Almost Stranded

[Bubbledup]

I had the same thoughts. I'm looking forward to a response.

Getting close to 60, I am no longer the "youngster" and want to make sure all is taken care of before I get in. If in doubt - I will always call the dive. I even called a night dive about 6 years ago in the warm clear Red Sea waters because they were changing me to an unknown (to me) guide. They appreciated my concerns and the DM/guide I had been with all day decided to go along and we had a beautiful night dive. She is still my friend to this day and we dive as buddies when I return.

I've done a fair amount of solo diving, so it doesn't bother me to be in the water alone. It would not have helped to have someone with me, except that two lights are better than one.

 

[InTheDrink]

A memo regarding signal mirrors. I read a post by a rescue helicopter pilot that rated the mirror as the single best signal device to have on hand. It is the easiest to spot from distance assuming a clear sky. Don't know where you heard disparging remarks about the mirror but for my money I'm betting on a pilot with several rescues to his credit.

Yeah, I'm curious about the source of that as well. For my money a whistle aint worth dixie but a mirror is very powerful.

I carry lights, mirror, SMB and EPIRB. The EPIRB is a FindFast and IIRC is tracked by satellite and when invoked will alert the people that are monitoring this signal 24/7/365. So mightn't get you tracked by your boat, but some rescue service will get your coordinates and you'll be found. At some point. I presume they could also advise any boats in the area of your co-ordinates and arrange pickup that way. Maybe - really just speculating here. In any case - I carry one for the day I start drifting into oblivion and where it's the only device likely to get me out in one piece.

Edit: I also carry a reef hook but it's important to make sure you can release yourself from it if need be. I read a horrible article about a girl that couldn't unhook herself cos of strength of current and died. I can't remember the source but think I read about it here on SB.


J

 

[BoltSnap]

I carry lights, mirror, SMB and EPIRB.

Do you carry an EPIRB with you U/W? If so, which one?

 

[drdaddy]

Do you carry an EPIRB with you U/W? If so, which one?

I would like a waterproof EPIRB, but ACR doesn't make one (only 10 meters deep) - so you have to get a container and I don't want to carry a big thing. Nautilus Lifeline is actually waterproof to 425 feet, but a marine radio and a lame signal to others' marine radios is not enough. Don't want to get too off subject.

 

[drdaddy]

That's another good question. The dinghy was only about 8 feet long, and it was crowded and uncomfortable. I was eager to get into the water, and I didn't expect a current as strong as that. We had a dive guide, but we were in a new area, and I don't think he knew any more than I did about that location. Anyway, on looking back I'm glad I was alone because I only had to worry about myself. For all I know, another diver might have panicked, and the panic might have been contagious.

If I had it to do over again, the only thing I would do differently is hang onto that piece of dead coral until my arms dropped off =).

I don't want to sound too critical, but to say (tongue in cheek, I hope), "If I had it to do over again, the only thing I would do differently is hang onto that piece of dead coral until my arms dropped off" is not very hopeful about what you learned.

I would say the mistake here was being too anxious in getting in the water. Many of us have had hundreds of solo dives and part of the experience/training is not to solo in unfamiliar areas, and certainly not to be anxious to jump off the boat alone.

This section of SB is called "Near Misses and Lessons Learned" and is a place that others would learn from our mistakes. I'm glad you're OK - but next time give some more thought and think about calling the dive. I think this is the "learned message" that we would want to go out to others in this situation.

I hasten to add that I am not a "know it all" but I have had my "learning experiences" as well - and I really appreciate your candidness in sharing this - we all want to learn.

 

[drdaddy]

I would like a waterproof EPIRB, but ACR* (are you listening ACR) doesn't make one (only 10 meters deep) - so you have to get a container and I don't want to carry a big thing. Nautilus Lifeline is actually waterproof to 425 feet, but a marine radio and a lame signal to others' marine radios is not enough. Don't want to get too off subject.

