Belmar NJ - Shark River Inlet or Boat Ramp 2/28

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Looking to get more time in my drysuit - HT on Sun 2/28 is 11:06am.

Looking for the inlet north side or boat ramp but either way I want to get wet if interested let me know.

Still cold - 40 degree water but the weather looks promising.

 

[lowviz]

Would love to, but have a Saturday obligation that will run late. Don't count on me, but don't be surprised if I show up if you pick the basin. I have some Sunfish Pond gear to test (and my trim and back-kick both need a bit more work).

Any chance on catching an evening tide sometime soon?

On that note, this year's tide times suck for me. I've been spoiled by the 1 - 3 AM Highs in the past. However, remaining positive, this would be a great year for meet-ups at Maclearie. The last meet-up was a lot of fun.

Date given is the greatest swing (high - low) for that month’s evening tide cycle:

February Mon 22 5’2” High 7:37 PM

March Tue 22 5”1” High 8:11 PM

April Wed 20 5’1” High 7:42 PM

May Fri 20 4’9” High 7:48 PM

June Mon 20 4’9” High 8:33 PM

July Thur 21 5’4” High 9:31 PM

August Fri 19 5’9” High 9:11 PM

September Sat 17 6’3” High 8:50 PM

October Sun 16 6’3” High 8:30 PM

November Mon 14 6’2” High 7:12 PM

December Wed 14 5’9” High 7:49 PM

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

I have to believe somewhere in that full year calendar we can make that happen...

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Turns out it was a beautiful day today to dive and learn a lesson or two... lol

Started out a strange dive and I should have known better - but my pride kept me from thumbing the dive. My inflator to my BCD was stuck open when I opened the tank valve - it would not stop. So I used the shutoff valve on the hose to keep it from leaking - and of course this would mean I could not inflate the BCD with the tank without losing a ton of air. But I made a conscious decision to do it - I drove all this way and did not want to thumb the dive.
Then I could not close my zipper on my drysuit - had to ask help. My plan was to dive the inlet and go out around the tip and back on to the beach - I have never attempted this dive but knew it could be done. But I have not attempted the dive previously. This was a solo dive and dive number 5 on my new drysuit.

Got to the bridge and the water looked calm but definitely low viz. At time there was 6 inches to 2 feet at best.
I followed the inlet with the rocks on my left about half way out of the inlet I turned to get around a rock and caught the line to the flag around my tank. I surface and eventually untangled the line from my rig. I made sure I kept the line tight after that because I did not want to get tangled up again I wanted to get out of the inlet before current made it more difficult.

I did not realize but the rocks continued submerged out beyond the end of the jetty where the light is - at one point I came up to check and I was too far out in the ocean and of course now the tide was coming out and pulling me slightly out to sea. I took a bearing and tried to get back to the inlet but it did not feel right so I surfaced again and tried a surface swim back to the jetty rocks. I was definitely pushing myself to get back - this was my fifth dive in my drysuit and I was not completely comfortable swimming it in - the surge seemed to grab the suit more than I expected and was holding me from getting back. Remember my BCD? Well I could not inflate without loosing lots of air - I was bobbing up and down in the water to get to where I needed to be and of course I was huffing and puffing due to the swells and being slightly negative. When I got within distance I submerged to find the rocks again - but viz was about 6 inches at this point. It felt like I was going to hit my head or face plant on to a rock due to the viz and the swells - I was really starting to have fun now.

Unbeknownst to me - I got in between some boulders to find my way and my tank must have gotten loose from the tank strap. At this point I started struggling with the surge and keeping close enough to the jetty for a reference and far enough to not get pushed into the rocks. I was not very successful - I got too close and a swell pushed me further into the rocks. I popped up to get a visual and I was way too close - I was up in the rocks. With my rig being off balance due to the loose tank and no good way to inflate I was some what negative buoyant and could not stay on the surface to navigate. So down I went one last time - caught myself before I face planted into a boulder about 4 or 5 feet down. When I popped back up a swell pushed me in between some tight rocks. Very similar to a tea cup and my butt was planted on the bottom of the tea cup - head and feet up but I was submerged under the water with no leverage.

I was diving solo and I knew no one was fishing on the jetty. Where I was wedged in I was facing the ocean and no one knew I was there - other than my flag. Time to get myself out regardless of the outcome. I had 42 pounds of lead for my new suit, my tank had fallen out of the tank strap and I was completely off balance for any type of traction. The swells were not stopping but I had my mask on and regulator in so I had at least until my air ran out or I figured out a way to free myself.

