Dive flag / bouy and where to keep it

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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts...
-Shakespeare, As you Like it, Act II, Scene VII

Thee first line had me hoping for RUSH lyrics (Limelight)...

All the world's indeed a stage
And we are merely players
Performers and portrayers
Each another's audience
Outside the gilded cage
 
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Surface Marker Buoy / Delayed Surface Marker Buoy

DSMB is deployed from depth. SMB is deployed once one is on the surface

DSMB with over pressure valve (OPV) - as the air expands as the device rises in the water column air will auto-vent through the OPV.
View attachment 620554


DSMB with open bottom - the expanding air vents out the open bottom. tension must be kept on the line attached to this so that it stays upright at the surface or it will have tendency to tip over and deflate.
View attachment 620555


SMB - this is deployed at the surface as there is no way for air to escape as it expands while the device rises through the water column):
View attachment 620556

More info:
Surface marker buoy - Wikipedia

-Z
Gotcha. I've got one for boat dives but I hadn't heard of them being used like a flag. Just to let the charter know you are waiting for pick up.
 
Mate, I recommend you NOT clip off a line from the surface to you (your kit). The reward (avoiding an annoyance) is completely overshadowed by the risk (getting dragged or involuntarily entangled with something you can’t reach or control).

And if you’re getting snarled in line, that’s something you need to train past, especially in OW diving where you have relatively good-to-excellent visibility and mobility. For me, it’s easier to move my body around a lightly tensioned line while in good flat trim than it is to move the line around my body. I switch hands a lot to give one a rest and even just let go of my reel if I have to fiddle with a gas switch, etc (but that requires good buoyancy control to not get separated from your reel/spool).

Sounds like you could use some face-to-face coaching. The internet’s a good start for general orientation but consider heading to a high quality LDS to ask how the cool kids do it.
I learned that the hard way. The problem was not not being able to see line. The problem was them intentionally tossing line at our equipment. The 2nd time they got me and other divers they actually attached 2 fishing hooks together and used them almost like a chain to pull it in.

I am fairly new to shore dives. Generally I dive charters so I don't need to carry the flag. It is definitely something that I need more practice with though.
 
Gotcha. I've got one for boat dives but I hadn't heard of them being used like a flag. Just to let the charter know you are waiting for pick up.

Folding Flag is a folding flag (see my post and link). If you don't have a flag a DSMB makes a good substitute. Ideally, with a DSMB the boat will know where you are anyway.
I might not dive with a flag occasionally, I always dive with two SMB's.

Many UK skippers won't let you dive if your not carrying a DSMB. They prefer each diver has their own, rather than one between a buddy pair.

Skippers really hate losing divers, it doesn't do a lot for my piece of mind either.
 
Gotcha. I've got one for boat dives but I hadn't heard of them being used like a flag. Just to let the charter know you are waiting for pick up.

In post #10 you mentioned you were not familiar with the terms SMB and DSMB. I wasn't implying one should be used as a dive flag, but it is not uncommon for one to use one as such when doing a drift dive.

They are commonly used for just what you mentioned, to let the boat know where you are so they can come pick you up. The DSMB is typically deployed from or below safety stop depth in hopes that boat traffic will see it and stay clear while the diver(s) ascend under/around it.

I carry one as part of my standard kit. Launching a DSMB is a perishable skill and should be practiced often.

-Z
 
Ok I have to show off a little.
Got this couple of weeks ago. Is a bit bigger that the one we carried but Amazon got me.
IMG_20201003_180412056.jpg
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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