Have you ever lost a Fin?

[TMHeimer]

I got spring straps years ago and haven't had one slip off yet. I'm lucky I guess the fit was right. It requires a little bit of effort getting them on & off, but they're not too tight either. I guess if they're too easy to get on you may lose one at some point.

 

[engdiver]

Lost a fin this last weekend in Lake Huron diving the Northstar. Fin was stuck on my drysuit boot so hard I could not pull it off. So I thought stepping on it with the other foot on the dive boat ladder could pull it off. Not a good idea. It came off but instantly sank to the bottom. I was dumb enough to think I could sink and grab it but to no avail. Ended up needing a rope thrown out to pull myself back to the boat since I had taken my other fin off as well.

 

[socaljohn]

Lost one coming in thru the surf at diver's Cove in California. Took off my tank in my weight belt and ran back in to see if I can find it. I did find it came back out with it. Was diving an old steel 72 that didn't weigh much so I just picked it up and threw it on my back over my head, grabbmy weights and headed up to stairs. Then I saw a bunch of Open Water students up at top watching me looking at me like I was Superman or something. Very cool.

 

[Chavodel8en]

Old topic, but here's how I lost a fin temporarily several years ago.

Shore dive off Coral Street or Otter Cove (I forget which) in the Monterey area. They are similar sites. Both have a long shallow area to swim through before you get to diving depth ~ 5' deep and on that day there was a lot of kelp (the kelp has since given way to grass).

The kelp kept grabbing my legs, so occasionally I would reach back and pull the kelp away from me. Well one bit of kelp seemed to be REALLY strongly attached to me. So I pulled it with all of my strength and it finally gave way....

Except it wasn't kelp, it was my spring strap that I pulled. And I pulled it so hard that it lost its spring and my fin drifted away. And I didn't immediately notice. After a bit of funny swimming, I find that I only have one fin.

Luckily, my buddy was able to swim back and find the fin (viz was about 3' there) with the spring strap stretched out. He was impressed with my strength in being able to defeat a spring strap.

I had to return to shore where I had the original rubber strap, so not only did I not lose the fin, I didn't lose a dive.

 

[gassed]

Free diving off Southern California in the 80's. Swam back through big surf and got pitched. Full yard sale. Found everything but one fin. My one and only offering to Zues.

 

[stretchthepenn]

On a boat dive out of Panama City Beach, I was using an almost-new pair of Atomic "Smoke on the Water" split fins. And then I did a giant stride entry....

It's amazing how quickly a $225 pair of fins turns into a completely worthless single fin that I (literally) haven't yet been able to give away.

Anybody know of a one-legged diver who wants a slightly-used split fin?

 

[JimJam2]

Twice. Went after them both and caught them.