How should I prepare for the possibility of being left behind?

[ImUnderwater]

I would recommend chatting with the dive master and boat captaing, so that you make an impression on them, as well as with your fellow divers. Make sure they do a roll call whenever anyone gets on or off the boat. And carry signaling/safety devices always.



Does this happen regularily?

Miami Beach charter leaves divers in open waters off Key Biscayne - Key Biscayne - MiamiHerald.com

How should I prepare for such a situation?[/QUOTE]

 

[Centrals]

On a liveaboard trip to Cocos Island, everydiver was given(loan) a EPIRB clipped to the bc.
I always carry mirror, noise making device and smb on every dive.
I have also seen diver came with a survival kit(water and food) as well.

 

[buddhasummer]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Thread moved from Accidents and Incidents as it is a general question prompted by the incident referred to rather than a discussion of that incident. The thread on the incident itself can be found here: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ne...aves-divers-open-waters-off-key-biscayne.html .

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Does this happen regularily?

Miami Beach charter leaves divers in open waters off Key Biscayne - Key Biscayne - MiamiHerald.com

How should I prepare for such a situation?

You could act in such a manner on the boat that it would be impossible for the DM to forget you ( and I mean that only half joking)

I always carry signaling devices when open water/boat diving both visual (SMBs, Mirror, Dye, light)and audible (DiveAlert LP horn, whstle).

 

[Thalassamania]

About the only way you can really guarantee it is to take the keys to the boat with you on your dive.

 

[vladimir]

There is some cost/benefit analysis to be done. A ten-foot SMB will be highly visible, yes, but it will also take up a lot of space on your rig and require more skill to inflate at depth. I have opted for a smaller SMB because I can inflate it, carry it, and travel with it. The PLB is a great idea. I used to have one, but it weighed quite a bit with its aluminum underwater canister, on top of my already-heavy gear bag. The ~$1,000 price might deter some too--that's expensive insurance against a 1-in-a-million eventuality.

Some things that I haven't seen mentioned are fresh water and a do-rag. If you are adrift in the tropical sun, a head covering would be nice. If you are adrift for a long time, a half-liter of drinking water could be crucial. I carry dye and have my camera strobes (which can be set to flash continuously on 1/16 power, so they last), and have a long STREAMER (about 8 meters long) that can be spread across the surface to increase visibility, but rolls up pretty compactly.

I like to dive in small groups (ideally, groups of one) anyway, and I think that's one of the best protections against being abandoned at sea. But I have been abandoned by a six-pack in the Celebes Sea for an hour or so in a pretty strong current. Well, not abandoned, exactly--their motor conked out. You can't anticipate every eventuality. Luckily they knew just where to find me once they got things working again.

 

[freewillie]

Just placed my order for Nautilus GPS. SMB, mirrors, whistles only good of you are lucky enough to have a boat wander by. If your original dive boat left you you are at the mercy of lady luck.

If I ever surface to find the boat gone I'm going to push the SOS button, wait for help, then use my dye marker when help arrives.

When I get back to shore I'm going to strangle the SOB who left me behind!

 

[Doc Harry]

1. In addition the boat's procedure for accounting for all divers, my girlfriend and I get together with another pair of divers from a different a different group. We all agree to make sure that each other are back aboard before the boat departs the dive site.

2. I carry a signal mirror, whistle, sea dye, 8-foot high safety sausage, McMurdo Fast Find PLB with GPS in a waterproof canister, and a DVD player with an 8-inch monitor to entertain myself while I wait for rescue.



Okay, maybe I was exaggerating when I said I carry a DVD player and monitor.

 

[fdarden]

There is some cost/benefit analysis to be done. A ten-foot SMB will be highly visible, yes, but it will also take up a lot of space on your rig and require more skill to inflate at depth.

I would counter that while a larger SMB is a bit of a hassle, if you are not spotted, then what is the point of carrying one at all. Here is South Florida, where on a drift dive you are A - Lucky to be brought back by the boat in the first place (LOL) or many times subjected to 4-6 foot seas. Charter boats lose sight of their divers, its a fact. I also do a fair amount of night diving, and the same concept - better to be easily spotted. That 7 foot SMB with a flashlight on it can be seen for a long way at night. The smaller SMB's just do not have the impact. If you frequently dive in calm flat seas then maybe a small SMB will work for you, but I dont see this as a realistic scenario for the vast majority. If you have ever been on a boat liveboating, or on a charter watching them (or in many cases helping them) spot divers, you will better understand the statement "Bigger is better" does not apply just to sexy car parts ads.

 

[vladimir]

"Bigger is better" does not apply just to sexy car parts ads.

Nobody disputes the obvious fact that bigger is better when it comes to the visibility of an SMB. As with most things in life, though, there are trade-offs. Divers that fly to their dive sites, for example, may want to opt for a more compact SMB. The SMB that fits in your bag is superior to the one that you leave in your garage, whatever its size. Divers that don't practice inflating their SMBs at depth may want to consider one that is easier to deploy. It might be that, for an unpracticed diver, the increased risk of deploying a 10-foot SMB from depth outweighs the advantage it confers upon the surface.

 

[cloudswinger]

I think all the surface markers and signal devices have already been covered so I would just add a snorkel and dive reel. If you are left behind go back to the bottom and secure your reel to something so you remain in place, if they come back to look for you they will start the search where they left you and expand the search outwards from there. If decompression is an issue or there is nothing on the bottom to attach your line to, attach the line to your weight belt and drop that to keep you in place. The snorkel will allow you to rest so you do not have to keep swimming to keep your head above water.

I know when people are lost in the woods they recommend that you stay put, but in the water I'm pretty sure they factor in wind and currents in their search. No one would be expecting you to be anchored. I don't think a weight belt would keep you anchored unless the sea was very calm. Plus you have a BC, why would you need to be swimming to keep your head above water? You could use the snorkel for the swim to shore.