Devil's Throat Question

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Is Devil's Throat a "special" dive of some sort? I told Dive House that I was interested in going they said that it is a little further away and they need to have at least 4 advanced divers interested in going...however since their boats are already full, the majority of the boat would have to want to go...does this make sense?
Obviously I know that it is an advanced dive, but they made it sound like it isn't a location that is visited regulary
 
I didn't get to dive it while I was there but it is at the southern most tip of the island and the currents play a big part in the dive. So I was told by our DM. The trip to the southern end is a long way also.
Have Fun, Dive Safe
Butch :chicken:
 
It is about a 130' dive in which you enter a chimney (read overhead environment) and descend through it with light (though sometimes fairly dim) always visible (unless the diver in front of you is large enough to block the light in a fairly narrow tunnel or kicks up a good bit of sand. It is also considerably far south, which means longer, more expensive (fuel costs) runs there and back. the entrance is at aboout 70-75 feet and you exit at about 130. It's not for kids, but it is not difficult for a competent, relaxed diver.

<')///><
 
Hi Boosted,

While we didn't actually go into Devil's Throat, we visited the entrance to it when we were down there. It did take a while to get there. The entrance was at 90 feet, and it goes down to 130 feet. I'm told that you need lights, since you're effectively in an underwater cavern.

Basically, the divers all agreed on the location when we left the hotel pier. I'm sure that if everyone had wanted to go into Devil's Throat it wouldn't have been a problem to do so.
 
There's nothing particularly special about Devil's Throat other than:

1. It's a pretty deep dive
2. It's a pretty good haul south from town.
3. It's a pretty short dive.
4. It's a lot of fun.

I don't know anything about Dive House, but if you get with a good shop, with small fast boats for a week you are almost garanteed to get some requests to do it on one of the days. Usually everyone on the boat will agree or the shops will move people around to accomidate you.

When I did it I maxed out at 118 feet. You can get deeper if you come out near the bottom of the swimthrough.
 
Several years ago the Diverlink crew did a dive there. They ran into a rather confused current situation. All divers survived, but 5 (~half) did several chamber rides. AFAIK this is still the Coz chamber record for DCS patients from a single dive.

Search the Diverlink Diver to Diver Forum for the details:

http://diverlink.com/forums/index.php?bn=diverlink_divertodiverlink

keywords: Dive from hell

The video of that dive taken by GaryD showing sinking bubbles passing the grouper swimming hard upwards and still going backwards down the wall is an absloute classic! Downcurrents can be wicked!
 
I did a search for that story there, Fred, and I can't seem to find it. I would really like to know more about that. Do you have another link that might get me to it and the video?

Thanks
 
Hi Boosted:

I got to dive "Punta Sur" aka Devils Throat with Dive House the last time I was there. I was given the same information you got. It is a specialty dive and not on their regular schedule. It does take at least 4 qualified divers and we were surcharged $15 for the extra fuel cost. It is not a dive for a beginner.

Our group consisted of one instructor, one DM, 2 Rescue Divers. We had been diving together for several days and the DM felt comfortable with our group. There were several other less experienced divers that did not make the trip that day who were on the boat with us. The instructor in our group polled the group for interest and then we approached the DM who in turn got clearance from the owners of Dive House.

We had a good dive. The currents can be unpredictable and you have to hit the entrance at 80' on the fly. You then work your way down through the cavern and come out on the wall at 105'. You then enter another swim through and come out at about 125'. The ascent is through another cavern up to about 60' and then a regular ascent from there. It is a computer only dive. My computer did trip over into deco mode briefly.

To tell you the truth. Other than having the dive on the resume. I wasn't all that impressed. It was a long boat ride even from Dive House. There was virtually no marine life to speak of and the dive was very short because of the depth and no deco rules. It is definately an overhead environment,deep and not for your inexperienced diver.
 
Boosted:
Is Devil's Throat a "special" dive of some sort? I told Dive House that I was interested in going they said that it is a little further away and they need to have at least 4 advanced divers interested in going...however since their boats are already full, the majority of the boat would have to want to go...does this make sense?
Obviously I know that it is an advanced dive, but they made it sound like it isn't a location that is visited regulary

My guess would be that since the boat is mixed with all types of divers they would not want to risk taking the boat there with novices on board.

I have never been on a boat that would not take me where I wanted to go and I have been going to Coz since 1978.

Maybe it was just the DM didn't want to go. :ne_nau:
 
Firefyter:
I did a search for that story there, Fred, and I can't seem to find it. I would really like to know more about that. Do you have another link that might get me to it and the video?
Thanks

I didn't find it either. The forum archive sections seems not to have been converted to the new format yet. I'll ping on Eddie to see if that data is still available.

Dee, who helps moderate this board, is the one that compiled the videos. I have a VHS tape of it put together after the trip, but I don't remember ever seeeing it online. Pinging on her may result in a digital version, or permission to translate the video tape to digital.

FT
 

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