Hand Squeezes

WARNING - What you are about to read DOES NOT take the place of qualified training!!

Whether you're online or in low or no visibility, hand squeezes are another excellent way to communicate with your dive buddy. When the conditions are "pucker-factor twenty" and counting, it's nice to know your partner is there and only a squeeze away. It might sound funny, but if you've been there, you know what I mean. If you haven't, take my word for it.

DIVER TO DIVER

One squeeze - Stop
Two squeezes - OK
Three squeezes - Special
Four squeezes - I have found it
Five or more squeezes - Emergency

Notice how the hand squeezes are basically the same as the line pulls. This allows a team to use the same signals when switching between search patterns.

Keep in mind that you might need special signals, like "go get a lift bag, bring down the body bag." In hand squeeze signals, I've reserved three squeezes for that. Make sure all parties involved understand whether special signals are being used and what they mean.

You can use squeezes in zero visibility as well, offline, by squeezing your buddy's wrist twice and asking him if he is OK. He, in turn, would grab your wrist or arm and squeeze twice if he was OK. Another example for going up (ascending) in zero visibility, you would grab his thumb and pull up twice, which asks if he is OK to go up. For UCI divers who really do this stuff, in real, normal conditions, this type of communication capability is a must. So practice!