Found him ~3 miles out after an hour of searching

[Micko1974]

Nice to have your own SMB at all times when diving. If not, then certainly something that can be inflated on the surface to show location.

 

[ggunn]

Nice to have your own SMB at all times when diving. If not, then certainly something that can be inflated on the surface to show location.

I don't leave the dock without my SMB.

 

[DandyDon]

Nice to have your own SMB at all times when diving.

Nothing personal in this remark but only a fool would dive without one in the ocean or a lake large enough for boats. This has been my opinion for the 23 years I've been diving.

 

[MidOH]

So that's, what?.......
You just called 95% of divers, fools?

Other than the DM's, I don't recall too many divers with dsmb's. Maybe 1, every other boat ride. Even less than that.

 

[rmssetc]

Other than the DM's, I don't recall too many divers with dsmb's. Maybe 1, every other boat ride. Even less than that.

You're not on the right boat...or just didn't notice.

I'd say that about 35~65% of the divers on Aldora, 3P, and Liquid Blue have a DSMB. I'd agree that maybe one diver launches a DSMB every other dive, because that's exactly what I try to do, to keep in practice.

 

[Shawn C]

You're not on the right boat...or just didn't notice.

I'd say that about 35~65% of the divers on Aldora, 3P, and Liquid Blue have a DSMB. I'd agree that maybe one diver launches a DSMB every other dive, because that's exactly what I try to do, to keep in practice.

Don't bother with this guy. He intentionally leaves safety gear on the boat just becasue.

 

[MidOH]

I've never seen anyone launch a dsmb.

I've seen the DM's tow a buoy, that's it.

 

[DandyDon]

You just called 95% of divers, fools?

I have no idea how many don't carry SMBs. I do think that many don't carry one and that it is foolish, whatever the percentage. Carrying one just in case it's needed is wise even when it's not ever needed, even if only to inflate on the surface. If you want to brag about being among the foolish, that's your issue.

I've never seen anyone launch a dsmb.

Launching from below is different than carrying one that could be deployed on the surface. I don't want to launch mine if I can do my safety stop with the DM, but if I need to, then I do, I've seen others do so if needed, and my long-deceased home bud & I took turns as needed - which was actually pretty often as we were both bad about not staying close to the DM and using our air faster than many.

Why you've not seen others do so must relate to your logged dive count.

 

[gopbroek]

I launch a buoy about 70% of the time especially if there is any seperation from the main group or if there are other diver groups nearby. I usually launch from about 40' so it is well inflated and visable.
It's drift diving, in a moderate current even when rising as a group you can easily seperate as the current varies. I worry most about the last 5' as this is where you can get run over.
Several years back on a busy high season Sunday at the Gardens I watched a diver surface in front of a boat. The captain, local guy who had barrowed his friends dive boat for a family trip, simply did not see him surface with all the other boats and divers in the area. Luckly as the diver was run over he had enough sense to drop down and pushed off the bottom of the boat and just missed the prop, damn lucky. An errect and visable buoy would have probably prevented this near miss.

 

[fred32176]

I've never seen anyone launch a dsmb.

I've seen the DM's tow a buoy, that's it.

On the drift dives I do out of West Palm Beach, you either deploy a DSMB/SMB or are with someone that deployed an DSMB/SMB or you won't be picked up by the boat.