Safety sausages and other essential safety gear

[DiverGirl931]

I carry whistle, safety sausage, mirror, cutter and plb.

 

[Mike]

DAN has an excellent SMB that has a little pouch containing a light stick, a whistle and a mirror. It's also fat and long for better detection too. I think it even has radar reflecting strips sewn on it..

I bought that one once, had to return it, it's like carrying around a watermelon it's so large. No doubt bigger is better for visibility, but that DAN one was just shocking.

 

[nimoh]

I carry an smb, mirror, primary and backup lights.

I have thought about the whistle, and I am not sold on it being all that useful. I mean, if a boat is close enough to hear the whistle, wouldn't they be close enough to see the smb, or mirror?

Does anyone have a particular scenario where it would be crucial to carry a whistle. Obviously, it is not a big device, and can fit in a pocket out of the way quite easily, but I prefer to carry only equipment I need (or might need).

 

[ekremer]

I carry my DAN SMB which comes with a whistle, signal mirror, and apparently now a battery powered light (mine uses a glow stick)
https://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=Dan_Signal_Tube
Also recently my dive buddies and I have been diving a Nautilus lifeline. It is a submersible Marine radio.
https://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=NautilusLifeLine

Way more helpful than a divealert. The divealerts tend not to carry as far as you would hope, and get drowned out by any chaos on the boat.

 

[Eff]

For all ocean dives, I carry:

- Nautilus Lifeline radio (stored in drysuit pocket, OR, for traveling with wetsuit: clipped to my harness)
- SMB (8 ft, stored in backplate pouch)
- Small Whistle (clipped to the corrugated inflator hose on my wing, around shoulder level)
- Strobe (powered by 2x C-cells, normally used for anchor or entrance line, stored in drysuit pocket)

Also, for all wreck, deep, or doubles dives, I carry a 21-watt HID canister light and backup light on my harness, both of which would work great for signaling at night.

 

[fnfalman]

I have thought about the whistle, and I am not sold on it being all that useful. I mean, if a boat is close enough to hear the whistle, wouldn't they be close enough to see the smb, or mirror?

Does anyone have a particular scenario where it would be crucial to carry a whistle. Obviously, it is not a big device, and can fit in a pocket out of the way quite easily, but I prefer to carry only equipment I need (or might need).

A whistle can be heard quite far away, not to mention that it's a big ocean for the observers to detect and hope that they'd see an SMB. You deploy your SMB then you use the whistle to get their attention.

 

[BDSC]

My only advise is to gear yourself to your dive. Don't take everything with you on every dive.

Excellent advice. I always have a whistle simply because it's attached to my inflator hose of my AIR II. I will sometimes carry a SMB if, like you said, currents are involved. And those are the only two items I carry.

 

[fjpatrum]

I carry an smb, mirror, primary and backup lights.

I have thought about the whistle, and I am not sold on it being all that useful. I mean, if a boat is close enough to hear the whistle, wouldn't they be close enough to see the smb, or mirror?

Does anyone have a particular scenario where it would be crucial to carry a whistle. Obviously, it is not a big device, and can fit in a pocket out of the way quite easily, but I prefer to carry only equipment I need (or might need).

Night dive when your light (and backup) craps out?

Seriously, the whistle isn't very effective on the water but it's better than nothing...

 

[Mike]

I have thought about the whistle, and I am not sold on it being all that useful. I mean, if a boat is close enough to hear the whistle, wouldn't they be close enough to see the smb, or mirror?

Just a quicker, simpler substitute for the SMB or mirror in a situation with the boat expecting you to be there and you're close to it and need their attention.

There are many, many reports of people blowing whistles at dive boats to get their attention and the boat not hearing it. Wind direction can be a big factor, having music playing.. just not expecting to hear one... all have a factor.

But it's still a mainstay of safety gear. Imagine yourself drifting for days, exhausted, dehydrated, you see a small fishing boat through your sun burned squinty eye lids, you need to get their attention, you barely have the energy to wave your arms, they get closer but don't seem to notice you... you mustert your final strength to put your whistle in your chapped burned dry lips and blow one final breath with all your might... it's a miracle, they turn their heads in your direction and point toward you as you watch the boat turn and come toward you, you're saved!!!!

 

[BDSC]

Imagine yourself drifting for days, exhausted, dehydrated, you see a small fishing boat through your sun burned squinty eye lids, you need to get their attention, you barely have the energy to wave your arms, they get closer but don't seem to notice you... you mustert your final strength to put your whistle in your chapped burned dry lips and blow one final breath with all your might... it's a miracle, they turn their heads in your direction and point toward you as you watch the boat turn and come toward you, you're saved!!!!

You should have been a writer!