Six left at sea - Thailand

[nkped]

I'm having a little trouble with the idea of newly certified divers diving off a long tailed boat. Even after removing all your gear and handing it up to the "captain" or dive guide, getting on board yourself without capcizing it would be a challenge.

 

[supergaijin]

Keeping your fins on it may not be elegant but it's not that difficult. It's akin to getting out on the side of a swimming pool. I agree though, that if this seems too difficult, one should seek larger boats with easier exits.

 

[nkped]

Who's going to receive the signal? The only radio on some of those boats looks like one of these -

On a long-tailed boat, the communication is likely to be a mobile/cell phone. The interesting thing is that there may very well be coverage. As to that being of much use to a diver in the water

 

[Divealpha]

Well, I'm 59, and have no trouble diving from a longtail... it can be more challenging diving from the shore in Thailand due to big waves....

Sent from my GT-P7500 using Tapatalk

 

[billt4sf]

Carry a light, a mirror and a PLB. You can signal in the dark, signal during the day, and call in the cavalry when you need to.

Mike, who is going to answer the PLB call in Thailand or other exotic tropical locale? I am seriously asking.

- Bill

 

[Mr. Black]

Mike, who is going to answer the PLB call in Thailand or other exotic tropical locale? I am seriously asking.

- Bill

Depends on the PLB used.

Mine would be coordinated via GEOS | sar

In some countries, there is either a charge for SAR, or there may be no official agency willing or able to respond, again the GEOS SAR Membership can help. In these circumstances, the GEOS IERCC will authorize additional resources (including private aircraft/helicopter charter, private search teams, etc.) to provide immediate assistance. The GEOS IERCC always goes the extra mile. If additional resources are necessary in order to ensure your safety, the IERCC will ALWAYS authorize the mission and, since its inception in 2008, over 3,500 lives have been saved in over 120 countries, as a result of IERCC operations.

 

[billt4sf]

Depends on the PLB used.

Mine would be coordinated via GEOS | sar

Wow, they'll send a boat out to get you for $17.95 annually? Holy crap, that's a great deal!

- Bill

 

[Mr. Black]

Wow, they'll send a boat out to get you for $17.95 annually? Holy crap, that's a great deal!

- Bill

It's like life insurance. They rely on statistical probabilities and know that not everyone to be needing emergency rescue. And if you cause a rescue situation through stupidity they reserve the right to blacklist you. So no, you can't parachute into the open ocean in your underwear with your legs tied together and one arm tied behind your back, push a button on a PLB and get rescued just for the thrill of it. They have been getting my money for years and never heard from me.

 

[qwimjim]

I'm disturbed that only one of them had an SMB. Like DandyDon, I consider the SMB to be mandatory equipement for any open water dive.
While there's lots of good to be said about PLBs, anybody who can't be bothered to carry something as inexpensive and simple as an SMB certainly isn't going to shell out for a PLB.

if you needed to signal a boat, why not wave around a brightly coloured fin?

 

[Redshift]

The boat went back due to engine problems, but were there reasons to suspect that the engine would fail in the next hour or so while the divers were in the water? Even if it failed, would it be illegal to drop anchor in an emergency situation?