Night dive SOP

[Jon_R]

Doing first night dive tomorrow with my two kids. No night dive training but should be pretty simple. Blue heron bridge. Walk in max depth 17 feet or so we dove it during the day 4 times. We did a test night dive tonight in the pool.

On thing we thought of is how do you get people's / buddy attention night diving. Thought about strobing your light but if their is an established standard we will just follow that. Was pretty cool in pool so looking forward to dive.

Any other pointers for first night dive let me know.

Got chem lights to hang from tanks and flags. Primary and secondary light for each diver. Showed them how to charge their gauges so they glow.

Found at least in pool each diver does not need to have light on at the same time.

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[dumpsterDiver]

Go super slow. Designate a leader. Understand that the other diver is looking where their light is shinning, so to get there attention, shine your light near where they are shinning. Also, to see more, scan your light rhythmically back and forth, do not shine from one rock to another and just follow a crack or a linear feature. To perceive the layout you need to scan laterally side to side. To use hand signals, you must shin the light on your hand.

Don't forget to turn off the lights for a few minutes and see all the bioluminescence.

 

[DevonDiver]

On thing we thought of is how do you get people's / buddy attention night diving. Thought about strobing your light but if their is an established standard we will just follow that

It's best to use your torches for immediate communication and making contact. Simple light signals like "Ok" (a circular movement), "emergency" (sideways/rapid) or just "attention" (up/down motion).

Beyond that, you can use normal hand signals, but remember to shine your own light to illuminate the hand signal when it is given.

Using lights provides very good opportunity for a cohesive team dive. Maintain buddy contact by frequently passing your light beam through the field-of-vision of your buddy/team mates. This ensures they are continuously aware of your presence and location. Their attention should be alert if they don't see your light beam after a short while.

 

[tracydr]

If you need to return to your entrance point put a couple of chem lights at the exit/ entrance. One or two above the water ( we use the truck tailgate or antenna), one one a post or stake at the walk-in point a few feet above the water. We like to have at least three markers for our exit point, depending on how hard it is to see and how important it is to find.
Also, take compass headings when entering the water so that you can return to the exit points without difficulty. This is a great time to practice compass skills.

 

[Zog]

May go without saying but, don't shine your light in each others face. It's blinding. One time I had a new night diver shine a light right in my face when we surfaced. He was so excited about the dive and talking so fast, that I didn't get a chance to say "can you point that thing away from my face?" We all laughed about it later.

 

[gcarter]

Doing first night dive tomorrow with my two kids. No night dive training but should be pretty simple. Blue heron bridge. Walk in max depth 17 feet or so we dove it during the day 4 times. We did a test night dive tonight in the pool.

On thing we thought of is how do you get people's / buddy attention night diving. Thought about strobing your light but if their is an established standard we will just follow that. Was pretty cool in pool so looking forward to dive.

Any other pointers for first night dive let me know.

Got chem lights to hang from tanks and flags. Primary and secondary light for each diver. Showed them how to charge their gauges so they glow.

Found at least in pool each diver does not need to have light on at the same time.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

That's a red flag for me. You can't keep track of your buddy very well if they go dark. It is one thing to turn lights off briefly, but if something happens you would never know it. Tank illumination is good, so long as it is not turned away from you. If it were me, with that many dives, with my kids... I would be insisting lights on.

 

[drinksfromtap]

Also, IMO the best way to read your SPG is to put your light right up to it to "charge up" the luminescent face, then pull the light off and read it while it's glowing. If you try to read it while you're shining your light on it it can be almost as bad as getting a light straight in the face (I know because I've done it to myself ). Another good reason for each diver to keep a light on.

 

[AfterDark]

Put a strobe or chemlite on each divers tanks on a cord long enough so it floats above their heads. You'll be able to keep track of them. You can even use different colors for different kids.

You can also use tank bangers for audio signals. 1 tap, respond 2 taps..............

 

[Jon_R]

Yes I am sure we will keep one light on per person in the ocean. Pool just a back yard pool infinite viz and white bottom and sides. Two lights on and it was like daylight in there. I was surprised the kids mostly used the cheap $9 lights I bought them for backup vs. the $90 UK eLed lights I bought as the primary.

That's a red flag for me. You can't keep track of your buddy very well if they go dark. It is one thing to turn lights off briefly, but if something happens you would never know it. Tank illumination is good, so long as it is not turned away from you. If it were me, with that many dives, with my kids... I would be insisting lights on.

---------- Post added October 3rd, 2013 at 08:06 AM ----------

Good idea on having a lead on the chem lights. I had just zip tied them to the tank valve. Will see if I can pick up some floating line and put them on a lead. I don't think the chem sticks float by themselves.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

This seems a good thread to add the night diving etiquette points from our book, edited for general audiences, leaving out illustrative stories and sarcasm:

Special Rules of Etiquette for Night Diving

USE A TANK LIGHT Have a tank light. That’s a light you attach to your tank to make yourself more visible. These can be any color. Some flash, some look like luminous pencils. Anything will work, but it needs to be battery powered. No chemical sticks. They are an absolute terror on the environment above and below water, please.
HAVE ONE OR MORE GOOD DIVE LIGHTS It’s not just safety, it’s good manners. Have a good light, preferably two, and check the power level before the dive. We each make certain to have two functioning and well-charged lights on every night dive, and even then there is not guarantee.
CONTROL THE BEAM OF YOUR DIVE LIGHT Don’t shine your light in our eyes. This is really an important rule. It doesn’t matter if you do it on purpose as a joke or just do it by accident. Maintain control of your light, and shine it away from others.
TAKE A COMPASS, USE A COMPASS On a night dive, you should a) have a compass, b) know how to use it, and c) use it. Let’s face it, in good visibility and plenty of light navigation is usually not an issue. At night it is always an issue. Knowing where you are is important to your safety and is a courtesy to those who will have to come and find you in the dark if you get lost. At least one person in each buddy pair needs to have compass skills. Two is better.
STAY TOGETHER If you are in a group, stay with the group and close to the group. Always. If there is a designated leader, and there should be, follow the leader.
Of course all other rules for safe, environmentally aware, and courteous diving apply equally at night as during the day: don't crowd, don't chase things, stay with your buddy, stay off the reef, etc. Hope you had a great dive.
DivemasterDennis