Advice (and encouragement?) for surviving and thriving in Raja Ampat

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If you really want to learn something, watch the fish... they tell you everything. If they are swimming up there is a down current, swim down= up current etc. As you are diving watch in front of you and you will learn to better navigate currents. I also watch other divers in front of me. They will also tell you the same story.
Good advice about watching the fish! And which way the coral is being pushed I guess. Anything to avoid getting caught by surprise
 
I was indeed wondering about moon phase.
Do you know how close to the full/new moon the effect really takes hold? I understand that the closer to full/new, the stronger the currents, but is there a general "within X days, hold onto your mask!" kind of advice?
 
I would be way more concerned/worried for dives in Nusa Penida area than Komodo/Raja
Could you elaborate on this a little? Specific sites? Stronger or more unpredictable? I also thought that NP probably gets lots more newbie divers given proximity to Bali so they're probably more experienced catering to a wider variety of levels, but I could be wrong. I've read Crystal Bay can be pretty gnarly
 
@melliodora
Make sure you have all the basic safety equipment ie. torch and smb.
Worry = cautious ie. you are a sensible diver.
Pay close attention to the per dive briefing, ask any question you want to know. No need to be shy and accept no peer pressure from anyone.
Enjoy your holiday.
 
Kind of expounding on the “Follow Your Guide!” remarks

1) Stay BEHIND your guide. It they stop or slow down , you stop or slow down . As others have said , they have local knowledge and are also watching fish and other signs of current . If you get in front of them you may drift into a current before they can warn you . Dozens of times around the world I have seen divers stay in front of the guide most of the dive and greatly increase their risk of something going wrong. In Komodo a few days ago a newbie got not far off the wall at all while waiting for group to exit swim through, nearly got swept away and burned 1/3rd of tank in 5 minutes swimming back with help from DM. It really wasn’t even a stupid mistake on his part , he just got a little far off the wall and took a minute to realize current was pulling him away. Often there is somewhere to hide out of the current ot otherwise slow down (don’t swim against current 5 feet off reef or you will just burn through your air )

2). Stay at same depth as your guide . Newer divers in particular sometimes think shallower is safer —sometimes not true . Currents are often slower closer to reef —if you are 10 feet off the reef you may be drifting faster than the guide

3). Along the lines of number 2, stay the same distance as your guide away from the wall/reef (especially if they are close , you are close ). There are also some sites in world where it is safer away from the wall but usually that will be mentioned in the briefing (in Palau this is in some location specific dive briefings , haven’t heard it come up in R4 ).

4). As said before , listen during dive briefing . Was in Palau with a a guy with 1,000+ dives who wasn’t paying attention during briefing. He didn’t follow DM when DM was trying to avoid a known upwelling and got swept over corner (and whole group had to follow and come up after 15 minute dive in a downcurrent )

All of that said , just pay attention and follow your guide. If you do that you should be fine .

One last bit, pay attention to your ears also. Even if you think you are swimming up, if ears need equalizing you are moving down
 
I've read Crystal Bay can be pretty gnarly

Can be. My dive buddy and I got far out from the wall to get the Mola Mola at 35m depth.
We both strugged to get back to where the current was not pulling us out to sea.

One Chinese divers one was OOA as spent too much time struggling instead of just heading to the surface.

@melliodora if you get caught in a current in open water do not struggle against it and use up your gas. If it is too strong for you signal to surface and pop your DSMB. Bring a powerful dive torch. When I was in the Maldives last year I got a leg cramp and the guide and other divers did not realize I was not there as I was last in the group.

I simply followed protocol and did a search and then surfaced. The guide when realized I was not there did not just continued the dive.

As I had surfaced after 15 minutes the boat crew were not looking for any diver. They did not see my DSMB but saw my very powerful dive torch light and drove the boat over and picked me up.

Thing is remain clamand do not even try to get back to a guide against the current if separated. Just make a slow ascent to the surface and remember a safety stop is not required. You may want to buy a satellite emergency beacon.
 
I think you kinda answered your own question... but yes newbies, strong gnarly currents. But you might see a mola mola!

Those cleaner fish knew when to bolt and leave.... I decided to as well lol
Nearly didnt make it back against the current

 
My first trip to Raja Ampat, I was caught in a current because I wasn't listening well enough to the instruction. I didn't even really feel the current until I missed the turn that every one else managed to make.

On that same trip, I didn't have a reef hook. This was a serious impediment on another dive later. Everyone else was hooked in to look at sharks. About 3/4s of the way through the dive, I could no longer keep my pointer stick in place and the current swept me up over the pinnacle. The top was flat, with a few small rocks or perhaps bashed corals on top and I was able to stick my pointer in. The current was still strong but I managed to hold for a few minutes to watch the huge school of humphead parrot fish grazing on the flat. A happy accident and which fortunately turned out safely. Yes, the young muscular dm in training stuck with me through it all, which did help keep me calm.

I don't recommend this so take a reef hook with you and learn how to use it before you end up in a current that's tough to deal with.

Happily, I've never experienced a current of any significance at Crystal Bay mola mola site. On SD site, yes, but I love it. You might not.
 

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