California diver dies in heavy surf

[DandyDon]

I've done it too, along with a lot of other techniques. My suggestion was to ditch your gear if you can't get through the big surf and you fear for your life. Sometimes people get beyond the ability to walk, crawl, or withstand hits from waves, even on hands and knees. Those people are better off without their gear, in my opinion.

That's when I think I would stay at sea, pop my SMB and blow my compressed air whistle at passing boats.

 

[matto]

I agree.

I've done it too, along with a lot of other techniques. My suggestion was to ditch your gear if you can't get through the big surf and you fear for your life. Sometimes people get beyond the ability to walk, crawl, or withstand hits from waves, even on hands and knees. Those people are better off without their gear, in my opinion.

 

[Bob DBF]

That's when I think I would stay at sea, pop my SMB and blow my compressed air whistle at passing boats.

Nice for you but, in conditions described there will be no boats where I dive and very limited alternatives to get ashore.

Since I freedive in conditions which I will not tank dive, I know I will get ashore. I just don't own any gear that I won't ditch in a heartbeat if my a$$ is on the line.

The trick is evaluating what conditions you can expect after the dive and whether you will be ready to deal with those conditions while cold, tired and with 60# of gear strapped to you. If it beat the crap out of you on the way in it won't be easier on the way out an hour later, just turn around, get out and find a Pub to drown your sorrows.


Bob
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I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[Sat Diver]

Your gear is your life line? How do surfers, swimmers, and bodyboarders survive without it?

By all means, use the many excellent suggestions above to exit safely with all of your gear. But, if you can't get through the big surf and you fear for your life, ditch your gear! Sure, a 7mm wetsuit makes it hard to walk in chest deep water, but why would you want to? You can swim faster than you can walk to the shallow water. Once you're in knee deep water, just stand up and run! You can do that when you're not encumbered by scuba gear.

Totally agree. If you are a strong swimmer, its much easier to exit safely without the gear than presenting that much more surface area for the surf to work on. Also, you are a lot more agile / nimble if you do get flipped around.

 

[Tricia]

That's when I think I would stay at sea, pop my SMB and blow my compressed air whistle at passing boats.

I agree Don & this is why I don't do shore diving. (I know my limits and I'm not capable of making this kind of exit.) Of course, as you have taught me over the years, I keep my reg in my mouth until I'm back on the bench of the boat. Kind of irritates the Dive Master, who's asking you how your dive was and your time and depth, but I really don't care!

Trish

 

[DandyDon]

I agree Don & this is why I don't do shore diving. (I know my limits and I'm not capable of making this kind of exit.) Of course, as you have taught me over the years, I keep my reg in my mouth until I'm back on the bench of the boat. Kind of irritates the Dive Master, who's asking you how your dive was and your time and depth, but I really don't care!

Trish

Haha, I think people can learn more from my screw-ups, but it's good to hear that some of my better ideas are used. I've had boatmates laugh because I wouldn't spit the reg until I sit down, but I have never choked on a wave that way. Hell, for a sixpack where I let the skipper drag my kit up first, I'll change to my velcro attached snorkel - but then I don't care who laughs.

As far as shore diving goes, yeah - I have done a little where no boats would be by all day, but the entries and exits were smooth. First thing we did was get local reports and if there had been warnings - heed them! As I said earlier, I really paying more for boat dives.

As to the accident that started this thread, I am sure the brother feels awful, but if the other had a heart attack - I doubt that the outcome could have been different, maybe just postponed a little until he had another challenge. Still, the lesson to be taken here is heed warnings, I think.

 

[Hatul]

In difficult conditions like big waves I also like the reg in my mouth. And with the Seacure mouthpiece I have a pretty strong grip on it. Also, an idea I borrowed from tech divers, I keep my primary on a strong bungee necklace so it's never lost.

Regarding doffing your gear in big waves; there is a principle that in a difficult situation you do what you know and do best. Unless you've practiced removing your gear prior to exiting the ocean, in big surf is not the time to try this for the first time. I'm more comfortable exiting geared up with the Scuba in place.

Adam

 

[Ken Kurtis]

Excellent discussion and good points raised. I posted this to an OC diving blog yesterday and thought I'd share here as well:

1. Personally, I use 3' as my line of demarcation. 0-2', no problem. 2-3', depends. 3' and over, cancel the dive.

2. Whether it's a "normal" entry/exit or an "oh-crap-the-surf-picked-up" situation (which you'd presumably discover as you prepared to exit), it's important to remember that the goal in all cases is to spend the LEAST amount of time in the surf zone as reasonably possible. More time in surf zone = more waves hitting you = more chances of something going wrong.

3. I perceived the impetus of the topic thread to mean the surf might be too big to exit safely as opposed to "normal" surf (since you wouldn't "normally" think about ditching your gear on the way out). Seems to me there's a slight blend of what you might do normally and what to do in an emergency. That being said . . .

4. I am NOT a fan of fins-in-hand on the way in or the way out. Not under "normal" conditions and definitely not under emergency conditions. Fins are going to be your ONLY way to provide quick mobility in the water. Not having them on your feet means you lose that. In big surf, I think that can be a big problem. Even in small surf, you need to stop and take them off (or put them on if entering) which means you're spending more time than necessary in the surf zone (see #2). Try "kicking" with just your booties some time and see which one you prefer.

5. At the risk of sounding too morbid, if the surf is too big to exit safely, it may come down to this: Lose your life or lose your gear, your choice.

6. And even if you ditch your gear, leave the BC fully inflated, tie the weights to the BC (if not weight-integrated), and just leave it all floating. It may wash in or perhaps it can be retrieved later. Ditching gear does NOT have to mean it sinks.

7. Use your reg all the way in, even if you're shuffling out or crawling out. (Obviously, you have to have saved enough air to do this.) That way, if you get dumped by a wave or submerged, you can still breathe. Not having to fight for air changes the equation in your favor.

8. Give some thought to NOT coming in. (Before you think I'm totally crazy, keep reading.) It seems to me that a lot of times when I read about dangerous or big-surf exits (as in "the conditions changed while diving and the exit is now much trickier than the entry"), everyone seems to think they HAVE to come in. No you don't. Stay outside the surf zone, inflate your BC . . . and wait. Maybe the surf will subside over time. Maybe a boat will come by and pick you up. Maybe you can signal people on the shore to call Baywatch and THEY'LL pick you up. (Or if you carry a Nautilus Lifeline radio, you can do that yourself.) Take off your BC & weights (see #6) and just float. You'll be plenty buoyant and by retaining your mask and fins, you've got mobility and the salt water will stay out of your eyes. One lesson learned from the Drifiting Dan case is that you can float in the water in SoCal for five hours and be rescued.

- Ken