Suggestions for finding the anchor line.

[captndale]

It is generally not a good idea to tie off your line to the anchor or anchor line. It is better to tie off to something near the anchor. That way, if the anchor moves, your line will not be broken, You will still be able to return to where the anchor was when you started and if the anchor has moved, you will be able to follow its trail.

 

[aaronjweese]

Personally, if it's my first time on the wreck and I plan to go further from the anchor line than the viz(losing "line of sight") I run a line. If I know the wreck then....well I know how to get back to the anchor line.

 

[Blackwood]

It is generally not a good idea to tie off your line to the anchor or anchor line. It is better to tie off to something near the anchor.

In general, I agree. Not always possible, though. We often descend the line to find thr anchor in barren sand field. In thise situations, it's either tie off and find the wreck or go back up.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

All good advice. The answer is simply don't screw up and don't get lost. But other than that; the OP handled it perfectly (with my luck I would have been far from the wreck)...

Only thing I can add is that environmental clues are essential. Things like current direction (if any) AND knowing with absolute certainty, what the heading of the 400 ft steel wreck is; (on the bottom), really are needed to function on a wreck. With decent visibility, and a crude mental image of your position relative to a long steel wreck, getting lost (on the outside of the wreck) should not be a problem.

Of course, just as my dad taught me when very young, when you walk off into the woods, it is always good to turn around and look back the way you came to help remember your way.

Diving in bad vis, no current and a debris field will require a much higher level of skill and shorter excursions from home (the anchor).

p.s. get a reel, an SMB (and a pony); and you won't have to be so lucky.

 

[kenbert61]

Thanks all good advice I will put to use and consider. 2 questions on the advice.
First how do you get a heading?
Second will the surge be in the same direction the majority of the time.?

 

[fnfalman]

Thanks all good advice I will put to use and consider. 2 questions on the advice.
First how do you get a heading?

When you're on the boat or at the surface floating by the anchor line or descension point, look at where your destination is and shoot an azimuth with your compass. Your compass should have a window on the side, so that when you point your compass at something, the azimuth will show up on that window. That's your heading. Your reverse/return heading is 180-degree from that heading. So, if your heading were 90-degree then your reverse heading is 270-degree.

That means you swim with the compass in front of you, trying to hold onto that 90-degree heading (keeping it in the window) and when you swim back, you put the 270-degree in the window and keep it there.

Also, you must know your kick count (how many kick cycles it take to traverse 100-ft). Otherwise, you don't know how far you've swam or how far you need to swim.

Take an underwater navigation course. Heck, take a land navigation course. It's the same thing except on land.

 

[TSandM]

kenbert, there are two different terms. Surge is back and forth movement of water, produced by the same phenomenon that creates waves. It's generally most noticeable when diving fairly close to a shoreline. It will not always move in the same direction, because it will basically move somewhat perpendicular to the shore (water movement gets bent around by points and coves, so it won't always be perpendicular, but it doesn't always move in the same direction).

Current, on the other hand, is a one-way movement of water. Current can be used for orientation, although one must be aware that some currents are inconstant or may even switch directions during a dive, depending on what is generating the current in question. In Puget Sound, we have tidal currents, and they often flow, slack and reverse (but not always, and not everywhere, which is why knowledge of a specific site is important).

 

[gsk3]

Standard up here just a little north of you in the Atlantic is to run a reel tied in near the anchor line. The wrecks around here all have plenty to tie off to, and I assume that those down there do as well. Taking a cavern class or a course in line work will help you tie it off more cleanly--at least that's my plan soon

Honestly, you're lucky there was no current. Do you carry a SMB and spool with you? If there's serious current,l you'd best get the bag up as soon as you think you safely can (likely at the safety stop) so the boat can start tracking you.

Finally, I'd like to address this comment:

Okay the number one lesson I learned of course is to only trust myself and no-one else.

There's a difference between being assertive about what you need to do to get up safely, and swearing off team diving entirely. I became a lot more careful about choosing teammates after a bad experience or two, but good teammates are worth their weight in gold. While caring about the welfare of your buddy goes a long way, team work is a skill that to be perfected needs to be learned. Find an instructor who can teach you these skills and you'll find your diving is more enjoyable than you ever imagined it could be.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

kenbert, there are two different terms. Surge is back and forth movement of water, produced by the same phenomenon that creates waves. It's generally most noticeable when diving fairly close to a shoreline.).

Yes, current and surge are totally different things. Surge is actually water movement of the waves which extends below the surface. Large swells carry energy a lot deeper than people often realize.

Surge can be relatively strong at 80 feet, especially if the energy is funneled by a large reef or wreck. One day, I got totally slammed by a surge in 100 feet immediately after shooting a fish with a speargun under the stern of a large wreck. My shaft got stuck and I literally snapped the end of my gun off. We were diving in 8 foot swells.

The direction of the surge can also be a another clue to help orientate yourself.

 

[kenbert61]

Thanks again...nav class May 14th and not swearing off teams or buddy's just relying on my self more.