When Should You Use a Delayed Surface Marker Buoy?

1. Aid to Ascent

Divers can use an SMB as a personal flotation device, allowing them to have a slower and more controlled ascent from underwater. They can inflate their SMBs using their mouths or regulators and use them to bring themselves up to the surface slowly and safely.

2. Indicating Emergencies

Deploying SMBs quickly during emergencies is vital so that people at the surface can quickly respond. Divers can use color-coded SMBs to show what kind of emergency is happening and alert the people at the surface accordingly.

3. Indicating Pick-Ups after Drift Diving

Drift diving, or diving by going with the flow of the currents, is a fun but risky activity. Using SMBs when drift diving to let people know that you’re ready to be picked up is essential so that you don’t stray too far from your dive crew.

4. Using them as Markers

SMBs can be used to mark your location in featureless areas, open water, or when you’re lost. If you feel disoriented or get separated from your group, you can deploy your SMB to lead others to your rescue.

5. Marker in Shared Areas

Since the ocean is a vast area, it will often have common areas that fishers, surfers, boats, and other divers will frequent. Deploying your SMBs when diving into these shared areas is a useful way to let others know of your location or position and prevent accidents from occurring.

What is a delayed surface marker buoy?

• A delayed surface marker buoy (DSMB) is a long, cylindrically shaped tube and is sometimes called a safety sausage. They are carried in a rolled-up shape by the diver during the dive and are inflated when needed. and brightly colored to increase visibility.

• A Delayed Surface Marker Buoy (DSMB), decompression buoy or deco buoy, is deployed whilst the diver is submerged and generally only towards the end of the dive.

• The DSMB marks the diver's position underwater so the boat safety cover can locate the diver even though the diver may have drifted some distance from the dive site while doing safety or decompression stops.

• A reel or finger spool and line connect the buoy on the surface to the diver beneath the surface.