Current...current...current

[glidingray]

Just got back from North Sulawesi, live aboard to the islands between Sulawesi and the Phillipines. The first long trip after almost 3 years. Still couln't believe that I am back to the office ... not getting ready for the next dive.

Anyway, before the trip, I had only 30-40 dives logged and no experience on strong current. I got thrown away before I even got to the seabed. Yepp... consequently, I missed the pellagics on all strong current dives. No gliding rays. Only blue spotted stingray, hidden beneath some hard corals.

What do you think about using hook in strong current? Is it against some ethics?

 

[Mario S Caner]

Well glidingray, first of all let me be the first to say 'welcome' to the board.

Now to get on with business... I'm afraid we'll need a little more info in order to give you some accurate advise. Just how strong is the current, what type of water depth, is there a weighted ascent/descent line supplied by the boat, etc.

One things definitely for sure... you've come to the right place for advice... and, we give you money! =D

That there was my two cents, and you'll see there will be more where that came from.

Mario

 

[glidingray]

Happened in flat and shallow sites (30-40 ft). Current about 2-4 knot (the group didn't have agreement on this issue). No descent line. I've added one more kg to my weight belt to descent faster, but my ears were killing me. I know I have to descent faster than normal. I did, but still not fast enough I guess. A friend advised later on after the trip, that I have to clear my nose while descending. This might be it.

I reached the seabed usually about 20-40 meters behind my group, depends on the visibility at the time. Usually I was not able to see their bubbles...until about 5-10 meter crawling on the seabed. By that time, my friends were already exhausted and ended the dive. No pellagics, sorry. Fun dive, indeed.

This is about the crawling part. One diver used hook in those dives, it saved lot of energy. But I rarely see a diver with hook.

 

[Mario S Caner]

Well, it looks like the charter boat itself wasn't organized enough to run a safe & fun dive... There should have been a descent line. That would have given a definite touch down spot for the group, and allowed you to descend at a rate that was comfortable for you. At absolutely no point during a dive should you feel any discomfort in your ears, much less have them be 'killing you'. Be very careful with your ears, it's entirely too easy to cause permanent damage to them.

Another thing is that your post implies that you were not with a buddy at the time... again, this could lead to a very unpleasant incident.

Drift diving techniques should have been covered by a professional prior to your attempt, I strongly recommend that you persue further training in that field before you or one of your friends get hurt.

As for using hooks, yes it's highly unethical if there was anything at all on the seabed that 'was' alive. It's a shame that the diver was allowed in the water at all. If the dive had been organized/conducted properly hooks would never be needed.

Perhaps you should find a charter operator in the area that is... well for lack of better words competent.

Mario S Caner

 

[erwin.kodiat]

Hi, in addition to Mario's good advice, I will share a little bit about my experience in drift diving. Mostly my drift dives are in Bali such as Nusa Penida, Gili Tepekong and Gili Selang. What do I always expect from a drift dive? Combined with low temperature (23-25 degree, quite cold for tropical Asia water), we have a high chance to encounter "big daddy" like sharks and manta ray.
I always bring along my sausage, hand glove and also the commucnication device like horn and surface whistle. I think that's the most important beside the good plan, mental prepareness and good boat crew. Instead of hook, I will suggest you to hold nicely on a hard coral. Even 2 fingers sometimes strong enough to keep your body against the current. I don't know what is the fastest current I had, but so far all the stuffs I have, considerably suitable for drift fiving. Because the most scary thing about drift diving is get lost and the boat can not find you.

 

[The Hamburger]

If hooks are used properly they will not damage the marine life , so IMHO are not "unethical".

As Erwin correctly says there is no problem using a couple of fingers on large formations of hard coral , acts just like a hook.

The probles always come with people not being comfortable in their enviroment, and grabbing hold of obviously delicate marine life.