charlesml3
Contributor
Gang,
There's a 50 page thread on a death in Palau (2003) that involved (in at least some way) a reef hook. You can read the whole thing here:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/25725-lessons-learned-death-palau.html
There is a lot of bad information there about what a reef hook is and how they're used. The purpose of this thread is to discuss the proper use of a reef hook. If you want to add on yet another "My condolences to the family" post, please do that here:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/25725-lessons-learned-death-palau.html
So here's the deal :
-The reef hook was developed in Palau to dive the Blue Corner, Peleliu Express, Uulong Channel and a couple of other sites in this area.
-Proper weighting, bouancy control, weighting will NOT SUBSTITUTE for a reef hook on these sites.
-Reef hooks are safe, but you need to think about what you're doing. It's a change to your normal dive setup so you have to make adjustments.
Reef hook : The Reef Hook Experience
Procedure:
Let's talk about the Blue Corner. I've dove it several times and know the site fairly well. You come in on the deep side of the wall below the current. When the DM gives you the hook signal, get your hook out and have it ready. You want to pop up over the top of the wall negatively bouyant. This will keep you out of the current while you find a proper place to hook. Look around for a rock or dead coral and hook in there.
Add some air to your BC. The idea is to kite yourself over the reef staying high enough that your fins aren't kicking the reef.
Looks like this : http://home.swipnet.se/~w-42581/palau99_pics/reefhook2_b.jpg
When it's time to go, vent your BC. You want to get back down close to the reef so the current is reduced. It's very easy to reel yourself towards the hook once you're close to the bottom. Unhook, stow the hook, and move up a few feet. The current will quickly wash you off the point and into the blue.
Some misconceptions from the other thread:
-You can never reel yourself back in if the current is strong. You can. You have to vent your BC first and get close to the reef. The current drops dramatically there.
-Reef hooks are destroying the reef. It's possible, but not if you hook properly. Find a dead spot. I've always managed to find one there.
-A reef hook dive is a drift dive. Not true at all. During a drift dive, you fully expect and even want to travel down the reef in the current. In a hook dive, you want to stay in one spot and wait for things to come to you.
-"I could just hold the rope or use a T-handle." Not for very long. I'm not going to even try to estimate the current at Blue Corner but it's heavy and it surges. It's strong enough that you hear the roar in your ears. One may be able to hold a rope or handle for a few minutes.
The bottom line is hook diving is different. If you're going to engage in the activity, you need to make changes to the way you do the dive. Think about the process, visualize what's going to happen on the way out, as you hook, as you unhook and as you head towards your safety stop. It's not inherently dangerous, or at least no more inherently dangerous than diving is anyway.
-Charles
There's a 50 page thread on a death in Palau (2003) that involved (in at least some way) a reef hook. You can read the whole thing here:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/25725-lessons-learned-death-palau.html
There is a lot of bad information there about what a reef hook is and how they're used. The purpose of this thread is to discuss the proper use of a reef hook. If you want to add on yet another "My condolences to the family" post, please do that here:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/25725-lessons-learned-death-palau.html
So here's the deal :
-The reef hook was developed in Palau to dive the Blue Corner, Peleliu Express, Uulong Channel and a couple of other sites in this area.
-Proper weighting, bouancy control, weighting will NOT SUBSTITUTE for a reef hook on these sites.
-Reef hooks are safe, but you need to think about what you're doing. It's a change to your normal dive setup so you have to make adjustments.
Reef hook : The Reef Hook Experience
Procedure:
Let's talk about the Blue Corner. I've dove it several times and know the site fairly well. You come in on the deep side of the wall below the current. When the DM gives you the hook signal, get your hook out and have it ready. You want to pop up over the top of the wall negatively bouyant. This will keep you out of the current while you find a proper place to hook. Look around for a rock or dead coral and hook in there.
Add some air to your BC. The idea is to kite yourself over the reef staying high enough that your fins aren't kicking the reef.
Looks like this : http://home.swipnet.se/~w-42581/palau99_pics/reefhook2_b.jpg
When it's time to go, vent your BC. You want to get back down close to the reef so the current is reduced. It's very easy to reel yourself towards the hook once you're close to the bottom. Unhook, stow the hook, and move up a few feet. The current will quickly wash you off the point and into the blue.
Some misconceptions from the other thread:
-You can never reel yourself back in if the current is strong. You can. You have to vent your BC first and get close to the reef. The current drops dramatically there.
-Reef hooks are destroying the reef. It's possible, but not if you hook properly. Find a dead spot. I've always managed to find one there.
-A reef hook dive is a drift dive. Not true at all. During a drift dive, you fully expect and even want to travel down the reef in the current. In a hook dive, you want to stay in one spot and wait for things to come to you.
-"I could just hold the rope or use a T-handle." Not for very long. I'm not going to even try to estimate the current at Blue Corner but it's heavy and it surges. It's strong enough that you hear the roar in your ears. One may be able to hold a rope or handle for a few minutes.
The bottom line is hook diving is different. If you're going to engage in the activity, you need to make changes to the way you do the dive. Think about the process, visualize what's going to happen on the way out, as you hook, as you unhook and as you head towards your safety stop. It's not inherently dangerous, or at least no more inherently dangerous than diving is anyway.
-Charles
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