Liquidstate

A rib / training dive with Jon Philips at Craigleith Island, Forth.

Use of a Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - Use an SMB during all phases of a dive.

A very simple scenic dive around Craigleith Island. The aim of the exercise was to use a Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) throughout the dive to mark our location to the surface cover team.

As instructed, I deployed my SMB at the surface and let out on the reel as we descended to the seabed. After a 20 minute scenic dive, and plenty of practice of adjusting the reel to the current depth, Jon demonstrated how the reel could also be used as a buddy line. Finally, we ascending using my SMB, and hung off it at 6 metres for a quick safety stop.

Equipment: Jon on his KISS rebreather. My first use of my new Typhoon dSMB and Mcmahon reel. May need consider holding my SMB in my right hand, as I found the shoulder-mounted autodump would sometimes trigger unwanted. Alternatively, may play around with the valve, and try using it closed when im at my chosen depth.