Tourist lost - Cozumel

[tridacna]

Are you allowed to take them on an airplane in a checked bag???

How about four?

 

[Rob9876]

I have two of these on crossdraw holsters on each side of my BCD cummerbund, and two more on shoulder holsters, one under each armpit. They're all in the cheap, thin kind of store brand resealable bags, because actual Ziplocs bags are harder to tear open quickly in an emergency.
View attachment 766367

Thoughts:
1. Four!?!? Must really be a joke. If not:
2. That's kinda awesome that you dive with a "brace of [flare] pistols"
3. Don't lie, you're secretly hoping for a Sea Hunt type scenario where you "have" to discharge one or more of these underwater against enemy frogmen.

 

[MN Snowman]

Having actually been rescued by using a signal mirror, I can say that is it extremely important to practice in advance. Successful use is significantly more difficult than blowing a whistle.

Just ordered one, thanks for the story.

 

[Red Mister]

I believe that's referred to as trolling.

 

[MrChen]

I started with AOL CDs glues back to back, but aiming mirrors are worth the upgrade.

I thought that brass keyrings were the thing to use diving, but nope. There is such a thing as Marine Grade Stainless Steel, and they sell keyrings made from it. I use 2" wide electric tape over the neck of my pony when I remove the valve for air travel because it does not leave a residue like high-quality duct tape, and that should work ok on a mirror. Leave the ends double back on themselves just a little for removal handles.

I threw away all things brass years ago after cutting my thumb open while opening a bolt snap. I installed a marine grade keyring which I had purchased from DGX years ago.

 

[Rob9876]

Was it ever released who the missing diver was? I have not been able to find anything.

 

[Bob DBF]

I thought that brass keyrings were the thing to use diving, but nope. There is such a thing as Marine Grade Stainless Steel, and they sell keyrings made from it.

I use fishing split rings, they are stainless and you can get them in any size, also they are inexpensive.

 

[Friedolays]

Kimela, for what it is worth:
I have more than a thousand dives on Cozumel and my primary diving is for Lionfish and for the last few years that means over the wall and relatively deep. I have thought about this for a while and have my own theory which may or not be correct.

The channel current near Cozumel is one of the fastest around at 5-6 KTS, the current is not fixed but has slight variations in both velocity and direction. The channel is wider in the south and the near shore shallow current is typically northward being drug along by the main channel current but typically much slower. Below Cedral the island shore is more north / south and the channel is wider, above Cedral it shifts to NNE (about 30 degrees) while the mainland is more ENE (about 60 degrees) causing a constriction. The near shore current in the south (which extends to the reef) continues its N direction past Cedral point where the shore angles more east. This mass of water moving in relatively slow current typically causes a slight off shore current near Santa Rosa but the amount of energy involved in even a slow current is massive.

In the winter and spring months the main channel current, I suspect, wobbles in direction and causes eddies often seen as reverse currents all along the reef, it is referred to locally as 'crazy currents' and it normally occurs from late January thru May but especially in late February and March, but can happen any time. In the case of Santa Rosa there is already a slight off shore current from the southern shore current and the wall is very shear. When a main channel eddy collides with the remnants of the southern shore current the pressure has to relieve itself somewhere and the path of least resistance would be downward over the shear wall of Santa Rosa. I have see this from from mid Cedral thru Santa Rosa.

I have been seen a lot of down current at various points along the reef and watch closely the sand shoots between sections of the reef. These sand shoots are the pressure relief points and points of least resistance and if I see turbulence, ‘dust devils’, on the sand I go either high or out to avoid any down drafts.

For what it is worth that’s my best guess.

Ive often thought, as passing over and around these sand chutes, that whatever formed them must be extremely strong.

When i visualize this process taking place I can only imagine the amount of water being dumped through areas like this. Sends chills down my spine.

 

[Rob9876]

Was it ever released who the missing diver was? I have not been able to find anything.

Candy & Snack TODAY Founding Executive Editor Steve Forster passed away this week [week of January 20th] while diving in Cozumel.

 

[DandyDon]

Industry Legend Steve Forster Passes

Might have been him. The same week, and it's not all that common.