DSMB norms in Cozumel?

[Ron Lee]

While on most dives I do surface with the group, on some second dives my Suunto gets close to deco before the rest of the group needs to go up. Rather than get into a deco situation where I will need to perform a lengthy safety stop, I notify the DM then gradually work my way up towards a safety stop depth....all the while remaining above the group. This also often requires that I face into the current and slowly kick due to differing currents.

When I had a bit of line attached to my SMB, it was only enough to deploy it from about 15-20 feet. That is adequate for my uses and minimizes the stuff I have to take there. Carry-on only requires that I leave the kitchen sink home.

 

[Skittl1321]

I did not realize that inflating a SMB on the surface is a sign of an emergency.

I think this may have been conflated from my statement of "I carry an SMB for an emergency". In this case, the only emergency this would cover is 'I've drifted away from my group and need to be visible on the surface". I would never expect a captain to see an SMB and think someone is in distress. That would be absurd.

 

[cvchief]

While on most dives I do surface with the group, on some second dives my Suunto gets close to deco before the rest of the group needs to go up. Rather than get into a deco situation where I will need to perform a lengthy safety stop, I notify the DM then gradually work my way up towards a safety stop depth....all the while remaining above the group. This also often requires that I face into the current and slowly kick due to differing currents.

When I had a bit of line attached to my SMB, it was only enough to deploy it from about 15-20 feet. That is adequate for my uses and minimizes the stuff I have to take there. Carry-on only requires that I leave the kitchen sink home.

Makes sense. And that is your dive op's SOP. Clearly there are ops that let divers do that. Mine is too anal about safety. She insist on making sure that the diver goes up safe and makes the boat. Which I understand as that is the most likely spot to get lost. Can't be good for her to go up and down and up and down, but that is her thing.

 

[Ron Lee]

Makes sense. And that is your dive op's SOP. Clearly there are ops that let divers do that. Mine is too anal about safety. She insist on making sure that the diver goes up safe and makes the boat. Which I understand as that is the most likely spot to get lost. Can't be good for her to go up and down and up and down, but that is her thing.

If you mean me going up a bit I am not surfacing. I am above the group and able to safely surface solo if need be. By going up a little (or near safety stop depth), I solve my conservative dive computer constraints and avoid having the dive terminated early for others. I still end the dive with the group.

 

[cvchief]

If you mean me going up a bit I am not surfacing. I am above the group and able to safely surface solo if need be. By going up a little (or near safety stop depth), I solve my conservative dive computer constraints and avoid having the dive terminated early for others. I still end the dive with the group.

Oh sorry, I did not get you the first time. Still, that makes perfect sense.

 

[mstevens]

Every member of my family dives with a small SMB and a finger reel with 100 feet of line. They usually stay stowed in a pocket.

Every one of us has deployed our SMB multiple times. If we surface with a DM, we don't deploy because it seems unnecessary and because we prefer to avoid having multiple lines in the water. If for whatever reason someone needs to surface without a DM, we do deploy. Examples include an equipment issue or feeling unwell that leads to surfacing early, or the DM's need to surface with another diver when it's appropriate for us to continue.

Our captain knows we carry and use them and does watch out for us. He usually only needs to track 6 divers and a DM, and sometimes only needs to track my family of 3 and a DM. More than that, I think boat traffic mandates that each group of divers at the surface have a marker for increased visibility. We never expect anyone to presume that our having deployed an SMB in any way indicates distress, or anything beyond "I'm here".

As others have pointed out, shooting a bag from depth can create issues, but this is a learnable skill of which almost anyone is capable. Our DM likes to teach divers how to do this because he thinks it's important to know and because he's found many divers haven't learned the skill.

As has also been pointed out, there are uses for SMB's besides deploying them from depth. They can be inflated at the surface for increased visibility and to provide extra flotation. They're also good for dueling during surface intervals.

 

[Christi]

I carried an SMB for surface use in an emergency (never touched it) but do not have the skills to use a DSMB yet.

