Blue Heron-caught by the tide

[mandy987]

My buddy and I dove at Blue Heron bridge today and were pulled out by the current. It felt like a hand was pushing me from the moment we hit the water. Not only were we fighting the current, it was pushing us further and further out. We tried several different methods including, inflating our BC and laying on our backs, going to the the bottom and crawling back but were making no headway. I hit my head on the pillons and scratched up my hands. We were unable to get back to the shore and there was a significant amount of blood in the water.

Before we went, I researched the bridge and even asked the dive shop about the conditions. They told us to go at 9:45 am and be in by 10:30, they also told us that the conditions were good and that it was an easy dive.

Just to give you some background, we are both athletic, experienced divers and swimmers. I have been trained as a lifeguard and trained for triathalons. My buddy has been diving on a regular basis for years and trained in search and rescue. We are both women.

There were 1 search and rescue class and 1 open water class there when we went out but they were in the sandy area about 30 feet away. We were screaming for help for at least 15 minutes but the classes ignored us. They even told us at one point that we were, "fine".

We were grateful that we were finally pulled out by 3 large men who were spear fishing.

We also found out that tide was at 11:00 am and that we should not have been in the water. This is not what the dive shop told us.

Now I am shaken enough up that I don't know if I will even dive again. I am not sure if it's better to dive sooner or later?

 

[metaldector]

Were it me, I schedule a dive at a familiar friendly place to prove to myself that I still have the skills necessary to continue diving. All diving is a learning experience. Your "adventure" was a learning experience. Next time you do a shore dive you'll check tide conditions 'differently' than a chat with a dive store employee. If you fall off a horse, get back on or you may not ever ride again. Whatever the finial decision, it will be because you thought about it and didn't make a panic decision. Good luck.

 

[Dsix36]

Slack High Tide was at 10:58AM this morning and there is approximately a 1 hour window for diving. If you entered the water at 10:28AM and exited at 11:28AM, there should have been no problems with the tide that you could not swim against. I do not think the LDS was in error about what times they gave you.

I have been there at the wrong time and the current does get very strong as the tide changes. The tidal change would not have been significent if you entered the water at 10:30 like the dive shop told you to.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

My buddy and I dove at Blue Heron bridge today and were pulled out by the current. It felt like a hand was pushing me from the moment we hit the water. Not only were we fighting the current, it was pushing us further and further out. We tried several different methods including, inflating our BC and laying on our backs, going to the the bottom and crawling back but were making no headway. I hit my head on the pillons and scratched up my hands. We were unable to get back to the shore and there was a significant amount of blood in the water.

I am very sorry to hear that you had a problem diving at BHB. Currents can be strong at times, but during the slack tide hour or so, they are usually manageable by novice and experienced divers alike. I am not sure what happened in this case, but I am sorry you had issues with your dive.

Before we went, I researched the bridge and even asked the dive shop about the conditions. They told us to go at 9:45 am and be in by 10:30, they also told us that the conditions were good and that it was an easy dive.

The time given to enter the water is correct. High tide today was 10:52AM

May 2010 Tide Clendar

That is the correct window of time for entering the water.

Just to give you some background, we are both athletic, experienced divers and swimmers. I have been trained as a lifeguard and trained for triathalons. My buddy has been diving on a regular basis for years and trained in search and rescue. We are both women.

There were 1 search and rescue class and 1 open water class there when we went out but they were in the sandy area about 30 feet away. We were screaming for help for at least 15 minutes but the classes ignored us. They even told us at one point that we were, "fine".

This is a very odd and very troubling statement.

1. There were two classes taking place
2. One class was an Open Water class and they were not having problems with current
3. You were screaming for help
4. You were ignored by trained instructors and were told that you were "fine" over your screams for help?

I have never heard of this sort of behavior from ANY diver to another diver who was screaming for help. Can you give more detail to the events here? I mean, the way this reads, it is unfathomable to me that your distress would be ignored by divers, onsite lifeguards, and people spending the day at the beach as well

We were grateful that we were finally pulled out by 3 large men who were spear fishing.

How did 3 spear fishermen enter a park where spearfishing is against the law? I have seen people attempt to enter the water at Blue Heron Bridge with a spear setup, but they have always been stopped by the on duty lifeguards...

