Being left on the dive site: How to avoid and how to survive...

[Dan]

When you are getting blown away by swift current and you miss the hook-in point like in Peleliu Cut (Palau), you need to deploy the DSMB quickly while underwater so the skiff pilot can spot your DSMB soon before you will be too far to be seen by the time you reach the surface. The next island would be in Philippines, hundreds miles away. For that, I have a dedicated air hose (red hose in the picture below) for inflating the DSMB quickly while keeping the reg in my mouth. Also, no open bottom DSMB which would deflate once it reaches the surface.

 

[Searcaigh]

I use my drysuit inflator hose for DSMB inflation

 

[Dan]

I use the double ender to wind the line back onto the reel while ascending

I do that too. The double ender is also good for putting a little bit of tension on the line in the beginning to minimize entanglement and eliminate loss time in search for D-ring to latch the double ender on to. I’m afraid to fumble the hook-in part to the D-Ring where I cannot see and drop the double ender to the abyss while hurrying in deploying the DSMB. By putting it on the line I can see it there dangling and ready to use it for winding up the line back to spool. Time is off the essence and minimizing unnecessary steps.

 

[JohnnyC]

Moving line does funny things, especially in the water. Having something on it that can potentially snag or entangle is no good. The likelihood of it happening is slim, maybe one in a million, who knows, but I've seen the trigger of a double ender snag in one of the holes on the side if a spool and it yanked it out of the dudes hand, so it does happen. No harm no foul as it was close to the end of it's travel, but he felt pretty awkward about it. As long as it's ascending the SMB will be providing adequate tension on the line. Tension to brake the system should be with your fingers applying friction to the spool, a little squeeze goes a long way. Once the SMB has surfaced, there's nothing wrong with using it to reel in line, but when line is moving, you don't want anything affecting it. Not to mention tolerances on bolt snaps aren't quite at the level of the space program. I've seen more than one that will allow thin line, especially moving, to exit the gate. Pretty awkward watching your bolt snap fall off into the abyss. If you're not in control of the bolt snap, it should be stowed on a d-ring.

As for venting the drysuit and blowing extra air and all that, it's just not necessary. You'd vent your drysuit to counteract the buoyancy you've added to the SMB. So that you can hold an inflated SMB in front of you? It's just added steps that aren't necessary. Your buoyancy doesn't change that drastically that quickly that you need to re-neutralize the entire "system" only to have to blow gas into your suit once you've let go. Prep the SMB, blow into it, let it go. If you're hanging on to it long enough that it's dragging you to the surface and you have to dump gas out of your drysuit to compensate, you're holding on to the thing way too long. If you're trying to "preload" the SMB so that it stands up, and you have to dump gas out of your drysuit to compensate, you're blowing the thing up way too much to be holding on to.

Garry Dallas is, from what I can tell, a good diver, and I've heard a good instructor, but I've seen a couple of things that are just the "Garry Dallas" way. It reminds me of AG doing weird stuff just to put his name on something. Reinventing the way you shoot an SMB just to have your own way of doing it is just weird. Especially when it introduces issues that it doesn't need to introduce, while at the same time solving issues that don't exist in the first place. I dunno, it's weird. Way overthinking the whole process.

 

[Storker]

Moving line does funny things, especially in the water. Having something on it that can potentially snag or entangle is no good. The likelihood of it happening is slim, maybe one in a million, who knows, but I've seen the trigger of a double ender snag in one of the holes on the side if a spool and it yanked it out of the dudes hand, so it does happen.

Thanks.

The reason I'm slightly partial to clipping the double-ender to the spool line is what I've highlighted above. Having the double ender clipped to the line reduces the risk for the line to float around and snag something when - not if! - I screw up. I haven't screwed up yet - if we disregard the first time I tried to shoot a sausage and made a very sorry mess out of myself and the line - but I won't bet my life savings that it won't happen. Quite the contrary, I assume I'll mess up sometime.

 

[JohnnyC]

Thanks.

The reason I'm slightly partial to clipping the double-ender to the spool line is what I've highlighted above. Having the double ender clipped to the line reduces the risk for the line to float around and snag something when - not if! - I screw up. I haven't screwed up yet - if we disregard the first time I tried to shoot a sausage and made a very sorry mess out of myself and the line - but I won't bet my life savings that it won't happen. Quite the contrary, I assume I'll mess up sometime.

I understand your train of thought, but have you considered that you're actually increasing the snag and entanglement hazard by adding an unsecured bolt snap onto the line?

 

[Storker]

have you considered that you're actually increasing the snag and entanglement hazard by adding an unsecured bolt snap onto the line?

With all due respect (and a willingness to change my opinion if you're able to convince me otherwise. Yes, I know. Not very likely) allow me to disagree. A free-floating loop of line will, in my opinion, much easier snag and entangle me than a 1-3dm long loop kept straight down by the weight of the double-ender. My opinion is more than probably colored by my rather embarrassing experience the first time I tried to shoot a sausage, though...

 

[mcohen1021]

A few things I only learned through experience and not through any class:

1. If on a self-led dive make sure you have a compass

2. If on a self-led dive have a general idea of route you want

3. If on a self-led dive head back to the starting point at 1500-1800 psi

4. Even on a guided boat dive, looking at your compass also would not hurt

5. When on a guided boat drift dive where you must come up ahead of the group, swim above the group for your 3+ min safety stop

6. Always have a safety sausage, flashlight, whistle

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

A few things I only learned through experience and not through any class:

1. If on a self-led dive make sure you have a compass

2. If on a self-led dive have a general idea of route you want

3. If on a self-led dive head back to the starting point at 1500-1800 psi

4. Even on a guided boat dive, looking at your compass also would not hurt

5. When on a guided boat drift dive where you must come up ahead of the group, swim above the group for your 3+ min safety stop

6. Always have a safety sausage, flashlight, whistle

I strongly believe in being equipped within reason for the worst case scenario: separation. Monitor one's compass during a guided tour so you have an idea what direction to go should you become separated. So #1 in my book (not in yours, and probably not in the book of others) is always have a compass. Even #2, in the dive briefing, the general direction should be communicated.

 

[JohnnyC]

With all due respect (and a willingness to change my opinion if you're able to convince me otherwise. Yes, I know. Not very likely) allow me to disagree. A free-floating loop of line will, in my opinion, much easier snag and entangle me than a 1-3dm long loop kept straight down by the weight of the double-ender. My opinion is more than probably colored by my rather embarrassing experience the first time I tried to shoot a sausage, though...

For sure a free-floating loop of line is not ideal, and I don't disagree that it's potentially troublesome, however that shouldn't be a regular state for shooting an SMB. I can think of several scenarios where having a double ender with 1-3m of line going straight down can quickly turn into a real issue, and those aren't really things you could mitigate. However, some slack free-floating line is an easily rectified situation, whereas those related to having a double-ender on the line is only rectified by removing the double ender.

If a diver has the experience to make decisions where they compromise in one aspect of something for ease or convenience, and they're aware of the risks of doing so and how to deal with it, sure, like you said, I'm unlikely to change their mind. Some things like a gas switch procedure are non-negotiable, but shooting an SMB isn't really worth the argument. My biggest problem is teaching new students things like this, that have a greater likelihood of causing an issue, especially for a brand new diver. They don't have the knowledge or experience to mitigate those issues, or balance the risk/convenience process.