What should I take?

[Cecilia]

Last dive in Aruba. The boat couldn´t start, our dive master left the three of us, new divers all, in an buoy to get help.
We were tired after a week diving, (and this was the second of the day)grasping the line of the buoy.

I know this was totally unusual, but just in case, what should we have taken? A line to be tied to? What else? Was it just bad luck or is there equipment I must take and I don´t know about?

Thanks a lot.

 

[tombiowami]

A cell phone and the number of a reputable dive shop?

Wow, never heard of anything like that. How did the dm go anywhere? Was he swimming or what? I have not been down there but a boat with a radio would be nice, maybe they don't have them down there. That would be a hard one to plan for!


How far from shore were you, and how long til he came back?

Tommy

 

[JustJules]

Wow, that's a bit of an alarming situation. How did it work out?

I always carry a safety sausage, whistle, backup light, and submersible flares. Having been on a nighttime search for divers in the water who had none of those (even though they went into the water at 6pm...go figure), I tend to look at all of them as good for getting me out of just such situations.

Julie

 

[Cecilia]

Well, the dm waited with us for 5 minutes, and as we were near the shore, may be 300 metres, he went on.
May be due to the strong current and wind he decided it was best to go alone leaving us behind. The boat actually had a radio and called for help, it took them almost half an hour to find us, the longest half hour in my life!
They found us at last, many people knew the boat was in trouble before we went out of the water, even some fishermen on the shore saw the boat and called for "Search and Rescue."
We were tired, and imagine three new divers trying to fight the current and waves, holding the same line (it hurt our hands), tanks bumping, waiting and waiting...

Thanks for the tips, I ´ll have them in mind next time I dive.

 

[Walter]

Ok, it's a short swim to shore and the boat won't start. The DM swims for help. I'm following this so far. Why didn't you wait in the boat?

In addition to what was already mentioned, I recommend always carrying a buddy line between 6 and 8 ft long. It's useful for staying together in low viz, but also for many other situations. When making your safety stop on a crowded line in current, you can attach your buddy line and drift back out of the croud. When you need to make a rescue you can loop it around the tank valve and get a safe distance away while using an easier method of towing. When waiting for the DM to return you can loop it on the buoy and have more line for folks to hold on to.

WWW™

 

[Rick Murchison]

Walter mentioned the "Buddy line" - which I've always called a "sissy line" (yeah, I ain't politically correct) - mine is four feet long, is carried on every dive (even solo) and sees frequent use. Sometimes it's a buddy line, sometimes it's a standoff line, sometimes it's a current line, sometimes it's a lift line, sometimes it's even a fish stringer.
Wouldn't dive without it.
Rick

 

[detroit diver]

What size line (diameter) do you guys use? Is it basically cave line?

 

[Cecilia]

if I was missunderstood, the boat remained where we descended, it couldn´t follow us.

Thanks for the new tips, guys!

 

[kelpmermaid]

That must have been scary, Cecilia! I think it also points to the importance of adequate thermal protection; you may end up in the water longer than you planned.

Anyway, you didn't need them in these circumstances because you had the bouy, but you might want to consider keeping a safety sausage in your BC pocket and/or getting a Dive Alert. The safety sausage is a bright colored inflatable tube that can be seen from a distance. The Dive Alert is a loud air horn that attaches to your inflator hose...

 

[ifukuda]

The buddy line seems like a really good idea, because I dive with a really needy buddy. Is the buddy line something I can get at the LDS? Or, is it something you made on your own?