Hit a 6 knot current in Puget Sound last week and it got sketchy fast

I was diving off a barge near Tacoma doing some bridge inspection work. Current ripped up from 2 knots to almost 6 in less than 20 minutes. Lost visibility to maybe 3 feet and had to grab onto a pile just to keep position. My tender said the surface was whitecapping like crazy. Has anyone else had a dive turn ugly from a tidal shift like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

king.robin6d ago

Wait, you were hanging onto a pile in 3 foot viz with a 6 knot current? That sounds terrifying honestly. I've had a few close calls in the Sound but nothing that bad. The tidal swings up here are no joke they can flip on you real quick. Were you using any kind of tether or were you just free floating?

the_richard5d ago

Yeah I read somewhere that the Navy SEALs actually train for stuff like this in the Puget Sound, using tethers and lifelines in zero viz. Makes you wonder if us regular divers should be doing the same, even if it feels like overkill most days. I had a buddy who swore by a simple reel and a finger spool, said it helped him keep his bearings when the current picked up. But honestly, hanging onto a pile like that is basically a last resort, you know? You just hope your grip holds and the tide doesn't pull you off into the dark.

faith_thomas5d ago

I used to roll my eyes at guys running tethers for Sound diving, honestly thought it was overkill. But reading about that 6 knot surge and 3 foot viz completely changed my mind. That's the kind of situation where a simple line to the surface or a buddy could be the difference between a bad story and a really bad day. I'm pretty convinced now that having some kind of contact with the boat or a fixed point is just common sense, not just for SEAL teams or bridge inspectors. Makes me want to pick up a finger spool and actually practice using it before I need it.