Hank49
Contributor
The most dangerous part of the Blue Hole dives is, from what I've seen here, people that aren't self reliant, as Chillyincanada stated.
They treat the dive masters like a 3rd grade pupil looks at the teacher. Do what they say. When in fact, if one is uncomfortable or has any doubts about the dive, one should ascend. Maybe to the surface, maybe to your comfort zone. But they don't and get into trouble, running out of air, slight panic etc etc.
I haven't dived much at all with dive shops. I learned with a friend and dove with him mostly back in the 90s. And for the last 15 years d have had my own boat and gear. When I DID go one dive to the Elbow for my first time with a shop in San Pedro, it could have developed in to a problem. (much more if it had been the Hole)
I had my reg serviced at said shop a week before. We descended to about 80 feet on the wall at the elbow and I hear a lot of bubbles. I took off my BCD and saw bubbles pouring out of my first stage (not the o ring). So, I started to ascend. The dive master turns and sees me with my bcd off and in my hands about 30 feet above him and frantically waves at me to come back down. I waggled my finger (Belize way of saying no) and pointed to my reg, and continued my ascent. It all worked out. The guy on the boat gave me another rig and I went back down and finished the dive. The DM didn't say a word to me afterwards.
But had I descended again when the dm was frantically waving, or not done anything, I would have emptied the tank in less than 15 minutes. Then what?
There's a dive site on Boracay PI, that is a bit the same. Everyone wants to go there but it is an advanced dive for sure. We would take customers on three or four dives and evaluate their skills before we took them there. AOW meant squat. I think the same could work for the Blue Hole. Know your divers. I would never dive a place like that with someone I'd never been in the water with.
---------- Post added July 10th, 2014 at 10:36 AM ----------
BUT, how has this conversation morphed into a Blue Hole bash fest .??? when we don't know how the man died? Did he have a heart attack? It could have happened anywhere if so.
They treat the dive masters like a 3rd grade pupil looks at the teacher. Do what they say. When in fact, if one is uncomfortable or has any doubts about the dive, one should ascend. Maybe to the surface, maybe to your comfort zone. But they don't and get into trouble, running out of air, slight panic etc etc.
I haven't dived much at all with dive shops. I learned with a friend and dove with him mostly back in the 90s. And for the last 15 years d have had my own boat and gear. When I DID go one dive to the Elbow for my first time with a shop in San Pedro, it could have developed in to a problem. (much more if it had been the Hole)
I had my reg serviced at said shop a week before. We descended to about 80 feet on the wall at the elbow and I hear a lot of bubbles. I took off my BCD and saw bubbles pouring out of my first stage (not the o ring). So, I started to ascend. The dive master turns and sees me with my bcd off and in my hands about 30 feet above him and frantically waves at me to come back down. I waggled my finger (Belize way of saying no) and pointed to my reg, and continued my ascent. It all worked out. The guy on the boat gave me another rig and I went back down and finished the dive. The DM didn't say a word to me afterwards.
But had I descended again when the dm was frantically waving, or not done anything, I would have emptied the tank in less than 15 minutes. Then what?
There's a dive site on Boracay PI, that is a bit the same. Everyone wants to go there but it is an advanced dive for sure. We would take customers on three or four dives and evaluate their skills before we took them there. AOW meant squat. I think the same could work for the Blue Hole. Know your divers. I would never dive a place like that with someone I'd never been in the water with.
---------- Post added July 10th, 2014 at 10:36 AM ----------
BUT, how has this conversation morphed into a Blue Hole bash fest .??? when we don't know how the man died? Did he have a heart attack? It could have happened anywhere if so.