Devils Throat TAKE LIGHT

[DandyDon]

Originally Posted by DandyDon

I like your approach of second diver shinning light in front of first diver. Never heard of that one; will use in on swim thru plans.

GREAT EXAMPLE! That isn't a technique that's unique to any one here. It's standard regular every day stuff that's taught in cave/cavern and tech training. Had the OP and his wife been so equiped (assuming they were buddies on the dive) they would have never become seperated.

When traveling single file You know your buddy is behind you because you can see his/her light. Swapping OK's or signaling for attention or that there is a problem is a simple matter light movements. Single file or side by side, proper light use provides CONTINUOUS buddy contact. It works great in all but the most brightly lighted waters and it's certainly standard procedure in caverns and caves.

Yeah, I have NO cave/cavern dive training. Seems like a good method of keeping in touch even on less threatening swim thrus like the after cabin on the Busch, where I lose a buddy last year for a while - as I was watching where I was going intently, trying to not stir silt, and didn't notice that he wasn't following well.

The Throat is a signature dive for Coz, but even tho you have no done it - I think you appraisal that it's taken too lightly (as are many sig dives in resort areas) is a fair one. I would never do it without 2 lights, and the one time I did it without my pony was uncomfortable. It's a little tight in places for finding a buddy to share air if needed, and I always worry about a diver in front hitting a panic button - but I worry a lot.

Excerpting...

We also legally protect the analysis and findings of critical incident reports from being used as evidence in litigation. As you say, it must be conducted dispassionately and honestly, without finger-pointing or recrimination, or people will stop coming forward and will try and cover up. I'm not suggesting any of those things are happening on this thread - just clarifying the process for those who might not be familiar with it.

I suppose that's why it's so difficult to obtain even known facts on accidents, but understandable. Then there's the "what happens here stays here" attitude encouraged at times. Publicizing accidents and critical incidents are not good for resort area businesses.

 

[ggunn]

GREAT EXAMPLE! That isn't a technique that's unique to any one here. It's standard regular every day stuff that's taught in cave/cavern and tech training.

Thank you. It [the practice of the trailing person in a buddy team in a swimthrough shining a light out in front of the leading person] is a common sense measure that my wife/buddy and I came up with to keep up with each other better. I'm not surprised that it's a common practice with cave divers.

 

[Mawg]

As far as I can recall, the only cert necessary for this dive is AOW. Do experienced divers of this Board think the requirements for this dive should be upgraded?

I think it would help if the dive were de-mystified. Been diving in Cozumel since 1993 and logged about 130 dives there. From the beginning, I would hear other divers talk about " The Throat " and how it was the penultimate dive in Cozumel. You still see " I dove the Throat " t-shirts from time to time. I have dove Punta Sur numerous times and for me, The Cathedral is worth the trip. The Throat has never held any appeal for me.

There is an overhead that I do like though. Did it once years ago with Felipe Quinonez. Drop down 75 feet onto the sand at Columbia Deep. Swim towards the wall about 100 yards away. Round opening , bout 7 feet in diameter and sitting just above the sand. It's a good thirty kicks str8 thru with no light/exit above or to the sides. You can see the opening ahead easily enough but it is a swim. You come out on the wall and you're on a bank of pure white sand that immediately spills over into the abyss.It is absolutely spectacular. Is anyone else familiar with this entrance at Columbia. I'd love to find it again.

 

[MikeFerrara]

I might be mistaken, but I don't think Devil's Throat is a dive that requires Cave dive training, or cert? That is not the way it is presented. I don't recall that we were even required to have lights to do the dive ? No one was asked that question. I do recommemd that you carry a light.

As far as I can recall, the only cert necessary for this dive is AOW. Do experienced divers of this Board think the requirements for this dive should be upgraded?

Upgraded by who?

71/2 hours by car from my home is a cave whos entrance is in a reservoir with National Forest access. By law you must display a dive flag while diving but nobody cares what training or equipment you have. IMO, that's as it should be but that doesn't mean that it's a good idea to dive it.

I have asked what there is about devils throat that would exempt if from the rules of acident analysis specifically as it relates to training standards and agency recommended limits and I have never gotten an answer. For example, the stated limits for cavern training and recommended limits for trained cavern divers as of when my copy of the PADI cavern standards were printed is a max of 130 ft from the surface (depth and penetration combined). That means that if the exit to devils throat were at 130 ft no penetration al all would be permitted. If the depth were 120 ft, you could penetrate 10 ft. As far as I can tell there is ABSOLUTELY nothing that would exempt it from standards regarding lines, lights or prior work on land, OW and academics. Additionally, supervision ratios in the overhead would be 2:1. So, a A qualified cavern instructor with students who had done all the prereq work could only take in two divers and the depth might rule out going in devils throat at all.

As far as I can tell it's strictly a buyer beware kind of thing. They can take you anyplace you're willing to pay to be taken. Since they aren't teaching a class, training standards don't apply. Some of those resorts and oporators are retail members of one agency or another and have a contractual obligation to adhere to those standards but...they only apply to teaching. You can see here, how even the agencies are talking out of both sides of their mouth (as in looking the other way concerning the non-teaching conduct of their members).

 

[ggunn]

I might be mistaken, but I don't think Devil's Throat is a dive that requires Cave dive training, or cert? That is not the way it is presented. I don't recall that we were even required to have lights to do the dive ? No one was asked that question. I do recommemd that you carry a light.

As far as I can recall, the only cert necessary for this dive is AOW. Do experienced divers of this Board think the requirements for this dive should be upgraded?

There is no rigidly enforced requirement for this dive; I've done it, and I only have an OW cert. OTOH, I have been diving for 15 years and I have, I dunno, some 300 dives around Cozumel, so I am more "advanced" than many divers who have the AOW card.

Mostly, the dive ops won't take you there until they have had ample opportunity to observe your technique and attitude, and judge that you are ready for it.

 

[DandyDon]

There is an overhead that I do like though. Did it once years ago with Felipe Quinonez. Drop down 75 feet onto the sand at Columbia Deep. Swim towards the wall about 100 yards away. Round opening , bout 7 feet in diameter and sitting just above the sand. It's a good thirty kicks str8 thru with no light/exit above or to the sides. You can see the opening ahead easily enough but it is a swim. You come out on the wall and you're on a bank of pure white sand that immediately spills over into the abyss.It is absolutely spectacular. Is anyone else familiar with this entrance at Columbia. I'd love to find it again.

Does sound like a great dive. I hope to do Coz this winter, would love to find this one. Would you let me know if you get info...??

 

[Mawg]

Does sound like a great dive. I hope to do Coz this winter, would love to find this one. Would you let me know if you get info...??

Of course. Be Glad to.

 

[pilot fish]

Upgraded by who?

Maybe upgraded was the wrong word. Requirement by Dive ops?

 

[pilot fish]

I would prefer to dive with you any day of the week rather than a cert collector that has 50 dives and a bag full of Advanced certs.

There is no rigidly enforced requirement for this dive; I've done it, and I only have an OW cert. OTOH, I have been diving for 15 years and I have, I dunno, some 300 dives around Cozumel, so I am more "advanced" than many divers who have the AOW card.

Mostly, the dive ops won't take you there until they have had ample opportunity to observe your technique and attitude, and judge that you are ready for it.

 

[Mawg]

Does sound like a great dive. I hope to do Coz this winter, would love to find this one. Would you let me know if you get info...??

Forgot to mention that when I came out onto the sand I checked my depth and it was 92 feet.