Devil's Throat - Cozumel

[pilot fish]

You're right, I think they were trying to make me feel as if I didn't totally fall apart. It sure felt like panic to me.

I think it was a combo of CO2 build up and narcosis, each effect making the other worse, is my guess. It was awful. main thing for me was I was not getting enough air, as I were breath through a pinched snorkel, or straw.

....well, the dive op was putting a positive spin on your response....you did panic for a bit, but recovered before it got completely out of control......as to the cause of the panic, there's no way of 'us' to know if it was 100% due to CO2 buildup/N2 narcosis or 60% due to CO2 build up/N@ narcosis + 40% claustrophobia.....etc.

 

[pilot fish]

Wish I had known about the slow, deeping breathing then to expel the carbon dioxide. That was inexperience on my part. I view this as a great learng tool for other divers that might find themselves in that position- if you do, stop, breath deeply and slowly to reduce CO2 effect, as ggunn suggests.

I really had to hold myself in check from bolting to the surface from 122 ft. Thank God I did not.

I was thinking it was mostly CO2; I have had the same thing happen to me when I stupidly kicked against the current chasing divers whom I thought were my dive group (who were actually behind me and going the other way - the problem with tank bangers and shakers is that underwater you can't tell what direction the sound is coming from) until I was out of breath and hyperventilating. My heart was hammering and I felt like I could not get enough air though my regulator; it took a lot of discipline not to kick for the surface so I could rip my reg out of my mouth. It was very scary. A few minutes of slow deep breathing and I was OK, except for the fact that by that time I had no idea where my group was.

 

[DiveTheGalapagos]

I did the Devil's Throat around 1995 or so and it was there I learned I absolutely cannot equalize in a vertical position. Still can't, but have learned to compensate. On that dive though, there is no ascending to equalize...thought I was going to lose my ear drum, so instead of enjoying getting spit out at the end, I was ascending immediately to equalize. Later tested at maybe 10 feet depth and I simply cannot equalize vertically. Pretty funny now when rapid vertical descents are in order in the Galapagos...I go at a good angle, then lift up my head, go again, etc.

Cool dive, loved the way the blue looked like an old TV set at the bottom of the black tunnel, but hard way to learn that particular lesson, so heads up in case you need to be sure in advance that you don't share my problem.

 

[Infantry_169]

...WOW ! you guys must have really taken your time swimming through DT if that diver in the photos was 12 years old going in and was 13 years old coming out !

I don't know but that's funny, I don't care who you are.

 

[ggunn]

Wish I had known about the slow, deeping breathing then to expel the carbon dioxide. That was inexperience on my part. I view this as a great learng tool for other divers that might find themselves in that position- if you do, stop, breath deeply and slowly to reduce CO2 effect, as ggunn suggests.

I really had to hold myself in check from bolting to the surface from 122 ft. Thank God I did not.

Been there, done that, lesson learned, glad we're both OK.

 

[pilot fish]

Did you mean you can not equalize in a Horizontal position? Wouldn't you have done all your equalizing by the time your got to 125 ft?

I did the Devil's Throat around 1995 or so and it was there I learned I absolutely cannot equalize in a vertical position. Still can't, but have learned to compensate. On that dive though, there is no ascending to equalize...thought I was going to lose my ear drum, so instead of enjoying getting spit out at the end, I was ascending immediately to equalize. Later tested at maybe 10 feet depth and I simply cannot equalize vertically. Pretty funny now when rapid vertical descents are in order in the Galapagos...I go at a good angle, then lift up my head, go again, etc.

Cool dive, loved the way the blue looked like an old TV set at the bottom of the black tunnel, but hard way to learn that particular lesson, so heads up in case you need to be sure in advance that you don't share my problem.

 

[pilot fish]

Been there, done that, lesson learned, glad we're both OK.

Damn, me too. It was all made more scary for me being in an tunnel cavern at 122 ft.

 

[DiveTheGalapagos]

Did you mean you can not equalize in a Horizontal position? Wouldn't you have done all your equalizing by the time your got to 125 ft?

No, I meant vertical. It was a long time ago for me and as per one of the posts, someone mentioned that the site had changed after a hurricane. Back when I went, you entered a cave, came up over a rise and then descended through a tunnel for maybe 20-30 more ft. I remember when it went dark and seeing what looked like an old tv set (the blue) at the bottom. That was cool and I was still enjoying the dive. The tunnel was fairly vertical as I recall. Then I realized I couldn't equalize. I gave up trying to equalize and was resigned to whatever the outcome was as it was impossible to ascend, merely ascend as soon as possible after being spit out by the current. Everyone else was below and I was intent upon rising enough to equalize. So between 80 or 90 ft...whatever the depth was before I began the descent through the narrow tunnel...and 120 ft, I needed to equalize.

I had taken my son with me on that trip. It was his first dive trip. I think he was 13 years old at the time and he had no problem with the Devil's Throat. Though in retrospect, quite dangerous to allow someone that young in their first week of diving ever to do the Devil's Throat. Still, all's well that ends well I suppose.

 

[PARADISE HUNTER]

I was thinking it was mostly CO2; I have had the same thing happen to me when I stupidly kicked against the current chasing divers whom I thought were my dive group (who were actually behind me and going the other way - the problem with tank bangers and shakers is that underwater you can't tell what direction the sound is coming from) until I was out of breath and hyperventilating. My heart was hammering and I felt like I could not get enough air though my regulator; it took a lot of discipline not to kick for the surface so I could rip my reg out of my mouth. It was very scary. A few minutes of slow deep breathing and I was OK...

I've had this happen twice. From talking with other divers, I think it happens to many people. An odd experience causes one to over breath and they begin to hyperventilate. Both times I found focusing on something detailed took my mind off of the situation and slowed my breathing. Looking at patterns in the reef, a tiny fish, the ebb and flow of sea fan... whatever catches your eye. A practiced, deliberate and slow breathing pattern also helps.

It amazed me how quickly the anxiety passed. I was left thinking "What the heck was that all about?". These experiences make one a better diver. IMO.

 

[TEERLKAY]

Has anyone done this dive? I am almost done with my AOW, and planning next to do the Deep and Nitrox specialties. If anyone has ever done this dive can you tell me, first how was it and second, how difficult is the dive?
:mooner:

Devil's Throat - Backwards (AKA Devil's A-hole)

Judge for yourself


YouTube - Devil's A-Hole