Diver Standard Operating Procedures

To be an effective team of exploration divers, we need to split up our roles to reduce overall task loading. Each team member takes on an additional role.

Setting the Hook

This is a critically important role on your team. Your job, typically as the first diver down the up-line, is to ensure we've actually hooked the wreck. After that, you want to make sure we STAY hooked to the wreck.

Please wrap the up-line around something, or tuck the hook in a secure are that will stay hooked even after the currents flip after slack.

setting your team's strobe

Each team sets a strobe on the up-line when they reach the wreck.

If no other strobes are on the up-line when your team returns to leave the wreck, it's your team's job to trip the hook.

You can see how very important it is that your strobe NOT become dislodging from the up-line as it signals other teams they are the last team,

Please ensure you secure your flasher with two methods (a bolt snap AND a line catch). If you only use a bolt snap, it will likely slide down the line and not be noticed until they go to trip the hook (wasting their time). Only a line-catch, it could get knocked off.

When your team returns to the up-line, please turn off and stow your strobe. Note if another team's strobe is not present, then signal your team to trip the hook (see below).

What strobe you ask?

I use a Tektite 200 LED Strobe (rated to 500')

Erik Foreman's reel after we left in on the Admiral Sampson for team 2. Bummer. Luckily I retrieved it on day 2.

Reel Man

Depending upon visibility this can be a required or optional role.

Each team is responsible for running their own reel. Unless otherwise discussed, assume you need to remove your reel and not leave it for the other team.

We typically tie in the reel to the up-line (& not the shipwreck directly) and start to explore.

NOTE: The advantage of wrapping around the up-line, is that if should you need to cut the other end of your reel (due to too much current), you bring up that junk line when you pull up the up-line later, and avoid littering the wreck with it. Also, if the hook should somehow get set free, you have a path to the up-line, and not where the hook used to be.

Unlike in cave diving, you likely DON'T want to tie in periodically, as it will take you quite a lot of time at the end of the dive to remove all your line.

Near the end of your dive, you'll guide the team back to the up-line.

Video Documentation

Take great video! Once you get good video, you have to either promise to edit it later and/or share it with your team in raw form.

Everyone loves diver pron immediately after the dive.

Tripping the Hook

Typically this takes a minimum of 2 divers. One to wrestle the hook from wherever it's been well hooked into the wreck, the other person to light the for them as they'll be using both hands to free the hook once the current flip (& ensure they don't get entangled).

We have a knot and loop in the line above the hook. Simple turn the hook upside down and capture 1 or 2 tines of the hook in this loop. Then throw it well off the wreck.

Please ensure you stay with the line... as now all of us are travelling off the wreck together on the "up line".

Releasing the deco station

If you are the last team to leave the wreck, and trip the hook, you also get to release the deco station from the up-line on your ascent.

At approximately 120' you'll find a carabiner (with a large weight) connecting the deco station to the main up-line. Transfer your team to the deco station line, and release the carabiner.

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