Hand signals

[Jax]

The important thing that should come out of this is that there are different interpretations and different signals - and whatever you choose to use, you should define & agree with your buddies before the dive

This is important. I will never forget a cave diver talking about asking a team mate to check her for leaks (bubbles) after she did a valve shutdown, and he just shrugged and signaled 'no'. He didn't understand she was asking him to open the valve to ascertain the leak. (All in class, btw)

 

[k ellis]

Scuba toys has a small book for sale and its about 25 dollars. Its neat little pocket sized book so you can carry it just about anywhere.

 

[mainedvr]

Thanks for so much good info, my wife and I (my main dive buddy) do use what we have learned in OW, but now that we are diving more we (after most dives) have somewhat of a post dive discussion, things like what we observed with each others boyancy but the one thing we have noticed is on every dive one or the other or both of us did not know how to communicate something to the other. We do talk into our reg for somethings but wish we could just have a signal of things like change level to observe different part of a formation, take a heading or check my heading, to name a few. And though we do work or add a new sign here and there we have thought that maybe there was some sort of standard (not set instone of course) that if we do dive with others we do not have to learn a bunch of new signals just a few that may be local.

Again thanks for all the input, it will be a great help

 

[Doppler]

Thanks for so much good info, my wife and I (my main dive buddy) do use what we have learned in OW, but now that we are diving more we (after most dives) have somewhat of a post dive discussion, things like what we observed with each others boyancy but the one thing we have noticed is on every dive one or the other or both of us did not know how to communicate something to the other. We do talk into our reg for somethings but wish we could just have a signal of things like change level to observe different part of a formation, take a heading or check my heading, to name a few. And though we do work or add a new sign here and there we have thought that maybe there was some sort of standard (not set instone of course) that if we do dive with others we do not have to learn a bunch of new signals just a few that may be local.

Again thanks for all the input, it will be a great help

Another great tool for communications during a dive is a waterproof notebook (wetnotes for example)

 

[rongoodman]

I've seen some rather expressive signals from an instructor underwater, usually consisting of a broad shrug of the shoulders, followed by upraised fingers--I took the combination to read "WTF???". (Sometimes accompanied by garbled swearing through the regulator.)

 

[Jax]

There's one I learned the first time I saw it. I haven't seen it in any books, tho.

The instructor puts his hand out, palm vertical and facing you.

Then the middle finger in the 'tube' created by his other hand.

Then, he rapidly scribes a circle with his index finger. :chuckle:

 

[Ste Wart]

..... make a circle with your fist.

move it back and forward over the nose


= F*** Knows (nose)

Now let's not use that in polite company.

 

[randy88k5]

I use some signals that can be found on this page

Scuba Diving Communications, Underwater Hand Signals - Dayo Scuba, Orlando, Florida

As Tortuga68 said earlier, these are not standardized. You should go over the signs with the people you intend to use them with, so the meaning is not misunderstood.

 

[Thalassamania]

Scuba Signs, despite their claims is hardly a diving standard, in fact it has a major problem in that many, many of the signs are two handed, something that, while not unknown, is considered by most authorities to be undesirable.

Here's a story based around understanding and misunderstanding underwater hand signals: Missing Diver Hand Signal Thread

 

[kpetro]

Amazon.com: Scuba Divers Sign Language Manual (9780941332385): James P. Smith, Lee Ann Smith: Books

I have this one and it seems to have a lot of signs that could be helpful.