Drift Diving?

[jepuskar]

One of my best dives in Cozumel was a dive where I ended up drifting with some dude who was from another boat...I think the site was Tormentos..well anyway...we were flying and it was fun. I kept looking at him like..I dont know who the beep you are...we surfaced....I broke out my sausage...safety sausage....and the boat came and got me....good times.

 

[String]

We generally define drift diving as any dive with a current you cant comfortably swim against so you dont try.

Some others define a drift dive as any dive where you dont return to the boat (it comes to you). I dont like that definition. Under that, every single dive we do here would be a "drift" even if its a wreck with no current.

 

[Snowbear]

There's a pretty cool dive site in Puget Sound, WA that's usually done as a drift dive. While it's often done from a boat, I've done it several times from shore. If the tide/currents are timed correctly, one can swim out to the wall, let the current carry you along in one direction. About the time you reach the end of the wall, the current will switch (if you've timed it correctly of course ) and carry you back to where you started.

I really enjoy drifting with a nice slow current that I can easily fin against to stop and take a few pictures.

 

[dilligaf368]

Picture jumping in a running river........You get the drift...............B

 

[Gary D.]

There's a pretty cool dive site in Puget Sound, WA that's usually done as a drift dive. While it's often done from a boat, I've done it several times from shore. If the tide/currents are timed correctly, one can swim out to the wall, let the current carry you along in one direction. About the time you reach the end of the wall, the current will switch (if you've timed it correctly of course ) and carry you back to where you started.

I really enjoy drifting with a nice slow current that I can easily fin against to stop and take a few pictures.

The Tacoma Narrows makes for a wild ride to the bridge and back.
Gary D.

 

[Snowbear]

The Tacoma Narrows makes for a wild ride to the bridge and back.
Gary D.

Ohhh Yeah!!!! Even better!
I'd love to do Deception Pass again some day

 

[Charlie99]

I have a much simpler definition of drift diving ---- valet pickup service. In other words, rather than swimming away from and then back to a moored or anchored boat, on a drift dive you simply ascend at the end of the dive and the boat picks you up.

Drift diving is ideal for those that are navigationally challenged.

 

[boulderjohn]

For drift dives from shore, we will bring two cars. Park one downstream, drive to our entry upstream, and go diving. We have some underwater landmarks to tell us where to get out to avoid a long hike.

We have another shore dive that has a nice little back-current near the river's edge that carries us in a circle back to our entry point. Very convenient.

Here's a minor variation I enjoyed in Bonaire.

Dropped off at Sand Dollar with the current running north.

Drifted to Captain Don's (where we were staying), which is distinguishable by the floating rope running over th reef to their pier.

 

[RikRaeder]

Well, thank you very much everyone for the warm reception and concise explanations which didn't make my brain hurt. I get the picture. Special thanks to Jepuskar for the extra clarification

I kept looking at him like..I dont know who the beep you are...we surfaced....I broke out my sausage[:icon10:] ...safety sausage....

 

[Barracuda2]

I need a little clarification here on drift diving equipment. I have dove Cozumel several times as well as the St. Claire River in Port Huron, MI (somewhat swift and challenging). I feel very comfortable in current. Next March I am going to Palau. I will take a safety sausage, horn, and glued CD's for reflectors; but what is the reel and line used for? I do know we will be using reef hooks at times and even though I've never used them before, I know what they are for. How do you use a reel and line? Thanks for the replies.