Abstract: A plastic spool is rotatably mounted between the two plastic halves of a housing. A spring motor is mounted to the housing and engages with a gear train connected to the housing such that a spring will suffice to retract a length of line ten times as long connected to the spool and windable thereon. The housing has an opening which allows the entrance of water. The line is connected to a floating surface bouy and is automatically extended as a scuba diver descends to lower aquatic depths. Vanes extend radially from the spool and cooperate with the water to resist too rapid rewinding of the line onto the spool as a diver ascends. The housing has a hook-shaped handle for restraining of the reel and also has a clip which retains a writing instrument which may be used for underwater communication between divers by writing on a planar surface of the housing.