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<font color='#000080'>When my wife and I first started diving we had considered signing underwater. She had learnt through her job and I thought it would be useful to communicate underwater.
Although I do agree it is a valuable skill generally, and a bonus as an Instructor if you have hearing impaired students, we didn't pursue it for main underwater contact. I felt that our own diving signals are concise, very much to the point and are proven, and need to be instinctive. Above all if you sign it does take your full attention away from what you're doing - you couldn't carry on a signed conversation while driving for instance.
I read a letter in this month's Dive mag where these points were raised by someone else and a very laudable idea it is too. It's one thing if you're on a bit of a bimble in some nice warm water or bored on a deco stop and fancy a chat, but I'm not sure it is such a benefit, or desirable for "normal" diving.
What do you think?
<font color='#000080'>When my wife and I first started diving we had considered signing underwater. She had learnt through her job and I thought it would be useful to communicate underwater.
Although I do agree it is a valuable skill generally, and a bonus as an Instructor if you have hearing impaired students, we didn't pursue it for main underwater contact. I felt that our own diving signals are concise, very much to the point and are proven, and need to be instinctive. Above all if you sign it does take your full attention away from what you're doing - you couldn't carry on a signed conversation while driving for instance.
I read a letter in this month's Dive mag where these points were raised by someone else and a very laudable idea it is too. It's one thing if you're on a bit of a bimble in some nice warm water or bored on a deco stop and fancy a chat, but I'm not sure it is such a benefit, or desirable for "normal" diving.
What do you think?