Alive but quite a scare

[M_Bipartitus]

I've never said the situation was dangerous. I've only said that "pretty normal for the area." doesn't make something safe, and that there are opportunities to improve safety.

As an aside I was referring to a buoy anchored independently form the boat. It is much less likely to break free as it has much lower forces acting on it than forces acting on a boat.

 

[Teamcasa]

OK, it seems you came up without benefit of a bouy/anchor line and drifted away from the boat. Pop your SMB/blow your whistle and let the boat come back to you.

Diving here is SoCal, I have come up in the right spot only to find the boat had slipped its anchor or had pulled it for whatever reason but I also understood they knew they were now going to have to look for me vs me having to find them. They also send up spotters to locate the divers bubbles and try to keep track of our whereabouts.

So far, they have been able to spot me or my SMB, cruise over and pick me and my buddy up. :fingerscrossed for next time:

 

[hueydok]

As someone who lives and dives off the NC Coast several times a month most of the year, I can absolutely agree with the other responses that what you experienced is NORMAL for Atlantic Ocean (above Florida) diving. Major wave height and intensity, low visibility, thermoclines, murky deep and cold waters, rusty wrecks, no mooring or buoy lines, dive boat anchors breaking loose, thunderstorms, silt-out conditions, etc, etc. But hey! This is, IMO, what makes NC coast diving some of the best (or worst?) in the world, and why it should always be considered and planned as advanced diving. In fact, most of the good dive operators (especially those North of Myrtle Beach area) require some sort of advanced certifications, previous dives in excess of 100', etc. In addition, we ALWAYS carry a pony bottle (NOT that Spare Air thingie), wreck reels, multiple lights, air-powered DiveAlerts, whistles, grownup-sized SMB's (not the cheap 4 foot versions), trauma shears and knives, high-intensity strobes, etc. These are considered mandatory gear, not optional...at least by many NC divers.

In short - offshore NC/SC coastal dives are not for the faint of heart nor for new divers who simply want an 'ocean experience'. I am saddened by how many new divers I have seen totally turned off of diving because they dove the coast unprepared for the conditions. And, as other posts mentioned, despite the best efforts of the dive operators, once you are in the water YOU are in charge of your own life (and your buddy is in charge of his/hers!). And the old mantra of Plan your dive, Dive your plan is the absolute bible to me and my buddies - we take no chances, we check our egos at the dock, and nothing underwater is worth more than my or my buddy's life (not even that monster grouper when spearfishing!).

All this being said, the above gear and planning and scenarios are my own choosing (and that of many other experienced East coast divers). I am not here to make it seem as if we are diving the Andrea Doria or that coastal diving is just too complicated or gear-intensive or overwhelming. If the original poster would like to continue to do coastal dives, I would invite you to contact me or other regular NC coast divers, and we would be happy to meet up and plan a dive that will leave you comfortable and gasping for more (in a figurative sense). My fellow divers and I are happy to find new 'buddies' and enjoy safe, comfortable dives in an otherwise unforgiving environment.

Cheers!

P.S. - Diving this weekend out of Morehead City - private boat (the best!), probably will try for the Atlas and the Caribsea wrecks, or alternatively the Naeco and Papoose.

 

[fisheater]

hueydoc:

I'm on the wrong side of the continent to take you up on your offer anytime soon, but I'd love to be able to. Thanks for making it.

 

[ccredifo]

Unless I was prepared for seeing the boat at a distance rather than where I left it, and unless I realized what an advanced dive might entail, i.e. migratory boat, rough seas, bad vis, etc. I would be inclined to think of this as an "incident."

This is a good topic as it will allow less experienced divers who may read it to recognize what an advanced dive entails.

Finally, someone sees my point.

 

[RonFrank]

Another thing that is commonly done involve chase boats to locate and pick up divers.

For those that don't know what those Dinghy's are for, well, they are NOT life rafts!

I have no idea how this boat was equipped, but most of the larger boats I've seen (70'+) have chase boats on board.

 

[DandyDon]

Another thing that is commonly done involve chase boats to locate and pick up divers.

For those that don't know what those Dinghy's are for, well, they are NOT life rafts!

I have no idea how this boat was equipped, but most of the larger boats I've seen (70'+) have chase boats on board.

Not on the NC boat I was on a few times. But the skipper knew where to look for floaters. One guy lost his camera on a wreck dive; a couple of hours later, he followed the current until he found it floating. You just don't hear of divers getting lost in the Carolinas.

 

[RonFrank]

Unless I was prepared for seeing the boat at a distance rather than where I left it, and unless I realized what an advanced dive might entail, i.e. migratory boat, rough seas, bad vis, etc. I would be inclined to think of this as an "incident."

This is where new divers may need to stop and think. You are in the ocean, weather, current, and conditions can change quickly. I have encountered all the conditions you have described, and sometimes all on one dive!

No matter what your experience level, I would hope that folks realize the importance of *roll call*, and that they are not alone at sea. However make darn sure that the boat KNOWS you are getting in the water. Boats WILL NOT LEAVE DIVERS BEHIND! Carry safety devices to help the crew locate you when in the ocean.