The Briefing
I pulled around to the back side of the crater to get out of the wind and waves. I put the boat in neutral and walked back to address the passengers.
“You’ve no doubt noticed that the inside of the crater, where we would normally take you, isn’t an option today. That doesn’t leave us a lot of choices. Well, I have good news and bad news…
“The good news is, we can dive the wall we’re looking at right now. It’s not only diveable, it’s considered to be one of Hawai’i’s very best dives. You just get neutral at 65 feet and let the current carry you. Visibility approaching 200 feet or more is not unusual.
“The bad news is, this dive is not for everyone. You must be able to equalize quickly. If you can’t stay with the rest of the group on descent, you’ll have no option but to surface and get back on the boat.
“Your buoyancy control skills must be absolutely perfect. If you can’t hover with everyone else at 65 feet, the next stop is over 500 feet below you. You’ll also blow your dive profile, and there’s no guarantee you won’t get bent.
“We normally allow only divers with Advanced certification to go on this dive. Because there aren’t a lot of alternatives, I’m making an exception. However…
“There’s no way that all 18 of you possess the skill level necessary to make this dive safely. Therefore, unless you are absolutely confident in your ability to equalize easily, stay with your divemaster and be able to maintain a constant depth, it is critical to your safety and that of your fellow divers that you not make this dive.
“So here’s the deal: If you don’t think you are up to this dive, say so now. You’ll get to make our second dive at Olowalu and I’ll let you come out on tomorrow morning’s two-tank dive for free. But please…please…do not make this dive unless your comfort and skills are up to it.”
There was a pause and then a single hand went up. It was a dentist from Pittsburgh.
“I just got certified. I’m not the greatest diver. I don’t think I’m up to this.”
“Congratulations,” I said, “Your honesty just got you a free day of diving. Any other takers?”
There was only silence. I proceeded to conduct a crash course in drift diving procedures. Drift diving was something I was intimately familiar with, having come to Hawai’i from Fort Lauderdale, where drift diving in the Gulf Stream is the norm.
We then divided our 17 remaining divers into three groups, each with an instructor to lead them. I’d be putting them in six divers at a time. We’d get each group suited up and seated on the swim step. I’d then pull the back of the boat to within 20 feet of the wall and have the divers enter and descend together.
Once all three groups were in and down, I’d follow their bubbles until each group came up, one group at a time. I’d then pull the boat in and pick them up.
Of the 17 divers who entered the water, 16 did an excellent job of following directions and making the dive without any significant difficulty. Diver number 17, however, came close to costing everyone else their lives.
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