When to shoot the bag....

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deepstops

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Just thought I'd point something out based on a thread from another area of the board. When you're hot drop diving in a 2-3 knot current on a deep wreck that will require deco, it's never a good idea for everyone to wait until the first gas switch to shoot markers/bags.

Make it easy for the captain to know where to expect your bag to pop-up and deploy it just off the wreck. I pretty much thought this was SOP for everyone but clearly it is not.

In this case, all the divers cut their dive short by 10-15 minutes so not only wasn't the captain not expecting bags yet, the divers were a 1/4 plus mile past the boat went the bags went up.
 
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Make it easy for the captain to know where to expect your bag to pop-up and deploy it just off the wreck. I pretty much thought this was SOP for everyone but clearly it is not.

I agree with you Brian. While underwater, I've always tried to put myself in the captain's position and shoot my smb as soon as possible, this way I increase the odds of him seeing me right away.

I actually like to shoot my smb just before I leave the wreck. Unless of course the current is smoking, then I usually begin my ascent, and once I'm drifting at the speed of the current, then I shoot my smb. I've tried to shoot my smb in extreme current while still on the wreck, but the smb just goes horizontal and barely ascends, and I've almost run out of line before it hits the surface.

I think another important issue is to be sure to discuss with the captain how many smb's will be shot. Some divers prefer to allow their buddy to shoot an smb, then they just ascend along with their buddy, but never shoot an smb of their own. I'm personally from the old school and prefer to have each diver shoot an smb, that way the captain can account for each diver during the deco. I do however agree that if, the captain is informed ahead of time of how many divers will actually shoot smb's, then that will work as well.
 
I agree with you Brian. While underwater, I've always tried to put myself in the captain's position and shoot my smb as soon as possible, this way I increase the odds of him seeing me right away.

I actually like to shoot my smb just before I leave the wreck. Unless of course the current is smoking, then I usually begin my ascent, and once I'm drifting at the speed of the current, then I shoot my smb. I've tried to shoot my smb in extreme current while still on the wreck, but the smb just goes horizontal and barely ascends, and I've almost run out of line before it hits the surface.

I think another important issue is to be sure to discuss with the captain how many smb's will be shot. Some divers prefer to allow their buddy to shoot an smb, then they just ascend along with their buddy, but never shoot an smb of their own. I'm personally from the old school and prefer to have each diver shoot an smb, that way the captain can account for each diver during the deco. I do however agree that if, the captain is informed ahead of time of how many divers will actually shoot smb's, then that will work as well.

And Jeff needs all the practice he can get. :D
 
Hey deepstops ... personally I would prefer to ascend on a line attached to the wreck rather than open water, and if I am ascending in open water I would not blow a lift bag until my first stop especially on a deep dive. There would be way too much line required in a strong current and it could turn into a cluster f*** trying to blow a bag 300ft or deeper especially if you are trying to maintain a deco schedule. Of course that is just my opinion but it is different from yours!

Kody
 
Just thought I'd point something out based on a thread from another area of the board. When you're hot drop diving in a 2-3 knot current on a deep wreck that will require deco, it's never a good idea for everyone to wait until the first gas switch to shoot markers/bags.

Make it easy for the captain to know where to expect your bag to pop-up and deploy it just off the wreck. I pretty much thought this was SOP for everyone but clearly it is not.

In this case, all the divers cut their dive short by 10-15 minutes so not only wasn't the captain not expecting bags yet, the divers were a 1/4 plus mile past the boat went the bags went up.

I think it kinda depends on when the 1st switch is. If your switch is relatively soon after leaving the wreck, it might make sense to switch then shoot. If you've got ~100' of travel before your 1st switch, maybe not so much.
 
I think it kinda depends on when the 1st switch is. If your switch is relatively soon after leaving the wreck, it might make sense to switch then shoot. If you've got ~100' of travel before your 1st switch, maybe not so much.

Explain how there's any benefit of NOT shooting the bag from the wreck.


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If I can shoot it with a spool 2mins later rather than dicking with a reel, I think that's a somewhat reasonable reason.
 
Unless the captain is looking there :wink:

If you say "hey, boat crew. Our BT is x, expect the bag at y" they'll know to expect it off the wreck a bit.

I'm not sure using a reel is doing it right when a spool works just as well (or better). I think it somewhat depends on the seas, too. The more sporty the wave action, the sooner it should be shot.
 
If you've ever captained a boat with deep tech divers, especially in strong current, you'll understand why it's important to shoot the bag as soon as possible. I've captained the boat many many times for friends, and it gives you a completely different perspective. The moment you hit the water, keep in mind that the captain up above has no idea what is happening with his divers down below. There are countless scenarios of what could be happening to the divers down below, and the captain has to assume them all, especially the one where divers drift a fair distance before he sees you or your bag. Furthermore, unbenounced to you below, the weather/wave conditions above could change and it could seriously restrict the captain's ability to see bags.

Therefore, help the captain, and yourself, by developing good habits and always trying to shoot your bag as early as possible because in high current, like we have in South Florida, you'd be surprised how far a diver can drift in a very short amount of time, like the time it takes ascending divers to make it to their first stop from the bottom.
 
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