Go deep, stay long

Here’s a little video clip showing the diver boarding procedures used in the North Sea aboard the Cdt. Fourcault.

Ascent is not up the anchor line, but on a drifting “shot line”. At the top is a large (4 ft) ball. Attached to the ball is a tag line. Once you hit the surface, you hold onto the tag line waiting to be picked up. The RIB picks up one diver at a time and bring them back to the mother ship. Attached to the back of the RIB is a foam raft (boogie board). The diver climbs aboard the raft, and the RIB heads back , diver in tow. In 8 ft seas, this is quite an experience.

Once alongside the diver rolls off the raft, and drifts over to a cage/platform that is lifted up onto the main deck. No ladder!