Diver lost in Cozumel today

[WSOPFAN]

How close is Santa Rosa to southern end of the eddy current from the north that runs through Chankanaab? I wonder if during a particularly strong occilation of eddy current, a down current develops when the clockwise current at the southern end smashes from east to west back into the predominantly southerly current. Perhaps studying the spot where the eddy current rejoins the southern current could lead to some useful data. There is something in this area that causes these currents and my guess is, with study, it can be figured out, predicted and avoided.

I agree. Santa Rosa is located here between Playa San Francisco and Playa Palancar. It does look very close to the point where the currents would be colliding running north along the reefs into the northeast currents of the channel.

Chart 28196

 

[Mayor]

During a few dives that week I was pushed toward the wall and overhangs. Even got a down blast that made me think my wing was leaking. Some of the tight sections i found control was difficult. Even with a very high level of control in the water I found myself fighting for it now and then. I worked kicking my paddle fins a few times to get on the bottom where the current was less in that area. It never made me feel that the situation could not be handled. The only days it concerned me was diving with my AOW wife. She does not have the experence or training for anything out of the normal reef dive so I found myself keeping a close eye on her with tight team. If it was going to become a problem I would be there and hope solve the issue or hand her all my gas and send her home.

I will also say having a very skilled DM / instructor who knew what current issues might develop on each dive was worth it's weight in gold. Julio from Aldora is much more then the run of the mill DM. He understands the dive locations and even jumps in and checks them before the dive. He left me alone to do my stops and ratio deco during our dives. Really a true professional with skills! He was the best piece of equipment I could have taken on the dives!

 

[jd950]

Sure no problem. IMO that wall area should be either closed to diving from late March to Late April or restricted to experts only after a proper dive briefing.

FWIW, the downwelling that hit me and my group was at Palancar Horseshoe at about the same time Christina was lost over at Santa Rosa wall. By the way, it means nothing, we dived Santa Rosa the next day and it was calm as could be. A bit eerie perhaps, under the circumstances, but clear with minimal current.

 

[pjhansman]

FWIW, the downwelling that hit me and my group was at Palancar Horseshoe at about the same time Christina was lost over at Santa Rosa wall. By the way, it means nothing, we dived Santa Rosa the next day and it was calm as could be. A bit eerie perhaps, under the circumstances, but clear with minimal current.

You are coreect that it means nothing. We were on Santa Rosa wall the same day and less than 45 minutes before the incident.....it was our best dive during our 10 day stay. Currents were very slow, and in the normal direction, and viz was awesome.

 

[scurbyduck]

So which way were the currents going at 10:10

 

[DandyDon]

Kev, that sounds like a dreadful experience for all who were there. I appreciate you posting your views, and even tho it's only one diver's view, I still want to address some of it as if factual, which it may well be...

I have to agree with you Craig. I was not only this dive boat, but I was in the group of eight that surfaced with only seven. There were 22 of us on the boat not including the dive team. Even though we all filled out the paperwork explaining our dive history, we were organized into our smaller groups only by our seating on the boat.

Sounds like a typical cattle-boat operation. Sand Dollar caters to the one day customers off of cruise boats, keeping costs low enough to make a profit after the cruise line takes its cuts and so forth - but that's just sloppy. Cruise boat divers seldom come to Scubaboard for help, but they have their own forums and warnings need to be common. There is no time for check out dives, but the operators don't want the tourists to go back complaining how bored they were on the newbie reefs, so divers with less than 100 logged ocean dives would be wise to book a private DM per couple.

We happened to be the eight furthest from the stern, thus we were last group to dive. The dive team did make it VERY clear that this was going to be a tricky descent and the need to stay together was of the utmost importance. I am a new diver. This was actually my trip after completing my training in West Palm Beach. I had heard from not only the divers at the Jupiter Dive center in WPB, but also from my local dive shop owners here in NYC, Cozumel is nothing but drift dives. I think having all my training so fresh on my mind I was ready to handle it. This dive was by NO means enjoyable. I had never imagined I would have to put so much air into my bcd or fin SO HARD to stay buoyant and stay on the heels of our DM. I never expected him to keep a constant eye on all of us, though he did make a concerted effort to turn around and watch us, but as a new diver all I wanted to do was stay glued to him and keep an eye on my buddy. It wasn't until 15 minutes into this dive that I was even aware of the marine life around me. I was exhausted from this dive.

