No one wants to be left adrift at sea, and as the recent Malaysian incident showed, it can end in tragedy, so in this video, Scuba Diver Editorial Director Mark Evans takes a look at a variety of safety items that can be carried by the diver to make themselves more visible to their watching boat crew, or to any vessels/aircraft that are looking for them should they find themselves out on the open sea with no dive support boat in sight.
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Epirb signals can’t be received by regular boats or planes. Only SAR units have scanners for those signals. AIS emergency beacons ARE visible on most nearby boats (usually within 5nm). AIS beacons are also much smaller and less expensive than EPIRBs.
Good to know – thanks for the info.
Think it is down to terminology – I’d found info similar to this, where it was referring to EPIRBs with AIS capabilities:
EPIRBs come in three main technology types and the cost will depend on the units’ sophistication:
Non GNSS – EPIRB uses 406MHz for Alert – Typically, £380
GNSS – EPIRB uses 406MHz for Alert but has much more accurate location detection with GNSS receivers. Typically, £550
AIS – EPIRB uses 406MHz for Alert but has much more accurate location detection with GNSS and localised rescue capability with AIS signal. Typically, £610
Heck even if you’re diving in a local quarry there’s uses for a DSMB, such as backup buoyancy.
Garmin inReach in dedicated dive case, and have put 3M reflective tape on the top of my tank.
We’ve just the Garmin inReach to test.
I’ve only surfaced once to find no sign of the boat but it’s pretty unnerving. We were diving in the Red Sea of the coast near Sharm El-Sheikh. True we could have done a shore exit but that would put us out of the frying pan and into the fire. In a rocky desert miles from anywhere (I don’t normally carry drinking water when I dive.)
I’ve now invested in a ‘Nautilus Lifeline’ PLB. The really great thing about this device is that it can be programmed with the MMSI of the VHF radio on your dive boat. If you activate it, it only calls your boat for the first 30 minutes. After that time it sends the MOB (Man Overboard) signal with your GPS position to all vessels and aircraft within a 35 mile range. The batteries are user changable and last for 5 years. I carry a DSMB, torch, line cutter and airhorn (you saw it in the video). I’m off now to put a CD in my pocket (that’s a really good idea). Thanks for the videos.
I take on every ocean Dive a DSMB, PLB Emergency Locator, Whistle and Torch as a minimum on every dive. Even pool dives so I can get used to where the gear is and practice using it.
In my dive experience the only diver that carries SMBs are the dive guides, the deploy them when doing a safety stop. divers carry safety sausages only to be deployed if lost. Why didn’t you mention a safety sausage? Once you get to the surface they seem as good as an SMB to me if it’s red and long. They are simple to carry and use and require no special training.
They are better than nothing, but the benefit of a DSMB as I explained was they can be launched at depth so you don’t have to wait until you are on the surface. I think you’ll find it depends where you dive ref DSMBs, most UK divers carry them in UK waters, and throughout the Red Sea, Indian Ocean and SE Asia having your own DSMB is common, if not recommended by operators.
EPIRBs are generally associated with a ship or aircraft. They are bigger & not easily carried on a person. Personal Locator Beacons are registered to an individual & use the same satellite technology to notify rescue authorities. Importantly, they aren’t IP rated for diving. The most capable one I’ve seen had a rating of 10m for 5 minutes/1 metre for infinity. They will work anywhere around the world where the sky isn’t obstructed. So popular with bush walkers, sea kayakers etc.
AIS units like the Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS are depth rated to 130m. So can be kept on person during a dive. On the surface it can send out a ‘man overboard’ distress alert to nearby ships. Downside is no nearby ships = no rescue.
Another option is a water resistant marine radio. Not dive submersible but can be attached to a dive flag float & towed behind*. Emergency channel can be used to contact Marine Rescue/Coast Guard and nearby boats. As has Vox one can communicate the nature & urgency of the emergency. Same downside as AIS, no nearby boats or too far from Marine Rescue base = no rescue. Some marine radios include strobes.
* as can a water resistant PLB.
So, no perfect solution between certainty (of distress signal being received), portability, diveability, ease of use & cost with electronic distress alert devices. Can only suggest pick the one(s) which best suit your individual circumstances, dive type and location, as well as risk acceptance.
The water resistant issue is a problem, but companies like Custom Divers made little containers to put them in while you are diving, then if you need to use them, you can get them out on the surface.
@Scuba Diver Magazine wasn’t aware. Thanks for heads up.
I was diving at Molokini Crater in Hawaii which is pretty far out. The crater protects from the current but if you get too far out man the current can grab you and you’re gone. We were on the dive boat, surface interval, and someone doing a dive got swept by the current and wow, they were pretty far real quick. Luckily ALL the dive boats pulled anchor and went after them. They were ok!!!
Strange story: my mates and I were bored 1 day, so we decided to try and make a raft out of our gear. 4 of us tied our old jacket style BCDs and 4 6 foot sealed DSMBs together with some jon line. Turns out we could all somewhat lay (sitting was too unstable) partially out of the water, while in the pool. Had no extra gear on us, no lead or tanks ect. but it I would call it a very crude, yet successful raft.
Not saying to do that in a real SHTF story, this video just reminded me of it.
I remember some of the giant three-metre DSMBs having grommets top and bottom so you could raft several together, and they had such phenomenal lift, they could hold a few grown men. Just shows you can never get too inventive!
Timely reminder for fellows .. Thanks
Can never be too prepared.