Though many of us prefer diving from a boat, shore diving is an experience that can be exceptionally rewarding, not to mention less costly than boat diving. Once you reach your dive spot and make your way to the desired depth, there is not much difference between shore diving and boat diving, with one big exception: you’ve got to get yourself to the dive site and back safely. With proper preparation, this is easier than you might imagine. Here, we’ll take a brief look at shore diving with an eye toward helping you prepare for success.
Common Sense, Good Judgement, and Experience
While some shore dives are led by a divemaster, many experiened divers set out with a buddy or two and call it good. These divers rely on common sense and good judgment for safety – and they have the experience required. When you’re first beginnng to enjoy shore diving, it is definitely best to join forces with people who are more experienced than you are; if that’s not possible, be sure to exercise extreme caution. This being said, no matter who you are or what your experience level, you’ll find the following tips can make your shore diving excursions more fun as well as more convenient.
Base Camp: Pros and Cons of Parking Lots
The primary component of all shore dives is a well-placed base camp. You’ll need to set up camp before each and every shore dive, and the way you do so will make a huge difference. Like so many things, it all begins with location. If you’re able to choose an optimal location for your base camp, everything else will go easier for you.
Before undertaking a shore dive, conduct a bit of research concerning the location, ensuring you use as many resources as possible – site maps, local knowledge, and of course the internet. Does your desired location have a parking lot nearby? If it does, then you may consider setting up your base camp in the parking lot since you can easily secure belongings in vehicles and enjoy the convenience of a flat paved or graded surface.
For convenience, the parking lot should be no further than a few meters from shore as walking a long distance in full kit is an experience most people don’t enjoy; not to mention the fact that emerging from the water and facing a trek back to camp is unpleasant, to say the least. In addition, positioning camp far from the entry point is unwise; if an emergency occurs, you don’t want to be far from first aid gear, radios, cell phones, and other items.
Setting Up Base Camp On Shore
Some dive sites just may not have a parking lot, or it might be best to choose a location other than the parking lot for camp. The alternative to camping in the parking lot is to camp on shore. Be sure to choose a site that will allow you to deposit your equipment, personal effects and supplies without having to worry about safety issues.
First, you ‘ll want to mark out a clear solid patch of dry land above the high water mark, ensuring it’s large enough to accommodate everyone and their gear. Once you’ve removed large rocks, chunks of driftwood, and other debris, spread a tarp over the spot, adding additional tarps and weighting them down with rocks and other heavy items to prevent flapping.
Even if the area you’re diving in is fairly remote, it’s a good idea to leave a guard behind on shore. A non-diving friend or family member is a good choice; be sure he or she feels comfortable waiting for the rest of the party to complete the dive. If the weather is cool, consider building a small campfire if it is safe and if that activity is permitted. Set up a few chairs, bring blankets and towels, and set up a staging area for donning and doffing dive equipment, where water won’t get onto dry belongings after you return from your dive. While it can seem like a pain to set all this up in advance, having a place to get warm and dry after diving is simply fantastic. Don’t forget to bring your favorite after dive snacks, and enjoy your dive!
Getting Back to Shore
Assuming you’re able to make it out to your dive site and conduct your dive safely, the next issue you will need to deal with is ensuring you are able to make your way not just back to shore, but back to base camp – hopefully without too much effort on your part. When boat diving, you might use a surface marker buoy to make your way back to the boat, or you might use underwater landmarks to keep track of your position. You can still use some of these tactics; for instance, you can secure float flag to a large rock or some other landmark and use a spool to maintain your connection to the float. You can also use landmarks, and you can also navigate using a compass.
The largest challenge in getting back to base camp is often encountered fairly close to shore, where currents are strongest. Learn how to swim through breakers and time yourself, and you’ll have an easier time of it; in addition, pay attention to tide times and plan your dive for slack water to ensure you are not fighting a losing battle against an ebbing tide on your way in to shore. Many popular shore dive sites have been explored to such an extent that it’s possible to get good, solid advice about when to dive and which landmarks to use, either online or from fellow divers who have visited the same site you’re considering.
To make navigating back to shore easier, follow these tips:
-
Camp Near Visible Landmarks: If your base camp is set up near visible landmarks, it helps greatly. Of course, you need to make sure that the landmark you’ve chosen is clearly visible from the water and is large enough to be seen even from a distance. When you surface, you can simply look for the landmark and swim in its general direction.
-
Use Mirrors or a Flag: If there are no major landmarks big enough to be seen comfortably from the water, then you may consider having the person who is manning the camp use a mirror to catch the sun’s reflection to make finding your way back easier. This requires some planning and sunny weather; it isn’t foolproof. If you don’t think a mirror will work, consider erecting a flag – the higher the better. Use lights after dark, but avoid using red or green ones as they are easily mistaken for marine navigational signals and could cause an accident.
By following these simple tips, you’ll find shore diving is easier and more fun than it would be otherwise. Planning, patience, and a cautious approach will serve you very well as you’re enjoying shore dives.