Horror stories of exiting a dive on rocks in big surf

[porgyhunter]

My wife and I are laughing our areses off at your comment AD We love the smile caracature!

 

[bowlofpetunias]

I've been on one dive boat, a converted naval vessel, with an iron ladder bolted to the side that goes up 15-20ft and slopes outward as you go up. Combine that with the boat moving around in the swell and you get a really fun time.

I think I will give that one a miss!

I remember one of my buddies suggesting a new and unusual place for the captain to berth his boat unless he turned the engines off for us to board. The ladder was right beside the motor and the motor was running We didn't know before we went out the captain was new as a dive boat operator. We had booked with a Dive shop whose boat wound up out of the water for repairs and he "sub let" to this moron!

Sorry for the hijack

Most of our dives are shore dives and most of them over rock rubble and off rock platforms.

A little more on topic...

We did a dive at one of our regular sites. I was the last in our group (as usual). We were about to exit when I saw a fish swimming in an unusual manner. I pulled my camera out of my pocket to go get a shot. I approached to find the fish had a hook in it's mouth and was "tethered" to a rock by the broken fishing line. Being a bit of a softy.. I caught the fish (catching fish under scuba is illegal in NSW).

I set my negatively buoyant camera on the sand and tried to remove the hook... It had blown up a fair bit and in the shallows there was a LOT of serge. No luck! I broke the line and surfaced... for some assistance.

Fish in one hand, Camera in the other hand, Reg in mouth, no air in my BCD, wind blowing and bobbing around it the waves.. I realized all my buddies had exited! I tried to yell through my reg... no luck! Managed to pull the reg out and give a quick yell before a wave hit me and I stuck it back in.

My hubby hopped in to help me thinking I was in trouble. He was pretty shocked when I shoved the struggling fish towards him! I mummbled through my reg to take the fish. With one hand now free, I inflated my BCD and told hiim to take the hook out.

The conditions were tossing me around pretty bad and I still had my camera in one hand. One of our other buddies reached down from the rocks and called out to me to grab his hand so he could help me out. I had my reg back in because of the conditions.

I yelled through the reg.. "No... take my CAMERA!"
Buddy "No take my hand.. I'll help you out"
Me "no take the CAMERA"
Buddy "Stuff the camera give me your hand!"

Even at the time it occurred to me that this was a bizarre scene!

I backed off from the rocks and stowed my camera in it's pocket. Next approach my buddies assisted me out. so the outcomes.

We had to get a fisheman to remove the hook. I explained I had found it attached to a rock with broken line.. not cut a line! Fisherman said he could tell it wasn't from their group. It was the wrong lure for the site .. but it was a very good lure. We traded the lure for the removal of it. The fish was returned to the ocean (it was too small to be legal anyway). My camera survived and my bruises were worth the story i get to tell!

 

[BoltSnap]

bowlofpetunias,

Do you actually have shore diving in Australia?

 

[bowlofpetunias]

bowlofpetunias,

Do you actually have shore diving in Australia?

Only 28% of my dives have been boat dives. We seldom do boat dives locally. There are heaps of good shore dive spots in both Sydney and Melbourne. Much cheaper to pay for fills and petrol to get to the site and keep costs down for when we go on dive trips.

The only reason the number is as high as it it... when we go away we focus on getting in as many dives as we can. PNG in Nov= 21 dives in 6 days(6 shore) LEI all boat, SWR all boat.

lol some of our shore dives you need to be part mountain goat!

here is something I posted a while back in the Aussie Diving section
Now for something different

... not underwater shots but getting to the water shot... well and getting back to the car shots.. These shots should make it clear why many people change the "P" in Shiprock dive site name to a "T"!

sorry for the number of shots... but I am trying to tell the story with pics and I figure people can chose to click on them to see them better or ignore them if they want. Please let me know If I am putting in too many

The last two shots are me looking down to fish who is offering his assistance and me looking up at A1 who is heading to the truck to drop off his camera and tank to come back an help. It is wonderful to have buddies who are considerate but never condescending or over protective! They look dark but when you click on them they show pretty well.

I knew I couldn't help anyone and just wanted to get up to the top carrying my own gear... fish says I am "pig headed" I say I am "determined"
Attached Thumbnails





http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/australia/269172-aussie-diving-jan-20th-jan-31st.html

 

[Manny33]

Just did Old Marineland Dive on the 8th of this month. Entry was not too bad however by the time we kicked out the swell had grown. After a very short bottom time, we started in. The swell by that time had grown a bit more. Timed the set and make a mad dash! After getting beat on the large rocks below the surface where the wave were breaking... finally the rocky shore. The only thing better would be a hike up a hill after all that. oh wait.... Thats just what needs to be done. :coolingoff: So if you are not up for the pounding on to the rocks and great hike up to the car, stear clear. Other then that go for it!!! See you there!!!! Ok maybe not.

 

[porgyhunter]

Petuni....You gotta be kidding! That walk at ****rock looks like mountain climbing with scuba gear on! How are the air temps there? You guys must be sweating big time

 

[bowlofpetunias]

You got that right.. by the time you get to the water.. you REALLY want to get wet to cool off! Just checked my log book.. water temp 19.8C..I didn't record the air temp but it was middle of summer so probably at least 29. I was wearing my sharkskin (1mil equivilent). Steel 8L tank and 6lb of weight ..all made it easier! My log note says...Good dive but not sure it is worth the climb! Next time I think we will do it as a boat dive. You can only do it on slack water.. the current gets ripping through there and it is a boating channel.

It was one of those dive... I can say I did it unassisted ...it is a pretty Infamous dive site as a shore dive!

 

[BoltSnap]

bowlofpetunias,

We call that "Goat Diving" back in NE. Is that really the norm for shore diving where you are?

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Naw it is one of the more infamous sites for access! Shore access goes from dead easy to wish you were dead! More often involves a decent walk in full gear and a fair bit of scrambling over rocks.

I was lucky enough to get to do some diving in Calif last June. Did some "Surf entries" at LaJolla Shores and Laguna. Those are crazy. First attempt had me rolling around in the surf like a beached whale.

I braced myself when the wave hit me like I do here. Problem is .. the wave washing back pulled the sand out from under my heels so when the second wave hit... I learned quickly to shuffle sideways:doh: I have to say there just seems to be something wrong when there are surfers going by you as you get in and out! :blush: my little roll in the sand packed so much sand in everything we had to flush my zippers to get them undone!

By the last dive I managed to work out how to let the surge and waves push you as far as possible to shore.. then get up. Unfortunately I am getting a bit old and stiff for these kinds of games. I am not getting smart enough to back off from trying tho:blush: fortunately I had a great dive buddy who was a local to help me!

At least the sand is softer than the rocks!

 

[myscubastory.com]

Yea! Try getting on a 20 meter long boat in high surf ! the ladder actually come out of the water and goes strait back in very fast. in that gap you have to try grab onto it and climb up ! I wont go intodetail what the risks are if you miss it and it comes back down on you with all your gear on!

Guys tell your dive stories on our new site...

Regards,