Diving Marker Buoys – Types and Uses

Used by both novice and experienced divers, diving marker buoys are an integral element of scuba diving safety gear. Basically, diving marker buoys are safety flotation devices that indicate a diver’s general location from afar. They exist in two basic types: surface marker buoys (SMBs) and delayed surface marker buoys (DSMBs). Often an SMB is used as a blanket term for both types of buoys, but the two differ in design and uses.

An SMB is usually a round inflatable sealed buoy made from a brightly colored durable buoyant material. Divers inflate it before diving and leave it at the surface. The sealing ensures the buoy will not deflate and sink during the dive. The most commonly used colors are bright red, yellow, and orange. Some buoys are labeled or have a flag reading “diver down” to make clear their purpose. In some locations, such as shallow coastal areas with dense boat traffic, it is mandatory to use an SMB and tow it during the entire dive.

Also subject to local regulations is the proximity of a boat to an SMB. In general, there should be a 33-foot buffer zone between the two. For that purpose, divers should keep a distance not more than 16 feet away from their marker, and boats should not get closer than 49 feet. Divers typically use surface marker buoys with the lack of decompression or anchor line or in the presence of strong currents, when a drifting ascent is advisable.

A DSMB, also called a safety sausage, takes the form of a long brightly colored tube. Most often, divers carry them rolled up in a pocket in their buoyancy control device (BCD) and use them only when needed. Besides marking their location in the water, divers deploy DSMBs to communicate with their team shortly before ending their dive. For example, they could notify them that they are about to ascend and where.

Unlike SMBs that are inflated at the surface, DSMBs can be deployed under the water. Thus, when choosing a DSMB, it is essential to ensure the line on the reel or spool is long enough for the buoy to reach the surface. After deployment, the team could use the reel or spool to reference the depth while taking safety or decompression pauses.

DSMBs three most common designs are open-ended, self-sealing, and sealed.
The first’s bottom end is open, enabling divers to fill them via an alternate gas source. Divers must be sure to retain some tension on the line to avoid the gas escaping at the surface. Self-sealing DSMBs also have an opening at the bottom to be used for inflation. However, as the marker ascends, the bottom end seals, and no gas can escape. Divers can orally inflate a sealed DSMB via its inflation valve, or fit it to a low-pressure gas source. This could be their buoyancy compensator, their wing, or an off-board gas supply. DSMBs also feature a pressure-relief valve that does not allow the expanding gas to destroy the buoy while ascending.

Labeled DSMBs can be particularly helpful in recognizing decompressing divers. Usually, only one marker is deployed, but using additional ones can fulfill several purposes. For example, to carry slates to the surface, send an emergency signal, or notify a change in the diver’s status. Sometimes divers use DSMBs of different colors to communicate whether they are well or in trouble. In some locations or during technical diving, yellow denotes an emergency. However, no unified global color-coding exists.

How Access to Broadbrand Has Become Necessary in the 21st Century

For the connected, access to the internet has become integral in the 21st century. Shopping online, digital banking, taking classes, and paying bills, in addition to various other things that can be done virtually, have made having accessibility to broadband more than a luxury. However, internet access remains out of reach for millions of people globally living in underserved (rural or remote) communities. This inevitably shuts them out of a world economy that could improve their quality of life.

While a world tragedy, the one thing that did come from the pandemic highlighted the major disparity in those who had access to broadband and those who did not. Two industries where this lack of access was really evident was in healthcare and education.

When remote platforms required school districts to move from physical classrooms to the online landscape, many underserved and low-income communities suffered from not having appropriate broadband connections. Forget having the devices because the students had substandard service. Many students are either not able to connect to the internet or have problems doing so.

These communities are not only in characteristically low-income or underserved communities of the inner city either. Many rural and remote communities in the United States and Canada did not have access to the internet, and in 2021, this is isolating. Worse yet, this isolation prevents these communities from accessing the same cultural, educational, and economic opportunities available to people who live in more connected areas.

This relevance is very apparent in Native American communities in New Mexico. In fact, one project Professor Morgan Vigil-Hayes of Northern Arizona University is spearheading involves providing the community and students with connectivity to support education initiatives and providing them educational content. The purpose is to get the community to understand the importance of connectivity to their lives. In providing digital content about the community, the hope is that the community will take ownership of digital representations of the Pueblo community.

Another area where access to internet connectivity has the potential to be a lifeline is in healthcare. According to an American Medical Association source, telehealth can save a woman living in rural community hours in having to drive to the nearest health center to pick up birth control pills. Also, telehealth can make it possible for someone who would otherwise skip an appointment because they could not afford to take off from work to see a physician virtually. However, none of this would be possible without a reliable internet connection.

Ultimately, this is about those in leadership positions making broadband accessible to every community in the country. Last year, the United States scored two in digital maturation, second behind Singapore, according to the Harvard Business Review. The study found that countries that had been very successful at digitizing their economy accomplished several objectives.

One of these priorities was that the country provided fast, universal, fiber optic, and mobile broadband accessibility. As it relates to healthcare and education, providing reliable internet connectivity to rural and remote communities should be a priority, especially when access is tantamount to equity and success.