Horror stories of exiting a dive on rocks in big surf

[knowone]

There's a great exit at the tip of the outcrop.

Fins strapped to chest for entries and strapped to chest with catch bag for exits.

Claw and propel yourself with the surge and swell out of the smashing zone.
Then fins on.

It's not as though you can fin anywhere beforehand.

Beautiful.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

The video of the ladder on a cliff looks like a simulator for northeastern boat diving. All thats missing is the Stearn a 30ton boat trying to break your skull open.

 

[AfterDark]

Sometime during the 80's diving the West side of Beavertail Point Jamestown, RI. with my friend David Swain. Conditions were a little challenging but not as bad as we'd done in the past, So, with only one good ingress and egress we started our dive. A nice dive as I remember. My wife was on the rocks bubble watching and communing with the seagulls. When we surfaced not far from the egress we noticed right away that things had changed. We had 1-2ft swells with lite surge action going in. We surfaced to 3-4 foot swells and a viscous surge. We got within 25 yds of the rocks and were held there, if we kicked hard. The swells would get me within a few feet of a small rock just a few yards from shore then the surge would pull me back out to the 25 yd position. This went on for 15-20 min. I sucked my tank down to 100psi and changed over to my snorkel (what good is a snorkel?). During that time I watched my wife making her way down the rocks, why? I didn't know but I did know she was getting very close to the black slippery rocks that offer a quick trip into the water, and if she went in there was nothing I could do.
I spit my snorkel out and yelled at her to stay put and why. After that the surge pulled me under choking on the ocean. Put the snorkel back in my mouth surfaced at the 25 yd position and coughed up a storm. Dave had made it to the small rock and was holding on to it waiting for me. I rode the next swell in grabbed Dave's wrist then the rock and held on!. The next swell left us both hi and dry on the rocks tired as hell.
Welcome to New England diving at its best!.

 

[BoltSnap]

AfterDark,

Beavertail is another top site but getting in and out is a real pain if there is wave action.

Are there any charters running out of Jamestown these days?

 

[AfterDark]

AfterDark,

Beavertail is another top site but getting in and out is a real pain if there is wave action.

Are there any charters running out of Jamestown these days?

Yes there are a few out of Connicut Marina but not this time of year. Yeah Beavertail is great diving but getting in and out is rough. On the east side of BT we have Mountain Goat diving were we tote our gear up and down steep hills to avoid getting pounded by the surf on the west side. I'm going to try the south point one of these days or nights.

 

[g1138]

There's a great exit at the tip of the outcrop.

Fins strapped to chest for entries and strapped to chest with catch bag for exits.

Claw and propel yourself with the surge and swell out of the smashing zone.
Then fins on.

It's not as though you can fin anywhere beforehand.

Beautiful.

Why not fins on while you claw? If you get picked up off the ground what are you going to do?

 

[Selchie in LB]

Thanks Porgyhunter for a great post! Thanks to maxbottomtime and roaneman for the videos. They make my tumble at Redondo Beach look like a Disney ride

Afterdark it reminds me of when you and I checked out Hazard Rocks (ya that's what they're called!) surveying for entry and exit options. So why would we want to dive from Hazard Rocks in our 50s

 

[AfterDark]

Thanks Porgyhunter for a great post! Thanks to maxbottomtime and roaneman for the videos. They make my tumble at Redondo Beach look like a Disney ride

Afterdark it reminds me of when you and I checked out Hazard Rocks (ya that's what they're called!) surveying for entry and exit options. So why would we want to dive from Hazard Rocks in our 50s

Because it'll be a lot harder in our 60's

 

[BoltSnap]

Are any dive shops now in Jamestown?

 

[AfterDark]

Are any dive shops now in Jamestown?

No, Dave had the only shop on the island. Closest air station now is in Newport.