Caught in a Surge

[Iknee]

I saw this video of John Hoover, in a surge on Nakalele Point, Maui. Has anyone else experienced something this dramatic? Worse? What did you do?

[video=youtube_share;rNE-27wY9Js]http://youtu.be/rNE-27wY9Js[/video]

 

[3D diver]

Not as bad as that...

Toward the end of a dive outside La Jolla cove my buddy and I were heading shoreward checking out a series of channels running parallel to shore. The channels were about 10 to 15' deep with their tops closer and closer to the surface. Not paying close enough attention, a wave broke on the top of the ridge we were traversing & we got swept into the next channel in a total white-out. There was so much air in the water you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. I made like a limpet, grabbed the bottom and held on. As the water cleared, my buddy was nowhere to be seen but a couple of sea lions were hanging out by my feet laughing at me. When things settled down a bit I followed my compass, hand-over-hand across the bottom, toward deeper water. I surfaced when I had a good 20 feet of clear water in all directions and there was my buddy waiting for me.

 

[danvolker]

I saw this video of John Hoover, in a surge on Nakalele Point, Maui. Has anyone else experienced something this dramatic? Worse? What did you do?

[video=youtube_share;rNE-27wY9Js]http://youtu.be/rNE-27wY9Js[/video]

I was in a surge at least that bad in Tobago many years ago.....The only "safe" way to handle this, is being flat on the bottom and hanging on to rocks or coral with gloves, when each wave passes over. While not eco-friendly if the rocks are coral, that is not your issue if you found yourself in this situation. You absolutely do NOT stay "near" the tops of the rocks like this guy in the video did, because of the possibility/probability that you would get tossed into a rock at high speed, and you would be "damaged" significantly. And too high up above the rocks, and you could get pulled into the upward directed current of the wave, and be sent up toward the surface in a potentially fatal washing machine effect..... When my buddy an I were traversing an area like this, we never came up as high as the diver in the video--that made GREAT VIDEO, but it is just too likely you would be injured....near the bottom 2 feet to the sand, the current is much less, the major surge is over the tops of the rocks--so being under this is a form of cover.....At least it was in Tobago, and it looks like a very similar hydraulic environment.
When waves are this big, you can move 20 to 40 feet by emergency speed swimming( near the bottom), until you see the shadow coming, which is the next big wave/surge. In the 2nd half of your speed burst, you are looking for your best handholds, and best rocks to become one with, for each wave. You don't want to be in a "surf zone" like this for long.
The one I was in was about 100 yards worth, to get into a vast 4 football field size enclave full of more fish than any place I have ever seen in my life. The waves were like 40 foot rollers, many breaking.
This was a place where three major currents converge about 3 miles out --someone familiar with Tobago may know the area I am speaking of.

I do have to say, this is an awesome video, and my hat is off to both the videographer and his "stunt man" with camera, in the video!!!!!!!

 

[TSandM]

I misjudged and got thrown into the rocks while doing a dive off Anacapa Island. It was frightening, but I wasn't injured -- just thrown violently sideways and then up. We stayed a lot further away from the rocks after that.

 

[chillyinCanada]

This video almost looks like it is playing backwards. Either way, looks dangerous. I've never experienced surge like that but have been in position to see the play above me. Stunningly beautiful. I'll never forget the way the turquoise water would turmoil back upon itself creating a milky froth.

 

[DeepSeaDan]

I'd like to see the rest of the movie...

 

[fjpatrum]

I have one word. Warhammer.

I'd need a new suit, I think.

 

[KD8NPB]

I would have spewed.

a +/- 2 ft surge nearly did that to me when I was attempting a Lake Michigan pier dive in foul weather.

 

[ferris213]

What's the hand signal for "I've got two broken legs"?

 

[scubahawk27]

I did that once in the toilet bowl at Makena Landing, Maui. It flushes you out the other side through a 30 foot cave, lava tube, all you can do is put your hands in front of you and hold on to your reg. I learned a few valuable lessons. The number one is if you see white water stay away from it!


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