divers rescued at barracuda

[BertStevens]

I’ve been following https://www.scubaboard.com/communit...-searchers-point-of-view-update.558453/unread and enjoyed that discussion. But the thought in the back of my mind is Cozumel is probably the one place you wouldn’t need all that extra “what if” equipment.

Guess better to have and not need, than need and not have!

 

[Kicker1866]

The story does not seem to indicate the divers themselves were in distress or "lost", but rather the captain lost track of them. Not down playing the significance of that at all....but does anyone know if the divers ever felt lost or if they were harmed?

 

[scubadada]

I'd be interested to know if the 4 "American" divers were or were not with their DM and whether and when the DSMB was deployed.

 

[DandyDon]

The story does not seem to indicate the divers themselves were in distress or "lost", but rather the captain lost track of them. Not down playing the significance of that at all....but does anyone know if the divers ever felt lost or if they were harmed?

I think it said it took a few hours to find them so I imagine the divers were stressed. I would have fired my PLB pretty quickly up there, heading for Cuba.

 

[Skittl1321]

I think it said it took a few hours to find them so I imagine the divers were stressed. I would have fired my PLB pretty quickly up there, heading for Cuba.

You would have had a great "told you so" for all of us who don't carry PLBs.

Or maybe they all just wanted a free trip to Cuba.

 

[mcohen1021]

I cannot speak for the Captain as I haven't heard who it was, yet, but the Divemaster of the group is a very skilled, very experienced local DM.

Wonderful divemaster and great friend of mine. So glad he's ok.

 

[gopbroek]

I personally do not like Barrcuda because of this very senerio. The currents can be heavy and upon exiting you are no longer in the lee of the island and there are frequently swells making it difficult for the boat to locate you. After diving the other areas of park where the conditions are normally pretty relaxed many divers are not expecting the difference in the conditions. In the typical fast current of Barracuda group integrity can be lost very quickly, a single diver or pair that separates from the group due to a slow intial decent, stopping to take a picture or kill a lion fish is very likely to find themselves alone very quickly. Once separated the the captains job of tracking the group (s) becomes much more difficult. Then there is issue of SMB's, you shouldn't be there with out one or the skills to deploy it. A four footer is fine in the park with relatively calm seas and multiple boats but in a swell with no other boats a single small SMB may be difficult to see.

 

[ChrisM]

This is the stuff of my nightmares.

I've dived Barracuda a few times. Have a lot of dives, and have to admit that I still get a little nervous doing it. I worry about downcurrents primarily as the current sweeps across the reef very strongly at times, I worry a little less (but still quite a bit) about getting lost as I dive it with Christi's op and I know Pedro and Nivo are on the ball, and if I stay at or behind the DM, i'm good. Carry all my own signaling gear, but if the conditions are poor and you get separated, even an SMB may be hard to see.

It's completely different IMO than the southern reefs. There is a certain type of reef top life up there that is unmistakably "Barracuda." During eagle ray season you can see congregations there, although I haven't been at that time. Flying over the reef is a thrill, but best left to experienced divers. Last time I did it a less experienced guy brought his pole spear to go after lionfish. In a couple knot current, yeah that didn't go too well. LOL

 

[DandyDon]

You would have had a great "told you so" for all of us who don't carry PLBs.

Or maybe they all just wanted a free trip to Cuba.

PLBs are such great gadgets, now so affordable! I carry mine diving as a secondary use; primarily I carry it in my car everywhere, backpack when hiking, farming, roaming cemeteries, wherever. Hardly a day goes by that people aren't found dead after trusting cell phone coverage. The ACR 2881 only weighs 4 oz, and there is a smaller brand available with pros & cons.

(1) Less than $250 for 6 years of coverage is cheap insurance, less than $1/week.

(2) They also offer a $50 rebate on purchases made by March 30. I got mine that way and actually got the $50, so mine cost less than $200 = 64¢/week...!

(3) Adding a dive canister is only $116 for the light weight nylon model from Australia, including shipping, plus a couple bucks for a snap bolt.​

Why not have one in every car and on every diver...??

 

[DjDiverDan]

Wonderful divemaster and great friend of mine. So glad he's ok.

Was this Miguel? I saw his post on his FB page about being “lost at sea” for about 2 hours off of Barracuda last Sunday, said that he was rescued by the Navy, so it fits. I bought Miguel lunch when I was grounded by the El Norte in Cozumel on January 18. Great guy, and, IMHO, an excellent DM.