and also curious about narcosis, as I had never felt it, I thought. I had been down past 100, and 130 and no narcosis, and I saw some folks were narced at 100. I would later do some light research on this and found out that having a high adipose content in your body (bio-prene, fat) as I do, means that a certain amount of nitrogen gets lodged inside the adipose tissue, and thus you have less nitrogen in you blood stream going to your head, while the very thin and skinny divers with little or no adipose have all the nitrogen in their blood stream, going to their head, thus I found my answer of why I wasn't getting narced at 100-150 while others were. This also means that it takes longer to offgas.

We each have different chemistry and react differently to the additional chemicals in our system when we dive, body fat, Ph, tolerance/experience to states of euphoria, etc. All of these affect how we each react differently to being narced or not.

I continue to hope and pray that these 3 divers make recovery and are able to return to some normality in their lives, this event indeed should be a lesson for all of us.

And it should also be repeated over and over that regular divers doing regular profiles are not in danger of being swept down to 300 feet, and Cozumel is and will continue to be a safe dive destination, as long as divers follow their training, and don't break the dive rules they learned when they got Certified.

 

[cenotist]

Just before I leave this thread - right now there are people who are in need (not only for sympathy) and regardless that I do not fancy this kind of cowboy diving at all, I think, it is human to show compassion and give financial support. If not for them, then at least for their families. Maybe it is one of the lessons to be learned here. At least I was happy to learn this one by me.

God bless us all.
Over and out.

 

[H2ODoc]

I hate to ask this question, but for someone that's experienced this type of DCS, can they ever dive again?

 

[Dan G]

On the other hand, there are expert mountain climbers who are "light" climbers, eschewing all the safety doodads and emergency overnight gear in order to keep a light pack and go fast. There are expert mountain climbers who summit Everest without oxygen.

Precisley. For me to attempt a summit of Everest wo/ oxygen would be ludicrious. The climbers who do endure years of training. The 'light climbers' you mention- such as Mark Twight- don't eschew all of the safety doodads. They are just selective and minimize them. Also, fast and light is in of itself a 'safety doodad.' Diving to 300' on air and no back up plan is not synonomous.

 

[Kymcobob]

This post will sound sarcastic but there are too many asking how "professional" divers could get in this situation: my question to you is have you ever exceeded a speed limit, was the view any better going faster, do you or did you ever have a radar detector? Why? Is it dangerous to surpass the speed limit? OK, I'm done.

No I am not. The last thing I will say is I would miss so much in life if I were to judge others by one act or observation, be it factual or not. These people are obviously loved because they DID follow and preach "speed limits", as it related to their profession.

These people are hurting and my heart goes out to them, I really don't care how
They got to this spot, they have my support!

 

[WSOPFAN]

BTW Many questions have been asked about this incident and I have a few more if anyone knows or could find out?
1) Did any of the divers smoke and how much?
2) Did any of them drink and how much was done withing 24 hours of this?
3) What was their current health status? In other words.... age...BP....prior history of DCS

I know some of this is personal but it would be helpful for the incident determination......

 

[DandyDon]

I hate to ask this question, but for someone that's experienced this type of DCS, can they ever dive again?

Two out of three hope to walk again, and I'm doubtful on one of those.

The one who is walking, who did not chase the deep diver - might get cleared to dive. I've dived with him some and I suspect he will, cleared or not.

 

[ScubaSteve]

.......and I suspect he will, cleared or not.

In an effort to waste more rescue and recovery resources.