Attention getter?

[David The Gnome]

I've been trying to think of a good way to get my buddy's attention underwater without catching his eye or grabbing him somehow. My instructor can make a popping noise with his hands underwater at which I've had limited to no success in replicating. I was thinking, what if you used one of those little metal poppers they use to train dogs. They're pretty loud and I think it would be a strange enough sound underwater to get someone's attention. That's assuming, of course, that it makes sound underwater. I assume it will since the sound comes from the metal bending and not from the air. Think it would work?

What are some ways you use to get your buddy's attention?

 

[douglasville diver]

There's always the tank banger it's a hard plastic ball on a bunge cord that wraps around the tank, just pinch the ball pull outward and release or tap your dive knife handle on your tank either are metalic banging sounds that are sure to get your buddy's attention.

 

[El Orans]

HID Cannister lights work perfectly...

 

[venturediver]

Tank bangers are good. there is also a small cylinder with ball bearings in it that you shake. I can't remember the name of it though. What I usually do is make a fist with my left hand and slap the top of my fist with the palm of my right hand. Makes a pretty good sound.

 

[wylerbear]

I dove with a guy that made piggy noises. It was funny at first but the more he did it the more I came to appreciate it. I could always hear him and I always knew it was him when there were other divers around.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

Tell them if they're that inattentive, you're going to leave them on the next dive if they don't start paying attention to what is going on around them.

I can't really tell how many seconds it is, but we constantly reference our buddies. As El Orans says, it's even easier with lights if it's either dark enough or they're bright enough (The lights, not your buddy, we have determined that already).

Not referencing your buddy is a real peeve of mine. (Among many others so I have been told).

 

[DiveMaven]

Tank bangers are good. there is also a small cylinder with ball bearings in it that you shake. I can't remember the name of it though. What I usually do is make a fist with my left hand and slap the top of my fist with the palm of my right hand. Makes a pretty good sound.

The little clinder noisemaker I have is called an H2Yo. There are probably other brands, but this one makes a clinking noise that isn't too loud or annoying. I find that just tipping it back and forth 2-3x is enough to get my husband's attention when I see a cool critter for him to photograph.

 

[Brian1968]

And there's the SubDuck.
I don't own one personally (though I am seriously thinking about getting one), but I dive with a number of folks that do. The thing does what it is meant to do.
http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=SA1

 

[AquaHump]

And there's the SubDuck.
I don't own one personally (though I am seriously thinking about getting one), but I dive with a number of folks that do. The thing does what it is meant to do.
http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=SA1

www.dudasdiving.com

they have them there and they work well. Jim a guy in the shop who DM's a lot of large groups uses it and loves it.

 

[sasscuba]

I use the trident noise maker from scuba toys...http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=TridentShaker works real good.