What is drift diving exactly?

[elenec]

Just so I understand what is meant when it is used. Thanks.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

It's normally when you dive in a current with the intention of drifting with the current and having the boat pick up at the end rather than attempting to return to your entry point.

Inland divers will do something similar in rivers where they will either be picked up by boat at the end of the dive, or exit at a predetermined location where another vehicle awaits to shuttle them up river again.

The advantages are that you do not have to swim much, if at all, and you can dive in strong currents. Even a diver in very good condition will not make any sustained headway against a current in excess of about 1 to 1.5 kts and even that comes at great expense in terms of air consumption.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

A boat drops you off in one location. You drift along with the current, which can result from tide changes as well as actual 'currents', many times along a wall or reef. You emerge from your dive at a point considerably far away from where you began. The boat is waiting there to pick you up (or not).

 

[elenec]

Thanks. I've read that new divers (as i am) would not like drift driving. What is normally their concerns?

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Thanks. I've read that new divers (as i am) would not like drift driving. What is normally their concerns?

When I did my initial OW check dives in 1985, we did 2 of the 4 in a tailrace below a hydro electric powerplant with a 5 kt current. No one complained and we actually enjoyed it as you could pretty much fly like superman over the bottom and it was a real confidence builder. I spoke with my original instructor a couple weeks ago and he still does check dives in the tailrace and newby divers still like it, mostly because no one suggests to them that they will not like it.

One thing you need to be able to do is to descend fairly quickly and to stay with the group as it makes the pick up a lot easier. Currents often vary with depth and stayng on the surface tends to separate you from the rest of the group. But other than that there is nothing particularly scary about it.

Drifitng along a wall you may have the issue of being over very deep water where good bouyancy control is a must, and or where up or down wellings may occur but those are issues with wall diving, not strictly drift diving.

 

[Firefyter]

Thanks. I've read that new divers (as i am) would not like drift driving. What is normally their concerns?

I'm not sure, unless it would be the speed of the current. My wife's very first dives after certification were drift dives, and she absolutely loved it. I think the key is to make them slow, easy drift dives as opposed to ripping currents. What's not to like about just having to fin to change direction? Of course, YMMV.

 

[Scubagolf]

Thanks. I've read that new divers (as i am) would not like drift driving. What is normally their concerns?

Don't write that in stone. In August of 2002, I did referral OW dives on Maui and completed my PADI certification. The next morning, I was with Extended Horizons for a trip over to Lanai to dive the Cathedrals. Unfortunately, instead of the usual Trade Winds, the winds and the current were from the direction of Kona. I'm not recalling now exactly why we couldn't dive Lanai, but instead the boat dropped us off in two groups of 4 divers each with a guide a couple miles south of Kaanapali and we did a 40 minute drift dive north a 1/2 mile or so off of Kaanapali. The boat picked us up at the end of the dive. It was fantastic, sailing along with the current. Kinda like very wet, horizontal sky diving. It was no problem for this newly certified diver. As always, just make sure the dive operator knows your level of experience.

 

[elenec]

One thing you need to be able to do is to descend fairly quickly and to stay with the group as it makes the pick up a lot easier. Currents often vary with depth and stayng on the surface tends to separate you from the rest of the group. But other than that there is nothing particularly scary about it.

I do have difficult descending. During my OW dives my instructor would almost always have to give me a shove. Once I'm about 5 ft down I can make the rest of the way on my own. Do you have any advice for me to correct for this problem?

 

[Scubagolf]

I do have difficult descending. During my OW dives my instructor would almost always have to give me a shove. Once I'm about 5 ft down I can make the rest of the way on my own. Do you have any advice for me to correct for this problem?

Lots of posts on this subject. Try here for starters:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=18681&highlight=difficulty+descending

 

[elenec]

That link doesn's seem to work. Is there anywhere else I can gain more info?