In water - Need to communicate with boat Captain “I’m ok, but want a pick-up”?

[Pelagicsal]

Time to review signals training.
"Okay" at a distance is making a big circle above your head with your arms or a fist atop your head with your elbow out to the side. Illustrations of these should come up on a web search.
When okay signal is returned, wave the boat toward you, using your whole arm, and watch for response from boat.

 

[noj3333]

Thank you for the answers... I made a standard 'ok' with just my hand... they didn't say anything, but that would be hard to see from a distance. Should there be a next time, the 'big ok' would be better, followed by holding one hand up/ waving the boat towards me, waiting for a pick up (if I needed it, in a non-emergency situation)...

Consider this question answered...

 

[rabe]

We achieved something today, yai!

 

[Neilwood]

Thank you for the answers... I made a standard 'ok' with just my hand... they didn't say anything, but that would be hard to see from a distance. Should there be a next time, the 'big ok' would be better, followed by holding one hand up/ waving the boat towards me, waiting for a pick up (if I needed it, in a non-emergency situation)...

Consider this question answered...

If I am any distance from the boat/shore and want to signal ok it is always the big one with hand on head and arm forming the O - that is the only one that can be guaranteed to be seen at any reasonable distance.

Personally I would avoid the waving or make it a slow and deliberate wave - just in case it is misinterpreted as a distress signal.

 

[kelemvor]

Down here, if you're ok and need to be picked up, you raise your arm up in the sky, and wait for the boat to come and pick you up. In this case, you need to wait for all the other divers to be back.
If in distress, you move your arms sideways. in this case, the captain/skipper will recall the divers and come to pick you up asap.
In any case, your SMB has been deployed so the captain/skipper can keep an eye on you.

That's exactly what I was taught in NAUI Scuba Diver class. I've used the "arms up in the sky" signal to request a pickup on several occasions.

 

[oly5050user]

As taught in a ow class , if separated from buddy and cannot locate in a minute, go to surface. Buddy should realize missing diver and do same. Going down following bubbles is usually always a poor choice especially for beginner and in poor visibility with any kind of current. Now as to surface 400 yards away from boat, in a current, diver should stay on surface with smb wait for pickup. Not a good idea to go back underwater and try to swim back against current

 

[rabe]

Well, sometimes is better going back down then staying on the surface.
Of course, this depends on so many factors.
In a normal day, if I'm lost (with or without my buddy), I emerge, look for the boat, signal I'm ok, check my compass, go back down and swim toward the boat and enjoy the continuation of my dive.

 

[noj3333]

Well, sometimes is better going back down then staying on the surface.
Of course, this depends on so many factors.
In a normal day, if I'm lost (with or without my buddy), I emerge, look for the boat, signal I'm ok, check my compass, go back down and swim toward the boat and enjoy the continuation of my dive.

This was my thought, I was never in distress, and I thought the situation was not outside of my comfort zone. I would take a similar course of action should things happen like this again. With that, I now know how signal if I was ok, but wanted to be picked up by the boat.
I would add, my underwater swim was not enjoyable per say... simply because the viz was poor, and I was more focused on getting back to the boat...

 

[rabe]

This was my thought, I was never in distress, and I thought the situation was not outside of my comfort zone. I would take a similar course of action should things happen like this again. With that, I now know how signal if I was ok, but wanted to be picked up by the boat.
I would add, my underwater swim was not enjoyable per say... simply because the viz was poor, and I was more focused on getting back to the boat...

As I said, it depends on the situation, and experience will help you to decide what is the best solution for you.
It has happened to me so many time, in good conditions, as well as in the worst condition ever.
And it will happen again, I know.
I think the key point here is to let the boat know where you are (SMB, deployed, always) and that you are ok (a big ok with both of your arm).
Then you can start to swim towards the boat, if you get too tired, just let the boat know and they will pick you up.
With a nice SMB you can actually use it as an extra floating device to rest on it.
I have the Hollis and when it's all inflated, you can actually have a nap on it Hollis SMB Orange

Alternatively, you can also use the 2 SMB system: the orange one and the yellow one.
Orange one means "Hey, I'm here, and I'm fine..."
The yellow one means "Hey, I'm here and I'm not fine: come and pick me up."
You can dive with both of them, and depending on the situation, you can choose your colour.
Just check first with the crew that they actually know the difference between the two colours...

 

[Nathan Doty]

Scuba Hand Signals You Need to Remember - AquaViews