Gary's Gulf Divers go to Cozumel

[philmottrek99and02]

Thanks for the report Donna. Your photos are fantastic. Who is walking the tight-rope?

 

[amadus98]

Glad your all back and had a good time.. you missed a great dive at the Destin Jetties while you were gone..lol

 

[PePaw]

Nice pics. Brought back some good memories !
Thanks !

 

[algulfdiver]

Every One had a great time and I'm sure will add to this report when they get some rest.


Here are a few Pictures out of about 300 thats just what I took.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Excellent shots Gary!

 

[wjefferis]

yes, very nice!!

 

[ShagMan]

Awesome Gary, post some more!

 

[Sharktrap79]

My wife and I had a great time and will go again. The hospitality was spectacular and the diving was just as good. I had more fun than I have ever had before. I was glad to share the experience with friends. I thought the rooms were exceptional. They were cleaned every time I came back to the room. There was enough food and drink at any given time to feed an army. The crew that ran the boat were the best that I have ever experienced and the DM was one to learn from- he was a wonderful person as well. I hope that when I go back I can have the same crew. I never had to lift a finger to dive. If it is possible to work too hard- they have mastered that. There was a misunderstanding about the time scheduel for the dive boat on the last day. It was booked. The owner came to explain to us what had happened and even put us on a later boat that was ment for way more divers then we had on it. They still allowed us to dive with our small group only. This mix-up was no big deal at all. EVERYBODY that was there on the last day still got to do there dives. I would tell anybody interested in going to Cozumel to stay and dive at Fiesta Americana and the Dive House. I look forward to the next trip. I also want to thank Gary and Linda (Gary's Gulf Divers) for putting together such a wonderful trip. Whatever the next trip is- I'm there!

John

 

[snepdiver]

Nice. Great report. Nice pictures also. Sorrt I did not get to go in this trip. I wanted to but I HAD to go to Costa Rica instead.

 

[AuTgrDvr]

Hola! So, I said I would post about the ordeal that occurred in Cozumel on day 2 of our trip, so here goes......
I'm sure this could be in accidents and incidents, but it is also a trip report, so.......

One of AuTgrDvr's Last Dives?

