We're getting a lot of conflicting info, which is common: why the boat sank, where the customers boarded, how many BCs were retrieved by the heroic free divers, how far they drifted before found - 5.5 miles east of Punta Maroma which is
"35.3 kilometres (21.9 mi) km from the Cancún International Airport (CUN) and about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) northeast of Playa del Carmen[" seems more reasonable than some reports saying they made it past Cancun.
Based on the poorly translated (as always) articles, I surmise the potential for those involved having been instructed not to make public comments.
My takeaways so far:
1. Ensure the boat is current on it's inspections, and take that with a grain of salt.
2. Pay attention to safety briefings, and know where PFD's are. As a long ago firefighter, I always look for fire extinguishers.
....Boat fires aren't uncommon.
3. Keep your personal safety devices close at hand.
4. Have as least the bottom of a full suit on while onboard, or wear a shorty, or PFD.
5. Partially inflate one BCD while it's in our waterproof boat bag. Submerged life support items are useless.
6. Consider the electronic locators.
I don't mean to be snide, but have you been to Coz? On Panga boats there?
1: Are you going to just ask, or delay actions while you read it every morning - even if being picked up at a different dock after the others loaded elsewhere? You'll either get "Si, of course" or we'll see how well your read and understand Spanish on a bouncing boat.
2: Great advice, but I've been on a number of different boats with half a dozen different Ops and I just do not remember ever getting a safety briefing in Coz - and I do pay attention to those things. If I have, then I just forgot any I heard. And I could go on about my doubts about boat safety devices, but no one wants to read that much.
3: I think the BCs are generally attached to tanks and secured at the back of the boat on most Pangas, with the captain asking everyone to sit forward for balance - so plan B? If you see an old fart wearing a yellow snorkel vest and a signal mirror hung from his neck, say hi to me - but that's all the safety stuff I wear, and they ask everything else be stowed out of the way. Note, those free divers did especially great going to the back of a boat sinking back down to retrieve some if that's how it played out. I know one of them, and he is quite a diver.
4: Many of us dive in skins with no buoyancy there, some less. I really don't know if Pangas carry life vests? Never seen one out.
5: See #3
6: I guess the waterproof locators are a good idea, but there are many good ideas that will remain uncommon.
Why is it that every thread WSOP starts ends up being a trainwreck?
He did not start the thread. It does seem that he often supplies links to articles first and offers info of unknown value, but his main purpose on the board seems to be that of bashing Coz - in particular anyone associated with either part of the shop that broke up. I've never seen any credentials on him so I consider his posts the same as I do most others here, as parlor talk - only his seem to usually be slanted. He does seem rude and doesn't seem to care what others thing but that might just be my view?
Juxtaposition to Isla Mujeres just across the channel.
Huh, what? Isla Murejes is a long ways from Coz. Playa del Carmen is across the channel, then a bus ride to Cancun, then a ferry ride to the island - but you knew that, so what did you mean?
