solo below

[lermontov]

as a solo diver but in a group what signal do you use to let others know you are still below or are ok (if any) Ive got two -a) shoot dsmb with a finger spool around top and a note saying what help i need b) wrap a cord around anchor line means im still down -

any other methods that might be useful for mixed dive group dynamics?

 

[swimlikethefish]

If on a boat with multiple divers all doing the same dive as individuals. We typically all have a large bolt snap or strobe, depending on conditions, that we clip off to the anchor line. They each are marked with the divers name, by tag or marker. As you ascend you unclip it and take it with you. That let's everyone know who is still down. If I need to signal I need something I would shoot 2 smb's. That signals send immediate gas. The safety diver would also splash at that point. We use 2, color doesn't matter. As to avoid confusion in our circle, 1 smb means you are doing your deco stop, 2 smb's means that SHTF. Again we do not use color to distinguish anything. It's either 1 or 2 bags.

I have been with other divers who use the color scheme, red and green. I do not prefer this method, the last thing I want to worry about is what color bag I pulled out of my pocket in an emergency.

 

[gbirch]

Interesting question, but I'm struggling to understand why is this specific to solo divers. would not the same apply if diving with a buddy and a group of other divers?

 

[northernone]

as a solo diver but in a group what signal do you use to let others know you are still below or are ok (if any) Ive got two -a) shoot dsmb with a finger spool around top and a note saying what help i need b) wrap a cord around anchor line means im still down -

any other methods that might be useful for mixed dive group dynamics?

If you don't see me on the boat... I'm still in the water.

If I'm in trouble, I'm handling it or towards dead and signalling distress however the boat crew has agreed to.

In other words, I'm ok until I say differently. Just like a buddy team divers, nothing special because I'm solo.

 

[swimlikethefish]

If you don't see me on the boat... I'm still in the water.

Just spit my coffee on the floor, wife is now upset.

 

[Stoo]

This is a good topic. I was recently out with a group of friends doing a 175' dive in Lake Ontario. Boat guy (also a friend) had dropped the mooring line at the end of the season. We found the wreck on the sonar, dropped a little mushroom anchor and float, and he went down to locate the line, and shoot it up with a bag. He was diving a REVO.

All goes according to plan, and the line comes up, and we wait for him to surface. We expected him to have a little look about before he came up. After about 15 minutes, I noticed a DSMB about 100' astern. Some speculated he was at the other end of the wreck, but it was too far away and moving further away. There was a fairly thick fog, and a decent current, so he was moving away quickly. We were 12 miles offshore, in a shipping lane, so it was kinda good we noticed.

We opted to move the boat alongside and watched, and since boat guy is solid in the water, we weren't concerned. At 175' deco racks up quickly, but while we were waiting, we decided we really should have a better way to signal topside if all is well or not. We knew he wasn't on his BO since there was only the occasional bubble, and eventually he surfaced. (Seems he'd blown the bag while the anchor line was extended out from the wreck. Off it went, and suddenly he's 200' from the wreck, it's pitch back and he couldn't find it. Lesson learned.

Anyway, hence-forth, it's two SMBs if help is needed, one if all is good. We sort of all knew that, and we all had multiple bags, but best to remind everyone.

A sweet dive followed regardless....

 

[Michael Guerrero]

If I pop my SMB there's probably an issue, otherwise I'm either fine or already dead. Like Northernone, if I'm not on the boat after a couple of hours then there's probably a problem and I may not be getting back on.

 

[Cyborg Pirate]

On our dive boat.... we use the different color bags unless otherwise stated in pre dive brief. Orange good.... yellow if in trouble. We send up bags for lots of different reasons. Practice, Marking future dive sites for a mooring tie off, wreck or something of interest found, recently anchors for the marina after some big monsoons snapped cables and needed to locate anchors that had been displaced etc.

I will tell you one thing NOT to do.... do not tell ur pregnant wife you are going for a long solo dive. At the end you are shooting a bag for paractice. Orange bag. If I shoot the yellow, I am not coming back! She didn’t see the humor in that one.

When it comes to shooting bags and or smb’s of any type. This is a skill that to be done right and efficiently needs to be practiced a lot. For this reason I send up a bag (teaching or leading a dive charter excluded) almost every dive. All from varying depths (mostly done at safety stops)