trygon
Registered
You could try a deadman/snow anchor. Bury it in the sand and extend the leash above the sand to fasten the guideline to.
Running guideline in sand
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OP
OP
The question asked was how to run a line in sand, not whether or not to run a line. My mistake was in providing the reasons for it which opened the door for the self-appointed experts, unable to answer the question but needed to demonstrate their expertise, to reframe the question and throw darts.
Improving compass navigation skills and running a guideline are not mutually exclusive options.
Capt Jim Wyatt
Hanging at the 10 Foot Stop
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We have plenty of them.
ajduplessis
Contributor
aj was right the first time. If your buddy is unable to do the dive without your assistance you two probably shouldn't do the dive.
PS: An expert would navigate, not run line.
OP
Translation: you don't have a clue how to anchor in sand.
P.S. have navigated this route many times. It's a nicety not a necessity, like dive ops that run a sideline from ladder to down line where good divers are perfectly capable of doing without but it doesn't hurt to have.
Damselfish
Contributor
better tell all the dive resorts in Bonaire to tear out their lines. 
ajduplessis
Contributor
better tell all the dive resorts in Bonaire to tear out their lines.
They cater for holiday divers and those unable to navigate. Sheep need to follow something otherwise they are lost.....
DevonDiver
N/A
Running guideline is a navigational technique.
I run guideline sometimes, both external on wrecks and when crossing featureless sand in bad visibility. It virtually guarantees returning to a set point and reduces task loading when you have other stuff to that needs to be prioritized. My compass navigation is exceptional.
An expert chooses the most appropriate technique from a range of potential options.
OP
They cater to those who dive for enjoyment not a quest to become a dive god.
I shouldn't have said anything about stress. Someone asked why not use a compass and I wanted to keep the focus on how to run a line not whether to run a line. Foolishly thought stress would settle it. Although it could help in that regard. Navigation is a task and task overloading is a risk so the more tasks can be simplified or eliminated the better.In a high stress return a line would be easier. For example, I think I could follow a line easier than navigating a heading while towing an incapacitated diver or swimming without a mask.
To give the scubacrats something more to pontificate on, I'll add more detail about the dive. As I said, it's a long swim in flat sandgrasses. Looks the same in all directions, slope not visible to the eye. There is always current parallel to shore, usually mild, but if it's too strong we abort. I navigate by taking a heading to distant landmark, swimming to landmark, rinse and repeat til reaching a landmark on reef. Return back in same process.
The key is the "landmark" is usually nothing more than a clump of seagrasses a bit taller or darker shade than those around. Turn 360 and you might see a dozen similar "landmarks". You have to keep your focus on it and look for it in the right heading. Get distracted a few minutes and drift 50 feet, you may not find it again. Not a big deal, either swim into current a few minutes or just nav from there. Our destination is a reef that stretches for miles not a buried treasure chest.
The nature of these "landmarks" means they may not be the same dive to dive. Or even the same coming back as going out. That clump that looked taller going out may look the same height from opposite direction. Which means you may not pass over the exact same spots on return as a line would do. Again not a big deal. I consistently get us back +-20 feet of origin and we could be +-100 feet or more and be golden. Even 500 feet would likely be nothing more than an inconvenience. I think this whole things may stem from my perfectionist desire to follow the very shortest route and return to the exit ladder by the dock, +- 6 inches.
Now here's where the line would be helpful. These grasses are not the main attraction but do harbor interesting fishes and critters. It's not uncommon for stingrays and nurse sharks to cruise over the grasses. I've seen spotted eagle rays. Those are distractions, things that have you turning in all directions and shifting focus from compasses and landmarks to cameras and fishes. When they move on, where are you? How long were you taking video? It would be so much easier to just keep a line in sight out of corner of an eye or swim into current til you reach it and then you're back to exact spot in the segment and can hit your Resume Navigation button. It's also a lot easier to spot a yellow tag that marks the midpoint than to count fin kicks or track time. (I actually do it by air consumption but this might not serve well in a high stress return.)
An alternative I've considered to the line is dropping breadcrumbs, perhaps markers consisting of 8 ounce weights with 3' of hi-vis streamer attached. Drop one upon reaching a landmark on way out, follow them and pick them up on return. If distracted during a nav segment by a manta, drop a marker then when done return to it and resume nav.
I shouldn't have said anything about stress. Someone asked why not use a compass and I wanted to keep the focus on how to run a line not whether to run a line. Foolishly thought stress would settle it. Although it could help in that regard. Navigation is a task and task overloading is a risk so the more tasks can be simplified or eliminated the better.In a high stress return a line would be easier. For example, I think I could follow a line easier than navigating a heading while towing an incapacitated diver or swimming without a mask.
To give the scubacrats something more to pontificate on, I'll add more detail about the dive. As I said, it's a long swim in flat sandgrasses. Looks the same in all directions, slope not visible to the eye. There is always current parallel to shore, usually mild, but if it's too strong we abort. I navigate by taking a heading to distant landmark, swimming to landmark, rinse and repeat til reaching a landmark on reef. Return back in same process.
The key is the "landmark" is usually nothing more than a clump of seagrasses a bit taller or darker shade than those around. Turn 360 and you might see a dozen similar "landmarks". You have to keep your focus on it and look for it in the right heading. Get distracted a few minutes and drift 50 feet, you may not find it again. Not a big deal, either swim into current a few minutes or just nav from there. Our destination is a reef that stretches for miles not a buried treasure chest.
The nature of these "landmarks" means they may not be the same dive to dive. Or even the same coming back as going out. That clump that looked taller going out may look the same height from opposite direction. Which means you may not pass over the exact same spots on return as a line would do. Again not a big deal. I consistently get us back +-20 feet of origin and we could be +-100 feet or more and be golden. Even 500 feet would likely be nothing more than an inconvenience. I think this whole things may stem from my perfectionist desire to follow the very shortest route and return to the exit ladder by the dock, +- 6 inches.
Now here's where the line would be helpful. These grasses are not the main attraction but do harbor interesting fishes and critters. It's not uncommon for stingrays and nurse sharks to cruise over the grasses. I've seen spotted eagle rays. Those are distractions, things that have you turning in all directions and shifting focus from compasses and landmarks to cameras and fishes. When they move on, where are you? How long were you taking video? It would be so much easier to just keep a line in sight out of corner of an eye or swim into current til you reach it and then you're back to exact spot in the segment and can hit your Resume Navigation button. It's also a lot easier to spot a yellow tag that marks the midpoint than to count fin kicks or track time. (I actually do it by air consumption but this might not serve well in a high stress return.)
An alternative I've considered to the line is dropping breadcrumbs, perhaps markers consisting of 8 ounce weights with 3' of hi-vis streamer attached. Drop one upon reaching a landmark on way out, follow them and pick them up on return. If distracted during a nav segment by a manta, drop a marker then when done return to it and resume nav.
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