DOWN CURRENTS -Any with true real-life experience?

[rmssetc]

I experienced a rather strong out current in Coz. It was a wall dive and we were just riding the usual current along the wall when we went by a small ravine in the wall that had the out current ripping through it. The regular current moved us sideways past the out current rather quickly, and we were able to get back to the wall in no time. If it had been a strong down current, it could have had more dire consequences.

I've had the same experience a couple of years ago, quite possibly on Santa Rosa.

Pre-dive, the DM warned us about the possibility, and specifically said that we should look out for areas at the edge of the top of the wall where sand was being swept out/down. I saw a couple of spots like that, very much like a 5' wide hourglass -- a sandy depression that became a steep funnel, with sand visibly flowing downward from the current.

Knowing what to look for helped people stay away from the edge of the wall, and there were no issues.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Recalling this question being asked once, I did a search for old threads on down currents, and it turned up quite a few. In addition to the replies we're seeing here, we might take a look through old threads. Just a few examples:

Drag Down Current in Cozumel or Anywhere?

I tried searching this site for a post such as the question I am starting (or re-starting), only to come up empty (lots of posts to sort through) :( Anyway, have any of you heard of or experienced being dragged to deeper depths by a downward current while diving any of the reefs/walls in...

scubaboard.com

Down Currents Cozumel

They're not common, thank goodness - but with the walls and common currents, can certainly happen. I've read a few reports here of divers being caught in them - enough that we should all be mentally and physically prepared for one, I think. I did not carry my pony on shallow dives at Cozumel...

scubaboard.com

What to do with Down Current?

After reading the news about Crystal Bay or Nusa Penida, I was wondering what would one do with down currents? I have no experience with it yet but would 100% like to know what to do when it hits. Mind sharing some down current experience as well for reference?

scubaboard.com

What is proper procedure for downcurrent

I have never dove anywhere with a down current and I was wondering what the proper procedure is for getting out of one? I would think that the best thing to do would be to swim horizontal out off the current rather than try and fight it and swim up. Similar to swimming perpendicular to the...

scubaboard.com

 

[gmerick]

A very popular down-current - The Washing Machine in the Bahamas. Took a ride in the spin cycle off Aqua Cat this past November. There are numerous YouTube videos. There is "only" about a 30 foot depth change due to the current, but it is a rapid depth change - both down and up.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

in Deception Pass in Washington state. But that's certainly not a basic dive. There's supposedly an "underwate waterfall" in the Tacoma Narrows, but I haven't hit it the few times I've drifted through there.

 

[John Bantin]

Currents that are not moving horizontally are caused by the water moving over or around a topographical feature in the water. If the current hits a wall it needs to go around, up and over, or down. Do not try to swim against it but swim out of it. In other words, swim away from the topography that's causing the down current. Down currents are a feature in places like Cape Kri in Raja Ampat, the Maldives, and many places in Indonesian islands.

 

[tursiops]

Currents that are not moving horizontally are caused by the water moving over or around a topographical feature in the water. If the current hits a wall it needs to go around, up and over, or down. Do not try to swim against it but swim out of it. In other words, swim away from the topography that's causing the down current. Down currents area feature in places like Cape Kri in Raja Ampat, the Maldives, and many places in Indonesian islands.

There are also vertical currents caused by internal waves, which can be at quite some distance from a topographic feature so not obviously associated with it, even though the topography may have generated the internal wave.

 

[Rob9876]

Relevant to the "grab the wall and wait" approach, approximately how long do these down currents usually last? I was not sure if they are a 5 minute thing or can last longer than a typical dive?

 

[CPage]

I was drift diving "Superman's Flight" by the Petit Peton in St. Lucia two weeks ago. We returned to the dive boat about 30m from a patch of calm, circular water on the surface. The boat captain told me that was a downdraft. We were out of the water before getting stuck in it, but from the strength of the current during the dive, I imagine it would be a very bad time.

 

[Doc]

Relevant to the "grab the wall and wait" approach, approximately how long do these down currents usually last? I was not sure if they are a 5 minute thing or can last longer than a typical dive?

I’m thinking way longer than your PSI.

 

[Rob9876]

I’m thinking way longer than your PSI.

That's what I was afraid of. If so, seems it would be better to either start climbing the wall or head out to the blue water to try to get away from the down current.