Diving Devil's Throat and Columbia Deep
- Thread starter Jungho Kim
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OP
Jungho Kim
Contributor
This is a response to Mike...
Good for you... thanks for you advice... I may not have a 100 dives but I have also seen supposedly 100++ divers down south that couldn't control their buoyancy worth a damn... Also let's be clear, i've done majority of my diving in cold waters of the north in strong currents... I assure you it is much tougher than diving the warm Caribbean waters.
cheers,
JK
Good for you... thanks for you advice... I may not have a 100 dives but I have also seen supposedly 100++ divers down south that couldn't control their buoyancy worth a damn... Also let's be clear, i've done majority of my diving in cold waters of the north in strong currents... I assure you it is much tougher than diving the warm Caribbean waters.
cheers,
JK
OP
Jungho Kim
Contributor
Here is one from my computer - Dive was done - 8/26/2010 9:48 am
Starting pressure - 2894
Ending pressure - 1075
Max Depth - 131.25 - Average - 59.47
Total time of dive - 36 minutes
I've done it enough times that it isn't one that I care to do any more. Nothing against it but I'd much rather do Punta Tunich or one of the other reefs. I can understand why everyone wants to do it but for me there are many other fun dives I'd rather do. If the boat (divers) wants to do this dive in the future I will not complain but will sit it out.
Been there, done that, nothing much to see for me.
--
Thanks! This is very useful...
cheers,
JK
Ms. Ann Thrope
Contributor
I'll just go out in a limb and opine that I don't think that having about 50 dives makes one automatically a worse diver than someone who has a couple hundred. Heck, I'm not even sure I'm a better diver than I was when I had 50 dives--I was a lot younger then, though I like to think at least my judgment is better now. Calmness, fitness, good air consumption and lots of recent practice/training count for a lot. That being said, Devil's Throat isn't my favorite dive either--and if you're on air, it generally ends up being a disappointingly short dive (deco time). And I'm not sure that I think that Columbia Deep is hugely different than some of the deeper Palancar spots, many of which are pretty gorgeous.
I wonder for the OP if a good solution might be to sign onto a couple of afternoon dive trips with a second operation that is likely to do those desired dives, so that at least if the opportunity arises, the operator will be acquainted with the OP's skill level. I rather prefer an operation that is conservative about that kind of stuff. We once dove with an operator that I didn't think was all that careful about not taking unknown divers to advanced spots. So if you're looking for it, you may be able to find it. But is that what you want?
I wonder for the OP if a good solution might be to sign onto a couple of afternoon dive trips with a second operation that is likely to do those desired dives, so that at least if the opportunity arises, the operator will be acquainted with the OP's skill level. I rather prefer an operation that is conservative about that kind of stuff. We once dove with an operator that I didn't think was all that careful about not taking unknown divers to advanced spots. So if you're looking for it, you may be able to find it. But is that what you want?
If you use 1.6 PPO you can sneak by with a 32 nitrox using the old school table. I'm just saying....
Jackie
Contributor
I will second the not counting the number of dives as an absolute indication of ability. When i was doing local diving yeaar round, even if it was four dives - ie two saturdays a month, i was a much sharper diver.
my first night five was in NY harbor.
Local atlantic diving involves drysuits, BP and wings, steel tanks, side mounted pony bottles for dives out in the Atlantic at 100 ft with very low viz, surges and heavy gloves,hoods, etc all inhibiting vision, mobility, etc. Not to mention getting back onto the pitching boat.
I would spend the week before working on my dive plan, getting my gases right , etc etc
that does not equal four caribbean style dives.
Oh and no dms in the water with you ever at all.
my first night five was in NY harbor.
Local atlantic diving involves drysuits, BP and wings, steel tanks, side mounted pony bottles for dives out in the Atlantic at 100 ft with very low viz, surges and heavy gloves,hoods, etc all inhibiting vision, mobility, etc. Not to mention getting back onto the pitching boat.
I would spend the week before working on my dive plan, getting my gases right , etc etc
that does not equal four caribbean style dives.
Oh and no dms in the water with you ever at all.
Scubagolf
Contributor
Columbia Deep has been my favorite Coz dive over the years. My log book has it at 100' +- 2', great swim-throughs and a variety of critters. Never done DT. At 130+ with a long overhead run, it pushes my personal comfort level. Maybe on my next trip to Coz.......
we have all fallen in love with coz and rerturn year after year. you probably will too. because it is so famous, you will have people on your boat request dt frequently. eventually you will silently say not again.
this trip, dive with the group you are traveling with and enjoy whatever comes your way. next time try to stay longer and dive with an op which sends out a half dozen or so boats a day so that you will get put with people of similar ability after your first day.
i never talk against anyone's request but i never request dt. it is not anywhere near my top five coz dives. i'd bet you eventually feel the same way.
this trip, dive with the group you are traveling with and enjoy whatever comes your way. next time try to stay longer and dive with an op which sends out a half dozen or so boats a day so that you will get put with people of similar ability after your first day.
i never talk against anyone's request but i never request dt. it is not anywhere near my top five coz dives. i'd bet you eventually feel the same way.
WSOPFAN
Contributor
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I pulled my log to verify that I did it early on and I was right, dive #40. If you can't find a dive op to take you keep looking there are plenty that have more than 1 boat. I doubt you will beat this though.......dive #10 after leaving the shipwreck and heading for reef had 7 dolphins cruise by. 
Mr Carcharodon
Contributor
Jungho,
Devil's Throat will be fine unless anything goes wrong. If it does the chances of running out of gas, drowning or getting bent are higher than I would accept. From what you have said so far it appears you are not in a position to minimize your risks. And taking other even less experienced divers along is reckless. You need a gas plan and the equipment to execute it, you need a deco plan and the knowledge and gas to execute it. Do you have those? There are other dives that are better, and much less risky.
I have been there and do not recommend it.
Devil's Throat will be fine unless anything goes wrong. If it does the chances of running out of gas, drowning or getting bent are higher than I would accept. From what you have said so far it appears you are not in a position to minimize your risks. And taking other even less experienced divers along is reckless. You need a gas plan and the equipment to execute it, you need a deco plan and the knowledge and gas to execute it. Do you have those? There are other dives that are better, and much less risky.
I have been there and do not recommend it.
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