Sidemount in Cozumel

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Ursus

Guest
Messages
82
Reaction score
1
Location
Houston, Texas
# of dives
200 - 499
I spent last week diving sidemount in Cozumel. My partner and I completed our Tech 50 and Tech 65 cert dives. We dove with Deep Exposure, which is a dedicated tech specialty shop on the island and the service was great. The first half of the week was deep training dives with the second half being fun deep diving. When we first arrived the El Norte winds were unusually strong (El Nortes usually show up toward the end of November)and closed the port one day and had us concerned for a few more days.

We dove steel 85's for the SM tanks. This is the first time that I have dove with these tanks on SM...no need for any additonal weight with these on!!! It took a little getting used to on the drops to 165' - 210'....really had to lay on the inflator to put on the brakes. All dive were completed with at least 2 - 3 stage/deco tanks (AL 80's for the most part). Due to the wind there was some surface chop. If the chop was light then we simply entered with SM tanks and pass down the stage tanks once in the water. On the days where it was more choppy or boat was crowded it was easier to simply clip on all of the stages on the boat and then sort it out once we were in the water. Drift diving with all the gear was no problem.

By mid-week we were adopted by the crew and allowed to participate in lionfish safari for the remainder of the dives. It was a great experience and I now feel naked with only one tank. We even rounded out the whole experience by completing the Gas Blender course and spending the week filling tanks after the day's dives.

Best gift to a local DM - cash and a set of trama shears that they can use to cut spines off lionfish before cutting/pulling fish off their spear
 
Hey buddy.... was an awesome time! I'm convinced SM is now my prefered, lifestyle, heck only way I want to dive from now on. 5 tank diver taco to 205 and back rocked! Cant find big tanks or doubles that's fine... I'll just bandolier together the 80's and roll.
 

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