Do you carry basic safety equipment on dives? If not, why?

[spoolin01]

No mirror, but I carry the rest whenever there's a chance of being stuck in the water. A compass is also useful safety equipment.

One time on a lobster live-aboard in the SoCal Channel Islands the fog descended during the dive, and there was no wind or swell to orient to. One diver was long overdue, partly because he had trouble locating the distant boat upon surfacing. Under some conditions, a good noisemaker will be more useful than a visual signalling device.

If I have any reason to suspect the boat operation, I also take a handheld VHF radio, GPS, and EPIRB (on the boat).

 

[Sas]

I got lost at sea with an SMB, a mirror, a light and a whistle. They didn't help in any way for me so I think personal EPIRB is the way to go now.

 

[cloudflint]

All my boat diving is inshore from a Rhib so it sits on top of my bubbles and is generally only a few feet away when i surface. We carry a marker buoy on a reel in case the weather is choppy and could make it hard to see the divers bubbles but its quite rare we need it.

I always have my torch with me since most of the time the dives I do are pitch black even in the middle of the day. I also generally carry a strobe.

Ive never bothered with a mirror. No particular reason why not i just cant see me ever needing it.

I have a storm whistle attached to my BCD hose just in case.


If i was diving from a large boat or further out to sea i would probably carry an SMB just in case.

 

[Heath Sapp]

Mirror, SMB & Finger reel, Light, dive alert whistle I do not want to be out over night. I could do it I know, but why prove a point when I could be enjoying the night life.:cool2:

 

[Avonthediver]

Its a BIG...BIG world 'O water out their why would you not?

 

[imwright1985]

1. SMB (Surface Marker Buoy)
2. Working Light with fresh batteries
3. Reflective Signaling Device (mirror)
4. Noise Signaling Device

1)SMB- depends if im leading dive I have a marker on surface already and boat is watching, I rarely have it then because it is redundant gear that gets in the way. If im following I always have smb.
2)Light- only if im going somewhere dark, other than that it gets in the way.
3)mirror- no close enough to boat that 6' smb will be easily visible and extra gear in the way. plus baracuda like reflective objects
4)noise maker- Storm whistle, and handle of dive knife for under water, so 99/100 times have one. want a diver alert though

 

[koozemani]

Yes to all but the mirror

 

[Thalassamania]

Everything in my emergency kit is "standard." It goes on every dive with me.

Currently I use the same pouch and it contains: strobe, small flashlight, 2 x red rocket flare, 2 x hand flare, 2 x red smoke, 2 x dye packs, signal mirror, safety sausage, and whistle.

The pouch is about 8 x 4 inches that I hang on the bottom of backpack. I currently have two Skyblazer Diver's Flares

I've wrapped them top and bottom with 3M Self Vulcanizing Tape, an arrangement that I've tested down to 200 feet. I also have two similarly packaged hand held flares and smokes. I also use dye packs. I keep them in doubled up heavy duty ziplocks. Add a compass, two glowsticks, a little flashlight, a strobe, a whistle, a mirror and a thin safety sausage finishes it out.

Other threads of interest: Lost at Sea! What Signal Devices ... Exactly What Supplies do You Dive With?

 

[imwright1985]

I got lost at sea with an SMB, a mirror, a light and a whistle. They didn't help in any way for me so I think personal EPIRB is the way to go now.

You reminded me I doo need some more stuff for anchored diving, I was lost for about 1.5 hrs with my dive buddy, seperated by about 50 yards could barely see him from chop. Storm whistle from 30 yds was useless since i hit surface first, too bright for light, mirror would be questionable since there are alot of wierd reflections. My 6' SMB saved the day though

 

[Togalive]

DM's, Instructors, AAUS Scientific Divers, were all required to carry each of those (except the light) on all dives. The light is required on all night dives. Its a bit worrysome to see how many instructors are saying they dont even carry a mirror...