New Diver: Drift Diving Dives 5-15 & Nitrox Cert

[nighthawk91]

One more item, there is no prize for having excess air at the end of the dive. The DMs I have been with have been known to share their air with "air hogs". If you are getting low, 1000 psi, communicate with others. If someone is in the 1500psi range, buddy up and use some of their air.

 

[iointerrupt]

If someone is in the 1500psi range, buddy up and use some of their air.

That's fine advice for someone with a bit of experience, but we're talking about New Divers here. An air share, during a drift dive, and possibly drifting ascent, is just asking for trouble from unexperienced divers.

With that said, I agree with arew+4, pick somewhere else. You might have a fine time in Cozumel and come home a better diver. But then again, you might not. If you can't do Curacao, see if you can do Bonaire. Both are basically one step up in complexity compared to a swimming pool.

 

[NorCalDM]

One more item, there is no prize for having excess air at the end of the dive. The DMs I have been with have been known to share their air with "air hogs". If you are getting low, 1000 psi, communicate with others. If someone is in the 1500psi range, buddy up and use some of their air.

Please don't do this. The extra air is your safety factor for the oh crap moments, it gives you time to sort it out. Sharing air to extend your dive may end up with two people out of air. If you are an air hog your dive ends earlier than those that aren't. Work on the air consumption please.

 

[lowwall]

Currents are only hard when you try to fight them. The whole point of drift diving is to not do that.

Let the current move you. The whole group will be basically drifting along together. Since the group isn't actively finning, if you get a little behind to look at something you can quickly catch up with a bit of kicking. If you somehow get ahead, get in the lee (downcurrent side) of a coral head or grab a bit of dead coral and wait. The group will join you shortly.

The descent is like any other open water descent. Everyone is in the same water column, it's just that the water is moving relative to the ground. Keep an eye on your buddy and group and you'll be fine.

Same story with the ascent.

Don't worry about the boat. The captain is literally following your bubble trail. When you are deep, those bubbles are very big and easy to follow at the surface. When you are shallow, he can see the divers as well as the bubbles.

My wife got certified in Coz and drift diving is still her favorite type of diving.

As to Nitrox. Get the cert. There's no difference underwater except you can stay there longer if you have the gas.

 

[nighthawk91]

Please don't do this. The extra air is your safety factor for the oh crap moments, it gives you time to sort it out. Sharing air to extend your dive may end up with two people out of air. If you are an air hog your dive ends earlier than those that aren't. Work on the air consumption please.

You still maintain your reserve air. Once your buddy gets down to the same 1000psi as you, you go back to your tank. When you reach your 700psi, end the dive. You surface at 500 psi.

 

[crofrog]

You still maintain your reserve air. Once your buddy gets down to the same 1000psi as you, you go back to your tank. When you reach your 700psi, end the dive. You surface at 500 psi.

From how deep is it appropriate to end a dive with 700psi?

 

[NorCalDM]

You still maintain your reserve air. Once your buddy gets down to the same 1000psi as you, you go back to your tank. When you reach your 700psi, end the dive. You surface at 500 psi.

Just no. First if you come to me and you have 1000psi you are not low enough for me to share air with you. You need to start working your way up the reef to shallower water which will save some air and then on to your safety stop then boat. This thought process is just a problem waiting to happen.

 

[Chavodel8en]

I had 100+ dives in more than a decade blowing bubbles, before I went on my first drift dive in the Yucatan several years ago, and I also had a bit of anxiety about it too. But I found it enjoyable.

Boulderjohn pretty much covered the answers, but I will add:

Before you splash in, make sure you are all squared away and ready to descend. It's not likely you will be doing a negative "hot drop", but you still dont want to be fidgeting with your gear on the surface. When the DM says "drop" be ready to drop.

Buy the SMB, and practice using it. If all goes well, you will ascend with the DM, and they will deploy the SMB. However, there may be instances where you will need to deploy the SMB yourself. If you get blown off on your own for example.

Before I went on vacation, I practiced using a SMB in my cold home waters, with mixed success and sometimes laughable failure. On the drift dive, I asked the DM if I could deploy my SMB and I was successful - we used it to surface. A small point of pride for me.

 

[nighthawk91]

From how deep is it appropriate to end a dive with 700psi?

You are drift diving in Cozumel. "Most" of the dives are a max of 60'. You can get to your safety stop at the point.

 

[tursiops]

"Most" of the dives are a max of 60'.

I think, in general, you need more experience in Cozumel and elsewhere. Your suggestions are naive.