sambolino44
Contributor
When I started diving back in '95, in Minnesota lakes, we were taught to always drag a dive flag behind us. What a hassle! I couldn't help but notice that only about half the dive teams used them. Now I'm diving in Puget Sound, and there is this thing called a Surface Marker Buoy that I don't remember seeing before, although I do recall Safety Sausages.
Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, but here's the way I understand the differences.
Dive Flags are always visible; for the whole dive they're up on the surface providing a slalom course for boaters. You may anchor them so you don't have to drag it around the whole time, but if you do that, you aren't supposed to go very far from it. I understand that there are places around here, like state parks and the Hood Canal, where you are required by law to use a Dive Flag. Also, Dive Flags are a specific design that is supposed to be known to boaters.
Surface Marker Buoys seem to be unnecessary if you have a Dive Flag, unless you've strayed too far from your anchored Dive Flag and need to surface. I understand this is something you shoot to the surface to alert boats that you're coming up. Also, it would be helpful to maintain a steady depth during a safety stop in open water.
A Safety Sausage is used on the surface to draw attention to yourself, like to get the boat to come pick you up, or if you have an emergency. But this device is only used at the surface, and is hand-held (not on a line).
It seems that you could use an SMB as a Safety Sausage, since they are so similar in form. It also appears that they promote the auxilliary buoyancy of SMBs to be used in an emergency, although I wonder about that. It seems that there is no standard design (size, shape, color, etc.) for these things like there is for Dive Flags. And I don't think boaters are taught to recognize them.
I wonder about this because I haven't seen anybody using a Dive Flag at any of the dive sites I've been to around here. And with all the kelp, I don't see how anybody could practically use one on most dives. Also, since most SMBs and Safety Sausages don't have the legally recognized dive flag on them, what good are they? I mean, obviously there must be some practical merit; I don't think a sensible boater would run over one that just appeared out of nowhere. But would they keep you from getting a ticket?
I'd like to hear from some Puget Sound divers who use Dive Flags in kelp beds. Or any experienced opinions on this subject. Thanks.
Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, but here's the way I understand the differences.
Dive Flags are always visible; for the whole dive they're up on the surface providing a slalom course for boaters. You may anchor them so you don't have to drag it around the whole time, but if you do that, you aren't supposed to go very far from it. I understand that there are places around here, like state parks and the Hood Canal, where you are required by law to use a Dive Flag. Also, Dive Flags are a specific design that is supposed to be known to boaters.
Surface Marker Buoys seem to be unnecessary if you have a Dive Flag, unless you've strayed too far from your anchored Dive Flag and need to surface. I understand this is something you shoot to the surface to alert boats that you're coming up. Also, it would be helpful to maintain a steady depth during a safety stop in open water.
A Safety Sausage is used on the surface to draw attention to yourself, like to get the boat to come pick you up, or if you have an emergency. But this device is only used at the surface, and is hand-held (not on a line).
It seems that you could use an SMB as a Safety Sausage, since they are so similar in form. It also appears that they promote the auxilliary buoyancy of SMBs to be used in an emergency, although I wonder about that. It seems that there is no standard design (size, shape, color, etc.) for these things like there is for Dive Flags. And I don't think boaters are taught to recognize them.
I wonder about this because I haven't seen anybody using a Dive Flag at any of the dive sites I've been to around here. And with all the kelp, I don't see how anybody could practically use one on most dives. Also, since most SMBs and Safety Sausages don't have the legally recognized dive flag on them, what good are they? I mean, obviously there must be some practical merit; I don't think a sensible boater would run over one that just appeared out of nowhere. But would they keep you from getting a ticket?
I'd like to hear from some Puget Sound divers who use Dive Flags in kelp beds. Or any experienced opinions on this subject. Thanks.
