surface marker

When boat diving on a wreck, what triggering event(s) indicate that you should stop attempting to reach the anchor line, float a surface marker and surface? Are there certain situations that are agreed upon in advance with your buddy (i.e. minimum air pressure)?

Mike

We generally plan it that way. Only on an exceptionally calm, zero current, blue water day do we use ascent lines, tech diving here is usually done by "live boating". This helps to avoid the flag effect.

Anytime one is diving in a situation where a line ascent is expected, each buddy team should discuss the question you asked prior to splashdown. Wouldn't hurt to inform the boat crew of your plans too.

Tom

... such as losing the ascent line or boat in poor visibility. Or getting blown off the wreck. But definitely try to account for as many issues as possible in your planning. Using the marker as a crutch for all dives is probably not a good thing... sort of like the "Boy who cried wolf".

There may be boats that want you to use a marker for ascent as protocol. Haven't encountered any in my brief experience with the dives off the East Coast. But depending on the conditions that day, it may be acceptable or required.

I'd also have to stress that the crew knows and agrees to your usage of the signal device.
Ken

divernva once bubbled...
... such as losing the ascent line or boat in poor visibility. Or getting blown off the wreck. But definitely try to account for as many issues as possible in your planning. Using the marker as a crutch for all dives is probably not a good thing... sort of like the "Boy who cried wolf".

There may be boats that want you to use a marker for ascent as protocol. Haven't encountered any in my brief experience with the dives off the East Coast. But depending on the conditions that day, it may be acceptable or required.

I'd also have to stress that the crew knows and agrees to your usage of the signal device.
Ken

Click to expand...

What we usually do is carry 2 liftbags for our upline. One is white, sent up with an artifact, because the team didn't get back to the downline, or just because the diver didn't feel like deco-ing on the crowded stage. The other is yellow or orange, sent up if the diver or team is in trouble (low on gas, lost deco gas, etc.) It lets the boat know something's not right, and they can send another diver down to see what's needed.

In the uk a good diver will always have at least one dsmb. Skippers almost always expect a "blob" sent up at the end of the dive. If your on a large wreck in dodgy viz then finding the shotline for the ascent usually means lining off with a reel. This is a pain as you have to spend part of your dive looking for or swimming back to the shot ( You may be down current) as apposed to looking at more of the wreck. With a dsmb you stay till your last minute of bottom time & then start your free ascent. (You get every last minute on the wreck). You don't have to waste time getting to the shot, the dsmb is then deployed at about 15m depending on the depth of the first stop. Both divers in a pair have at least one each (in case of separation) & ascend on their own line whilst drifting with the current. If you have problems you can carry a yellow blob & send it up on the same line. The skipper sees this & does as pre-planned (sends down another bottle). I wouldn't dive anywhere without a blob & not many divers i know would. They're one of the most important pieces of dive kit you can own.
Good diving
Rob

The boats up here in the NE always hook the wreck and stay tied in throughout the duration of the dive. Some have a zodiac, some don't... I would probably deploy one if I was hopelessly lost (rather than swimming around in an uncertain direction), running low on gas, or had some kind of equipment or personal problem that I felt I couldn't solve underwater.

O-ring, what kind of personal problems can one have underwater? I don't see why your wife/gf/SO would choose to leave you in the middle of a dive.

(I hope that's funny)

brandon

Not sure what I meant there...it was funny though...getting dumped by passing a slate would be a pretty bad way to end it. She could at least have the decency to do it right and break up with me over wetnotes...then she would have room to explain herself better

I think I would shut off her air regardless...

ORing
Now that you have posted a pic of yourself, I can not only see why your so bitter, but I can also understand why your g/f would break up with you underwater, over wetnotes.
Given her options, possible drowning, or surfacing only to see you again, cant blame her really.

Dave

Then again, if I got her really drunk on some of Australia's finest (Foster's), maybe she would find me acceptable.