Riding Blind with your DSMB reel

[DevonDiver]

I carry a 30m spool with distance knots on it. The primary purpose of the knots is for lost line/buddy searches in overhead, also for general searches and approx measurements. It also serves as a method to gauge depth.

It's marked:

3m - 1 knot
6m - 2 knots
9m - 3 knots
12m- 1 knot
15m- 2 knots
18m- 3 knots
21m- 1 knot
24m- 2 knots
27m- 3 knots

Sometimes I practice deco ascents using it in conjunction with my dive watch. I've also practiced it with no-mask, counting out (relatively light) deco stops mentally.

As others have, and will, note... the line has to be vertical for depth to be accurate - so it has limited use in stronger currents.

 

[PfcAJ]

I was under the impression that once your weight in on the SMB, both move at very same axis, I assume you will start at the very end of your line, and use the SMB at that moment as your buoyancy, to not ascent uncontrolled and overrun your Deco stop.

Not always. Strong crosscurrents make for interesting times.

Plus you really need to be neutral at all times in the water.

 

[boulderjohn]

it can be that your DC go south on you, and your second DC was on your Buddy that you lost as well, now you don't have a reference of depth even with your mask on.

On a decompression dive, you should have a backup depth gauge and backup timer of your own, and your buddy should have both as well.

 

[boulderjohn]

If you are ever in a situation in which you are really baffled about the accuracy of your actual depth, remember that there is really nothing magical about those specific depths. Ten foot depth increments were chosen because they are a lot easier to deal with mentally than 9.842 feet, which is what the technical divers using the metric scale do (3 meters). More than 100 years of research indicates that doing a series of stops in the neighborhood of 10 feet apart seems to do the trick, but it does not have to be exactly at those depths. If you want to check that out, do a decompression dive and stop 2 feet shallower than the "required" stop each time. If you are using a computer, it won't have a problem with that ascent at all.

 

[kensuf]

On a decompression dive, you should have a backup depth gauge and backup timer of your own, and your buddy should have both as well.

He said the scenario was he lost his mask and backup mask and his buddy is nowhere to be found and so that's why he can't read the depth from his computer / bottom timer. He didn't explain how he was going to figure out how long to stay at each deco stop though.

 

[rongoodman]

He said the scenario was he lost his mask and backup mask and his buddy is nowhere to be found and so that's why he can't read the depth from his computer / bottom timer. He didn't explain how he was going to figure out how long to stay at each deco stop though.

TSandM used to call those "Little House on the Prairie" scenarios.

 

[PfcAJ]

He said the scenario was he lost his mask and backup mask and his buddy is nowhere to be found and so that's why he can't read the depth from his computer / bottom timer. He didn't explain how he was going to figure out how long to stay at each deco stop though.

Deco is done when the gas is done! Problem solved!

 

[Remy B.]

He said the scenario was he lost his mask and backup mask and his buddy is nowhere to be found and so that's why he can't read the depth from his computer / bottom timer. He didn't explain how he was going to figure out how long to stay at each deco stop though.

I was taught to memorize the plan, specialy from 30m and up, in case you lose your slate, and/or your buddy or mask's, you don't count on your DC only, , to my understanding the slate is #1, your DC is #2, in case you lose both you memorize the deco plan.

 

[PfcAJ]

I was taught to memorize the plan, specialy from 30m and up, in case you lose your slate, and/or your buddy or mask's, you don't count on your DC only, , to my understanding the slate is #1, your DC is #2, in case you lose both you memorize the deco plan.

Do you also have a plan memorized for all possible dive times or just the planned bottom time?

 

[RainPilot]

I guess this is one (the only?) area where Ratio Deco has an advantage. Keeping mental track of time in a high stress situation is next to impossible for most though.