Why does nobody talk about how different bottom times are between quarry work and open ocean?

I spent 6 years doing inspection dives in quarries around the Great Lakes region, where visibility is usually 10 feet or less and you're working in a controlled environment. Last spring I took a job on a pier repair project in the open ocean off the coast of New Jersey, and the difference in bottom time was striking. In the quarry, I could push 4-5 hours easy on a light day, but out in the ocean with current and surge, I was gassed after 2 hours even with the same gear. Has anyone else noticed this split between inland and offshore work, or is it just me getting old?

2 comments

2 Comments

holly_williams12d ago

The "controlled environment" part is what really jumped out at me. In a quarry, you know exactly what you're getting into, right? No surprises. But out in the open ocean, the current and surge are constantly working against you, even on a calm day. Doesn't matter how fit you are, your body is fighting the water the whole time to stay in position, not just doing the work. So my question is, did you notice any difference in how your gear setup changed between the two? Like, did you have to switch to a different fin or a lighter rig to compensate, or was it all just about fatigue?

wesley_hart12d ago

Oh, the gear swap was definitely real. @holly_williams, I switched to a stiffer fin because my usual "quarry specials" felt like I was trying to swim through peanut butter in the ocean. I actually ditched my fancy camera rig for a smaller, less "look at me I'm an underwater influencer" setup, just so I wouldn't get dragged sideways while trying to take a picture of a rock.