Drift Dive Procedures and Techniques –

Descents, Ascents and Exits.

 

 Descents.

It’s important to keep the group together on many drift dives, especially when diving from boats,

so you use special techniques that maintain both buddy contact and the group leader contact.

If you’re using a surface float, after the line-handler starts down, follow the line down.

Use it as a visual guide only and follow it. If necessary, you can make a loose OK sign around the line to maintain contact, but don’t pull on it.

Pulling won’t pull you down, but it will pull the line-handler up. Another reason is that since you’re in faster upper current,

you may act like a sail and drag the line-handler across the bottom.

As you descend, maintain buddy contact and stay with the line – don’t drop straight to the bottom.

Doing so could separate you from the group.

If you have trouble equalising or another descent problem, ascend along the line, clear the problem, then follow it back down.

Swim around any divers having descent difficulties and continue your descent b following the line.

At the bottom, the line-handler will normally watch to make sure everyone has made it down.

Depending upon the local conditions, the handler may stop on the bottom, or simply wait drifting in the current.

If you’re diving without a float, everyone descends at the same time to stay together.

Descending along a reef slope or wall for reference helps the group have a more controlled descent to the planned dive depth.

If you have equalization or similar problems during a floatless drift dive and you can’t descend, the proper action depends upon the group,

the environment and the conditions.

You and the group plan for this in advance, and may include returning to the surface with your buddy for pickup by the boat,

or following the group from above until you can descend.

 

 

During the Dive.

Ascents.

Drift dive ascents either call for the entire group to ascend together, or for individual buddy teams to ascend as necessary,

allowing those with sufficient air and no-decompression time to continue the dive.
For group ascents, the ascent begins when the first diver signals “low on air” to the group leader,

or when the group reaches the planned maximum dive time. The group ascends normally, preceding the group leader.

If using a large float, you may use the line to assist your ascent, but with small floats, pulling on the line may sink the float.

At 5 meters, the group makes a safety stop together before surfacing. At the surface, stay in a group and listen for the group leader’s directions.

When you use individual buddy team ascents, you and your buddy ascend on your own when you reach low air or your dive limit.

Generally, operations use this technique under good dive conditions and with experienced divers.

When a buddy team reaches a limit, it signals the group leader and ascends normally.

When ascending along a float line, again, don’t hold the line and become a “sail” that drags the line-handler on the bottom.

Safety stops may be more difficult to perform than when you don’t have a float, but you can usually manage by staying neutral,

watching your gauges and using the line as a visual reference. If conditions make performing a safety stop in buddy teams difficult or impossible,

it may be best to plan the dive for a group ascent.

 

Exiting.

Once at the surface on a group dive, everyone stays together.

If using a surface float, the leader will gather the line to prevent tangling, but if the line gets in the way before its retrieved,

remember to swim over, rather than under it.

On the surface as a buddy team, stay with your buddy and signal the boat, which will manoeuvre to pick you up.

When drift diving from a boat, remember that for safety, the boat must disengage the propellers before you approach,

so you don’t swim towards the boat until directed to do so by the crew.

Keep clear of the boarding ladder until it’s your turn to board, but stay with the boat and the group/your buddy.

In some instances, the boat may extend a trail line for you to hang on to while waiting to exit,

or the line-handler may attach the float line for the same purpose. Generally,during

the group leader exits last to be available to help someone if necessary.