What emergency gear do you take in the sea when fishing with a float from shore (not boat)?

[Mr. X]

I am curious as to what safety measures & which equipment spearos currently take into the sea with them. I am not talking about diving from boats, I mean fishing from shore -- hopefully with a buoy flying either the International Alpha/signal A flag or the USA Diver down flag.

Feel free to elaborate, expand or clarify below.

 

[Pinniped72]

I usually take two knives, one on my forearm and one on my lower leg, a whistle and a divers torch. I also take the most important piece of survival equipment there is................... my brain, a willingness to ditch weight at a moments notice if required and the knowledge that I will not solely rely on equipment that could fail to ensure my survival but my mental attitude and physical preparedness....... people that know me would not agree with that but you cant please everyone! I forgot, I always let someone know were I am going and text them once back in the car

 

[japppo]

Here's some of my stuff, because some of them were not listed in the poll:

everyday stuff:

mesh bag
anchor
knife
diving torch
water


hardcore stuff:

whistle
compass
mobile phone/gps
signal mirror
swimming goggles
CAT -tourniquet
glowsticks

all in a small pouch and attached to my float when needed. For diving in strong current, fog or sharky waters for example.

 

[Mr. X]

"CAT - tourniquet" - are you forces or ex-forces?

I currently carry only a whistle on the float (had actually forgotten that it was attached until I started this thread)
+ cray bag + fish stringer. And on my leg, a knife (cheap, simple, flat spearo dagger).

But I am thinking perhaps I should carry a little more than that:

I bought an LED dive torch & small LED mask torch last year (mainly for lobsters/crabs/scallops but could be used for emergency signalling/locating). As a consequence I need to upgrade my10 year old float to carry the torch! It would be nice to be able to carry a small bottle of water too. And to lift my net & stringer out of the water when not in use.

I recently got RA reef-hook. I have tentatively attached it to a float-line for evaluation. Several uses:
1. To anchor float at hot spots as a marker 2. To anchor float against strong currents, freeing me to spear 3. As an emergency anchor for me in strong current. For the latter I am wondering if attaching the reef-hook to my weight belt rather than my float line might work better than trying to hang-on my float (although I suppose I could tie-in my weight belt to the float-line). I have heard of at least 2 specific instances of reef-hooks being used successfully in emergencies. Might get a small 500g folding anchor too - but perhaps that is going too far?

I can't help thinking some kind of emergency marker might be useful (recalling member Spyders story several years ago). In the USA sea kayakers commonly carry mini-flares but (typically for the UK) I have been unable to find any in this country. Dye markers or very long, flat floating plastic markers strips might be useful, as I often see the rescue helicopter patrolling - but again hard to find in this country & surprisingly expensive. Perhaps some kind of bright light beacon is the most realistic option these days, with bright, efficient LED lighting (there are also some kind of laser beacons available).

First Aid Stuff:
Perhaps more for shore-use or back at the car/boat. On a Spanish dive store website I saw packs (probably of special wipes) for jelly fish stings. Worth having. I got a nasty sting on my face in Cornwall a few years ago from an anemone not a jelly fish. The Cornish Lifeguard & Pharmacists had nothing for it - so I bought some antiseptic wipes & cream after a few days of it getting worse. Butterfly plasters are useful for self treatment in lieu of stitches, in remote spots. Silver plasters aid clean healing of large cuts. A cheap, disposable mask for mouth-to-mouth is a good idea (~80p). A tourniquet sounds like a good idea for serious bleeding - if you know how to use it (usually only military teach this). Celox?

 

[foxfish]

Compass, knife, torch and water.
Pretty basic, I suppose I should carry more!

 

[Mr. X]

Hi Foxfish, how/where do you carry your torch?

I intended to carry a compass but have not so far - visibility is usually good when I dive. I have access to a couple of small compasses: one a tiny Sunnto that I use to wear clipped on my watch strap when mountaineering - less accurate than a regular compass but quick & easy to check frequently but its simple clip is insecure and I fear I would quickly loose that it. Also, I use reading glasses these days so could not read it at sea now! The other compass belongs to my son but I expect he'd let me use it if I asked nicely! It is on a key-ring but the size & quality of the display is good & it could be attached to the float.

 

[foxfish]

Just tied to my float, I do use it if I am looking for lobster.
I carry a filleting knife on my float as I usually fillet any fish on the shore line.
We get lots of foggy days in the spring so a compass is pretty important, I just have a small waterproof one about 50mm across, I bought it at the local chandlers.
My brother Derek did get caught out in the fog once, he said it was truly terrifying but he managed to recognise the tide direction by looking at the seaweed. However he had to dive continually to see the bottom & became near exhaustion before he did finally make shore.
Of course if he had not been familiar with the bay & tide then he may of been lost forever!

 

[landshark sa]

Although I do 95% of my diving from a boat, looking at what some of the guys carry with them when shore diving I must say I feel a bit under equipped. I usually just take my spearing stuff and a bottle of water I which attach to my dive float. - Will have to re-look that next time I dive off the bricks.

I do take a medical aid kit with me which stays in the car. Some stuff I include which you may usually not find in one is super glue. I've joined quite a few rather deep cuts with the stuff. Also, after a buddy managed to skewer himself I also now carry a bolt cutter. Being able to shorten a spear makes moving someone with a spear in them a lot more manageable.

