SURFACE MARKER BUOY Surface Marker Buoy

Surface Marker Buoy Course with Dive Force

Surface marker buoys (SMBs) allow scuba divers to mark boundaries for mapping or search and recovery, alert boat traffic, or provide a line as a visual reference for ascending divers. During two dives, learn the proper techniques and protocols for using surface marker buoys and delayed surface marker buoys (DSMBs) in the local area.

Learn techniques for the safe use of Surface Marker Buoys and Delayed Surface Marker Buoys. Surface Marker Buoys (SMBs) and Delayed Surface Marker Buoys (DSMBs) serve a range of purposes, from allowing others such as shore cover / boat support to identify an ascending diver; to alert boat traffic to the presence of a diver; to providing a visual reference for divers ascending or completing a safety stop.

• They are popular for use in areas with heavy boat traffic, or where divers may be drifting in a current.
• They are also used when divers are unable to return to the shot line to ascend, or where divers may not have a visual reference once they end the dive.

What's Involved?

 You will learn about different types and styles of SMB and DSMB buoys.

• When to use each type.
• How to safely deploy them.
• How to deloy them from static positions and in mid water.

On completion of the course you will be awarded the Surface Marker Buoy diver award. This can be accredited as one of the five speciality ratings a diver has to attain to achieve the highest non-instructional qualification on the PADI curriculum – Master Scuba Diver.

Prerequisites

Open Water Diver (or Junior. Open Water) or equivalent

Logistics & Cost

The course consists of a pool session to practise skills  and prepare for two open water dives which can be completed in a single day. Discuss choice of diving location with your Dive Force Instructor.

Cost: £110  includes manual and all required equipment (excluding transportation and site entry fees)

Additional materials:

• Wall certificate: £5