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Scuba Diving Hand Signals for Wreck Diving

By Scuba Diving Editors | Updated On November 29, 2017
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Scuba Diving Hand Signals for Wreck Diving

Scuba divers have developed a number of hand signals to communicate while underwater. There are even signals specifically geared toward wreck diving. You can point out the different sections and features of the wreck with these 18 hand signals. Check out the video above, or GIFs below, to see a demonstration of these handy signals.

Wreck scuba diving hand signal

Wreck

Chris Balogh

To make the signal for wreck, slightly bend your hands and put them against one another to create the shape of an upside-down boat.


Mast

Scuba diving wreck dive signal mast

Mast

Chris Balogh

Hold your hand flat with your thumb up to resemble a ship. Point to your thumb with the other hand to make the signal for a ship's mast.


Wheel/Wheelhouse

Scuba diving wreck hand signals wheel wheelhouse

Wheel/Wheelhouse

Chris Balogh

The wheelhouse can make a great photo-op on some wrecks. Pretend you are the captain and steer the ship's wheel.


Life Boat

Scuba diving hand signals lifeboat

Life boat

Chris Balogh

Sometimes a ship's life boats go down with the rest of it. You can point them out to your buddy by pretending to row your own lifeboat.


Engine

Scuba diving hand signals wreck engine

Engine

Chris Balogh

Slide your fingers over each other loosely with your thumbs up and then shake your hands up and down to make the signal for engine.


Propeller

Scuba diving hand signals wreck diving propeller

Propeller

Chris Balogh

No wreck dive would be proper without a stop at the prop. Tell your buddy you'd like to visit the ship's propeller by repeatedly drawing a circle in front of you with your index finger.


Stern

Scuba diving hand signals wreck diving stern

Stern

Chris Balogh

Hold your hand vertically to resemble a shipwreck, then point to the back of it — your wrist — to make the signal for the stern.


Deck

Scuba diving hand signals wreck diving deck

Deck

Chris Balogh

All hands on deck! Hold your hand flat with your thumb up to resemble a ship and run your free index finger along the top of your hand.


Rudder

Scuba diving hand signals wreck rudder

Rudder

Chris Balogh

Line up two vertical hands behind each other and rotate the back hand from left to right to mimic a rudder.


Bell

Scuba diving hand signals wreck ship bell

Bell

Chris Balogh

Ring the bell. One hand imitates the shape of the bell and the other shakes the clapper.


Hold

Shipwreck scuba diving wreck hand signals hold

Hold

Chris Balogh

Hold your hand flat with your thumb up to resemble a ship, then spread your middle and ring finger while keeping the rest together to show the ship's hold.


Anchor

Scuba diving wreck ship hand signals

Anchor

Chris Balogh

Hook your index finger with the index and middle finger of the other hand.


Chain

Scuba diving hand signals chain wreck ship

Chain

Chris Balgh

This signal is really off the chain! Create two links of a chain by interlocking your thumbs and index finger


Galley

Scuba diving wreck ship hand signal

Galley

Chris Balogh

Which way to the grub? Pretend you're stirring a big cooking pan.


Hull

Scuba diving shipwreck hand signal hull

Hull

Chris Balogh

Hold your hand flat with your thumb up to resemble a ship, point out the middle of your hand with the index finger of your other hand.


Bow

Scuba diving hand signals bow of the ship

Bow

Chris Balogh

Hold your hand flat with your thumb up to resemble a ship, and point to the tips of your fingers.


Keel

Scuba diving hand signals keel shipwreck

Keel

Chris Balogh

Hold your hand flat with your thumb up to resemble a ship, then run your other index finger along the bottom of your hand.


Artifact

Scuba diving hand signals shipwreck artifact

Artifact

Chris Balogh

Put your index fingertips against one another and make a bridge with one middle finger.