Are you an EXPERIENCED recreational diver?

[Dody]

Lots of variables. Boat: Ladder type/size, direction of current/weather in relation to anchor line, etc.

I remember being on the T&C EX2 and surfacing as a squall hit. I had to drag myself up the tag line, didn't remove fins, timed the ladder and climbed it sideways/backwards. It was quite a fun challenge at the end of the dive. I was laughing all the while.

Had a bad experience with a ladder yesterday. It was a shore dive and not a boat dive. First, the ladder was rusty and I did not wear gloves. Results. 2 open injuries at the right hand. 2nd, as I was making my way up the ladder, already at the surface, a high and strong wave hit me. I ended up stuck between the ladder and the reef and behind where I was supposed to climb. My inflated BCD complicated the situation. Fortunately, I was able to recover my regulator and I still had my fins on.

 

[TMHeimer]

Had a bad experience with a ladder yesterday. It was a shore dive and not a boat dive. First, the ladder was rusty and I did not wear gloves. Results. 2 open injuries at the right hand. 2nd, as I was making my way up the ladder, already at the surface, a high and strong wave hit me. I ended up stuck between the ladder and the reef and behind where I was supposed to climb. My inflated BCD complicated the situation. Fortunately, I was able to recover my regulator and I still had my fins on.

That's nasty. I'm just trying to picture how that happened. How big WAS that wave?

 

[Dody]

That's nasty. I'm just trying to picture how that happened. How big WAS that wave?

At least one meter above my head but more importantly very powerful. My hands were still on the ladder but the lower part of my body moved right then towards me reef and next thing I figure, my body from torso to feet is behind the ladder.
Even though I checked this place before the dive, I underestimated the magnitude of the surge.

 

[nippurmagnum]

If you haven't experienced it yet, I would suggest to take one fin off while underwater, and see how much slower you swim and how much more gas you are breathing. Efficient swimming with one fin is difficult and required practice and technique. Losing a fin is rare, but breaking a strap not so much. If it happens you may not be able to reach your planned point of exit. A missing fin at the surface is not critical as long as you have inflated your BC, the current is not strong and you and don't have to swim long distances. If your gear has a lot of drag (rebreathers, doubles, sidemounts), it can get pretty serious.

I saw a diver lose a fin in a heavy current situation at Brothers Island in Egypt, and she struggled to find and catch the fin (which unbeknownst to her, was positively buoyant), and by the time she put it back on, she was hopelessly separated from the group as a result and ended up surfacing and sitting out the dive. I sort of inwardly smirked, and thought it would never happen to me. On the very next dive, in the same strong current, a fin popped loose on me. I was mindful of her story about the positively buoyant fin, immediately spotted mine (which was similarly positively buoyant), grabbed it, and made a negative descent to the bottom — where I held on to a rock while I put my fin back on, and then dragged myself hand over hand along the bottom until I rejoined the group. About 5 minutes later, I saw my first and only thresher shark, up close. Moral of the story: learn from others’ experiences, don’t think “it” (whatever “it” is) can’t happen to you, and don’t smirk, inwardly or outwardly.

 

[Dody]

Well. Are there fins with double strap out there ?

 

[johndiver999]

Had a bad experience with a ladder yesterday. It was a shore dive and not a boat dive. First, the ladder was rusty and I did not wear gloves. Results. 2 open injuries at the right hand. 2nd, as I was making my way up the ladder, already at the surface, a high and strong wave hit me. I ended up stuck between the ladder and the reef and behind where I was supposed to climb. My inflated BCD complicated the situation. Fortunately, I was able to recover my regulator and I still had my fins on.

You REALLY, really want to have the regulator in your mouth on exit. Even if there is no air in the tank, you want the regulator SAFE in your mouth.

If you climb a ladder or platform and leave it hanging the second stage can get caught on a ladder or something and when you stand up - pop. off rips the second stage from the hose. If it is rough, that is all the more reason to keep the thing in your mouth.

 

[EFX]

Especially if you lose your grip on the ladder, like I have a few times, and fall back into the water. If this happens and the reg is not in your mouth who knows where it will end up, and trying to find it when you have to contend with a rocking boat and waves is not the time. I make it a habit to keep my mask on and reg in until I'm firmly topside.

 

[TMHeimer]

I saw a diver lose a fin in a heavy current situation at Brothers Island in Egypt, and she struggled to find and catch the fin (which unbeknownst to her, was positively buoyant), and by the time she put it back on, she was hopelessly separated from the group as a result and ended up surfacing and sitting out the dive. I sort of inwardly smirked, and thought it would never happen to me. On the very next dive, in the same strong current, a fin popped loose on me. I was mindful of her story about the positively buoyant fin, immediately spotted mine (which was similarly positively buoyant), grabbed it, and made a negative descent to the bottom — where I held on to a rock while I put my fin back on, and then dragged myself hand over hand along the bottom until I rejoined the group. About 5 minutes later, I saw my first and only thresher shark, up close. Moral of the story: learn from others’ experiences, don’t think “it” (whatever “it” is) can’t happen to you, and don’t smirk, inwardly or outwardly.

A guy I was buddying with on a boat dive in Pensacola lost a fin on the surface. It was retrieved in 50' of water on the bottom. On the trip back to port the cap he had for years blew off & was lost. Not his day. Why would you wear a cap on a boat going fast with the bill facing into the wind?

 

[Blackcrusader]

At least one meter above my head but more importantly very powerful. My hands were still on the ladder but the lower part of my body moved right then towards me reef and next thing I figure, my body from torso to feet is behind the ladder. Even though I checked this place before the dive, I underestimated the magnitude of the surge.

Easy to do with surges. You can start a dive having checked a location and by the time to end the dive conditions have changed. Glad you are safe though cause easy to break a leg on a ladder. Humans are rather fragile creatures and puncture and break easily.

Fast current drift dives can be fun.

 

[Edward3c]

Had a bad experience with a ladder yesterday. It was a shore dive and not a boat dive. First, the ladder was rusty and I did not wear gloves. Results. 2 open injuries at the right hand. 2nd, as I was making my way up the ladder, already at the surface, a high and strong wave hit me. I ended up stuck between the ladder and the reef and behind where I was supposed to climb. My inflated BCD complicated the situation. Fortunately, I was able to recover my regulator and I still had my fins on.

One thing I’m quite anal about is keeping the reg (or snorkel) in the mouth when in the water. We lost one of our long standing divers last year (2019) in 2ft of water. They were being held down by their kit, solo diving.

When I see divers without their regs in it makes me question their instructor(s), as so many don’t teach it.