Safety Culture - diving in the zone
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“Thank [beep] for that! How lucky were we? We better not do that again.
Don’t tell anyone though, we don’t want to look like amateurs...”
Training
Safety in Expedition Diving
However you define your expedition it is important to recognize that once you begin planning it you have crossed out of the realm of normal recreational or technical and entered a world that requires serious oversight, preparation, and risk mitigation. Expedition diving does not have to be technical or extreme – a recreational diving trip to a destination like Truk Lagoon could put you hours or days away from the nearest medical help and require expedition level preparations for medical treatment and evacuation.
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Breathing from a free flowing regulator
What to do:
Hold the regulator second stage loosely in your mouth, allowing excess air to escape. If possible, angle your head slightly to avoid bubbles in front of your eyes.
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Full Cave Navigation Protocols in Mexico
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Larry Cohen
Massimo Ardizzoni
Guide line in Cenote Chac Mool, Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. Photo by Larry Cohen.
I started cave diving in Italy in 1990. At that time, the rules were very clear, codified and related to the kind of caves that were encountered in my region. Very often, they were resurgences with current (sometimes strong) or sumps inside caves, with water ranging from crystal clear to the color of coffee and variable visibility, depending on the rains.
Getting Lined Up: Troubleshooting Sidemount Tank Configuration
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Roger Williams
Cave photo by S.J. Alice Bennet
A pair of divers wearing cleanly-configured sidemount kit. Cave photo by S.J. Alice Bennet.
I like sidemount. I will frequently, jokingly, disparage the configuration, but I do like it. It can be comfortable and streamlined. It can be very flexible. There is an argument to be made for completely isolated redundancy. Mostly, it is good for moving through places no bigger than the space below your coffee table.
Going Pro, Part II: The Road from Instructor to Dive Professional
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Andrey Bizyukin
Photo by Andrey Bizyukin
“Wait, wait,” you may say when you read the title of this column, “What are you talking about? Aren’t those two things the same? Isn’t a dive instructor by definition a scuba professional? And what do you mean by ‘Road’?”
Training vs Experience
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Andrey Bizyukin
“Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.” It is an old and well-worn phrase, but is it true?
Achieving Our Teaching Objectives
Diving instruction has standards, qualifications, materials, governing bodies and best practices. So why do we see such poor examples of diving practice? Why do so many new divers struggle with basic skills? Why do tech divers forget some key techniques? Is it poor instruction or something else?
The Swimming / Diving Disconnect
You must walk before you can run, so why do so few dive centres teach people how to swim before they learn to dive?
Personal Safety at Sea: Communicating with the Dive Boat
The Iridium Extreme lets one send an SMS text message, at set time intervals, with exact location coordinates to anyone, from anywhere on the planet. Photo courtesy of the manufacturer.
One of the things close to everyone’s thoughts is diver safety. We spend good money on quality dive gear and prudently have it frequently serviced and maintained, as this equipment will be sustaining our lives while underwater. But what about when we are on the surface? Just how many of us really do think about getting lost at sea?
Training Disabled Divers in Malaysia
The objective of the program is to build confidence, independence and self-esteem in the lives of children, adults and veterans with disabilities through the sport of scuba diving, scuba therapy and related activities.