Peter,<br><br>Your SF friend is correct. Tradional orange smoke is virtually useless except to help a helo on scene already to guage wind direction and speed. While it looks dense close up, from not far away it loses that density and becomes virtually invisible. Add even a small amount fo wind and it is dispersed very rapidly. Interestingly, in tests by PracticalSailor/Powerboat Reports we found that the white smoke from a standard handheld flare was actually easier to spot (surface to surface) than the orange smoke. No air to surface testing of that. The sea dye marker makes a vary large bright green stain on the water surface and is very visible, even from as low as a few feet off the surface, extremely visible from the air. It does disperse fairly rapidly, but easily last half hour or more in moderate conditions. Most effective with a slight wind driving you downwind as it makesa very noticeabel tail, as opposed to a splotch in calm conditions. More is better, the little dye packs from Skyblazer are not particulary useful. The SeaMark dye marker from Pains Wessex in AUS is excellent. Dye marker will make a mess, so use with care. Smoke flares are expensive and have a limited life as they are a pyrotechnic divice, sea dye marker lasts indefinitely as long as it is kep dry. Good packaging is important in this regard. Sealed contianors only. The other option is the SEE/RESCUE / RescueStreamer which lasts indefinitely and is very visible. With enough room, I'd carry both. Save the dye marker for when you can see a plane searching close by, just like flare use, and leave the RescueStreamer out all the time.