Reef Hooks - what am I missing?

[supergaijin]

Except for at least one apparently- the one where you want to be stationary. This isn't an attempt at 'chest-thumping' about who's currents are stronger. For me anything around a 2knt is unswimmable- but on certain sites all the action (and action it is) is up the front. There is no point in drifting ergo it is not a drift dive.

Perhaps the most famous of these kind of sites at the moment in Palau's Blue Corner.

 

[HelioxJellyfish]

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 are clearly clueless. There are plenty of channels around the world (one in the Solomons springs to mind where I am certain the current was 7-8 Km/hour) that would be undiveable or the diving would be pointless without a safety hook. Then there are point I have dived (eg between atols in the Maldives) that if you did't do your safety stop hooked to something you would wind up in the middle of the Indian Ocean. I repeat no-one who knows what they are doing would hook into living reef, but hooking into rock, anchor chain or wreck structures is a safe way to ensure dive stability.

 

[corvettejoe]

You are clearly clueless. There are plenty of channels around the world (one in the Solomons springs to mind where I am certain the current was 7-8 Km/hour) that would be undiveable or the diving would be pointless without a safety hook. Then there are point I have dived (eg between atols in the Maldives) that if you did't do your safety stop hooked to something you would wind up in the middle of the Indian Ocean. I repeat no-one who knows what they are doing would hook into living reef, but hooking into rock, anchor chain or wreck structures is a safe way to ensure dive stability.

So, what you're saying is... you are unable to complete a safety stop on a drift dive without touching anything?

I wasn't saying they were a bad thing (reef hooks... I actually need one for certain uses as well)... but most of my experiences are that people just start jamming them into things, living or not, and inadvertently kill off corals and other living things that they think are not there because the placement looks so benign. Many people do not realize there is an entire macro world living on or around it. What looks like rust, algae, etc is often various types of encrusting corals, etc. I'm in no way saying you do this, I am just stating that's why I think a lot of places ban these because many people simple DON'T know and cause damage to the delicate environment.

Also there's the fact that... if they don't allow reef hooks... divers must somehow be able to complete these dives safely without one, or they wouldn't do it at all. Is it easier? Sure... is it necessary? Not really. Point being... apparently you DON'T need a reef hook to perform a safety stop in open ocean water!

 

[supergaijin]

I know personally some dive sites with conditions where you would not want to drift out of a Maldivian atoll in to the open ocean. Not because of not being able to maintain a safety stop- rather the diving tender will not be able to pick you up in the heavy conditions of the ocean.

Some days are fine- some days will kill. Again, this comes down to differing conditions in different areas around the world. Some places require hooks to dive.

Certain divers elect to hook in when
a) they're not required.
b) the reef is alive.

 

[HelioxJellyfish]

"So, what you're saying is... you are unable to complete a safety stop on a drift dive without touching anything?"

No I'm not saying that at all. I RARELY use a reef hook and almost NEVER use it for this reason, and am more than happy to do my safety stops in blue water and usually do. But there are some conditions and some dive sites where having a SAFETY HOOK (there, to give it its correct name) could be life saving. I dived Palau about a month ago, and suffice it to say the current on Blue Corner, on an incoming tide, was so strong it straightened my strobe arms. I have video of the exhaust bubbles coming off my buddies more acutley than 45 Degrees. It was IMPOSSIBLE to operate my camera and hang on with one arm, hence the SAFETY HOOK (fixed to limestone, I reiterate) was DIVE SAVING.

"There is no point in drifting ergo it is not a drift dive." Could not agree more!

I have experienced that same conditions, on occasions, in many places in south east Asia, PNG, the Solomons and the Maldives. Some of these sites have drift dives that exceed 5 knots, especially a couple of channels in the Solomons. Now, mostly that doesn't matter, so long as everyone you are diving with decos at the same time and the currents are laminar. But as you will be carried a minimum of 250 metres doing a 3 minute safety in free water this is potentially very dangerous if the currents diverge, people surface at different times, or if you do as I do and like to spend a bit of extra time at safety stop depth. If that occurs its very likely the panga driver will be scouring a large area of ocean. If you speak to any of the dive shops in the Maldives they will tell you they have had to drive miles searching for divers swept away in currents.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Here is a thought - how about placing permanent reef hooks in the Reef - placing them in the best and most convenient spots along the reefs so folks can clip into them? Being careful to only place them where they will not do damage to the reef but making them accessible to everyone. Ok - way off base but if you make them permanent and visible with leads you can clip into - are you really doing damage by setting and leaving them for others to use?

Sorry that was just me thinking ok - if folks are going to do damage anyway - let someone who knows what they are doing - do it and make it permanent.

 

[supergaijin]

Again, reef hooks at sites which would actually require reef hooks are moonscape-like reefs. There are some patches of stubby hard corals here and there but it's actually quite bare.

The problem comes from hook-happy divers that hook where they feel even the slightest of currents- that's using them innappropriately IMO.

 

[CarcharodonCarcharias]

I was a non-reef hook believer until I wish I had one.

Should you avoid using it? As much as possible.

Is it a sin to use it? Absolutely not.

 

[bracko]

I don't think you should avoid using it. I think you should have the knowledge of what is an appropriate and inappropriate place to latch on.