Underwater Communication.

[topflowerrubberforever]

I was just taking a quick look at the disabilities forum. and just had a few questions concerning underwater communication. How do some of you guys communicate? Does anyone out there use radios and stuff? i just thought of something.. sign language underwater???

Jay

 

[AmyJ]

I think it has been mentioned other places... but sign language works great! My husband and I can carry on the same conversations underwater that we can on the surface (not that we do... we are usually too busy looking at the pretty fishies!). Boy, you should see some of the looks we get. We are not disabled, but our daughter is deaf so we are both fluent in Signing Exact English. I think I would hate diving and not being able to communicate beyond "ok, low on air, abort the dive".

 

[SubQ]

I was just taking a quick look at the disabilities forum. and just had a few questions concerning underwater communication. How do some of you guys communicate? Does anyone out there use radios and stuff? i just thought of something.. sign language underwater???

Jay

I read an article recently about an industrial design student who was developing a new way for buddies to get each other's attention underwater, besides the tankbanger / ballbearing-tubes and other stuff. He thought up two complementary bracelets which could set each other off and would vibrate. I thought it was a great idea, since it would be a much less easily missed signal, and would prevent "noise pollution" under water. Also it would be excellent for hearing impaired divers.

The idea could be expanded by making it possible for instructors or guides to get the attention from the group or an individual within the group specifically, but that may be for the future.

cheers,
SubQ

 

[Walter]

Learn ASL, it a more natural language than SEE. Your communications will speed up dramatically. It shouldn't be that hard for you to learn as SEE borrowed many signs from ASL.

BTW, you can simply talk into your regulator. With a little practice, you can learn to understand each other quite well.

 

[SubQ]

BTW, you can simply talk into your regulator. With a little practice, you can learn to understand each other quite well.

Really? that is pretty cool. i will definitely give that a go on my next dive
cheers,
subQ

 

[AmyJ]

Learn ASL, it a more natural language than SEE. Your communications will speed up dramatically. It shouldn't be that hard for you to learn as SEE borrowed many signs from ASL.

BTW, you can simply talk into your regulator. With a little practice, you can learn to understand each other quite well.

And how is ASL any more natural than SEE?? By whose definition and natural for whom to use?

 

[RIDIVER501]

I was just taking a quick look at the disabilities forum. and just had a few questions concerning underwater communication. How do some of you guys communicate? Does anyone out there use radios and stuff? i just thought of something.. sign language underwater???

Jay

There is a course based on ASL called Sea Signs. It is Underwater safety signing.
I say based on ASL becuase there are some signs made up especially for divers.

Sea Signs

 

[The Kraken]

When my wife started diving we decided we'd really like to be able to communicate more effectively. To that end, we purchased the Sea Signs flash cards and learned that system. It's very effective.

In fact, based on some of the ideas given us by the Sea Signs cards, we've created our own signs and have made up little flash cards to add to the dictionary.

They are very inexpensive and worthwhile.