I always carry a light Dan sausage/reel, mirror, whistle, and "waterproof" (I hope) flares.

*ACR makes the best EPIRBs and even some marginally waterproof personal beacons. I carry a large ERIRB on my offshore sport fishing boat and ACR is the brand that most commercial fisherman carry in our area - Oregon Coast. I would love a waterproof Personal Beacon and Marine Radio or at least a truly waterproof AquaLink.

 

[Charlie99]

That's another good question. The dinghy was only about 8 feet long, and it was crowded and uncomfortable. I was eager to get into the water, and I didn't expect a current as strong as that. ...........


If I had it to do over again, the only thing I would do differently is hang onto that piece of dead coral until my arms dropped off =).

Hindsight also points towards the use of a tag line for marshaling up the group before descending. Of course, it probably wasn't a procedure that dive op used, and the dinghy probably didn't have the line for doing that, but that's never stopped Monday morning quarterbacking before.

 

[InTheDrink]

Do you carry an EPIRB with you U/W? If so, which one?

FindFast 210 PLB in a WP container, so this -

Quality Diving Equipment by Custom Divers - Fast Find 210 PLB

and that

Quality Diving Equipment by Custom Divers - Canisters

It even tells you how it all hangs together. Must read up on that myself one of these days

J

 

[Doc Harry]

A memo regarding signal mirrors. I read a post by a rescue helicopter pilot that rated the mirror as the single best signal device to have on hand. It is the easiest to spot from distance assuming a clear sky. Don't know where you heard disparging remarks about the mirror but for my money I'm betting on a pilot with several rescues to his credit. I ALWAYS have 2 lights, mirror smb, airhorn and whistle. The fresh water sounds paranoid to me LOL , like I have room to talk.

I flew jets in the Navy and spent a lot of time at sea. I've done my share of searching. I concur with the outstanding utility of signal mirrors. It can be very difficult to find someone out at sea. On a sunny day, you can see a signal mirror from miles and miles and miles away. A signal mirror is an essential element of my emergency signal kit.

Sea dye is also very useful to help aircraft see you.

I carry the McMurdo Fast Find Plus, which transmits GPS location data in addition to the distress beacon. I carry the beacon in a waterproof container that slides onto my right waist band (next to the can light). When you trigger your beacon, the NOAA satellites will pick up your beacon, registration code, and GPS location. NOAA will then forward the information to local rescue authorities. If the local unit can track your beacon's frequency, they can home in on it. Otherwise, they'll just use your GPS location. Once rescuers are in your general area, you'll still need some sort of signal equipment to get their attention (signal mirror, sea dye, SMB, strobe, etc.). If you read the fine print, you are supposed to use these beacons only in the USA and US territorial waters. The utility of these beacons in other countries is not clear, given the time lag in relaying information from NOAA to foreign governments. I'll take my chances.

At the time that I purchased the McMurdo Fast Find Plus, it was the only one available.

 

[Shasta_man]

Easy to get carried away there in Indo. Last dives in Komodo was a dusk to dark dive offshore of a black sand beach. Due to sudden change in dive time, forgot my extra dive light but had two large video lights. On descending, I realized it was like ink and barely made out diver descending with me a few feet away. Just as I was focusing on what looked like the bottom at 30 ft, I ran into it. The curtain raised enough on the bottom to make out the tanks of others. After swimming around with them, I was last videoing the cuttlefish, then looked up in the direction I thought they went and nothing. Swam in a circle, staying over the sandy bottom and away from the reef and any overheads I couldn't see. Just then, video light #2 stopped working. Must surface, but between was no mans land where I couldn't see a bus drive by 5 feet away. Waiting at my safety stop not knowing whether I was moving or standing still, and "who" was swimming by. Watched video light #2 flood while waiting. Up to the surface and luckily hadn't drifted much and they came and got me. Had the mirror, horn, SMB, etc but no water.