What is a DSMB (Delayed)?
A Delayed Surface Marker Bouy (DSMB), as opposed to a Surface Marker Bouy (SMB) or a “safety sausage” more commonly used in the States, is an essential piece of UK diving kit. In the UK it is common practice not to return to the shot line at the end of a dive. Assents are usually done using a DSMB which has been stowed through the dive and only inflated at the end, usually at the bottom. Practice using a DSMB, get somebody to show you how. There are far to many cases of divers being dragged upwards when they deploy the DSMB incorrectly. So a DSMB is an essential bit of kit, but it must be used properly. Some information about DSMB storage can be found on the UKRS web site at http://www.ukrecscuba.org.uk/ukdiver/dsmb/.
