Recreational Divers Who Silt Up The Dive Site.

[OE2X]

So my buddy and I today were on the surface getting ready to descend to a mixed substrate bank that drops off. The top of the bank was in 15' of water. All of the sudden four divers appear rot-o-tilling the bottom as if they were a herd of stampeding sheep. They arrived at the top of the bank where upon they kneeled in mud and were still kicking. My buddy and I descended behind and below them and watched a massive silt cloud come avalanching our way. Needless to say we beat it out of there for the depths and clearer water but we were left baffled.

They didn't appear to be a class since everyone was kneeling and kicking during the safety stop. The safety stop was done on the top of the bank and it would seem that if buoyancy control was an issue then they could have laid down in the sand and mud. Why did they insist on still kicking?

I have witnessed a lot of divers both new and experienced that seem to go through the water (along the bottom) feet down and head up. They flutter kick up a storm of silt and think nothing of it. Why?

It seems that in OW and AOW that neither the modified flutter kick or the frog are taught. Nor is being a considerate non silting diver stressed. Why?

Is it everyones given right to stir up the bottom with no thought about any other divers that might like to have more than 2' of vis?

IMHO - everyone, when near the bottom, under normal diving conditions, should use either a frog kick or a modified flutter. Both of these kicks keep the water from being forced down into the bottom. Thus no silt is stirred up and other following divers stay happy.

Agree or disagree?

 

[Uncle Pug]

You need to dive in places where rototillers are few and far between. I will help you find such places.

 

[fmw625]

I agree. It was brought to my attention not long ago by my dive instructor / buddy that I was silting every thing up when close to the bottom. He showed me the frog and modified flutter kicks. Trying hard, getting better, need more bottom time.

 

[H2Andy]

yessss.... everyone when near the bottom should be aware of the bottom and try
not to silt it up.

most times, the guys doing the heavy finning don't even seem to know they're that
close or causing a problem.

just yesterday, an instructor had a guy practice removing and putting back on a
weight belt while trashing around the bottom at Catfish Hotel, which is made of
soft mud and silt.

vis sucked already, and it only got worse

 

[Corigan]

I know the feeling. Yesterday my buddy and I were diving in a quarry. We were the first divers in the water, 40'+ viz. We came back for our second dive, 30' viz and tons of particals in the water. On our second dive we saw some of the culprits churning up the bottom. Just two open water divers, with a huge cloud around them. It would be nice if everybody had common sense to stay off the bottom and desire good bouyancy controls. Unfortunately I don't see many training agencies getting on the bandwagon to show modified kicks to not disturb the bottom. Of course a good instructor can inform you of silting and show you a variety of kicks if he so desired.

Matt

 

[HammerNoMore]

You need to dive in places where rototillers are few and far between. I will help you find such places.

Unfortunatly even in such place you can get it. I know it's the far corner of the universe for you but I remember my second day of cavern class in Peacock 1. We went over to the left side of the cavern zone where nobody goes to do our entanglement drill, silted up a litte but not much, then we dis an eye closed OOA exit following the line. When we got back to the tree the cavern was completely silted.

On the surface I asked the instructor if we did that. After all we were blindly following a line and new at it. "Nope," he said, "that was a couple of careless cavers..."

James

 

[Doc Intrepid]

IT's tough to blame new students. More than half of them are taught their open water skills kneeling on the bottom. Often they're overweighted something fierce so they stay there. What do they get these days? Four dives? ~20-40 minutes each?

Poof! <waves wand> You're certified.

Nobody tells them they're a rototiller, or why its considered poor form.

So they don't know.

 

[gcbryan]

Is this another "puppies love or hate them post"?

Of course everyone agrees. Just stay away from the local spots where you already know that this is going to happen and dive clubs and other group dives and you won't have to worry about the problem that you mention.

Yes, frog kicking eliminates the problem. My buddy and I are usually the only divers around when and where we dive unless it's the usual local after work night dive spot (Cove 2). Even then all you have to do is go away from the group. Sometimes it helps to turn your light off when you do this maneuver

One thing is for sure no amount of posting is going to change their behavior.

 

[Charlie99]

A quiet calm talk with the offenders is a lot more effective than complaining here.

 

[OE2X]

You need to dive in places where rototillers are few and far between. I will help you find such places.

Ahh my friend - I will gladly follow in your siltless fin kicks any time. Show me the way...