 

[landshark sa]

Something else which may be good to consider is a Personal Location Beacon (PLB)

A PLB is internationally registered to you. Once activated a PLB will transmit your GPS coordinates via satellite to emergency services. Some manufactures also include other safety features, such as an LED SOS strobe.

Here's a good example:
http://www.mcmurdomarine.com/personal-locator-beacon/fast-find-max-g

 

[foxfish]

Lol bolt cutters!
Yes those location finders would be ideal, all our local fishing fleet crew members must cary one but I think they are expensive?

 

[landshark sa]

Lol bolt cutters!
Yes those location finders would be ideal, all our local fishing fleet crew members must cary one but I think they are expensive?

Sounds a bit extreme I know but some of the areas we sometimes hike into to spear are pretty remote. Being able to at least get someone mobile may be the difference between being able to get back to the car or being stuck there for hours until a rescue unit can get to you.

Bolt cutters in action:

Those PLB's currently retail over here for around R3500 ZAR (around £150 UKP) So yes, they are pricey but I suppose it's one of those things where it's a small price to pay if you are really in a situation where you need one.

 

[Mr. X]

As they say, "a picture paints a thousand words"! Owch

Those PLBs look interesting - ideal for spearos apart from the price. As technology leaps on so fast these days, they should become more affordable (& smaller) in the not too distant future - that would certainly increase the size of the market. I'd get one if they were ~£20-£35, more if they had voice too (which would allow them to cut the cost of false alarms). I guess the main overhead is the satellite but those are getting smaller, cheaper, more powerful & cheaper to launch as well - and perhaps the "mission control centres"/service centres (although is sounds like that might be covered by some of the governments involved).

Any spearos tried using their cell phone/mobile while spearing? I find there is often no coverage on land at/near the beaches I visit but a colleague who sailed said he found that reception is normally surprising good around the coast, so I'm thinking there may be some optimum distance from shore.

 

[Guffer]

I used to do a lot of solo dinghy sailing offshore. Dinghy cruising it's called. Pack camping gear in to a small boat and use seamanship to get around. Great fun.

The PLB was an essential bit of kit. The only thing about using them for spearing is that it would only be of benefit if you were diving in pairs as you wont be able to set it off if you have a SWB. I have thought about a device that easured your O2 levels, say permanently implanted under the skin, which transmits to a watch which can be set to trigger a life vest to go off that gets you to the surface face up. But we are a way off tht being a feasible device.

I was chatting with a friend who was on a racing yacht in the channel once which lost it's keel about 10nm offshore resulting in a very quick capsize. Once they accounted for everyone they realised that they had removed lots of useful stuff to save weight and the EPRIB was stuck under water. Someone had remembered to take their 'sailing' phone (a crappy old nokia gsm in a ziplock bag) and managed to reach the coastguard with just one bar of signal. Anologue phones have a greater distance than digital but i am not sure how much longer they will keep the frquences openfor.

 

[landshark sa]

I have thought about a device that easured your O2 levels, say permanently implanted under the skin, which transmits to a watch which can be set to trigger a life vest to go off that gets you to the surface face up. But we are a way off tht being a feasible device.

Not sure if you are aware of the Freedive Recovery Vest (FRV) developed by Terry Maas.



Although not as biologically integrated as your idea (the FRV activates on time and depth parameters) it offers some of the same features.

 

[Mr. X]

A Terry Maas invention? It has got cleverer over the last few years. I reckon one day most spearos will wear one - it is a great idea and they have got it working quite well - but I believe they are pretty pricey currently. But then, how much is your life worth to you?

There are some fairly detailed video classes on proper set-up & use too - presumably required/recommended viewing. And I guess you won't be wearing a weight vest with it.

 

[Pinniped72]

An excellent idea, have read a lot about it on other forums. With regard safety vests, I watched a documentary about Great Whites off Quadalupe Island (excuse the spelling!) which included two spearfisherman that were attacked there in the past, Al Schneppershoff and Harry Ingram and in one of the shots of I think Al, he was wearing a vest of some description and in a detailed account of the attack on Harry Ingram I have read that he was wearing a safety vest at the time of the attack. Al Schneppershoff was attacked and unfortunately killed in the 1970's and Harry Ingram in the 1980's. I was just wondering on the nature of these vests, were they modified snorkelling vests or CO2 inflated vests of some description? As I have mentioned a spearfisherman who died at sea, I feel the need to doff my cap to him and wish him peace wherever he is.

 

[Guffer]

That vest certainly looks like the idea Ihad....bugger someone beat me to it (by several years) there are advances in bio nano tech which ean that we will soon know a lot more about what's going on inside of us and I will thinking about hijacking it to read O2 levels to set off a floatation device.

I am sure I am ntot he only one thinking about it lol

 

[Mr. X]

I know somebody who works for a company that makes industrial safety gear with harnesses, etc.. They work with some of the well known climbing equipment manufacturers and other suppliers all over the world. If you get the design sorted, let me know
[It will use graphene won't it? ]

 

[Nicko]

I always have a float with a short bungee on the float line that would be for use as a tourniquet. A knife on my arm and a whistle and thats it.
I haven't shore dived since I got my boat!

 

[Mr. X]

Highly topical DeeperBlue.com article: "New Version Of Freediver Recovery Vest Launched"
https://www.deeperblue.com/new-version-freediver-recovery-vest-launched/