Ascending to a lost boat - what should you do?

[Wookie]

What dive shop was it? I hope they made it right. Sargassum is some nasty stuff.

Next time stop and examine the sargassum. Lots of baby seahorses, sargassum frog fish, tons of juvenile fish, it really is a nursery for critters that are hard to spot on the reef. On the spree we would scoop up a bucket and play in it. Had to be careful though, it heats up very quickly.

 

[Guille G]

The thing about safety gear is that it may be overkill, except the one time you need it. I didn’t buy the Nautilus for 90% of the diving I do, I bought it for the 5-10% of the dives where either the situation or the conditions change significantly. The one time you need it, there will be no substitute. The longer you are in the water, the larger the search area has to become.

Yep, and it’s cheap insurance. Definitely better to have than not. I have the original one with talk capability. While it’s larger than the newer version, it is not in the was at all. It lives the right side shoulder strap on my BC. Never needed it, and intend to keep it that way, but I still bring it along on every saltwater dive.

Point taken, I would not argue with that.

You imply you are AOW. AOW now requires both a visual and an audible signaling device as part of the class.

I am, and the auditory signal is included in the equipment list on the OW manual too if I remember correctly (along with the snorkel). I just hadn't actually considered buying one until this instance - live and learn.

 

[kelemvor]

Sorry, that would be Playa del Carmen, Mexico - my bad. The DM did have a DSMB, typical bright orange tube. I did take away that I should probably buy and learn how to use one in case I got into that situation separated from the group.

I'm surprised the op let you dive without a PLB. Both times I've been to Cozumel it's been required that every diver have one. Fortunately, the boats always had a bucket of spares in case someone didn't bring one. I deployed my SMB on every dive in Mexico, and I'm not one of these hardcore safety guys - that just seemed to be the way it was done down there. Clearly PDC is a little different than Coz in this regard.

Using a SMB is simpler than many people think. There isn't a lot to it.

A PLB like mcmurdo fastfind (I think) is probably the best solution. Outside of that, consider a nautilus lifeline. Luckily for me, I've got a couple of the old units with the integrated marine transceiver. I

 

[tursiops]

Point taken, I would not argue with that.



I am, and the auditory signal is included in the equipment list on the OW manual too if I remember correctly (along with the snorkel). I just hadn't actually considered buying one until this instance - live and learn.

The DSMB use is now required in the OW class, and in some of the AOW dives. They are not expensive. Get one and carry it.

 

[SlugLife]

Context matters significantly. What you do in a lake-dive, would be different from an ocean open-water dive, or a dive with high current.

• A SMB/DSMB and whistle is a good idea, regardless of where you dive. The DSMB provides redundant buoyancy, and visibility. To use the DSMB as a life-jacked, place it under your arms, and clip the top to the bottom. The whistle is good for getting attention, perhaps to prevent a boat from running you over, or alert your dive-boat to actually look for your SMB, if they're not paying attention.
• For lake-dives
  • Usually I surface near the shore, and follow the shore-line.
  • Several times, I'll ask a nearby boat "have you seen a boat with a dive-flag" and 70% of the time they'll offer to let me board and bring me back to my boat.
  • I always do a casual-pace if I can't find the dive-boat. No reason to wear myself out or give myself cramps. It's usually hidden behind some other boat, so it's sometimes worthwhile to not travel in a straight line.
  • Something I should do, but usually don't, take a compass heading at the beginning of the dive.
  • Worst case, I could go to shore, ditch & tie-off my gear, and walk.
  • I don't do this, but I just had the idea it would be wise to carry ~$20 and a copy of my friend's phone number(s). That way I could get a ride, or have a nearby boat call my friends.
• I don't do ocean-dives yet, so take this with a grain of sea-salt.
  • There are GPS transmitter options, which will broadcast to boats within ~30 miles. These can be a little pricey though. If I did a lot of ocean-diving, it would probably be worthwhile.
  • Take a compass reading towards the nearest shore before a dive. Although I would normally recommend staying put if the shore is not nearby, as exertion will dehydrate you & make you hungry faster.
    
  • Definitely do the DSMB-life-jacket method if you can.
  • Dehydration might be the next biggest concern. I'm not sure how practical it would be to have a small water-filter in your dive-bag, perhaps vacuum-sealed to protect it.

 

[SlugLife]

The thing about safety gear is that it may be overkill, except the one time you need it. I didn’t buy the Nautilus for 90% of the diving I do, I bought it for the 5-10% of the dives where either the situation or the conditions change significantly. The one time you need it, there will be no substitute. The longer you are in the water, the larger the search area has to become.

Yep, and it’s cheap insurance. Definitely better to have than not. I have the original one with talk capability. While it’s larger than the newer version, it is not in the way at all. It lives the right side shoulder strap on my BC. Never needed it, and intend to keep it that way, but I still bring it along on every saltwater dive.

I also generally run my own boat, and have a fixed mount VHF, a handheld VHF (at least one), and an EPIRB in addition to all the required safety gear. I’d much rather all that go unused and be just “wasted” money. The alternative is much worse. Plenty of big news stories about missing boaters and divers without that gear. The news is just not interested in reporting about those that were prepared, as they are usually quickly rescued.

Around the same time as the football players disappeared in the gulf, I remember reading another story that ended differently. Similar circumstances, boat capsized and people in the water. They had an EPIRB or PLB. The response was incredible. IIRC, they were located within 20 minutes of the Signal being received.

