Organizing the rarely needed

[garyh]

Yes on both -- though I'm curious how you assumed warm temps; survival time vs. cold, or dexterity?

Obviously little need for any of this on cave, cavern, quarry, etc.

Up here (Great Lakes) cold would be the killer, btm temps high 30's low 40's, u surface from a dive boats gone (mental note to self, if I survive this I'm going to lets say have words with the Captain) you are already chilled, dexterity becomes a BIG issue (thus the fumbling concern). My guess is hypothermia would kick in long B4 my primary and BU lights burn out. I do a lot of cave diving in MX, extended range 3 1/2 - 4 hr dives even in 78 deg water in a dry suit I'm chilled when I surface.

 

[kelemvor]

Okay, that took me a few minutes to work out the topology. I think this is what you are thinking:


Yes, that totally works -- if you could get a good seal (or didn't care about the seal) around the hole. I made a low-effort attempt, and it didn't really seal:

...but if you got it to seal, it would have worked.

Try a hole outside of the sealed area maybe? You could get metal grommets and a grommet tool for next to nothing on amazon if you're worried about ripping the hole out.
https://www.amazon.com/General-Tools-81264-Rustproof-Grommets/dp/B01BH4FLCE

 

[lairdb]

Try a hole outside of the sealed area maybe? You could get metal grommets and a grommet tool for next to nothing on amazon if you're worried about ripping the hole out.
https://www.amazon.com/General-Tools-81264-Rustproof-Grommets/dp/B01BH4FLCE
View attachment 613981

That would be easy -- but the string won't go through the seal. Or rather it will, but the seal doesn't seal around it.

We were fiddling with that late on page 1. You can fasten the bag to you, and have the bag sealed, by placing the grommet outside the sealed area. OR, you can fasten the gear to you by running the string through the seal, but the string disrupts the seal. (Which might be okay for some.)

The beautiful thing about The @Heka Topology is that you can create a continuous connection from the outside clip all the way to the gear -- if you can make that tricky circular seal around the through-hole:

 

[evandroairton]

Photograph of what you see 20 miles offshore at night:

View attachment 613943



"Guns are like lawyers: most of the time they're annoying and inconvenient -- but when you need one, you need it Right Now, and nothing else will do." --I forget who.

Unfortunately in october 6th of 2019 i've saw with my own eyes what is a night more than 20 nm from shore.
After a skipper mistake, our Group (4 ccr divers) get adrift and spent 13 hours at the ocean after a dive at the Camaquã wreck, offshore Recife (tks it was brazilian northeast = warm)
We were rescued by sportsfisherman who sailed after us, tracing the path downcurrent from the wreck site, at 3:00 am.
We have already navigated half way through shore, by keeping the spirits high with dirt jokes and stuff, and making a 15-20 minutes swin following the current by 10 rest. When we were rescued, city lights could be seen.
If wasn't for a flash light, we should not be spotted at night. The dive alert was pretty innefective against winds with 1.5 metres waves, and the skipper was also unnable to see our 1.8 metres SMB's.
Being cool headed was the main reason we could manage the case, but having the tools, even when they were not working, and having more than one way to mark us was crucial.
Keeping a emergency kit is never too much, and keeping it working, with propper battery, etc. In a way you can acces is a must

 

[evandroairton]

Unfortunately in october 6th of 2019 i've saw with my own eyes what is a night more than 20 nm from shore.
After a skipper mistake, our Group (4 ccr divers) get adrift and spent 13 hours at the ocean after a dive at the Camaquã wreck, offshore Recife (tks it was brazilian northeast = warm)
We were rescued by sportsfisherman who sailed after us, tracing the path downcurrent from the wreck site, at 3:00 am.
We have already navigated half way through shore, by keeping the spirits high with dirt jokes and stuff, and making a 15-20 minutes swin following the current by 10 rest. When we were rescued, city lights could be seen.
If wasn't for a flash light, we should not be spotted at night. The dive alert was pretty innefective against winds with 1.5 metres waves, and the skipper was also unnable to see our 1.8 metres SMB's.
Being cool headed was the main reason we could manage the case, but having the tools, even when they were not working, and having more than one way to mark us was crucial.
Keeping a emergency kit is never too much, and keeping it working, with propper battery, etc. In a way you can acces is a must

But, in spite of the 13 hours adrift, it was such a nice dive! With depth charges laid at the bottom(it was a minesweeper who sank at 57 metres, due to the weather during anti u-boat patrol), a goliath grouper, and etc.
Hope i can go there again soon!

 

[lairdb]

Unfortunately in october 6th of 2019 i've saw with my own eyes what is a night more than 20 nm from shore.
After a skipper mistake, our Group (4 ccr divers) get adrift and spent 13 hours at the ocean after a dive at the Camaquã wreck,
...
having the tools, even when they were not working, and having more than one way to mark us was crucial.
Keeping a emergency kit is never too much, and keeping it working, with propper battery, etc. In a way you can acces is a must

What do you bring now that you didn’t then?

 

[evandroairton]

What do you bring now that you didn’t then?

Actually a better skyper! LOL
But an older model nautilus Lifeline would be nice! For about 2 hours we were able to see the boat, but they didn't have the idea of take a downcurrent course.
The newer model isn't so practical, and i don't know if it would help.
An epirb would be ok too! We have been crossed by 2 or 3 tankers coming out the Suape port, a few comercial airplanes and even spotted the search hellicopter lights passing by at distance, but closer to the shore than we were.
Maybe some supplement bar and camelpak.

 

[Endler's]

How 'bout 8 oz. bottle of water. Empty bottle can be turned into a solar still, if stranded.

Youtube: How to make a plastic bottle Survival solar still.

 

[lairdb]

Quick follow ups.

Please let us know how waterproof it ends up being!

Completely. It's been out on many dives, and it's well-sealed.

I also had a chance to dry-run (wet-run?) using it -- just for practice. Worked well (in calm conditions with a calm diver, tbf.) One thing I never documented was putting the snap up toward the top of the bag, and everything else pushed to the bottom -- with the foot of line and the tear notch in between. This made it easy to get a firm grasp on the snap in one hand before tearing open the bag, making it pretty easy to capture the snap and clip it off.

(The biggest thrash was capturing the bag, so I didn't litter -- which would be less important in a real emergency.)

The strobe has a lithium primary AA, so that's marked at 10 years. I should put a "change battery in 2026" slip of paper in that's visible through the shrink.

Changed battery and put a "change in 2033" slip of paper in, visible through the shrink.

 

[Bob DBF]

What needs to be waterproof? Maybe the dye marker but the rest can ride in the mesh bag without issue.

Nothing there needs to be further waterproofed.

Since I dive with 5mm gloves i have them separate snapped off in a pocket, except the whistle, which is zip tied to my inflator hose. If I was worried about keeping them together I'd probably use a rubber band or two.