Drift Diving…..

One of the most common complaints heard from divers is as a result of having done a driftdive where the diver spent the entire dive being towed around by someone who doesn’t know the first thing about drift diving whilst spending the entire time looking at the back of their fins through a cloud of silt.

More often than not, when boat dives are cancelled without notice for one reason or another, your only option is to do a drift dive (Dive Victoria as part of their rules and regulations reserves the right to change, alter any dive that needs to be cancelled for any reason seen fit by the management).

So here you are, you’ve driven all the way down to Portsea or Queenscliff, it’s a fabulous day with magic conditions, you’re ready to get on the boat and a staff member from Dive Victoria breaks the news to you that your dive has been changed to a drift dive!

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with drift dives as such, only people who can’t execute a drift dive to save their lives!

Drift dives are fabulous, they are very exciting.  You’ll feel like Superman as you literally fly over the marine terrain with fish flying past you and coming at you from every direction. Drift dives are also low exercise, as such they are very relaxing, the natural tidal movement does all the work for you.

Some of our best dives in the bay are drifts performed at such sites as “The Sponge Gardens”  in 10 mts of water out from Cottage By the Sea.  “Collector’s Drift”  performed in 12 to 18mts of depth in front of the old Portsea Quarantine station where you may just stumble across artefacts such as the ones I have found over the years (antique bottles, crockery from the White Star Line, a 1920’s Royal Doulton ship’s toilet).

Drift dives are also the best dives to perform if wanting to collect scallops, you simply glide effortlessly over the ocean floor and pick and choose the scallops you want to put in your bag!

Drift diving along deep walls and ocean pinnacles is often the best way of getting some of the best big fish (Pelagic) interaction available.  Pelagic fish such as many species of sharks, tuna, Spanish mackerel, Manta rays cruise on the currents in search of food.  By drift diving locations hunted by these animals, divers are often blessed with these amazing encounters.

So, whether drift diving Port Phillip Bay on a line or drift diving the Albatross Passage in Papua New Guinea with a dive buddy on a Surface Marker Buoy, the knowledge of what to do and how to do it will maximise your enjoyment and safety.

We only run the drift course once a year.

One informal theory evening with Xavier May 8, from 7pm onwards at the shop (no written quiz!)

2 boat dives with Angela May 10.

Only 3 vacancies remaining, don’t miss out, you’ll kick yourself next time you end up on a drift line and things go pear shape!