A frustrating aspect of scuba diving is lack of communication. With a bit of thought and practice there are ways to clearly converse underwater.

There are three basic ways to communicate underwater:

1. sign languages;

2. diver’s signals;

3. mechanical devices such as slates and electronic devices.

Sign languages

Sign language is perfect for underwater communication. It can be used up the limit of visibility. The audibly impaired can communicate through sign language or lip reading.

Lip reading is out of the question, so this leaves the sign language that can be split into two basic types: finger spelling and signing.

Auslan, short for Australian Sign Language, is the sign language used by the deaf community in Australia. Details of the finger alphabet can be found at auslan.org.au.

Finger Spelling

Finger spelling is spelling out words using hand signals corresponding to particular letters. Most signs resemble a letter. Letters P and Q appear like the written letter. The vowels are the five fingers of the left hand. Click the fingers to signal the end of a word. However, it can be cumbersome to use as every word must be spelt out; awkward with dive gloves while hovering above a delicate coral reef.

Signs Tell a Story

The sign languages use signs to tell the story instead of spelling individual words. Certain signs correspond to specific phrases. By using a combination of these, sentences are built up and conversation flows. This needs more practice than finger spelling, and requires good buoyancy control.

Many of the support agencies for the audibly impaired conduct courses in sign languages. These courses would be a good exercise for a dive club.

Divers’ Signals

There are many signs and signals used by divers to communicate. International signals like ‘out of air’, and ‘danger’ are taught in the basic underwater course.

There are also a variety of signals divers have built up to suit their own needs. Some of these might have different meanings within different dive groups. One scuba group might use the hand shading the eyes to signal to ‘look for the anchor’. Another group might use that sign to look for their buddy.

Combinations can build a story, similar to the sign languages. The standard signal for ‘level off’ used with the ‘time’ and ‘decompression’ signals can indicate a decompression stop is needed and for how long.

Night Diving

Sign languages are restricted on night dives. With a torch in one hand and difficult buoyancy control at night, it’s awkward to wave flowery hand-signals.

Never shine a torch directly into another diver’s eyes, always point the beam onto the hand signal.

Mechanical Devices

There are some devices for the diver to increase underwater communication. Occasionally bits and pieces of equipment can convey a rough message. Using the MORAY brand wetsuit with the name emblazoned down the arm can be useful to tell other divers after discovering a waving eel under a coral bommie.

Morse code could be used by banging on the tank, though this would only add to the raucous noise pollution underwater.

Slates are good for short, accurate message, but can only be used in close quarters. They can’t send a message over a distance like the sign languages.

There are electronic devices that enable divers to communicate. However, these can be expensive for a sport diver. Commercial divers with a need for communication between divers and the surface use this style of device.

In this age of electronic microtechnology, it won’t be long before small, cheap, compact devices are available for the sport diver to talk underwater. Until then, the most effective way to overcome this last annoying restriction of the deep is a sign language.