Precautions
Normal precautions for drift diving are to have a supporting boat follow the divers and to use a surface marker buoy.
Drift diving requires specialized training and certification to be done safely and properly. Many dive agencies with Open Water Scuba Instructors offer drift diving training as part of their Advanced Open Water Diver training, and it is one of the specialties available therein.
Drift diving requires more rigorous planning to be executed safely. In contrast to normal diving, drift diving is generally not planned to coincide with slack water. It is important to consider the direction of tidal streams as well as their strength to avoid divers being swept into dangerous areas such as shipping lanes. It is also important to plan for the danger of separation, either underwater or at the surface. Each diver should carry an appropriate signaling device and compass.
It is important for the diver to also have knowledge of the local rules pertaining to the use of surface marker buoys, as in some parts of the world, surface marker buoys alone are not legally sufficient signaling devices, and either of the international diver down flags (in the appropriate size), or perhaps both, might be required while drift diving.
Read more about this topic: Drift Diving
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