Visual reference on anchor line

[lostsheep]

The correct way to dive in currents is with a live boat and drifting ascents under an SMB. We have been doing this for years and it works much better. Just say no to Jon lines.

SMDH “We have been doing ___X___ and we are better” is basically what you just said.

The correct way to dive in a current is site specific, dive team specific, and charter/capt/crew specific. You should be prepared to do whatever is required based off of all factors and you should be on the same page with the crew. Be a thinking diver and assess the situation.

 

[flymolo]

Better still use a lazy shot line. When all divers are on the lazy shot, the last one disconnects it and peace prevails as everyone drifts together downstream, leaving the shot line on the wreck.

Nicer still is the 6m/20ft trapeze. Even nicer to have a 9m/30ft trapeze too.

You've all divers together doing their deco. Loads of hands to help out if there's any trouble and virtually unlimited supplies of gas using all those bailouts. When divers have finished their deco, they ascend and the boat picks them up. Last one on the lazy shot disconnects the trapezes before they ascend.

The boat just follows the lazy shot buoys picking up divers as they appear.

good luck telling the captain how to run his/her boat

 

[tomfcrist]

If there is any significant current running then even with a Jon line (or tying in with a spool or anything similar) there is a risk of getting blown off the anchor line and unable to return

Rubbish. Never been blown off an anchor line…especially with a jon line.

Plus you end up with multiple divers all tied in at the same depth and bumping into each other at the 20 ft deco stop

Rubbish. Don’t dive in large teams…3 divers at the same depth is no issue on a line…even in current. If you have 10 divers doing deco at 20ft, run a granny line from the anchor line to the stern of the boat.

And what happens if you have an emergency on the bottom and need to start an immediate ascent without returning to the anchor?

The same thing you do if live boating…deploy a surface marker and ascend. The boat can come get you.

I am aware that tech diving in currents from anchored boats has been common practice in some areas such as the Northeast USA. That doesn't mean anyone should continue doing it.

The correct way to dive in currents is with a live boat and drifting ascents under an SMB. We have been doing this for years and it works much better.

It really depends on how much current. I have no interest in anchoring to a wreck in any more than 2kts of current…beyond that, 100% agree that hot dropping/drifting deco is the way to go. But in small teams…I’m not hot dropping with 10 other divers…3-6 at a time seems reasonable.

 

[Nick_Radov]

SMDH “We have been doing ___X___ and we are better” is basically what you just said.

The correct way to dive in a current is site specific, dive team specific, and charter/capt/crew specific. You should be prepared to do whatever is required based off of all factors and you should be on the same page with the crew. Be a thinking diver and assess the situation.

There are exactly zero circumstances under which a thinking diver would consider being attached to the anchor line in a strong current (i.e. too strong to swim against) as a correct way to dive. If that seems like the only available approach then the correct option would be to not dive in the first place.

 

[Wibble]

good luck telling the captain how to run his/her boat

You mean they don't do that? How interesting, as that's very common in the UK for deeper diving. Especially offshore.

But as has been said, it's down to the local requirements. Diving in the eastern English Channel where hundreds of ships pass through every day means a fixed line is needed which means with the strong currents, shorter dive times as everyone's hanging on the shot line like flags in the wind.

 

[Nick_Radov]

good luck telling the captain how to run his/her boat

Yes, we have actually had good luck with that across multiple captains. If you pay them and explain what you want to do and why then most captains will be fairly receptive. The key is to explain everything to them step by step rather than trying to tell them how to run their boat. Otherwise, find another boat or don't dive until you find a captain who is willing to follow safe technical diving protocols as a member of an integrated team. Since this is supposed to be a fun hobby I see no reason to compromise on safety just because a particular captain may not be competent or receptive to improvements.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

I am aware that tech diving in currents from anchored boats has been common practice in some areas such as the Northeast USA. That doesn't mean anyone should continue doing it.

The correct way to dive in currents is with a live boat and drifting ascents under an SMB. We have been doing this for years and it works much better. Just say no to Jon lines.

There is always the possibility you'll come up to less then stellar currents in that case I guess we should just all find another hobby in this area? Crochet?

How on earth would a 1" piece of webbing come undone? Have you seen that... or just think it could happen? Can you site one case anywhere that someone wasn't able to successfully use a jon line and was harmed in trying? What would you do if you came up to a roaring current out of nowhere? Hold on for dear life? (Honest questions)

I'm not sure what the average viz is in California, but here you're lucky if you see anyone on the same wreck in the NE... how would all those people begin to ascend and drift at the same time? That sounds like an absolute cluster fck in these conditions.

 

[flymolo]

Yes, we have actually had good luck with that across multiple captains. If you pay them and explain what you want to do and why then most captains will be fairly receptive. The key is to explain everything to them step by step rather than trying to tell them how to run their boat. Otherwise, find another boat or don't dive until you find a captain who is willing to follow safe technical diving protocols as a member of an integrated team. Since this is supposed to be a fun hobby I see no reason to compromise on safety just because a particular captain may not be competent or receptive to improvements.

yeah, that's a good point

 

[lostsheep]

There are exactly zero circumstances under which a thinking diver would consider being attached to the anchor line in a strong current (i.e. too strong to swim against) as a correct way to dive. If that seems like the only available approach then the correct option would be to not dive in the first place.

I said nothing about Jon lines

 

[Wibble]

I'm not sure what the average viz is in California, but here you're lucky if you see anyone on the same wreck in the NE... how would all those people begin to ascend and drift at the same time? That sounds like an absolute cluster fck in these conditions.

They all do come up at roughly the same time; the boat follows the field of SMBs.

The skipper would tend to put in the people doing the longest dive times first and the shortest dive times last. As each diver gets to the end of their dive time on the wreck they throw up their SMB and ascend, doing their deco as their float from the wreck.