Low Viz Diving tips.

[tbone1004]

you have to have good compass skills, if you do, then viz doesn't really matter especially if you have a goal in mind. I want to go there, well ok, let's go there, doesn't matter if you can see it or not. Far too many divers have piss poor navigation skills or worse, think they have good skills but couldn't hit the broad side of a barn if they had to go more than 100ft. This stems from poor gear, and poor technique. Most of these guys are using wrist compasses or the ones on the consoles, which are fine for short navs or heading in a general direction but are woefully inadequate for true navigation. Technique is also abysmal with most divers, stems from the instructors, but in the quarries when there are lines going to everything, why navigate, in the ocean you don't really have to navigate unless you're going in a general direction, but "close enough" trumps there, there aren't many situations where accurate navigation is required. Low-viz diving can be great, but you have to know how to get where you actually want to go

 

[AfterDark]

Here in RI low vis is the norm. I carry a small light on every dive; currently it is stowed on my left shoulder strap on a retractor held by the BC hose strap/holder. Below 40-50fsw a light is needed to see under rocks, below that it gets very dark, at 100fsw one can night dive at noon.

During my early diving days I dove with the same group of people regularly. We used tap signals during the day tapping on our tanks with a hard object (thanks Mike Nelson) or tapping to rocks together, when we lost visual contact and also to regroup, which saved many trips to the surface for a lost buddy. At night we used our lights mostly but at times had to switch to the tapping. It worked well and we usually entered and exited the water together.

The ultimate low vis buddy contact method is a buddy line. A practice I never liked and have never done beyond training.

 

[rivers]

you have to have good compass skills, if you do, then viz doesn't really matter especially if you have a goal in mind. I want to go there, well ok, let's go there, doesn't matter if you can see it or not. Far too many divers have piss poor navigation skills or worse, think they have good skills but couldn't hit the broad side of a barn if they had to go more than 100ft. This stems from poor gear, and poor technique. Most of these guys are using wrist compasses or the ones on the consoles, which are fine for short navs or heading in a general direction but are woefully inadequate for true navigation. Technique is also abysmal with most divers, stems from the instructors, but in the quarries when there are lines going to everything, why navigate, in the ocean you don't really have to navigate unless you're going in a general direction, but "close enough" trumps there, there aren't many situations where accurate navigation is required. Low-viz diving can be great, but you have to know how to get where you actually want to go

compasses+big metal wrecks=not the most useful thing in the world

 

[RJP]

I dive in NJ, so I don't know what "low" viz means. Here we have two types of viz: "yes" and "no."

 

[scubadada]

I dive in NJ, so I don't know what "low" viz means. Here we have two types of viz: "yes" and "no."

I've only had one "no", a dive in Jupiter, black as night, no penetration by dive light. I did run head first into the reef before I saw it. We called it.

 

[Z Gear]

you have to have good compass skills, if you do, then viz doesn't really matter especially if you have a goal in mind. I want to go there, well ok, let's go there, doesn't matter if you can see it or not. Far too many divers have piss poor navigation skills or worse, think they have good skills but couldn't hit the broad side of a barn if they had to go more than 100ft. This stems from poor gear, and poor technique. Most of these guys are using wrist compasses or the ones on the consoles, which are fine for short navs or heading in a general direction but are woefully inadequate for true navigation. Technique is also abysmal with most divers, stems from the instructors, but in the quarries when there are lines going to everything, why navigate, in the ocean you don't really have to navigate unless you're going in a general direction, but "close enough" trumps there, there aren't many situations where accurate navigation is required. Low-viz diving can be great, but you have to know how to get where you actually want to go

That is also something I am interested in fine tuning. Right know my Navigation skills are very general. I am using the compass on my console. Do you have a much more reliable compass that you like to use? I want to look into this if you have any recommendations.

 

[tbone1004]

[video=youtube;x0z4T_3KjFM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0z4T_3KjFM[/video]

This slate is what we use, accuracy is as good as the diver, similar compasses used in land based navigation courses. You can hit an up line at 200yds away. This design allows you to have a rough map on the compass side of the slate, any pertinent dive info on th eback side, the bolt snap location allows you to have a firm hold on the slate itself. Compass is mounted on the left side so it bisects the diver comfortably which is crucial for accurate navigation. Nice and cheap, and a bit of DIY.

 

[Dhboner]

We do a lot of low vis dives (otherwise we don't dive) We use good lights and make sure all team members are on the same page for signalling. If it is REALLY bad we maintain touch contact or use a short line (in those conditions we are really just practicing for THOSE conditions). I did my sidemount training in very poor visibility and our instructor (Steve Lewis) was using white Faber tanks which practically glow in the dark so at least we knew where he was at all times. I have a flame pattern on my drysuit which my sons tell me helps them keep an eye on me.

 

[RJP]

One thing that is worth doing - regular buddy or instabuddy - is to review and agree upon a buddy-separation protocol before entering the water. Good to do for any dive, but certainly in environments where the viz is known to be iffy.

 

[TSandM]

The only real big difference among compasses is tilt tolerance, and there, the Suunto SK7 reigns supreme. However, they do have an annoying tendency to develop microcracks and lose fluid, and we've found they have a lifespan of only two to three years (which translates into 300 - 400 dives).

Compass navigation is a big part of some low viz diving, particularly where there is no well-defined structure, and little depth variation. It is best when combined with natural navigation: For example, take a bearing, spot something in front of you that is on that heading, and swim to that object, then repeat. It is extremely difficult to hit any kind of limited target by swimming and watching the compass, because any water movement will distort your course.

The advice to slow down is spot on. We almost NEVER have what anybody would consider "good" viz in Puget Sound, and many of our most interesting animals are very well camouflaged, so one learns to dive slowly and watch carefully. It pays off when you go to "good" viz sites, too!