How do you drift dive?

[Mike]

Normally I would suggest a new ocean diver hire a private DM for the first couple of tanks, one trip - but there may be some professionals or very experienced divers in the group who will volunteer to buddy with you the first day. One or the other...

If they stick to what they advertise, he won't be in a group with many if any experienced divers, but a boat group with similar level of experience as himself.

If you're a solo diver I'd advise to post in the invasion area about hooking up with somebody when you get there and do a shore dive together. Just do a nice easy weight check out dive close to the shore and that will put you a little bit ahead of the curve before the boat dives start on the first day and everybody is excited and hopped up on adrenalin on that first day of diving.

Also if you get left behind by your buddy on the descent because of your ears, you need to find another buddy.

Think about making friends with the dive master who will be leading your group in the time it takes for the boat to leave and get to the dive site. Let him know your experience level and let him know about your ears. Hopefully he will be watching you on the descent and hold everybody up until you all re-group at the bottom. However, it does happen differently, there are mucho macho dive masters (I know, nobody wants to admit they exist) who simply will drop to the bottom and watch you struggle to descend, give you a certain amount of time to get your act together and if you don't will simply give you the thumbs up (go back to the boat) and turn and lead the rest of the group. Hopefully you don't run into that and you run into the more typical dive master and he simply says, "No worries, take your time and we will all wait and proceed together."

There are lots of divers with ear problems and if you end up on the newbie boat, you certainly won't be the only one.

 

[DandyDon]

If they stick to what they advertise, he won't be in a group with many if any experienced divers, but a boat group with similar level of experience as himself.

Well, I did finally look at his profile and he's dived the ocean before. Still, drift diving will be new to him. Your statement should apply, except that this is Invasion so some of the pros in the extended group might volunteer to help him get going.

 

[Ayisha]

I have a concern about the part about everybody descending together, and quickly. It takes me longer than most to equalize my ears on the way down. I typically equalize with every breath for the first 20 feet or so from the surface, and frequently have to backtrack a few feet and re-equalize 2 or 3 times during that first 20 feet. I hope I don't get left behind.

It takes me a long time to equalize as well but it's not much of an issue in high viz, no mooring line dives like what you're going to be doing. I usually equalize (gently) on the boat on the way to the dive site and then again at the surface before descending, then every foot or two for the first 15 or 20 feet on the first day. Equalizing pre-dive once or twice really helps the eustachian tubes adjust more easily during the dive. By the second or third day, like others have said, I don't have to do any pre-equalizing, it's pretty effortless.

Since I know I take longer to get down, my buddy and I will be the first ones to get in with the DM. You can start descending while you're waiting for the rest of the group and you'll have plenty of time to get equalized. This is probably only good if you're very good on air, otherwise you might want to jump in by the time half the divers have jumped.

I recall one particular day when I seemed ok beforehand (didn't pre-equalize) but was having difficulty equalizing one ear while we were all descending. I never had pain and didn't equalize forcefully, it just wasn't clearing with various methods. I wondered if I would have to abort and I went up a few feet, equalized, went down a foot or two, couldn't equalize, went slightly up again, and I was making very little headway. I realized though that I was perfectly comfortable where I was and signalled to the DM that my ear was so-so and I was going to level off a little above them for a while. The DM nodded and I followed about 10 or 15 feet above them for several minutes and slowly but surely closed the gap. After that few minutes, my ear was perfectly fine and I had no issues whatsoever. The descent is slow and gradual in the Caribbean and the viz is awesome, so even in that situation where I thought I might have to abort, there was plenty of time for me to descend slowly while being completely in sight of everyone.

Have you watched Dr Kay's lecture on "The Diver's Ear - Under Pressure"? It's a great video with a variety of techniques (wish I saw it way back when) and it's on Dr Kay's website at Doc's Diving Medicine Home Page

 

[FPDocMatt]

Since I know I take longer to get down, my buddy and I will be the first ones to get in with the DM. You can start descending while you're waiting for the rest of the group and you'll have plenty of time to get equalized.

Great idea, I'll suggest that to the DM on the boat.

The descent is slow and gradual in the Caribbean and the viz is awesome, so even in that situation where I thought I might have to abort, there was plenty of time for me to descend slowly while being completely in sight of everyone.

Sounds like the visibility at Cozumel might even be better than the visibility at Grand Cayman, which is awesome to begin with.

Have you watched Dr Kay's lecture on "The Diver's Ear - Under Pressure"? It's a great video with a variety of techniques (wish I saw it way back when) and it's on Dr Kay's website at Doc's Diving Medicine Home Page

Oh yes, I watched it a long time ago, and it really helped. I equalize okay now, it just takes me awhile sometimes. The technique that works best for me is the Lowrey Technique (combination of Valsalva and Toynbee). It's also important, I've found, to ascend a few feet whenever I feel the pressure, because it's easier to equalize when your ears aren't under pressure. Actually, I learned what I know about ear equalization from the members of Scuba Board, back before my open water certification dives. I teach these 3 techniques to my patients who have closed eustachian tubes (from allergies or upper respiratory infections). I don't know why they're not more thrilled to learn it. They just kind of look at me funny, like "What's he so excited about?"

 

[RonFrank]

The current is not constant, but usually you will be drifting at a similar speed regardless of how deep you are in the water column. So if it takes you a bit longer to clear no problem. Just relax and keep an eye on the group. The water is gin clear so the captain is watching the dive group and will be watching you ascend. 150' of vis in common so you can wave at the boat captain from 100' deep.

Many dives like Paradise reef often have little current. Regardless they still treat them like drift dives, and the current can pick up at any time. So even in light current stay near the guide and the group.

 

[Lee Taylor]

<- loves drifting the Boynton Beach FL reefs. How can one beat 80 feet of stunningly blue water only two miles offshore with large reef line, and lots of sealife. If there are some drifts as good (or better) than Boynton, in the south eastern USA (including the Keys), please post the site and boat you used