Divers Found Drifting Way Offshore

[gopbroek]

The first time you have to surface for whatever reason before the dive group or a DM can accompany you with DSMB's... Well, you'll learn the hard way why you want to carry one and know how to deploy it. Having to surface just once with sound of whirring props and boats running around that you can't see but can hear is not a happy place to be. That last 5' to the surface really sucks and once you surface you're just a little bobbing head that sits maybe 1' above the water at best between the waves you can't see over and no boat captain can see you bobbing in between... Raising and waving your arm may add another foot to that. Get a DSMB and learn how to deploy it.

In Cozumel Sunday is family day on the water with a lot of families transiting thru to party at Ceilo or snorkel or dive. That's the days I am more inclined to surface with bouy launched from 45-60 feet so it looks like an orange 4x4 sticking out of the water and sometimes around the Gardens I still cringe as I near the surface.
I still remember watching a diver do a two palmed full press off the bottom of a boat to push himself out of the way of an oncoming prop.

 

[mediumone]

I still remember watching a diver do a two palmed full press off the bottom of a boat to push himself out of the way of an oncoming prop.

Pushing yourself like that is an iffy proposition due to algae on the bottom of the boat. It would be so easy to slip and only direct yourself a very short distance, (i.e. too short), away from the prop.
I can't help but feel a certain relief when I see the props stop turning if I'm a little behind.

 

[brsnow]

I had one close call, last dive of trip and had switched from my old zeagle to a new sb litehawk, just went from memory and hit inflate vs letting air out shot to surface during safety stop. I have now changed the inflator to the zeagle model.

 

[Pressurehead]

Perhaps one of the three almost-lost divers will say the name of the operator.

This^^^, let us hope so, there are 3 of them after all, pissed off I am sure.

 

[jonhall]

SMBs are covered in AOW and other courses because they are proper dive equipment,

1998 OW course - we had no instruction on SMB's at my LDS and it wasn't brought up in Grand Cayman during checkout dives either.

2016 AOW - although purchasing a small kit of materials that included a small 5' PADI inflatable surface marker and a whistle, there was no instruction or mention of it. That was in Playa del Carmen.

Late 70's/early 80's - I was teaching how to inflate a shirt and pants to float, but that was for survival and not for the intent of being seen.

I'm not going to name the business. It is well established.

From what I've read in prior posts, my question is, was this a well established business in PDC or in Cozumel? It should be noted that well established doesn't necessarily equate to well-known.

There are locals and ex pats working here guiding dives in the marine park and all they have is advanced diver certification.

It is very possible to have what are perceived as "good" and "not-so-good' guides from the same op. Situations can arise with any op, whether well established or not. If the idea is to be careful of dive ops who use AOW certified guides, even though no connection has been made that this is the case of the 3 lost divers and who they were diving with, most people who search for ops to dive with in Coz would want to know that type of info, thus the names of businesses that operate in that manner.

 

[tursiops]

For the record:
PADI began requiring SMB/DSMB use as early as 2010 as part of a local orientation, if the SMB/DSMB was commonly used in that area. In 2013 it became required in the OW class. In 2016 the specialty was introduced to ensure DSMB proper usage. and the SMB/DSMB became required as part of the Boat Diver specialty. In 2017 it became part of the required equipment for the AOW class.

 

[brsnow]

For the record:
PADI began requiring SMB/DSMB use as early as 2010 as part of a local orientation, if the SMB/DSMB was commonly used in that area. In 2013 it became required in the OW class. In 2016 the specialty was introduced to ensure DSMB proper usage. and the SMB/DSMB became required as part of the Boat Diver specialty. In 2017 it became part of the required equipment for the AOW class.

I finally am getting around to AOW, seems it is needed for a few Ops we are traveling to over the next couple of years, later this month. I will report back

 

[ggunn]

For the record:
PADI began requiring SMB/DSMB use as early as 2010 as part of a local orientation, if the SMB/DSMB was commonly used in that area. In 2013 it became required in the OW class. In 2016 the specialty was introduced to ensure DSMB proper usage. and the SMB/DSMB became required as part of the Boat Diver specialty. In 2017 it became part of the required equipment for the AOW class.

And I don't believe anyone in here will deny that that is a good thing or that carrying an SMB and knowing how to use it is also a good thing, especially in a location like Cozumel where there a lot of divers in the water and a lot of boat traffic. A lot of us, however, were certified well before 2010 and are self taught if we have experience with SMBs. It ain't rocket science.

 

[jonhall]

In 2017 it became part of the required equipment for the AOW class.

Now I understand why it was in the packet of materials for my AOW course - required equipment. It must not be required to use it....just have it, as was my case. What specialty in AOW would use the SMB/DSMB? Not everyone would do the boat specialty.

 

[tursiops]

Now I understand why it was in the packet of materials for my AOW course - required equipment. It must not be required to use it....just have it, as was my case. What specialty in AOW would use the SMB/DSMB? Not everyone would do the boat specialty.

A whistle (or audible signal of some sort) is also required. But there is no requirement to use it.