We've heard a lot about how bad the currents, eddies, downwellings and all were that week. No place for newbies, IMO.

It wasn't until we were aboard the boat that I found out we were missing her. I had always assumed Christina had surfaced and that we would eventually find her floating if we looked long enough. Those of us at the stern were looking for her the entire time, but the white caps did play tricks with our eyes. The part that haunts me the most is having the realization after the fact that I remember seeing her weight belt before the dive. She had wrapped the excess belt around itself about three times. I may be a new diver, but I know this would make a quick removal nearly impossible.

Now that is scarey. I've had that feeling, like who am I to tell someone who to gear up - and sometimes I try to open a conversation. It's also common to overweight newbies and I fear the body will never come up.

The dive team had pointed out the added fee of $3 for every pound of weight lost and a $10 fee for the belt if lost. Hopefully this threat of a fee didn't encourage Christina to make it nearly impossible to lose her weight belt in an emergency.

And that sucks. I guess their common problem is with newbies dropping belts at the ladder, or dropping weights off of the end, but still. I used to advise newbies to invest in weight belt clips as those half turns within the weight still slip. I have 4 on my backup belt.

 

[jd950]

So which way were the currents going at 10:10

Unless one was at that spot at that moment, it would be very hard to say, I think. The currents were shifting around constantly, N-S, S-N, inshore, offshore, up, down, etc. We had the currents do about a 180 degree shift on several dives.

 

[gypsyjim]

I have had several occasions on my few Coz trips, where I became aware of quite different currents at differing depths, in very close proximity to each other. A few feet difference, and members of a group can quickly become separated, especially if they are not paying very close attention. I did not see this too often, but when it happened things sure could change in a hurry, and there were times that keeping with the group required a lot of effort on my part, as just a few feet difference in depth could put us in currents going in different directions, quickly.

 

[DandyDon]

Unless one was at that spot at that moment, it would be very hard to say, I think. The currents were shifting around constantly, N-S, S-N, inshore, offshore, up, down, etc. We had the currents do about a 180 degree shift on several dives.

As Jim suggests, even if you had 2 divers then and there, they might have different views. Fluid dynamics are nothing like winds. Air can compress; water cannot and must find somewhere to go next under pressure. When the usual Gyre path enters the Coz channel from the south headed north, you get some shore eddies that can affect diving on the reefs, but I really suspect that for that week - so much of the Gyre cut east of the island that it caused channel eddies that pushed the opposite directs of the usual currents - head on at times.

There is a massive amount of water flowing by Cozumel on both sides, usually creating a huge eddie south of western Cuba, but the directions can change. I don't know how long the Gyre current there would take to fill Lake Erie, but I'm thinking about a day or so? When those flows start pushing against each other, banking up in the shallows, finding cuts in walls, etc. - that's just some of the strongest forces on earth colliding, and they will go wherever they can...!!

Downwellings are the scariest I guess and from reading many reports, all most knew to do was inflate and fin up - like swimming into a rip current. I'd rather take my chances away from the wall, the immovable object, watch my depth and air closely, and work up away from the object. But then I go to the hassle to take a 19 ft pony on every wall dive.

Spoiler

It's a major hassle, from purchase and annual servicing, breaching and packing, luggage weight & handling at the airports and every step of the way, getting it in the afternoon before so it can be filled overnight, and so forth - all for something I hardly ever use, then take home. If I ever need another 1/4 tank of air to swim out of one tho, nice to have...!!

So which way were the currents going at 10:10

Welcome to SB. Where you there?

 

[scurbyduck]

Yes i was there and in that time frame. Never made it to the wall but to 150 ft with three others . The current at that point was out and down. I have video and am trying to figure out if i have the sandollar group 3 in it. I was not from the sanddollar.