What dive ops let you dive your tank and come up solo?

[mcohen1021]

A dive to Columbia Shallow is typically followed by a dive to one of the deeper sites further south. Cathedral, Punta Sur or Maricabo.

Off topic, so I apologize.

Does the visibility vary greatly @ Maracaibo?

I haven't dived it in 20+ yrs and the last time we drove over there, they said the vis was so poor, wasn't worth it.

 

[ggunn]

A dive to Columbia Shallow is typically followed by a dive to one of the deeper sites further south. Cathedral, Punta Sur or Maricabo. We certainly want our clients to get the most bang for their buck, but we also want to continue to be recognized as a safe dive operation.

Hi, Steve. I believe you meant "preceded by" rather than "followed by", didn't you?

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

On the issue of longer bottom times......the time limits set by the operators are typically more about total overall group time rather than individual diver times. It's not like they are "tracking" each diver with a stopwatch. Providing that gas and deco limits allow, if you are first off the boat and then last back onto the boat, that right there should get you your additional 10-15 minutes.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @manta_man

PADI Self Reliant Diver and SDI Solo Diver require a redundant gas source. Of course, what you do outside of class is your own business.

 

[rmssetc]

Other considerations: you may be able to dive your own tank and come up solo, once an op knows you, but it won't be a published policy.

Also, coming up solo puts an extra burden on the captain, particularly if your timing is significantly before/after the other divers.

 

[manta_man]

Hi, Steve. I believe you meant "preceded by" rather than "followed by", didn't you?

Yes------- sorry

 

[CajunDiva]

It's always nice to see shop owners participating on ScubaBoard. Knowledge and clarification are good things. And ScubaBoard is a great resource for divers.

 

[Charred]

I dove with 3P in June and it was the same great experience. The new DMs are very techy so if that is your thing you will enjoy the new generation of DMs.

Most of our deep dives were ~65 minutes. The DMs were actively pulling the group to shallower reefs in order to get longer dives. I did a whole bunch of reef pieces I had never seen before. They said they were going to do this around 40-45 minutes during the dive brief.

In fact what the DM was doing was pulling the group shallow (<25 feet) so that the end of the dive was one long safety stop. I love DMs that do this. This is how I dive Bonaire and I love that 3P DMs were doing this.

I might have had a 75 min first dive with the DM still with us. They are not rushing you up.

 

[mstevens]

Does the visibility vary greatly @ Maracaibo?

Yes, it does. I’ve had dives when we give up on any photography or video and just focus on not getting separated, and dives when we could read the bottom of the boat from 165 feet. It’s my favorite place on earth, so I go as often as possible.

However, conditions are often not appropriate for a site so far south and so deep. That includes surface conditions (likely the most common problem), currents, visibility, and other divers on the boat. It can easily be a 160-foot hour-long dive, and is nearly always going to be at least 140 feet and 40 minutes overall with obligatory deco stops that take most of the total dive time. I’ve seen a number of divers there get very LOA (or OOA!) with remaining deco obligation and have stopped going there with anyone I don’t know well.

This is not a location where I’d want to get separated from the DM, even with my buddy of 42 years, and is one of the places where separating the group puts everyone at risk.

 

[manta_man]

Yes, it does. I’ve had dives when we give up on any photography or video and just focus on not getting separated, and dives when we could read the bottom of the boat from 165 feet. It’s my favorite place on earth, so I go as often as possible.

However, conditions are often not appropriate for a site so far south and so deep. That includes surface conditions (likely the most common problem), currents, visibility, and other divers on the boat. It can easily be a 160-foot hour-long dive, and is nearly always going to be at least 140 feet and 40 minutes overall with obligatory deco stops that take most of the total dive time. I’ve seen a number of divers there get very LOA (or OOA!) with remaining deco obligation and have stopped going there with anyone I don’t know well.

This is not a location where I’d want to get separated from the DM, even with my buddy of 42 years, and is one of the places where separating the group puts everyone at risk.

If I may--without taking anything away from this last posting---Maracaibo can certainly be a deep dive. However we at Tres Pelicanos do not dive this site or any others deeper than normal sport diving depth.---Yes on Maracaibo one can dive this deep but our usual dive profile is to descend to the reef where we can stay between 70 and 90 feet. However if one wants to go over the wall one can go deeper. The Arches start at 85ish feet at the top and can be 118 (if you stay towards the top of the arch) when exiting over the wall. Then divers ascend back to the top of the reef where we direct the group northwards to shallower depths.--50-70 feet.
AS stated previously, this dive is at the South Point of the Island. We at 3P do this dive as --everyone descends together and every ascends together. This is to make it easier for the boat captain to see surface buoys and pick up the group. Also this dive is very weather dependent--mainly south winds which prevent going this far south.
I would also like to add that Maracaibo is best done on nitrox. The longer bottom time is best because the reef structure is basically flat where we descend. Thus divers spend most of their dive at 80 feet or so. Diving nitrox allows a bit longer bottom time. Which ever way you dive Maracaibo, it is beautiful and fun.
Another option is to dive Chunchakabb. This is basically Maracaibo shallow and is a beautiful dive. 45-85 feet depending on descent positioning.