signal tubes/ safety sausages

[the sharkman]

I figure it would be a good idea to have a safety sausage handy for Coz drift diving. I was wondering how common this is, and how necessary. Those of you who do use them in Coz, do you use the surface type, or the type with string (used during safety stops).
thanx

sharkman
:guitar:

 

[miked]

Hi Sharkman,

On all of my (rec only) dives I carry a safety sausage- the surface type. Probably a better idea is to add on the string due to the greater versatility.
On my 3 trips to Coz, I did see, on occasion, a DM deploy one during the safety stop. While the "bubblewatchers(?)" on board the dive boats were great at tracking the divers, the sausage can help. On those dives where the DM used one, the boat was "ready and waiting" when we surfaced.
I'd say bring one along, it can't hurt- especially if you were to get separated from the DM- it can, and has happened. Just be careful to not overinflate it, if you are letting it go from the 15' mark, as the air volume will increase on the way up.( I saw a "popped" one floating on the surface-though not in Coz.)
Good luck,
Mike

 

[metridium]

Considering the sometimes heavy boat traffic in Coz, you might want to think about a Delayed Surface Marker Buoy (DSMB). Some British singer was killed there awhile back after surfacing into a boat's path, IIRC.

Sending up a DSMB with a spool from 15' or greater is a good way to mitigate that danger.

 

[Rooster1]

Bring one



If you by chance get away from where you should be and surface, you will be seen with a sausage

 

[Tanstaafl]

Has anyone tried the Halcyon Dive Alert Markers? I was wondering how well they were constructed.

 

[metridium]

Tanstaafl wrote...
Has anyone tried the Halcyon Dive Alert Markers? I was wondering how well they were constructed.

I've used the largest one for a couple years now with no quality complaints. I wish the eyelet were large enough for my double ender to pass through, but I believe the new models have corrected that design flaw.

One thing to be aware of is that if you're diving wet, you'll need to either disconnect your BC inflator to fill the marker or to inflate it manually. If using the former method, be sure to reconnect the hose ASAP.

For that reason, some use open-ended lift bags instead. The tradeoff is less visibility on the surface compared to a fully-inflated 6' DSMB.

 

[dmdalton]

OMS has a 5' open ended surface marker with a 50# capacity in both yellow (marked "EMERGENCY") with no valve ($27 from LP) and in orange with valve and no markings for about $15 more.

I like em, work great.

Dave D

 

[Caribbean Carla]

Good Idea to have one , and a whistle. If you get seperated from your dive master or buddy or diving offshore in some areas with lots of boats!!!!!! A few shallow areas off shore have lots of traffic. Be careful.

 

[NuttyGambler]

I just got the Halcyon middle sized tube, I picked up a drysuit over the summer, and this trip to Cozumel is the first time I will not be wearing it since adding the hose to my reg.

There is no reason at all to remove the hose and cap the first stage is there? This extra hose can be used to inflate the tube if needed, or is it viewed as a point of failure?

Thanks.

 

[metridium]

NuttyGambler wrote...

There is no reason at all to remove the hose and cap the first stage is there? This extra hose can be used to inflate the tube if needed, or is it viewed as a point of failure?

Can't speak for the DIR guys, but I wouldn't bother removing it, unless it's annoying flopping around in the current.

OTOH, removing it and reinstalling the port plug is the work of less than a minute.