Drift diving is NOT so relaxing!

[fisherdvm]

What I think are best practices:
1. all the divers should follow the same general path
2. the divers should stay close to the wall if currents are carrying them out
3. If it’s a drift on a reef, you go with the flow, but stay as a group
4. Photography/video should not take place when the current is too challenging and the divers skills are lacking
5. The unanchored boat should not play into it at all. You come up safely as you were taught, and the boat should be there
6. Waves and ladder, yes can be tricky. My wife was tossed like a rag doll from a ladder once. Timing is important. For that rough of water, keep reg in mouth
7. Low/out of air, should never happen. 29 yrs and counting, never for me anyways.
8. I like to stay at my 15’ safety stop hovering over the group until they are on their way up, that way the marker is up and seen by the boat as I come up.
9. A class isn’t bad, but if you have a river close by with a current, you could simulate it yourself

Rivers flow in 1 direction. There is only one vector. Not 3.

 

[hammet]

“Drift diving is NOT so relaxing!”

no putzing around under the boat because you still have half a tank of air to burn.

This is one hell of good point right here! I've become an expert at blowing bubble rings under the boat when diving in the islands with a DM led group.

 

[Soloist]

A ton of my diving involved climbing goat trails, entries/exits over slippery rocks, timing surf and poor visibility. Others involved double 120s, two deco bottles and long stops in cold water. I'd take all of them over another drift dive in Cozumel.

Cool. Thank you. The boats have been quite full our last few trips.

 

[hammet]

OP, don't give up diving in Florida. Hire a DM for $100 a day when you book your next trip. I bet it would make you feel much more comfy.

 

[electric_diver]

Rivers flow in 1 direction. There is only one vector. Not 3.

You would think so but it just isn't always true. There can be back eddies, down drafts, updrafts and dead zones.

 

[fisherdvm]

You would think so but it just isn't always true. There can be back eddies, down drafts, updrafts and dead zones.

Have to try it sometime. Detroit river bottom digging did not appeal to me.

 

[dlofting]

Rivers flow in 1 direction. There is only one vector. Not 3.

I haven't been diving in any rivers but have done a lot of boating and canoeing (crossing creeks while hiking too). They definitely do not flow in one direction. If you want to see a strong down current just throw a stick in a river or creek above a large rock or log. We were the Green River a few years ago and actually were in one spot where the river was flowing backwards. Luckily it wasn't deep so we just got out and pushed

 

[fisherdvm]

Now I just do alot of diving.. and each day the current and wind is different. It is hardest with a strong surface current or wind that drags you against the direction of the reef and into deep water. Which has caused problem in one aow deep class I have witnessed. They had their computers locked up and abandoned the second dive being dragged in the deep water east of third reef in Ft Lauderdale 2 years ago.

 

[flyboy08]

The reality is that we teach divers who can barely swim, who can barely stay alive in a current free, wave free swimming pool, who has only dive in fresh water lake and quarries for the OW and AOW cards....

And you throw them out in a boat, rough sea, currents.... And expect them, by their number of dives, or rating... to handle the challenges and complexities of current and boat dives.

I think the flamers need to keep their flame thrower to themselves... and let people share their personal experiences so that average joe divers can get insight on how to handle situations that they have not been exposed to.

Well, there not dying left and right so I have to assume the training and supervision works for the recreational sport most of us enjoy.

 

[Johnoly]

Situation 2: The dive boat came up, ... swings around, told you to back off....The boat is drifting rapidly away from you....You swam as fast as you could, but could not keep up. .

Once on board, you should go right up the captain's face and tell him he's a sheetie captain. Cause he doesn't know how to read currents and wind to properly orient the boat's ladder so the handful of divers waiting don't have to swim (or worse-he has to spin the props). An EXCELLENT captain knows how to exactly approach the divers so the wind and the current allow the boat's ladder to drift effortlessly with the group of divers. I know how to position my dive boat bow just enough off angle of the wind direction so as my bow is blown sideways and backwards, and it will make a semi circle around my divers with the boat's ladder for them to easily step up. If he's not that good, then he can tell the floating divers to wait in small groups of 3-4 which will give him room to engage the props and maintain position. I tell everyone this one simple sentence and so will the coast guard,,," IT'S ALWAYS THE CAPTAIN'S FAULT, " no matter what - he doesn't have to run the trip if its not safe for him.