Ditto everything said by our fellow travelers......however, on my second day, everything for me (and everyone else traveling with us for that matter) kind of went arry. We did 2 dives Saturday morning....one at Palancar Gardens and the other at San Francisco Reef. I had fun dives....swam with and petted turtles, played with fish, etc. It was so fun, that the notorious dive angels decided we must go for more, so after returning to the dock, we scarfed down a cheeseburger and fries they had prepared for us and then jumped on the boat for our 2 evening dives. I had about a 2 hour surface interval prior to diving the Columbia reef. Our max depth was supposed to be 80ft, but I slipped down to 89.....saw that though and made the rest of the dive at around 50-60ft before doing an extended safety stop. I did not go into deco., although if I would have, I would feel better about what happened or at least that would have explained it. When I boarded the boat, I felt some soreness/tightness in my abdomen and chest and began to fear the worst (as I have experienced a type II DCS hit--CNS symptoms--back in August '07). I began chugging water to try to maintain hydration and discussed with my divemaster buddy, Angeldonna. At 30 minutes post-dive, I just had the chest tightness issue going on and decided that on the next dive, it would be nice to dive and stay at around 15-20 ft for a prolonged period (thought this may ward off evil nitrogen from attacking me). At about 40 minutes though, the world as I knew it started spinning and spinning and spinning. When I could stand no more, I asked Angeldonna to ask for the O2. When our divemasters on the boat finally understood us, I embarked on my medical journey by sucking down O2. The extreme vertigo did its job though and I lost that cheeseburger and fries and actually think I may have shed my entire GI lining on and over the boat. After about 5-10 minutes on O2, my spinning and pain was not affected and at that point, I became really scared as I know O2 usually will help relieve symptoms of DCS. During this excitement on the boat, Angeldonna saw me through by checking my symptoms, strength, etc. Also, a diveshop owner from Michigan who I will call mystery Michigan diver helped out. So, Angeldonna, mystery Michigan diver, and our chick divemaster on the boat helped monitor these neurological symptoms and deal with my out of control body and it is b/c of them that I was treated quickly and accurately. When we made it to our resort dock (the captain had radioed for help), the Cozumel paramedics jumped into action and strapped me (Denise and I remember several wrappings and strappings and laughed about this later) to a back board which probably did not help them very much as I again lost whatever was left in me onto them and my surrounding angels. No one can accuse me of not giving back to the environment. Was then re-strapped. God bless these people as they thought I might slip through the crack between the boat and the dock. Our fearless leader, his right hand woman, and other travelers were then faced with my doom. Fearless leader jumped into Mexican ambulance with me as well as Victor (our divemaster and leader on said Columbia dive). If Mexican men can turn Caucasian in a split second, this is what Victor did as he was white as a sheet, which made me a little more nervous I must say. On the ambulance ride, our leader had to hold my head a couple of times while I prayed over a garbage can and also had to hold psych. counsel as I asked him if I would live. I was surprised when he said yes, so I believed him although I could not relax b/c I was still wiping out. When we arrived at the lovely Cozumel dive clinic, I was greeted by their dive doc and nursing staff. I did not totally make it all the way before losing control of other bodily functions, but will spare everyone the beautiful details. They kept me on O2. After nurse got me out of bathing suit into scrubs and started the IV, I did begin the feel better and was confident I would indeed make it. The crazy spinning though was unreal. Also, b/c of the warmth of the hospital and my wet hair, I got exceedingly cold and was smothered in blankets and Angeldonna even sat on top of me to keep my teeth from chattering! When cute life saving dive doc looked at my ears and checked my eyes, he said that I had inner ear barotrauma which probably resulted from trying to equalize too hard b/c of congestion in my left ear. After that I suppose drugs given in my IV took effect b/c I got very sleepy right after being rolled into my room. They decided I should stay the night, so I did just that. I woke up at 1am wondering where in the world I was....then I remembered. I then buzzed for a nurse and asked for some gatorade and ice water and got a blank stare. When I realized that she didn't speak English, I then asked for Gatorade and Aqua por fa vor and it worked I was retrieved the next morning by non-diving right hand woman and wheeled out to a taxi and then escorted to my hotel room where I ate my first meal post-incident and then went into deep sleep from vertigo drug. I spent most of the rest of the vacation in the room b/c of my dizzy/drunken state. The swelling just below my collarbone, on my shoulders, and breast got worse and I began to get scared that I may have to visit the all inclusive Mexican dive clinic again, so I called my dive doc's cell phone and discussed my flying options and he cleared me to fly, so I came home 1 day early and got checked out by my family doc. He wasn't too helpful since I was his first case of DCS/barotrauma, but he did say that I would live and prescribed me some Antivert and Levall. So, now I still feel a little drunk when I turn my head/etc, but I am assuming this could take a couple of weeks or so to get over. The swelling, however has subsided and I believe I will make a full recovery although my ego may never recover. My pictures from one roll of film did not do right in my camera, so my pictures of turtles, lobsters, pompano, and huge grouper are kaput. I vaguely remember having another roll of film, so maybe I can find that one. If so, I will post the pictures here. If I left anything out, it is b/c I was literally in a different world than the other folks, so feel free to clarify. Also, I think I may have to give up diving since this is my 2nd case of DCS type II. I have had an echo following the first dive accident and the only thing found (they didn't do the gold standard test for PFO) was that I have mitral valve prolapse. I don't have any other pre-existing conditions (that I know of) except for the fact that I have now had 2 hits. I sent an email to DAN to see what they say. If anyone has any thoughts/suggestions/recommendations about returning to diving, let me know. I do love everything about diving, but don't want to risk my life. If a return isn't possible, maybe I could free dive?

Anyway, I did have quite an adventure as you can all see, but I don't see it as a bust. Everything is a learning experience I think and to be honest, I had a great time except for when that demon got into my body. And I am sure I am closer to many of you now more than you ever dreamed of or imagined as some of you have held my hand, head, and bodily fluids.


Thanks very much to those who helped me during this time!


Kristal

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]"The clouds...never expect it...
when it rains
But the sea changes colours...
but the sea...
Does not change"~S. Nicks[/FONT][/FONT]