Diver missing today? 03/28/12

[suprane]

"Does anyone carry sea dye?"

I've been thinking that might be another good thing to carry but I don't ever remember seeing it in stores. I don't imagine that it's that expensive when compared to how much better you'd be seen from the air or the upper area of a ship.

Here you go! scubatoys.com Located right here in Texas, they will be happy to set you right up for less than $10 (well, add shipping to that!). And in a canister rated to 330 ft!... Now that was easy!

OMS_Dye_Marker

 

[suprane]

robin, during my 02/06 Coz trip (a few months after hurricane Wilma) my group ended up doing some dives under 'white out' conditions, I LITERALLY held my dive buddy's arm to avoid losing her amid the insane sandstorms we encountered, sand was smothering the reefs and blowing about like snow drifts, we aborted some dives because the vis was 2 - 3 ft !

This happened to us also in 2002 during Hurricane Isidore! It had been predicted to go well east of Coz, but no sooner than we had landed on the island it turned west. We ended up stuck on the island for nearly a week with all air and boat traffic in or out suspended! At one point during a lull in the storm we decided to get in a dive while we thought we could. No sooner than we had rolled off of the boat conditions went totally to crap. I had told the lady I was with (on her first ocean dives!) not to EVER get more than arms link from me and to burn the image of our DM in her mind and not to let him out of her sight! I figure if the stuff really hits the fan the boat crew are more likely to try and rescue their DM/friend than me! So if I am glued to him that increases my survival odds!

Sure enough, it turned to "white-out" with near zero vis very quickly! Divers were scattered all over the place and the DM was banging his tank like mad! We all got back up and on the boat safely, but only after some very scary moments.

 

[Ron Lee]

Does anyone know if that dye marker can be taken on planes in a carry-on and does it stain once opened?

 

[suprane]

Does anyone know if that dye marker can be taken on planes in a carry-on and does it stain once opened?

"Yes" to the first question! It is a benign powder. Pack it in with your dive gear (in your check in luggage). And I don't know on the second. I never saw fit to open one and potentially waste it to find out. My guess is though that it probably does!.... But consider what your situation is in the event you need to use it! That will probably be the least of your concerns.

 

[flots am]

Of course maybe I am spoiled? Anyone else think their Coz DM is just a tour guide?

Yes, but only because enough of them they have proven themselves incompetent (or burned out, overloaded or whatever) that they've created a number of close calls and potentially bad situations for me and my buddy.

If you go by the marketing, they're there to "keep you safe". If you go by reality, you had better be capable of covering your own butt.

flots.

 

[AggieDiver]

As I said on another thread, the DM's prime responsibility is to the group, not the individual diver. The heirarchy of responsibility for an individual diver is self>buddy>DM. So yes, reality is you should cover your own tail or have a buddy prepared to help you. The DM is not a lifeguard.

 

[bleeb]

Does anyone here have experience with deploying dye packs in something like a real situation? I never have, but was under the impression that they're mainly visible to aircraft (not boats), and also that they disperse fairly quickly (minutes, if it's choppy or there's a lot of turbulence). Wondering how true this is.

Some may also be interested in the extensive discussion about the effectiveness of different signalling devices: Best signalling equipment from the searchers point of view

 

[cicopo]

I just tried to order 4 of them shipped to CANADA. $40 for product, $41 for shipping & I'd get hit with over $40 in brokering fees. IF I can find someone who ships by USPS (not always easy to do) I may order some. Otherwise I'll watch for it in stores here or try to order it from 1. (I'd likely only order 2 but it was just to see how they ship).

THE INFO I've read states they did send a heli out for the search so a dye pack would have been very useful.

 

[Brules]

No really, is this the place to keep discussing silly stuff? Use the A&I thread or, hey lets make a NEW thread to discuss this stuff (would be a great idea). Lets keep this on topic of this poor families dire situation......I would have lost my mind having all this stupid stuff discussed while my mother is possibly lost or dead.

Keep it classy Scuba Board....


Any new updates? Are they still searching?

 

[Ron Lee]

Suprane, I travel with CARRY-ON only....no checked luggage. I am curious if this is considered bad by TSA folks with carry-on luggage. No point in buying any if they will be confiscated. I suppose I will have to go to the local airport and ask.