Posted by JRM on October 10, 2001 at 08:14:12:
In Reply to: Slates- does anyone use one?? posted by BadFish on October 09, 2001 at 21:24:53:
I used to keep a slate in my BC pocket, attached by a double ended butterfly clip and coiled plastic line. However, now I just keep a set of wetnotes in my suit pocket.
I talked the dive shop owner into cutting up an *old* nasty dead wetsuit. I just cut a rectangle off and glued it to my right wetsuit thigh, just big enough to hold the wetnotes. Works like a charm, and *really* cheap to do. No flap required, and zero drag.
But either way, having some way to do written communication is a great idea. Especially if you are diving with someone unfamiliar, or when you're beginning to get familiar with a partner/team. Hand signals vary. My wife tells a great story about the PADI vs. NAUI sign for shark back in the late 80's. She and a girlfriend were on a night dive on a small raghanger wreck. She stuck her head in, and Mr. Teeth made an appearance. She tried to signal to her friend, but the signal she was using for shark was the signal the friend thought was "Little thing that bites" (because the friend's sign for shark was two handed). Anyway, friend shrugs off the sign and swims in, shocked and somewhat embarrassed to come face to face with the Gray Suit at night. Needless to say, there was an animated discussion about signs afterward (btw, this is a great illustration for *pre-dive* planning).
The other nice thing about wetnotes is implied by the name: You can make (and keep) notes while on the dive, and use it as a log. If you find something interesting you can write it down. Sketch a quick map of the area, or other geographical information. With a slate you need to erase it often. With wetnotes you just flip the page. Also, you can do things like transcribe NDL's for altitude dives, and use them several times. You can also do what Terry does, and have a specific, often used message scrawled accross the back page, which you can flip open and use at will. Just don't show it around when speaking in public!
I've heard of and seen in the shop a wrist mounted slate that also holds a compass/computer. But I still prefer the wetnotes.
JRM