FOTW Top Tip No.1 Deploying Delayed Surface Marker Buoys

While diving off a liveaboard in Thailand it was a boat rule that every buddy pair carry a delayed surface marker buoy (SMB), I was handed a basic model with a five metre string wrapped around the rolled up marker buoy. On the end of the string was a small weight. Nothing fancy, no reel to get stuck and drag you unexpectedly to the surface. When you get to five metres unwind it, give it a two second blast of air from your octopus and let it go, catching the weight. What could be simpler. Well I learn the hard way what the buoyancy force of a fully inflated SMB is, as the thin cord inadvertently looped itself around my little finger as I inflated it and proceeded to drag me up to the surface by my pinky. So much for safety. Fortunately there was nothing over head and the dive had not been particularly long or deep but it was a painful way to end a dive and one that I am not particularly keen to experience again. I suggest you don't either.