Whitewater diving, is there such a thing? I was asked this by a kayaker in a pub (where else?), I told him I had never heard of it. Thought I'd toss it out to SBers and see what happens.
Whitewater Diving?
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james croft
Contributor
I dive whitewater a lot. Some of it is snorkeling which is easier in my opinion. By its nature most whitewater is fairly shallow. Snorkeling offers less drag and it is easier to float down river and drift dive a bit. Scuba is a bit harder as there is a lot of drag with the gear. Streamlining is critical and there should be nothing dangling that can get hung up.
When I scuba I like being a bit heavy as it holds me to the bottom easier where I can grab rocks and such to pull myself along. A diver can make use of the eddies found downstream of boulders where there are less currents.
A major concern is not to get caught or hung in rocks that can trap a foot and the current can push you backwards and hold you under. Dive Rescue International states that you should not dive in a 2 knot current or stronger. I have been in some strong currents that can tumble you and even make your regulator self-purge from the current. Avoid those situations. I will dive Class 1 and Class 2 rapids. Much beyond that it is not worth getting banged up.
You will find the current lessens as you get near the river bottom due to friction loss. Take advantage of eddies to rest and explore. That is where a lot of the fish hang out as well. It is also where a lot of lost items end up from swamped canoes and tubers.
When facing upstream be careful so your feet or fins do not get wedged into rocks. The current can bend you backwards if you get pinned and hold you down. This can get you in the Accident Section. Also always avoid being upstream from fallen trees or other debris that are generally called strainers. They will trap you as water pressure will hold you againt the branches and you can be easily trapped. I have investigated a fatality or two caused by strainers. They are very deadly.
I would try to snorkel in small, clear rapids and get a feel for it first with snorkeling gear. Scuba makes it a bit more rigorous. Once in a while I will use some skateboarder kneepads to save some wear and tear on my once resilient body.
When I scuba I like being a bit heavy as it holds me to the bottom easier where I can grab rocks and such to pull myself along. A diver can make use of the eddies found downstream of boulders where there are less currents.
A major concern is not to get caught or hung in rocks that can trap a foot and the current can push you backwards and hold you under. Dive Rescue International states that you should not dive in a 2 knot current or stronger. I have been in some strong currents that can tumble you and even make your regulator self-purge from the current. Avoid those situations. I will dive Class 1 and Class 2 rapids. Much beyond that it is not worth getting banged up.
You will find the current lessens as you get near the river bottom due to friction loss. Take advantage of eddies to rest and explore. That is where a lot of the fish hang out as well. It is also where a lot of lost items end up from swamped canoes and tubers.
When facing upstream be careful so your feet or fins do not get wedged into rocks. The current can bend you backwards if you get pinned and hold you down. This can get you in the Accident Section. Also always avoid being upstream from fallen trees or other debris that are generally called strainers. They will trap you as water pressure will hold you againt the branches and you can be easily trapped. I have investigated a fatality or two caused by strainers. They are very deadly.
I would try to snorkel in small, clear rapids and get a feel for it first with snorkeling gear. Scuba makes it a bit more rigorous. Once in a while I will use some skateboarder kneepads to save some wear and tear on my once resilient body.
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You can also do this in Tobago. Or the Philippines if you have the urge, as well.
LOL@
I'm feelin' ya today bruta
I'm feelin' ya today bruta
OP
I knew that SB would be the place to check this out. In discussing it with a buddy we had arrived at the conclusion that whitewater by its nature tends to be shallow and that it might not lend itself to scuba for that reason. We routinely dive in the St Clair river where the current ranges from a low of 2.17 knots to a high of 3.38 knots. (USCG) It can be a wild ride but there aren't any obstructions except for the wrecks and we shelter in the lee to enjoy them. I would have expected that whitewater currents would be quite a bit stronger.
I'm not so sure I would want to play dodge-the-stick with a tree trunk going 30 mph that I can't see.
DaleC
Contributor
James, I remember those various modes of entrapment well from my days as an asst. river rafting guide. We rolled rocks in a jetty on our off tour days (to create a pullout) and would often "fake" a fall so we could drift downsteam and body surf in a hydraulic. Ah... the good old days. When I was younger I also attended the Banff Mountain Film Festival and saw a film where these guys did a weird boogie board thing down some serious whitewater (gorges actually). They had masks and snorkels but I was into climbing then and had no use for such things 
Clanggedin
Contributor
I have seen dive shops around the Green River in Colorado and Utah promote they offer river diving classes. I bet it must be similar to drift diving, but in murky brown water.
Actually I did some fire fighting up on the Snake in Idaho and you could see the bottom, all the way across, from shore. That was some pretty clear water, but with some serious current.
Clanggedin, the Green River below the 'Gorge' is quite clear and there are some great holes to play around in. It's getting to those holes that knee, elbow guards and a bike helmet are pretty much standard equipment.
The Colorado below Hoover Dam is a rush also.
The Colorado below Hoover Dam is a rush also.
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