Do we need more hand signals?

[Bob DBF]

I always liked the "silent world" and find it relaxing. Incouraging visual noise will not make you my friend. I know basic signals but use them infrequently, as they are needed infrequently. I have one hand signal I use with people that get too chatty with me underwater, it is universally understood.



Bob
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I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[Saldiac]

There is a website dedicated to hand signals while diving from which you can purchase a book or test your knowledge for free Scubasigns the guide to all scuba diving hand signals

I have that book, pretty cool. Very extensive range of signals for sea life you might encounter. Though it's true that the majority of people won't know all those signals.

 

[TSandM]

Good planning and discussion before getting in the water will really minimize the number of hand signals you have to use, and reviewing any unusual or uncommon ones before getting in the water will help a lot. I also find the biggest key to signals is to make them with almost exaggerated deliberation and emphasis -- the biggest mistake people make is to give forth a barrage of hand movements, none of which are understood by the recipient. But no hand signal works unless the meaning of it is shared . . . I did a dive a week or so ago with someone who was diving air. Before we got in the water, I told him he needed to keep me apprised of his no-deco status, since I dive 32% all the time, and really don't have a good visceral sense of what computers do with air. So, at a deep point in the dive, I gave him the "question, deco" signals -- unfortunately, he knew the meaning of neither, and was quite confused. (Me grabbing his console and looking at it solved the problem.)

I really disagree, though, about the "cold" signal. We use it all the time -- what it generally means is let's start back, but with no sense of urgency. In addition to changing the direction of the dive, it often changes the speed, as we move faster when people are cold. It'll also change strategy, because, for example, the photographer knows he really can't settle in for three minutes of pictures of a single animal, if his buddy has already said she's cold. It's a useful signal to convey a lot of changes in the dive.

 

[freewillie]

Good planning and discussion before you get in the water, but especially for instabuddy situations. Part of predive briefing is reviewing your hand signals to make sure no confusion under water during the dive. Takes only few seconds.

Part of the fun of regular dive buddies are the insider signals. When my daughter started diving we reviewed a host of signals for undersea creatures. I showed her the sign for lobster, making to fingers point like martian antennas on top of my head. My son who loves lobster thought is was funny, and we started making sign holding out one hand like a plate then motion like you are eating - our sign for "butter." On our last dive we saw a bunch of lobsters under a ledge. I made our "butter" sign, she almost spit her reg out laughing.

Some creative and unique hand signals are fun.

 

[BrotherBear]

Ya i'll try that next time I can't keep up with you .

Or just clip onto their BC and let them tow you...you KNOW who we're talking about.

 

[TMHeimer]

I always liked the "silent world" and find it relaxing. Incouraging visual noise will not make you my friend. I know basic signals but use them infrequently, as they are needed infrequently. I have one hand signal I use with people that get too chatty with me underwater, it is universally understood.



Bob
---------------------
I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

I guess that makes sense as I'm sure there are some who overdo it--though I haven't met any yet. "visual noise"......?

 

[Jax]

Seriously, you guys? :huh:

Have you heard of Google? This will come up: NACD Hand Signals for Scuba Diving - 5th Edition

This is what Doppler lists, below.

No need to reinvent the wheel. There are already a bunch of standard hand signals, you just need to learn them.

Book Review By Peter Buzzacott

Also, buy an underwater notebook and pencil.

 

[Jax]

I really disagree, though, about the "cold" signal. We use it all the time -- what it generally means is let's start back, but with no sense of urgency. In addition to changing the direction of the dive, it often changes the speed, as we move faster when people are cold. It'll also change strategy, because, for example, the photographer knows he really can't settle in for three minutes of pictures of a single animal, if his buddy has already said she's cold. It's a useful signal to convey a lot of changes in the dive.

Booo-Yaaahhhh!!!


For those of you that "don't know what to do when someone gives the cold signal" . . . :doh:

 

[lowviz]

Booo-Yaaahhhh!!!


For those of you that "don't know what to do when someone gives the cold signal" . . . :doh:

Baloney.

The proper response is highly dependent on the buddy in question. There needs to be an "understand" component to send/receive. If you don't know who you are dealing with, I suggest escalating the ambiguous "I'm Cold" signal. Thus my response to DumsterDiver's honest question.


"I'm Cold"

OK?

Is this a hard-a$$ on the verge of serious hypothermia trying to find an acceptable end to his/her misery, an ego challenged diver getting uncomfortable in 70 degree water, or is it your dive buddy-of-choice telling you his weighting or layering isn't optimal???

 

[Jax]

Baloney.

The proper response is highly dependent on the buddy in question. There needs to be an "understand" component to send/receive. If you don't know who you are dealing with, I suggest escalating the ambiguous "I'm Cold" signal. Thus my response to DumsterDiver's honest question.


"I'm Cold"

OK?

Is this a hard-a$$ on the verge of serious hypothermia trying to find an acceptable end to his/her misery, an ego challenged diver getting uncomfortable in 70 degree water, or is it your dive buddy-of-choice telling you his weighting or layering isn't optimal???

If my buddy has to go through all that, he's getting a thumb and a universal response, and I am outta there!