Underwater Communication

[swimlikethefish]

I had a buddy this weekend that was deaf. It got me thinking, we use a rudimentary form of sign language in diving. But how many divers have a more advanced knowledge of sign language? Do you use it for formal underwater communication with your buddies?

If I need to have a longer discussion outside of the basics I use a slate. It would be way easier to have the conversation in sign. What is your mileage, experience with it?

 

[Jonny Wishbone]

I use a slate but on the back of mine there is numerous pre printed questions and statements that i can just point to. There is some blank spaces my buddy can just fill in answers and/or point back to another question or statement. This along with some hand gestures works pretty good.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Suggest the following article of long ago

~~ www.internationallegendsofdiving.com/Articles/miller_051407.htm ~~

Underwater Signaling system was developed in 1954 in a pool in North Long Beach California by a club called the Sea Sabres lead by Bob Retherford

SDM

 

[caydiver]

Never had a problem communicating with a buddy or other divers in the water using basic hand signals we learned when certifying and adding to the list over the years. Definitely understand an instructor using a slate but for recreational diving never found any more than the basic necessary. Besides okay, up, boat, swim, air, look, etc, what else would you need?

 

[Sam Miller III]

@caydiver
Expand your basic knowledge of UW signaling
read

Sea Sabres Signaling System by Dr. Sam Miller - History of SCUBA Diving

sdm

 

[TMHeimer]

I usually dive solo, but when with a buddy we use the very basic signals. I haven't used a slate, but think it's a great idea. When assisting on courses I saw that instructors varied a lot with the signals for how much air you have left. Somewhat frustrating.

 

[Sam Miller III]

@TMHeimer
"…..We use very basic signals …."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Good for you Tommy !

erhaps you also would benefit from a little history of diving

~~ Sea Sabres Signaling System by Dr. Sam Miller - History of SCUBA Diving ~~~

SDM

 

[TMHeimer]

@TMHeimer
"…..We use very basic signals …."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Good for you Tommy !

erhaps you also would benefit from a little history of diving

~~ Sea Sabres Signaling System by Dr. Sam Miller - History of SCUBA Diving ~~~

SDM

Very interesting. So that's where the "standard" signals like "OK" came from.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

My ex and I learned the ASL alphabet so we could communicate underwater. With thick gloves, the first response was usually "What?"
We soon gave up on the idea and just enjoyed the dive.

 

[cleomagic]

My husband and I use some basic ASL underwater - we are now warm water wimps, so we dive with either thin or no gloves - definitely makes it easier. I have found when I diving with someone else, I had to go back to the basic hand signals because most people don't know sign language.

We can't be too verbose because both of us are underwater photographers, so signing and holding a camera with strobes is a challenge