Slates - ten reasons why we don't use them

[H2Andy]

i actually carry wet notes on my dry suit pocket ... i think the last time i used them was like 2001

oh, actually ... i do remember after my first dry suit class, i had to write "did 2 many summersaults ... need to barf some more"

 

[Guba]

I carry a three dollar "magnedoodle" on every dive in a kangaroo pocket. I glued a regular slate to the back for more permanent notes. While I rarely need to write messages to my regular dive partners, I do occassionally dive with other folks with whom I need to converse once in a while.

 

[ems_is_4_me]

I carry a three dollar "magnedoodle"

Cool thanks. I am going to have to try that

 

[almitywife]

I carry a three dollar "magnedoodle" ......

i hope you have a c-card for that piece of equipment

 

[TSandM]

There definitely are times when you need to communicate something that is more complex than you can easily do with hand signals. I did a dive with my husband and a friend off our boat once, where we couldn't find the wall we were supposed to dive, and we were wandering around on a fairly featureless gravel bottom in current . . . Eventually, I swam up to Peter and wrote in my wet notes, "We're drifting, and HJ can't drive the boat."

That's one of the few times I can think of where I need to say something I couldn't convey with my hands. It's why I carry wet notes on every dive, but it's also why they live in my dry suit pocket, where they don't catch on anything, or dangle, or interfere with my gauges, or otherwise cause problems. They're there for the rare occasion that the pre-dive plan didn't cover contingencies adequately.

 

[Teamcasa]

Why don't we use slates the whole time

because im a wife, so i can nag underwater and still be heard

I will sometimes dive with one for notes when I'm videotaping.

 

[highdesert]

My wife and I both have slates, but don't use them, though we thought we would when we got them. I would like to be able to write down fish and critter names on a dive, since we're both into that, but still haven't found it worth carrying them.

 

[Gen San Chris]

I use my PADI Slates when teaching but seldom use one at other times as me and my buddies have our own hand signals which seem to work for us!
Slates are useful at times and I do tell students that they should carry one at all times, I do but is usually does not get used!

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I would use one more often, but I can't seem to get the spell checker to work!

Seruously, my typical dives have a minimum plan (max depth, turn pressure, rock bottom) and I have 2 very good dive buddies (my sons). So for fun dives, it would be just another piece of useless gear. For some dives (under water homeschool classes, etc..) we bring along a majic doodle.

 

[drl]

I have a nice one (magnadoodle on one side, regular slate on the other) but I rarely carry it because it doesn't fit into my bc pockets (back inflate, small pockets) and I hate having it dangle. If I tuck it into my cummerbund it doesn't stay (and is uncomfortable as well). I rarely want to use it anyway, but sometimes it would be handy.