Worried Onlookers

[Flea Dog]

How do you avoid scaring people who happen to see you out in the water alone? There's the "I'm OK" signal, but thats only understood by scuba divers.

Any ideas?

You are right, most non-divers do not know or understand the OK signal. Try the international sign that you are diving solo. When the DM says you need a buddy, simply raise your hand formed into fist palm facing you to shoulder height and fully extend your middle finger.

Flea Dog

 

[Cacia]

oh my...

you New Yorkers are hard core.

 

[LeesSAR]

you can attach cell phone in a ziplock or drybox on the dive flag float so that you can make a "Help Mr. Wizard" phonecall if things deteriorate to that point.

FWIW...YMMV

Never thought about the dry box cell phone - good idea!

 

[captain]

In my younger days I would do a 1/2 mile swim to dive under a oil rig located in Lake Ponchatrain. I would swim a compass heading and surface every now and then to check my progress.
One day on my return I surfaced near a family playing in shallow water near shore. Kind of surprised them.

 

[Nemrod]

The thought of towing a flag gives me nightmares. I see boats running over crab trap floats and getting the line caught in their props all the time. Plus it's an extra "sail" for the current to tug on and then there's the obvious kelp thing.

You hold the flag, you don't clip it or tie it to yourself so that when it gets hit you will be able to let go.

As to worried on lookers, it is nice to hear people were concerned for another human being but short of your signaling or waving they should have been able to ascertain you were in no distress.

Next time they ask what you are doing tell them you are looking for gold.

N

 

[Sas]

How do you avoid scaring people who happen to see you out in the water alone? There's the "I'm OK" signal, but thats only understood by scuba divers.

Let me give you the example that happened to me today: I entered at my campsite and dove across a shallow bay, which is about half a mile wide. I dove about 3/4 to the other side, following an underwater structure, then turned around, and got to about maybe 500 yards from shore and was getting low on air, so launched my SMB so I wouldn't get hit by boats, and ascended. I could wade part of the way back and surface swim part of the way back.

Anyway, after a long surface swim back, I realized that people at the campsite were watching me and very worried. I felt awful. I had a feeling that might happen... so at one point I stood up in a shallow area in case people were watching, but I couldn't really see. ANyway, I feel terrible, and wonder how this could be avoided? Any ideas?

Did you ask them if they were worried? I am quite surprised that people would mistake a diver not in distress with one that is... If they cannot, I feel the problem really lies with them and not you. People in distress are generally quite obvious about it and someone making a methodical swim back to shore as well as taking time to put up a marker does not seem to me to be easily confused with someone in distress. I personally would not feel bad in your position and would make no changes. I have attracted onlookers before both when solo diving and also with buddies, it happens and it is not my problem really unless I am getting in the way of fishermen or boats, or I am giving signals of distress for no reason.

 

[DeepBound]

Did you ask them if they were worried? I am quite surprised that people would mistake a diver not in distress with one that is... If they cannot, I feel the problem really lies with them and not you. People in distress are generally quite obvious about it and someone making a methodical swim back to shore as well as taking time to put up a marker does not seem to me to be easily confused with someone in distress. I personally would not feel bad in your position and would make no changes. I have attracted onlookers before both when solo diving and also with buddies, it happens and it is not my problem really unless I am getting in the way of fishermen or boats, or I am giving signals of distress for no reason.

I didn't ask if they were worried... when I got close to shore they were standing there with their arms on their hips looking frustrated and said "we were worried about you! we thought you were drowning!" and I said "Sorry!" and waded past them towards my campsite. I felt bad, but what can you do?

 

[Rick Inman]

I didn't ask if they were worried... when I got close to shore they were standing there with their arms on their hips looking frustrated and said "we were worried about you! we thought you were drowning!" and I said "Sorry!" and waded past them towards my campsite. I felt bad, but what can you do?

Wow. Nice to see a three year old thread pick right back up without missing a beat.

As to your worried onlookers, it's nice to see that someone still cares, but if they really thought you were drowning, it's too bad they did NOTHING to try to save you. I guess it might be getting hard for people to tell the difference between real life and reality TV, and just sitting and watching is the new default reaction.

Maybe they were disappointed that you didn't drowned.

 

[Sas]

Wow. Nice to see a three year old thread pick right back up without missing a beat.

That's awesome. I never noticed the date myself

As to your worried onlookers, it's nice to see that someone still cares, but if they really thought you were drowning, it's too bad they did NOTHING to try to save you. I guess it might be getting hard for people to tell the difference between real life and reality TV, and just sitting and watching is the new default reaction.

Yea good point. That is another reason why I would not feel bad Deepbound. If they thought you were in trouble, clearly they were not worried enough to come and save you

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I'd just say "have you seen the guy I was with?" When they say no say "Oh well I didn't like him much anyway!"

Now we have a local situation here where a man fell out of a boat after an argument with his fishing buddy. (Yes alcohol was involved it seems). Said screw you to him and swam for shore, went home, and went to bed. Well the buddy did not see him make it to shore( was around 8PM and getting dark) and called 911. Yep you got it! Fire, police, volunteers, all looking along the lake before some genius decided to call the guys wife. No divers called I think cause the lake is maybe 6 feet deep max in the area they were, most of it is less than 2. Surprised he could even swim, was more likely crawling thru mud. Now the DA's office is deciding if charges should be filed against the guy who was in no danger as far as he was concerned, just had an a-hole fishing buddy he did not want to deal with! So I'm guessing you may want to think about how you handle future dipshiites on shore before you get charged with going to sleep or not being in any danger. THe guy had no reason to say anything to anyone, he was ok, his buddy was an ass, but why should he be charged for that?