Diving boats are becoming more popular every year and are seen as a reasonably safe activity there are of course a number of safeguards a scuba diver can take. A growing number of divers are being reported as missing by the international diving community. Divers should always carry emergency signaling devices, like a dive flag, when diving in any situation.

Choosing a good dive operator will also aide you in your plight to keep safe while diving from a boat. Check to make sure that the dive organizer has qualifications in good standing as well as good safety record. You will be able to find out most of this information on the internet through others experiences but you will also be advised to ask around locally.

Being quiet and keeping to yourself on a dive boat is a pretty sure way to get yourself left behind as the unassuming buddy pairs are normally the ones that no one remembers. One particular scuba dive journalist who was researching an article was abandoned and as you can imagine the review was not that good. More experienced divers who stay down longer are also on the more likely to be left behind list as excitement of getting back to shore takes over on board. Starting conversations with others and leaving your dry belongings in view on the boat is one of the few ways that you can ensure you are in the memory. Also talk to the crew and make sure that they know this is a concern and make sure you know what their procedure is for getting the right number on the boat.

Make sure you let the boats crew know if you will be using a dive flag, dive sausage or other form of signaling device and in what situation and how you would plan to use it.

Paying attention during the dive brief will give you an advantage when it comes to staying safe. It does not matter how much experience you have, you should always pay attention when it comes to this part of your trip. During the brief you will be given information on the depths, currents and tides and any other important local information to make your dive more enjoyable. Make sure you and your dive buddy discuss how to use this information to your advantage before you enter the water.

Ensure you know where your exit point for the dive will be. Knowing where you should end your dive will help you plan and for the extreme situation should you find yourself separated from the boat and unable to get to it. An example would be if you are carried by the current away from your exit point you would need a plan on your next action. The ideal situation would be to be equipped with an emergency dive flag so you are able to show your position quickly and effectively.

Diving in temperate waters it is very often the case that D.S.M.B.'s are used to signal location at the start of a divers ascent to the surface. It is however not unusual for them to get tangled and divers to get in trouble. A dive flag that can be extended has the advantage as it can be seen from a distance and is much easier to use as it does not require any activity under the water. Having a dive flag will make the diver much more visible to the search party or boat, this means that less time is spent on the surface floating around which is extremely important when weather conditions are getting worse or the swell is increasing in size.

There are so many other factors that need to be considered and a great number of them will be covered in the dive brief. A focus on getting seen when you rise to the surface, particularly at the end of a dive should ensure that you are not left stranded and left drifting. Take a dive flag with you on your dive and ensure that you are safe and not forgotten.