Without water’s currents, our planet would be lifeless. Currents move nutrients, refresh stagnation, and even help many aquatic animals get from one place to the next. Some currents let us enjoy drift diving, but some can be dangerous. Here, we’ll take a closer look at how currents can affect our ability to dive, with a focus on the needs of newer divers who hope to gain more experience.
Currents and Diving Accidents
Without a doubt, strong currents contribute to some of the scariest scuba diving accidents we’ve ever heard of. When you visit a forum or a discussion board, you’re likely to read cautionary tales that focus on what happens when a diver is caught in an upward or downward current; both of these types of currents pose serious risks to divers. When caught in an upward current, you risk ascending too rapidly, and when caught in a downward current, you risk a descent into depths you are not prepared to handle appropriately.
Of all currents, the downward types tend to be the most frightening. These relentless currents create strong pulls that are capable of dragging a diver deep into abyssal depths; when strong enough, down currents are nearly impossible to escape. The worst are capable of dragging a diver down at a rate of more than one hundred feet per minute. In the event you are able to escape a down current, ascent is riskier, and the risk of being caught by the current a second time also exists. For these reasons, it is best to avoid areas where known down currents are present.
While upward currents are usually less powerful than downward currents are, being caught in an up current is unpleasant at best and can be deadly at worst. Imagine that you are doing a multilevel dive to a maximum depth of 130 feet, and that you have planned your ascent schedule to compensate for nitrogen saturation that occurred the day before. Suddenly, you are caught in an upward current, and your entire dive plan goes straight out the proverbial window. Not only can this be inconvenient, it can cause decompression sickness, particularly in cases where an upward current is very strong, moving you at a rate of more than one hundred feet per minute. If you are caught in a powerful up current, the likelihood that you will need to seek emergency treatment for DCS is good.
Minimizing the Risk of Current-Related Scuba Accidents
Fortunately, there are some very easy ways to minimize your risk of suffering from a current-related scuba diving accident such as the ones we discussed above. Using the following safety measures can help to prevent a potentially deadly incident.
Use a Surface Marker Buoy – When properly used, a surface marker buoy (SMB) can make all the difference between a life-threatening accident and an exciting scuba experience. You can either connect yourself to your SMB via a reel that will allow you to safely make your way to the surface in the event of an accident, or you can carry a surface marker buoy with you and inflate it in the event conditions worsen after your dive has already begun. Not only can a delayed surface marker buoy be easily filled with air from your octopus, it can also aid in a safe ascent and serve as a signal to dive boat personnel that you are potentially in need of emergency attention.
Apply the Rules of Shared Protocol. It’s vital that you and your buddy remain on the same page throughout the entire dive, and this means communicating – both before and during your dive. When diving and currents combine to create a sticky situation, communication remains essential, but it is sometimes difficult or even impossible. By creating clear definitions for maximum depth, conditions under which to abort the dive, signals, and other plans before diving, no one will be confused about what is happening, including the boat crew.
What to do if You are Caught in a Current
Being caught in a rip current, a down current, an up current, or any other fast-moving water can be truly terrifying, even for divers with plenty of experience. If you are caught in a current, you may be able to use the following strategies to escape with fewer injuries, or perhaps even make your way out of the situation unscathed.
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Avoid Walls and Other Structures – Currents are intensified near reef walls, large rocks and pinnacles and other underwater structures. If you are at a dive site where strong currents are often present, keep your distance from these structures.
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Swim Hard – If you are stuck in a current, swim against it as hard as you can. Even if you are not making much progress, this will prevent you from being carried as quickly as you would be otherwise. The strongest currents are usually contained within small bands of water; if you swim in an oblique direction opposite the force of the current, your likelihood of escaping will increase. Moving in a diagonal direction allows you to fight without using as much energy as you would if you tried to swim directly against it.
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Utilize Buoyancy – Though thinking can be difficult in terrifying emergency situations, forcing yourself to rationalize can help you to save your own life. Use what you know about buoyancy to fight the current that is moving you up or down; you can use your buoyancy compensator as well as the air inside your lungs to make moving up or down easier.
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Drop Weight as a Last Ditch Effort – When caught in a strong down current, drop weight only as a last ditch effort. The reason for this is that once you escape the current, you will be more positively buoyant than you normally are; this can cause difficulty with making a safe, controlled ascent.
Learning all you can about the sites you plan to visit, carefully planning your dives, and making use of technology can help to prevent accidents associated with currents. After all, the best cure is prevention – and though missing a dive now might seem like a hardship, calling off a risky dive ensures that you will live to dive another day.