Losing a fin

[hubert]

Hello all solo divers,

I lost a fin yesterday - no big deal, as I was still on the surface at the Casino point, and a very obliging instructor lady from Hollywood divers went down to retrieve it for me. The incident got me thinking - what if I were to lose a fin down at 90 feet with no buddy to get it back? Has this ever happened to anyone? Is it hard to ascend and do one's safety stop (assuming there's a boat with people to pick you up, which is always the case whenever I dive solo)?

I wondered briefly if I should from now on tether the fins to my ankles surfboard like - though I don't like to think of the entanglement hazard. Any idea?

Thanks

Hubert

 

[knotical]

Lost a fin in a surf entry. Continued the dive. Crossed my feet at the ankles, hooking the finless foot behind the other. Power of two legs into one fin. Not as efficient, but functional. Worth practicing sometime just to get the feel of it.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

What knotical said.

You do need to consider what would happen if you broke a fin strap at depth.... but like knotical said, it should not be an issue. You should be able to easily get yourself back to the surface and back to the boat or shore with one fin, just a bit slower

To turn this question in a totally different direction, what if you jumped or fell into the water with no fins, and no air in your wing or BC, and your air turned off?

The answer should be: "Heck, I'd be ok, because I'm not over weighted and I tested to make sure I can tread water for a few minutes in full gear with no air in my wing and no fins. And I will drop my weight belt (like I've practiced) the second I realized I was having trouble keeping my face above the water".

Best wishes.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Spring straps are also your friend! Not having experience with surf entries but knowing the drill I might be tempted to just get the spare fins out of my car. Seriously though losing a fin at depth would not be an issue. As I dive a balanced rig I can swim it up from depth without fins.

 

[DaleC]

I second springs.

I have a pair of old US Divers with rubber straps. As I have neoprene DS socks and neoprene boots my foot would compress and get drawn into the fin at depth. Time after time I ended the dive only to find the heel straps dangling free of the heel. Nothing holding the fin on. The only saving grace was that my foot was so sucked into the fin it couldn't come out without a crowbar.

Dale.

 

[TheMadDane]

<<<----Lost Too Many Fins (That didn't have heel springs)

Heel Springs!

 

[ClayJar]

Spring straps! Spring straps! Spring straps! :biggrin:

Seriously, I would concur with those who said it should be no big deal. One-fin diving is one of those little fun skills I like to get divers to try when we're in a pool or spring or other "play time". If you cross your ankles and basically dolphin kick, it's actually quite easy. It's a bit harder to maneuver without your hands with only one fin, but you can actually get reasonably good at it.

(I have not found a way to back-kick with but a single fin, however. If I lose a fin and need to back up, I'll have to use my hands and make penance later. :biggrin

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I use bungees, which I love way more than my spring straps. I dropped a fin in the surf once just before entering the water. I couldn't find it, but went ahead with my dive. I did a dolphin kick for a few minutes before I found that a flutter kick worked OK with only one fin. I completed a one hour, 1/4 mile dive with no further problems. I bought a replacement fin that day, then a fisherman found my lost fin a week later.

 

[Walter]

Why didn't you retrieve your own fin?

I was taught to do a dolphin kick if a fin was missing, but like MaxBottomtime, I've found a flutter works quite nicely with a single fin.

Don't folks practice swimming with one fin? I hope everyone practices no mask breathing, air sharing, reaching your valve, etc. Everyone should be able to handle any two equipment malfunctions at the same time. If you can't, start practicing until you can.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Hello all solo divers,

I lost a fin yesterday - no big deal, as I was still on the surface at the Casino point, and a very obliging instructor lady from Hollywood divers went down to retrieve it for me. The incident got me thinking - what if I were to lose a fin down at 90 feet with no buddy to get it back? Has this ever happened to anyone? Is it hard to ascend and do one's safety stop (assuming there's a boat with people to pick you up, which is always the case whenever I dive solo)?

I wondered briefly if I should from now on tether the fins to my ankles surfboard like - though I don't like to think of the entanglement hazard. Any idea?

Thanks

Hubert

I lost a fin in Cozumel once at about 80 feet, while doing a swim-through. It wasn't a big deal. I reached back and retrieved the fin, kicked with my other foot to get me through the swim-thru, used the string running through the center of the spring strap to tie it back together, put it back on, and continued the dive.

Losing a fin should not cause an emergency. Worst-case, you should be able to surface with just one fin (unless you're terribly overweighted).

And yes ... spring straps DO break sometimes ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)