Divers Found Drifting Way Offshore

[ggunn]

The ops on Cozumel deal with a lot of brand new divers; I'm not sure it would be a good idea for a novice diver to try to deploy an SMB for the first time on a Cozumel boat dive. Does the Fling bring a lot of freshly certified divers to the Flower Gardens?

 

[ReefHound]

The ops on Cozumel deal with a lot of brand new divers; I'm not sure it would be a good idea for a novice diver to try to deploy an SMB for the first time on a Cozumel boat dive. Does the Fling bring a lot of freshly certified divers to the Flower Gardens?

Some but not many and not really recommended. Last weekend we had some really challenging conditions with strong winds and currents and 4-6' seas. Experienced divers were getting their tails whupped.

We don't want people deploying them at depth, it's for surface use if they come up away from the moored big boat and we have to send the dinghy to pick them up.

 

[cozcharlie]

Kind of old information (given I am literally on the other side of the planet ), but FYI currents have been wicked for the past couple of weeks. This is coming via WhatsApp from a boat captain that has forgotten more than anyone on this board knows (bar none—period—full stop)

Not defending anyone for losing divers (and his boat doesn’t handle anywhere near 30 divers so it wasn’t him ), but be safe . I had been hearing from him about wicked currents for a few days before seeing this post about lost divers . I have no information about this specific incident, just passing along details about general conditions.

 

[Animalitodimonti]

OK the word I got, second hand, from a Captain at the marina. The shop in question has been around for more than 30 years but is not one that you hear about much here on SB. It was a large group with their own DM's out of playa, the boat was one that is normally used as a rental. To myself it sounds like the shop was not actually operating the dive but arranged for a charter for an off island operation and probably arranged tanks. Again sounds like the weather on top was less than stellar and from Palancar south had been closed the last few days (Horseshoe, Gardens and Delila allready closed for April/May)
I agree with not mudding their name over this.

Then they should have hired a DM from the island, not used one from Playa...

 

[ReefHound]

Kind of old information (given I am literally on the other side of the planet ), but FYI currents have been wicked for the past couple of weeks. This is coming via WhatsApp from a boat captain that has forgotten more than anyone on this board knows (bar none—period—full stop)

I'd like my captain to remember what he knows.

 

[Animalitodimonti]

Particularly a rental boat from PDC, if that is true. But are there really PDC boats with costly marine park licenses?

no

 

[DandyDon]

The ops on Cozumel deal with a lot of brand new divers; I'm not sure it would be a good idea for a novice diver to try to deploy an SMB for the first time on a Cozumel boat dive.

Nope, but anyone should carry one to inflate on the surface if needed. I still have the one from my first ocean dive trip in 2001.

 

[Kimela]

We don't want people deploying them at depth, it's for surface use if they come up away from the moored big boat and we have to send the dinghy to pick them up.

The challenge, especially in Cozumel (IMO), is that if you wait to deploy your SMB until you're at the surface you run the risk of not being seen by an oncoming boat. When ascending from my safety stop I'm basically looking around like my head's on a swivel, from 15ft and up. But if the boats are going faster than I can hear/see them, I may not be able to react quickly enough. With that in mind do you still think we should wait until at the surface, or maybe deploy at the safety stop? (maybe that's what you meant?)

 

[NDL_Diver]

Nope, but anyone should carry one to inflate on the surface if needed. I still have the one from my first ocean dive trip in 2001.

Check them before each trip by inflating them and let stand an hour or two. My wifes SMB seams started leaking last check. Would not hold air for more than a min or two. About 10 years old. New one in kit.

 

[tursiops]

Particularly a rental boat from PDC, if that is true. But are there really PDC boats with costly marine park licenses?

no

If it turns out that he did NOT call for any assistance, perhaps it was because he wasn't supposed to be there in the first place?