dSMB Nerves: Why Deploying a Delayed Surface Marker Buoy Can Feel So Difficult (and How to Fix It)
Understanding why so many divers feel nervous about putting up a dSMB, and practical steps to build confidence and overcome fear.
What you'll find on this page
What a dSMB is and why it matters – What delayed surface marker buoys are for, how they work, and why they’re essential for safety, signalling, and visibility.
Feeling nervous or anxious about putting up a dSMB – Why so many divers feel this way, and why it’s more common than people realise.
The two main fears behind dSMB anxiety – How immediate safety concerns and social pressures both contribute to this experience.
Why dSMB deployment can feel so difficult – Past incidents, embarrassment, equipment issues, older trauma, and low psychological safety.
A simple skill with many moving parts – Breaking down what’s really involved when you deploy a buoy, and why that complexity matters.
One of the biggest reasons dSMB deployment feels challenging – How limited training and practice opportunities contribute to anxiety.
Overcoming dSMB nerves – Practical steps, drills, and psychological support to build confidence and overcome fear.
What a dSMB is and why it matters
Delayed-Surface Marker Buoy
A delayed surface marker buoy (dSMB) is a standard piece of safety equipment that almost every diver will use at some point. It’s a long, brightly coloured inflatable tube designed to make divers visible from the surface, even when they’re still underwater. The word delayed refers to the fact that it’s deployed during or at the end of a dive, rather than being towed from the surface throughout.
A dSMB setup usually has two key components:
The buoy itself – an inflatable tube that’s often rolled up and carried in a pocket or clipped to a harness.
A reel or spool – a length of line attached to the buoy that allows it to ascend to the surface while the diver remains at depth.
Many divers carry their dSMB stored in a BCD pocket or pouch so it’s accessible when needed, but not taking up space during the rest of the dive. Because dSMBs are compact and easy to stow, they’re useful in many different diving situations, from recreational shore dives to deeper boat dives and drift dives.
Is putting up a marker buoy a difficult skill to learn?
On paper, deploying a delayed surface marker buoy (dSMB) is a straightforward process. For most divers with no mobility issues, it’s a simple mechanical task: attach the buoy to a line (if needed), add air, and let it rise to the surface while you stay at depth. The skills can be taught early in training, and the basic technique doesn’t change much over time.
What makes it complex is that it isn’t just one skill. There are variations in kit and technique that mean putting up a buoy from depth can be done in various different ways. It’s several smaller skills happening at the same time. Each on its own is simple, but together they demand more focus and control than many divers expect.
dSMB deployment also requires foundational skills, like buoyancy, breathing, trim and propulsion, so if there are issues with those skills, the extra task of putting up the buoy can cause everything to spill over.
It's a bit like learning to drive, when you first change gear in a manual car, there is a lot to be aware of. After learning a correct technique and practicing the actions, it all starts to feel more automatic. For a diver who is competent in the skill, its a routine thing they do at the end of the dive without needing to think about all all that much.
dSMB deployment: a simple skill with many moving parts
Here’s what’s happening all at once when you put up a dSMB:
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BUOYANCY AND POSITION: You need to stay neutrally buoyant, often holding both depth and horizontal position.
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BREATHING CONTROL: Your breathing affects buoyancy, so if anxiety creeps in or breathing becomes shallow or rapid, it can make depth control harder.
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EQUIPMENT HANDLING: You have to locate, unclip, and sometimes assemble the spool or reel and buoy.
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EQUIPMENT VARIATIONS: Different setups require slightly different techniques, such as choosing between a reel or spool, and managing the various types of dSMBs, including open-bottom designs, those with non-return valves for oral inflation, or models that connect to an LPI hose.
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INFLATION: Adding air into the buoy can be done in several ways (exhaled bubbles, alternate air source, oral inflation), each requiring slightly different coordination.
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LINE MANAGEMENT: The line must stay clear of equipment, hoses, and fins. If it tangles, it can pull on your regulator or BCD or even entangle you.
