You're Lost At Sea!! What Signal Devices Do You Have To Use - and Why Not?

[scubamickey]

SMB on a finger spool, Halcyon Scout on one chest D-ring, strobe on the other. Whistle attached to the dog tag chain. Of course there's also the 10 watt HID lights we each carry. I don't think anyone will have trouble finding us. On night dives we are told that the liveaboard can see way out in the distance like 2 huge glow worms

 

[Sas]

I have an SMB on a finger spool, a whistle on my BC, I have been carrying my secondary light on day dives but think I will take my primary given how the last few dives have been pretty dark and I have just added a mirror to my BC pocket as I have heard that vastly improves your chances of being spotted.

I heard another suggestion too, of adding reflector tape to your SMB so will do that soon. Also I have a yellow SMB, which I heard is good as it is easier for colour blind people to see you. A few colour blind people I have asked said they would struggle to spot a red or orange SMB at a distance.

Might consider getting dye too next time I am at the local shop. But yea, have no idea where I'd fit water, even though I think it is a good idea to take. Where do other people store water?

 

[DwayneJ]

Spot GPS Satellite Personal Tracker in a Mcmurdo 150M dive cylinder strapped to my Tank/BCV.

Spot Messenger > Home

McMurdo/Pains Wessex Fastfind Plus Personal Location Beacon (PLB) - Buy at Wholesale Prices from Online Marine

Alternative to a Spot would be a PLB with GPS.

Room in the canister for a few more bits and pieces.

 

[philmayer]

SMB, whistle, and dive light.

The light comes in handy looking in nooks and crannies.

The whistle is ziptied to my inflator hose.

The SMB is in a pocket at 4:00 on my BCD.

 

[Izu]

magnesium flares !

 

[scubamickey]

Ok, so why is it never the divers with everything but the kitchen sink who get lost at sea and don't get found until after days have gone by? Talk about Murphy's Law...

 

[DandyDon]

Ok, so why is it never the divers with everything but the kitchen sink who get lost at sea and don't get found until after days have gone by? Talk about Murphy's Law...

They do; they just don't make international news. They do get home safely tho without worrying their families thru the night....

I was on a Blackbeards once when two ladies - a NW Dive Master and a :newbie: both of whom I knew from here, we'd kinda organized the trip here on SB - got lost in current right before sundown. The dingy chased them down and caught them just before dark which was good since neither carried a light. In fact, the boat borrowed my dive light to signal the dingy as the boat lights weren't much.

 

[anth]

Dwayne,

Have you tested your SPOT Satellite Messenger Personal Tracker much? How reliable do you find it to be in transmitting your position?

Cheers,

Anthony

Spot GPS Satellite Personal Tracker in a Mcmurdo 150M dive cylinder strapped to my Tank/BCV.

Spot Messenger > Home

McMurdo/Pains Wessex Fastfind Plus Personal Location Beacon (PLB) - Buy at Wholesale Prices from Online Marine

Alternative to a Spot would be a PLB with GPS.

Room in the canister for a few more bits and pieces.

 

[deco_martini]

I was lost recently in the tropics. The problem was that the boat wasn't in range to see any of the 3 sausages we had, noise makers, or mirror we had. Pardon me for posting some silly replies but its an expression of my feeling of futility from recently being lost. Sausages extend the range you can be seen from but throw in some swells and that gets minimized as well.

The best thing to take with you in case you get separated from your boat is a cool head.

 

[DandyDon]

I was lost recently in the tropics. The problem was that the boat wasn't in range to see any of the 3 sausages we had, noise makers, or mirror we had. Pardon me for posting some silly replies but its an expression of my feeling of futility from recently being lost. Sausages extend the range you can be seen from but throw in some swells and that gets minimized as well.

The best thing to take with you in case you get separated from your boat is a cool head.

That's when you wished you used a raft for a SMB I'm sure. Wish you'd write up the story and details on Accidents forum.