Dealing with current / Rig diving

[StaceyL]

My husband likes to dive the oil rigs in the Gulf and spearfish. He tells me that it's amazing under there, so many fish and I as a photographer would have a field day. I have a problem with the current swirling around the rig legs though... I watched as my husband and his friends jumped in from the boat into relatively flat seas and immediately had to pull along the anchor line (anchored above water to the rig frame) to the leg and fight their way down. I'm not good at battling the current and I'm afraid I'll use half my air just trying to get to the leg. He swears the current disappears at about 30'. Any suggestions on how to conquer my fear... I'd really like to see what it's like down there at some point. Thanks for any input!

 

[Wookie]

He's right, the current will change with depth. Also, that's nice of him to put in a transit line for you. You'll find it far easier to pull with your arms than to kick with your legs. You won't use as much air, either. Once you are within the confines of the rig legs, the current drops quite a lot, as there is large structure to hide behind. Rig dives are some of my favorite dives, you should really enjoy them. And, watch your air. If you blow half a tank, come back. I don't think it will be nearly as bad as your fears.

 

[Bombay High]

Ask the rig to send you an umbilical

 

[StaceyL]

He's right, the current will change with depth. Also, that's nice of him to put in a transit line for you. You'll find it far easier to pull with your arms than to kick with your legs. You won't use as much air, either. Once you are within the confines of the rig legs, the current drops quite a lot, as there is large structure to hide behind. Rig dives are some of my favorite dives, you should really enjoy them. And, watch your air. If you blow half a tank, come back. I don't think it will be nearly as bad as your fears.

We almost got to go again a few weekends ago but he got called to work at the last minute (shift work at a refinery). His friend said the seas were like glass and they saw tons of fish. My husband said he won't spearfish the first time I go down, he'll just go down with me and hang with me watching the fishies

 

[Capt Doug]

Sometimes I use a reef hook on rigs when taking pictures in strong currents. Good for "piece of mind".

 

[TXreefer]

Ditto with others...once you get near the rig the current usually drops off. There is tons of life growing on the rig legs and it varies greatly with depth. I miss rig diving!

 

[Searcaigh]

Reef hook is a good idea, I guess there should be lots of macro stuff to photograph on these rigs in that part of the world.

Just make sure your camera is well tethered on the descent to allow both hands free for pulling on the rope.

 

[StaceyL]

A reef hook - great idea! I never thought of that, but that would give me a little piece of mind in the current. We dove on the Speigel Grove in Key Largo in April (on my husband's 50th birthday - now that's a milestone), the current was so strong on the tag line that I felt like a flag in the wind during our safety stop... I'm not a big fan of currents...

 

[diverrex]

Current is the thing in diving that always concerns me the most. Some of the worst current I've faced locally in Southern California is on our oil rig dives. But I enjoy the oil rigs dives because of the interesting structure and the life living on the legs and around the rigs. Try it, just be careful.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Get training and practice . . .on the use of a DPV/scooter.

Invaluable tool for the "swirling washing machine" at times, in the depths of the offshore oil rigs here in SoCal. . .

Dive Xtras - Dive Xtras