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Drift diving is a great way to see a lot of marine life
in a short period of time, while coasting across the
ocean floor. And once you have the process down,
drift diving can be one of the most relaxing experiences
you can have underwater.
The process of a drift dive generally goes like this:
Arrival at the Dock
Unload your gear, show certification cards,
sign waivers, and load your equipment on the boat.
The smart boat diver sets their gear up while
the boat is secure, and stationary at the dock, and
enjoys the ride out. Stow your gear in as
compact of a footprint as possible....boats have limited
space, and there is not much room for spreading out.
Listen to the Briefing from your Captain
Every drift diving boat has a different
protocol for exiting and entering the boat. Listen
carefully during the briefing to ensure that you are
familiar with the boat's procedures.
General Procedures for Exiting
On many dive boats, a drift dive will go like
this. This captain will give a 10 minute warning
as he approaches the dive site. This is your cue
to don your wetsuit, defog your mask, and get into your
gear. Sit down on the bench and get into
everything, including your fins. The captain will
ask if everyone is ready. If you are not,
say so! It is better to take a minute to
get yourself together than to delay the group when
entering the water. The crew will appreciate this.
Ensure that you have adequate weight and air.
Check the operation of your equipment, and get ready
mentally for the dive.
The captain will usually yell something dramatic, like
"Dive, Dive, Dive" or "The Pool's Open". That is
your cue to stand up, and shuffle toward the back of the
boat.
As you near the stern and it is time to exit the boat,
you will likely be doing a giant stride entry.
Hold on to your mask and regulator with one hand.
Place some air in your jacket to ensure that you have
adequate buoyancy once you hit the water, and make your
giant stride. Whatever you do, DO NOT HOLD
ON TO THE BOAT. Ensure that you stride
clear of the boat and join the group of divers.
There are some important points that the new drift diver
needs to know:
1. Preparation is important.
Because the boat does not anchor, you will need to leave
the boat as a group, in a quick fashion in order not to
drift past the dive site. So, you need to make
certain that you have checked all of your equipment,
have the proper amount of weight, and are ready to dive
before the captain sets the boat up for your exit.
2. Timing is important.
When the captain yells, "Dive, Dive Dive," you need to
be ready to enter the water. If a person is not
ready to enter the water, it may delay the group, which
may mean that they miss the dive site. Remember
that the boat is moving across the bottom and you have a
limited amount of time to descend.
3. Don't hold on to the line.
A divemaster or diver will be carrying a float ball,
allowing the dive boat to locate the group of divers.
If you have trouble with your ears, or don't have enough
weight to get down, do not hold on to the line, or you
will be dragging the dive guide off the bottom.
Instead, follow the line closely (or stay near the
flag/ball at the surface), and when you are ready, come
down the line by making an OK sign around the line and
descending.
If you still can't get down, surface and signal the
boat. The boat will pick you up and you can get
any issues straightened out. If there is enough
time, they will drop you back near the ball and you can
descend to meet the group.
At the End of the Dive...
As the dive nears the end, you will need to
begin your slow, safe ascent to approximately 15' - 20'
where you will make your free floating safety stop.
Remember to watch your ascent rate, keeping with the
group and ascending no faster than one foot per second.
When you reach 15' - 20', you will begin your safety
stop. Make certain to stay near the dive guide,
which will keep you in the vicinity of the dive flag.
This will alert nearby boats to your position.
Once everyone has completed their safety stop, you will
ascend and gather at the surface. Remember
to locate the boat and give a large OK sign as soon as
your surface to let the boat know that there are no
issues.
The boat will begin to move in your direction.
Stay with the dive guide in a close, compact group, and
do not swim toward the boat until signaled by
the captain or crew. They captain will
need room to maneuver the boat. Once signaled, you
may approach the boat.
Reboarding the boat...
Remember, every dive boat has a specific
procedure for reboarding the boat, so make certain to
pay close attention to the captain during the pre-dive
briefing for this information.
Some boats will place a tag (float) line behind the boat
to allow you to pull yourself to the boat. Others
will just have you swim to the stern. In any case,
keep your mask on your face and regulator in
your mouth until you have boarded the boat.
This is important because the boat's exhaust is at the
stern and you will be breathing exhaust if you do not
keep your mask on and regulator in your mouth.
Many boats will have you swim to the stern, and remove
your fins while holding on to the boat ladder. You
will hand your fins up to the crew and climb up the
ladder. When someone is climbing up the ladder,
remember to stay clear of them in case they slip and
fall. You would not want to be behind them if this
happened.
Once aboard, shuffle to your seat and sit down.
Please sit down and remain seated until everyone
else has boarded to allow them to get past you if
necessary. Once everyone is aboard, you
will be able to get up and move around.
An important note about crew tips...
Most dive boat crew members are unpaid.
They do this because they love the sport and many of
them are training to become divemaster, dive
instructors, or boat captains. It is generally
expected that you will tip the crew aboard the dive
boat. For good service $5 - $10 per person, per
day is acceptable, but please reward good service with
better tips if appropriate. It is important to
know that these tips are not included
in your charter fees.
Dive flag floats. Note
the line caddy at the bottom of each float holding
the coiled yellow line.
Divemaster (Right) holding the
line caddy and reef hook, while guiding a group.
Divemaster holding the line on
a safety stop in West Palm Beach.
Dive flag and float at the
surface. Looking up from the safety stop.
Divers reboarding the
Spellbound in Riviera Beach, Florida. Note
that this boat does not use a ladder, but rather a
ramp for boarding, allowing your to keep your fins
on while reboarding.
Divers reboarding the Starfish
Enterprise in Lantana, Florida. Note that the
diver has removed her fins prior to climbing aboard.
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