Trip Report Raja Ampat, Live Report, Nov. 7-Dec. 7, 2023

[CWK]

Within the first 15 feet of dropping in, there was a down current so strong that it took everyone down for a rapid and uncontrolled descent, 90-137 feet in less than one minute. That day, everyone was on 29% Nitrox. The depth each diver reached varied by their computer. As soon as the dive started, it was clear it needed to be aborted, but nobody could control their descent. One diver dropped her weights, emptied her BC, and still could not fin up.

I have experience of rogue currents - horizontal, downward as well as upward currents. They come at you out of nowhere and can dissipate after a couple of minutes.

The sea can easily overpower the strongest and most experienced diver when she throws a tantrum. So the onus is on you to be prepared.

To me, the best preparation for downcurrents is diving with a BCD with sufficient lift. My personal choice is a wing with 40 pounds of lift. When you find yourself in a downcurrent, inflate your BCD to counteract the down current, and be prepared to deflate the BCD should you find yourself in an uncontrolled ascent.

Emptying the BCD when you are in a downcurrent, as you have reported on one diver doing, does not appear to me to be a correct course of action, although dropping weights would be.

Did anyone inflate their BCD to counteract the downcurrent?

 

[Dan]

Did anyone inflate their BCD to counteract the downcurrent?

My reaction to such downcurrent is to fin fast to the wall and plant myself there with whatever means available.

 

[CWK]

My reaction to such downcurrent is to fin fast to the wall and plant myself there with whatever means available.

Just means that you have yet to meet a downcurrent when you are away from a wall.

 

[Dan]

Just means that you have yet to meet a downcurrent when you are away from a wall.

Not sure what you mean by that. In area that's known for down current, DMs advise me to stay lose to the reef or wall. So, when the downcurrent hits you, you can quickly get to reef/wall to hide from the current.

DMs who are familiar to those places adamantly tell us to not wonder out to the blue.

 

[CWK]

Not sure what you mean by that. In area that's known for down current, DMs advise me to stay lose to the reef or wall. So, when the downcurrent hits you, you can quickly get to reef/wall to hide from the current.

In areas where a cold current meets a warm current, it can cause both an upcurrent and a downcurrent and they do not need to be near a wall. For example, North and South Komodo have different sea temperatures, same with Alor and elsewhere along the Indonesian archipelago.

 

[Dan]

In areas where a cold current meets a warm current, it can cause both an upcurrent and a downcurrent and they do not need to be near a wall. For example, North and South Komodo have different sea temperatures, same with Alor and elsewhere along the Indonesian archipelago.

Do you think that's the only reason the upcurrent or downcurrent happens?

 

[CWK]

Do you think that's the only reason the upcurrent or downcurrent happens?

Warm rises, cold falls.

 

[living4experiences]

Did anyone inflate their BCD to counteract the downcurrent?

All the divers reported that they inflated their BCD.

 

[Dan]

Warm rises, cold falls.

This downcurrent happened in Raja Ampat, where the water temperatures are pretty even (constant).

 

[living4experiences]

My hope in reporting my experience is for others to learn and be mindful and well prepared for every dive. I do need to make a clarification to my report as follows: "One diver dropped her weights, emptied inflated her BC, and still could not fin up."

Once she was out of the down current, she then emptied her BC to stabilize her ascent.