Drift Dives

[rich.williams]

Hi as some of you have read i am looking to go to the red sea next year, to dive and to see some friends, having talked to the people who run the dive boat they say some of these dives will be drift dives, now i have done 60 dives including red sea and Gozo but i havent done any drift dives yet. Some my question is how difficult are they (what tips do you have) and if anyone has been to the coral sea in oz what are the dives like?
thanks!!!

[nigelH]

Non event. You dive over a reef and there is a current running. Don't fight it just go with it and the world rolls past for your entertainment.

nigelH

[Fiona]

Rich

I am confused, are you going to the Red Sea or the Coral sea as previously mentioned in the Worldwide section. Could you just clarify where you are going.

If you are going to the coral sea then I checked my log book and noticed that one dive inparticular was supposed to be a drift but I actually wrote "was a bit of a bimble". As for most drift dives they can vary from site to site, I once did the Falls of Lora in Scotland now that was a drift dive we looked like Peter Pan and Wendy flying over the rocks, it was fantastic and I have often wanted to do it again another good one was Gun Rock in the Farnes, so what I am saying is they do vary and just enjoy them.

A good drift dive will be great, but a slow bimble can also be enjoyable if you are on a reef there is no point hurtling past all the good stuff.

[rich.williams]

hi sorry if post did not make sense, i am GOING to the coral sea (oz), i know a few people were not that impressed with the barrier reef but i have friends out there so it will not just be a dive holiday. I am really looking forward to it, it was just that i have never done a drift dive, i will also have a read of my advanced book as soon as i can find it again.

[Helen F H]

I have done lots of drift dives. As already said, dont fight the current, go with it. Dont get too close to the bottom as sudden rocks hurt. An SMB is a definate must as drifts can spread people far and wide. Watch your depth as currents can go up as well as down and along.
I have done a fair few drifts, or dives which have turned into drifts. All loads of fun!

[Noel Johnson]

Drifts are ace, just relax into it and go with the flow. One of the best ones I've done was in the Brothers it really really raced along...

[Fathoms Down]

I quite like drift dives. There is something nice and relaxing about flying along over a site but the downside is that you can't stop and look at anything interesting you may see. In a way its a bit like DPV diving without taking your finger off the trigger.

[SCUBA Chick]

Oooooo, drift dives are one of my favourite types of dives!! Done lots of these in the red sea and the maldives. Best idea if just to relax and let the current take you but if you need to stop look at the reef and try and identify a bit of rock (not coral...) that you can get a handhold of. Also, some companies who you dive with endorse the use of reef hooks to avoid damage to coral and which allow you to hang in the current.

Hopefully if your guides/skippers are good they will drop you in so that you don't have to fight against the current (although this might be necessary on the odd occasion to see some action )

Enjoy!!!!

Scubachick