We also found out that tide was at 11:00 am and that we should not have been in the water. This is not what the dive shop told us.

Again, if the tide was at 11:00AM, 10:30-11:30 is the normal window of diving for Blue Heron Bridge

Now I am shaken enough up that I don't know if I will even dive again. I am not sure if it's better to dive sooner or later?

Again, I am sorry this happened to you at all. I would really like to read more about your incident so we can all learn from this. It is a very odd account for this location based on the tides, the time you entered the water, the fact there must have been 50-60 people who should have heard your screams for help (and at least alerted the lifeguards on duty), and finally that there were people spearfishing at Blue Heron Bridge.

Please provide more detail as to how things unfolded, if you can.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[Scott L]

I am a 3rd generation native Floridian who does not understand why anyone would dive there due to tides, heavy boat traffic, frequent bacteria alerts, spooky neighborhood, etc.

1/2 mile to the east is some of the best diving in the world. I just got back from a spectacular day diving having seen turtles, a large hamerhead shark, a large school of cobia, groupers, snappers, etc., etc. etc.

When you return again hopefully, book some spots on an easy going boat charter and have a great ocean dive....

 

[Ana]

I think it is a good idea to reconsider your future in diving.

There are certain locations on that bridge that at the very peack of the tide not even those 3 large men could have hold on at mid water. But when you become one with the bottom you can work your way forward (or back, whatever direction you need to go) may not be comfy, but doable.

Only you can figure out exactly what happened exactly, maybe your first impression of what happened is not accurate. Maybe you were expecting a zero current dive and feeling more than zero did things to your brain, only you can answer these questions and make your own decission, how was the viz?

You were screaming? you were on the surface? why? did you really give yourself enough time at depth to figure how to position your body as you move through the current?

You may have a lot to ask yourself, but make sure to look at yourself first. Your dives are ALWAYS your responsibility. Trusting single sources for important information is not very wise.
You are now "shaken enough" after a dive that should have resulted on a: "hmmmm this was great" remember you dive for fun.

Now, you are free to describe your situation however you want, but I wonder why did you feel the need to say "we are both women" ? why does that matter if you are athletic triathlons and all that? do you think women are affected different by currents?

 

[Ana]

When you return again hopefully, book some spots on an easy going boat charter and have a great ocean dive....

Your suggestion requires a lot more money than the cost of diving there.

I haven't done that dive in many years, but only because I'm lazy, it is easier to o a boat dive for me, but don't think for a minute that is not a A#1 dive. I challenge you to find the diversity of juveniles you can get all in 1 or 2 spans.

I don't mean a personal challenge just saying is difficult to believe that such an unassuming place can have such a marine diversity

 

[DennisS]

Now I am shaken enough up that I don't know if I will even dive again. I am not sure if it's better to dive sooner or later?

Welcome to the club, it's called experiece. I'll bet you don't do that mistake again.

Go out and have some fun diving.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

I am a 3rd generation native Floridian who does not understand why anyone would dive there due to tides, heavy boat traffic, frequent bacteria alerts, spooky neighborhood, etc.

1/2 mile to the east is some of the best diving in the world. I just got back from a spectacular day diving having seen turtles, a large hamerhead shark, a large school of cobia, groupers, snappers, etc., etc. etc.

When you return again hopefully, book some spots on an easy going boat charter and have a great ocean dive....

Not everything one wishes to see in the water is large, or on a drift

On the other hand, I have never been on a boat dive where I have seen so many or been so close to the number of Eagle rays, cownose rays, bullnose rays, octopi and some of the largest Southern stingrays I have ever encountered at Blue Heron Bridge

 

[mandy987]

Slack High Tide was at 10:58AM this morning and there is approximately a 1 hour window for diving. If you entered the water at 10:28AM and exited at 11:28AM, there should have been no problems with the tide that you could not swim against. I do not think the LDS was in error about what times they gave you.

I have been there at the wrong time and the current does get very strong as the tide changes. The tidal change would not have been significent if you entered the water at 10:30 like the dive shop told you to.

The dive shop told us that high tide was at 10:15 not 11:00 and to be back in from diving and on shore at 10:30.