Just two weeks to BENDY TIME— Are you Scuba wise? March 30, 2006
Posted by onthetrain in : Scuba Diving , trackbackThis time last year it was Easter. We all went off diving and when we came home we made noises through our teeth about the number of incidents that happened over the weekend. Helicopters scrambled, Chambers full of divers, fast ascents and unfortunately Easter weekend lead to the first of 17 UK diving fatalities in 2005.
We all love easter don’t we. It’s the traditional start of the season in the UK. A time when we dust off the kit thats been lying in the garage all winter. We blow the cobwebs out of our regs, shake the mice from the toes of our drysuits and head off for the first dives of the year. When you think about it, we could hardly do any worse than Easter.
Many of haven’t dived for months, and of course as we are old sweats there is no point getting down the pool is there? Thats for Novices. It’s like falling off a bike, 5 minutes in the water and it’ll be like I’ve never been away. Oh and of course I’m happy to take that novice in. I’ve been here before I know it will be cold, I’ll stick an extra layer under my suit. Now exactly how much lead was I carrying last year. Those huge spring tides are no bother to an experienced diver like me are they? We’ve had some pretty strong easterlies lately, but I’ll be reet with my shiny new torch, oh & I cant wait to try out that new wing/suit/undersuit/regs, etc etc
Sound familiar? Thought so! If you haven’t been in the water for a while, be SCUBA wise. The BSAC provide 10 top tips for the new season.
Personal Preparation
Get Dive Fit
Prepare for the new season by doing some refresher training in the pool. Also, do some shallow warm-up dives when you do get in the sea.
Update your skills
Revisit some of your original training to ensure that key skills such as mask clearing and buoyancy control are still automatic responses, and you are comfortable doing them in the pool and open water.
Practice
It is clear from past experience that when skills are not practised regularly then they deteriorate. Skills should be practised regularly (even continually) to ensure that when required,they are automatic.
Equipment Preparation
Have your Equipment serviced
The winter layoff for many divers is the ideal time to have your equipment properly serviced. Check it out for proper function, in the pool or shallow open water, before committing to a full dive.
Training with New Equipment
Before using new equipment for the first time practice with it in the pool and shallow water before using it on that deep wreck!
Carry Surface Location Aids
Carry Delayed surface marker buoys, flags, strobes, air horns, personal flares, EPIRBS etc. and ensure you know how to use them
Safeguard your Equipment
Diving equipment is expensive and there is a growing trend in the theft of substantial amounts of equipment from popular dive sites. Safeguard against a major loss by insuring your equipment.
Boat Preparation
Servicing
As with personal equipment, winter is the ideal time to get the boat and engine properly serviced. Ensure it is done by a reputable dealer and service agent.
Boat Checks
Before loading the boat for the first trip of the season, carry out some checks of the boat and engine to ensure that everything functions properly, as well as ensuring you have sufficient fuel before setting off.
Use of the Emergency Services
Make sure you are familiar with the means of contacting the emergency services and inform the Coastguard of your plans and remember to report your return to shore to them as well!
Make sure you are familiar with the means of contacting the emergency services and inform the Coastguard of your plans and remember to report your return to shore to them as well!
Lastly, make sure your o2 is in service and full, that your radio and navigation equipment are working correctly.
Dive safely, have fun. Alan
A copy of the BSAC Divesafe pack can be downloaded for free from here
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