Ascending on a line?

[MauiScubaSteve]

If you began your dive from an anchored boat, came into bad viz, are 70' deep, cannot locate the anchor line, and need to complete a safety stop how would you do it?

Free ascent and let the current take you a mile away? Possibly blow off your safety stop and risk getting bent. You are a really smart person so I'm sure you will have some great advise for everyone here.

The OP has most likely just completed OW training (0-24 dives) and has proposed a hypothetical example for us to discuss in the op.

During my OW cert class, the quarry that I was certified in had ascent lines, so the issue of ascending on a line was basically a forgone issue.

My question is in regards to open water ascents. When in open water, should you always ascend on a line? For example, if I am diving a shallow 45' reef. Do you shoot up an SMB and ascend on a line from a depth such as 40'? I know this is a silly question, but it has been on my mind. Thanks

If you can't find the anchor line, should you have made the dive?

 

[Blackwood]

If you can't find the anchor line, should you have made the dive?

If you get in a car accident, should you have driven that day?

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

My original question was not about whether or not I can make a free ascent (I have, and while not as easy easy as having visual reference, was totally fine doing it)

...

The main purpose of asking this was building my expectation for my first charter dive (Key Largo). I want to mentally eliminate as many rookie mistakes as I can while it is 25 degrees here and I can't dive.

Here again, the OP is giving us some specific information that so far no one has even bothered to mention or use.

More than 99% of the Key Largo charter dives a less than 24 dives, just certified in a quarry diver, is going to be welcome on are MOORED dives. ~.5% are anchored dives. The vis and current are going to be 50' or better and less than 1 knot, or they will find a different dive site.

Some of you seem to just be looking for a place to thump your chests.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

If you get in a car accident, should you have driven that day?

If you do not have sufficient training to drive a car in the conditions that day (14 years old, drunk, blizzard, NASCAR, etc), yes you should not have driven that day.

 

[Blackwood]

If you do not have sufficient training to drive a car in the conditions that day (drunk, blizzard, NASCAR), yes you should not have driven that day.

Let me rephrase. If you get rear ended by a drunk, should you have driven that day?

Sometimes sh*t happens. Maybe he's at the far end of the wreck when his buddy gets a freeflow. Yes, one can cover that with gas planning, but being able to shoot a bag and go up a line rather than swim back to the mooring or anchor line at depth is a nice option.

 

[Rainer]

Nevermind: the anchor slips.

Let me rephrase. If you get rear ended by a drunk, should you have driven that day?

Sometimes sh*t happens. Maybe he's at the far end of the wreck when his buddy gets a freeflow. Yes, one can cover that with gas planning, but being able to shoot a bag and go up a line rather than swim back to the mooring or anchor line at depth is a nice option.

 

[Blackwood]

Nevermind: the anchor slips.

That just means your boat captain wasn't sufficiently trained.

 

[Rainer]

And you're at fault for not having done enough homework to choose a better captain.

That just means your boat captain wasn't sufficiently trained.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

How many of the posters in this thread have made dives from the Key Largo charter boats?

To the OP; make sure the charter operation you chose knows of your level of training and post certification dive experience.

The "chicken little / sky is falling / your going to die" posters on SB should usually just be dismissed as part of the more unfortunate background scenery here.

 

[Blackwood]

How many of the posters in this thread have made dives from the Key Largo charter boats?

To the OP; make sure the charter operation you chose knows of your level of training and post certification dive experience.

The "chicken little / sky is falling / your going to die" posters on SB should usually just be dismissed as part of the more unfortunate background scenery here.

Dude, people make mistakes. Hell, I ran plum out of air a few months ago while focusing on other stuff. Did my training cover gas management? Yah it did. Sh*t happens. Didn't mean the sky was falling, didn't mean I'm gunna die. I was just embarrassed.

Maybe I'm misreading it, but your first post suggests to me that the OP shouldn't dive in a situation where he may have to go up his own line. As far as I can tell, that means he shouldn't dive off boats.