Rainer:
Rainer- I completely agree. This happened about a week into my diving career and I didn't even know they existed at the time. I bought my gear when I got home and I have had a safety suasage and whistle clipped to my bp/w even since
How Long Have You Waited on The Surface?
- Thread starter Cacia
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Rainer- I completely agree. This happened about a week into my diving career and I didn't even know they existed at the time. I bought my gear when I got home and I have had a safety suasage and whistle clipped to my bp/w even since
Rainer
Contributor
battles2a5:Rainer- I completely agree. This happened about a week into my diving career and I didn't even know they existed at the time. I bought my gear when I got home and I have had a safety suasage and whistle clipped to my bp/w even since
Ditto. I always have an SMB on my BP. Spool and whistle in the pocket.
c.
Rainer:
Yes, so true indeed, Rainer. On my first liveaboard (Blackbeards, circa 2000), my buddy and I drifted (on a drift dive in the northern Bahamas) for about 20 mins before they came for us in a boat made of styrofoam, as I recall. My air horn was useless because they were running compressors to fill the dive tanks and couldn't hear it, and we didn't have SMBs (I didn't know what SMBs were then). There were 2 ft waves at that time, which made it more stressful for me as a new diver. Fortunately my dive buddy cracked some jokes and helped me relax somewhat. First thing I did after the trip was to get a SMB (I have several now).
Having a funny diver buddy when you're adrift is certainly a plus. Under challenging surface conditions an experienced one who has a huge SMB (and is funny as well) - priceless.
Dive safely.
The Kraken
He Who Glows in the Dark Waters (ADVISOR)
ScubaBoard Supporter
Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
Many people think I'm a bit overly cautious.
Even when I'm diving off the coast of Panama City, Florida, I carry an SMB and reel/spool.
Some of my pilot buddies in the Sunny South East Asian war games thought I was a bit daft for wearing my chicken plate on combat assaults, until that one moring I took an AK-47 round directly in the chest from a VC hidden in a spider hole.
I don't take anything for granted. And I'm still alive.
Did a dive off the Georgia coast last summer. More or less a drift dive. The year prior, the charter had us tow an SMB and they followed it. This past year, for some ungodly and unknown reason, the captain said he was going to follow our bubbles . . . and this was in 4' seas. Thank the Good Lord I had my SMB or they would never have found us.
As it was, that was only about a 30 minute wait, but that was about 25 minutes too long.
the K
Even when I'm diving off the coast of Panama City, Florida, I carry an SMB and reel/spool.
Some of my pilot buddies in the Sunny South East Asian war games thought I was a bit daft for wearing my chicken plate on combat assaults, until that one moring I took an AK-47 round directly in the chest from a VC hidden in a spider hole.
I don't take anything for granted. And I'm still alive.
Did a dive off the Georgia coast last summer. More or less a drift dive. The year prior, the charter had us tow an SMB and they followed it. This past year, for some ungodly and unknown reason, the captain said he was going to follow our bubbles . . . and this was in 4' seas. Thank the Good Lord I had my SMB or they would never have found us.
As it was, that was only about a 30 minute wait, but that was about 25 minutes too long.
the K
After reading here at scubaboard, I've pretty much come to the conclusion that a SMB should be minimum equipment for a boat dive, got mine before I ever stepped off of one
mwhities
Contributor
In Cozumel, on my second dive, the dive I saw my first shark, a nurse shark, I was alone on the top (air hog) drifting over the DM and another guy and it seemed like forever. It was really only 4 - 5 minutes, I could see the boat and they saw me, they were picking up the nitrox divers and then picked me up. Only thing that stunk, I wish I had my snorkel, I kept looking for sharks... that's what made it seem like forever.
(Enough commas?
)
Michael
(Enough commas?
) Michael
dumpsterDiver
Banned
- Messages
- 9,003
- Reaction score
- 4,662
- # of dives
- 2500 - 4999
I can wait 45 minutes in the blazing sun and then peel skin of my bald head after three days....catherine96821:
Picture a blissful dive around Pulau Aur (Malaysia) and coming up with my buddy. We drifted off a bit, no issue. We deployed SMB and were noticed. Then the boat crew just doesnt turn the boat around...... they keep yanking the outboard motor string (I am sure there is a proper word for it, but its that string with a T-handle you use to start small petrol motors). They wave to us again and keep trying to start the motor.
My buddy and I figure it's going to take a while so we setlle in......in the tropical-no-cloud-to be-seen- at-2pm -sun...for about 45 minutes. Then a different boat shows up and picks us up.
I guess the small motor broke down and we were towed back in..... things happen.
Three days later I literarily was pulling large skins off my bald head.......I had meetings and it was obviously difficult for people not to be embarrased (not) to watch.......
So now in open water, I carry a bandana.... looks like I am a poser, but trust me.... sitting 45 mins in the sun results in pain.
Similar threads
