How would you react to this ?

[Phil_C]

I came across a link to this video on another forum and it got me to thinking -

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151501528543380&set=vb.721338379&type=3&theater

You can see it clearly around 2 minutes in - the divers seem to have been caught up in a vortex and have been spun around at some points quite violently. I am not sure whether they are also being dragged up or down with it as well.

So the question is - what is the best way to 'break free' - I think this is one of the few situations I can think of where I might inflate my BC to let the buoyancy pull me clear (and up!) - then be prepared to very quickly dump the air once I was free.

At some points you can see the greatly increased breathing rate from the divers in the vortex, and the bubbles are clearly pulled along the twist giving quite a clear view.

Anyone experienced this personally - what did you do?

Discuss

Phil.

 

[Incident]

I wish I could read Spanish to understand what was written. That looks crazy scary!!!

 

[rx7diver]

What immediately came to my mind was Exley's description, in "Cavern's Measureless to Man", of "Lusca's Breath" (or something like that; it's been quite a while since I read the book). Looks like a whirlpool that's dragging the diver's down. Maybe tides or currents are causing an underwater cave system to refresh/replenish itself?

No actual experience, but I hope I would remember my basic open water training (which involved a *lot* of harassment drills): Don't hold your breath, keep breathing as normally as possible, and swim (with fins, not with hands!) away (horizontally) from the force that's spinning you and pulling you downward?

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

 

[AfterDark]

This is what happens when you wear split fins! I wonder how the person shooting the video was able to stay out of the vortex? Even the bubbles weren't raising at a normal rate! I'm not sure inflating a BC would help? I think I'd try to get back to the wall, at least there I could hang on and or pull myself up.

 

[The Laconic]

Looks like a whirlpool that's dragging the diver's down.

I don't think that whirlpools pull you down.

 

[Scared Silly]

Wow very interest phenomena. The vortex looks to be mostly horizontal and not very big. However, obviously strong near the core. Notice how close the photographer is at around 3-3:30 he is in the bubble trail of one of the trapped divers.

How to escape, well like a rip current do not fight it. I would probably go with the flow, inflate my wing, which would help pull me out, then when I felt a lull in the vortex, kick like hell. ??????

 

[chillyinCanada]

Thanks Afterdark.. of course my first thought upon hearing it was a vortex is to say to myself m ."lose the split fins dude!!!!" Hehee

 

[Doc]

Like Scared Silly posted.

I have seen similar in Bahamas at varying tides over blue hole like vents that spew fresh water then suck salt water depending upon tides. (As RX7diver mentioned) The vortices, during calm conditions, spin to the surface, on outflow and inflow as well. This one I saw was in maybe 40fsw.

The video posted portrayed a diver playing in it, something I had avoided in the vertical ones I saw in the Bahamas. On my dive, at the tides, it was obvious why the local DMs warned us to stay clear. It was very intense.

The video was hard to analyze, what with everyone doing a thrash and stroke momba, but the vortex looked very horizontal. The obvious current trail of the bubbles might explain that. Revillagigedo is known for some wicked and changing currents.

 

[emoreira]

I wish I could read Spanish to understand what was written. That looks crazy scary!!!

Google Translate

 

[Texasguy]

From what I gathered, inflate your BC until you start rising, then add/remove air to assent safely, even though you might still be going in circles on a horizontal plane.