Getting separated on a Coz reef dive...

[Christi]

There are multiple references to shooting bags, Jersey uplines, emergency deco procedures using a DSMB and they all caution to let go of the reel/spool if you encounter a problem.

Exactly, there have been several times I have just had to let my line go...for various reasons...and I wouldn't dream of having it clipped to myself while deployed.

If it has worked for you up to this point Gordon, great...but it not SOP.

I do resent you implying that those of us who do this for a living...or who have had proper training in deploying SMB's are incorrect.

In the right conditions, yes, perhaps your line is 100% vertical...but in most cases here, it's not...plain and simple...and this comes not from just me, but from DM's and instructors here who have thousdands and thousands of dives over several years...not 20 or so dives per year here.

 

[scubadobadoo]

Mike,

It's not my dive plan to get separated. It happens and I just don't sweat it like I used to. Sometimes I end up tailing another group.

I was diving with a really competent German guy last week. We were hanging together at Palancar Horseshoe and had similar styles and experience levels. It was cool and very enjoyable. But we weren't swimming around right on top of each other. We kept each other within sight but that's about as far as it went. Had something gone wrong suddenly, I don't think there is any way we'd have been close enough to really do all that much to help. We discussed this both before and after the dive and had no issue with it.

-Charles

Do what you want. Who cares as long as it's ok with your buddy, you, and the dive op.

Now if you don't communicate with your buddy or the DM then you are really being somewhat inconsiderate to the DM, your possible buddy, and the other divers on the boat but according to you, you do communicate, so have fun.

 

[Cacia]

Another reason to think about DM certification even if not planning to work as one? I don't know, nobody ever says anything to me in Coz.... I pretty much go with the flow but there are some people diving there that "staying with the group" is not always the best plan. "oh I think I will drop over the wall again, that was so fun."

I hear a lot about all the rules of the marine park, but I think they are more of an issue the bigger the boat because I have never had my knife taken or had anyone ask me to dive differently. In fact, I have found it to be pretty relaxed easy going place. Part of the trick is to fly under the radar and don't ask too many questions. I think it sounds fine unless people are looking annoyed...you can usually tell, take it from me.

And women usually are really bigger enforcers of the rules, in my experience.

 

[TheRedHead]

I'm not sure if having a DM card would impress anyone I dive with in Cozumel. You can get a DM cert with 50 dives in a quarry. Last trip it was only me, my buddy and the DM for a couple of days. We would have never found the swimthroughs at Columbia without Jorge and he was a lot of fun to dive with. We didn't run into another group on any of our dives. If you chose your dive op wisely, you'll be on a boat with like-minded divers.

 

[ggunn]

Exactly, there have been several times I have just had to let my line go...for various reasons...and I wouldn't dream of having it clipped to myself while deployed.

If it has worked for you up to this point Gordon, great...but it not SOP.

I do resent you implying that those of us who do this for a living...or who have had proper training in deploying SMB's are incorrect.

In the right conditions, yes, perhaps your line is 100% vertical...but in most cases here, it's not...plain and simple...and this comes not from just me, but from DM's and instructors here who have thousdands and thousands of dives over several years...not 20 or so dives per year here.

This will be my last entry into what has, IMO, become a silly argument. We are not even talking about the same thing.

I never said, implied, or meant to imply, that you guys don't know what you are doing, but give me a little credit, too. If, upon reaching safety stop depth, conditions are such that what I do would not work, I wouldn't do it.

Peace,

 

[cowboyneal]

I thought this thread should have been closed ages ago, personally...

 

[Ron Brandt]

Just would like to point out that a 15 foot marker knot is not really that useful in Cozumel currents since your buoy may be blowing in a surface current and/or wind!. In which case you could end up at 5 feet happily looking at your little knot. The string RARELY goes straight up to the surface!

Secondly, this original poster claims that the DM's are fine with his being out of sight. I assume that he must dive with the same DM all the time, because no one is mentioning the stress of a DM not being able to SEE all his/her divers at all times no matter how far back they are. My two cents.

Betsy

Could you please tell us what your level of diving experience is and and what conditions?

The only two posts you have are this one and one about airport transfers. I have not seen you on the instructor forum. Doleing out advice without confirmed credientials strilkes me as being a troll or psydium for another poster on the board.

No record of dive experience and a new member.... please tell us your agency affiliation and DM/ instructor number so as we can pay more attention to your advice....or not.

Warning.....Warning....Warning......

One a side note I was caught in a Norte at Christmas two years ago and by just looking up and checking my guage I was able to derermine that I was more than 5 feet below the surface. My god, I ice dive and rarely does the rope go straight up to the surface.

Ron

 

[Ron Brandt]

Hi Christi.........welcome home.......yeah--you said it............another little fact that I neglected to mention above is that it is not legal to dive from a boat withOUT a DM in the park here. There is a reason for that obviously and this guy seems to be diving alone..........so I respectfully beg to differ with all the folks who state "you can do what you want........". Not.
Betsy

The "guy" entered the water with with dm.....dm not with the guy/ group. Please use the search to see how much this happens.......is the guy not with the group or is the dm not with the clients?????

Ron

 

[Ron Brandt]

OK...none of us have a clue of what we're doing. 2000+/- dives of shooting a bag here haven't taught me nothing. And forget about Pedro, and Arturo and Betsy etc. who have double or triple the dives that I do here....they're all clueless too.

So.....where did Betsy come from all of a sudden ????

Ron

 

[Ron Brandt]

This has been an interesting thread but not as much fun as the guy selling bcd's yesterday on the BCD forum......

How come there are not many known dives ops jumping in on this thread ???

Ron