Current is the Worst

[TSandM]

At this point in my career (about 700 dives) the thing that scares me most is current. The water is so much bigger and stronger than I am, and past a certain point, there is really nothing useful I can do about it. Puget Sound has enormous currents, and I plan obsessively to avoid times when I'm likely to be caught in them. My experience with walls has given me a very sober respect for, and worry about, up and down drafts, although I'd rather be caught in a downdraft than a strong updraft, having done both.

I don't mind surge; I've learned how it works, and the worst things it can do is push you into rocks, and ruin the viz. But current . . . Current can separate you from the boat, or from your buddy, or push you down, or shoot you up like a ballistic missile. Current is scary stuff. That's why they make X-scooters and tide charts.

 

[wve]

Current is the worst.

It is a relief to know that I'm not the only one who feels this way!

When I think back on the dives that were only good because I finished them in one piece, each involved current.

 

[String]

No problem with current diving provided boat procedures are designed to make it safe.
In my view thats all divers with SMBs or delayed SMBs, all going with the current and the boat live (not anchored) tracking them.

Anchored boat in a strong current in my view is dangerous and a good way to lose divers. (although i dont agree an anchored boat is EVER the safest option in any condition)

 

[TSandM]

No problem with current diving provided boat procedures are designed to make it safe.
In my view thats all divers with SMBs or delayed SMBs, all going with the current and the boat live (not anchored) tracking them.

That's a great theory, but I've had the experience of doing a drift dive on a wall, with a live boat pickup, where, because of the depths we chose or something, my husband and I drifted halfway down the wall and then drifted BACK, when the rest of the group drifted to the end and around the corner. When we surfaced, the boat was GONE -- it had followed the group around the end of the point. We could see the aft bit of it, so we started surface swimming. We weren't worried, because we know the boat, and we knew a whole bunch of our friends were on it, so nobody was going to leave without looking for us. But the point is that having a live boat doesn't necessarily mean the current is going to put you up where the boat can see you, SMB or not.

 

[dbulmer]

Lynne,

What String describes is standard practice here - in Scotland I've seen divers end up in 2 opposing directions but you get used to current - honest It's poor viz that's the worst combined with current then it starts to get hard particularly at the end of a descent as you are settling down for the dive.

 

[lemon]

this is one of the reasons I always carry my divealert with me in addition to my SMB.

 

[RonFrank]

Living where I do, I don't dive in current often.I've certainly experience it enough however to have a healthy respect for current. In Coz, the drifting is part of the fun, but I've never been caught in much of a down draft. When the boat is fixed, than current is the enemy. I've done a number of deep wrecks where the current was ripping. I wish more Ops would do current dives as a drift. I've drifted the Grove a couple of times, and that is a blast. However surfacing on the same ball as the entry can be difficult in current, and makes for a lot more hectic dive.

 

[lemon]

let's remember - current brings the big stuff in! respect it, but enjoy it (within your limits)

 

[Ardy]

When we surfaced, the boat was GONE -- it had followed the group around the end of the point. We could see the aft bit of it, so we started surface swimming. We weren't worried, because we know the boat, and we knew a whole bunch of our friends were on it, so nobody was going to leave without looking for us.

TSandM
Lucky you - I hate to think of the number of dives I have done where the dive boat just sits there and we all struggle against the current for what seems like 30mins to swim back to the boat. Used to be a pain when I was in my 20/30's but in my 50/60's this is a very hard drag.

 

[TSandM]

Ardy, almost all Puget Sound charters are live boat. I remember actually being rather astonished, the first time I had to pay ATTENTION to where the boat was, because we had to get back to it. Seemed rather offensive, at the time