How to Safely Handle a Current

There’s no such thing as a completely still body of water. Even the most placid of lakes have some motion, and if you dive in the ocean at all you should know how to combat a current. Many divers fear being swept out to sea, separated from their buddy or boat, and being lost on a dive. But dives with currents can be quite enjoyable once you learn the safety aspects!

Dives where you ride along with the current, called “drift dives,” are very popular; many of us are familiar with these dives in Cozumel. If during a drift dive you find you are kicking too hard to against or perpendicular to the current, here are a few things you can do. Firstly, find shelter. If you can stop for a quick breather behind a rock or coral outcrop, the current will be far less and allow you to stay with your group. If you’re diving an atoll with a current, your dive guides may ask you to use a reef hook. These are essentially metal hooks you can use to anchor into the reef (without damaging it) to stay in a single spot. Finally, if the current is a bit too strong for your liking, you can surface and deploy a submersible safety sausage for the boat to find you. If the current is on the surface and you find yourself unable to get to the boat, DON’T fight against it; most currents will die out over a certain length, and even a couple knots will be too powerful to kick against. Instead, ride with it, deploy a surface marker, and let the boat come to you!