One of the most popular watersports and adventure sports in the UK - and the world over - is scuba diving, and for good reason too. As human beings we are fascinating by flying but the idea of being able to breathe underwater like a fish and explore the liquid substance that covers almost three quarters of the Earth's surface is equally irresistible.
Drift diving is when when a scuba diver purposely dives where they know there is a current. This current, which can be a river or sea current (currents are affected by the time or year and the tide), carries the diver along which creates a sensation of flying and allows the diver to travel much further than if they were just swimming.
Due to the fact that the diver does not have to propel him or herself through the water, he or she uses less air and therefore can stay underwater for longer periods of time. The currents can carry the diver at a speed of 1 to 4 knots, a speed which feels much faster when underwater.
How to experience Drift Diving
In order to practise drift diving, prior specialised training is required. The training can be obtained through dive training centres with Open Water Diving Courses and the PADI organisation which offers a course specifically for open water drift diving. Drift diving usually requires more planning than normal diving as many external factors have to be taken into consideration before embarking on the dive.
In order to correctly catch the current, the diver must submerge him or herself and, only after achieving neutral buoyancy, can the diver let themselves be swept off by the current.
The challenges of Drift Diving
Divers must be cautious of not choosing tidal streams that carry them into areas of danger such as shipping lanes. Drift diving in waters with poor visibility is also dangerous as you can hit something without seeing it coming. When diving in groups, divers also risk being separated and it is important that they have a compass and signal with them as well as backup oxygen so as not to have to rely on others in case of emergency.
Once in the current it may be tricky to tell how powerful it is, while resisting the curious natural instinct to swim against it, which can be exerting and tiring. It is a good idea to drift dive in a group when the current makes it quite easy to stay together. In order to regroup, it is a good idea to go to the bottom of the current or the ground (a dive knife can be used to dig into the ground to hold your place), as here the current will be weaker, giving time for everyone to gather together.
Almost all drift dives start from a boat. It is very important that there is a boat following the divers at all times with the appropriate flag flying; a diver must never go alone. It is important that the captain is aware of the path of the current. Divers should carry a marker or signal flag to deploy once they need to be picked up so that the captain knows where to pick the divers up.
Divers must be very cautious, keeping a careful eye on the depth gauge as the currents can raise or lower the depth of the diver very quickly depending on their strength, which can be extremely dangerous for the diver, especially in deep waters. To avoid this danger you can keep your eye on the underwater terrain, or optimally stay away from drift diving in deep water, or dive with a slackline
Check out this famous Drift Dive site - the "Washing Machine" in the Bahamas!
.
Where to Drift Dive
The UK is not short of places to drift dive, with our extensive coastline and plethora of inland rivers. For a gentle ride (great for first timers or divers in training) try King West Rock off the coast of Brighton.
Beside many coral reefs there are currents which enable the diver to simply float by and take in the fascinating sights. In the UK the Orestone reef near Teignmouth is a great drift diving challenge.
Start Point located in Wembury Bay has faster currents (although some are not safe for drives as they can reach speeds up of to 7 knots), The Menai Strait (which separates Wales from Anglesey) and Portland Race, close to Weymouth, are great locations, but they need to be done with supervision and on a slackline. They worth it as they are areas with fascinating wildlife.
Inland, you can find great currents on the River Lune in Cumbria, Devil's Bridge in Kirkby in Lonsdale and the Falls of Lora in Argyll. These are great dives but good visibility is a must!
To find out more about drift diving, find a dive centre near you!
