Best job in Port Fourchon turned into a total mess

I had a week last June where every dive went smooth, currents were light, and visibility was maybe 20 feet down on a pipeline repair. Then on Friday a storm rolled in and we lost gear over the side, spent 6 hours fishing a torque wrench out of the mud. Anyone else have a job that started perfect and then just flipped upside down?

3 comments

3 Comments

ninaowens20d ago

That first dive had you feeling like you beat the system, then reality smacked you hard. Always have a backup plan for weather changes down there, I carry extra tethers and a second set of basic tools in a dry bag just for those surprise storms. If you haven't already, look into getting a magnetized retrieval setup for stuff dropped in mud, saves hours of blind groping on the bottom. Also check your pre-dive gear checks, that torque wrench probably wasn't secured right if it went over in choppy water. Port Fourchon conditions flip fast, so trust the forecast but keep your gear locked down like you expect the worst. Learn from that Friday and you'll be ready next time.

taylor.reese20d agoTop Commenter

That's a tough lesson to learn, and it sounds like you got hit with the full force of it. I've been there too, where you think you've got everything figured out and then the ocean reminds you who's really in charge. A magnetized retrieval setup is a good call, I've had to use a similar thing myself and it made a world of difference. Port Fourchon in particular has a way of testing your patience, but the fact you're already thinking about gear checks and backups means you're going to be just fine going forward.

david_jones3820d ago

You really think a magnetized retrieval setup is worth the extra weight on deeper dives or just for the shallows?