Do you always dive with a Whistle?

[ChrisEdwards]

My BC came with a flat whistle, it was totally useless, on dry land, my Son could barely hear it 50 yards away, I was shouting to him, "Can you hear that", "No, was his reply!".

We both dive with a Storm whistle and Dive Alert. The Storm whistle is much louder and the Dive Alert is ear piecing.

We did a drift night dive at the weekend, I think we were the first up. We bobbed on the surface, Sausage deployed and being lit by our dive lights. We could see the boat, about 200 yards away. We watched it for about 3 minutes, it didn't appear that any divers were getting on, a quick two presses on the Dive Alert and I saw the captain take the controls and come right over to us.

 

[PerroneFord]

I don't dive with a whistle unless there is a boat around. They aren't much use at the local springs or in the caves. Take what you need for the job at hand.

 

[p1medicshawn]

I use the Fox 40 and attach it to the right shoulder D ring. I agree that the less mechanical parts the better in this case.

 

[Doc]

Great advice above- always carry one... and good reasons given as to why- but from people who have never really seen a whistle being used in a life threatening situation.

Don't worry, you're unlikely to follow this advice, most people do not unless they are ordered to do so. It's a military protocol:

Attach the whistle to a necklace loop of 1/8" bungee cord, maybe a 20" loop. It will be the last thing that is coming off of you when the S.H.T.F.

You will have it to the last. In many true life and death in-the-water situations, the BC can wind up being ditched- purposefuly or accidentaly. Say bye-bye to your meticulously attached whistle.

A step further? Wanna be a real life "rescue swimmer"? Run a short lanyard from your mask strap with a snap hook. Attach that to the lanyard as well. Same for your safe second octopus... right in the triangle.

Most casual recreational divers will not do this, but they will carry a Spare Air.

The conclusion? Having the device doesn't mean that it is stowed properly, deployable, or that the operator understands how to use it. Prime example? The safety sausage- few have a clue how to deploy from 20fsw and not chase it skyward.

Surface Rescue Skills are many and varied, visual and audible. Simple things like waving a flipper in the sky, complex issues such as mental preparation and pre-visualization of having to spend a night adrift. Been there, done that.

There's more to it than buying a horn powered by a tank that is out of air.

 

[wallacm]

I have the Zeagle whistle that came with my Ranger, I dive with it every time I'm in OW, I also dive with a bright orange Lift Bag. (for as much as i dive in OW works fine, least til I get left behind)

 

[scubaaaronh]

Attach the whistle to a necklace loop of 1/8" bungee cord, maybe a 20" loop. It will be the last thing that is coming off of you when the S.H.T.F.

QUOTE]

That is a great idea my wife and my whistles are attached to the inflator hose. Never thought of ditching the bc and loosing the whistle. Now i just need to find a place that sells thin diameter bungy material by the foot.

 

[ClayJar]

I also need to pick up some bungee to do the Storm-on-a-necklace thing. (I'd already noted that the whistle wasn't in a prime location, but the ditching question sealed it.)

One small question I had was whether anyone has used their Storm whistle as an underwater signalling device. They're made to be usable underwater, after all, but I was wondering how audible they were. (I do not think I am likely to find a need to use mine underwater, but the fact that it can be used there is a positive.)

 

[REII]

I carry a whistle everytime I dive. It is attached to my BCD.

I think I hear about more need to know (and where to get) stuff here on the forum that I did in my diver cert classes.

TOM

 

[theatis]

Storm whistle stored in thigh pocket

 

[ChrisEdwards]

West Marine or Boats R Us boating stores or http://www.mcmaster.com/ and either do a search on bungee or go to catalog page 1402. I buy all sorts of hardware from them, shipping is very reasonable.