mccabejc
Contributor
"Thumbs up" means "let's head for the surface". The implication is we're not going to noodle around. Just start ascending, where you are, at a safe pace. Could be that something's wrong, or maybe the viz sucks and everyone's bored, or you're back at the anchor line and it's time to head up, or whatever. You take the elevator to the top floor.
"Turn around" is a hand signal we use to indicate "let's go back the way we came". Not sure how universal it is, though I know crane signalers use it to get the crane guy to raise the load. Index finger points up, and you turn it in a small circular motion. Headhunter showed that one to me.
But I propose we need a new signal, something kinda in-between. This one means "let's start heading shallower". This is more like taking an escalator than an elevator. You swim in a ramp. It's for situations like this:
1. You figure you probably don't have enough air to take the same route back, so you need to start going shallower to cut down your air consumption.
2. Maybe you're getting close to your NDL limit, so you want to get a little shallower to gain some NDL time.
3. Any other reason you want to take the escalator. Sometimes with real good visibility I like to get high above the sea floor and look down. Gets my fear of heights thing going. Gives me the willies. Real cool.
I propose the way you give the signal is this:
Lay one hand flat, facing up, like you're asking for a tip. Lay the other hand on top of it, then angle the top hand to form a "V" with the bottom hand. Then move the top hand at that angle towards the surface.
When I've used that signal before, people look at me goofy...
"Turn around" is a hand signal we use to indicate "let's go back the way we came". Not sure how universal it is, though I know crane signalers use it to get the crane guy to raise the load. Index finger points up, and you turn it in a small circular motion. Headhunter showed that one to me.
But I propose we need a new signal, something kinda in-between. This one means "let's start heading shallower". This is more like taking an escalator than an elevator. You swim in a ramp. It's for situations like this:
1. You figure you probably don't have enough air to take the same route back, so you need to start going shallower to cut down your air consumption.
2. Maybe you're getting close to your NDL limit, so you want to get a little shallower to gain some NDL time.
3. Any other reason you want to take the escalator. Sometimes with real good visibility I like to get high above the sea floor and look down. Gets my fear of heights thing going. Gives me the willies. Real cool.
I propose the way you give the signal is this:
Lay one hand flat, facing up, like you're asking for a tip. Lay the other hand on top of it, then angle the top hand to form a "V" with the bottom hand. Then move the top hand at that angle towards the surface.
When I've used that signal before, people look at me goofy...