Diving Safety Tips

Disclaimer; No one should assume these Diving Safety Tips are all the precautions that one needs to take to dive safely. There are a tremendous number of precautious that need to be taken in order to dive safely on the Spiegel Grove or any place else.  All the conditions and circumstances of a dive need to be considered.  So, diving is inherently a dangerous sport and one should not dive beyond one's own training, capabilities and the circumstances at the time of the dive.  I offer this advise based on 45 years of diving experience.  I am not a dive instructor.   Dive at your own risk. 

I would caution that the Spiegel Grove or Duane dive can be a very difficult & dangerous dives. The current off the Keys can get strong enough to rip your mask off, much less swim against it.

Glenn Patton PADI certifications AOW, Rescue Diver, Divemaster, Nitrox

Don't forget your basics...

• WATCH YOUR AIR! -- both YOU and your BUDDY's This is not a dive you want to run out of air on.  Better safe than sorry and come back another day for another dive.

Be sure to stay with your a dive buddy ??

• Be sure to stay with your dive buddy.  If you or your dive buddy become impaired for any reason that is when having a reliable dive buddy is critical.  

• Don't be afraid to call the dive or not go in the first place -- even if you are in the boat on the buoy.  If you're under the water, same thing -- you might be thinking well I shouldn't call the dive 'cause my buddy doesn't want to -- he could be thinking the same thing. If you're uncomfortable for any length of time, call the dive and live to dive another day.(Contributed by David Pickens)

Beware of Strong Current ??

• Take Caution!  If the current is running, wreck diving off the Keys can be a very difficult and dangerous dive. 

• The current off Keys can get strong enough to rip your mask off, much less swim against it.  The Gulf Stream runs along the entire length of the Keys and the current can be swift. 

• Carry a Surface Marker Buoy (safety sausages) with you just in case you are swept away by the current.  A signally device could save you life!!

Use a Mooring line & Safety Stops

• Plan on a safety stop -- 3 minutes minimum, 5 mins.
  at 15' if you can do it. If you are going deeper than 100' for any length of time, make a short 1 min. stop at 50' or so if you have sufficient air. (Contributed by David Pickens)

• Use the mooring line as a decent and ascent line

• A line for the back of the boat to the mooring – decent line may be necessary if the current is strong!

• Do not try to see the entire ship, it is to big

• Come back to the same mooring line for you ascent 

• Make sure you get the correct mooring line. Pay ATTENTION here. If you get on the surface using the wrong mooring line, you will have a long wait, a long swim or both.
  

A HANDS FREE DIVE 
more info & photos about clips and diving in a current

• If the current is running, make sure you keep both hands free. I even have a carabineer clip attached to my BC by 12 inches of nylon webbing.

• The clip is there so I can clip onto the ascent line just in case I need to use both hands.  You might need both hand to put your mask back on if it is knocked off by the current!  It is kind of hard to put your mask on with one hand.....

• Clipping to the ascent line can prevent being swept away by the current.
  Note use caution - - - Clipping to the buoy line should be done only in extreme circumstances when you got to have both hands free or can't hold on any longer.  And definitely not too close to the buoy.  Some dive shops carry SS clips.... Also, I have wrapped my leg around the line in a "S" configuration to stabilize myself if I clip to the line, if you don't you can twist all over the place in the current. The "S" configuration wrap is handy even when not attached to the ascent line when you have long safety stops when ascending..

Carry an UW Light ?

• I would recommend carrying a UW light on the Spiegel Grove.

• Also, if you carry a light, uwcamera or anything else make sure it is tied to your vest or your wrist.

• This will also allow a hands free dive.

Use a Safety Line needed on return to the boat

• If you dive off a private boat make sure there is a long safety line with a float behind the boat.

• If you come up behind the boat you can grab the safety line and put yourself to the boat.

• It is also handy just to hold onto while other divers are getting into the boat.

• Carry a Dive Sausage in case you are swept away by the current.  You will be much easier to find. 

Someone in the Boat ?

• Keeping someone in the boat that can run the boat is much safer.

• I dive a lot of times with nobody in the boat or with someone in the boat that does not know how to run it. 

•  With nobody in the boat you have to be much more conscience of where you are and how to get back to the boat!

Do not penetrate this wreck or any wreck without proper training or equipment! 

• I would advise not penetrating the wreck.

A HANDS FREE DIVE

• If the current is running, make sure you keep both hands free. I even have a carabineer clip attached to my BC by 12 inches of nylon webbing.

• The clip is there so I can clip onto the ascent line just in case I need to use both hands.  You might need both hand to put your mask back on if it is knocked off by the current! 
  It is kind of hard to put your mask on with one hand.....

• Clipping to the ascent line can prevent being swept away by the current.
  Note use caution - - - Clipping to the buoy line should be done only in extreme circumstances when you got to have both hands free or can't hold on any longer.  And definitely not too close to the buoy.  Some dive shops carry SS clips.... Also, I have wrapped my leg around the line in a "S" configuration to stabilize myself if I clip to the line, if you don't you can twist all over the place in the current. The "S" configuration wrap is handy even when not attached to the ascent line when you have long safety stops when ascending..

Another note: When using this type of clip be careful not to jam a big ascent line into the clip.  If it is difficult to put the line into the clip because of tight fit, it will be difficult to get the line out of the clip.  However, remember that there are three (3) chances to quickly get away from a ascent line that you are clipped to;

1. open the clip and remove the line
2. use the quick release on the webbing of the clip
3. use the quick release on your BC's shoulder adjustment webbing.

There is no substitute for being very familiar with your equipment through training and practice.  And there is certainly on substitute for common sense....

In any event, this info is offered to promote safety while diving the Spiegel Grove or any other offshore dive because of the STRONG currents that you may encounter.   Diving in strong current is a diving circumstance that offshore divers need to be prepared for.  In my opinion, a strong current is probably the most difficult environmental circumstance that diver will face while diving offshore.....

Clip Pics and Info - Click to enlarge the pics!!

Diving Safety Tips

Disclaimer; No one should assume these Diving Safety Tips are all the precautions that one needs to take to dive safely. There are a tremendous number of precautious that need to be taken in order to dive safely on the Spiegel Grove or any place else.  All the conditions and circumstances of a dive need to be considered.  So, diving is inherently a dangerous sport and one should not dive beyond one's own training, capabilities and the circumstances at the time of the dive.  I offer this advise based on 45 years of diving experience.  I am not a dive instructor.   Dive at your own risk. 

I would caution that the Spiegel Grove or Duane dive can be a very difficult & dangerous dives. The current off the Keys can get strong enough to rip your mask off, much less swim against it.

Glenn Patton PADI certifications AOW, Rescue Diver, Divemaster, Nitrox