Your $400 anchor or your life?

[Mike Boswell]

Okay you advanced guys, having just learned a little on Scubaboard about bubble pumping and bounce diving, I now have a real-world problem:

Let’s say we (rec divers) go out on a boat, anchor in 75 feet of (cold) water, and do a nice long 85-ft dive, right to the edge of the NDL on our (Suunto) computers. After a 90-minute surface interval, we do another nice long 70-ft dive using every minute of the NDL. Both dives are by the PADI book with slow ascents and 3-minute safety stops at 15 feet.

We exit the water, take off our (7-mil) gear, and find the anchor is stuck. After wresting with it for 5 minutes it just won’t clear. One of our used (100 cf) tanks still has 1,000 PSI.

Now, I should do the following:

A. Put gear back on, dive down and free the anchor, ascend as if from a normal dive.
B. Wait an hour and then do A above.
C. Do A above but add a 10-minute deco stop at 20 feet.
D. Cut the anchor line and go home.
E. None of the above. You should ____________.

 

[Rainer]

E. Check that the anchor is free before ascending from the second dive.

 

[JKPAO]

You could have sent up one diver and usded a lift bag to clear the anchor of the wreck. This is before leaving the bottom.
See you topside! John

 

[SailNaked]

f. Set the depth charge for 75ft

 

[netmage]

Okay you advanced guys, having just learned a little on Scubaboard about bubble pumping and bounce diving, I now have a real-world problem:

Let’s say we (rec divers) go out on a boat, anchor in 75 feet of (cold) water, and do a nice long 85-ft dive, right to the edge of the NDL on our (Suunto) computers. After a 90-minute surface interval, we do another nice long 70-ft dive using every minute of the NDL. Both dives are by the PADI book with slow ascents and 3-minute safety stops at 15 feet.

We exit the water, take off our (7-mil) gear, and find the anchor is stuck. After wresting with it for 5 minutes it just won’t clear. One of our used (100 cf) tanks still has 1,000 PSI.

On our typical 6 pack charters - the last team up pulls the anchor/hook...
Larger operations have a dedicated DM who's job is just to hook/unhook the wreck...

That being said... C with O2 after a reasonable SI of maybe ~30mins...
PS... And using ~36% Nitrox for all dives...

 

[dkktsunami]

I am assuming that you have a boat driver on board. If not, you are asking for trouble in the worst way. If so, I would free the anchor on the last dive and ride the anchor line while drifting, do the safety stop, and surface. If the anchor somehow became stuck I would probably go back down, assuming I feel ok, and repeat the process surfacing very slowly. This is strictly a personal decision and not something I am recommending. Also, knowing that you will have to free the anchor and that there will be some exertion involved, it's a good idea not to push the NDL on the last dive.

 

[Guy Alcala]

Okay you advanced guys, having just learned a little on Scubaboard about bubble pumping and bounce diving, I now have a real-world problem:

Let’s say we (rec divers) go out on a boat, anchor in 75 feet of (cold) water, and do a nice long 85-ft dive, right to the edge of the NDL on our (Suunto) computers. After a 90-minute surface interval, we do another nice long 70-ft dive using every minute of the NDL. Both dives are by the PADI book with slow ascents and 3-minute safety stops at 15 feet.

We exit the water, take off our (7-mil) gear, and find the anchor is stuck. After wresting with it for 5 minutes it just won’t clear. One of our used (100 cf) tanks still has 1,000 PSI.

Now, I should do the following:

A. Put gear back on, dive down and free the anchor, ascend as if from a normal dive.
B. Wait an hour and then do A above.
C. Do A above but add a 10-minute deco stop at 20 feet.
D. Cut the anchor line and go home.
E. None of the above. You should ____________.

Well, E. could be "Buoy the anchor line, go get your tanks filled and have lunch, then return, do another dive and retrieve it at the end", if you're not too far from shore. But making sure to place the anchor so it won't hang up on anything before you ascend is the best option.

Guy

 

[Saturation]

If all you have left is 1000 psi for one diver, it isn't ideal to dive and retrieve an anchor. I'm not sure how big a boat this is, but an anchor from West Marine ranges from $30-$200.

I'd cut the anchor loose and make another dive later hopefully to do the same spot and retrieve the anchor. If you can buoy the anchor, so much the better. You could tie a wet-note note on the line before cutting it stating the anchor belongs to X and a phone number, X will retrieve it later but if its recovered and returned to owner a reward will be given [cheaper than buying a new one]. If you buy a new anchor and get called your old one has been recovered, it should be easy to return the unused anchor.

Like the other posters suggested, its a good idea for the last divers to insure the anchor is not fouled before surfacing or take the anchor with them on a lift bag and drift with it during the safety or deco stop.

Okay you advanced guys, having just learned a little on Scubaboard about bubble pumping and bounce diving, I now have a real-world problem:

Let’s say we (rec divers) go out on a boat, anchor in 75 feet of (cold) water, and do a nice long 85-ft dive, right to the edge of the NDL on our (Suunto) computers. After a 90-minute surface interval, we do another nice long 70-ft dive using every minute of the NDL. Both dives are by the PADI book with slow ascents and 3-minute safety stops at 15 feet.

We exit the water, take off our (7-mil) gear, and find the anchor is stuck. After wresting with it for 5 minutes it just won’t clear. One of our used (100 cf) tanks still has 1,000 PSI.

Now, I should do the following:

A. Put gear back on, dive down and free the anchor, ascend as if from a normal dive.
B. Wait an hour and then do A above.
C. Do A above but add a 10-minute deco stop at 20 feet.
D. Cut the anchor line and go home.
E. None of the above. You should ____________.

 

[GeorgeC]

Trick question! If you have a $450 anchor you should have a 50+ foot boat. If you have a 50+ foot boat then just let the crew worry about the anchor while the chef makes lunch. After lunch, if the crew can’t retrieve the anchor simply walk over to the compressor, refill the tanks and do another dive.

 

[rcs9250]

Whoa , whoa, whoa, lets back up the boat here. I'm still trying to figure out how you did an 85 foot dive in 75 feet of water. Reminds me of the line boaters know. If your draft exceeds your depth you are aground.
Unless I had to leave immediately I would just do like a previous poster said and have lunch then go get it.
Sounds like there were a couple divers on this dive. I gotta believe there tanks have some air in them that could be used as hang bottles on the anchor line.
Get the most experienced diver to do the dive. Take down what ever tools (crowbar) might be handy and do the best you can . If it ain't to be it ain't to be.
Undo the shackle and maybe hang a note as previously stated.
Keep a close eye on the air supply and NDL. Be calm , it's only an anchor.