Reef hooks & pointers

I'm very interested to know what people think of divers and guides using reef hooks and pointers…

Hi Grah-ham!

I think the steel pointer is an invaluable accessory for dive guides. They can use it to stick in the sand and hold position, bang it on their tank to get attention, and point out tiny stuff that you can't see on your own. A lot of times, I'm not able to see the critter until the guide gets the tip of the pointer pretty close.

I think reef hooks are fine too for hooking on in current and flying above the reef - provided the divers are shown on the first dive where is 'acceptable' to plant a hook, and where is not.

Cheers

James

I think both are pointless devices.

I have been diving and guiding for quite some time. If a point of a finger and some hand signals of what to look for can't help a reasonably intelligent customer find the subject then educate customers what they are looking for and likely habitats then simple pointing with a finger will send them in the right direction and then they have the excitement of using their knowledge to find the critter. A steel pointer is an unecessary piece of equipment. I used to use a karibina to tap on my tank, i stopped that when i realised my banging made the subject disappear most of the time.

Hooks, whats the point in a drift dive ? isnt the idea to be moved by the currents ? if you want to stop and see something go where there is no current. I can't say that I honestly believe if someone needs a hook to stop themselves in a current that they will be able to aim and place that hook somewhere harmless. So again, unecessary in my mind.

I understand though that there are places you can go diving where the people think that these items are essential and they are used on every dive. I think you could very easily get away without using them.

It would seem that reef hooks are necessary in some situations where the nature of the diving is to stay in one place and watch the show go by, like Darwin in the Galapagos, Cocos etc. These are really not drift dives except for the pickup at the end. In those situations I think one can do less damage with a well placed reef hook than barehanded for 45 minutes trying to stay in one place with a raging current. I also think they can be considered a safety device in some of these situations. I would have loved to have had a reef hook at Roca Partida in Socorro, but they were not allowed and I landed up being swept away from the dive site and terminating the dive early once or twice.

Hi

I agree with Giles re: pointers

I agree with Loftus re: reef hooks

Cheers

Hal

I agree with James and his explanation on both counts.

Well I found the pointer/sand anchor invaluable on my last trip. Anchoring in a small current while photographing, keeping me from afronting coral during a surge.

I'm really not a fan of reef hooks, get fitter and swim harder, don't dive overweighted so your kicking is efficient, don't wear gloves (you will end up grabbing onto everything) and if you need to hold on look wear to put your hands.

As much as people try and be careful they still cause a fair amount of damage...

Pointers, not really bothered but as Giles says if a guide whacks their tank with one generally everything swims away....

I'm OK with both. Both can be abused. Personally, I don't care to use a reef hook. A properly used pointer is an asset and can prevent damage.

Sorry Giles but there are places where hooks are required.

Though I have seen a couple of tricks using just a piece of nylon chord rather than a stainless hook.

Having said that the contact area of a hook is a lot smaller than that of a loop of chord so it could be argued that less damage may occur using one of these things.

No idea about these pointers - never seen one - all tools can be misused.

Paul C

As one of a group caught by a current on Jackson Reef some years back, I was mightily relieved to have a reef hook in my BC pocket. I just hooked on and stayed put while a RIB shot all over the place picking up those that had been swept away. I even took a few pics while waiting my turn to be picked up........

I'm really not a fan of reef hooks, get fitter and swim harder, don't dive overweighted so your kicking is efficient, don't wear gloves (you will end up grabbing onto everything) and if you need to hold on look wear to put your hands.

You've never dived in real current and had to stay put then There are times when reef hooks are absolutely necessary. The only dive ever where I feared i had DCI was a dive where the boat insisted we surfaced at the same place we entered on a pinnacle, and I had to kick so hard I got exhausted. Most other people hooked into some rock and were fine. I generally take a reefrockhook with me on a trip.

As much as people try and be careful they still cause a fair amount of damage...

Without a hook they do indeed

Im ok with both as long as people dont abuse them.

You've never dived in real current and had to stay put then There are times when reef hooks are absolutely necessary. The only dive ever where I feared i had DCI was a dive where the boat insisted we surfaced at the same place we entered on a pinnacle, and I had to kick so hard I got exhausted. Most other people hooked into some rock and were fine. I generally take a reefrockhook with me on a trip.