I rocked and rolled until I could get flattened out over the tea cup - at this point I did not really care if I put a hole in the suit I needed to get out. I tried to stand on some rocks but the seaweed and growth on the rocks kept causing me to slip. The lower I was in the water - the more the swells had leverage on me and I kept falling.

I finally grabbed for some dry rocks and could stand just enough to get my body out of the water so the weight above the water was driving my feet down to give me traction.

I grabbed my fins and pulled them off - I needed to climb out at this point or so I told myself. I threw a fin up on the jetty - I lost the other one trying to stay steady and don't remember losing it - I did not care at this point. I threw my light and flag up next to get the gear up and out of the water. But at this point - I did not care if I lost all my gear - the mission was to get out of the water as efficiently as I could. I left the weight belt on and the tank was pulling me off balance due to the waves hitting it in the water. I pulled myself up on a rock and took a step - slid back down into the water but not under. I got back up on the rocks and I pulled my reg out - I was heavily breathing trying to get the gear and myself out in one piece and wanted to save as much air as I could thinking I may need it. I grabbed at the crevises in the rocks and just muscled my way out until I could stand on a dry rock.
I pulled my gear off and just sat for about 10 minutes thinking about that one - definitely was thankful and did not want to repeat that fiasco.

This is would be one of two times since I started diving where I was not sure what the outcome was going to be due to the ocean swells. My respect for mother nature has always been there but occasionally I seem to forget the force and power that can be displayed even if it does not seem all that bad from shore.

Anyway I had to re hoist all the gear and walk myself back down the Jetty to get back to the truck - walk of shame and humility.

Good lessons for me on several fronts - first if it does not feel right stop and come up with a Plan B.
I really wanted to do this dive - but I did not plan properly for it - I had passed on it a few times and thought - how bad can it be. Now I know how bad it can be.
I did not have a Plan B for my BCD - and that could have helped me stay away from the rocks. Check and double check tank straps - I use AL80's and Steel 85's and the strap gets loose with the tanks - I did not cinch it up tight on shore when I was getting ready.
Due to the low viz I really did not have a reference point as to when to make the turn at the end of the jetty - when I surfaced I was being pulled out away from the jetty and I exerted myself trying to get back in.
Thinking the rocks were safety for me and where I could climb out but forgetting I had 42 pounds of weight and a loose tank hanging from behind throwing me off balance. I should have thought about an exit point and I did not scout the end of the jetty for the best place to exit prior to the dive.
The jetty is like a big L in the water and had I gone out on the jetty and looked first hand I would have seen where the waves where hitting and where it would have been safer to exit. Being in the water is not the place to look for an exit - low viz and swells did not help.
So it cost me $150 for new fins, I am getting the inflator hose rebuilt and when I was hosing down the equipment I found I ripped off the drysuit exhaust valve cover.
I did not find any leaks in the suit but I learned an expensive lesson - at least I can laugh now and share some food for thought.

 

[KDAD]

Glad to hear you're OK and maybe learned a lesson or two. I need you around for another season or to my future body is only 8 years old so you're still my number one buddy. Oh and about that tank strap I'm going to add that to my buddy checklist. Overall it sounds like you had a fun day Shirley beats my testing of my dry suit in the kitty pool in about 18 inches of water.

So is that Dive still on the table for this summer or we scrapping the plan.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Oh no - not scrapped - just a bit wiser - Experience is a rough teacher... lol

But I will definitely rethink the south side... That is more than twice as long as the north side...

 

[agilis]

Turns out it was a beautiful day today to dive and learn a lesson or two... lol

Started out a strange dive and I should have known better - but my pride kept me from thumbing the dive. My inflator to my BCD was stuck open when I opened the tank valve - it would not stop. So I used the shutoff valve on the hose to keep it from leaking - and of course this would mean I could not inflate the BCD with the tank without losing a ton of air. But I made a conscious decision to do it - I drove all this way and did not want to thumb the dive.
Then I could not close my zipper on my drysuit - had to ask help. My plan was to dive the inlet and go out around the tip and back on to the beach - I have never attempted this dive but knew it could be done. But I have not attempted the dive previously. This was a solo dive and dive number 5 on my new drysuit.

Got to the bridge and the water looked calm but definitely low viz. At time there was 6 inches to 2 feet at best.
I followed the inlet with the rocks on my left about half way out of the inlet I turned to get around a rock and caught the line to the flag around my tank. I surface and eventually untangled the line from my rig. I made sure I kept the line tight after that because I did not want to get tangled up again I wanted to get out of the inlet before current made it more difficult.

