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On Wed, 21 Sep 1994, Curt Smitka wrote:

> The main problem I have with this method is that the diver is free 
> floating and it requires that the boat crew see and follow the diver.  
> There are many senarios where this could result in problems:
> 1.	Mooring line for boat breaks with boat drifting away not noticed 
> by crew.  Where do you search for diver?
> 2.	Multiple divers in the water and only one ascending off the 
> mooring and/or you do not know if the others are making free ascents.  
> This will usually put at least one diver at risks.
> 

Our system for deep dives is essentially exactly as James Green described.
As for point #1, we do not anchor (moor) the boat at all - it is always
free, and the motor is always running.  The boat driver knows
approximately when & where the diver's float will pop-up by using line-ups
(or GPS, if no line-ups are available)combined with a knowledge of the
approximate current direction & velocity and the planned dive profile. 
The float we use is a small-diameter (5 cm) bright orange tube a little
over a meter in length, which the diver sends to the surface upon reaching
his/her first decompression stop. The float is highly visible from a
great distance - even in considerable swell/chop. This system works very
well for us here in Hawaii because 1) currents can be quite strong (making
drift-decompression highly desirable); 2) dive sites are relatively close
to shore (allowing for use of good, sensative line-ups); 3) sea-surface is
generally calm (allowing easy spotting of the float); 4) virtually all our
dive sites are on ledges which are easily located on our sonar (reducing
the search area from a 2-dimentional plane to a 1-dimentional line). The
system may not be appropriate for other divers in other
situations/environments. Although this system requires a lot of faith in
your boat driver, it has worked flawlessly for us.

As for point #2, well....this is a BIG part of the reason why we prefer to
dive solo.  If the situation is such that a buddy serves as an asset
(rather than a liability), then all divers carry their own ascent floats.

Aloha,
Rich


deepreef@bi*.bi*.ha*.or*

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