Worst dive trip ever!!

[ronhend]

If you bring along a portable handheld GPS because you're "curious" how far from land you are, you may get screamed at (and you may lose your GPS also).



I've got to ask, why would any Capt care if you had a GPS along??

Just curious,why he would care.

Ron

[idocsteve]

I've got to ask, why would any Capt care if you had a GPS along??

Just curious,why he would care.

Ron

I recall several years ago, a conversation between myself and the ill fated late Captain Ken Jastrzebski of Jean Marie Dive Charters out of Shinnecock. In between some great advice he provided to me at the time (I was a newbie NE Atlantic wreck diver), he stated that "if he discovered a diver on his boat had a portable GPS they'd find it on the anchor line waiting for them at their safety stop."

I asked him the same question.

Think about it.

Ironically enough, that conversation was during my first NE Wreck dive, on the Mandy Ray, sunk "in conjunction with the Jean Marie and Cornell Cooperative Extension", and it now stands as a memorial to him and his wife.

[anytime]

Why would he care? Because he makes a living taking people to hunt fish and sharks teeth. Neither of which are just everywhere laying around on the ocean floor. Someone takes a GPS along and the next time the captain goes to put a group on a prime tooth spot, there is a private boat sitting on the spot and that same customer waving? You get my point. If he was just taking a group out to dive the same old tired wrecks that everyone dives then I am sure it would be no big deal.

I have the same rules on my boat and my buddies boat. We carry plenty of saftey equipment, leave yours at home and if you want to know how far out we are, just ask.

[ronhend]

OK,

I wasn't thinking about it from that angle.

That makes sense now.

Thanks,

Ron

[scubapolly]

First of all one of the reason so many of us like 6 packs is our ability to book the whole boat and avoid having a dive trip ruined by some @$$ that has no business on the dive like the OP.


For those of you guys asking about tying your reel to the anchor:
It is very dangerous to tie your line to the anchor- First of all, if that was "the" place to tie your reel in and you are on a cattle boat, imagine the cluster-f going on at the anchor line at the start of the dive with everyone trying to tie in to the same place, now think of the lovely knot you would end up with when all of those reels (maybe 30 on a good size cattle boat) were intertwined.

Think about what would happen to your skull, if you were trying to undo your reel from this big old knot as a nice big wave caused the boat to heave up and the anchor came loose.

Further you want to keep your line as close to the bottom as possible, if you were trying to tie onto the anchor this would put you on the part made out of chain. wave comes along and your fingers are now pinched in the chain.

The more people pulling on the anchor in all different directions, the more likely the anchor is to come loose.

The goal is to tie your reel off on a rock or other non-living heavy or attached material on the bottom, about 4 to 6 feet from the anchor.

You should take care to not leave line floating above the surface, every 20 feet or so place a rock or similar on top of you line. You should also do this when you are making any kind of sharp turns, otherwise your line will try to make your route of travel a straight line. This can cause you to "clothes line" another diver getting them entangled or damage coral or other living critters on the bottom.

While we're on the topic of line etiquette, if you get entangled in someone else's line, DO NOT CUT THEIR LINE. I have been seeing this way too much (once is too many times!). If you are so hopelessly entangled in their line (your buoyancy sucks and you should go spends some time at a pool or quarry) and you have absolutely no option but to cut their line, you should repair the cut with a piece of your line. There is no worse feeling a diver can feel than be reeling in the line, and all of a sudden it ends.

[ChunksJR]

First of all one of the reason so many of us like 6 packs is our ability to book the whole boat and avoid having a dive trip ruined by some @$$ that has no business on the dive like the OP.

I like 6-packs because I know I'm going to yak. I do it quicker on the 6-pack.

[RAD Diver]

Another reason NOT to tie your line into the anchor is when the op realizes that he is adrift, they will try to reset it, this would be very difficult with several lines tied off on it.
If you are tied into the wreck, it is easier to find you since the op has #s to the wreck & will come back to it.
Where as you floating in the current, then you will need ChucksJR's expertise to find you.
Floating away in the Mid Atlantic would not be my favorite way to spend the night.

[Wil]

WOW, opinions vary....it's been interesting following the thread.

So, here are some of mine....

Using a GPS: On my boat, I don't care if you use a GPS, sextant, taff log, whatever. That applied when I skippered a commercial dive boat as well. Want "numbers" on wrecks, I'll provide them if I can (and already have for many in the Va Beach area). Although, I can certainly understand Dive Operators who have a few special spots (ledges or locations) that hold game or sharks teeth and want to protect them. Got it, and can agree if it's a spot YOU developed and want to protect then make your intention known. Divers should respect your wishes. As for that "secret WRECK site", who are you kidding?

Tying into the anchor: Ahhh, don't do that. While it makes for an easy tie-in spot and is less likely to chafe through your wreck reel line, it's a bad idea. Take the advice of many and tie in close, preferably up-current, to the anchor. If for some reason Das Boot is gone when you finish reeling in your line. Well, I recommend you make a safe wreck reel ascent and remain tied into the wreck. The Dive Boat Operator will realize there's empty seats and come back to search at the last known site. It's also what the USCG does too. Ask Dan (ChunksJR) how small a target a bobbing head makes in the ocean. I make it a point to go through the 3Ls (List, Lines, and Ladder) before the engines are started. List complete of everyone onboard, all lines in, and ladder up and stowed. Then we start the trip home.

Lastly, on griping about Dive Operators: It's easy to inviserate on ScubaBoard. When all doesn't go well let the Skipper of the boat know at the end of the trip. Do it politely, professionally, and one-on-one. If the response is positive you know you've got a professional Mariner and you'll feel better about going back. If you don't return, then the Operator will have an idea why business is falling off.

And for ChunksJR (Dan)and RAD Diver (Bobby); You guys are great on the boat and I appreciate the opportunity to dive with you. See you Saturday, it'll be a bit windy on the outbound leg but coming back should be fine. Drewski's coming too.

Safe Diving,
Will

[CaptJT]

I generally just like to read this stuff, but I do not think much thought is being given. Stealing (and that is what you're doing unless you get permission)numbers by handheld GPS is kinda low, I mean if you had the skills to find these on your own then that is what you should do. Having someone give them to you is kinda lame also, often dive boats get to a site to only find several small boats there with really no clue. The numbers are passed, posted, and traded to people with little experience. Anybody can buy a boat,a GPS, be given the numbers and go out to a wreck. That does not mean they know what they're doing.

[Tortuga James]

I have a great idea.....Why don't we STOP POSTING unrelated discussions in this thread and let it die?

It is just not fair to Captain Collins or the OP to keep this at the top of our regional forum.

Forum Administrator: Even better would be to remove this thread altogether.