Reef difficulty

[Bratface]

Bratface: Very cute, Mr."Senior Member"

Hey! Check my profile. I'm a WOMAN!

PS: I checked yours. Are you really an iguana? (nice pic).

 

[5615mike]

I wouldn't worry so much about your buoyancy control in the swim-throughs -- ?

I about spit my Pepsi in the screen when I read that. OMG

 

[jerk85]

I did most of these dives on my trip last summer and had a blast. When I showed up in Coz, I had a grand total of 6 dives in my log. I'm glad I did the more challenging dives - I've always been the adventurous type anyway. I will say this about Devil's Throat, however: this is not so much a swim-through as a cave through the coral. There is a long winding period of overhead, it is pitch black in the middle, and it is DEEP. We exited at 130ft. Though I felt perfectly calm, I remember thinking how bad things could get for an inexperienced diver if something were to go wrong and panic set in. Great experience, but I think you should be pretty comfortable and confident in your ability to troubleshoot a problem on your own before attempting this one.

Conversely, my absolute favorite dive was our very next dive after Devil's Throat: Columbia Shallows (aka Gardens). It was by far the prettiest reef. We must have drifted over a mile, and the scenery was spectacular the entire way. A 67 minute dive even for my air-hog self, and I never got deeper than 36ft!!

 

[caseybird]

OK, here's your break:fruit:

It's the DM doing his happy dance because you came back safely.

Wow, this is the kind of posting that makes me proud to be on Scubaboard. Not.
I've done about 70 dives on Coz, and on my last trip I asked for dives shallower than 80'. More time, better light, more life. You might enjoy them more than an anxious, deep dive.

 

[Charlie99]

I recommend that you not go to Devi'ls Throat at Punta Sur, and if it is the area I'm thinking of, the "Chapel" is also one you should skip.

Santa Rosa Wall and Columbia Deep can both done as dives with an 80' max depth, and that's how most operators dive them.

El Paso Del Cedral and Punta Tunich are shallower dives, although you may find the current disturbing at first.

Many dive ops run an afternoon boat with two shallow dives at places like Paradise Reef. If you have any concerns about weighting, current, drift dive methods, or other differences between Cozumel and your previous experience, then a first trip on an afternoon shallow boat is a good idea.

Make sure that you and your buddy have agreed in advance whether you will stay together as a buddy team, or whether when you hit the ascent pressure that you ascend by yourself, but keeping the group in sight as you ascend above them in their bubble cloud.

Charlie Allen

 

[bgsnmky]

I am also a new diver....just certified and we are going to Cancun to do some 35 foot diving and have one day at Coz so I am trying to figure out where to go.

I know what the 3 minute saftey stop is, but I don't remember learning anything about the Deco stop. What is that?

 

[TSandM]

My point about the swim-throughs is that, if you lose buoyancy control in one, you hit the ceiling or the floor. Lose buoyancy control on a free ascent, and you cork. Corking gets you bent. Hitting the ceiling of a swim-through damages the reef and your pride.

 

[bgsnmky]

TSandM - just so I know what you are saying on the ascent, you are just saying losing buoyancy control by going up to fast? I think of buoyancy control as foating at the same place in the water without going up or down. (I have only had my OW cert).

So when you are saying lose bouyancy control while ascending, do you mean making sure that you are keeping your bouyancy correct so you don't ascend to fast? Mkaing sure you are letting air out of your BC etc.

 

[TSandM]

Yes, I'm talking about controlling the rate of ascent, and being able to execute stops. If you are heavily loaded with nitrogen, as you can be at the end of the deeper dives, you do not want to shoot to the surface rapidly (you don't want to do that ever, anyway, but it's more critical when you are heavily loaded).

 

[dwwest101]

My first dive in Coz was in 1981 about a month after I was certified. My first ocean dive was Santa Rosa Wall. Things have changed considerably since then. If you are concerned about your skills I would recommend you contact a op like Blue XTSea and do a check out dive. They can give you advice and help you with any problems you may be having. This will also help building your confidence level.

No op is going to take you to Devils Thoat or the Cathedral as your first morning dive anyway. The first dive of the day is generally decided by the group on the way out in the morning. Be up front with the rest of the group. They will understand, we have all been in your position. You will still dive somewhere like Columbia Deep or Santa Rosa, but the rest of the group will be aware of you and your nervousness. If you are a single diver, stick close to your buddy if you have one. If not, stick close to the DM. Don't be afraid of your dive if you feel uncomfortable. Just let him know before you go up.
Have a good time in Coz. I'll be there the 6/20 - 6/25 - diving with Blue XTSea.