Without a hook they do indeed

 

Im ok with both as long as people dont abuse them.

DITTO

The pointer grew prominence in Lembeh in the 90s with muck dives and the ability poke into the sand and (unfortunately) to push potentially dangerous animal (and human apparently) life around. Many people have found less intrusive uses for the pointer rod including steadier oneself in a current. But I do urge people to be VERY careful where they poke as there are creatures which live under the sand during the day or night. I've seen an impaled pleurobranch in Jahir when this guy's slightly pointed rod was shoved hard into the sand to steady himself. Yuck! Luckily he didn't get a flambo or I'd have bent his rod... but I'm partial to cephalopods.

With other uw signalling devices like horns, shakers and the like, I prefer the simple tink tink of the rod on a tank to the high intrusive horn and jingle shakers. Again this is another advantage of muck diving, where finding people may be impossible for the guide if he has to watch his discovery. Our guide in Anilao found a bobbit worm and was so busy flashing his light to get our attention that he lost sight of the worm for awhile. A simple tink tink and the divers would know it's the guide and converge like a mob.

Hooks are considered essential for many areas in the world. Komodo, Cocos, Galapagos, Peleliu to name a few. Obviously everything can be abused including bumbling divers with tanks. It just requires a bit of brain usage to know how and where to hook in. Unfortunately there are many who don't use theirs well.

ability poke into the sand and (unfortunately) to push potentially dangerous animal (and human apparently) life around.

finally someone brought this up... I carry one for self defense...

Hooks? I never travel without one and have been able to capitalise on countless photo opportunites because I had one. Hand on heart, I have never deployed a hook onto living reef or have broken dead reef.

Pointers? I dunno...

Well I found the pointer/sand anchor invaluable on my last trip. Anchoring in a small current while photographing, keeping me from afronting coral during a surge.

I agree... I got a fibreglass one from the same guys who sell Stix arms

OMG. Not this again....

As I said before, if you're not willing to use your own ungloved finger, you shouldn't be touching it.

Because the pointer isn't your finger, there is greater temptation to use it when you shouldn't.

Taking one along is an admission that you will be touching something.

[rant] I've watched dive guides use the pointer to kill enough critters trying to get them out of their holes that I've had it with pointers. There's no doubt that most guides using them touch and manipulate the reef and animals far more than I do with my bare fingers. Which begs the question, why are they special and allowed to do so, but will chew out guests that do the same thing? [\rant]

Sheesh. If a diver needs a pointer that bad, go take a Fundies class.

All the best, James

As one of a group caught by a current on Jackson Reef some years back, I was mightily relieved to have a reef hook in my BC pocket. I just hooked on and stayed put while a RIB shot all over the place picking up those that had been swept away. I even took a few pics while waiting my turn to be picked up........

are you for real dude?? jeez that's what ribs are there for so that idiots like you don't try hooking onto things you shouldn't be. there is absolutely nowhere on jackson where you can drop a reef hook without killing a multitude of things.

the rib picked up all the people who were nicely floating along bouyed up by their inflated BCD's. you decided to hook up a lot of coral. why is that, 'cos you don't know how to float??

i have to post this as i don't want anyone reading your rediculous post and thinking it's ok for them to do it.

it's not. act responsibly.

as for the general topic, yes there are some situations where you can use a hook to stay against the current, for example in a rocky area, and still have both hands free to work the camera.

My question is ... if you have to use a hook to make the dive diveable, why are you diving in that environment.

Yes I saw the list of places Drew put out there, all well known desired dive spots. But surely if there were no hooks used there would be times when you could dive without a current, is this just a business thing to make it year round diveable ? if so thats wrong.

With all the dive destinations in the world I don't see why ones which need hooks to dig in and control you are AS populated with diver tourists as they are.

Now I know people are going to tell me "you have to use a hook at these places" YES i get that, but why are these places being dived by recreational divers then .. I am looking for an honest look at that, I am sure it all comes down to someone making a buck.