When we dropped at Cabo Pearce for our 2nd dive, I was expecting the current to push me nicely toward the reef and the cleaning station, as it did in the first dive. So we jumped on the northern side of the finger…only to find out the current had shifted 180 degrees and was now the complete other way! As we went down, I signaled my divers and we started swimming against the current so we could reach the first cleaning station. Then 3 majestic giant mantas came along and we stopped to dance with them. I knew that by stopping, the current would push us away from the divesite, along the north face of the finger, which is a beautiful wall that drops down to a sandy bottom at about 35meters. But the mantas were so playful and curious with us that I did not want to stop the enjoyment. We drifted for a good 20 minutes with the manta, then we saw a hammerhead at the bottom and a couple of sharks and up we went. We got to the surface in a point on the opposite side of the lava finger, so I knew that the mothership would not see us. We were just a couple hundred meters from the boat but there was a big cliff between us. I also knew that the 2 inflatables waiting for us at the surface were most likely picking up other divers on the other side of the finger or driving back and forth from the Belle Amie and it would take time before they see us on our side of the lava finger. Not really wanting to drift for an uncertain amount of time, I picked up the Nautilus Lifeline I always carry in my BCD pocket. It is small and easy to use, I activated it. instantly I knew that a distress message would be sent to any VHF radio 35miles around, to the channel 16. We have three of these radios in the bridge of the Belle Amie and 1 on the backdeck. I knew someone would hear the alarm. Also my position would appear quickly on the AIS system, as a ManOverboard distress call with a precise position. It only took a couple of minutes for the captain to radio our position to the inflatable drivers and they picked us up quickly. I was glad to have the Nauitlus Lifeline as, even if there was no danger and we were in a closed bay, I never like the possibility that my divers would have to wait more than 5 minutes floating at the surface…it gets stressful if you don’t see the main boat and you get also cold. Good thing extra: on the way back with the inflatable we saw dolphins playing and jumped in for an extra snorkel with those friendly dolphins
Divemaster Yann, Nautilus Belle Amie
