I had one a few years ago, crewing on a local dive boat. After all the divers were back on the boat, I went in to unhook us from the wreck. On the way down, I thought it was odd that I heard the boat's engines start up... and then stop. Typically the captain puts the line on a tuna ball, throws it off, powers up, backs the boat off the ball, and circles the area until I get back up. You can usually hear the engines the whole time you're in.
Got to the bottom. Still no engines.
Unhooked the chain. Still no engines.
Dragged the chain out to the sand. Still no engines.
Came back up the line. No engines.
Did a safety stop. No engines.
Surfaced. NO BOAT!
Wind had kicked up during the day and there was a good surface current running. Choppy and sloppy.
I look in every direction... and what do I see? Nothing. In any direction. Not a thing. Not our boat. Not any other boats. We were miles offshore, so no land in sight. Me... and a tuna ball... and nothing else. For nearly 45 minutes.
The "oh God" moment was really only when I had surfaced and looked around. To be honest, I didn't think much about not hearing the engines other than at first when I heard them start and then stop. It was after I came up that I started piecing things together.
When I surfaced and didn't see the boat, I almost immediately determined what I thought happened... and I was right. When the captain backed the boat off the ball, a gear line hanging off a stern cleat (that someone forgot to pull up) fouled the props. He had to shut the engines down, and put a diver in the water to clear them. That guy had to get his drysuit back on, get in his gear, get in the water, and start cutting... and cutting... and cutting. If you've ever tried to clear props fouled with 20 feet of line... under a boat... that's being tossed around the open ocean... you know that ain't easy.
And all the while the current and wind are pushing that 52ft boat further and further away.
Me... and a tuna ball... and nothing else.
For nearly 45 minutes.
Truthfully, I'm not very worried past the initial "WTF" moment. I'm on a line, with a float on one end and 75lbs of chain on the other. I'm right over a known wreck location. The boat knows I'm in the water... and where I am. I'm thinking that, worst case, if the boat can't get back they will call another boat or the Coasties.
And I
keep thinking that. For 45 minutes.
Just me... and my tuna ball... and nothing else.
For 45 minutes.
I can tell you that it is VERY SURREAL to be in the middle of the ocean with ABSOLUTELY NOTHING visible, in any direction, as far as the eye can see. I don't mean like "I'm on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean and I can't see anything... other than this cruise ship." I mean "
I am in the middle of the ocean - I am
in the ocean - and I can't see anything, in any direction, as far as the eye can see.
Just me... and my tuna ball... and nothing else.
For 45 minutes.