lst Live Boat Drift Dive: Tips?

[jim T.]

Hi,
I'll be going out on my first San Juan Is.s drift dive mid month. It's on the Deep Sea Charter Boat. If anyone is willing to give me a brief description of what the dive(s) will likely be like and how deep an average drift dive would be, what to watch out for (being swept through kelp beds? etc.) What the usual procedure is if one can't keep in as close contact with one's buddy as usual due to inexperience drifting, etc.

I know that the dive profile and some instructions will be given on the boat but as it's impossible to know the dive sites until the day of the dives, I'd appreciate some advice about what to expect in general and how to handle things in general the first time.

This trip is scheduled for Feb. 12th. in case anyone has specific current/tidal advice for that day (I've checked the NOAA site already) that would be good for me to know before I get onboard. I don't know who my buddy will be at this point so I'd like to visualize what the dive might be like and how to react to whatever might come up pertaining to drift techniques.

I've been sailboating for 25 yrs. in these waters so know the locale(s) and generally where currents run and reverse directions in some eddies. I am also familiar with the passes. Just haven't dove them yet. Would like to know what Deep Sea's usual sites might be this time of year based on your experiences.

My sympathies to O.B.ers who were looking forward to their dive on the cancelled Deep Sea charter today. It was definitely a good call. All of the plastic construction covering and some scaffolding blew off of one of the downtown Anacortes buildings and we've had several power outages already-if that helps anyone to feel better about the cancellation.

Looking forward to my first drift/wall dive but with only about 17 dives under my belt I'm just a tich nervous but want to get over that through experience and then do it again!

I have boat dived in the Carribean so know what to expect charter wise, just the lower viz./ current thang.

I thought about emailing/calling Deep Sea Charters but wanted some background first to ask "intelligent" questions!

Thanks very much! Jim T.

 

[MarkH]

The only thing I would advise is not to struggle against the current. Breathing heavy underwater=CO2 buildup. There's a live boat for a reason. If the current becomes unmanageable, just go with it and let the boat come and get you.

 

[jim T.]

Thanks Swankenstein. I don't plan on swimming upstream barring any surprises! I have read online that sometimes buddies agree who will be the "mover" and the "stayer" (terms vary) if they lose sight of each other?
In other words, the "mover" swims upstream for 2 minutes
searching and then drifting back downstream with the current for 2 minutes before calling for emergency assistance/boat search. Is this a common technique in these parts?

I assume that doing a safe ascent at the end of your dive is the same procedure as in calm(er) waters? Just "pretend" that you're not moving along at 3kts. etc.?

Anything else vastly different from non drift diving?

Thank you for responding! Jim T.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Jim,

The captain of the Deep Sea, David Patterson, does an outstanding job. Its a nice boat and you'll have a great time. Last time I was on their boat we saw a half dozen dolphins, a grey whale, a platoon of seals, and enjoyed some excellent dives.

Don't sweat it, the crew will have your bubbles in sight and will be there within a few minutes when you surface.

Best strategy with respect to you losing your buddy is don't. Make it a point not to, rather than figuring out what to do if it happens. You'll have enough visibility to keep together. Just discuss it with whomever you're buddied up with before you enter the water.

You'll dive the slack, the currents shouldn't be that formidable. Barring something out of the ordinary you'll be easily able to move about without working hard to deal with the current.

Call Captain Patterson with any questions. He's easy to work with and can fill you in better than anyone else regarding where he's thinking of going. I suggest you take $20 or so for a tip, the crew splits the pot. Get to the dock about 30 minutes early to get a decent parking spot, and enjoy the day. It's a quality operation.

Best,

Doc

 

[Walter]

Live boating is not the safest method of diving. Float dives are always preferred. If you are live boating, ALWAYS have a safety sausage and shoot it from your safety stop. Tell the crew you plan to shoot it so they don't mistake it for someone in distress.

 

[MarkH]

Live boating is not the safest method of diving. Float dives are always preferred. If you are live boating, ALWAYS have a safety sausage and shoot it from your safety stop. Tell the crew you plan to shoot it so they don't mistake it for someone in distress.

Up here, a "live boat" means that the engine is running and there is a driver in it (not at anchor). What do you mean by a "float dive". I've never heard of that.

 

[Walter]

Live boating is when you are drifting with the current from a boat, but you are not connected to the boat (drift diving) and you are not towing a float (float diving). Live boating is the type of diving practiced in Cozumel. Float diving (common in SE Florida) is much safer than live boating, although since safety sausages have been invented, live boating is much safer than it once was.

 

[Charlie99]

One disadvantage of float diving is that when surface and bottom currents differ, the flag puller and the other divers need to fin to stay with each other.

A DSMB (delayed surface marker buoy) or lift bag is a good thing to carry on a drift dive.

 

[jim T.]

Hi Doc, Thanks once again. You've been very helpful with info. for me in several posts now and I very much appreciate it. Hope to meet you in person eventually.

Hi Walter,
I do own a safety sausage and dive alert horn so I'm equipped there. I intended asking if it was ok to inflate the sausage even if I wasn't in distress so I'll do that. (One of the "intelligent" questions) I was hoping to gather from board members to be able to ask the Capt./crew.

I was surprised when the folks at the LDS told me that it wasn't a float dive. Any particular reason why that method isn't used in the PNW as in the Caribbean or Cozumel?

The charter is out of the marina where I keep my own boat so I'm familiar with the vessel anyway. I'll see if I can catch the skipper on board one day this week. If not, I'll call him.
The weather reports are promising some sunny/calm weather at this point so he may be able to predict his site choice better than other times.

Any other advice is welcome.
Jim

 

[MarkH]

I was surprised when the folks at the LDS told me that it wasn't a float dive. Any particular reason why that method isn't used in the PNW as in the Caribbean or Cozumel?

I've never seen float diving up here. Maybe the float line would get caught on the wall/overhangs or in kelp.