Have the Ultimate Drift Diving Experience
What is Drift Diving?
Drift diving is the ultimate “go with the flow” experience. Drift diving is a type of scuba diving where divers let themselves be carried by the tide, an ocean current, or a river. Normally, divers start a dive by swimming against any current that may be present. That way, you’re not fighting the current when you return to the boat. But with drift diving, you let the water carry you away, and (typically) the boat follows you, instead.
There are many reasons to drift dive. For one, it lets you travel faster, and see more dive sites and marine life in a shorter span of time. For another, there’s the physical sensation of it. Drift diving is meditative. It feels like you’re flying underwater. It’s a relaxing, serene experience that doesn’t feel quite like anything else.
Suggested Drift Dives
You can drift dive anywhere that there’s a strong enough current. But some places are particularly well-known for strong currents and great drift diving. Here are a few of the most popular.
Cozumel
Cozumel is a popular vacation destination for its beauty on land and in the water alike. But it enjoys an entirely separate fame in the drift diving community for the swift currents that flow through its gorgeous dive sites. Beginning drift divers may want to try Palancar Reef, while divers prepared to go a little deeper will want to see the Santa Rosa Wall. You can even combine drift diving and shore diving at Paradise Beach.
Egypt
In American film and television, depictions of Egypt focus on the desert, the structures there, and the ancient and modern mythologies surrounding the region. But Egypt’s coastlines along the Red Sea and the Mediterranean make for some of the most colorful diving in the world, and its currents provide some phenomenal drift diving. One can’t-miss site is Panorama Reef, near Safaga. Its 200m-deep walls play home to hard and soft coral formations alike. Another fast drift for advanced divers is in the Straits of Tiran, where divers will fly past the island reefs. Ras Mohammed and Yolanda Reef offer calmer currents, but the similarly unique sights to see.
The Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands are well-known for unique animals, including the incredibly rare marine iguana, which only lives on the Galapagos, and is the only lizard that can forage for food in the sea. Most of the diving here is drift diving. Due to strong currents and occasional low visibility, the Galapagos may not be the best place to learn how to drift dive. But if you’ve got some experience under your belt, it can be incredible. Mosquera and North Seymour are both fairly gentle dives. And Cape Douglas is a fantastic drift dive that lets you see fur seals, sea lions, and penguins.
South Florida
The Gulf Stream System begins in the Southern Florida and the Florida Keys, and those strong currents mean that there is a wealth of drift diving to be had. Beginners may want to start in a shallow reef, but for advanced divers, deep walls like those at Santa Rosa Reef can make for an exhilarating dive. There are even tours that go drift diving at night to see shimmering nocturnal creatures like comb jellies and spiny lobsters.
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago is a popular dive destination, sitting far enough from the main hurricane belt that the rainy season doesn’t affect much more than visibility. (And if visibility is bad on one side of the island, it’s usually fine on the other side). It also has so many drift diving sites that their Department of Tourism will give you a certificate for diving at 8 of them, and that’s not particularly hard to do here. Flying Reef is a great entry point into drift diving filled with plate coral, cornetfish, and rays. Kelleston Drain is a site with a nice, slow drift that takes divers past moray eels, manta rays, sea whips, and one of the largest brain corals in the Caribbean. It’s not all for beginners, though. One of the most dangerous drift dives in the world is here, too. The Washing Machine is named for its tendency to tumble divers head over heels, but it’s a known spot for experienced thrillseekers to test their skill.
Drift Diver Essentials
Drift diving doesn’t necessarily need a lot of specialized equipment. But there is some gear you may want to consider on top of your regular dive equipment.
Surface Marker Buoy
A surface marker buoy helps your boat track you. The point of drift diving is to move fast and freely, knowing that you aren’t going to have to make the swim back. For that to work, you need to be visible from the surface.
Professional Fins
Because of the strength of the water carrying you, you want to make sure that your fins are fast and flexible. Something like the Jet Sport Fin, or even the Seawing Nova Gorilla Fin, should help you conquer the current.
A Reef Hook
Another thing to consider is a reef hook. A reef hook can help you stop in the current if you want to take in the sights or take a photo. Just be careful with it. You should only affix a reef hook to the rocky part of the reef—never damage coral. And always check for plant or animal life before you use the hook.
More Drift Dive Tips
Work With the Current
Some people really enjoy the physical sensation of flying that comes from swimming with the current. But most people don’t recommend doing that. You’ll shoot through the dive site too fast to appreciate what’s around you. You can still get that flying sensation by letting the current simply carry you.
Keep Your Gear Sleek
Drift diving relies on fast currents, and those currents can yank your regulator out of your mouth, or pull your mask off, if you aren’t careful. On top of which, you don’t want your hoses getting tangled on anything, or damaging coral as you float by. Make sure that your hoses are secure, and that you’re keeping as streamlined a profile as possible.
Research the Area
If you’re diving somewhere unfamiliar, do a little homework on what the currents and tides are like. Get a feel for what the environment is going to be like. Your boat should be following you, based on the bubbles, a surface marker buoy, or a diver down flag. But knowing where you’re going is an extra level of safety.
Know How to Work Your Camera
If you want to take pictures on your dive, keep a strong lanyard on your camera. And when the time comes for taking photos, turn and photograph into the current. That way, you can gently fin in place to stay stable. If you try and fight the current while facing away from it, you’ll use more energy and more air than necessary. Fish are naturals when it comes to maintaining position in the current, so watching them can help you figure out where the current is going.
Use Your Buoyancy Skills
Buoyancy control is always important, but neutral buoyancy is especially important for a drift dive. The whole point is to expend minimal effort. So if you’re fighting to stay where you want to be vertically, it defeats the purpose. Beyond that, neutral buoyancy is critical if you need to move quickly to avoid something. Since you’re moving so fast, you need the option to exert control quickly if it becomes important.
What Are You Waiting For?
Drift diving gives you a physical sensation unlike anything else out there. Some people describe it as “Zen-like.” Others describe it as exhilarating. And while it does require a strong enough current, there are drift diving hotspots all over the world. With a little bit of training and some thoughtfulness about your gear setup, you can experience the feeling of letting the water carry you, and figure out how to describe it for yourself.