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RISK AWARENESS: Throughout, you’re monitoring for potential problems such as being pulled upwards, dropping the spool, or a reel jamming.
Why divers use a dSMB
The primary purpose of a dSMB is signalling. By sending a visible marker to the surface before ascending, divers can make their location clear to boat crews and reduce the risk of accidents. This is more than just good practice. In busy areas or where boat traffic is common, being visible can be a significant safety factor. If a skipper doesn’t see where divers are surfacing, there’s a real risk of a collision.
Beyond safety stops and ascents, a dSMB can also be vital in rescue or separation situations. If a diver surfaces far from the boat or shore, deploying a buoy can make them much easier to spot, even from a distance or from the air. Groups can also use multiple dSMBs together to increase their visibility if they become separated.
A dSMB can also act as a communication tool. Different colours can be used to signal messages to the surface, for example, indicating that a diver is okay, needs assistance, or requires emergency support. Some divers even attach notes or slates to the buoy to send more specific information to the boat crew.
Because of its versatility, the dSMB is considered essential equipment for most types of diving. It’s not only about signalling at the end of a dive. It’s a tool that supports safety, communication, and coordination in a wide range of scenarios. And yet, despite how straightforward it seems on the surface, many divers find that deploying a dSMB can be one of the most anxiety-provoking skills they learn.
Some divers struggle with this skill
Feeling nervous or anxious about putting up a dSMB
Even though deploying a delayed surface marker buoy (dSMB) is considered a core diving skill, it’s also one that many divers quietly admit they struggle with. In my work as a clinical psychologist specialising in diving, I hear this a lot. People will often bring it up in conversation, sometimes even in social settings, and it’s something that frequently appears as a secondary concern when I’m working with divers on other issues.
Sometimes, it’s something they actively avoid. They might let their buddy do it instead, or plan dives in a way that reduces the chance they’ll have to deploy one. Others describe needing to “psych themselves up” before attempting it, as if it’s something they have to force themselves through rather than a routine part of the dive.
For some divers, the feelings go beyond mild nerves. The thought of putting up a dSMB can trigger significant anxiety or tension, and the skill itself can become a real barrier to confidence in the water. It’s not unusual for people to feel ashamed about this. They often assume they’re the only one who struggles with it, when in fact, it’s extremely common.
In many cases, these difficulties reflect a combination of factors. Sometimes the challenge is linked to confidence, experience, or a lack of opportunities to practise. Sometimes it’s more about the psychological meaning the skill takes on. Whatever the underlying reason, often these responses can be worked with and improved; divers can learn strategies to manage anxiety and develop the competence and confidence needed to deploy a dSMB reliably and safely.
Why dSMB deployment can feel so difficult
The psychological, social, and practical reasons divers struggle with deploying a delayed surface marker buoy.
Once we look beneath the surface, there are many understandable reasons why a diver might feel anxious, nervous, or reluctant to deploy a delayed surface marker buoy (dSMB). These range from past experiences and mistakes to more subtle social pressures. Here are some of the most common factors that contribute to dSMB anxiety.
1. Past difficult experiences
Some divers have struggled with dSMB deployment in the past, and those memories can stay with them. For example, they might have lost control of their buoyancy and been pulled up towards the surface, which can feel frightening and dangerous. Others have witnessed incidents involving dSMBs, including near misses and, in rare cases, fatalities. Experiences like these can understandably make the skill feel risky.
Even when an incident wasn’t physically dangerous, it can still leave an impression. A diver might have become tangled in their own line, seen a buddy get dragged upwards, or struggled to complete the skill smoothly. These memories can resurface each time they prepare to deploy a buoy.
2. Embarrassment, failure, and “small-t” traumas
Not every difficult experience is dramatic. Many divers describe more subtle but still powerful moments of embarrassment. They might have lost buoyancy slightly and been laughed at by their group. Perhaps they struggled to get enough air into the dSMB, dropped the spool and created a tangle, or spent an entire surface interval sorting out metres of line while others joked about it.
