I used to dive with the Terrigal Underwater Group (TUG), a private,
not for profit, dive club which is fiercely independent (sorry to
those who know all this) and has its own boat. I did this for years.

Today I am not a member of TUG because Roger has had built his own
boat "Remora". This, like Lee's boats, is a private vessel and indeed
Roger is just about to take delivery of a smaller clone of Remora
which his wife and kids can handle whilst he parks the trailer. Remora
is 6.6 metres, a trihull, with twin 90hp Hondas and a stripling of a
lass + two young boys are simply not capable of handling that much
boat off a beach, even a sheltered one.

In the old days TUG allowed dead boat diving, so everyone simply fell
overboard when ready. As an observation, this never proved a problem
whilst it was allowed. This included decompression diving and I was
instrumental in ensuring that the rule was changed such that the first
divers had to be back on the anchor line/deco bars before the last
divers left the vessel. It meant that there was at least someone, or
two or three, permanently attached to the boat before it was left
unattended on board. This meant a reasonably acceptable delay.

It eventually got changed to the first divers being back on board and
capable of operating the vessel before the last ones went overboard
and this meant a pretty long day. This rule was probably the catalyst
for Roger, never the most patient soul <BG>, to decide on his own boat.

Remora commonly goes out with three divers aboard (sometimes four or
five) and this, quite obviously, requires dead boat diving or no
diving at all and on Remora we have some rules.

There is an observation I want to make here:

Its been previously mentioned that dead boat well offshore diving is
perhaps not a good idea. This may be correct in those waters but in
our waters we think quite the opposite. Here if the anchor pings in
close water the likelihood is that the vessel will hit the
rocks/whatever and so we don't do it. We're more comfortable with this
when offshore, say at least, at the very least, one (nautical) mile
from anything hittable (other than another boat).

So to the rules, Remora rules that is:

If we tie off to a buoy we always drop the anchor, lay out line, and
tie it off also. If the buoy goes the hope (yes, I know) is that the
anchor will set and so the boat should not be that far away.

We're divers. #1 rule is that we ALWAYS descend, AND ASCEND, the
anchor/mooring line. NO EXCEPTIONS, NO BLUE WATER ASCENTS (unless
planned for, which is another ball park entirely).

We're divers. #2 rule is that having descended the anchor line the
first one down makes absolutely sure that the anchor chain is securely
wrapped around something solid so that the thing will not budge. Never
mind what happens topside (current, wind). That diver also ensures, as
part of the routine, that the anchor line cannot chafe on something.
It follows that the first one down should not be a camera-toting
cowboy ... often a bit of a problem on Remora.

We're divers. #3 rule is that the last diver to ascend unsecures the
anchor line so that it can ping. So how do you know that you're the
last? Well, each diver takes down a SS clip with a bright yellow
wriststrap on it which is then clipped to the top of the anchor chain.
As they return to ascend, each diver takes one of these with them
until there is only one left. Simple and effective. I'd like to think
that I thought of it but I'm sure someone else did before me.

Of course this fails if someone gets lost and does a blue water
ascent. In eighteen months this has yet to happen and if it does, so
be it. We either do a bounce (if practical/viable) or we cut the line,
hang a buoy to it and retrieve it another day. We have a nice cheap
(so far unused) buoy for just this eventuality. BTW, we also have a
scabbard handily secured in the anchor bay well with a nice sharp
knife in it. Not a bad idea at any time.

If anyone wants to know what Remora as well as my particular corner of
paradise looks like (before Remora sprouted a gazillion aerials), ask
me privately. :-)

Christian