Drift Diving and slow descent

[WanderLust68]

Greetings -

as a fairly new diver I'm having issues equalizing and my last two attempts at diving in Cozumel have not gone very well. My concern is that if I do take 5-10 minutes to equalize during a descent on a drift dive, that I will out-pace the rest of the group, get separated, etc.

Someone had suggested that I ask the dive operator to allow me to use a descent line (I seem to have better luck equalizing using that) which again would potentially split me from the rest of the dive group, at least I would be behind the group than above and in front of.

Can anyone give me suggestions on how I should handle a planned slowww descent on a drift dive - will dive operators allow a descent line?

Thank you for any input!

 

[Steve_C]

Hire a private DM who will stay with you and descend at your preferred rate. Given all the money you have spent to get to cozumel that is a small price. That way you can go at your pace.

The other suggestion is do shallower reef dives rather than deep drift dives.

 

[WanderLust68]

on my last cozumel dive, my dive buddy and I hired a private DM, they descended faster than I did, I blew out my eardrum on the way down and that ended my diving for the rest of the trip. My rule for future dives with a private DM is that I dictate the descent rate for the 3 of us so I feel comfortable and we don't get split up.

as for the depth, we only plan to do the shallower dives (40-60ft)

if anyone does take their time equalizing on a drift dive, any pointer would be appreciated

 

[TSandM]

There are two issues with drift dives. One is keeping the group together, and the other is hitting the target. Depending on the type of dive you are doing, it may be necessary to descend at a certain rate from the drop point, to avoid being carried past the area of interest altogether. This is more true, for example, with wreck dives off the Florida coast, than it is with the big wall structures in Coz, but even the long walls eventually peter out.

If you are descending on something that runs for miles, then the key is keeping the group together, and that means everybody has to stop and wait for the diver who has ear trouble. As already mentioned, hiring your own DM solves that problem, as it is illegal in Coz to dive without a guide, so just sticking with your own buddy is an unsatisfactory solution.

If you are someone with dodgy ears, who frequently has to stop for long periods of time, high velocity group drift dives may not be your best option.

 

[LaMissJude]

When I was working in the Maldives, some days on some dive sites, we had to go down fast; otherwise, we missed the target.
A thila (undewater mount) can start at 20m (+/- 60feet) and be quite small. If the current is strong, you have to go down way before the thila in order to have the time to go down in front of the reef.
And you still have to go down fast, the current is pushing you and if you end up at the back of the reef, with a strong current, it's going to be extremely difficult to go back at the front, where you want to be to see the action.
Same thing with a kandu (channel), we had to hit the target pretty fast, or you are already flying inside and missing the place you had to be to hook onto the reef, or hide from the current.
With the boat not being anchored (and in the Maldives they don't anchor, where I'm working now in Indonesia they don't anchor as well) it would be quite difficult to have a line installed for you to make your descent
If someone needs time to equalize, these type of dive will be very difficult to realise, sad but true.

Maybe some more relaxed dives would allow you to build your skills and your confidence, and being relaxed and confident might allow you to equalise more easily; stress can be a factor for not being able to equalise easily.

 

[WanderLust68]

Two good points have been brought up...experience and stress. To start I should be practicing my equalizing more frequently so I get better at the various techniques and get my body used to it. Being land-locked in the midwest and especially when 1/3 of the year is frozen over limits my dive options, but maybe hitting the deep end of the local pool and just practicing going up and down will be of benefit as well. As far as stress, I'm now 0 for 2 on the Coz dives and seeing the group below me while I'm still equalizing at 10-20ft doesn't help. I have no problem hiring a private DM and maybe working something out with regards to a make-shift descent line or planning a slow descent, hopefully something can be figured out.

 

[uncfnp]

Two good points have been brought up...experience and stress. To start I should be practicing my equalizing more frequently so I get better at the various techniques and get my body used to it. Being land-locked in the midwest and especially when 1/3 of the year is frozen over limits my dive options, but maybe hitting the deep end of the local pool and just practicing going up and down will be of benefit as well. As far as stress, I'm now 0 for 2 on the Coz dives and seeing the group below me while I'm still equalizing at 10-20ft doesn't help. I have no problem hiring a private DM and maybe working something out with regards to a make-shift descent line or planning a slow descent, hopefully something can be figured out.

I have no idea if it is workable with Cozumel but in Florida, the few occasions that a diver had an issue with equalization and there is a target for the drop, they would drop that diver, his buddy and a DM if needed, further from the target to allow more time to descend.

 

[WanderLust68]

and that is what I was thinking based on what someone said before about hitting the target, start further out to accommodate for the slower descent rate. The more viable options I can present to the diver operator who is willing to work with me, the better.

 

[MrChen]

I've seen the dive ops drop divers in different locations on a drift dive. It wasn't common knowledge with the other divers as to why, but the crew was aware and explained when asked. So if I were you, I'd show up early, before the other divers, so you could discuss your dive plans with the crew. I find that the crew loves talking with the early divers. Don't wait until all the divers show up because the crew is busy getting everyone situated on the boat.

 

[Steve_C]

if you do hire a private DM be sure to talk with them about what you want and how you need to operate. I hire them sometimes when I travel, or for something like fossil hunting where I do not want to deal with an instabuddy.
I like to poke around and look for stuff and take a few pictures. I find it goes much better if we discuss that so that they don't try to quickly drag me all around the site. I also let them know I am open to comments/suggestions.

---------- Post added February 28th, 2014 at 10:10 AM ----------

Maybe you would be better off with some place other than coz which is known for his drift dives.