Are you helpless without fins?

[Mike Boswell]

Many commercial dive boats I have been on ask you to hand up your fins before climbing the ladder. In the thread on the fatality in Islamorada, it was theorized that the deceased may have handed up her fins while still in the water, and then lost her hold on the ladder. One poster noted that she would have been "helpless" in the water without fins.

This thought has been slowly percolating through my brain. Are divers helpless in the water without fins? I would be interested in hearing what you folks think.

 

[Thalassamania]

It is more difficult to get "traction" on the water for propulsion when wearing booties with no fins.

 

[grubbyrat]

As far as helpless, yes pretty much as far as propulsion is concerned but you still have positive bouyancy. Most boats we have been on tell you to put your fins on your wrist until you are on the ladder.

 

[Web Monkey]

Many commercial dive boats I have been on ask you to hand up your fins before climbing the ladder. In the thread on the fatality in Islamorada, it was theorized that the deceased may have handed up her fins while still in the water, and then lost her hold on the ladder. One poster noted that she would have been "helpless" in the water without fins.

Pretty much. Unless there a real reason to hand up my fins (like there's no ladder and I have to haul myself over the gunnel), I always keep my fins on my wrist.

Sometimes the crew wants your fins because a lot of people do a lot of dumb things with them like trying to climb the ladder or walk across the deck. Sometimes they think it's "service" and are fishing for tips.

Terry

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Even with booties, a strong whip kick is a strong whip kick. (for those that don't know, the whip kick is a kick done with the breast stroke)

Old school frog kick works too, as long as it is a strong frog kick. And what about arm swimming?

 

[Teamcasa]

Helpless? No. Not as effective certainly but then again, I do know how to swim and how to put air in my BC.

 

[Sas]

It's much harder to swim without fins but not impossible. And you still have positive buoyancy so I don't think I would be helpless. None of the local boats I dive on require me to hand up my fins though - they all have fin friendly ladders.

When I was in Fiji, I saw one guy in 'rough' (the crew thought it was rough, but it would be a nice day locally) seas get into trouble trying to get back on the boat. They got him to take off his fins and hand them up, but they asked too soon and he got knocked away from the boat. They threw out a rope and had to drag him back in - he kept submerging as he had not inflated his BC either. Overall it was a complete disaster but he got back on board safely. He was quite calm through it, being an experienced diver (though he made a mistake not inflating his BC) - I imagine it could have gone a lot worse if it had been a new or panicky person being rescued.

 

[DaleC]

I took my fins off about two feet too soon today (depthwise) while shore diving and had to bob down to the bottom, run a few steps and then bob back up till I could stand on my tippytoes. It looked pretty funny but I wouldn't say I was helpless - just clueless.

 

[Walter]

Many commercial dive boats I have been on ask you to hand up your fins before climbing the ladder.

Some do that. I don't understand why anyone would actually do it.

 

[Belmont]

I will hand off my fins only when hanging on the ladder. I usually put a knee on a rung and remove the fin with one hand, then switch sides.

I used that method once when the sea was "rough". Six foot waves with the ladder coming three feet out of the water.

Timing is important, you can't zig when you have to zag.

In another circumstance I tried to move without fins while carrying twin 130's, went nowhere fast.

The feeling is very weird, hard to describe, like missing a part of your body.