Is having an underwater strobe as a tank light a signal for help?

[Seville]

The water is sometimes very murky where I dive and being new, I dont want to lose my buddies who are more advanced than me. If I have a tank light which is a white strobe that is 45 lumins, is that considered a distress call from the surface while kicking out to dive if lifeguards see you? I dont want to make an emergency out of something that is not.

Thanks!

 

[Pkishino]

A strobe is just that, a strobe, usually used to mark some point. Are you thinking to replace your normal light with the strobe or?
but regarding your info.. you should be diving as a team together, using lights, especially if the visibility isn't great. And you are all responsible to keep together as a team. If you do get separated, use your torch to signal and then ascend to the surface as you should have been taught in class.

 

[-JD-]

That See Me 2.0 is not for diving. It is only rated for 1M depth for 30 min. It is for surface activities only.

There are both steady and flashing tank marker lights for night diving but they are not likely to be visible during light hours in the murk.

You would need a high powered strobe or signaling light to have any hope for day use, and then it is a limited distance proposition.

 

[SlugLife]

As far as I'm aware, it's not generally considered a distress signal. Frantically waving your light usually is.

In murky water, you're unlikely to even see a 45-lumen light unless you're diving in dark conditions. A very bright light (a few thousand lumens) might have some effect, but is unlikely to be visible from the surface, and you'll have limited visibility underwater.

 

[rongoodman]

If the visibility is good enough for your buddies to see your strobe, it will just annoy the heck out of them. They might end up losing you on purpose.

 

[Russjstewart]

As a boater if I saw a strobe I would assume a person in the water in distress, and would proceed to investigate. As a diver if I saw a strobe underwater I would assume a diver or some sort of marker. Given the USCG certifies strobes i assume they recognise them as a distress signal. In response to @Seville’s question if you are using a white strobe on or near the surface you stand a good chance is somonre thinking you are in distress. If a srobe is the solution to your problem it is probably best not to activate it until you are underwater. There are a number of other options including chemical light sticks.

 

[Gone for diving]

I have a little white flashing sealed led.
On my manifold. Is water activated.
Is a fishing lite that is ment to attract fish on your line... I have it so my buddy can find me easier. Never have to think about it.

 

[GreggS]

When we dive murky water, we just turn our flashlights on even on a bright day. My wife and I both have 1000 lumen lights and even at that, they are very dim at times even from as close as 4-5 feet. Just recently we were diving in a local quarry and my wife's light looked like a dim pen light and she was only about 4 feet away. That strobe isn't going to do any good in water like that.

 

[CanadaDan]

Similar to GreggS my kids and I use standard dive lights. We hang them from a chest D ring on a retractor. When not in hand they hang straight down creating a beam that's easy to see while horizontal and face down. I can glance around and see where everyone is. I've tried tank markers but the placement means I have to be able to see their backs... not always the case if they've strayed behind or above me.

 

[kelemvor]

A strobe is not a distress signal. However, it can be annoying to others when underwater. I abandoned electronic tank lights for night dives a long time ago. I just use "chem lights" like cyalume brand or whatever.

Back when I was using an electronic tank light, I had boat people that still required me to have a chem light anyway so it was pointless.

Re: using a dive light. That will definitely work but you'll miss a LOT of stuff on a night dive with a bright light turned on. After I got comfortable with diving in general I took to turning off my light for most of the dive on a night dive. You see a lot more nocturnal critters this way.