Down currents

[MargaritaMike]

A week ago I was in a washing machine at Palancar Gardens. I felt almost out of control. I eventually decided that I had practiced most all of the skill set that I possess and it was time to surface. Interestingly, another diver who is very experienced had "over-exerted" and was ready to surface due to remaining air. I was with a group so we buddied up and surfaced (after safety stop). After we made our declarations of disbelief, we had a good laugh about "saving" each other. It was not my most enjoyable dive, but it was still fun. Don't want to repeat it, but it was still fun.
Another diver in the group said that a few days earlier he experienced down currents at Palancar Caves.
Also, the currents mostly flow south to north. On several dives the currents were north to south. It was a bit strange, but still fun.

Cheers - M²

 

[Prop Joe]

I've never had it happen in the park. Not to say that it cannot...
Can happen up North. I/we have had some Sporty "E" ticket. washing machine, ripping current rides up there. It is NOT common though. Move laterally, stay close as you possibly can to the wall/reef. As long as you have air nothing else matters. Not that big of a deal. Wait for a slack time while you gently hug a barrel sponge (If need be, don't grab the lip). Put your finger in some dead coral and hang on. The current comes and goes in eddies just like at the surface. Clip off your camera. You have that ability, right? Then just move laterally and do your dive. Be prepared. Carry a sausage. Know how to use it, just in case you are separated from the group so they can find you at the surface if you are separated. Be prepared and you have nothing to worry about. Have fun!

 

[mcohen1021]

stay close as you possibly can to the wall/reef.

You've hit the nail right on the head.

I'm not saying they do not exist, I've just never experienced one or if i did, I handled it without even realizing it.

While everyone is away from the wall, struggling with the currents,equipment, cameras, etc, kicking and flailing their arms, those of us with wall/current experience are pressed right up on the wall floating along effortlessly arm tucked, fins crossed.

 

[northernone]

They are real, they happen rarely and can be anywhere along the wall, they can take all the skill and strength a diver has to have them not end in tragedy. Santa Rosa seems to have the formations to encourage these currents.

Being closer to the reef can help, for shelter and worse case support.

 

[jmb122mp]

Experienced one at Columbia Deep in April 2016... we canceled the dive after 30 minutes right after we started experiencing the down current. It wasn't a strong down current but after it took me a couple of minutes to ascend 10 feet, I had to add air to my BCD to ascend at a normal rate.

 

[deepsea21]

I question why some have said "stay close to the wall" if caught in a down current. Yes, the current flowing down will be lessened right against the wall by the structure but you're not out of it... just hanging tight in the middle of it does no good and maybe one can crawl their way back up with great exertion and BC inflation to what... the flow coming over the wall in a wash of sand and debris? Luckily, I've been diving Coz for 14 or 15 years and have never been caught in one but most everything I've read is not to fight it and not to grab onto the wall and hang tight sitting there burning up air. I've read one should start inflating their BC and fully inflate if necessary as you fin away from the wall to get out of the current and be prepared to drop weight if you find yourself carried DEEP. Once out if it be ready to deflate so you don't ascend like a cork. Dave said he had a current drag him to almost 200 feet? I'd have dumped weight well before that.

On another note, I personally could care less about wall dives these days so if the group must dive Santa Rosa I'll dive a good way back from the wall instead of along it or out over it. What's to see there anyway? Seen one wall you've seen them all in my opinion. A dedicated Santa Rosa wall dive is a waste of a dive in my opinion (and I'm not the only one who says so) but there are those who just have to say they've been there and done that dive.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

Hey, don't knock the buzz you get at 200ft. IF you have big air supplies, and time, just relax and enjoy it. I don't joke when I say 200 ft for short durations is no big deal, if you are carrying HP 120s and good dive buddies.

Dave

 

[CajunDiva]

And nitrox?

 

[northernone]

I question why some have said "stay close to the wall" if caught in a down current. Yes, the current flowing down will be lessened right against the wall by the structure but you're not out of it... just hanging tight in the middle of it does no good and maybe one can crawl their way back up with great exertion and BC inflation to what... the flow coming over the wall in a wash of sand and debris? Luckily, I've been diving Coz for 14 or 15 years and have never been caught in one but most everything I've read is not to fight it and not to grab onto the wall and hang tight sitting there burning up air. I've read one should start inflating their BC and fully inflate if necessary as you fin away from the wall to get out of the current and be prepared to drop weight if you find yourself carried DEEP. Once out if it be ready to deflate so you don't ascend like a cork. Dave said he had a current drag him to almost 200 feet? I'd have dumped weight well before that.

On another note, I personally could care less about wall dives these days so if the group must dive Santa Rosa I'll dive a good way back from the wall instead of along it or out over it. What's to see there anyway? Seen one wall you've seen them all in my opinion. A dedicated Santa Rosa wall dive is a waste of a dive in my opinion (and I'm not the only one who says so) but there are those who just have to say they've been there and done that dive.

Based on now encountering them in the Galapagos, Colombia and Cozumel... In dangerously strong down current the little change in buoyancy by a weight drop or BCD inflate seems it won't be sufficient to even hardly slow the descent. Correctly reading which direction to swim cross current while escaping the current is a good option provided you don't mind ending up much deeper than expected.... Hanging on to the nearest rock in shelter until the you can move across the current or it passes can be the life supporting decision. It's been good to me...

So that's why some of us stick close to shelter when in an underwater storm.

Theoretically shooting a significant lift bag wouldn't be bad either but practically there's not much time...

Relaxing and riding the express lane to the depths is fine if we can predict when it will let us off. It's certainly not a fun ride when it's your life involved and it's up to the current how deep we'll be before we escape it. The fatalities speak to this risk.

Regards,
Cameron

 

[deepsea21]

Hey, don't knock the buzz you get at 200ft. IF you have big air supplies, and time, just relax and enjoy it. I don't joke when I say 200 ft for short durations is no big deal, if you are carrying HP 120s and good dive buddies.

Dave

What are you saying Dave? Maybe you should consider deleting that post before you have another drink. Good Lord!