Safety Whistle vs Signaling Mirror Question

[Bogie]

I changed to a BP/W and did not transfer my safety whistle and don't miss the added clutter for something I never use.

Just curious about what others think.

Do you have a safety whistle?

Have you ever used it or seen it used?

It seems to me that sound does not travel very far on the surface and that a signaling mirror is a better safety device.

What's your opinion?

 

[knowone]

I have seen them used widely to gauge the awareness of divers.

 

[DennisS]

A signal mirror doesn't work too well if the sun is behind you and the ship is in front of you

 

[fjpatrum]

Personally, I'll always keep a whistle. Mirrors are great except when there's little sun or it's in the wrong place or a lot of sun and reflections on the surface- then it's very hard to distinguish a small mirror (that is feasibly carried by a diver) from any other reflection off the water unless the surface is very flat.

A good whistle should carry a mile or more depending upon conditions. Certainly as good as a mirror unless you've already got aircraft searching for you. Why not carry both?

I found a buckle with integrated whistle at REI. It doesn't fit the chest buckle on my BCD but it's a cool idea. You really have to work to get the whistle to blow loudly, but it's better than nothing. I think it cost $2.50 or something like that. Whistle Buckle

 

[gypsyjim]

Recently someone on SB posted a discussion of safety signaling devices for lost divers, from the view of airborne searchers.

In daylight the mirror ranked highest of all signaling devices, if I remember correctly. Useless at night tho, or on a foggy, overcast day.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I use this ACR Products. It fits nicely into the safety pack I have on the back of my BP. Don't even know it's there while diving, but also easy access

 

[Adobo]

I changed to a BP/W and did not transfer my safety whistle and don't miss the added clutter for something I never use.

Just curious about what others think.

Do you have a safety whistle?

Have you ever used it or seen it used?

It seems to me that sound does not travel very far on the surface and that a signaling mirror is a better safety device.

What's your opinion?

On the boat dives I have been on (admittedly not a ton), the captain has always recommended that dive teams ascend on the anchor line. Of course, reality is that there are many reasons that divers do not make it back to the anchor line. In these situations, it is always strongly recommended that the team send up a surface marker as soon as practical before/during the ascent.

In the time it takes to ascend from depth, the dive team can easily have drifted away from sight of the boat. This is especially true if the surface conditions deteriorate during the dive (fog rolls in). The sooner that surface marker shows up on the surface, the higher the probability that the boat crew will see that a team has not made it back to the anchor line and be able to take any appropriate action.

To me, it would seem whistles and mirrors as signaling devices are a nice option of last resort since their use is only possible after you have reached the surface (and potentially have drifted out of sight and sound of the boat).

 

[Rainer]

I carry both. Clipped off inside a pocket.

 

[FireInMyBones]

I have a Fox 40 with a small loop of bungee run through it and clove hitched on my right D-ring unless needed. No dangle. No hassle. I may end up putting it in a pocket when I put one on my new wetsuit.

I have used both in training and both have their place. If I had a mirror, I would carry that too.

 

[sansky]

Personally, I'll always keep a whistle. Mirrors are great except when there's little sun or it's in the wrong place or a lot of sun and reflections on the surface- then it's very hard to distinguish a small mirror (that is feasibly carried by a diver) from any other reflection off the water unless the surface is very flat.

A good whistle should carry a mile or more depending upon conditions. Certainly as good as a mirror unless you've already got aircraft searching for you. Why not carry both?

I found a buckle with integrated whistle at REI. It doesn't fit the chest buckle on my BCD but it's a cool idea. You really have to work to get the whistle to blow loudly, but it's better than nothing. I think it cost $2.50 or something like that. Whistle Buckle

I have both whistle and mirror - used the whistle once (Baracuda in Cozumel when boat did not see our group), but he did not hear the whistle.

What I have used the most and works really well is a SAFETY SAUSAGE! It's like Amex, don't leave home without it - "don't go diving without it!"