Do we need more hand signals?

[lowviz]

-If I EVER found myself in water that would allow both of us to enter, I would understand your "I'm cold" to mean "Thumb".

"Thumb" really does mean "Thumb" to me. If you need it, say it. Maybe I'll find out what the particulars are on the surface, maybe not -"Thumb" is that holy.

"I'm cold" is far too open to interpretation unless I dive with you a lot.

Say what you mean.

 

[Thalassamania]

Sure: reason.

 

[Splitlip]

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.

You're number one?

 

[lowviz]

Sure: reason.

Totally grinding my gears, here.

Best I can deduce is, quoting you,: If we don't, don't worry about it. It's a hand signal you'll never need.

-your move.

 

[rmh84]

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 want to dive with you...

My sisters and I have it pretty worked out after a week diving in Bonaire - because we're all under 30 and insinctively use thumbs up for "awesome" we pretty much point in the directing we want to do (including up) with an index finger.

Next trip with them I'm banning the use of tank bangers unless we're currently under attack by space aliens or something. Not good when you've learned to tune out the tank banger because it has come to mean "I just found the 10-millionth baby moray eel"....

 

[TSandM]

I agree that "I'm cold" is ambiguous -- I mean, once you've seen it, you know your buddy is cold and probably at least a little uncomfortable. I sometimes follow that signal with "question, expedited exit?", to find out if the person just wants to swim a little more, or cut the planned dive time a little shorter, or head home NOW. If they reply with "just head in the direction of home," I still know not to overdawdle.

 

[lowviz]

I agree that "I'm cold" is ambiguous...//....

Agreed.

I see the root of the problem as this: dive signals don't have any clear distinction between transmitting a "state" or a "command".

Faked-up solution for this discussion:

Index finger to head means: No immediate action necessary, but you should know that I'm__________". Buddy first responds with his/her finger to head meaning "I understand that you are sending an idea, not a command". Follow this with with the "idea" signal and look for the thumb-forefinger "OK". Information transferred: -I now know that you are cold, nothing more.

Anything that begins with anything other than the "finger-to-head" signal means I need you to physically change something that you are doing.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

finger to head indicates an ear problem; at least to me...

 

[Splitlip]

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.

For our drift/boat diving here, the cold signal does not mean much as our dives are usually limited by time, not how much bottom is covered. I have seen instructors use it with students, as a student may not have the initiative to thumb a dive.

If my buddies and I exchange the cold signal, it might be followed with chuckling, but usually followed by a thumb.

 

[lowviz]

finger to head indicates an ear problem; at least to me...

Yeah, I know.

...//....I see the root of the problem as this: dive signals don't have any clear distinction between transmitting a "state" or a "command". ...//.....

That's my story and I'm sticking to it...