SOP for getting back to the up-line in low visilibity

[Northeastwrecks]

Thanks for reminding me.

There is a very nice (brand spaking new) Dive-Rite reel on one of the Block Island wrecks (Mary Arnold, I think).

But the important thing is that its not all tangled around the wreck. Instead, its all rolled up and waiting, just about where it would land if you dumped it while hanging at about 20 fsw.

That's why I put reels on the rear D-ring now. No chance to screw up while going for your pressure gauge.

 

[Spectre]

Northeastwrecks once bubbled...
Thanks for reminding me.

My pleasure

There is a very nice (brand spaking new) Dive-Rite reel on one of the Block Island wrecks (Mary Arnold, I think).

Yep, that's where it was. Unfortunately with the current we were pretty far off the wreck when you dropped it. It could be a challenge to find it.

But the important thing is that its not all tangled around the wreck.

Yea... I realized your point, but probably good to state it explicitly so everyone understands. Yes: Don't leave your line lying all about unless you have to. And if you have to; go back and get it on your next dive.

 

[raxafarian]

Northeastwrecks once bubbled...

I spent another 15 minutes swimming back to the boat against a strong surface current.

why couldn't the boat come to you after everyone else was aboard? Better than exerting yourself, especially on a deco dive.


Plus...weren't there 2 boats there (Little John's and Jim's)? Make 1 come and get you




as far as a strobe.... It might be useful in good vis. For the most part up here, if you're close enough to see a strobe through the murk, you'd be close enough to see the line.

 

[Northeastwrecks]

raxafarian once bubbled...



why couldn't the boat come to you after everyone else was aboard? Better than exerting yourself, especially on a deco dive.


Plus...weren't there 2 boats there (Little John's and Jim's)? Make 1 come and get you




as far as a strobe.... It might be useful in good vis. For the most part up here, if you're close enough to see a strobe through the murk, you'd be close enough to see the line.

Short version. We had decompressing divers on the line with a heavy obligation. We didn't want to move the boat.

In hindsight, we probably should have stayed around. However, it didn't look that bad until after we had started the swim. By then, we had disconnected the bag and would have been carried away if we hadn't completed the swim.

Oh, well.

 

[raxafarian]

Northeastwrecks once bubbled...


By then, we had disconnected the bag and would have been carried away if we hadn't completed the swim.

Oh, well.

that could have been a free trip to Bermuda

Plus you could have looked around for my dive flag while you were drifting in the atlantic (Right, Matt?)

 

[WreckWriter]

so on low viz dives in the NE you have each diver running a line from the anchor line throughout the dive? That really sounds like it has potential to be a major CF to me.

I don't have experience in NE diving so I'm really making this statement based on what I've seen done.

WW

 

[Spectre]

WreckWriter once bubbled... so on low viz dives in the NE you have each diver running a line from the anchor line throughout the dive?

No... only the leader of the team is running a reel.

 

[WreckWriter]

Spectre once bubbled...


No... only the leader of the team is running a reel.

OK, that cuts it in half. So on a boat with 14 divers we have 7 lines running off the hook? Do you plan this out ahead of time so people attach to different places or is it just do what seems best?

 

[Epinephelus]

In really bad visibility we tear a page from the cave divers' book and modify it to suit us. First guy down runs a line; each diver leaves a clothespin on the line next to the reel (we have each diver do it rather than one pin per buddy team to accomodate a separation). As each diver leaves the site for the anchor they take their clothespin with 'em. If yours is the only clothespin left on the line when you leave the site, you bring the reel. (Usually this is the team leader but we want to be able to handle the leader having to leave early).
E. itajara

 

[Spectre]

WreckWriter once bubbled...
OK, that cuts it in half. So on a boat with 14 divers we have 7 lines running off the hook? Do you plan this out ahead of time so people attach to different places or is it just do what seems best?

Disclaimer: I've not been in the situation before. Most people around here don't bother running reels. I know I don't run them much if I find the wreck layout to not be confusing.

When I've been on wrecks where the debris field is confusing enough, or the vis is bad enough, to desire the use of a reel, it's been small groups [4 people] where one team runs the reel, and the other team sticks around the line behind the other team.

-----
Actually on the Oregon there was a lot of folks running reels, but basically people either used someone elses line as a reference point if they were going that direction, or ran their own in another direction. They didn't actually tie off to the anchor line, but rather in close proximity to it.

It's really not that bad. It's not any more of a problem than you have with multiple teams in a cavern.