End Dive signal.

My regular buddy and I used the thumb-up “ascend” signal to end the dive, but there are issues with this. If we are away from the boat or shore, it could mean, “go shallower” not end the dive. And, if we wanted to end the dive, we would point back to the boat or entry point and make the “swim” signal (two fingers mimicking kicking legs.) But this could also mean, “lets head back for - whatever reason”, and would require more signals to indicate what my buddy wanted to do. Another way is to write “End Dive” on a slate, but don't always carry them.

There are a number of ways of indicating that a diver wants to end the dive, but I could not find one that specifically says “End the Dive”.

So, we use the following: a diver crosses his/her forearms in an “X” and this means “end the dive”. If the diver wants to end “NOW”, we use the ascend signal, otherwise we head back to the entry point. This works well and when the signal is given, we check air remaining and confirm that the other diver is OK.

How do you indicate to end the dive (other than the usual – use one-third of air, then return or pre-determined point)?

Thumb up. If i simply want to ascent now, a simple thumb up does it. If I want to go to the mooring line and ascend, I point in the direction of the ascent line and then thumb up. If I want to ascent to a shallower depth, I'll give the thumb up, followed by a horizontal slash of a palm down open hand, followed by the number (in feet) of the depth where I want to stop.

The X you describe usually means "danger."

BEM once bubbled...
My regular buddy and I used the thumb-up “ascend” signal to end the dive, but there are issues with this. If we are away from the boat or shore, it could mean, “go shallower” not end the dive. And, if we wanted to end the dive, we would point back to the boat or entry point and make the “swim” signal (two fingers mimicking kicking legs.) But this could also mean, “lets head back for - whatever reason”, and would require more signals to indicate what my buddy wanted to do. Another way is to write “End Dive” on a slate, but don't always carry them.

There are a number of ways of indicating that a diver wants to end the dive, but I could not find one that specifically says “End the Dive”.

So, we use the following: a diver crosses his/her forearms in an “X” and this means “end the dive”. If the diver wants to end “NOW”, we use the ascend signal, otherwise we head back to the entry point. This works well and when the signal is given, we check air remaining and confirm that the other diver is OK.

How do you indicate to end the dive (other than the usual – use one-third of air, then return or pre-determined point)?

Click to expand...

Personally, I dislike signals that require two hands. For "let's head back" I point my index finger up and move it in a circle, kinda like up an umpire signaling a home run.

Cornfed

Yep, Walter is correct. Thumb up any time for any reason - end of dive no questions asked, however the thumb up signal should not be given unless you are going all the way to the surface as it can easily confuse divers as to what is actually going on.

If you want to go up to a shallower depth, extend your arm and hand out palm up and raise it up in short movements. If you want to ascend the up line then make the motion of a string between your fingers going up and then deliver the thumbs up.

The crossing of the arms is really a useless signal. How do you deliver it? Go out of trim, and then start crossing your arms to show the other dive buddies? It just is not efficient or effective as the signal is directly in front of you and not in easy view of your dive buddies.

With the thumbs up you can just hold out either arm, and no need to turn around all over the place.

If you want to signal danger, close your fist and point it in the direction of the danger. Again no need to go out of trim

My hunch would be to point my finger up, then use the level off signal (palm down, side to side), to be exact, you could then give the depth in numbers with hand signals that you want to ascend to. Thumbs up means thumbs up.

Okay....first off, if by using both of your hands to signal something gets you completely out of trim, maybe you need to practice a little more.

To ascend, immediately, I use a forceful thumbs up. To ask my partner if they want to ascend, we use a thumbs up and then make a hand-open palms up signal, kind of a like a one handed shrug. When we plan dives to half our air, we use a T (as in timeout - careful though, you are using both hands so you want to be careful you don't screw up your dive as it's a pretty complicated move ) to indicate that we hit our halfway point and it is time to turnaround.

BEM once bubbled...


So, we use the following: a diver crosses his/her forearms in an “X” and this means “end the dive”. If the diver wants to end “NOW”, we use the ascend signal, otherwise we head back to the entry point. This works well and when the signal is given, we check air remaining and confirm that the other diver is OK.

How do you indicate to end the dive (other than the usual – use one-third of air, then return or pre-determined point)?

Click to expand...

I think each buddy pair needs to agree ahead of getting in the water what the end of dive signal is...

But, I also agree that the arms crossed means something different than end the dive...It could mean that you are cold...

I give a thumbs-up with an up-down movement of that hand, in order to end the dive...then, I wait for the same signal from my buddy, with an ok sign after it...Then we ascend together...

--Sean

Pointing one index finger in the air and twirling it around...we use that to turn the dive, but not necessarily "end" the dive by surfacing. You could use that to indicate that the dive is over and you are heading back to the entry point/anchor line. Once you get there, you can either hang out, regroup and head out again, or thumb the dive..

I give a level off signal, then move my hand a couple of inches higher in the water, give it again, usually gets the message accross for gettting shallower

O-ring once bubbled...
Pointing one index finger in the air and twirling it around...we use that to turn the dive, but not necessarily "end" the dive by surfacing.

Click to expand...

Exactly what I do. "Turn around" means turn around. Thumb means head for the surface as soon as possible. If I want to go up maybe 10 feet, I just tell my buddy that I'm taking the lead, then go up 10 feet, then tell them to level off here.