Safety Gear

[Mantra]

Someone on this board, when responding to a similar question, mentioned that they always carry a white plastic bag and a flashlight. What I gathered from their comment was that they would inflate the bag, invert it, and wrap the opening around the head of the flashlight, and turn on the flashlight. This would- I assumed - create a kind of large luminescent globe on the water during the evening. I thought it was ingenious. But for some reason I never asked them to confirm that was the purpose of the white garbage bag and flashlight.

Has anyone heard of this before? Obviously this doesn't compete w. a Nautilus but hey, the more you know...

I have heard of shining a torch up inside a SMB / safety sausage to make a big orange lantern.

We do mostly boat dives, and it is a legal requirement here to carry a SMB and a cutting tool. I also carry emt shears, a signaling mirror and a divealert.

 

[SangP]

Rec dive safety gear:
1. Dive knife
2. Dive alert whistle
3. 6' smb/finger spool
4. Small reflector
5. Backup mask
6. Compass
7. 500ml drink (that's more for fun then safety lol)
8. Forgot to mention my bright backup torch

 

[freewillie]

Or, just make sure the DM knows you are a big tipper.

In the movie the couple pretty much kept to themselves. Once at the dive site they didn't dive with the rest of the group but swam off on their own.

There was another diver on the boat who was really obnoxious. Kept interrupting DM during dive brief going through his bags, etc. Was told by the captain he can't dive on his own to which he responded, "oh yes I can. I'm going diving and you're not stopping me.". They did find him a buddy. You never want to be that diver but there would be no mistaking his absence during a head count. If he was left behind it would have been intentional!

I did tell my wife that making friends with the crew is not only being nice and social but also insures that they pay attention during role call. Especially since I now almost always dive boats with my daughter. "Hey, where's that guy that was sitting here with his daughter?"

After my first dive with a boat they would usually remember that I like to tip well. Doesn't hurt to cover all bases.

 

[lloyd_borrett]

G'day,

On a typical recreation dive my safety gear consists of:
Spare mask in left thigh pocket, whistle on BC, Dive Alert air horn, knife on waist band, 6 ft self-inflating DSMB attached to a ratchet reel with 75 metres of line, second dive computer (usually in guage mode) and compass on right arm, backup torch clipped to BC, and I've just added a Nautilus Lifeline in my right thigh pocket. Both of my BCs have dual bladder wings for extra redundancy.

If I'm on a liveaboard dive trip I also carry a personal EPIRB with GPS in a canister on my waist band. If the boat goes without me, I'm going to summon the emergency services.

These days when on dive trips, I usually dive with twins, either using them independently or joined with a manifold.

If I'm technical diving I also add a finger spool reel in my right thigh pocket, a line cutter on my waist band and wet notes in my right thigh pocket.

I've had an experience boat diving locally where the Nautilus Lifeline would have proved useful, so I purchased one when they became available.

I've done more than 350 dives with a dual bladder BC without ever needing to use the second bladder. Then when at 55 metres on the HMIJS Natago at Bikini Atoll I went to inflate only to find my primary inflator didn't work. After several attempts I gave up on it. After all, I have a second inflator and bladder. This is situation is just what it's for. So I switch to it. At first it seems fine, but then the inflator free flows. Bugger! Jammed myself under a part of the wreck and dealt with the problem by dumping air and disconnecting the inflator hose. I was extremely attentive to my buoyancy control for the rest of the dive and kept a hand on the buoy line on my ascent. You never know when you might need your safety gear, and even then you need to be able to deal with it not working or causing you extra grief!

Best regards, Lloyd Borrett.

 

[farsidefan1]

Damn Lloyd, think I would have thumbed that one a bit sooner Nice job though.

 

[Searcaigh]

Safety sausage / smb on 30M reel
Whistle - basically useless but it is attached to my BC/wing
Knife and line cutter
Usually a pony bottle when diving locally or twins
Spare mask
Torch on Camera housing (Actually the focus light)
Spare SMB on camera strobe arm

 

[Hickdive]

A waterproof canister containing the captain's wallet - you'll never be left behind.

 

[dbulmer]

That's just plain ridiculous - the skipper's wallet is an imaginary concept. I've never seen a skipper get his wallet out

 

[Rich Keller]

On a dive charter I always have a SMB and reel but not rigged together. If the boat is gone when I come up I tie the line to my weight belt and drop the belt anchoring myself in the first place they will be looking for me.

 

[Divescape]

Only thing that I do any differently for all the comments above is file a float plan with a responsible adult prior to departure.

Float plan includes the following:
Skippers name and contact number
Emergency name and contact number of skipper.
Intended rout of voyage and dive site
Description of the craft. Including registration number
ETD and ETA. I will then specify if I have not contacted you by X time there is a problem and begin by contacting the skipper and escalate.

Have a form on your Smartphone and this is easily done and sent to whoever needs it. Yes and just to pre-empt you wise crackers this does not necessarily need to be your wife or partner.

Whilst this might not work to well for a live aboard it does cover a lot of situations.