River Diving Techniques

[upthechain]

I use a dive float and an anchor. I strong current on a sandy bottom I will use a rod to pull myself on rocky bottoms I just pull myself along.

I tie an empty plastic soda bottle and a utility knife to the anchor. This allows me to collect lures and hooks without worrying about the hooks getting stuck. I also hook a goody bag for other cool stuff I find.

When I first enter the water I move up stream for the first half of the dive ad down stream for the finish.

I don't always use scuba when I am checking out new places. If there is a lot to look at and the water is deep enough then I will come back with a tank.

So what do you do, and what tricks do you use to navigate in a river?

 

[upthechain]

Really! Nobody dives in rivers? I was hoping to learn from others here.

 

[shoredivr]

Most of the river dives we do here (Chippewa Creek, Niagara River, St. Clair River, St. Lawrence River) we do as drifts: one car at the start, the other car at the end of the dive, then we whip down the river scavenging for stuff. Of course, this setup would not be for a solo dive. If it's the St. Lawrence, the dive boat follows your SMB, which gets shot at as you're ascending, at about 40 ft.

Current speeds 1 to 1.5 knots in the Chip and Niagara, 2-4+ knots in the St Lawrence, depends on the location, and 7 knots in the St Clair.

I've tried taking a long screwdriver to stab into the bottom as an anchor if there's something of particular interest to retrieve. I saw a great looking contraption (creeper) for scrounge diving the St Clair, it had 3 prongs that you jammed into the bottom, and a square frame...I'll go look for the link...

Bottles, ceramic tiles, stuff people lose off boats...Goodie bag needs to be clipped so it's streamlined.

Viz is usually 3-8 ft in the Chip - depends on runoff if it rains, maybe 15 ft in the Niagara and St. Clair, though sometimes you get lucky I've heard, and the St. Clair will have 70 fit viz.

I've only used the crawl upstream method for half the dive once in the Chip.

What kinds of things are you looking for in the rivers by you besides lures?

*edit*
This site has lots of good info on reading a river and understanding currents, best gear configuration, safety, and the creeper's in there under techniques:
http://www.mindspring.com/~divegeek/reading.htm
Plus they don't recommend goodie bags for the swift waters of the St. Clair, they use minnow buckets instead.

Viz information for the river
http://www.seasnoopers.com/river.htm

 

[Rockit]

I've had a friend loose a retardedly expensive watch on a fast moving stretch of class 3ish maybe 4 rapids.
After much trial and error, I came up with a system that worked great
I attached a 20 foot length of rope to the folding anchor from my dive float. Used auto belay device from my climbing gear on the rope.
Drift down until I saw a likely hole and drop the anchor on a rock ledge then use the belay device
to slowly lower myself in a controlled search pattern.

It took 2 days to find it. It had been carried down about 100 yards from the area they hd tipped.
I don't think he will be giving expensive anniversary gifts to his wife in a situation like that again!
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Doc Harry]

You can find lots of great info on river diving here.

There are many river diving threads on Scubaboard.

 

[upthechain]

Excellent, That was what I was hoping for. I drift dove once. About three miles. Luckely I had my dad to give me a ride up river so my truck was waiting for me when I finished. I brought my bike just in case. That would have been funny to see me riding a bike along the top of the levy with all of my gear. I should do it just for the photo opp.

I look for any and all things. You find the oddest and best stuff in rivers. My hardest haul yet was a twenty pound pry bar. I walked that one back most of the way. I have found a few bullets and gun safe that someone broke into and then tossed of the dock.

The best way I have found to stop on a sandy bottom is to use an aluminum tube about three feet long and drive it into the sand and hold on.

 

[shoredivr]

Excellent, That was what I was hoping for. I drift dove once. About three miles. Luckely I had my dad to give me a ride up river so my truck was waiting for me when I finished. I brought my bike just in case. That would have been funny to see me riding a bike along the top of the levy with all of my gear. I should do it just for the photo opp.

Pic, please!!!!