Yes, I've been floating in the Atlantic, 5 miles out, in 6 ft seas in a strong north current, lost form my dive boat. I was out of Stuart Inlet with a commercial diver going for lobster. It was him and me on his 21 ft boat, 8 miles south of Stuart Inlet, 5 miles out in 80 ft of water. Yea there were big lobsters. We had already had the chat if I should get caught in the current and away from the boat, he would come and get me, not to panic.

Well, here I was floating. I was at the bottom of the 6 ft waves, every once in a while I caught a glimpse of shore and nearby boats. My efforts to signal them with my sausage were a waste. I finally dropped my weight belt as I was very low in the water – dumb thing to do. Take the lead out and keep the belt. I also held my flashlight over my head, with it on of course and aimed it to the south. This is what Bob saw. He said he saw the blink of the flashlight a mile away, the sausage 100 yards away.

So, time to rethink solo diving. I got some flares from West Marine. They come in a pack of 3-5 and are marked waterproof. There about 6” long and 1” in dia. I kept them in a cloth non-waterproof case. Every 4-July I shot the flares off. For many years the flares all went off every 4th. Then only one went off. Now none of them go off. I guess they've changed their manufacturing method and they are not longer waterproof to depth!

I do now carry a MK4, Red Smoke – Distress flare purchased from a dive store in Rockledge, there out of business. I had several and shot them off every 4th. I've got one left and really would like to get a source for more. Anyone at Patrick got access the these?

My recommendations for solo diving or to those that may get lost at sea:
1. Carry one or two BRIGHT flashlights. If your lost, hold them over your head turned on.
2. Carry some sort of distress flares. Either the waterproof special forces divers MK4s or maybe the West Marine flares in a waterproof case.