OP
'Must have' safety items?
- Thread starter BalekFekete
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caruso
Banned
I think you meant to say if "not" then leave the reel at home.
Anyway what's the point of carrying an SMB without a reel?
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
Understandable, but I don't live anywhere near the Gulf Stream or where about a quarter of the boats in the country are buzzing overhead.
Regarding seasickness meds, I find that I have to take them 24 hours in advance to build up a loading dose otherwise they don't help me. If I take them the morning of a dive, I'll get seasick. If I take them a day prior, I'm fine in the worst waves.
Yep, I've discovered that myself this season on Lake Michigan. Several times I either forgot to take it the night before, or I didn't take the second dose in the morning. Sat out dives due to it.
Yup, it’s a science figuring out what works . Not being a smoker or sucking down deisel exhaust is another good trick.
Actually, I didn't mean not but I can see why you'd think that. Let me rephrase with 3 categories of buoyancy control:
1. Awful buoyancy control. You're going to cork, so you might as well send a signal up first to let somebody know WHERE you're going to cork. (This assumes you can shoot a DSMB without getting tangled in the line; if not,, you should never have even considered it.)
2. Moderate buoyancy control. If you really focus, you won't cork. Probably better off focusing on maintaining the safety stop then trying to shoot a DSMB.
3. Good buoyancy control. Just keep your eyes open and look up. You'll most likely be fine. The exception here is if you don't have a divemaster (or the DM doesn't have a DSMB) and you're doing a drift dive in significant current. The sooner the boat knows where you are, the better.
I suppose this all gets very situational: What are the divers skills? What's the nature of the dive? What other individuals are in the group (if it's a group dive)?
Without the reel, a big SMB is easier to see from a distance than a diver in a standard black wetsuit, black-skirted mask, and black BCD. Horizontal, I suspect it's easier to see from an aircraft. If something really weird happens it also makes a reasonable flotation device.
Johnoly
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I'm probably the exception to your post, but even if I can reach out and touch the nearby diver who already has a flag/smb/float on the surface,,,,,,I still shoot mine,,,right next to them. I'm also a boat captain. So I appreciate seeing 2+ smb's to let me know I'm not looking for an additional diver and they are together on a safety/deco stop. It's just courtesy to the captain so he's not scanning 360 for another SMB. Our team has been in Coz together and launched 5 SMB's all right next to each other. The Coz dive boat captain knew exactly what we were doing and appreciated it.
Always remember to think of your dive boat captain,,,,,,with your SMB's and your wallet ....
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