Drift Diving VS Anchor line

[LIVES4SHARKS]

I have done both types of diving. Depending on the conditions of the anchored dive, if the vis is bad, I would run a line from the anchor to the reef with a line arrow showing me back to the anchor. Since I would be using the reef as reference during the dive, it was a little more reassuring to know exactly where I was based on my spool and could reel myself right to the anchor. I had poor vis on some of my dives in Mexico and this was a big help. When I drift dive, I make sure I have a little extra weight on board in case I have an instabuddy that can't hold a stop. I also try to stay close to the DM if they have the buoy. Having all of your surface equipment, ie, SMB, whistle, mirror, etc., is most important for any ocean diving, but even more important on drift dives. I like both kinds of diving, but for pictures, well being in a drift can be a bugger, especially if the subject is buzzing by you in the opposite direction!

I do want to say Ditto about the Jupiter Dive Center! Great people and the best drift diving I have done so far!

Happy diving!
Carolyn:sharks:

 

[perdidochas]

Hi all,

Lurked here for a long time however curious to see the opinions on this one.

I was naui certified in the northeast in 1985. All my dives there were anchor. Down on the line, navigate, up on the line. Here in fl, seems to focus on drift diving. I also notice alot of divers here in fl get lost, some get found some dont. My 14 yr old just got her certification this sat, drift dive and did quite well. Please chime in on your view's of drift v/s anchor.

I much prefer drift diving, given a choice. I prefer to dive reefs if possible, and drift diving usually allows you to see the most reef. Carry a marker (sausage).

 

[RJP]

Please chime in on your view's of drift v/s anchor.

Here in NJ I tell people navigation for wreck diving is simple:

1.) There's a line
2.) There's a boat on either end of the line
3.) Follow the line in either direction
3.) If you get to one end and that boat is on the bottom, follow the line the other way

Of course if the boat on the OTHER end is also on the bottom, it's a really bad day!

:11:

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

Here in NJ I tell people navigation for wreck diving is simple:

1.) There's a line
2.) There's a boat on either end of the line
3.) Follow the line in either direction
3.) If you get to one end and that boat is on the bottom, follow the line the other way

Of course if the boat on the OTHER end is also on the bottom, it's a really bad day!

:11:

That made my day! Thanks!
Carolyn:sharks:

 

[miketsp]

Then of course we regularly dive a combination when the boat shouldn't/can't/doesn't want to get near the wreck (and the divers).
Live boat positions up current from the shot line and dumps the divers in the water. These adjust their position so the current will take them to the line and when they're about 40ft from the shot buoy they submerge to find the line at depth where there is less current.
After diving the wreck they come up the shot line and then drift off down current with an SMB so the boat can pick them up.

 

[muddiver]

When both boats are on the bottom, the dive now becomes a salvage dive. Oh, and you graduate to PADI Mastr Diver immediately when you relize that it is not the wreck you motored to on both ends of the line.

 

[Stu S.]

Drift diving is the greatest. Try it at night when you get a chance. Jupiter dive center does it. I counted 13 sharks on a dive one night.

A variation on drift diving is the artificial reef. Sunday there was a current running along the Budweiser wreck (170 feet long) at Boynton Beach. The ship was covered with coral, and had barracuda on patrol. Anyhow, you can swim the length of the ship on the inside, where there's no current, then drift along the exterior with the current. Repeat this as often as you like.

It reminded me of sledding down a hill, except you don't have to walk uphill to start over.

Come down and join us.

 

[Sher1026]

Here in NJ I tell people navigation for wreck diving is simple:

1.) There's a line
2.) There's a boat on either end of the line
3.) Follow the line in either direction
3.) If you get to one end and that boat is on the bottom, follow the line the other way

Of course if the boat on the OTHER end is also on the bottom, it's a really bad day!

:11:

Did all my training & diving in your neck of the woods, nj,ny and de. nevr had it put to me that way ! thanks for the laugh!

 

[TSandM]

Almost all of the charter boat diving here in Puget Sound is live boat, "drift" diving. We have a lot of current, and it's not 100% predictable, and it's a much easier proposition to go down and not worry about getting back to where you started. But we also rarely have really rough surface conditions. The Sound can be choppy enough to make tracking divers' bubbles difficult, but not often enough to make seeing divers on the surface difficult.

When I dive off a boat, whether it's drift or anchored, I carry a DiveAlert, an SMB and spool (and I know how to deploy it, and like to, for the practice if for no other reason), and a mirror. Being separated from the boat seems to me to be one of the most likely bad things that could happen to me on a charter, so I try to be as prepared as I can be.

 

[Sher1026]

Drift diving is the greatest. Try it at night when you get a chance. Jupiter dive center does it. I counted 13 sharks on a dive one night.

A variation on drift diving is the artificial reef. Sunday there was a current running along the Budweiser wreck (170 feet long) at Boynton Beach. The ship was covered with coral, and had barracuda on patrol. Anyhow, you can swim the length of the ship on the inside, where there's no current, then drift along the exterior with the current. Repeat this as often as you like.

It reminded me of sledding down a hill, except you don't have to walk uphill to start over.

Come down and join us.

I went out sat in west palm on the deep obsession (Abernathy) for my 14 yr olds cert dive. As I'm a know it all, and had never observed a drift, nor did I test my weight as I should have with a different type of bc than im used to,no big deal, I'm a hardcore diver, even worked in nassau as a saftey diver from 85 to 87. My concern was equalization in my left ear as im getting over a horrific cold. So as we prepare for the drop I tell daughters instructor, if I can't get down, i'll head to the boat ( notice where i said I"LL head back) I heard what the capt said, however, the know it all that I am , didn't listen had never done a drift how much different could it be?

Group 2 dive dive dive.......off we go, well, I couldn't get down, not due to my ear, I was improperly weighted. Determined to follow my child and get pics, I fought like hell for at least 10 min, doing every thing I could to get negitive. Finally, I had to call it and surface..I peek up, I see the ship...quite a distance away, muster all my energy, and go under 3 feet to swim to it. ( Like I said, I heard, I did not listen) after complete and total exhaustion set in......I surface, only to have them see me and drive to me! Imagine that. I had expended every ounce of physical energy. I was a complete jellyfish. I couldn't even lift my leg to get my fins off. After i crawled onto the ship and they removed my gear and were certian it wasn't a heart attack or or such. I rested until I could drag my sorry a$$ to the seat and watched the way it worked. Had i listened what i should have done was surface, get picked up, add more weight and get redropped. I was in such poor condition , I had to call the second dive too. :classic: Jersey line diver here. I will do it again, smarter this time and not so complacent. The child did awesome , her mom was a putz