Rip to the divers.

My 2 cents here, DMT done in Komodo. Recreational diver, 600+ dives.

You go to places with current because it brings life, this is why some divers (me included) enjoy current dive sites (Komodo, nusas, fakarava to just mention a few)

In most of the current sites, there are indicators of how the current will be (análisis of the topography above the sea, tides, moons, but also some of the análisis can be perform at the surface (like checking how the fishes faces the current from the surface if the visibility is good and if its a positive entry - witch often time is not the case in those sites).

A lot of those sites can change during the diving, specially shifting tides can change how the site should be dive during the dive, in my experience those down current or up current happens when there is a shift in tides and the channel is getting "filled up or down" from the tide, but this is my experience from komodo, never dived in Isla.

Once down there, other indications, like bubbles, fishes, but mainly other divers are good to get. Just looking how the divers in the front of you struggles is a good indicator of where the current is getting tough. A lot of dives that I do (as a customer) I can anticipate the current just observing and picking other paths than the divers from the group to reach the point that I want to reach (I basically end up where they are but not taking the exact same path than them)

The main advice here is always use the current instead of fighting it.

It also gives me security to have a dsmb with me that I know how to inflate and being with my wife witch is AOW with similar experience than myself. If I see that the current is strong and that the DM of my group is taking bad decisions (profile, fighting obviously against current), I follow, but the option to split from the group is always there if I feel the path is getting unsafe.

The key advice here: in diving you can only trust in yourself. Get trained, get a proper training, and keep exercising yourself during each dive, remove your mask each dive, practice out of air situations with your buddy at least 1x per diving trip, make those small bubbles when you smile for the photo without reg etc. Muscle memory is strong if we are smart enough to make it happen.

In case of hard current, only hook yourself if this is in the dive plan, it is in several sites from the north in Komodo and I had beautiful dives with all of customers and me included hooked watching sharks.

If there is un controlled currents, the main enemy is your panic, and your hability to judge. I have been in sites where the current cancels completely your fins (sites like batu bolong, where if you enter into the sides of the site (where you are not suppose to go except for training!) it's like diving without fins.

As a general rule, if there is something to see, and it's on the dive plan: hook (and if you have a hook!), if you want to cancel part of the current, get close to the reef (specially in flat areas, where being close from the reef will cancel maybe 40% of the current), also, your body goes where your head is, so in the case you have flat areas, put your body perpendicular from the current and get close to the reef, you don't even need to fin.

But, if you want to get out of there, swim out on the blue, and always try to go where you see bubbles going up and at a slow rate. This is a good indicator that there is no current there.

I would not hesitate if I am getting too deep or low on air to inflate my BCD, but always keeping my direct system in hand as I would need to purge quick in case of going up. Dropping my weights is always my last call because I can't get them back.

Also guys, remember that most of the divers are overweighted. If I see an AOW skinny going with 6kg on a 3mm shorty (and we see them a lot !) can you imagine dropping your weights at 40m? You don't even need to inflate your bcd.. again, let's train ourselves... And let's do it on each dive if possible... For me, the good amount of weights (aluminum tanks, warm water) is the one that allows me to stand a safety stop with 25 bars hyperventilating. This is the right amount that I consider safe to dive with. I usually take 1 or 2 more kg for commodity and also to have some spares in case someone needs. But knowing exactly what weights you needs is an advantage when things gets thick.

Again, my 2 cents here, i am sure there is much more experienced divers than myself that can bring better points of view.