WOULD U DUMP YOUR GEAR AT SEA

[deepdarkblue]

You don't know what you'd do unless you're in that situation.  Being alone, and being alone in the ocean, can play tricks on your mind.  They probably did what they thought was right, but who knows.

[DiveCaptDean]

I think i would drop my tank and use a reg to tie to my buddy......i would keep both my back plate and wing....manually inflate it and keep in under my chest....i would probably wait for a couple of hours and ride the current..i figure if a search party is coming..it should only be a couple of hours away..then i would start kicking...if i saw land from the start..i would be more inclined to kick much earlier as where there is land..there are boats, fishermen and people...no land..i wait for a couple of hours....i would never drop anything that is boyant...oh yeah.....sharks......why worry about it..we have all been in the water with plenty of them....they tend to leave you alone....if they do come your way..worry about them then..why put yourself in a mental frenzy when youdont have to..you have enough to worry about without thinking about them......................regarding my not dropping that heavy backplate  its weight does NOT overshadow its reflective ability..........

keep in mind....if i had swallowd enough sea water..i may just get naked and go freediving..depending on what tricks my mind would be playing at the time... ;D

[corndogg2]

I imagine after several hours in the water your BC would start to be very uncomfortable.  In saltwater, even a light wetsuit would provide adequate flotation. They were obviously gonna try and swim for it.  Swimming really sucks with all of your gear on. The price of gear is a small price to pay for the story if you live to tell it.  Also, I've lived near the ocean briefly and people are not afraid of water.  They don't hesitate to leave the boat alone as they learn to read the sea conditions.  Also people who live near the ocean dive frequently and tend to have real crappy gear.  They rarely rinse it and service it only if it doesn't work anymore.  They dive too much to care.  They don't have time to be anal about their dive gear.  They just dive!

[DiveCaptDean]

We have a very very veteran captain in Milwaukee..that has left a boat alone while diving........it was a three mile swim back to land.......I choose not to..

[LKunze]

Dang, that was an OOPS!  :o

[flyboy65]

A buddy of mine and I found out what a current can do in Lake Superior...

We were alone in his boat, tied off the anchor real good.  Dove on the Niagra.  Took a heading from the anchor, no line with us, and found part of the wreck.  Went back on the reciprocal heading, and hit the anchor line, no problem.

An hour later, we went back in, the wind had picked up a bit...thought nothing of it.  Coming back from the wreck, I totally missed the anchor.  We surfaced about 30 yards north of the boat...no big deal.  Next thing you know, we're swimming like crazy, and hardly making any headway.  I finally made it back to the boat, but Kevin was making slow time.  I wanted so bad to go and do something, but I hung onto the ladder.  At least I made it to the boat...could've untied the anchor and went and got him.  He did finally make it back. 

I learned alot on that dive.  Probably should have someone in the boat while you're diving.  I learned about carrying a line to show the way back to the anchor.  I also learned how to fight the urge to let go of that boat and swim out to him, but this little voice told me "DUH".  Then we'd BOTH be in the same boat...uh, I mean without a boat... :-\

We just didn't realize the current's potential in Lake Superior.  I know it's not the ocean or anything, but I did buy a sausage soon after. 

[DiveCaptDean]

I have made the mistake if swimming off my boat with divers in the water..i had a mate with me..thank goodnes..i dove off the bow  port side..and by the time i had surfaced, i was heading to the stern very quickly...i about shit myself kicking to get a hand on my platform..i did.....i stopped swimming when chartering.....i have seen lake michigan put out at least a 2 knot current...on the Willie and the Milwaukee.....

[corndogg2]

A tag line, the line they throw off the back with a bouy on the end, is always a good idea.  They're not much off a pain if you've got it rigged well.

[DiveCaptDean]

Actually i used a tag line about 90% of the time..usually when waves are better than 1 ft..this day, it was flat calm..and i mean FLAT...and i just didnt think about the current..as it isnt there very often when there is no wind......just a foolish mistake on my part

[flyboy65]

I was thinking that we should have had one of those really thin lines to tie off to the anchor, and then head for the wreck.  I just couldn't figure out why I missed the anchor the second time around...I'm a pretty good navigator. 

Now, I know...