The drift diving can be an exhilarating form of diving. If you do a drift dive you just float along with the current like you would be in a spacecloud and you can really get moving fast. It can be alot of fun if you know what to do and if you do it right. Here's a little introduction to drift diving if you are not familiar with it.

Introduction To Drift Diving

If you have never been on a drift dive, you will be in for some fun. On a drift dive, the boat does not anchor or tie up. All Divers get in the water together and then go along with the current. The captain on the boat will follow the bubbles of the divers or a dive float on the watersurface that a diver drags along. Be sure to tell the divemaster your experience level and the fact that this is your first Drift Dive if that is so. Talk to the more experienced divers on the boat, the most of the divers will be more than happy to share their experiences.

Depending on the current, you may have to get off the boat fairly quickly and close together. To be more relaxed, you should get ready early. After you  will have time to get everything together and not have to rush off the boat and forget something important. Double crosscheck everything as if you hit the water it can be too late.

Listen to the Dive briefing closely. The divemaster should tell you what to expect and what the procedures will be for getting off and getting on the boat. This is an importend task and not done to generate fun... the dive briefing is a searious thing. If you are not sure, ask questions so you will now what to do if something unexpected happens. It is not at all uncommon for some people to surface early so don't worry about it. Just know and if you don`t ask about the procedure.

The divers need to stay close together on this type of dive so the boat can follow and pick them up. Drift diving is not the kind of dive to go off sightseeing by yourself.

Underwater Drifting

Once you are underwater, the fun begins, depending on current, you can either have a slow relaxed dive taking in all the sights or have an exciting dive and fly by the sights in a stronger and faster under water current. Sometimes it is hard to tell until you get down there. Currents can change but you can and should ask the divemaster what the typical conditions are at this site.

The current will take you along and you normally don't have to do alot of kicking. Just relax and enjoy. Go and drift with the flow of the current. You certainly do not want to be going against it :-). That is the way to run out of air more quickly. Keep track of your depth and air at all times and do not forget to breath regular and steady as 5 meters up or down in a drift can be faster than you think.

Depending on the formations, you can duck behind the reef or in a channel to get out of the current. This is helpful if you are getting ahead of the group and need to wait for them to catch up. Divemasters normally tell you to stay behind them, so follow their directions.

When the dive is over, if the divemaster hasn't been dragging a float, he will send up a surface buoy so the diveboat will know where you are. Surface close to the group and the surface marker so the boat will know where you are. This is especially important if you are in a busy boat traffic area.

The boat will come and pick the divers up. Normally they will have a drag line you can hang onto while you are waiting to get on the boat. Get on the boat, take off your gear and enjoy.

Best regards

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