divers rescued at barracuda

[Zman96]

We dove up north last week on Monday and the currents were blasting at times. The second dive on San Juan we put in directly in front of the Westin and drifted way north of country club estates.
@thechairman, this time of year eagle rays are up north In greater numbers and the reefs are in fantastic shape. If you get a chance go, the diving is awesome. San Juan is my favorite dive on the island, 40 minutes in usually you run into fields of finger corals that look like snow. This time of year however, the current can be a little inconsistent up there so only go with a good op you trust.

 

[Skittl1321]

Which Op supplies PLBs?

Doesn't Aldora for their "Adventures" dives? Their website doesn't include Barricuda as one of these sites; but they do say they issue Nautilus UW GPS/Radio.

 

[Zman96]

Doesn't Aldora for their "Adventures" dives? Their website doesn't include Barricuda as one of these sites; but they do say they issue Nautilus UW GPS/Radio.

Adventure dives are way north. I have dove the area around Barracuda and the north end with Aldora to lionfish hunt numerous times and no nautilus were given. Whilst doing the sleeping shark dives we did get them for each buddy pair.

 

[DandyDon]

Doesn't Aldora for their "Adventures" dives? Their website doesn't include Barricuda as one of these sites; but they do say they issue Nautilus UW GPS/Radio.

I thought that they used Nautilus. Not the same thing as PLBs, but still a useful tool.

 

[deepsea21]

I don't have a PLB for diving but do have an EPIRB on my boat that has a 406MHz transmitter plus the 121.5MHz homing transmitter. Regardless of the type you have (406, 406+121.5, or the most expensive with an on-bard GPS) don't think when you activate it help is going to be arriving in a few minutes... it will take HOURS and HOURS as it takes a long time to lock onto a position and even with on-board GPS a long chain of events take place before rescue assets are deployed. As such, if you have one and do ever have a need to activate it don't get stressed as the hours pass. However, waiting for hours is certainly better than no help coming at all. This is a good article that explains how the various types work.

How Do PLBs Work - PLB Review - Personal Locator Beacon Reviews

The Nautilus UW GPS/Radio sounds good and is cheap in comparison to true PLB's but the range of a tiny low-watt GPS Radio with an antenna that is going to be basically at water level is minimal (3-4 miles at best) and for it to be of any value there needs to be a boat with a marine radio in range of receiving it that has emergency GPS decoding built in that is turned on and that has someone is listening to it. That's a lot of limitations that in my opinion render the tiny hand held Nautilus GPS/Radio and others almost worthless as a rescue device.

 

[ggunn]

I have dived Barracuda a couple of times, and yes, it is beautiful. Shortly after Wilma it was just about the only Coz reef where you could find large clumps left of finger coral. That said, both times it was a stressful dive, with ripping current running at an angle to the reef and flowing down the wall. Been there, seen it.

 

[Streydog]

Which Op supplies PLBs?

It was Aldora. I guess it wasn't a PLB but it was some kind of emergency locator. I have no idea if that is normal for them at Barracuda since it was my only time there. I do remember the DM carrying a canister with another type of device in it.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

What's so good to see there?

Oh man...Barracuda is my favorite dive, but it is difficult to get everyone on the boat to agree to dive it. Sometimes, the current is mild, but mild on Barracuda is fast for any other reef. When it's fast, it's the most fun I've had diving in Cozumel. You have to be in the mood for a roller coaster adrenaline filled dive though.

Barracuda is like the top of a mountain range. Good buoyancy control is a must, and sometimes the currents get tricky and you can find yourself over 100 feet quickly. You zoom along the ridge flying along like superman. There will be no chance for photos, hunting, or going upstream if you get separated. You have to pay attention to your partner and the DM because they will drop behind a coral head or break in the peaks for everyone to catch their breath and regroup.

If you get separated, the down stream diver will have to drop behind a coral head and wait for their partner to catch up. You WILL use more air than usual, it will be a challenging dive that will test your buoyancy skills, but once you have done it, there is no other dive like it I have found on the island. From the moment I drop in, the theme from Topgun is blaring through my head and I suck in water because I am usually grinning from ear to ear.

You will either love it or hate it. Our Canadian friends who are very very skilled divers surfaced and declared, "never again!" A dive op that knows what they are doing is absolutely necessary and big tanks are a plus. I have not done any of the adventure dives, but Barracuda is big fun if your in the mood for it. A leisurely dive drifting over cedral and looking at the aquarium fish it is definately not!

San Juan is usually the second dive and it is beautiful and definately not like any of the Southern reefs. The finger coral is mesmerizing as you drift along over it.

See y'all on the reefs!

Jay

 

[scubafanatic]

Guess nobody remembers Dave's review of the Nautilus Lifeline:

6 left on Amazon Body Glove (Nautilus) Lifeline Handheld VHF Radio with GPS

If I were you I would not pay a dime for them. I just threw the last 4 flooded ones we had away. They cannot keep a seal and why do you think Nautilus is discontinuing them. I called and asked them if they could replace them under warranty—NOT.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

 

[ggunn]

Oh man...Barracuda is my favorite dive... A leisurely dive drifting over cedral and looking at the aquarium fish it is definitely not!

FWIW, some of the strongest currents I have experienced anywhere, and that includes Barracuda, were at Cedral.