Drift diving is NOT so relaxing!

[fisherdvm]

I vaguely remember watching a PADI drift diving video, about how relaxing it is just to go with a current. However, it can be the most stressful and dangerous form of diving there is. Diving in still water or on a protected shore is still ideal for beginners. Drift diving often involves being on a boat, which carries its own risks, especially in areas where anchoring is not permitted.

Reefs is static. It runs north and south, or east and west. Current is not. And wind is not. Now you have 3 vectors - 1. The divers who want to follow the reef. 2. The current that wants to carry the divers. and 3. The wind that wants to carry the flag.

Unless all 3 are along the same direction... drift diving is not as simple as drifting with the current.

Next... you add moving unanchored boats ...

Next ... you add waves, rigid dive ladder, losing a fin while you try to hand it on deck...

Next ... you add low on air or out of air

Next... you add surfacing without a dive flag and without a surface marker device....

I am not sure if a "drift diver" or "boat diver" specialty course can prepare a beginner for diving when the combination of the above is together.

I would like us to envision situation where in a drift dive, you have experienced difficulty and how to prevent it and deal with it safely.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Other than low on air or out of air I agree with everything. I hate drift diving. I tried to take photos in Cozumel with a group that wanted to drift along. I wasted so much air trying to keep up with everyone. Surfacing into a minefield of moving boats is scary as well. I prefer looking around a reef or wreck for different animals, not racing past them.

 

[fisherdvm]

Situation 1: The DM and the group are swimming cross current to stay close to the reef. You can not keep up. Your air is running low - 600 psi at 60 ft. What to do?? You can not signal to your buddy, because he is huffing and puffing to stay with the group.

- ascend at a slow safe rate
- take as long as a safety stop as possible. If you are not comfortable in the water without a reg in your mouth, keep the safety stop shorter, so you have enough spare air on the surface to swim to the boat and climb on it safely. Risk of dying from out of air is greater than decompression sickness at this depth if it is your first dive. Or a safe second dive after adequate surface interval.
- Inflate your SMB at the surface if you never have done it before
- If you have an SMB and a spool, inflate and release it at your safety stop or near your safety stop
- in either case listen and watch for boat
- in the future, train for the use of launching an SMB from below the surface, carry a surface noise maker - whistle or pressure air horn attached to your low pressure inflator hose.

 

[soggybadger]

Boats stay up you stay down.dont lose your fin or get low on air and buy a sausage. Very basic and very simple. If that is too much to cope with then probably best to stay at home.

 

[KatieMac]

I'm a newbie but had a blast in a current off Cozumel (Paradise Reef I believe). Maybe all 3 conditions were in the same direction - I wasn't paying attention. But the crew that dropped and picked up the divers was amazing. Although I wasn't trying to take pics - just go with the current and enjoy the view.

 

[fisherdvm]

Situation 2: The dive boat came up, looked like he headed straight for you. He swings around, told you to back off. Then every one yell at you to climb on. The boat is drifting rapidly away from you. You swam as fast as you could, but could not keep up. Your SPG reads 100 psi.

I would stop swimming. Rely on the SMB to keep me afloat. Keep the reg near the mouth just in case. Wait for the diveboat to send a diver out to get me, or to throw a rope so they can tow me in.

 

[1000RR]

Interesting perspective. My daughter and I got certified a little over a year ago here in FL. Our cert dives were a combination of springs and shore dives. We both did fine. Our first dive (on our own) was on a boat in SE Florida on a drift dive (pretty much all there is there unless you get all the way to the Keys). Fortunately the current (Gulf Stream) follows the reef for the most part (South to North). Everything was all new to us, including deploying our SMB and surfacing a ways away from the boat. We surfaced w/plenty of time to patiently deploy the SMB and hung out till we got picked up... we actually had to use our whistle... as they appeared not to see us (pretty sure they confirmed that when they asked if we were waiting long - we had been for a bit). Glad I had bought a whistle initially w/our gear purchase! Down below we enjoyed the drift dive... maybe we didn't know how stressful it should have been

 

[flyboy08]

It’s like walking in space...you’ve done that, right? ....just cross your arms and enjoy the ride.

 

[fisherdvm]

Situation 3: You are in rough sea. You handed one fin on board. Then the second. Then a strong wave knocked you off the ladder, as your BCD was inflated.

Next time, empty your BC as you approach the dive boat so you are as close to neutrally buoyant as possible, so the BCD does not yank you off the ladder.

I would float with or without the reg in my mouth, depending on how many psi I have in the tank. Wait for the boat to throw a line out for me, if the current is too strong. If you are a good swimmer, try to swim with your arms and legs. Remember to partially deflate your BC when hanging on the ladder in rough sea.

 

[KeithG]

I vaguely remember watching a PADI drift diving video, about how relaxing it is just to go with a current. However, it can be the most stressful and dangerous form of diving there is. Diving in still water or on a protected shore is still ideal for beginners. Drift diving often involves being on a boat, which carries its own risks, especially in areas where anchoring is not permitted.

Reefs is static. It runs north and south, or east and west. Current is not. And wind is not. Now you have 3 vectors - 1. The divers who want to follow the reef. 2. The current that wants to carry the divers. and 3. The wind that wants to carry the flag.

Unless all 3 are along the same direction... drift diving is not as simple as drifting with the current.

Next... you add moving unanchored boats ...

Next ... you add waves, rigid dive ladder, losing a fin while you try to hand it on deck...

Next ... you add low on air or out of air

Next... you add surfacing without a dive flag and without a surface marker device....

I am not sure if a "drift diver" or "boat diver" specialty course can prepare a beginner for diving when the combination of the above is together.

I would like us to envision situation where in a drift dive, you have experienced difficulty and how to prevent it and deal with it safely.

I suggest you take a course. Drift dives are fun and easy if you know what you are doing. All of your issues are simple to solve (or non-existent - low on air is not drift dive specific).

But drift dives do suck big time if you are a macro photographer