Had 2 scary experiences: How to avoid in future?

[DandyDon]

Wow, this thread was really quick to call troll. Nothing to indiciate troll-like activity to me, sounded like a perfectly natural and reasonable question for SB. We're here to help each other right? IMO one way to do that is to embrace a "no question is too stupid" attitude.

Yeah, but we're just members discussiong here. Sometimes reactions and a bit much - it's human

Back to the topic at hand: I was hoping some experienced divers could clear up a few of the suggestion made:

1) my OW class taught not to use any kind of decongestant or medication prior to a dive to help with equalization (or to dive with a cold), particularly because it could wear off in the middle of the dive and leave you prone to a reverse squeeze that you can't unblock. Does this still stand for experienced divers?

You need to get that advice from an ENT or DAN medic, but many divers just take enough to make sure it doesn't quit too soon, or use the time released

2) I had a lot of trouble equalizing on the way down, until I started *constantly* equalizing - basically grabbing the anchor line with one hand, and keeping my other hand on my nose, blowing gently the entire way down. This let me descend at a fairly fast, constant rate, with no squeeze problems. Are there any drawbacks to this over the standard "descend a few feet, stop, equalize, repeat" method?

Anyone with an OW card should be able to swim with the current in Coz without dropping to fast to equalize. Keep your descent slow enough to clear, but swim to stay with the group as you do.

Again, try equalizing 3 times before going in.

 

[TSandM]

You know, this thread makes me frown a little . . . It seems as though Cozumel is a common destination for new divers, but it sounds as though the diving there can be pretty challenging. I have a personal interest in this, because a group of us are headed down there next month, and the group includes two novice divers, and I don't want to see them have bad experiences. Hot drops and current strong enough that you can't keep a group together seem like an awful lot to ask of beginners?

 

[DandyDon]

You know, this thread makes me frown a little . . . It seems as though Cozumel is a common destination for new divers, but it sounds as though the diving there can be pretty challenging. I have a personal interest in this, because a group of us are headed down there next month, and the group includes two novice divers, and I don't want to see them have bad experiences. Hot drops and current strong enough that you can't keep a group together seem like an awful lot to ask of beginners?

That is correct.

They need to be buddied up with experienced divers if they're going to be on the same boat with the experienced. It's best to have more and less experienced on seperate boats, but often not practical.

There is a some how-to to Coz diving, but some would depend on what kind of boat they'll be on - 6 or 8 pack where they had their BCs up first? If so, weight belt is always removed before the BC, as newbies often dive belts. If a larger boat, then they can hand the fins first and climb with the BC on.

Still, its' how you learn after you learn how to learn. OW class should have given them that much.

The more experienced should consdier a day trip to the mainland to dive the cenotes, but only after the newbies are conditioned enough to be left diving.

 

[fisherdvm]

I don't remember any place where current was so strong that you can't keep together. Perhaps they went to the extreme south, or eastern shore. Certainly, outside the national park area, they can anchor. But it seems like they chose a dive they shouldn't.

I still would call this a troll, but a fascinating one. I have a funny story, a great troll was able to fool everyone on the judoboard I belong to. Folks were whispering about it, but he was already appointed a moderator, and his fellow moderator admonished any who questioned the great troll. Until someone wanted to see him in action at a mixed martial art competition, did it blow his cover. But it took almost 2 months, as so many defended this highly regarded moderator. It is not always a bad thing to call a person a troll when he might be one.

I would not back this person's identity until we find out where in the national sanctuary were they able to anchor.

But it was a great scenario.

 

[Gombessa]

a great troll was able to fool everyone on the judoboard I belong to. Folks were whispering about it, but he was already appointed a moderator, and his fellow moderator admonished any who questioned the great troll. Until someone wanted to see him in action at a mixed martial art competition, did it blow his cover. But it took almost 2 months, as so many defended this highly regarded moderator.

Intriguing. How exactly did he troll (and how is that related with him being appointed a moderator)? And what was his deal, did he claim to be a senior black belt whereas he was really a newbie? I'm surprised anyone like that would even attend a competition (and even if he was significantly worse than he claimed to be, that really doesn't make him a troll, or unfit to moderate a forum, right?)...

