Top Lessons from Recent Diving Close Calls — What Every Singapore Diver Should Know
- Cuddlefish Divers
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
When Divers Surface… and the Boat Is Gone
It sounds unthinkable — until it happens.
In recent months, multiple real-world diving incidents globally have shared the same chilling moment: divers surface from a routine dive, only to realise the boat has drifted away. These are not reckless divers or extreme conditions. They are normal dives that went wrong because of small assumptions stacking up.
For Singapore divers, this topic is especially relevant. Our local diving conditions — strong tidal movement, shipping traffic, limited visibility, and compact dive windows — mean boat safety is not optional. It is fundamental.
Let’s break down the most important lessons, with one rule standing above all others.
🚤 Lesson #1: Always Have One Person on the Boat
No exceptions. No shortcuts.
This single practice would have prevented the majority of recent close calls.
In Singapore waters:
Tides change quickly
Wind can shift within minutes
Anchors can drag silently
Boat traffic is heavy and constant
Why a boat watch is critical:
👀 Monitors anchor position
🌊 Responds to sudden current changes
🛟 Tracks diver bubbles and SMBs
📡 Calls for help immediately if needed
🚤 Repositions the boat to pick up drifting divers
If everyone is underwater, no one is in control.
Even on short dives.Even in calm conditions. Even at familiar sites like Pulau Hantu.
⚓ Lesson #2: Anchors Are Not Guarantees (Especially Locally)
Anchors reduce risk — they do not eliminate it.
In local Singapore dive sites:
Sandy bottoms provide poor holding
Tidal reversals can loosen anchors
Boat wakes from passing vessels add stress
Limited scope is common in shallow sites
Best anchor practices for local diving:
Set anchor firmly and test it
Use sufficient scope (at least 5× depth)
Recheck anchor position during the dive
Combine anchoring with active boat supervision
An unattended anchor is not a safety system — it’s a hope.
🤿 Lesson #3: SMBs Are Mandatory in Singapore Diving
Surface Marker Buoys are no longer “advanced” equipment.
In busy Singapore waters, an SMB:
Makes you visible to your own boat
Alerts passing vessels
Helps surface support track divers
Buys you critical time if the boat drifts
Every Singapore diver should:
Carry an SMB on every dive
Know how to deploy it mid-water
Practise deployment during training, not emergencies
A diver without an SMB is nearly invisible in choppy, low-visibility conditions.
🤝 Lesson #4: Buddy Protocols Matter More Than You Think
When something goes wrong at the surface:
Stay with your buddy
Inflate BCDs fully
Deploy SMBs immediately
Maintain visual contact
Two divers together are easier to spot than one — especially in low vis or surface chop.
Local diving teaches discipline:
Stay close
Stay aware
Stay predictable
These habits save lives overseas too.
🧠 Lesson #5: Familiarity Breeds Complacency
Most close calls don’t begin with danger.They begin with confidence.
Common phrases heard before incidents:
“We dive here all the time”
“The sea looks calm today”
“It’s just a short dive”
Singapore diving is deceptively demanding.Low visibility, current, and traffic mean fundamentals matter more than scenery.
Ask before every dive:
Who is staying on the boat?
Who is monitoring anchor and weather?
What’s the pickup plan if divers drift?
Is everyone carrying and confident with SMB use?
If the answer to “Who’s on the boat?” is “no one” — stop and rethink.
🌊 Why Local Diving Builds Safer, Better Divers
One underrated benefit of local diving in Singapore is that it:
Forces strong buoyancy control
Builds situational awareness
Encourages discipline and teamwork
Removes “pretty distractions”
Divers trained well locally tend to be:
Calmer overseas
More confident in currents
Better buddies
Safer under stress
✅ Final Takeaway: Boring Dives Are Good Dives
The safest dives are:
Well-planned
Well-supervised
Uneventful
Having one person on the boat at all times may feel unnecessary — until the day it becomes the only thing that matters.
Underwater, you manage yourself. At the surface, the boat manages your survival.
Dive smart. Dive humble. Dive local. 🤿🇸🇬
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