Visual Identification Pendant (VIP) Light
BABV
Signal mirror
DiveAlert
Safety Tube
The game of hide and seek and the sport of diving don't mix well, but it seems to be an all too common occurrence. We surface after a pleasant dive or surface unexpectedly only to discover that the dive boat has moved off or we have drifted off in a current and, try as we might, we can't get anyone's attention. Yelling is usually ineffective as voices are carried off by wind and waves, so we bob around until we are finally noticed or start swimming for the boat. In a non-emergency situation this scenario is simply annoying but in an emergency, it can be disastrous.
This all re-enforces the necessity, in the interest of safety, of carrying some sort of device that will attract attention to us in this situation. And there is certainly no shortage of devices on the market to make us more audible and visible. The solution can be as simple as a whistle. There are several whistles on the market that work very well and can easily be attached to a BC or kept in a BC pocket, in fact some BCs offer a whistle as standard equipment. High pitched sounds carry well in air and one whistle in particular, the Storm whistle, is very loud and large enough to grasp, even while wearing heavy gloves.
Besides whistles there are pneumatic noisemakers available such as the Dive Alert and the BABV. These compact units fit between the low pressure hose going to the BC inflator and the BC inflator controls. Operating the unit is a simple matter of pushing a large button. The Dive Alert emits an extremely loud and piercing scream, sure to attract any needed attention. A word of caution, hold it away from your ear and do not set the unit off in an enclosed space. It is very loud.
The BABV attaches in the same manner and also makes a very loud noise which, besides being audible above the water, can also be heard below the water.
Noisemakers are good for alerting the boat crew that you have surfaced and may need assistance, but they may not help in pinpointing your exact position or location in a rough sea. If the water is choppy or if there are swells, a bobbing diver's head in a black hood might be difficult to see. A simple solution would be to wear a hood of a bright colour or having at least a brightly coloured stripe on the hood. Another solution is a safety sausage. Available from a variety of manufacturers, these inexpensive, long plastic tubes roll or fold up compactly to fit in a BC pocket or they can be clipped to a D-ring and deployed in seconds. With a burst of air from your octopus second stage, the bright orange tube pops up to a height of four to ten feet to mark your position.
On a sunny day, a small signal mirror can also be used effectively.
When being seen is a must at night there are several battery powered light sticks and small strobes available. I shy away from chemical light sticks because battery powered units are more environmentally friendly. One unit, the Visual Identification Pendant (VIP) light from Pro Sub is a compact three function light. It easily attaches to a BC with a stainless steel clip or with an optional strap and is visible from up to three miles away. The light can be set to emit a bright orange light in a flashing mode, a continuous light or set to flash the SOS signal. It is water resistant to 100 meters with user replaceable lithium batteries that last over 200 hours of continuous use.
You may be saying to yourself "Yeah, but I don't need it, I'd never use it." Well maybe not and we hope you will never have to. And yet, in the interest of safety, most of us wear a knife on every dive and some divers even wear two or three. Knives are not a necessary piece of dive gear and I can't remember the last time I actually used it to free myself or my buddy from fishing line or kelp but they are an excellent safety precaution and always recommended. Signalling devices, which can be inexpensive and take up virtually no room at all also give us the peace of mind of knowing that should the situation arise we are prepared.