?'s regarding diving from pangas

[gedmondson]

Hi all.
I very recently became OW certified. My course and instructors were first rate, but all my dives were from shore in the Hood Canal, WA. I am going to Akumal/Cozumel next month, and know that the diving in Akumal is from pangas. Can someone give me a blow-by-blow description on what happens on such a dive? Do you assemble your gear on shore or in the boat? Do you don BCD in the boat or on the surface? Do they give you weights for an integrated BCD or must you wear a belt? You get the idea. I will be a little less anxious if I know what to expect going in. Thanks in advance for all your help.

 

[Papa_Bear]

All of the above sometimes! Follow the instructions of the DM and they will brief you, no big deal, you will catch on quick! Each operation has their own way depending on how long the ride to the reef! They will hold your hand each step if you ask, they work for tips

 

[driftwood]

The panga's can get pretty crowded at times and you will generally assemble your gear at the shop and walk it down to the boat. Slip off the bc and hand it up to the crew along with your fins/mask. When you get to the dive site, don the gear and do a back roll off the boat. Best that everyone goes over at the same time. If not move away from the boat and may sure that no one lands on you.

At the end of the dive take off your gear in the water and hand it up to the crew.

I always dive with my own gear which is weight integrated. Most of the dive op's there go with a weight belt. Pockets are expensive and hard to get.

Hope this helps, FOLLOW the dive briefing, remember to prehydrate before your trip (the sun can be brutal and proper hydration is a good defense against DCS)

 

[don Francisco]

Hi- I dove in both the Hood Canal and off Pangas in Mexico. Relax compared to Puget Sound diving off Pangas is as easy as falling off a log. ;-)

Seriously, you'll be using bout 20# less lead, wearing a more flexible wetsuit & diving in clear warm water. As others have said, everything is preassembled & you wear your wetsuit, either full on or legs only depending on the temperature & distance to the dive site. Usually the divemaster or captain holds your BC/tank on the gunwale while you strap in, then you sit there until the group does a back roll entry together.

At the end of the dive, you inflate your BC so it'll float, remove your weights, slip out of your BC, removing fins last before climbing up. I carry only 6 pounds of weight in an integrated BC and the dive ops usually tell me to leave the pockets in, but in most cases weight pockets like a weight belt must be removed & handed up. There's lots of dropped belts & weight pockets & over the years I've recovered over 100#s of lead from the bottom.

The only thing that makes Akumal/Cozumel difficult for some divers is that it's all drift diving. Both the descent & ascent are free, in open water. For some folks, a safety stop without an anchor line to hold or for reference is somewhat difficult at first. The plus is that there's no swimming required, the current takes you on a tour of the reef, with the boat following you ready to pick you up when you surface.

I've almost 500 dives in Cozumel, so feel free to PM me with any specific questions. dF

 

[gedmondson]

Wow! Thanks for taking the time to respond, everyone. I really appreciate it. I can't wait!

Gary

 

[driftwood]

Wow! Thanks for taking the time to respond, everyone. I really appreciate it. I can't wait!

Gary

Have a GREAT trip! We have been going to Akumal for the past eight years and while I am not a big fan of the local reefs anymore, the cenotes are still world class. If you are VERY confident in your buoyancy skills and comfortable in the water, give them a shot. Dos Ojos is ten minutes from Akumal, Hidden Worlds Cenotes Park Yucatan Mexico Riviera Maya for a peek at what the diving is like inland.

 

[farsidefan1]

And you have no choice, you are going to get some practice. They usually have your gear assembled but CHECK your stuff anyway. Of course you always breathe from your reg and octo but also check to make sure the strap is tight around your tank, I entered the water and found my tank "floating" beside me after I did the backroll entry. This was a bit disconserting to me as it was my first dive trip and about my 4th dive. Same thing happened to another diver the same dive -. One of the other divers really got on the divemaster and boat captain about it and they didn't do it again. Just remember, they will set it up but you're the one breathing underwater with that gear. CYA (cover yer butt):mooner:.

 

[ItsBruce]

Since you will be drift diving, bring your own safety sausage, signal mirror and whistle. Tether them all together and put them on a clip. If you are using one of the ops bcds, then don't forget to take the package with you after the dive. Hopefully, you won't need it, but why take the risk?