There can also be frustration and stress linked to financial loss. For working divers or instructors, losing a recently purchased dSMB or ratchet reel can be more than an inconvenience, especially if it was needed for professional use. This is particularly relevant for divers on lower incomes, where replacing lost kit can create additional pressure and leave a lingering sense of frustration.
These experiences can build up over time and become a source of anxiety. Even small incidents can stick in a diver’s mind, especially if they happen repeatedly or in front of people whose opinions they care about.
3. Spool and reel issues
Equipment problems can also contribute to anxiety. If a diver has ever dropped a spool and watched metres of line unravel, they know how frustrating it can be. If they’ve been pulled upwards because a ratchet reel jammed, they might associate the skill with danger. And if they’ve had to let go of a buoy because of a jam, losing an expensive piece of kit in the process, that can leave a lingering sense of frustration or hesitation.
These experiences often overlap with both categories of fear. A sudden uncontrolled ascent is clearly a safety concern, while losing kit or being laughed at for a mistake is more about social impact. In reality, many divers’ fears contain elements of both.
4. Past experiences and older trauma
For some divers, the difficulty with dSMB deployment isn’t only about diving itself. Past life experiences can shape how we respond to visible, high-pressure skills. People who grew up in environments where mistakes were punished harshly, for example, may have a much lower tolerance for getting things wrong. They might have learned, often very early in life, that errors lead to criticism, humiliation, or rejection, and those emotional responses can resurface even decades later.
This is particularly relevant for anyone with a history of childhood abuse, neglect, or emotional criticism, as well as those who have experienced abusive relationships or hostile educational settings. These histories can leave someone highly sensitive to the possibility of public mistakes or perceived failure.
When a skill like dSMB deployment is so visible, these underlying patterns can easily be triggered. The result is often a heightened anxiety response that feels disproportionate to the task itself. It is not that the diver is overreacting, but that the situation is tapping into older, deeply learned responses about safety, control, and social judgement.
5. Low psychological safety and diving culture
The social environment in which a diver learns and practises skills can also make a significant difference. dSMB deployment is a particularly visible skill. When a group stops mid-water and waits for one diver to deploy a buoy, all eyes are on that person. Their buoyancy, technique, and even the amount of air in the buoy become points of observation.
In environments with low psychological safety, this visibility can become a source of real pressure. If mistakes are met with ridicule, criticism, or sarcasm, divers quickly learn that the cost of getting it wrong is social humiliation. Over time, repeated “paper-cut” experiences, small but frequent moments of ridicule or judgement, can accumulate into a significant psychological barrier.
This is not limited to newer divers. Even experienced divers can feel intense pressure to meet high performance standards, such as deploying a dSMB while holding depth within a narrow range. In such settings, even a small buoyancy error can feel like a public failure. The result is that divers may become tense before deploying a dSMB, overthink the process, or avoid it altogether, reinforcing the anxiety over time.
One of the biggest reasons dSMB deployment feels challenging
Limited training and practice opportunities
One of the main reasons dSMB deployment feels harder than it should is that many divers simply haven’t had much chance to practise it. Although the skill is introduced during entry-level training, it’s often covered briefly and with limited repetition. In some cases, divers only try deploying a buoy once or twice before qualifying, which is rarely enough to develop real confidence.
This limited practice becomes even more significant when you consider how many different equipment setups exist. A diver might first learn with a simple open-bottom buoy and a basic spool, then later encounter a different system with a non-return valve, oral inflation, or an inflator connection for an LPI hose. Similarly, switching from a spool to a ratchet reel can change the feel and timing of the deployment. If you’ve only ever practised one method, the first attempt with another can feel unfamiliar and stressful.
While some training agencies now include dSMB deployment as an optional skill in advanced courses, it often still receives relatively little focused time. Specialist dSMB workshops or buoyancy and skills classes are available, but many divers don’t realise they exist, or assume they’re only for professionals. In reality, a dedicated session focusing just on buoy deployment, especially one that allows you to try different techniques and equipment, can significantly reduce anxiety and build competence.
