Drift diving is NOT so relaxing!

[fisherdvm]

Well, there not dying left and right so I have to assume the training and supervision works for the recreational sport most of us enjoy.

We are not dying as there are great divemasters who know their water, boat captains who have good eyes for air bubbles, and guardian angels. And for good adult discussions by experienced divers here on SB who shared real life experiences instead of making fun of others for asking. I have the answers for the questions I posed, but I still learn alot from others.

 

[fisherdvm]

Once on board, you should go right up the captain's face and tell him he's a sheetie captain. Cause he doesn't know how to read currents and wind to properly orient the boat's ladder so the handful of divers waiting don't have to swim (or worse-he has to spin the props). An EXCELLENT captain knows how to exactly approach the divers so the wind and the current allow the boat's ladder to drift effortlessly with the group of divers. I know how to position my dive boat bow just enough off angle of the wind direction so as my bow is blown sideways and backwards, and it will make a semi circle around my divers with the boat's ladder for them to easily step up. If he's not that good, then he can tell the floating divers to wait in small groups of 3-4 which will give him room to engage the props and maintain position. I tell everyone this one simple sentence and so will the coast guard,,," IT'S ALWAYS THE CAPTAIN'S FAULT, " no matter what - he doesn't have to run the trip if its not safe for him.

Good dive boats have lines to throw to divers. Some throw a float ball with a line. It hurts a bit when they hit you in the face!

 

[Soloist]

Another diver to ignore!

Your threads would be much more pleasant for you if you posed your concerns a little more diplomatically. Whenever you make a blunt allegation, inflexible statement or provocative argument you better have some thick freaking skin, cause I can guarantee the gloves are coming off. This is ScubaBoard after all. Moreover, just because someone disagrees with you doesn’t mean they are flaming you. Have an open mind. There are some extremely intelligent and experienced divers on this forum. You can learn a lot if you listen. Or not.

 

[rhwestfall]

 

[The Chairman]

Can't get rid of it.

I know someone, who knows someone else who's good buddies with another guy who might know me. We got this.

It would be interesting to learn where flags are required.

Within three nautical miles of the Florida Coast, you have to pull a flag and stay within 100 ft.

Rivers flow in 1 direction. There is only one vector. Not 3.

Negative Ghost rider. Topography in rivers (and caves) makes for some interesting misdirections. You can tell who's navigated rivers in a canoe and who has never done so in a cave. In Ginnie Springs, you either have to "fight" into the high flow cave or you have to learn how to Dodge, Dip, Duck, Dive and Dodge. Pretty much the same thing I do when I hunt lobster in a high current area.

 

[Snoweman]

Good dive boats have lines to throw to divers. Some throw a float ball with a line. It hurts a bit when they hit you in the face!

The only boat I have had a line thrown to me was a white water rafting boat in Maine (and I wasn't diving). On all my drift dives, the captain has navigated the boat to me. In fact, they don't want me swimming to them. Just wait and they will put the door step right in front of me.

 

[fisherdvm]

There is a dive opt in pompano beach that uses pontoon boat. Has high capacity but does not maneuver well in current. They always used line with float ball. In ft Lauderdale when the current is ripping and divers can not swim fast enough to keep up, they throw a line regularly. It is extremely helpful.

 

[fisherdvm]

Condition in each area is different. My las 200 dives have been from West Palm Beach to the keys.

 

[Snoweman]

There is a dive opt in pompano beach that uses pontoon boat. Has high capacity but does not maneuver well in current. They always used line with float ball. In ft Lauderdale when the current is ripping and divers can not swim fast enough to keep up, they throw a line regularly. It is extremely helpful.

Cattle Boat and needing to be reeled in are not appealing to me, but to each their own...

 

[soggybadger]

East florida coast has north south reefs.... Some places has 3 reefs, some have 2. Parallels. Currents usually goes south to north, but sometimes north to south. Some places and sometime, it goes east to west, blowing you into the shore.

You either dive east, west, or mid reef. Where you are dropped off, is usually down current. Sometime the surface current is very strong, and with a dive flag on a big ball, it can really be tough to fight the dive flag. Other places, you do not need a dive flag, and you are to float an smb before you surface.

The goal is to stay on the reef, and not be blown out into the sand, or worse, into the deeper east side of the third reef in Ft Lauderdale. It is not always as easy going as you like. I have floated for 10 min or more over sand, till reaching the adjacent reef.

When you hunt lobster, you often fight the current to stay along a finger or the ledges, so you do fight the current a bit. 80% of my dives have been in current - which would be about 250 dives by now.

Thank you for the information.