Question about a silt-out in a tight space

I was inspecting a piling in the Houston ship channel last week when my fin kicked up a cloud that cut visibility to zero. I just froze, felt for the line, and followed it back out hand over hand. How do you guys handle a total blackout in a confined spot?

3 comments

3 Comments

willow_ellis92mo ago

A guy on a cave diving forum talked about training for zero vis by doing drills in a buddy's murky pond. He said the key was to stop all movement immediately, just like you did, to avoid stirring up more muck. Then it's all about trusting your reference, whether it's a line or the structure itself, and moving slow and controlled. That hand over hand method is the way to go, no sudden motions. Sounds like you handled a scary situation exactly right.

blair_allen2mo ago

Yeah, freezing up is the first and best move. I've been in that soup where you can't even see your gauges. Once you're stopped, I make a point to feel the line with my whole hand, not just my fingers, before I move an inch. That slow hand-over-hand exit, keeping your body low and your kicks small, is the only way out without making it worse. It's all about moving like you're in slow motion until you hit clear water again.

hannaho522mo ago

Totally agree about moving in slow motion. That hand over hand thing is key, you can't rush it or you'll just get more lost. I've seen people panic and start thrashing, makes everything ten times worse. Just gotta breathe and go inch by inch.