Reef Hooks - what am I missing?

[3D diver]

Could you post pics of reef hooks and how does one hold on to them?

+1 on that request.

These things aren't universal...I'd never heard of one 'til I joined the SCUBA board.

I was diving yesterday and noticed a guy cruising along poking the bottom with a short metal rod and thought "huh...I'll bet that's a reef hook..."

 

[supergaijin]

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/pacific-islands/238299-how-properly-use-reef-hook.html

From the same thread- note the fairly moonscape quality of the reef. In areas which are regularly exposed to strong currents, the reef can look quite bare.


Not to be confused with a 'pointer' or 'muckstick' that some divers use well... and other divers use inappropriately.

Some people believe that the 'pointer' can double as an improvised 'reef hook' but honestly, in the conditions where reef hooks are actually required, these pointers are about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.

 

[kelemvor]

Thanks! This thread is the first time I've heard of a reef hook.

 

[CarcharodonCarcharias]

Some people believe that the 'pointer' can double as an improvised 'reef hook' but honestly, in the conditions where reef hooks are actually required, these pointers are about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.

I second that. Was diving with the instructor that I got certified with. After the dive, his SS pointer was bent about 20 degrees.

 

[bracko]

my opinion is that if you're diving in an area that needs/benefits from reef hooks and you can't use them properly, then perhaps you should head back to the house reef for a few refresher dives. They really are the best thing for high current drift diving and have actually averted a rather sticky situation with a diver's tank slipping out and requiring his buddy to assist... try doing that with one hand gripping to the coral.

I was pretty surprised to see very few other reef hooks than mine in Komodo. some of the sites were ripping harder than Palau I used mine on most dives... (but then again i was taking photos)

there are few better feelings in my mind than hooking up, inflating your BCD a bit and facing into the current watching the pelagics with your mask embedded on your face and your regulator chattering

this is mine, except with 2 proper parrot clips instead of the standard gate clip

http://www.deepbluedive.com/media/c...8eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/t/k/tk0126_2.jpg

 

[HelioxJellyfish]

I would rather see a DM have to say as part of a dive briefing, "This is a reef hook. This is how we use a reef hook. This is how we do not use a reef hook." No, he shouldn't have to do that, but yeah, it's probably necessary in many places. And I agree that a hook, used properly, will inflict far less, if any, damage to the reef than the obvious alternative, someone's hands.

What needs to happen is for the name to be changed. Current hooks. No-one responsible would hook into living coral or living reef. However, if you use them to hook into dead rock, Limestone or whatever, on onto man-made structures like wrecks and so forth in strong currents, they can be very useful and at times, dive-saving. I have also seen them to be extremely useful safety devices under some circumstances.

 

[AfterDark]

Maybe it's for the same reason people don't want condoms passed out to teenagers. When you do it, you're implicitly giving them the green light telling them it's OK. People who want to ban reef hooks might not want it to become a grey area. Keep it just a black and white issue: Don't touch the reef in any way. Not saying it makes sense; but this might be their rationale.

IMO you solved the riddle.

 

[corvettejoe]

I think they are banned in that if there is current, you should be drift diving... and when doing safety stops, etc... should be drifting along as well.

Also reef hooks promote people touching the reef. Saying that not having them causes preople to touch the reef with your hands, kicking up the corals, etc is a poor excuse for bad skills.

Are we talking about high current sites with anchored boats or something? If so, it sounds like the dive op needs to rethink that location for it's customers for stationary diving, otherwise drift diving is just that... just go with the flow, there is no need to stop.

 

[supergaijin]

I think they are banned in that if there is current, you should be drift diving... and when doing safety stops, etc... should be drifting along as well.

Also reef hooks promote people touching the reef. Saying that not having them causes preople to touch the reef with your hands, kicking up the corals, etc is a poor excuse for bad skills.

Are we talking about high current sites with anchored boats or something? If so, it sounds like the dive op needs to rethink that location for it's customers for stationary diving, otherwise drift diving is just that... just go with the flow, there is no need to stop.

You need to get out more. There are sites around the world that have extreme current (my definition of anything stronger than you can swim against), that simply can not be dived without a hook. These sites are not 'Drift Dive' sites. The whole point of the dive is to be stationary in the current- as soon as you are taken by the current, the dive is basically over as you won't see anything.

Other sites exist with extreme currents which are great for 'Drift Dives'.

Different sites = Different techniques.

 

[corvettejoe]

Fly me over and let me experience these ripping currents then

We've got just about every type of diving there is in FL.
I've done many dives that are in currents much stronger than you can swim against, and we just drift along rapidly with them. There is no stopping.