That's how I look at my pony redundant-air. I've never been in a situation where I needed it, but compared to health-insurance (or dying) it's awfully inexpensive. Realistically, it's probably more like a 0.1% chance of needing it, which is still worth the investment.

For just 1-4 ocean dives I might skip the Nautilus, but 10+ I'd almost certainly get one.

The DSMB use is now required in the OW class, and in some of the AOW dives. They are not expensive. Get one and carry it.

They are inexpensive, and I always carry one (or more). However they were not required in my OW class 1.5 years ago, or AOW class 2 weeks ago (SSI, if that matters).

 

[divinh]

I've had two situations out of 200+ dives where the boat wasn't there when we surfaced...

Tiputa Pass, Rangiroa, French Polynesia - We started the dive outside the pass and rode the washing machine current into the lagoon. The exit into the lagoon has a small island in the center and we were ejected to the right, instead of the left, where the boat was watching for us. The guide waved her dSMB with no avail. Similar lack of response with a whistle. We could see the boat, as we knew where we were supposed to be, but they didn't see us. The guide switched to an air horn canister and that did the trick.

Komodo, Indonesia - We started the drift dive with the plan to go into a lagoon for pickup. The current on the corner to get into the lagoon was too strong, so we surfaced about 15 min ahead of schedule and in the wrong place. The guide waved his dSMB, others used their whistles, and I used my Dive Alert. None of these items worked. We could see the boat, but they seemed to be on a break, thinking we would surface later.

I had a Nautilus Lifeline on me, which the guide borrowed to call the boat. Unfortunately, it would turn off right after being turned on (power saving mode turns off voice radio to maintain charge for distress beacon). This was my fault, as I didn't make sure it was charged. I brought it along on every dive, but didn't charge it during the whole trip, thinking it would just keep charge til used. (It drains, slower when off, but I hadn't charged it for four weeks.) My lesson for the Nautilus Lifeline is to test with the boat when first boarding (for them to know I have one, and to make sure it works) and charging it every night or two.

Since there was current on the surface in Komodo, we lined up by holding onto the tank of the person in front of us.

When the boat finally came, the other dive teams that entered later than us, started popping up around us. They encountered the same current trying to get into the lagoon.

 

[SlugLife]

I've had two situations out of 200+ dives where the boat wasn't there when we surfaced...

Tiputa Pass, Rangiroa, French Polynesia - We started the dive outside the pass and rode the washing machine current into the lagoon. The exit into the lagoon has a small island in the center and we were ejected to the right, instead of the left, where the boat was watching for us. The guide waved her dSMB with no avail. Similar lack of response with a whistle. We could see the boat, as we knew where we were supposed to be, but they didn't see us. The guide switched to an air horn canister and that did the trick.

Komodo, Indonesia - We started the drift dive with the plan to go into a lagoon for pickup. The current on the corner to get into the lagoon was too strong, so we surfaced about 15 min ahead of schedule and in the wrong place. The guide waved his dSMB, others used their whistles, and I used my Dive Alert. None of these items worked. We could see the boat, but they seemed to be on a break, thinking we would surface later.

I had a Nautilus Lifeline on me, which the guide borrowed to call the boat. Unfortunately, it would turn off right after being turned on (power saving mode turns off voice radio to maintain charge for distress beacon). This was my fault, as I didn't make sure it was charged. I brought it along on every dive, but didn't charge it during the whole trip, thinking it would just keep charge til used. (It drains, slower when off, but I hadn't charged it for four weeks.) My lesson for the Nautilus Lifeline is to test with the boat when first boarding (for them to know I have one, and to make sure it works) and charging it every night or two.

Since there was current on the surface in Komodo, we lined up by holding onto the tank of the person in front of us.

When the boat finally came, the other dive teams that entered later than us, started popping up around us. They encountered the same current trying to get into the lagoon.

Does the Nautilus Lifeline take replaceable batteries? Just thinking in terms of redundancy, an extra battery in an air-tight bag might provide redundancy.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

Next time stop and examine the sargassum. Lots of baby seahorses, sargassum frog fish, tons of juvenile fish, it really is a nursery for critters that are hard to spot on the reef. On the spree we would scoop up a bucket and play in it. Had to be careful though, it heats up very quickly.

Only because you suggested it. I was thinking of the rotting stuff we ran into in Belize several years ago. Smelled like a sewage treatment plant. Covered the beach and went 20-30 yards out into the water. Seems like an annual occurrence in Playa too. If I had to wade and walk through that I’d be less than happy. Wife would be blowing chunks.

there have been studies about converting it to cattle feed. If I could get the cows to Cozumel, I’d be there now. Southwest has some stupid rule about “no cattle in the main cabin”. Apparently I can’t have 80 therapy animals either….

stupid rules! Still working on a work around…

y'all have e a good day!
Jay

 

[boulderjohn]

The sargassum ruining Caribbean beaches is a relatively new phenomenon. It apparently did not exist a decade ago. The stray sargassum of ages past came from an area in the Atlantic called the Sargasso Sea, but this new environmental disaster has a different origin and a different composition. It is believed to be fueled by pollutants, especially fertilizers, coming out of the Amazon.

Brown tide of sargassum threatens Caribbean tourist beaches