Low visibility buddy tactics

[mikemill]

My simple thoughts

• Take a light and backup with you on every dive.
• Know how to signal with your light.
• Have some sort of colored piece of equipment (fins, tanks, etc). You'd be surprised how well they show up.
• Before you get in the water go over the route and buddy separation protocol.
• If you are playing leader make sure to stop and check on the others / let them catch up.
• If you are playing follower know which direction the others are going and be vigilant in keeping an eye of the leader.

Just thinking, perhaps every dive should also carry some sort of noise maker / tank banger. Then create a set of noise signals. Something like one set of tapping for "Hey I can't see you", another to starting the buddy search, another for "can't find you, go to the surface", etc. Sound travels well underwater and isn't affected by the vis.

 

[bwerb]

Just thinking, perhaps every dive should also carry some sort of noise maker / tank banger. Then create a set of noise signals. Something like one set of tapping for "Hey I can't see you", another to starting the buddy search, another for "can't find you, go to the surface", etc. Sound travels well underwater and isn't affected by the vis.

While at first read this may seem like a good idea, I'd suggest that this is not an optimal solution to the problem. Noise is extremely difficult to pinpoint directionally underwater. You may hear something but it unless it's immediately apparent which direction the signal is coming from, it could perhaps add to the confusion. Second of all, as has been said several times in a variety of ways, diver positionality and distance between divers is a function of conditions. The poorer the visibility, the closer the divers should be together...to the point of touching should it drop to next to zero.

I'm surprised that there is so little emphasis placed on the utility of a good light beam for communication in many classes short of technical training. They are wonderful. My wife and I put our divelights on our "essentials list"...regardless of the visibility, or lack thereof. We can "talk to each other" 50 feet away while looking away from each other, simply by passing our beams in front of one another's field of view. When swimming single file, the diver in the back puts the hotspot of their beam in front of the field of view of the lead diver and can immediately signal if there is an issue while the lead diver knows that they are still being followed.

 

[mikemill]

While at first read this may seem like a good idea, I'd suggest that this is not an optimal solution to the problem. Noise is extremely difficult to pinpoint directionally underwater. You may hear something but it unless it's immediately apparent which direction the signal is coming from, it could perhaps add to the confusion. Second of all, as has been said several times in a variety of ways, diver positionality and distance between divers is a function of conditions. The poorer the visibility, the closer the divers should be together...to the point of touching should it drop to next to zero.

The sound wouldn't be so much for finding each other as communicating with each other. For example, lets say you are looking down at some cool life and when you look up your buddies are out of sight. Most likely they are only a few feet outside of your visible range so if you could signal them quickly there'd be a much better chance of locating each other under the water (using other methods like lights).

While I agree that in lower vis conditions you do need to stay together the face is that separation will probably occur at some point. With pairs it might not be much of an issue to avoid but when you start getting into groups the likelihood increases.

 

[bwerb]

The sound wouldn't be so much for finding each other as communicating with each other. For example, lets say you are looking down at some cool life and when you look up your buddies are out of sight. Most likely they are only a few feet outside of your visible range so if you could signal them quickly there'd be a much better chance of locating each other under the water (using other methods like lights).

While I agree that in lower vis conditions you do need to stay together the face is that separation will probably occur at some point. With pairs it might not be much of an issue to avoid but when you start getting into groups the likelihood increases.

Consider this. What does the "sound" communication (one which is rarely directional) add to the equation of an out-of-sight diver that lights and hand signals do not? I always know where my buddy is, no fear of "looking up to find a buddy out of sight"...if I do...then they are not a "buddy".

Second, I think you need to re-think the idea that "the fact is that separation will probably occur at some point"...consider diving with a dedicated attitude to ensuring that it doesn't. If you are diving in "groups" of more than three, you should switch to a tactic of diving in teams of no more than three...if you can do it in groups of 2, all the better. You may dive on the same wreck or location or even profile but you are dedicated to only keeping detailed track of a maximum of two other individuals...both of whom are also keeping track of you. Everyone can debrief etc. at the surface and you can likely (depending on visibility) even dive as a "group" but your concentration is not to keep track of the nebulous "mob" but your specific wingman.

 

[mikemill]

And what does the "sound" communication add to the equation that lights and hand signals do not?

Sound doesn't require that the other person being looking in your direction and be able to see you (like for example "low visibility").

I always know where my buddy is, no fear of "looking up to find a buddy out of sight"...if I do...then they are not a "buddy".

Second, I think you need to re-think the idea that "the fact is that separation will probably occur at some point"...consider ensuring that you diving with a dedicated attitude to ensuring that it doesn't.

Yeah, because things never go wrong

 

[Doc]

I've groped around in the murk of St. Louis area when I was a kid hoping my buddy found the body first.

