Safety sausages and other essential safety gear

[nimoh]

Not when they're looking the other way. There's a reason why your ears are pointed sideway instead of forward or backward.

first sentence, I understand...the second, not so much

 

[fnfalman]

first sentence, I understand...the second, not so much

Your ears are pointing out sideway so that you can hear from multiple directions while your eyes are limited to the front and a bit of peripheral vision. The lookouts will hear your whistle (if you're close enough) before they will detect you with their eyesights. Hell, if you're far enough where they can't hear your whistle, you're probably too far for them to detect your SMB anyway.

 

[fjpatrum]

Your ears are pointing out sideway so that you can hear from multiple directions while your eyes are limited to the front and a bit of peripheral vision. The lookouts will hear your whistle (if you're close enough) before they will detect you with their eyesights. Hell, if you're far enough where they can't hear your whistle, you're probably too far for them to detect your SMB anyway.

Unfortunately, this simply isn't true. A whistle being heard is highly dependent upon the engine not being loud, the direction of the wind, the speed of the wind, the condition of the surface (waves can often act as a sound baffle as well as causing their own sound crashing against the boat) and several other conditions. In the woods, a whistle is incredibly reliable. On the water is a different matter altogether.

All that said, I still wear one on my BC because it's better than nothing and I'd rather have the option of appealing to as many senses as possible when trying to attract attention.

 

[diverrex]

You guys can argue all you want about how effective a whistle is but it costs about $5 and is so small you won't even notice it clipped to your BC hose so why not bring one. I've never tried mine on the water surface but have tried it on land. I was disappointed that it wasn't louder but my LDS gave it to me for free so I carry it.

 

[timhack]

Although many people are not fans, an audible underwater signaling device is important. If you get into trouble and need to signal your buddy, it is a good way to get their attention. They are not always looking in your direction so hand signals alone may not cut it in an emergency. I would not recommend this as a primary means of communication as you will upset the fish and other divers. As a piece of safety equipment, I would consider it a must-have.

 

[KD8NPB]

I have a Storm whistle ziptied to my BC hose. It's out of the way, but easily accessible in an emergency.

If I were in the ocean, I would probably start carrying some aerial flares too.

 

[rambaldi]

Although many people are not fans, an audible underwater signaling device is important. If you get into trouble and need to signal your buddy, it is a good way to get their attention. They are not always looking in your direction so hand signals alone may not cut it in an emergency. I would not recommend this as a primary means of communication as you will upset the fish and other divers. As a piece of safety equipment, I would consider it a must-have.

Carrying a decent torch around with you at all times can solve that issue. Flash it on their face and they should notice you quickly (not all ways the case as I have seen)

 

[nimoh]

You guys can argue all you want about how effective a whistle is but it costs about $5 and is so small you won't even notice it clipped to your BC hose so why not bring one. I've never tried mine on the water surface but have tried it on land. I was disappointed that it wasn't louder but my LDS gave it to me for free so I carry it.

I agree, but would rather put it in a pocket since I don't need it while diving. My involvement in this discussion is mostly to discuss whether or not (even though it is small) it is worth it to carry it, but also because I'm bored

I'm at the point now where I agree that it is worth it for many dives.

 

[Mike]

It's a personal choice.

In Colorado, many of us have had wilderness training and there is something called The Ten Essentials. They go with you on any hike you do :

1. Map
2. Compass
3. Flashlight/headlamp
4. Extra food
5. Extra clothing
6. Sunglasses
7. First aid supplies
8. Pocket knife
9. Matches
10. Fire starter

As individuals we who carry these things have many, many variations on each item and everyone has different specific versions, we learn to find the smallest, lightest versions that meet the criteria so they are not a burden to take along and you won't be tempted to leave them behind. They just go on every hike automatically and you never have to be in a position of wishing you had brought something when you need it.

I only bring this up because in relation to scuba diving, I look at my scuba safety devices the exact same way, in scuba safety there are the 6 essentials:

Whistle
Mirror
Cutting tool
SMB on a reel
Light
PLB

Because of my wilderness training I apply the same logic to these, and have purchased the smallest, lightest versions of each that are acceptable so that I can take them on every dive and will never have to worry about wishing I had one when the emergency happens, because they will simply be there. You have them, you can forget about them and enjoy diving always knowing you've brought along everything you might need to deal with an emergency. Total cost for all of the 6 essentials should be under $400.00.

 

[Edward3c]

Advice for this novice on selecting essential safety gear would be appreciated. As in safety sausage vs. lift bags, signalling devices, etc.

As background... and I am embarrassed a bit at this thread, but I am going to be honest in case it helps out other new divers [hence I put it in this New Divers section to minimize flamethrowing]. I made an unwise choice over the course of my first 35 dives, which have been ocean dives, driftdiving off Cozumel. I put my trust and my safety in many ways (and his!) in the hands of my experienced Advanced Diver buddy (my boyfriend at the time). He carried all the safety equipment, I carried none and knew he had my back. It is past time for me to "grow up" in my diving.

What are the best essentiel safety items that are not overboard cumbersome/complicated, but could save my life and/or my future buddies', say, if I/we got separated from our group and had to calmly, wisely abort the dive and go to the surface alone? I am not a gadget afficianado, so I am looking for efficient and safe and straightforward.

In looking at safety sausages, what makes sense to me is something to inflate at the surface. There are a lot of threads here about deploying bags and such at depth. But I don't get the deploying at depth scenario, frankly. Controlled ascents in the ocean with current, with a safety stop, are familiar to me now, and have not been difficult to achieve drifing along with my buddies. In my novice mind, it makes sense that if I went up without DM and group, I believe I could still do my safety stop in a controlled manner. And then I need a sausage to inflate at the surface. I'm concerned about getting an unecessarily complicated device to deploy at depth just because all the cool kids talk about it, and then killing myself during my own rescue with a spool of rope in my gear yanking me up uncontrolled. What I am missing about the benefits of bags and devices you deploy at depth??? Or are those for a different scenario of diving? Or is that a popular but not necessary approach that folks do?

What else is a basic.. mirror, whistle?? I'm going to be doing some shore diving too this summer in Bonaire with a group. Want to be able to hold my own and my buddy's safety. Can't wait!!!

Thanks and blessings.

Hi MeraSonnet,

Just adding to what others have said no matter what extra equipment you decide to carry.

Learn to use it then practice and continue to practice every few months. Especially a Delayed SMB, its too easy to get rusty.