Which fins are good for strong currents

[tursiops]

the current threw us half a mile away in a minute.

Pure hyperbole. That's 30 mph. There are no currents that strong.

But your point is well taken; you can't fin like the fish do, but you can often position yourself like the fish do, especially the smaller ones. It is the sharks and the Goliath Grouper that are out in the current, not seeming to be working hard. There are no little grunts, or chromis, or damselfish out there. Hide like they do.

 

[dmaziuk]

Granted, this won't work in a steady current: fin when the surge pushes forward, get behind a rock and grab on to it when it pulls back. Also, after a while hiding behind a rock works much better with gills.

 

[tarponchik]

Pure hyperbole. That's 30 mph. There are no currents that strong.

But your point is well taken; you can't fin like the fish do, but you can often position yourself like the fish do, especially the smaller ones. It is the sharks and the Goliath Grouper that are out in the current, not seeming to be working hard. There are no little grunts, or chromis, or damselfish out there. Hide like they do.

Sure this was a hyperbole. Reported tidal currents speed in Maldives is only 3.5-5.0 knots, or 1.5-2.6 m/sec. However, @dmaziuk has got a point too. If you watch fish, they do not bend their knees, like most divers do. Bending knees creates backdraft or, at the very least, works as a break. Fishes don't do that!

 

[Aquavelvet]

Yes, what others said about streamlining, building leg strength, etc.
And my favorite fins for dealing with current are the Mares Excel+. They travel with me wherever we might find some stiff currents, which is everywhere for open water diving, including Thailand and the Philippines. The Excel+ fins are fairly long, but not too heavy or wide. They have good sidewalls which make them suitable for more technical kicks as well, helicopter and back kick included.

 

[tomfcrist]

 

[charlier]

....But your point is well taken; you can't fin like the fish do, but you can often position yourself like the fish do, especially the smaller ones. It is the sharks and the Goliath Grouper that are out in the current, not seeming to be working hard. There are no little grunts, or chromis, or damselfish out there. Hide like they do.

After watching many divers struggling in currents, it seems to me that one needs to develop a spatial awareness and calmness that only comes with experience in current. Rephrasing tursiops post, I have learned a lot by watching fish. By watching their movements, I've learned to go with the flow much better and anticipate changes in currents or internal waves. After carefully watching sharks et al., one can streamline their bodies and fins to act more like an foil or airplane wing. While groups are hooked in and struggling with currents, it is possible to stay streamlined and fairly still with long flutter kicks. Although I use free dive fins, as an earlier poster mentioned, "never fall in the trap of looking for a equipment solution to a skill problem."

 

[DiverBud]

Sure, this is a very good advice. Like, "if you fell out of an airplane, just watch the birds: do what they do."

While hooked to the reef at a cliff at 90', I watched with amazement as the sharks in front of us swam slowly back and forth, hardly moving their fins, like there was no current at all. Yet when we were done and unhooked, the current threw us half a mile away in a minute.

 

[DiverBud]

I love that dive. The tumbling over and over up that valley had me laughing put of my dive mask. So much enormous plant life mixed by flying by too fast.

 

[charlier]

Sure, this is a very good advice. Like, "if you fell out of an airplane, just watch the birds: do what they do."

While hooked to the reef at a cliff at 90', I watched with amazement as the sharks in front of us swam slowly back and forth, hardly moving their fins, like there was no current at all. Yet when we were done and unhooked, the current threw us half a mile away in a minute.

Your analogy misses the mark. While diving, I try to take advantage of currents, underwater topography, and reef structure. Similar to fish, I try to use as little energy as possible. Even in moderate currents, it is possible to streamline you body and not get blown away by currents. As @cerich posted, learning how to effectively dive in currents is a learned skill.

 

[scubadada]

...While groups are hooked in and struggling with currents, it is possible to stay streamlined and fairly still with long flutter kicks...

I dive quite a bit in current and have found this technique very effective. It allows you to make fine adjustments in effort and you lose no ground in the relatively slow, continuous cycle