Dive Light communication?

[Ben_Ayers]

Does anyone know of an online source for basic dive light communications. For example, is there a way to communicate "okay" using just your dive light?

Thanks,
Ben

 

[mwilding]

making a circle with your light signals OK. That's as far as my light signaling knowledge goes..

 

[Jeremy K Williford]

Most tek/cave manuals will have light signals. Search in cave diving , national speleological society, iantd, or other tek searches you should be able to find some manuals. The way to say ok with a light is to make a circle on the floor or wall and your buddy is supposed to do the same.

 

[RJP]

making a circle with your light signals OK. That's as far as my light signaling knowledge goes..

Making a circle with your light where someone can see it and respond signals OK.

It's more about making the circle where it can be easily seen - on the bottom, a wall, side of a cave, etc - without the other diver needing to turn to either see the signal or respond to it.

There's THREE main light signals:

OK: You make a circle on the bottom, out in front of me, or elsewhere in my line of sight, to signal OK. I respond by making a circle in the same spot to signal OK back. THIS SIGNAL ALWAYS REQUIRES A RESPONSE.

EMERGENCY: Rapid, continuous back-and-forth or up-and-down motion. This action implies that there is an out of gas or other emergency situation that requires immediate, urgent attention of the other members of the dive/buddy team. THIS SIGNAL ALWAYS REQUIRES A RESPONSE.

ATTENTION: Slow, continuous back-and-forth or up-and-down motion. This action requires that you give the signaling diver your attention. The ATTENTION signal does not indicate an emergency, merely the need to gain the other diver's attention. THIS SIGNAL ALWAYS REQUIRES A RESPONSE.

The ATTENTION signal is typically followed by additional hand signals - illuminated with your dive light if necessary - to effectively communicate.

Remember, when using your light to signal, not to BLIND your buddy when attempting to signal them!

 

[spectrum]

RJP described the 3 we work with. After that illuminate your hands and use conventional signals.

Essentially the the O for OK and think of the other 2 for head nods. Side to side manining no, negative something not good is going down, help. Where up and down usually indicates you have spotted something cool, com and see.

The O can be very easily exchanges as you go just by panning your beam down ahead of your buddy and watching for an echo.

Pete

 

[Charlie99]

And while not an "official" signal, a commonly used signalling sequence is

Flick across your buddies light beam once or twice, then gradually move it off to an object that you want to show him. Do it a second time if his beam doesn't follow yours.

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Just as you can often tell how your buddy is doing by looking at his breathing pattern during the day, you can also tell a lot about your buddy by what his light is doing. If his beam is searching back and forth at a reasonable rate, pausing now and then to check something out, then he is most likely doing ok. High speed erratic movements is usually a sign of nervousness, or not being comfortable with night diving. Pointing off to nothing into mid-water can be a sign of a diver being distracted by something, like an equipment problem (or he's checking out tiny little stuff in front of his face).

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Well, I'm glad I read this, I thought circling around an "object" like an eel within its hole was a signal to come look what I found. I had no idea (or I forgot my training) it meant OK. To signal OK, I bring my light to my hand and hand signal OK.

I just did two night dives where divers were going crazy with their lights. I couldn't see anything with all those beams of light flashing and flickering in my face. I don't think I'll ever go on a night dive with so many people again, it really wasn't all that fun.

Thanks for the education! I knew the other two, but now know all three!

 

[Guba]

Below is a website I've used to refresh on underwater signals. It has a section specifically for night/light communication. All of the signals are in video form, and I think they are pretty comprehensive.

Scuba Diving Communications, Underwater Hand Signals - Dayo Scuba, Orlando, Florida

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Well, I'm glad I read this, I thought circling around an "object" like an eel within its hole was a signal to come look what I found. I had no idea (or I forgot my training) it meant OK. To signal OK, I bring my light to my hand and hand signal OK.

What I do to point out something is to signal slow back and forth (look at me), then do multiple circles around the object (look inside the circle).

Also, a quick flick of the beam in a particular direction means "go that way".

I just did two night dives where divers were going crazy with their lights. I couldn't see anything with all those beams of light flashing and flickering in my face. I don't think I'll ever go on a night dive with so many people again, it really wasn't all that fun.

Using your light properly requires a little bit of discipline. A lot of divers tend to wave their lights around because they're used to hand sculling when they dive, and when they're carrying a light, hand sculling is going to send the beam in all sorts of crazy directions. You need decent basic form, enough to not feel the need to use your hands for propulsion.

Also, a great way to keep track of your buddy is for each of you to periodically shine your light on a surface that's within your buddy's field of view ... if they can see your light they know you're there without turning around all the time to see you. It's called "passive communication" and is very useful on limited vis dives for maintaining contact with each other.

Also remember that if you have to use a hand signal, the proper method is to use the slow back and forth to get your buddy's attention, then hold the light out away from you and point it back toward your body, so that it shines on your hand from the direction of your buddy's viewpoint. If you shine the light away from you, rather than toward you, then all your buddy's going to see is your beam ... and maybe a little bit of silhouette of your hand but not usually enough to make out what you're trying to signal.

And people who use headlamps are just evil to dive with ... they can see just fine, but every time they look at you they're gonna blind you. I'm not normally a person who gets hung up on my dive buddy's configuration, as long as it's reasonably safe and appropriate for the dive we're doing ... but I draw the line at headlamps. If you want to wear one, enjoy the dive with somebody else.

Thanks for the education! I knew the other two, but now know all three!

The important thing with light signals is to make sure that not only do you all use the same signals, and that everybody understands what they mean. Keeping it down to a few basic signals makes that easier.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)