Near Misses

[DandyDon]

My buddy can always recognize me in a crowd by my bright sausage clipped to my bcd. But I think most divers I know have them attached or in pockets. I think those without them are in the minority. At least I hope so.

I suspect a lot of newbies and vacation divers do go to sea without sausages, but I advise against it.

Mine is attached in plain sight, but I'm even easier to spot...

Always following my camera...

Almost always toting my pony...
​

Beanies vary.

 

[cruiser]

I did. After flying to Roatan, what would you set as a no-dive max?

Do you test yours...?

I don't really worry about 5 ppm in my tanks so much as even at 130 ft, that 5 ATMS or the effect of around 25 ppm on surface. I do wonder why, did look around, and certainly would not dive a tank that I didn't test.

Don--

I'm not sure what a safe range for ppm of CO is, so that's why I asked about the 5 ppm. Unfortunately I've never tested a tank but plan on purchasing a tester soon

 

[ggunn]

I would like to get an idea of how many divers do carry safety sausages that dive in Cozumel.

<raises hand>

 

[DandyDon]

Don--

I'm not sure what a safe range for ppm of CO is, so that's why I asked about the 5 ppm. Unfortunately I've never tested a tank but plan on purchasing a tester soon

Ah ok, well it's been common for divers to just trust the air tanks so this is kind of a new idea. When I first got interested, I felt like Don Quixote but then the more I learned - the more risk I discovered and even what I thot had passed as answers started to fail, plus I've met some real experts here who are also concerned and testing theirs.

The problem seems to be that the damage is so easy to miss, real accidents were not well investigated - easier and better for tourism to write them off as drownings, and the risk was largely overlooked in the developing sport of recreational scuba, which is a recent development really.

Padi and the others won't take a late stand on this as it'd be bad for their businesses which depend largely on new & developing divers entering the sport.

Even DAN won't do much. They report what they are told from the accidents which is often little, but won't take a leadership role as their business also depends on new divers for growth and corporate sponsorship for support. No smoking gun: no crime? ​

It seems the only real interest in investigating this risk, made worse by Padi discontinuing quarterly air test requirements - which were not enforced and not even good indicators, has grown out of here on SB, often in spite of my amateur approach to this important need.

But now we are getting CO testers onto the boats, reports are coming in, and they are not good: 5 ppm on Roatan and on Cozumel this past month are amateur reports sure, but worrisome. If some tanks can have 5 ppm because the filters have not been changed lately or because the compressor got hot in the rush, what are the chances of having 15 to 50 ppm or worse once the slippery slope is started?

Time will tell more as more of us get more involved. Looking forward to your field reports and hope they're all good.

 

[mstevens]

During all of my dives in Cozumel I believe I only saw one diver other than the dive masters with a safety sausage.

I'm not a Christmas tree, so there isn't a lot of stuff hanging off of me. My safety sausage fits in my left pocket and my finger spool goes in the right. I don't deploy them when we're near the DM, but if we ascend before or after the DM or if we're not fairly close I do. You wouldn't be able to tell I've got them unless I deploy.

We could argue all day about what skill divers "should" have, but I'd be extremely surprised if many Open Water certified divers have ever had any training in deploying any buoyant device (safety marker, lift bag, etc.) In my opinion, a location known for deep diving and high currents is not the place to be getting one's first exposure to such things. Requiring divers to carry a device that might well be unsafe for them to use doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

Now, whistles are a different thing altogether. They're cheap, don't require a single second of training and it's hard to envision even theoretical dangers from them, yet I frequently see divers in Cozumel without them.

 

[yowilhelm]

I always carry a safety sausage (6ft). I just got the DAN version that can easily be deployed at depth.....nice unit too . I see slews of divers go without them but mostly people that rent gear on the island. I was in the Dominican Republic last year and I was the ONLY diver with one.

I will never be without it, a flashlight and a whistle minmum. Finger spool always in Coz. over the years I got to know a few DMs and liked all of them. I always wondered why some people make little attempt to stay with the DM. I actually always keep him in sight but know that things can always change. The people that always lag or are off on their own are the ones ussually not prepared to handle issues as they arise.....My 2 cents...

 

[RubberDucky]

Now, whistles are a different thing altogether. They're cheap, don't require a single second of training and it's hard to envision even theoretical dangers from them, yet I frequently see divers in Cozumel without them.

I ordered 3 Storm Whistles from LeisurePro recently (one for each of us for an upcoming trip). They seemed to have the best reviews (read: they are apparently EXTREMELY LOUD). Says they work underwater, too. I can't wait to try that out.

 

[DandyDon]

I always carry a safety sausage (6ft). I just got the DAN version that can easily be deployed at depth.....nice unit too . I see slews of divers go without them but mostly people that rent gear on the island. I was in the Dominican Republic last year and I was the ONLY diver with one.

I will never be without it, a flashlight and a whistle minmum. Finger spool always in Coz. over the years I got to know a few DMs and liked all of them. I always wondered why some people make little attempt to stay with the DM. I actually always keep him in sight but know that things can always change. The people that always lag or are off on their own are the ones ussually not prepared to handle issues as they arise.....My 2 cents...

Yeah, I think it's the rental gear folks mostly. You don't carry a signal mirror?

I ordered 3 Storm Whistles from LeisurePro recently (one for each of us for an upcoming trip). They seemed to have the best reviews (read: they are apparently EXTREMELY LOUD). Says they work underwater, too. I can't wait to try that out.

Yep, the only one worth carrying. I also carry a Dive Alert but in case I am out of air, then want the Storm.

Here is their 3" mirror. The 5" is so big that many wouldn't carry it even if they bought it.

 

[ggunn]

Yeah, I think it's the rental gear folks mostly. You don't carry a signal mirror?

Yep, the only one worth carrying. I also carry a Dive Alert but in case I am out of air, then want the Storm.

Here is their 3" mirror. The 5" is so big that many wouldn't carry it even if they bought it.

Just curious - with a signal mirror how do you determine when the sun's rays are hitting your target? For (a simple) example, if the sun is directly overhead (0 degrees zenith) and the boat you are signaling is on the horizon (90 degrees), the mirror needs to be at 45 degrees; how do you know when you have it right?

 

[DandyDon]

Just curious - with a signal mirror how do you determine when the sun's rays are hitting your target? For (a simple) example, if the sun is directly overhead (0 degrees zenith) and the boat you are signaling is on the horizon (90 degrees), the mirror needs to be at 45 degrees; how do you know when you have it right?

Oh the sun may not be straight up often, but it could be in the opposite direction as the boat, I know. Still, it can reflect available light better and further than waving. It may be hit or miss, but if I ever get swept away - I want everything I can carry with me to signal with, i.e. camera strobe, dive light, mirror, white trash bag, sausage, depending on the conditions. The mirror carries as easy as my dogtag so it always goes.