Lost Buddy Marker

[JahJahwarrior]

Litehedded-- and where you are in the cave, because some jumps even in caves with good "gold line" arrows on the gold line, are the smaller, "personal" arrows, which is why personalization of arrows is important.

NWGratefulDiver-- several others have chimed in. Some people make their own arrows like the one shown above, other people just modify existing cookies. You could cut notches only in one half of it, or you could trim it so it's not round, but one side has more of a point to it.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Here's what I was taught ...

1. You place a cookie on the line. .

Actually you were taught to place a directional marker on the line indicating the exit direction. This marker is placed at the point where you realize you have become separated. The arrow serves 2 purposes. (1) To orient YOU to your direction of exit and (2) To help a rescue/recovery team to have a starting point for a search.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Actually you were taught to place a directional marker on the line indicating the exit direction. This marker is placed at the point where you realize you have become separated. The arrow serves 2 purposes. (1) To orient YOU to your direction of exit and (2) To help a rescue/recovery team to have a starting point for a search.

I'm sooo busted ... :shocked2:

It's difficult to keep it all straight when I'm sitting up here where there ain't any caves to practice in ... but I'll take all the "correcting" I can get.

A few more weeks I'll be back down there practicin' ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

I'm sooo busted ... :shocked2:

LOL!! We will practice a lot more when you get back!!

 

[karstdvr]

And, a personal arrow should not be a matter of confusion for other divers. It is easy to tell by feel that an arrow is a personal one, rather than one of the larger "gold line" arrows, especially if divers do the prudent thing and personalize their markers with notches or holes, so divers can tell by feel if it is their arrow.

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There is really no difference between a "permenant" line arrow,and a "personal" line arrow that has marks,holes,painting of the last supper on it etc etc. If it is an arrow on the line,then it is a navigation marker,and these markers should always point to the nearest exit,not your direction of travel. In a stressful situation where there is a silt out,OOA,buddy seperation or another come to Jesus event,you will not stop to study the line arrow to determine if it is a personal versus permenant line arrow. Quite honestly you will see the arrow,and head in the direction it is pointing. There have been near fatalities,and real fatalities caused by an arrow pointing the wrong way. We have to remember that protocol is important,and deviation from this can cause innocent victims. What are the solutions-clothes pins/cookie placed in agreed upon manner to name a few.

 

[karstdvr]

I was taught to place an arrow. If this section of the cave has arrows pointing away from my exit I would place that arrow consistent with the general navigation of the cave and then reinforce MY exit side with a cookie..

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I agree 100%

 

[Ninja Diver]

leaving the light sounds like the best approach. The concern I would have with leaving a note for another team, is that depending on the details you write about YOUR dive plan, the "other team" may put themselves at risk thinking the lost diver is possibly within thier reach. A note to your "lost" partner simply informing them that you have ascended, makes sense.

 

[karstdvr]

and where you are in the cave, because some jumps even in caves with good "gold line" arrows on the gold line, are the smaller, "personal" arrows, which is why personalization of arrows is important.

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I have seen personalization that was a hole that was drilled,that was completely unnoticable,except by the maker,this would be overlooked even in a noncritical situation. I think dependence on personalization of line arrows to identify the line arrow as seperate from a permenant line arrow is not very good,because there are so many people who don't do this,or have a mark that is almost unnoticable as stated previously. Some people say that most permenant line arrows are larger,and most people use the small arrows as their personal arrow,but I know situations where the opposite occurs. The one thing that can't fail,is make sure the line arrows point to the nearest exit (sorry hate to beat a horse to death)

 

[piikki]

There is really no difference between a "permenant" line arrow,and a "personal" line arrow that has marks,holes,painting of the last supper on it etc etc. If it is an arrow on the line,then it is a navigation marker,and these markers should always point to the nearest exit,not your direction of travel. In a stressful situation where there is a silt out,OOA,buddy seperation or another come to Jesus event,you will not stop to study the line arrow to determine if it is a personal versus permenant line arrow. Quite honestly you will see the arrow,and head in the direction it is pointing. There have been near fatalities,and real fatalities caused by an arrow pointing the wrong way. We have to remember that protocol is important,and deviation from this can cause innocent victims. What are the solutions-clothes pins/cookie placed in agreed upon manner to name a few.

While I very much agree with you that there are no guarantees what one will do in a hesus-moment, and it would be very nice that directional cues were all perfect AND that I would hate to think that I would in any way contribute to anyone else's demise... I would like to address your notion about 'the deviation from protocol'. As long as people are not trained to do the same thing, how can we expect that things are happening like we'd like to?

I am in no way claiming that in an extremely stressful moment I would have the time and presence of mind, let alone capability to examine the directional markers I encounter. Yet I was taught what I was taught and it obviously is different instruction than some other people received.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Some people say that most permenant line arrows are larger,and most people use the small arrows as their personal arrow,but I know situations where the opposite occurs.

I hadn't noticed any size difference in the permanent arrows (but then, I wasn't looking to notice). I do know, however, that the DSS arrows I use are noticeably larger than the Halcyon ones my dive buddy was using.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)