As a result, many divers end up learning through trial and error, or by watching and copying their buddies. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but it means they may never be shown all the variations, common mistakes, or techniques for preventing problems before they happen. Over time, that lack of structured practice can leave them feeling underprepared and uncertain, even if they’re confident in other areas of diving.
Overcoming dSMB nerves
Practical steps and psychological support
1. Build skill and confidence through practice
If your anxiety around deploying a dSMB is relatively low-level and not linked to any major trauma, one of the most effective things you can do is simply get more practice. Working with an instructor you trust is a good place to start. Whether through a short skills session, a coaching dive, or a dedicated dSMB workshop, focused practice in a supportive environment helps reduce uncertainty and build confidence.
Practising in a swimming pool or confined water can be particularly helpful. It removes many of the distractions and risks of open water, allowing you to focus purely on the mechanics of the skill. You can experiment with different types of equipment and inflation methods, and repeat the process multiple times until it starts to feel familiar. Over time, this repeated exposure helps reduce anxiety and strengthen automatic responses.
Once you feel more comfortable, aim to deploy a dSMB on every dive (where practical) or take turns with your buddy so you’re practising the skill regularly. The more familiar it becomes, the less mental effort it takes, and the easier it will feel in more demanding conditions.
[If you’re on a guided dive and would like to deploy a dSMB when you’re not the designated person for the group, it’s worth speaking to the guide beforehand. Often they’ll be happy to make space for you to practise, but there may be reasons they prefer you not to. For example, strong surface currents could make it unsafe for multiple buoys to be deployed, as they might carry divers away from the group. A quick conversation before the dive ensures that your practice plan fits safely within the conditions and dive plan.]
2. Use drills and repetition to build muscle memory
After you’ve learned the correct technique, the next step is to drill the skill. This means repeating the same actions several times in succession to build "muscle memory" and refine your coordination. The more often you perform the movements, the more automatic they become, which helps reduce the chance of errors under stress.
For example, you could practise deploying a dSMB five times in a row in a pool session. Because it’s shallow water and the buoy will not fully inflate, you can simply pull it back down, empty it, roll it up, and repeat. Each repetition helps smooth out your movements and strengthens the memory of how the task feels.
Drills can also help you adapt to different techniques or equipment. You might practise with a spool on one day and a ratchet reel on another, or try inflating different types of buoys. As you build this experience, you’ll develop a broader skill set and more confidence in dealing with real-world variability.
3. Address deeper barriers when practice isn’t enough
If your difficulties with dSMB deployment are linked to more significant experiences, such as a past accident, near-miss, or a distressing incident you witnessed, or if you find that early life experiences or deeper anxieties seem to surface around this skill, then more focused psychological support might help.
In these cases, it’s worth speaking to a qualified therapist or psychologist who understands diving contexts. Approaches such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) or CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) are recommended treatments in the UK and can be very effective at resolving trauma-related responses. EMDR, in particular, can help process stuck memories and emotional reactions, allowing divers to approach the skill with more flexibility and less anxiety.
If the issue feels more like a performance block than a trauma response, coaching may also be a useful option. A diving-aware coach can help you develop strategies to manage anxiety, refine your skills, and rebuild confidence in the water.
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Struggling with dSMB deployment is far more common than most divers realise. Even though it’s a relatively straightforward skill on paper, the combination of physical tasks, situational pressures, and psychological factors can make it feel much harder in practice. Past experiences, limited training, and even deeper emotional patterns can all influence how confident you feel when it’s time to send a buoy to the surface. The most important thing to remember is that these challenges are often completely manageable. With focused practice, repetition, and the right support, most divers can build strong skills and confidence in deploying a delayed surface marker buoy. And if the issue goes deeper — for example, if it’s linked to trauma or persistent anxiety — there are effective therapeutic approaches and coaching options that can help you address those barriers and move forward. Every diver has areas of growth, and dSMB deployment is no exception. By understanding what’s behind the anxiety and taking deliberate steps to work through it, you can develop a skill that feels safe, reliable, and second nature — and enjoy your dives with greater confidence and peace of mind. |