Nautilus Lifeline Radio

[Dogbowl]

1st Gen Nautilus - rely upon other boats for VHF/DSC
2nd Gen Nautilus - rely upon other boats for AIS/DSC

Which is more likely in Indonesia? I don't know.

PLB - response time too long given amount of possible drift

Maybe just get one and hope to never have to use it?

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Whoever the emergency contact is, would he/she answer an unrecognized number, even if they're the kind to answer the phone? What about leaving the ringer on while sleeping? Even more questions!

How about buy all 3 and hope 1 will work?

There’s a saying: ignorance is bliss. All this knowledge is stressing me out. So many questions, so few answers.

 

[Dan]

I stick with the liveaboard that either loans MRG for their guests or has DSC/AIS & MMSI to load it into my MRG, plus carry my PLB1 as last resort.

 

[divinh]

How about buy all 3 and hope 1 will work?

There’s a saying: ignorance is bliss. All this knowledge is stressing me out. So many questions, so few answers.

I'll say! Signing up for a liveaboard is like a kick in the pants to read up on all these emergency scenarios and how to deal with them.

 

[divinh]

I stick with the liveaboard that either loans MRG for their guests or has DSC/AIS & MMSI to load it into my MRG, plus carry my PLB1 as last resort.

It's my first liveaboard booking, so I had no idea. What's the best option for now? I'm thinking of looking at the route and seeing how many boats I see on the marine traffic site, to gauge if there are boats out there with AIS/DSC and MMSI...

 

[Dan]

It's my first liveaboard booking, so I had no idea. What's the best option for now? I'm thinking of looking at the route and seeing how many boats I see on the marine traffic site, to gauge if there are boats out there with AIS/DSC and MMSI...

I think it's still OK to have MRG & PLB1 even though KLM Seamore Papua doesn’t have AIS/DSC and MMSI. Komodo is very popular dive destination, there are lots of liveaboards that have AIS/DSC that may detect your distress signal. I track some of them that will be in Komodo around the time of KLM Seamore Papua using Marine Traffic app, as shown below.

The important thing is to make sure that you stick with the group & guide. When you get separated underwater, sound off your DiverAlert & launch your DSMB up to the surface early for the skiff to locate it before you surface too far away from them to see.

Give your emergency contact the satellite phone number of KLM Seamore Papua. Remind them about when you will be in Komodo & to not ignore any call in the middle of the night.

 

[divinh]

I think it's still OK to have MRG & PLB1 even though KLM Seamore Papua doesn’t have AIS/DSC and MMSI. Komodo is very popular dive destination, there are lots of liveaboards that have AIS/DSC that may detect your distress signal. I track some of them that will be in Komodo around the time of KLM Seamore Papua using Marine Traffic app, as shown below.

View attachment 448577

The important thing is to make sure that you stick with the group & guide. When you get separated underwater, sound off your DiverAlert & launch your DSMB up to the surface early for the skiff to locate it before you surface too far away from them to see.

Give your emergency contact the satellite phone number of KLM Seamore Papua. Remind them about when you will be in Komodo & to not ignore any call in the middle of the night.

Thanks, Dan_T! This is great!

Since it's my first liveaboard and in a potentially strong current region, I do plan to stick with the group and guide. My worry is with who I'll be insta-buddy with. I've had buddies in the past that would swim off and I would do my best to bridge them to the guide and keeping my buddy duties, which is to keep close enough in case of an emergency. It's frustrating but nothing I could do anything about until after the dive, at which point the buddy has already moved on.

Great point about the DiveAlert and deploying the DSMB early. I'll see if the Seamore Papua will give me their satellite number early.

 

[Kevrumbo]

I think it's still OK to have MRG & PLB1 even though KLM Seamore Papua doesn’t have AIS/DSC and MMSI. Komodo is very popular dive destination, there are lots of liveaboards that have AIS/DSC that may detect your distress signal. I track some of them that will be in Komodo around the time of KLM Seamore Papua using Marine Traffic app, as shown below.

View attachment 448577

The important thing is to make sure that you stick with the group & guide. When you get separated underwater, sound off your DiverAlert & launch your DSMB up to the surface early for the skiff to locate it before you surface too far away from them to see.

Give your emergency contact the satellite phone number of KLM Seamore Papua. Remind them about when you will be in Komodo & to not ignore any call in the middle of the night.

It's my first liveaboard booking, so I had no idea. What's the best option for now? I'm thinking of looking at the route and seeing how many boats I see on the marine traffic site, to gauge if there are boats out there with AIS/DSC and MMSI...

Look at the scale of your marine traffic site or app, and see what boats are around with AIS/DSC in a 5 kilometer/3 statute miles/2.6 nautical miles radius, which is your VHF range to the horizon:

The barely visible object on the sea-to-sky line (i.e. Horizon) to the left of the sailing vessel in the foreground is at 5 kilometers. Be advised that this VHF range will decrease in rain and high swell conditions.

 

[Rred]

Tear a ten or twenty dollar bill unequally in half. Give the boat operator the smaller half and tell them "You can have the rest when we get back to the dock. Please make sure I am back in the boat when the dive is finished." And you take the biggest part of the bill diving with you.

Yes, torn currency is perfectly legal, but the banks only accept a piece that is clearly larger than 50%, preferably the whole thing taped back together again.

The operator may look at you strangely, but I think they'll remember to make sure you're on board.

Now, if you only give them half a buck...maybe not so much.(G)

 

[tursiops]

Tear a ten or twenty dollar bill unequally in half. Give the boat operator the smaller half and tell them "You can have the rest when we get back to the dock. Please make sure I am back in the boat when the dive is finished." And you take the biggest part of the bill diving with you.

Yes, torn currency is perfectly legal, but the banks only accept a piece that is clearly larger than 50%, preferably the whole thing taped back together again.

The operator may look at you strangely, but I think they'll remember to make sure you're on board.

Now, if you only give them half a buck...maybe not so much.(G)

In Indonesia, a torn bill is not acceptable, even if it is a small corner missing, or just a 1/4 inch rip.

 

[Dogbowl]

Tear a ten or twenty dollar bill unequally in half. Give the boat operator the smaller half and tell them "You can have the rest when we get back to the dock. Please make sure I am back in the boat when the dive is finished." And you take the biggest part of the bill diving with you.

Yes, torn currency is perfectly legal, but the banks only accept a piece that is clearly larger than 50%, preferably the whole thing taped back together again.

The operator may look at you strangely, but I think they'll remember to make sure you're on board.

Now, if you only give them half a buck...maybe not so much.(G)

Well, that's thinking outside the box!