How deep is Cozumel diving?

[JeffMandell]

I'm booked to spend next week diving in Cozumel. It will be my first trip there and I'm excited about it.
However, my right ear has been bothering me lately and I went to the ENT doctor yesterday to be sure I was fit to dive. He said something was partially blocking the inner ear, it's not serious and I can dive, but not below 60-70 feet.
I'm obviously not happy about this, but at least I don't have to cancel the trip.
My question is: How deep is average good diving in Coz and will my 60-70 feet limit allow me to go on all dive boats and have a good time?
Thanks.

 

[2 Bar]

Many dives are 60 - 80 feet. Plus, if you are on a 80ft dive, let the DM know. You and a buddy could dive 10ft less than the group.

Be careful, inform all your DMs, enjoy.

 

[Charlie99]

JeffMandell once bubbled...
I went to the ENT doctor yesterday to be sure I was fit to dive. He said something was partially blocking the inner ear, it's not serious and I can dive, but not below 60-70 feet.

Does this ENT have any dive experience? The big ratio change in pressure, and therefore in volume change, is in the first 10 to 30 feet. Most people are OK for the rest of the dive if they can get to 30'.

To this non-doctor it seems like strange advice. If something is partially blocking your inner ear it would probably be best to forego diving entirely.

It would be a good idea to call DAN and discuss your situation.

-----

As to your question on depth, as 2 Bar noted, lots of dives are to around 80'. This includes some popular swimthroughs on sites like Santa Rosa, but you can always just go around or over the top instead. My experience is that smaller operators tend to go a bit deeper than the larger operators such as Dive Paradise, AquaSafari, etc.

 

[redacted]

1st dive: 80 ft for 35-40 minutes, 1hr SI
2nd dive: 50-60 ft for 45 minutes

80 footers are on "walls" where it is easy to stay up at 50 to 60 ft and follow the group. You can watch the bubbles when they do swimthroughs & figure out where they will emerge. You will just have to be careful to make sure you stay behind the DM.

Enjoy

 

[miesemer]

You may find being above the rest of the group the current may be stronger than being down below the coral heads. Not much, but enough that you'll need to keep an eye on your group so you don't drift too far ahead.

 

[Walter]

Get a second opinion from a doctor who understands diving. Charlie is right. If the pressure from diving is going to hurt you, it'll do it much shallower than 60 ft. You should be able to dive within your comfort (and training) limits if you can dive at all. I might trust a doctor who said I couldn't dive for the reasons stated, I don't trust one who places depth limits of 60 - 70 ft.

 

[mcrae]

Yes definately get a second opinion from a Diving Doctor if possible.
One day I went to see my Diving Doctor when I had a really terrible middle ear infection. I told her I was diving on the Barrier reef in exactly one week and she was able to get me in shape to dive and told me exactly what to look out for and what I could take.

I was really worried about the flight as well. You can abort a dive but a flight is a different thing. Everthing worked out.

Good Luck
Gary

 

[DandyDon]

The free call is 1+800-446-2671 weekdays. Request non-emergency medical advise. I don't like the sound of the medical advise you were given either...

I do think it's good to be a DAN member with dive insurance - theirs or otherwise.

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org


don

 

[JeffMandell]

I appreciate that some of you are worried that my ear doctor is incompetent, but I've been going to him for a long time and trust him.

As I was focused only on the depth restriction question when I started the thread, I didn't go into all the medical stuff here on the board, so as not to bore everyone. But, since folks are so concerned: my right ear has been feeling unequalized at times, here on land. I have to keep clearing it. In an exercise of caution I went to the ear doctor to check it out before diving.
He looked and did various tests (including some weird gizmo they stick in your ear that electronically maps your inner and middle ear) and said there was nothing obviously amiss. He suggested it was probably some minor nasal/sinus constriction. Since I have a week to go before leaving, he put me on a cortizone nasal spray. Says it should completely clear it in a couple of days and if so, sees no reason not to dive, but take a Sudafed anyway (I always do).. However, in an exercise of caution, he thought two atmospheres down (60 feet - 70feet) would be a good place to stop to be sure, as pressure obviously keeps increasing as we descend further.

Any further thoughts on how much this limit will affect my diving week welcomed. And thanks to all for your concerns.

 

[Walter]

When there is a large increase in pressure, your ears are ok, but when there's a small increase in pressure your ears aren't ok.

I'm glad you trust your doctor, but I don't understand why this should be the case.