Cozumel Newbie questions

[Christi]

I realize it's been a couple of years since I have been to Cozumel, and perhaps the dive op I used was unusual, but...

On my first dives, I asked for one tank of EAN 32. My plan was to use it for the first, deeper dive, and then switch to air for the shallower dive. The first day I tried it, the DM refused to allow it. Even though the plan was to stay well above the MOD for EAN 32, he said there was a chance I could get caught in a downdraft and go below the MOD without meaning to. He said I could only use it on the shallow dive.

The second day, it didn't matter. The O-ring on the Nitrox tank was broken, I had forgotten my repair kit, and he didn't have another 0-ring himself.

I gave up after that.

Next time, I am not using that op, for a variety of reasons.

Interesting. The only reason I could think of for him not allowing you to use it on the first dive was if it was at a time when we are having alot of downcurrents and if he didn't know you as a diver. There are only a few sites not appropriate for nitrox (Maracaibo deep ,Devils Throat, Barracuda and at times Santa Rosa Wall)

I agree, all DM's shold be equipped with extra o-rings. It's a common known fact among DM's and captains that we typically have to change at least one o-ring a day. In fact, I just bought new "toolboxes" for my boats and restocked them each with a healthy supply of o-rings, zip ties, extra mouthpieces, fin straps, mask straps, tape, wrenches, pliers, HP and LP hoses, and all the other tools and gadgets the crew may need on the boat to save someones dive.

 

[boulderjohn]

Interesting. The only reason I could think of for him not allowing you to use it on the first dive was if it was at a time when we are having alot of downcurrents and if he didn't know you as a diver. There are only a few sites not appropriate for nitrox (Maracaibo deep ,Devils Throat, Barracuda and at times Santa Rosa Wall)
.

I was baffled. He did not know me personally, but the boat was supposed to have nothing but expereinced divers on it.

 

[DandyDon]

Side question here, please: I guess the Coz Nitrox tanks have to have special O-rings for filling, but once filled - could you not pull one off of your air tank, put it on the Nitrox tank for the dive, then move it back to the air tank for the next dive. Sorry if that seems like a dumb question from me, but I have always let the Op take care of O-ring problems.

I hope there was a spare tank on the boat for your dive so you could at least do them all on air.

 

[boulderjohn]

Side question here, please: I guess the Coz Nitrox tanks have to have special O-rings for filling, but once filled - could you not pull one off of your air tank, put it on the Nitrox tank for the dive, then move it back to the air tank for the next dive. Sorry if that seems like a dumb question from me, but I have always let the Op take care of O-ring problems.

I hope there was a spare tank on the boat for your dive so you could at least do them all on air.

I have replaced a lot of o-rings inthe last few years. The process of removing them from a tank is pretty tough on them. You can easily go from one usable o-ring to no usuable o-rings.

 

[DandyDon]

I have replaced a lot of o-rings inthe last few years. The process of removing them from a tank is pretty tough on them. You can easily go from one usable o-ring to no usuable o-rings.

I'm sure you have, and I wondered if that was the case - TY.

I always depend on the Op to take care of these. We had a problem with Stella's in Santa Rosa once - all in need of replacement, none on hand. You know how she is sometimes...

 

[Christi]

I'm sure you have, and I wondered if that was the case - TY.

I always depend on the Op to take care of these. We had a problem with Stella's in Santa Rosa once - all in need of replacement, none on hand. You know how she is sometimes...

O-rings are something that need replaced quite often and can literally "go bad" from one dive to the next. This is why we are taught in basic OW to check our tanks o-ring as part of our gear set-up routine. The fact that one needs to be changed on the boat does not mean the op or the fill station, etc. are slacking. This is a daily occurrance as I said. However, they should always have spare o-rings on hand for this very reason.