 

[fisherdvm]

He posted a photo of himself, great shape type. His girlfriend also posted, with a real pretty picture of herself. And he made up a third buddy to back up his great quest. He posted his MMA record, and had intimate knowledge of judo, muay thai, and a little about TKA. Apparently he watched alot of Spike TV... It must have been tremendous work he put in to create a personality for himself... But it got him appointed moderator. Now you go on judoforum, you would only find scattered remnants of his posts, as they deleted his persoanlity,his girl friend, and his friend... I think they were very shameful of it. All you had to do was to verify his credentials - which he didn't have. He also tried to create a little web info on him, just enough to throw people off.

 

[fisherdvm]

claimed to be, that really doesn't make him a troll, or unfit to moderate a forum, right?)...

Trolling is a great art, of fooling people. If you fooled a large crowd of people, you are a great troll. He fooled most of the moderators on judoboard, that they foolishly protected him... Until they no longer could.

The greatest troll that ever lived, in my book.... Just sad that judoboard deleted his personality ... It was a hilarious situation. His screenname was Sankaku513, and you still can find remnants of him on the board. Go to judoforum.com, and type in sankaku513 under search for member's post.

 

[DandyDon]

OMG :11: If the lady was a troll, she would have posted in the Coz forum. Get off that. She's a vacation diver who remembered 3 years later that they called the drift line a line - and she got her boat terms confused. Not many vacation divers know their boat terms.

I have never seen an anchor dropped in Coz diving, and I'm sure she hasn't either.

It's pretty rude to call the lady liar when she caem to this forum for help - what we normally do for ppl here.

 

[fisherdvm]

OMG :11: If the lady was a troll, she would have posted in the Coz forum. Get off that. She's a vacation diver who remembered 3 years later that they called the drift line a line - and she got her boat terms confused. Not many vacation divers know their boat terms.

I have never seen an anchor dropped in Coz diving, and I'm sure she hasn't either.

A troll is usually a smart person. And a regular personality in the forum. For all we know, Danny, I might be one, and so might you, he, he, he... A troll is usually one without personal information on himself. But a great troll will post a photo, and fill in their profile. He has just made a new user id to fool other. I did once, and admitted to it... And they promptly killed my twin brother.

A smart troll will only troll in the ocean with lots of fish, and this is the forum to post... Not a sterile lake like "cozumel".

Have you ever seen a drift line going down more than 5 ft?? She said anchor.... She will never post again ...

 

[diverdown247]

breckgirl,

Heck of a first post. Several have expressed that PADI may not be to blame and they are correct. OW courses are not designed to train a new diver on how to deal with current/drift diving conditions. This is where that particular specialty course and experience come into play, though you can learn to current/drift dive without it if you team up with a good DM, Instructor, or experienced diver who is willing to take you along to gain the experience.

When that happens, you absolutely should be paired with someone who has experience in those diving conditions. That person should also be informed by you of your descending issues so that they can be there for you on the descent. It is my habit to personally go down with a slow descending student/beginning diver (if requested) so that they have the confidence of my experience with them, which can ease their personal tension and lessen panic possibilities on the way down. Calm divers conserve air without realizing it.

You should make any personal diving issues YOUR personal responsibility to make dive pros aware of if they are conducting a group dive. Only you know your personal diving issues and experience. They may need to make buddy adjustments based on that alone.

The first dive in a new facet of diving may be easily disturbing. Please don't let that discourage you from attempting those types of dives in the future. Trust me, a low to 0 visibility dive is very disturbing for many people. For some, simply diving in less than 30-50ft of vis is not an option, which is what we can have in land-locked lakes. It just takes a patient and experienced diver to help you learn to cope with the conditions so that you actually enjoy the dive. Discussing it in a post-dive debriefing is vital to improving/fixing issues for subsequent dives.

So, I hope you have an opportunity to participate in another current/drift dive with a diver who is experienced in that type of dive so that you can learn how/what to deal with and have fun.