So how do you get into the water

I will add a DS125 flash to my ikelite housing and wonder how I will get it in the water... Normally there is no problem, when on a boat trip I have had an assistant giving me the camera once I am in the water. Needless to say the timing may be tight if your getting into a current for a drift dive. So adding a flash will make it more difficult, or? I am not to keen to jump into the water carrying all the stuff on me. What is the trick here?

if currents bad do a seated entry by the ladder, then grab your camera

Have the assistant hand you the camera down current of your entry point. I do that all the time.

Joe

Have the assistant hand you the camera down current of your entry point.  I do that all the time.

Sounds doable. I assume folding the arms and just use the handles on the housing will be ok. I am unsure on how to handle something like the rig on splashdowndivers site. Lots of good info there BTW. One one boatrip to Ras Mohammed there was a girl with a housed videocamera who just held it above her head with both hands and just jumped in like that. It didn't have any light source though. Perhaps it is better to start with one flash and go for the 2nd later...

you can do that as well, just have your BC inflated at least half way so you dont smack the water with yout camera.

Joe

Yep, I've seen the jump-in with the camera above your head method too: it brings me out in a cold sweat thinking about it.

Most dive boats I have been on have been more than happy to pass the camera down and are usually pretty good about picking a sensible point on the camera to hold. There have been threads on Wetpixel about neat ways to secure the strobe arms together using various clips to produce a solid-ish inverted-V for carrying the camera and passing it down to the diver.

One other method I have seen is to secure the camera on a long-ish line and lower it into the water before the diver enters. The diver then jumps in, unclips the camera off the line and heads on down. On surfacing the diver re-clips the camera on to the line and pulls it up when back on board. You might have to choose the securing point and length of line carefully depending on current, surge, waves and how many and where divers enter the water - but it seemed a good idea to me. I would also want to do a pre-entry rinse-tank dunk test too to make sure the housing had no leaks!

A current on a drift dive does not usually make too much difference to getting an assistant to pass the camera down. Most dive operators have tag or granny lines in place when getting people in the water for drift diving - so there is usually something to hold on for the couple of seconds it takes to pass the camera down.

We had to back roll with cameras in Bonaire when doing the wild side (pretty mild actually). It worked ok. We had a C-5050, a 20D, and a video rig. Not recommended, I'm sure.

Twist reverse double pike with an inward armstand cut through.

If there,s no blood in the water I know I have nailed it!

Hold your camera and strobes with yout teeth.

Hold your regulator in your left hand.

Back roll entry.

Remember to switch to regulator when under lots of water.

Hugo

I work on a dive boat where we do exclusively drift diving - almost every day I have my camera with me and am carrying a float ball also. I set my housing on the swim platform of the boat, step off facing the boat, catch the platform on my way down (so that I don't drift away) and then simply pick up my housing off the platform. Works great, and is self-sufficient.

I've done the Nes-tea plunge with my system without strobes, ok a modified plunge, arms were holding housing close to chest. It was surprisingly low impact on my person, and has got to be better than giant striding in with it.

Normally a giant stride, empty handed and a quick grab from the crew, followed by the immediate clip of the system to the BC......

Hi

I prefer somebody to reach the camera to me once I am in the water, and return it to the deckhand just before I climb onboard. Of course the deckhand should be carefully und get a little instruction in advance.

Strobearms folded with connectors very thight.

Specially when using my Superdome, I always worry that somebody hits the handgrip of the diveladder etc. They need to know that they have to put it on a secure flat surface (without screwheads) with the domeport facing down.

To dive the macroport is much more relaxing getting in and out.

If I do not trust anybody or not having assistance, I take the rig in my right hand (secured to my BC), fins under left arm and jump backwards with the rig in front of my chest. To put on the fins in the water is better than to stumple on deck.

Lowering the rig in advance on a long rope might be a good solution, but you will not realize early enough in case its flooding. If the boat is making way to collect divers its impossible.

If you have two strobes: the best is to fold and secure the strobearms around your neck and let the housing rest on your chest. Just like the necklace of a rap-star. You have both hands free to secure yourself, eat some chocolate and finish your aperitif. When you jump, make sure you have your stainless steel full face mask to avoid injuries.

I just do a slow backroll, it is more sliding in the water, works great for years now.

I always jump from hardboats. On my last rip to the Outer Hebrides, we had to jump OVER the dive ladder (an interesting entry) from about 1m above the water, with camera and flash (a Seacam EOS1DS with Seaflash 200 and WidePort + Extender - a substantial combination). I always hold the camera above me and 'throw' it upwards as I hit the water, using one hand for the camera and the other for the flash (and so far haven't unseated my mask).

Whilst I doubt that this is a recommended entry, it does work ok. All this said, it is the reason that I use the WidePort in British waters as I suspect that the strain on the rear of a Superdome might be excessive as there is far more area to exert force onto. The WidePort has softer corners than the Superdome but I simply have to live with it.

Others on the same trip were having their cameras handed down and in the gusty force 4~6 conditions were struggling to stay on the site before descents.

Hmmm, thanks Paul. This goes to remind me why I prefer warm-water diving....

I prefer Ferrari, still I drive a VW.

Not being in reach of clear blue waters and nice temperatures is no reason for me not to dive and shoot. Every photodive is a learning experience even (or especially) in cold green dark waters.

I bet that VW isn't open-top......

But you're right Duik. I've had some terrific weekends diving in the English Channel. But given a choice between t'Channel and Sipadan...... B)