Thoughts after my first time with Aldora

[Charred]

I cringe watching the turtles ascend and surface for air! Anyone who thinks they can surface without a DSMB deployed need look no further than the various turtle rescues that keep turtles in tanks because they experienced a boat hit and lost their ability to adjust their buoyancy. At the end of the day, a diver surfacing without a DSMB to increase visibility is no different than a turtle surfacing.

Furthermore, once the DSMB is deployed and you're hanging at the 15' safety stop, before surfacing start yanking on the line so it stands up nice and tall over and over instead of letting it lay on its side on the surface. Properly weighted to the minimum, one can exhale and give it a yank and then inhale so yanking on it doesn't screw to much with your buoyancy.

^^^^Great advice. And if you are diving with a good op, your boat should be along side your SMB now so you can surface under the safety of a proximate boat. If your boat isnt there, keeping yanking as above until they show or you are too low on air to stay at the SS.

 

[Christi]

Whoa Christi, Where did I call her stupid?

BTW, earlier this month when the herd descended on her office with torches and pitchforks for closing the port in the morning while it was still calm, the best models we had were predicting that between 12 noon and 3 PM a strong norte would hit. Part of your argument was that Isla Mujeres was still open.

I believe she was worried that it would hit while the morning boats were still out. Well it did hit at 2:45 and it was strong. How can you fault her for that?

Oh, and as for Isla Mujeres that day...a boat sank with a bunch of tourists on board.

And yes, I defend her when appropriate, and also recognize the stress she may be under on a new job.

Dave Dillehay

The problem this year is the new port captain. Over time we hope to explain the reality of the east side during nortes but at this particular point in time are not willing to risk jail or loss of park permits. Hope we (pardon me) they can fix that soon. For the last 15 years we/they have done so but right now, maybe not.

Pease forgive as it is not Aldora's fault right now.

Dave Dillehay

PS when the wind splits the island like North East, Aldora can't dive the other side even if the port captain is stupid.

 

[drk5036]

above he mentioned it should have said "whether the port captain is stupid or not" ...changes the context.

 

[Christi]

above he mentioned it should have said "whether the port captain is stupid or not" ...changes the context.

I'm aware of that - I was answering his direct question to me - and it's just semantics, In MY OPINION it didn't really change context significantly based on historical evidence.

 

[pauldw]

I’ve been missing Celebrity Deathmatch (claymation wrestling battles to gruesome deaths, between Clinton and Lewinski, Stallone and Schwartznegger, Siskel and Ebert, Bigfoot and the Loch Ness monster, etc.). But this could be almost as good!

 

[DandyDon]

I’ve been missing Celebrity Deathmatch (claymation wrestling battles to gruesome deaths, between Clinton and Lewinski

Did you mean: Lewinsky? That's not what they were known for.

I think the above was only friendly sparring between friends. But he did suggest that the PC has been stupid.

 

[ggunn]

I cringe watching the turtles ascend and surface for air! Anyone who thinks they can surface without a DSMB deployed need look no further than the various turtle rescues that keep turtles in tanks because they experienced a boat hit and lost their ability to adjust their buoyancy. At the end of the day, a diver surfacing without a DSMB to increase visibility is no different than a turtle surfacing.

Furthermore, once the DSMB is deployed and you're hanging at the 15' safety stop, before surfacing start yanking on the line so it stands up nice and tall over and over instead of letting it lay on its side on the surface. Properly weighted to the minimum, one can exhale and give it a yank and then inhale so yanking on it doesn't screw to much with your buoyancy.

When I am at a safety stop with SMB deployed, I make myself a little negatively buoyant and hang from my finger spool like a subway rider.

Your other point is well taken, but a turtle at the surface is much harder to see from a boat than is a diver at the surface, and boat captains know the dive sites and where the wall is and they know when divers are likely to be in the water. That said, I always deploy my SMB whenever I surface even a little distance in time or space from the rest of the group. I usually deploy it as well on one of my first dives in a trip just remain in practice.

 

[ReefHound]

A diver can hear a running motorboat. You can't really judge distance or direction but if you hear one then best to stay below until you don't hear one.

 

[fly2dive]

To quote Mr Gump:

Mama says: "Stupid is as stupid does"

Bob

 

[ggunn]

To quote Mr Gump:

Mama says: "Stupid is as stupid does"

Bob

And your point is...?