Do You Know the Swimming Safety Signals? Captain Taylor Explains

Safety when swimming in the open is always the top priority, both for individuals and for safety support staff. At Odyssey Open Water Swimming, and for most safety support paddlers, we use safety signals adopted from scuba diving. While there are MANY signals in scuba diving (see here), we use just a couple to ensure that a swimmer is either okay or needs immediate assistance.

A support paddler will ask if a swimmer is okay by patting the top of their head. If the swimmer is okay, they can return that signal with a pat on the head or a closed fist on the top of the head. If the swimmer is not okay, they will return the paddler’s pat with a wave (one or two arms), or a shout.

After it’s clear that a swimmer needs assistance, a support paddler will come over to the swimmer immediately. This may be to work out a cramp, help with their swim goggles, or remove them from the water. Support paddlers are there for whatever the swimmer needs.

Watch video of Captain Taylor explaining the signals above.