Ed Hatfield
Contributor
- Messages
- 378
- Reaction score
- 5
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
I have just returned from a vacation at H10 Ocean Maya. I dove with the resort Dive Op on the Saturday and last Tuesday, 21st and 24th of June. On the second dive of the second day we had a group of 10 divers, 1 DM, a captain and 1 crew member. It was a small boat and we were at the maximum as far as comfort was concerned. The first dive was at Tortugas reef and the briefing included the description that it was a drift dive. The dive was disappointing - no turtles - dead sand covered reef - poor visibility of 30-40 feet (for the Carribean that is). The second dive was Barracuda Reef. Entry was at a marker with little to no current and the briefing made no mention of a drift dive. The boat was almost directly across from the ocean entrace to Xcaret. This made orientation easy and we were close to shore. My dive buddy and I were at the rear and followed the group at a distance of 10-15 feet. At one point the DM stopped at a small cavern and the divers took turns, in pairs looking into it. By the time it was our turn the cavern had zero visibility so we held steady until it cleared enough for us to see the spiny lobster we had stopped to look at. As we turned we ran face to face with a full size turtle and my buddy stopped again to take a picture. We continued and realized the group had moved on without us. We picked up the pace to rejoin the group but ran out of reef. I signalled my buddy to surface so we could check our location and possibly see our boat and with any luck rejoin our group. I could see boats in the water across from the Xcaret entrance and since we both had over 2000PSI I suggested we drop to depth and swim towards the boat because I noticed a slight current against us on the surface. WE dropped and headed SW towards the boats. At 1200PSI I stopped my buddy motioned him to the surface. On top I told him there was no point in continuing and we should wait fort he boat. I put up a signal, 6 foot orange safety sausage, and we waited. We waited, and waited, and waited. We at no time were in any danger and at any time could have swam to shore - but that is not the point. We could still cleary see boats in the water outside the Xcaret entrance and I thought 'Well, they probably still have divers in the water and will come for us when everyone is aboard". After half an hour I finally started to wave the signal and a boat came to our assistance. The crew asked me what reef we were diving and we told him 'Barracuda'. He confirmed that we were still in fact on Barracuda Reef but our boat was nowhere to be seen. There were boats in the distance on the horizon to the north. The boat headed in that direction as the crewman waved to catch the attention of anyone looking for missing divers. Finally one of the boats broke towards us and we were rejoined with our group.
- We were not missed until the dive ended and the group was on the boat.
- The DM in his briefing had failed to mention the fact it was a 'drift' dive.
- The boat had no radio and could not contact other boats and ascertain that there were divers in the water on Barracuda reef with a signal up.
- The DM had not done a head count at any time during the dive.
- There was no oxygen, first aid kit, life jackets, horn or visual signal on the boat.
Once again I must say that we were not in any danger at any time BUT a new diver in the water left abandoned and the outcome could have been different. H10 - nice guys - terrible DM and substandard operation.
My next dive was in the Cenotes, Chac Mol and Kukulkan. The DM was Pietro and he did a great job.
- We were not missed until the dive ended and the group was on the boat.
- The DM in his briefing had failed to mention the fact it was a 'drift' dive.
- The boat had no radio and could not contact other boats and ascertain that there were divers in the water on Barracuda reef with a signal up.
- The DM had not done a head count at any time during the dive.
- There was no oxygen, first aid kit, life jackets, horn or visual signal on the boat.
Once again I must say that we were not in any danger at any time BUT a new diver in the water left abandoned and the outcome could have been different. H10 - nice guys - terrible DM and substandard operation.
My next dive was in the Cenotes, Chac Mol and Kukulkan. The DM was Pietro and he did a great job.
