Punta Sur/Devil's Throat

[BRT]

It is hard to understand how not going past NDLs on nitrox when you went way past them on air means nitrox provides no payoff.

BTW, Cathedral and Devil's Throat are not the only Punta Sur Dive sites, but no one dives the third (can't remember the name) much. About 10 years ago or so, diving with Aldora with Memo as the dive guide and using 120s with nitrox, we did all three on one dive. Memo called it "active nitrox diving."

The only time I did DT I wasn't even aware we were there until we came on the entrance. I had been at the entrance before and recognized it, so we checked our air (nitrox) and dropped through. AL80, not at the start of the dive.

 

[fly2dive]

BTW, Cathedral and Devil's Throat are not the only Punta Sur Dive sites, but no one dives the third (can't remember the name) much. About 10 years ago or so, diving with Aldora with Memo as the dive guide and using 120s with nitrox, we did all three on one dive. Memo called it "active nitrox diving.

Punta Sur Sur

 

[ChuckP]

BTW, Cathedral and Devil's Throat are not the only Punta Sur Dive sites, but no one dives the third (can't remember the name) much. About 10 years ago or so, diving with Aldora with Memo as the dive guide and using 120s with nitrox, we did all three on one dive. Memo called it "active nitrox diving.

Punta Sur Sur

I think you are refferig to the "swim thru" after Devils Throat - that is a much more confined area, no line thru it and more like a cave I would assume with multiple ways to go - not really a place for everyone to go.

 

[Blues Runner]

Fortunate to experience Punta Sur & The Devil's Throat in May and August this year. The depth makes this an air dive and you must be comfortable with the depth/confined swim through. Seeing the opening to the blue water after existing the throat is a vision to remember. I shot this video on the August dive shortly after Hurricane Grace left the water somewhat silted.

 

[jchance]

To date my wife and I have dove Devil's throat over 5 dozen times over the last 20 years. It always seems like there is a "never done that" person on the boat at least once a week, usually toward the end of their week there. Yes, it is a bucket list dive and it IS NOT an air only dive. We dive pretty much only with Aldora and with a nitrox 120 it is a cinch. In fact, we have gone through it 3 separate times on a single dive. You must have control of your air consumption and experience with advanced diving. You also need to understand that you probably will go slightly into DECO but allowing for the air amount in a 120 and that you are multilevel diving, you will more than meet your 1-2 minute deco obligation before you reach the 60' mark.

At that said, it is a bucket list dive but there are far nicer dives down south than that. All of Colombia and Palancar are awesome. Conditions permitting, try Islote or Rasta. All are fantastic but make sure you are trained and have the equipment, training and air supply to do them safely.

 

[Damselfish]

Oh, also, I wasn’t commenting on your use of nitrox. I was just saying in general I wouldn’t recommend it for a dive like this, (especially not knowing the divers understanding of nitrox). You understand the science and the risks. A lot of folks, even those certified to dive nitrox, either don’t know, don’t remember or don’t care enough to relearn the science before diving. I’ve heard some nitrox certified divers say some idiotic things about The how, when and why of nitrox.

The fact that some people don’t know what they are doing is not necessarily a reason to reduce everything to the lowest common denominator.

 

[Kodiack]

Punta Sur dives are awesome - we love when conditions are right and we can get there. Devil's throat is a fun "to do" Cozumel dive but my fav swim throughs are in Palancar.

 

[ggunn]

Punta Sur dives are awesome - we love when conditions are right and we can get there. Devil's throat is a fun "to do" Cozumel dive but my fav swim throughs are in Palancar.

Mine, too. Bricks, especially.

 

[mediumone]

Mine, too. Bricks, especially.

We love Bricks.
Bricks is a great example of why the dive op cheerleading drives me nuts. Not every dm knows how, (or just doesn't), dive Bricks like it should be dove.
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

 

[ggunn]

We love Bricks.
Bricks is a great example of why the dive op cheerleading drives me nuts. Not every dm knows how, (or just doesn't), dive Bricks like it should be dove.
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

My favorite way to dive it is starting with the long beautiful swimthrough that meanders back and forth from the wall side to the inner side. Heavy sigh. I wish I were there now.