Glowsticks on night dives

[engdiver]

Another way to attach glow sticks to your tank instead of using plastic zip ties is to use a wire clip. I have a smaller clip ring used for shower curtains that attaches the sticks nicely to my reg. It makes it easier to change out the sticks each time without needing a knife.

 

[soamelt]

Enviromental issues aside, I find some kind of tank light to be very useful at night. My buddies and I are usually spread out hunting and I can't tell you how many times I was able to spot them from their glowing backside while not being able to see their primary light for whatever reason (pointed down, off, other side of ledge or rocks, etc.).

 

[tomboyy]

I used a red Glo-Tube once cause my wife bought it and paid 30 something dollars for it... I figured i'd have to try it once.

The real purpose of them though, is to impress the newbies Apparently that red light was very cool underwater.

 

[sabbath999]

OK, I 've seen both in Hawai'i. Some companies require them and some don't for the blackwater dives. I didn't see any of them on the Manta dives but you really, positively couldn't get lost on that dive... you just couldn't (think Times Square).

Around here, they are not required. We use the little glow lights because I think they look kind of cool and vis is generally 10 feet or so... but those big honking main lights we use blow through the water pretty good so you don't need the little glows at all.

I have one chemical stick that I carry with my in my SMB... I use the DAN SMB and the stick came with it.

 

[BDSC]

I never used a glow stick or one of the battery operated equivalent lights but when my wife got certified she really wanted to wear one so I bought her one that used batteries and was a stobe version. So we go on a night dive, (somewhere in the caribbean but don't remember where), and the dive operator tells us we can't use it because of the strobe/flashing feature.

This particular operation hangs a strobe off the anchor line at night and they didn't want other divers to mistake one of the strobe lights on a diver for the one off the anchor line. I guess I can see there point......sort of.

Of course we were very lucky because they had a glow stick they could sell us right there on the boat. Imagine that.

 

[sabbath999]

Of course we were very lucky because they had a glow stick they could sell us right there on the boat. Imagine that.

Shocking!

 

[The Chairman]

Shocking!

Yeah, but the boats that sold them seemed to be within reason. $1.50 to $2.50 is all I have seen them sold for. I do believe that safety was their major impetus here. I don't agree with them on this, but I don't think they were trying to line their coffers needlessly either.

 

[diver 85]

What exactly is the point of them?

Think about that question for a few more moments & I bet you can come up with a couple of 'points'.....

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

Think about that question for a few more moments & I bet you can come up with a couple of 'points'.....

And like most of us he should think they are bogus.

 

[SubMariner]

Places like Bonaire do not allow chemical light sticks for obvious disposal reasons. However, we both have battery operated glow sticks that we usually bring along on trips. They are useful in IDing your buddy, especially if you are separated. Also useful for your on-shore people to keep an eye on you. (Yes, things CAN get crowded at night in some places.)

OTOH, strobes are NOT useful for divers unless they're put on down lines or other similar entry/exit. They are simply too bright/distracting for personal use.

Whether you want to use them is purely personal preference. Ignore the snide remarks from the fish gallery about them.