tell me about drift diving..

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parrotman

parrotman

Contributor
Messages
243
Reaction score
30
Location
Tucson AZ
# of dives
1000 - 2499
This summer will be my first trip to Coz. I have logged 200+ dives, so I'm not a novice but I have only been on maybe a half dozen drift dives in my diving career. I was out voted by my group of dive buddies that chose Coz over other options. Anyway, it seems that you either love drift diving or you don't and I'm not so sure that I am going to like it, my previous drift dives were not great experiences. Any thoughts?
Advice?

Thanks
Jim
 
I love drift dives myself. But then again I'm lazy. I think you will discover that it's an enjoyable way to dive. I bring one of those orange weenie things and have it attached to a 15 foot line and when I'm ready to do a safety stop I just deploy it and hang there until my time is up and usually the boat has backed up to it and is ready for me to board.
 
I did some drift diving in Paamul, which is on the Riviera Maya, and I thought it was great. Basically, you dropped down to the desired depth, got neutral, and let the current take you. The only thing I had to fin for was steerage, which made it very relaxing. It really saves your air, which allows more bottom time, which in turn let me see lots more critters. Needless to say, I'm hooked. YMMV
 
Given the right conditions, good visibility (20m+), fast current, plenty of life and warm water so a minimum of neoprene and consequently weight belt and a trustworthy boat skipper, tropical water drift diving has to be the nearest thing to paradise on this earth. Just open your arms and fly.....
 
Drift diving in COZ is AWESOME. its like watching tv. You drop down to the reef. Get neutral. Cross your arms and watch the reef go by.
 
Your gas is gonna last forever :)
 
parrotman:
Any thoughts? Advice?
Click to expand...
First, thank your buddies for overriding you ;).

Second, in addition to the sausage already mentioned, try to streamline your gear as much as possible and get your trim worked out. While drift diving can be relaxing and work free, if you are not streamlined and have plenty of places for the current to catch your gear you'll be faster than the group/DM and waste air trying to stay back.

James
 
You didn't say where your other drift dives had been but if you have never been to Coz you are in for a real treat.

The currents are not always so fast that you can't stop and look at the reef or the critters. Swim throughs and walls are very nice in Coz. I think you will be hooked on Coz once you go.

Miketsp & JonasDolkart are correct. Relax sit back and enjoy the great ride in the big blue.

When are you going and where are you staying?
Have fun.
 
parrotman:
This summer will be my first trip to Coz. I have logged 200+ dives, so I'm not a novice but I have only been on maybe a half dozen drift dives in my diving career. I was out voted by my group of dive buddies that chose Coz over other options. Anyway, it seems that you either love drift diving or you don't and I'm not so sure that I am going to like it, my previous drift dives were not great experiences. Any thoughts?
Advice?

Thanks
Jim
Click to expand...

What's not to like? I can't think of a single diver I know that has done drift diving at Cozumel and didn't like it. You don't have to expend much effort on propulsion; you just go with the flow and kick to steer. You don't have to worry at all about navigation; the boat drifts with you. Most of the dive sites are in calm water in the lee of the island, and all are close to land.

There are some tricks to it, like learning to duck behind coral heads or get close to the bottom when you want to slow down or stop, rather than kicking against the current. You don't generally want to go from a no-current zone into a current zone facing into the current, because you'll find yourself going backwards, and then you can get swept a ways downcurrent trying to get pointed the right way. Most folks flail around a bit at first and then catch on to the techniques pretty quickly.

As a diver with over 200 dives but no experience with Cozumel, you are in for a treat. Don't worry, be happy.
 
As already mentioned, all you have to do is sit back and relax and let the current take you......and once you get very comfy with the feeling of absolute weightlessness and utter laziness, you can do what I do. I pretend that I am actually sitting on a sofa with my legs on the coffee table and sit back, cross my arms behind my head and let the current take you, at times I wish I had beer in my hands. My method might not be the best for control and streamlining, since I present a huge surface to the current (my back and arms) but it is the absolute best way to "sit back and relax"........you will love it! For most the conventional position is ample and comfy and is the preffered method.

The most important thing is to get your buoyancy to the T, so you can control your ascent/descent with a breath and eliminate the kicks all together.

Now you want a thrill, do a night drift dive! Now that is fun!
 
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