Always use a 8' buddy line with a hand loop on each end. After diving in the muddy rivers, I can tell you that the dreaded "entanglement risk" is not really an issue among good diver pairs in good mental control.

A buddy line is the only way to do this.

 

[Sas]

The sound wouldn't be so much for finding each other as communicating with each other. For example, lets say you are looking down at some cool life and when you look up your buddies are out of sight. Most likely they are only a few feet outside of your visible range so if you could signal them quickly there'd be a much better chance of locating each other under the water (using other methods like lights).

I find noise very difficult to pinpoint underwater (not sure if this is normal or maybe it is just me)so would not get much use from noise makers in low viz situations. Perhaps it would tell me my buddy is close though? How far can those clackers/bangers be heard from?

While I agree that in lower vis conditions you do need to stay together the face is that separation will probably occur at some point. With pairs it might not be much of an issue to avoid but when you start getting into groups the likelihood increases.

Seperation is not likely to occur (though it can happen sometimes, but it should not "probably occur" as you have stated). If you and your buddies pay attention it is very easy to keep track of one another. With unfamiliar buddies it might be quite different and therefore extra diligence is due. But I have dived frequently with the same buddies and we do not get seperated often. I can only think of two dives where it was a problem in low viz. One was in zero viz - my first dive in this so I was not experienced with it and I also was not paying attention to my buddy as much as I should have, there was huge surge too. And the second time my buddy was swimming really fast, which is quite unusual, and I lost him a few times as I was taking photos - generally he waits around but was having a day of not paying a great deal of attention to where I was - everyone has bad days. If people stick to regular routines they should not be losing each other often.

 

[mikemill]

I find noise very difficult to pinpoint underwater (not sure if this is normal or maybe it is just me)so would not get much use from noise makers in low viz situations. Perhaps it would tell me my buddy is close though? How far can those clackers/bangers be heard from?

Again: It is for communicating not for locating.

Seperation is not likely to occur (though it can happen sometimes, but it should not "probably occur" as you have stated). If you and your buddies pay attention it is very easy to keep track of one another. With unfamiliar buddies it might be quite different and therefore extra diligence is due. But I have dived frequently with the same buddies and we do not get seperated often. I can only think of two dives where it was a problem in low viz. One was in zero viz - my first dive in this so I was not experienced with it and I also was not paying attention to my buddy as much as I should have, there was huge surge too. And the second time my buddy was swimming really fast, which is quite unusual, and I lost him a few times as I was taking photos - generally he waits around but was having a day of not paying a great deal of attention to where I was - everyone has bad days. If people stick to regular routines they should not be losing each other often.

By probably occur I meant over enough dives. Should have been more clear on that. I definitely don't mean every dive. Unless of course it is a group of photographers. Then it is hard to tell if the separation was an accident or an "accident"

 

[WVMike]

Shoulder to Shoulder configuration. Dive light beams for communication. If you are going to spend a great deal of time diving in lower visibility water, bite the bullet and get yourself a quality HID with a focusable beam, you and your dive buddies will be so glad you did.

I have found the best combination is shoulder to shoulder (but far enough not to bump fins when frog kicking) and using the lights. The trick is for each diver to point their beam in front of them so that the other diver can see it. What you keep in view is the buddies light. That way you know your buddy is there without having to always look sideways. No beam - shoulder check. Once you get the hang of it and each buddy is committed to the technique you can maintain buddy contact and look where your going quite easily. You very quickly notice the beams absence. To gain the buddies attention, flick your beam across his once or twice. That's the signal to "look at me".

This is good advice and the way we do it.

I feel it is important to stay away from the leader- follower dive style. To easy to get seperated, and to hard to react to problems. You should each be able to just glance sideways and see each other.

This is a buddy skill, and both buddies must be on the same page. You need to work at it.

While diving this way if we run into a silt out or no vis condition I will reach over and grab a D ring or tank band, or elbow and stay hooked up till we pass through the zero vis.

 

[bwerb]

mikemill, I think where we're having a difference of opinion is that those of us who dive regularly in low visibility keep our solutions to the problem very simple instead of thinking-up something new to add.

1.) Good buddy/team diving technique. When there are problems, they are the vast exception to the rule and usually the result of not paying attention to being a good buddy....this goes both ways....I know where they are, they know where I am. The dive is not something "I" am doing...it's something "we" are doing.

2.) Creating a simple solution to communications underwater...as the dives get more complicated do you see tech and cave divers adding "sound" to their list of techniques? No...it's back to basics, visual (hands) visual (lights) or touch.

The poorer the vis, the more important point 1.) becomes which reinforces point 2.)


MVMike & Saspotato..exactly