Sas
Contributor
I love both kinds Drift diving is fun as it is little work but you really need to keep an eye on how cold you are getting due to the fact you aren't moving much. Also you have to watch out for bommies and try to go around them or remember not to hold your breath when you realise one is coming right at you and you need to swim over it! My first drift dive I nearly face planted into one so don't look behind you for long ;p oops. I think drift diving has helped my buoyancy a lot too due to the changing depths, you really need to keep an eye on it. I have gone on drift lines though so just ascend back up that to the buoy when I am done. Now that I have an SMB I would always carry that on drifts in case I get lost though.
I have not done much navigation yet so a few times when I have done dives with a shot line, the boat has said just to send up an SMB where I end up and they come to pick me up. Though last weekend I managed to get myself back to the shot line as I was trying navigation out.
Anyway, it is good to get some experience in both types of diving in case you miss slack water or something and they give you different perspectives on reefs and the like.
I have not done much navigation yet so a few times when I have done dives with a shot line, the boat has said just to send up an SMB where I end up and they come to pick me up. Though last weekend I managed to get myself back to the shot line as I was trying navigation out.
Anyway, it is good to get some experience in both types of diving in case you miss slack water or something and they give you different perspectives on reefs and the like.