Preparing for Devil's Throat

[Dave Dillehay]

Good for you…I love the dive.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

 

[Scoober]

I agree with Dave. Great dive. And not such a big deal to dive it compared to many other recreational dives round the world. DT and cathedral are the best of Coz, IMO.

 

[Mossman]

I dove it last year with my wife and it was awesome! The advice you received was all good and you should take it. We are very good on air consumption and although my experience below 90' has been limited, I did not find myself experiencing narcosis (that was a bit of a concern). I did need to do a deco stop at 60', and that was recommended by the DM. It's a really cool dive and I did not find it to be as tight as people have commented. Good luck.

You did not need to do a deco stop at 60'. It may have been recommended that you do a deep stop at 60', but those aren't mandatory.

 

[Offroad]

While diving with BA during the last day or so of our first trip to Coz in 2009, the dive shop said a boat was heading to Devils Throat and asked if we wanted to go. After verifying two 100's were available, I agreed and off we went.
If I recall correctly the dive master was Fernando, and he would told us the decision to do the dive or not would be made at the entry. Upon reaching the entrance, he put two fingers at the top of his head like horns and and in we went.

My wife and I were in the middle of the group and we must have been the first through that morning, as conditions were excellent with no silt problems. I'm not sure if we did all the tunnel's available as upon exit we were at about 120ft.
I'm glad we did the dive but would not ask to do it again, and probably would decline to go if asked.
The dive is too short and very little wildlife to be seen, I did find the view over the wall as we exited the tunnel to be exciting but as soon as the group's out your heading up.

All divers in our group handled the dive well, but I shudder to think of being in the tunnel if someone had a problem and didn't remain calm. My wife is very easy on air and I'm good but I personally still wouldn't do DT without 100+ cubic feet of air.

 

[Donnah]

We did the Devil's Throat a number of years ago. We were diving with my nephew, 20 years old, recently certified, excellent swimmer/lifeguard. We were put on a boat with a group of young couples from Brazil. We assumed that the female half of each couple was along for the ride. DM said to us "We are doing Devil's Throat. Is that OK with you?" We talked to my nephew, explained the dive, and told him it was his decision. He wanted to go. We told him that it was an advanced dive and that he was to stay between my husband and me. He agreed. We watched the other divers gear up -- some of them appeared to have no idea what they were doing. Down we went, following the guide. Swam against the current to reach the first entrance. When I got there, the DM pointed in back of me and did a "HUH?" gesture. The three of us and the DM were the only ones there. He held up 2 fingers. We waited 2 minutes, and in we went. First tunnel, second tunnel, out at about 120 ft. We did a stop at 60, another at 15. Husband low on air; I and nephew OK. Got back in the boat. Finally found all the other divers -- some picked up by other dive boats.

He never inquired about the experience of any of the divers. He never told anyone that the dive required a light. Most of the divers on the boat should not have attempted that dive. It was a good thing that they never made it to the first entrance.

When we got back, we went to the dive headquarters, explained what had just happened, and stated that we did not want to be on a boat with that DM again. Found out later that he had received a big tip in advance because some of the young men in the group wanted to do that dive.

It was an interesting dive, but not that exciting. I was mostly concerned about my nephew, but he had been diving with us for almost a week and had never been anything but calm and totally in control. He told him we brought him along as a "pony" because his air consumption was so good. The most difficult part of the dive was getting to the first entrance -- I was trying to keep up with 3 men.

 

[Dhboner]

Devil's Throat is first of all a very over-rated dive (in my humble opinion) but most of all it is a potentially dangerous dive especially when done without redundant air and without decent lights. The potential for danger is amplified when you end up swimming down the throat with newly minted divers with marginal buoyancy control and less than subtle finning techniques. Everyone makes their own choices (and then lives with those choices) so if Devil's Throat appeals to you despite the potential for trouble then have at it, but there are far too many MUCH better dives in Cozumel for me to waste my time descending through a silt storm holding on to my mask for dear life.

