Light signals for night dives

[DrewBud78]

Can anyone point me to a site or list out the common light signals used during nights dives. I'm doing my first night dive this weekend and wanted to be as prepared as possible. I searched ths site but didn't find anything obvious. Thanks

 

[do it easy]

I use a few simple ones- a circle around your buddy's light beam is the OK signal. Depending on conditions, he would draw a circle around my beam to return the OK.

Waving back and forth is "I'm not OK." The faster you wave, the more urgent the problem.

Sometimes, if I want my buddy to look at something, I'll circle his beam to "lasso" it and then "drag" it to where I want him to look. He'll know that I'm not giving the OK since I didn't leave my beam in his field of view.

Then there is the passive communication- you might not be able to see your buddy, but you should be able to see his beam, so you'll know where he is and where he is looking. Judging on how the beam is moving and bouncing around, you'll be able to tell if he is just cruising along, asleep/passed out, or wrestling with an octopus.

Have fun on the night dive!

 

[LowVizWiz]

or wrestling with an octopus.

ROFL... This does happen, watch the 3rd and 9th video from the top at http://www.oceanfootage.com/stockfootage/Giant_Octopus/

Wys.

 

[nolatom]

And if you lose your buddy, turn off, or cover, your light. Then you'll see the glow of his/her light, and you'll be reconnected. Surprising how well this works.

As long as your light works and you can get buddy's attention, hand signals will work, if you each shine your lights on your hands as you give the signal.

 

[do it easy]

Here's another

Warning- it's a bit unsettling, so maybe you should watch after the night dive.

I'm not a marine biologist, but I don't think this is typical behavior and it was certainly hammed up to be more dramatic ("deadly suckers" and the creepy music).

 

[TSandM]

We use a single circle for "okay", and it's a command signal, and must be answered.

Back and forth very slowly is "attention". Back and forth rapidly is "Something's wrong" and usually gets a regulator stuck in your face.

Flicking the light in a given direction means "Go this way". That's also answered with a mirroring signal.

Something of interest is indicated by circling the light around it repeatedly.

 

[dsteding]

Something of interest is indicated by circling the light around it repeatedly.

And, one more I came up with tonight: doing the wiggly finger octopus signal in front of your light casts a neat shadow puppet, especially when done while pointing out a really f-ing big GPO to your dive buddies.

 

[Divmstr223]

Here's another

Warning- it's a bit unsettling, so maybe you should watch after the night dive.

I'm not a marine biologist, but I don't think this is typical behavior and it was certainly hammed up to be more dramatic ("deadly suckers" and the creepy music).

I've seen that video before and it makes me laugh how the camera man just sits there and videos the whole thing without attempting to help his buddy..lol.

 

[DrewBud78]

LOL...that Octopus was on a mission!!!

Thanks for the help everyone

 

[limeyx]

I use a few simple ones- a circle around your buddy's light beam is the OK signal. Depending on conditions, he would draw a circle around my beam to return the OK.

Waving back and forth is "I'm not OK." The faster you wave, the more urgent the problem.

Sometimes, if I want my buddy to look at something, I'll circle his beam to "lasso" it and then "drag" it to where I want him to look. He'll know that I'm not giving the OK since I didn't leave my beam in his field of view.

Then there is the passive communication- you might not be able to see your buddy, but you should be able to see his beam, so you'll know where he is and where he is looking. Judging on how the beam is moving and bouncing around, you'll be able to tell if he is just cruising along, asleep/passed out, or wrestling with an octopus.

Have fun on the night dive!

All good points.

i would add that one of the most important things (on day dives too but on night dives particularly) is keep your light motions slow and smooth. rapid light movements usually mean there is a problem and you are likely to get a reg stuff in your mouth if you dive with me for instance.

Don't jerk the light from side to side and try to use slow "sweeping" motions side to side so that when you move it to one side, your buddy can see the beam, then you can sweep off to the side to see the cool stuff and then back toward your buddy.

Far too many times I've seen all kinds of jerky light motions from people, which makes it really hard to tell if someone is in trouble or just "wrassling the octo"