Question How long would you wait before calling in a rescue via PLB/satellite/etc.?

[xan]

I've been thinking about how long I would wait to call in a rescue (via satellite messenger, PLB/PAB etc.) if I found myself surfacing with the boat gone. I'm curious what others' opinions are on this, even if you don't regularly dive with a device that would let you summon rescue in this way. I'd love to hear about your thought process on this, even if you don't vote.

I recognize this changes a bit depending on the device you have: something that needs proximity to other boats might be most useful right away, while a satellite approach seems more… involved?

 

[rongoodman]

It depends. If I thought there was likely to be more traffic around I might wait a bit longer, but out at Cocos Island or someplace like Malpelo you could drift a long way in an hour.

 

[Johnoly]

I agree with @rongoodman , different places/runtimes/etc call for different responses.

So I'll just give you our practices for Southeast Florida-mainly West Palm & Jupiter. We use the "Time & a Half" standard. So if you are supposed to have a signaling device sent up at ~50 minutes and be on the surface at 60 minutes, Time and a half with neither SMB/Diver seen would be a Coast Guard call at 30 minutes diver overdue. Since we have ALOT of boats on our reefs and we know many of them, a radio call to one on your same or nearby dive line to say you are still looking for an SMB is always welcome. Alot of Solo fisherman also use this guidance and if they told their wife they would be out for 4 hours and call back at the dock, then at 2 hrs overdue with no call, then a phone call to the CG is made. But in short, it's Time & a half

 

[rx7diver]

I would call sooner, rather than later, if it's later in the day. I'd rather people search for me during daylight hours and when the sun is higher in the sky.

rx7diver

 

[Wookie]

The instant I realize that the boat can’t see me.

Take it from a captain

 

[Tracy]

If I surface and there isn't a boat, I am making whatever calls I can immediately. Up here in the Lakes hypothermia is going to kill you way before you starve to death.

 

[xan]

Thanks everyone, really enjoy reading the various perspectives and see the vote spread!

Looks like location (including surf conditions, boat traffic etc.) counts for quite a bit in the decision. Makes sense, but I hadn't quite foreseen the extent of it. Glad to adjust my own approach here based on the information.

I had considered initially waiting 30 minutes because, since I bring a bunch of equipment to aid in a potential rescue on every dive (lights, satellite messenger, Fluorescein, dSMB, mirror etc.), so I assumed it would still speed up the rescue a fair bit compared to "a lost diver in an ocean" scenario. That said, I would err on the side of 0 minutes in colder / rougher surface conditions.

 

[Belzelbub]

It's going to depend on the situations. For sure, I wouldn't wait an hour, but might wait 15-30 minutes in some cases.

One situation I could see that does happen with charters in some locations is they do two drops. I'm not a big fan of the practice, but some do it. If a diver is on one of those boats, and this has been communicated ahead of time, it's somewhat expected that the boat may not be there when I surface. May have gone to pick up the first group, etc. Reasonable then to assume that they'll head back my way.

If I'm not one one of those boats, then I'd more likely expect to have the boat in view when I surface. I'm pretty good at keeping pretty close to the boat, but have surfaced a little farther than anticipated. Never out of sight, though.

I carry a 1st gen Nautilus Lifeline. It's programmed with my boat's MMSI, and set to talk on a channel I monitor on my boat in addition to 16. I'd try to raise them first on the talk channel (green button). If unsuccessful, I'll try to raise someone on 16 (orange button). If still unsuccessful, I'll hit the red button to send the distress call.

Several years back, I witnessed divers getting rescued from a situation like that. Around my area, it's a decent run out to get to diving locations, so the divers in this case were at least 7 miles offshore, but likely more. VHF is line of sight, so range from a handheld at the waterline is going to be somewhat limited. However, the CG has a real tall antenna. I listened to the exchange, but could really only hear the CG portion as I was out of range of the divers. They somehow ended up surfacing about a mile away from their boat. There were people on the boat, but I don't think there were competent operators. CG had to try several times to raise the boat before they responded. They did get locations of both divers and the boat and gave the boat operator a heading to find the divers. After a few minutes, they checked the boat's current location and determined that they were heading in the wrong direction. There was a CG fast boat heading out to another emergency, that was stabilized, so they diverted to the divers and picked them up.

 

[JohnN]

The instant I realize that the boat can’t see me.

Take it from a captain

Activating a PLB causes a significant chain of events to start, lacking an emergency on the surface, isn't it prudent to give some grace before calling in the calvary?

 

[Belzelbub]

Activating a PLB causes a significant chain of events to start, lacking an emergency on the surface, isn't it prudent to give some grace before calling in the calvary?

I get that, but the events are not just a full out SAR response on an activation.

First, the CG will try to ascertain if it is an actual emergency. They are aware that false alarms do exist. So, they'll call the contact information associated with the beacon registration. They'll start with the owner, then if unable to reach, go to emergency contacts. So, as long as you make sure you know who you listed as your emergency contacts and they are aware of what you are doing, then I think the chain of events can result in an appropriate response. Something like this:

PLB activated --> Authorities receive the signal and access the registration --> Contact owner --> Contact Emergency contact --> Emergency contact provides details of the charter that you are on --> CG contacts charter.

All of that can happen without sending a plane or helicopter out to search. If they are able to contact the charter, they can relay the position and send the boat in your direction. All without deploying CG assets in the field.

Depending on the location, floating on the surface with no boat in sight, when there clearly should have been one could be an emergency. If shore is a short swim away, then perhaps not. But where I dive, a swim to shore is going to take many hours ignoring fatigue and current. That is an emergency.

I do agree, though. If you have other means of communication, try those first. That goes for if you are in the water, or on a boat. If all you have is a PLB and you were expecting a boat to be there when you surfaced, then use it.