I did not realize but the rocks continued submerged out beyond the end of the jetty where the light is - at one point I came up to check and I was too far out in the ocean and of course now the tide was coming out and pulling me slightly out to sea. I took a bearing and tried to get back to the inlet but it did not feel right so I surfaced again and tried a surface swim back to the jetty rocks. I was definitely pushing myself to get back - this was my fifth dive in my drysuit and I was not completely comfortable swimming it in - the surge seemed to grab the suit more than I expected and was holding me from getting back. Remember my BCD? Well I could not inflate without loosing lots of air - I was bobbing up and down in the water to get to where I needed to be and of course I was huffing and puffing due to the swells and being slightly negative. When I got within distance I submerged to find the rocks again - but viz was about 6 inches at this point. It felt like I was going to hit my head or face plant on to a rock due to the viz and the swells - I was really starting to have fun now.

Unbeknownst to me - I got in between some boulders to find my way and my tank must have gotten loose from the tank strap. At this point I started struggling with the surge and keeping close enough to the jetty for a reference and far enough to not get pushed into the rocks. I was not very successful - I got too close and a swell pushed me further into the rocks. I popped up to get a visual and I was way too close - I was up in the rocks. With my rig being off balance due to the loose tank and no good way to inflate I was some what negative buoyant and could not stay on the surface to navigate. So down I went one last time - caught myself before I face planted into a boulder about 4 or 5 feet down. When I popped back up a swell pushed me in between some tight rocks. Very similar to a tea cup and my butt was planted on the bottom of the tea cup - head and feet up but I was submerged under the water with no leverage.

I was diving solo and I knew no one was fishing on the jetty. Where I was wedged in I was facing the ocean and no one knew I was there - other than my flag. Time to get myself out regardless of the outcome. I had 42 pounds of lead for my new suit, my tank had fallen out of the tank strap and I was completely off balance for any type of traction. The swells were not stopping but I had my mask on and regulator in so I had at least until my air ran out or I figured out a way to free myself.

I rocked and rolled until I could get flattened out over the tea cup - at this point I did not really care if I put a hole in the suit I needed to get out. I tried to stand on some rocks but the seaweed and growth on the rocks kept causing me to slip. The lower I was in the water - the more the swells had leverage on me and I kept falling.

I finally grabbed for some dry rocks and could stand just enough to get my body out of the water so the weight above the water was driving my feet down to give me traction.

I grabbed my fins and pulled them off - I needed to climb out at this point or so I told myself. I threw a fin up on the jetty - I lost the other one trying to stay steady and don't remember losing it - I did not care at this point. I threw my light and flag up next to get the gear up and out of the water. But at this point - I did not care if I lost all my gear - the mission was to get out of the water as efficiently as I could. I left the weight belt on and the tank was pulling me off balance due to the waves hitting it in the water. I pulled myself up on a rock and took a step - slid back down into the water but not under. I got back up on the rocks and I pulled my reg out - I was heavily breathing trying to get the gear and myself out in one piece and wanted to save as much air as I could thinking I may need it. I grabbed at the crevises in the rocks and just muscled my way out until I could stand on a dry rock.
I pulled my gear off and just sat for about 10 minutes thinking about that one - definitely was thankful and did not want to repeat that fiasco.

This is would be one of two times since I started diving where I was not sure what the outcome was going to be due to the ocean swells. My respect for mother nature has always been there but occasionally I seem to forget the force and power that can be displayed even if it does not seem all that bad from shore.

Anyway I had to re hoist all the gear and walk myself back down the Jetty to get back to the truck - walk of shame and humility.

Good lessons for me on several fronts - first if it does not feel right stop and come up with a Plan B.
I really wanted to do this dive - but I did not plan properly for it - I had passed on it a few times and thought - how bad can it be. Now I know how bad it can be.
I did not have a Plan B for my BCD - and that could have helped me stay away from the rocks. Check and double check tank straps - I use AL80's and Steel 85's and the strap gets loose with the tanks - I did not cinch it up tight on shore when I was getting ready.
Due to the low viz I really did not have a reference point as to when to make the turn at the end of the jetty - when I surfaced I was being pulled out away from the jetty and I exerted myself trying to get back in.
Thinking the rocks were safety for me and where I could climb out but forgetting I had 42 pounds of weight and a loose tank hanging from behind throwing me off balance. I should have thought about an exit point and I did not scout the end of the jetty for the best place to exit prior to the dive.
The jetty is like a big L in the water and had I gone out on the jetty and looked first hand I would have seen where the waves where hitting and where it would have been safer to exit. Being in the water is not the place to look for an exit - low viz and swells did not help.
So it cost me $150 for new fins, I am getting the inflator hose rebuilt and when I was hosing down the equipment I found I ripped off the drysuit exhaust valve cover.
I did not find any leaks in the suit but I learned an expensive lesson - at least I can laugh now and share some food for thought.