 

[ggunn]

We did the Devil's Throat a number of years ago. We were diving with my nephew, 20 years old, recently certified, excellent swimmer/lifeguard. We were put on a boat with a group of young couples from Brazil. We assumed that the female half of each couple was along for the ride. DM said to us "We are doing Devil's Throat. Is that OK with you?" We talked to my nephew, explained the dive, and told him it was his decision. He wanted to go. We told him that it was an advanced dive and that he was to stay between my husband and me. He agreed. We watched the other divers gear up -- some of them appeared to have no idea what they were doing. Down we went, following the guide. Swam against the current to reach the first entrance. When I got there, the DM pointed in back of me and did a "HUH?" gesture. The three of us and the DM were the only ones there. He held up 2 fingers. We waited 2 minutes, and in we went. First tunnel, second tunnel, out at about 120 ft. We did a stop at 60, another at 15. Husband low on air; I and nephew OK. Got back in the boat. Finally found all the other divers -- some picked up by other dive boats.

He never inquired about the experience of any of the divers. He never told anyone that the dive required a light. Most of the divers on the boat should not have attempted that dive. It was a good thing that they never made it to the first entrance.

When we got back, we went to the dive headquarters, explained what had just happened, and stated that we did not want to be on a boat with that DM again. Found out later that he had received a big tip in advance because some of the young men in the group wanted to do that dive.

It was an interesting dive, but not that exciting. I was mostly concerned about my nephew, but he had been diving with us for almost a week and had never been anything but calm and totally in control. He told him we brought him along as a "pony" because his air consumption was so good. The most difficult part of the dive was getting to the first entrance -- I was trying to keep up with 3 men.

There was so much wrong with that dive I hardly know where to start. Getting dropped off downcurrent from the entrance is as good a place as any.

 

[Lorenzoid]

There was so much wrong with that dive I hardly know where to start. . . .

I can think of a brazillion things.

 

[mstevens]

The dive is too short

That's a legitimate criticism. On AL80's, we usually don't get a dive longer than 45 minutes at Devil's Throat. However, one can say the same for many great Cozumel sites including Cathedral, Maracaibo, and others.

Swimming against the current is a losing game, so it matters if the captain and divemaster really know what they're doing.

very little wildlife to be seen

I'm not sure I agree with this. There's all kinds of stuff in the actual swim-through (morays, crabs, lobster, shrimp). We typically do the dive "backward", entering at the deep end and swimming up. When we exit we often encounter rays (including spotted eagle rays), sharks, turtles and all the other usual denizens of Punta Sur.

Devil's Throat is first of all a very over-rated dive

I think it's a hoot when done properly. Some divers seem to want to do it for some sort of bragging rights, but if done for what it offers it's great. It offers a lot.

it is a potentially dangerous dive

Isn't every dive?

especially when done without redundant air and without decent lights.

We've never come close to exhausting our gas, and we use higher turn pressures than usual. We haven't typically had deco obligations, but we plan for the possibility.

In terms of lights, my son doesn't even turn his on for Devil's Throat. Or night dives, if he can get away with it.

However, why would one do ANY dive with a potential for reduced light levels without having access to a good light? I fully agree with you that good lights are a necessity. So why not dive with one?

if Devil's Throat appeals to you despite the potential for trouble then have at it, but there are far too many MUCH better dives in Cozumel for me to waste my time descending through a silt storm holding on to my mask for dear life.

There are lots of great dives in Cozumel. I like to dive Devil's Throat every now and then. My last trip we dived Maracaibo 3 times in a week. It was great every time. I'm not sure I'd want to dive Devil's Throat 3 times in a week, but doing so wouldn't upset me.

The trick is to take your time to see what's there and to dive with someone who knows the site literally backwards and forwards

 

[ggunn]

However, why would one do ANY dive with a potential for reduced light levels without having access to a good light? I fully agree with you that good lights are a necessity. So why not dive with one?

I take a light on every dive. On night dives, two of them.