What do you do when a fin goes away?

[Tingyu]

Imagine you are diving, and one of your fins becomes loose and goes away from your boots. (I think the probability of having two fins off is nearly zero.) What do you do?

The question is too hard to answer without describing the situation underwater. Therefore, I list a few common scenarios in which this happens to make answering the question easier. I'd be very grateful if anyone could come up with more circumstances and discuss the solutions. Ultimately, I described what I did when I faced this situation and how I responded when my buddy had this issue.

1. Descending, depth > 10m
2. Swiming around a certain depth (> 10m)
3. Ascending, depth > 10m
4. Ascending, depth < 10m
5. Safety stop (4-6m, 3min)

I encountered this situation when I was around 18m. Although one of the fins wasn't entirely off, it was very loose, as I couldn't use it to push water. First, I tried to ensure I was neutrally buoyant. Then, I started to fix the issue. I also signaled my buddy to get attention from our guide by using a noise maker.

Recently in a dive, my buddy encountered this problem when we were very close to the safety stop. (We dived independently without a local guide.) His fin was entirely away from his boots. And I saw him swimming upward to catch the fin (lighter than seawater). I was afraid his ascending speed was too high, so I tried to grab and pull him back. Yet, I only manage to stop him around 2m. Then, we decided to abort the safety stop and got out water directly.

I look forward to hearing all the suggestions.

 

[Rob9876]

I would either try to get it or have my buddy or DM try to get it. I've had it happen at the surface, and my ears are slow to equalize, so I was lucky the DM saw it and helped.

In the situation you described, I would try to ascend and get it -- but unless someone is bent I would go back down and do the safety stop.

 

[Imla]

Or, as a buddy happened to him... He "lost" his fins to a cheaky buddy at 4m... and while swimming with fin-less drysuit-booties was handed a oxygen stage, then a 32% stage... and with a stage in both hands, were handed a 50% stage. A very short while later the stages were sorted, and the cheaky buddy had the nerves to give the "bottle-rotations" signal. Which was performed flawlessly.
This guy is a local legend. Proper fun dive!

 

[Jcp2]

If you are doing an open water drifting safety stop (not on a line), and something floats away, there is a good chance it will be close to where you surface. I lost a dSMB because wave action loosened it off my line, but it was right in front of me when I surfaced.

 

[ntlhui]

Well, during my no-mask swim in Fundies, I managed to kick my fin off (it wasn't configured to be in the tightest bolt holes, and I was in touch contact/kicking both of my buddies, so lots of things happening). To make matters worse, I'd already been cramping earlier that day. So I try to signal to the instructor and my team that something isn't right with my foot. Of course, given that I'd been cramping, they assume I'm just cramping, so they stop. Only when my instructor pops up to take a peek does he realize my fin is floating away. So he goes after it, while the team is sitting there waiting, but I can't really do much other than find my backup mask and wait for the team to resolve everything else. They managed to get it back on, and we then continued on with the dive.

Bottom line is, get your team, and figure it out. Might end up being your buddy has to remain in touch contact to help you steer if you've well and truly lost the fin.

 

[sprockjohnson]

I had a stainless steel spring strap break at about 60' in Grand Cayman a few years ago and the fin fell off and sunk down to the sea floor about 10' below me. The DM was nearby and helped me to get the broken spring twisted up enough in the sheared off portion while still underwater to finish the dive and get back to the boat. Not a super emergency but definitely not easy to get anywhere with just one fin.

 

[Boarderguy]

It all depends on the site and when it happens. More often than not I'm near the bottom and will just arm swim and kick 1 leg to get it. If it drops near the beginning of the dive while waiting at the surface I'll try and find it. At the end of the dive I'll do the same if not too deep and I have the air to find it. I normally have a spare 80 or 100 in the truck and sometimes fins. I'll go back and look for it if lost late in the dive.

 

[gamon]

I saw him swimming upward to catch the fin (lighter than seawater). I was afraid his ascending speed was too high, so I tried to grab and pull him back.

If I was chasing a fin and you tried to stop me I'd flood your mask.

 

[Tingyu]

Well, during my no-mask swim in Fundies, I managed to kick my fin off (it wasn't configured to be in the tightest bolt holes, and I was in touch contact/kicking both of my buddies, so lots of things happening). To make matters worse, I'd already been cramping earlier that day. So I try to signal to the instructor and my team that something isn't right with my foot. Of course, given that I'd been cramping, they assume I'm just cramping, so they stop. Only when my instructor pops up to take a peek does he realize my fin is floating away. So he goes after it, while the team is sitting there waiting, but I can't really do much other than find my backup mask and wait for the team to resolve everything else. They managed to get it back on, and we then continued on with the dive.

Bottom line is, get your team, and figure it out. Might end up being your buddy has to remain in touch contact to help you steer if you've well and truly lost the fin.

Haha, while I faced this situation, the DM also first thought I had a cramp.

 

[Searcaigh]

Should we be carrying a spare fin?

Perhaps fins should be sold as three so we have a spare attached to our tank like a car carries a spare wheel