 

[agilis]

I also followed the south jetty underwater a couple of hundred yards past the entrance to the inlet. This happened more than 40 years ago. I was solo diving about 3 AM, bug hunting, and began to wonder why the jetty seemed so long. I decided to surface, and was horrified to see about 10 feet of water over the boulders. I surfaced in a heaving open black ocean. I could see the faintly phosphorescent white breakers, but was too far out to hear them.

I immediately dived back down and felt enormous relief to find the submerged jetty, which I followed back to the apartments and my faithfully waiting VW, feeling like the luckiest and stupidest diver in New Jersey. I still remember the drive home on the dark empty streets, shudderingly aware of how easily things could have turned out badly.

If you dive the inlet in March be sure to wear more than a skin. Even 3/8" neoprene wasn't enough to keep warm.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

I agree - it was definitely an eye opener - I just figured when the jetty stopped the boulders would turn to sand... nope.

Next time I take a bit more time looking for the turn - it was a mistake I don't intend on making again...

 

[dumpsterDiver]

WOW that is an awesome write up. It might sound arrogant, but so much of what you "learned" are lessons I was taught over 40 years ago. We used to night dive the Point Pleasant inlet a lot, but then a guy got lost and came up under a boat and he was killed - then my dad said no more diving there.. so we talked him into taking us to the Shark River Inlet for night dives. My buddy and I were teenagers - too young to drive yet. Dad was not a diver, so he thought it was better.

I remember one rough night dive, I think we bailed early on the dive and decided to walk out on the jetty (pt pleasant manasquan inlet. We found a diver "some old guy" probably 45 or something.. and he was wearing a unisuit dry suit which required like 45 lbs of lead and he was trying to get out on the rocks and was getting bashed on the rocks. Too much weight, too slippery, too rough, too weak etc. We climbed down and physically hauled his butt up on the rocks. i remember it as dangerous and difficult for us and we had 2 or 3 of us to assist one guy. He might have been killed. He was very appreciative and I think he said he was trying out a new dry suit as well.

Ever since then, the hinderance of heavy lead belt, inability to swim well in a dry suit, strong currents, cold water, wave action are all things I carefully consider. It sounds like you totally screwed up navigation, made assumptions about the jetty (which you probably could have researched before the dive) and generally took on a dive that was much too adventurous for you and the conditions. 6 inches of visibility... I would not be diving in swells and surge in that..If you decided to dive in such poor visibility, then you should have just gone down, swim 50 feet and come back 50 feet... not trying to do a whole jetty you never had seen and had no intel on.. Way, way too aggressive in my book.

I think that was a big error on your part. Another thing that really worries me about a solo dive like that in ice cold water.. what if you lost a fin, got a cramp or were later in the tidal cycle? You would have been swept out to sea. I assume you had nobody on shore or any contingent plan for this scenario? In the summer you might get run over by a boat.. but somebody would probably pluck you out of the water.. but in the winter, I would think you might die of exposure.. drifting off the inlet with no way to get back.

Your comments about failing to walk around the full jetty and do useful recon. before the dive was also very important. This is something I will generally do - say when diving a jetty, or shore diving in Maine or something. You really got to take the time to get down to the water, watch for the wave sets, look for hazards and exits etc. If I were doubtful, I would often snorkel the site first. I can scramble up rocks without a tank on, much, easier and safer. If it seems cool snorkeling, then I can go back and get the tank.

The part about the BC inflator has me totally baffled. You have an inline shut off valve for the inflator??? If the inflator is free-flowing and inflating (and you decide to dive anyway) why not just unhook the hose and orally inflate?? Even with the hose shut off and connected, you can orally inflate the BC .. right? Solo diving, in super cold water and knowing the power inflator function is not there... should have reminded you well before the dive that you are going to be orally inflating.... Am I confused.

I am confused why you did not remove your tank, fix the cam band, put the tank back on and continue the dive? The ability to do that is absolutely ESSENTIAL (solo diving skill) in my book, especially when carrying you own entanglement hazard (the flag) - not to mention all the power pro line on the jetty...

In any regard, I've had my share of "dives I won't repeat" and many lessons learned... It sounds like you made it back based on a little luck and a good degree of physical strength. A simple slip on those rocks and banged head could have been fatal. It's quite a feeling walking back from a dive and knowing you muscled your way out of a bad situation.