Another Missing Diver in Cozumel

[tarponchik]

Here is a link to the 270 ft solo dive video he shared on his fb page. Maybe someone will recognize the area. A Wednesday aftertoon doing a 270 ft solo dive

Strangely, there's lots of green sea weeds in some parts of his video and this stuff is found no deeper than 30 ft. Also, even on a bright sunny afternoon it is pitch dark already at 180 ft, so I assume that at 270 ft you won't see anything outside the beam of light from your torch. So it is likely that most of the video was shot at recreational scuba depth.

 

[ReefHound]

Strangely, there's lots of green sea weeds in some parts of his video and this stuff is found no deeper than 30 ft. Also, even on a bright sunny afternoon it is pitch dark already at 180 ft, so I assume that at 270 ft you won't see anything outside the beam of light from your torch. So it is likely that most of the video was shot at recreational scuba depth.

I noticed that and in this case I hope he was just making it up. Fake Dive.

 

[bakodiver391]

only allowed to dive 130ft

As a recreational divemaster or instructor he's limited to 130 feet anyway. What responsible professional would tell him he's temporarily restricted to 130 feet? Is it common in Cozumel for instructors to break standards in such an egregious way?

 

[boulderjohn]

As a recreational divemaster or instructor he's limited to 130 feet anyway. What responsible professional would tell him he's temporarily restricted to 130 feet? Is it common in Cozumel for instructors to break standards in such an egregious way?

The diving agency can only regulate what you do when you are working as a professional on instructional dives. They have no legal authority beyond that. On your own, you can do whatever you want, unless you are restricted by a dive operation's rules or local law.

 

[chillyinCanada]

The diving agency can only regulate what you do when you are working as a professional on instructional dives. They have no legal authority beyond that. On your own, you can do whatever you want, unless you are restricted by a dive operation's rules or local law.

And how you are insured.

 

[Christi]

As a recreational divemaster or instructor he's limited to 130 feet anyway. What responsible professional would tell him he's temporarily restricted to 130 feet? Is it common in Cozumel for instructors to break standards in such an egregious way?

Just to clarify. He was not a Cozumel Instructor. He recently moved from Oklahoma (within the last year) to do his dive training. No one can control what another does, despite admonishments and warnings.

 

[bakodiver391]

My point is that his instructor, while he was enrolled in a divemaster course, told him that because of injuries he was TEMPORARILY restricted to 130 feet. That such a statement came out of an instructor's mouth is the break in standards I object to. Also the fact that he was posting about 270 foot dives, whether fictitious or not, indicates that his instructor did not have a handle on this guy. An instructor should be, especially at the DM level of instruction, a mentor as well as an assessor to see if the student belongs in the professional corps.

 

[MMM]

A family member posted in a local discussion forum that his dive gear was found dry, at his home. I don't know if that is right or wrong. But it may well mean that he was not scuba diving when he went missing.

 

[CT-Rich]

Hopefully he turns up okay.

 

[ReefHound]

My point is that his instructor, while he was enrolled in a divemaster course, told him that because of injuries he was TEMPORARILY restricted to 130 feet. That such a statement came out of an instructor's mouth is the break in standards I object to. Also the fact that he was posting about 270 foot dives, whether fictitious or not, indicates that his instructor did not have a handle on this guy. An instructor should be, especially at the DM level of instruction, a mentor as well as an assessor to see if the student belongs in the professional corps.

I'd not take anything stated about it as the gospel. They are doing the best they can, often from afar, but may not be familiar with scuba terminology. I've seen reports of his backpack found on the beach, on shore, on the dock, on the pier, and in his dive locker. Each of which could mean something different. Maybe that's what the instructor literally said or maybe it's what one non-scuba person heard from another non-scuba person who interpreted what the instructor said as best they could.