However, the op I dove with individual divers did NOT deploy their own DSMB. Deploying your own, the captain wouldn't be looking for it. He looked for the DM's. For each diver (or buddy pair if they went up together) who was ready to go up, the DM deployed hers, stayed with the diver on their safety stop, watched that the boat picked them up, rolled the DSMB back up and continued on with the dive with the rest of the group who still had air.

Umm - sorry, not a wise answer. You are responsible for your dive and your safety, that includes at the surface. I agree, you probably do not have the skills to deploy an SMB from depth based on your very limited experience, but you certainly can use one on the surface if needed until you do acquire the skills to safely deploy.

The very simple answer to this claim that the "captain would not be looking for it" is:

He will be if he is a conscientious captain and you have proper communication with him before the dive! The captains should be vigilant and watching for their divers throughout the dive - never know when someone will surface with an emergency. Another good reason not to mix divers and snorkelers (but that's another topic).

Particularly for those who tend to surface before the rest of the group - show the captain your SMB - better yet, write your name or something to identify you with a big black sharpie on your SMB, show it to him pointing out the unique markings, and if you surface early let him know you'll be surfacing at xx minutes!

 

[cvchief]

Umm - sorry, not a wise answer. You are responsible for your dive and your safety, that includes at the surface. I agree, you probably do not have the skills to deploy an SMB from depth based on your very limited experience, but you certainly can use one on the surface if needed until you do acquire the skills to safely deploy.

The very simple answer to this claim that the "captain would not be looking for it" is:

He will be if he is a conscientious captain and you have proper communication with him before the dive! The captains should be vigilant and watching for their divers throughout the dive - never know when someone will surface with an emergency. Another good reason not to mix divers and snorkelers (but that's another topic).

Particularly for those who tend to surface before the rest of the group - show the captain your SMB - better yet, write your name or something to identify you with a big black sharpie on your SMB, show it to him pointing out the unique markings, and if you surface early let him know you'll be surfacing at xx minutes!

Or follow your dive op's established procedure....

 

[Pez de Diablo]

I am quoting Christi just to reiterate what she is saying. Everyone is responsible for their own safety, this includes carrying an SMB and being able to use it.

Dennis

Umm - sorry, not a wise answer. You are responsible for your dive and your safety, that includes at the surface. I agree, you probably do not have the skills to deploy an SMB from depth based on your very limited experience, but you certainly can use one on the surface if needed until you do acquire the skills to safely deploy.

The very simple answer to this claim that the "captain would not be looking for it" is:

He will be if he is a conscientious captain and you have proper communication with him before the dive! The captains should be vigilant and watching for their divers throughout the dive - never know when someone will surface with an emergency. Another good reason not to mix divers and snorkelers (but that's another topic).

Particularly for those who tend to surface before the rest of the group - show the captain your SMB - better yet, write your name or something to identify you with a big black sharpie on your SMB, show it to him pointing out the unique markings, and if you surface early let him know you'll be surfacing at xx minutes!

 

[Skittl1321]

I agree, you probably do not have the skills to deploy an SMB from depth based on your very limited experience, but you certainly can use one on the surface if needed until you do acquire the skills to safely deploy.

I have one that can be deployed on the surface if it was needed. It was never needed. I am well aware I am responsible for my own safety.

and you have proper communication with him before the dive!

The dive plan communicated was to use the DM's SMB. It was very clearly communicated. For the op I dove with, the captain would not be looking to pick someone up unless they were using the DM's SMB. I'm sure he'd figure it out if someone came up on another one, but that was not the dive plan.

The captains should be vigilant and watching for their divers throughout the dive - never know when someone will surface with an emergency.

This seems to be an entirely different issue. Do people really take the time to shoot a DSMB when there is an emergency? And if the only reason that I'd need to shoot my own is because I got separated, how does the captain watch two groups at once?

and if you surface early let him know you'll be surfacing at xx minutes!

How do I predict what time said emergency will occur?


I never said all ops do it this way- my first post clearly states "the op I dove with". I think if the thread hadn't been so derailed by across suggesting I shouldn't even comment, we'd be more likely to learn how other ops handle this. Why not share how your op handles this? Does each diver shoot their own SMB, or does the DM do it as people surface?