Diving a local lake a few days ago (this is a BIG lake, and it’s 1200’ deep), scooter-ing along at 80’, we came across a big gill net. I was on my hopped-up Mako and my two buddies on their slower 
X-Scooters.
We stopped in front of the net to access our situation. The net went off to the right and left as far as we could see, and up above us 40’. The vis was great, so we could see the top of the net 40’ above us. Here’s what a gill net looks like:
The team leader signaled for us to ascend up and swim over the net, then head back down and continue our dive. We all agreed, and up we went – scooters OFF, of course.
At the top of the net, my buddies kicked over and onto the other side of the net. As I was coming over the top, the lower handle on my Mako below me snagged in the top rope of the net, and when it did, it triggered my scooter on (the Mako has two trigger handles, but most people just use them one handed, with one handle on top, and one on the bottom).
Suddenly I was on a wild spinning ride! My scooter jumped forward. But then, being caught in the top of the net, spun me upside-down, around and back head-on right into the net!
I had a real moment of, Oh crap! I flailed around a bit trying to get righted, not wanting to be caught upside-down in this thing, and I managed to get righted somewhat. This all happened in just a few seconds, but I can remember seeing my buddy off to my right watching this all play out, and thinking, if I really get wrapped up in this net, I know he’ll cut me out, and I have lots of gas. Still, getting all wrapped up in this net with a run-away scooter wasn’t my favorite idea.
Of course, in the few seconds this all took place in, it never occurred to me to just stick my hand into the prop and stop the scooter – which is what I should have done. Fortunately, the net did it for me. Somehow a piece of the net ended up in the prop and stopped my thrust into the body of the net. Once the forward momentum stopped, the top rope slipped off my trigger and the scooter turned off. With just a little bit of net clearing, I was able to extricate myself, back out and be free of the net.
I held for a bit, catching my breath, returned the OK to my watching buddies, and we continued the dive. The remainder of the dive was uneventful – 80 minutes bottom time, with 75 of those minutes on the scooters.
This is what I concluded:
The net never needed to be cut, but it was reassuring to know that there were 3 sets of shears and three knives between the team members.
I‘d have hated to be solo on this dive.
I am very seriously thinking of removing the bottom trigger on my Mako.
This could have been worse, and I was lucky I didn’t get wrapped up in a big mess.
I was with my regular buddies, and it was reassuring to know that I could depend on their help, had I needed it.
Lastly, gill nets suck.
X-Scooters.We stopped in front of the net to access our situation. The net went off to the right and left as far as we could see, and up above us 40’. The vis was great, so we could see the top of the net 40’ above us. Here’s what a gill net looks like:
The team leader signaled for us to ascend up and swim over the net, then head back down and continue our dive. We all agreed, and up we went – scooters OFF, of course.
At the top of the net, my buddies kicked over and onto the other side of the net. As I was coming over the top, the lower handle on my Mako below me snagged in the top rope of the net, and when it did, it triggered my scooter on (the Mako has two trigger handles, but most people just use them one handed, with one handle on top, and one on the bottom).
Suddenly I was on a wild spinning ride! My scooter jumped forward. But then, being caught in the top of the net, spun me upside-down, around and back head-on right into the net!
I had a real moment of, Oh crap! I flailed around a bit trying to get righted, not wanting to be caught upside-down in this thing, and I managed to get righted somewhat. This all happened in just a few seconds, but I can remember seeing my buddy off to my right watching this all play out, and thinking, if I really get wrapped up in this net, I know he’ll cut me out, and I have lots of gas. Still, getting all wrapped up in this net with a run-away scooter wasn’t my favorite idea.
Of course, in the few seconds this all took place in, it never occurred to me to just stick my hand into the prop and stop the scooter – which is what I should have done. Fortunately, the net did it for me. Somehow a piece of the net ended up in the prop and stopped my thrust into the body of the net. Once the forward momentum stopped, the top rope slipped off my trigger and the scooter turned off. With just a little bit of net clearing, I was able to extricate myself, back out and be free of the net.
I held for a bit, catching my breath, returned the OK to my watching buddies, and we continued the dive. The remainder of the dive was uneventful – 80 minutes bottom time, with 75 of those minutes on the scooters.
This is what I concluded:
The net never needed to be cut, but it was reassuring to know that there were 3 sets of shears and three knives between the team members.
I‘d have hated to be solo on this dive.
I am very seriously thinking of removing the bottom trigger on my Mako.
This could have been worse, and I was lucky I didn’t get wrapped up in a big mess.
I was with my regular buddies, and it was reassuring to know that I could depend on their help, had I needed it.
Lastly, gill nets suck.
