new diver stronger currents

[halocline]

Physical fitness (cardio) and good swimming technique are both important if you want to improve your air consumption in currents. Other than that, learning how to make the most of a drift dive or otherwise deal with currents is mostly a matter of experience. The streamlined gear set up is good all around but especially helpful in currents.

One thing I do occasionally is spend some time swimming upstream while diving a local river. I started doing that to evaluate my doublehose, see if I could overbreathe it, and it just kind of became an occasional habit. It's good practice, you get a little winded, and learn to balance exerting yourself to make headway in the current with resting enough and controlling your breathing.

 

[Hank49]

hahahahaha thats gonna be tough for me. always stuck in the details.

Pay close attention to the dive guide and plan. They most likely know the dive and area and you will help them and yourself a lot by following their plan and enabling them to pick you up near a designated spot.
Stick with a buddy. Currents in the Philippines and other areas with big tides (2 plus meters) have very strong currents and you can get separated easily from your group or buddy, especially if the current has kicked up the bottom silt and vis isn't so good.
If you get separated, follow a predive plan of searching for a minute or so and surfacing if you can't find each other.
Take a surface marker buoy with you and learn how to use it. If you get separated the boat can see you better.
Don't try to swim against a strong current at depth....no matter how good of shape you're in. You'll suck your air down in no time and may get a big dose of narcosis.
You can find little eddies around ledges and rocks where the current is slower. Stay close to the bottom if you want to maintain position. Watch your bubbles...the current is much stronger 6 feet above the bottom than it is at 1-2 feet.
Have fun. Relax and don't fight the current. It will win.