How Logging Your Dives Can Make You a Better Diver
Here are a few items you can include in your logbook to help you stay organized and honest, track progress, and work on self-improvement as a diver.
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The Secret Sauce for Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) Deployment
This article focuses on one specific aspect of deploying an SMB: methods for inflating the SMB.
Technology Your Public Safety Dive Team Needs
Teams today have capabilities and support structures that far exceed dive teams of the past. Technology can eliminate some of the busy work, frustration, and extensive hands-on searching that divers were once required to perform.
Do’s and Don’ts of Diving Back In
by Lauren Kieren:
Picture a clear sky, slight breeze, warm sun beating down on flat calm seas, and limitless visibility underwater… What could make this picture perfect dive day go from fantastic to terrible? Having to skip out on a dive! If you are a new diver or this is your first dive of the season – there are a few Do’s and Don’ts to consider before taking a giant stride in and having to skip out on a dive. This list by no means covers every item to consider, but it’s a good head start to diving back in.
To start, don’t compare scuba diving to riding a bicycle. We all know the saying, “if you don’t use it – you lose it,” the saying applies to diving as well. Regardless of how many certification cards are in your wallet or how many dives you have logged, after a period of inactivity, your skills will diminish over time.
Do participate in a SDI Inactive Diver or refresher course if you have not been diving within the past 12 months. It’s better to go through a tune up in a pool or confined open water setting under the guidance of an active dive professional versus trying to figure everything out during your initial descent.
Don’t forget your certification card while prepping for your dive trip. Nothing is worse than having your gear packed while you’re getting excited for the dive, and you get turned away during check in for not bringing your certification card. If this happens and the location has internet access, you can verify your SDI Certification online without missing the dive and order a replacement card.
Do check in early for your dive trip. You might be able to pick the best spot on the boat or find an empty bench if you’re shore diving. Allow yourself some time to set up your gear without rushing and verify all of your equipment is on, functioning, and ready to dive.
Don’t be “that guy” (or gal) on the dive boat or at the shore site with a suit case full of scuba equipment exploding all over the place. This can cause people to trip over it and it can be invasive to their personal space to set up.
Do make a checklist of necessary dive equipment for the day, lay everything out before packing it, and only bring what you need. If you are diving off a boat, store your empty gear bag under the bench and be attentive to keeping your equipment streamlined and confined to your space.
Don’t get yourself in trouble or put yourself at unnecessary risk of Decompression Sickness (DCS) by not paying attention to your personal dive computer (PDC). Don’t be “that guy” (or gal) who ends up back on the dive boat or shore location with a screaming dive computer sounding like a fire truck coming down the road.
Do keep an eye on your PDC and pressure gauge during the dive. In addition to your depth, time, no decompression limits, and air consumption rate. Get to know the functions of your computer and learn how to read the displays before making the dive. Take the proactive approach to safety in the water and be aware of your limitations. Your first dive of the season or after a period of inactivity can go by very quick! Pay close attention as the time may sneak up on you.
Don’t ascend faster than your bubbles.
Do CYA… Computerize Your Ascent. Your dive computer is a necessary piece of equipment; no different than your mask and fins. It’s a fantastic tool to utilize to enhance the safety of your dives. During your ascent, pay close attention to your computer. Most modern day computers have an ascent alarm to warn you if you’re going up too fast. If your computer does not have an ascent alarm, watch your depth and time to ascend no faster than 18M / 60FT per minute.
Finally, don’t forget to have fun! Do give us a call or send an e-mail to tell us about your dives. While we’re stuck in the office, we want to hear about your fun, exciting experience underwater!
Did you like these condensed Do’s and Don’ts for your first dive back in? Feel free to pass these on to your dive buddies and share it on Social Media. If there are specific Do’s and Don’ts you want to see, let us know in the comment section below. We will continue to add more Do’s and Don’ts lists in the future so keep an eye out for the next round to come!
Diving from #MyBuddysBoat
by Jon Kieren:
photo by Aldo Ferrucci
#AreYouSureThatisaGoodIdea | #SupportYourLocalDiveCenter
As divers, it’s hard to imagine a better summer day than hanging out on your buddy’s boat, doing a little diving, maybe a little fishing, and just relaxing enjoying the sunshine. When all goes well, it’s the perfect way to spend a day out of the office, but what about when it hits the fan? Do you and your buddies have the equipment and skills required to handle the worst case scenarios? While a day out on your buddy’s boat can be a lot of fun, if you are not properly trained and equipped it is probably a better idea to spend a few bucks and head out with your local dive charter instead. Professional dive charters offer more than just a boat ride; they have trained staff and the necessary equipment to handle emergency situations, and could very well save your life. A few points to consider when deciding whether to head out on your buddy’s boat or dive with a professional dive charter are:
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- Equipment-If you’ve ever been on a dive boat, you’ve probably heard a safety briefing given by the captain or crew. This briefing typically outlines emergency procedures and describes/shows where to find emergency equipment onboard. This briefing is not just for show, this emergency equipment can save your life, and typically includes:
- PFDs (life jackets)
- VHF Radio-for hailing coast guard, EMS, other vessels, etc.
- Fire suppressant devices
- EPIRB- Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon
- First Aid kit
- Emergency Oxygen
- Equipment-If you’ve ever been on a dive boat, you’ve probably heard a safety briefing given by the captain or crew. This briefing typically outlines emergency procedures and describes/shows where to find emergency equipment onboard. This briefing is not just for show, this emergency equipment can save your life, and typically includes:
Not only do dive charters stock this equipment onboard the vessel, the crew is trained in its use. Do you and your buddies have access to this equipment? Are you confident in your ability to use it in a high stress emergency?
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- Crew- Are you and your buddies experienced and qualified mariners and rescue divers? In the event of an emergency in/on the water, you need to have well trained personnel on hand to lend assistance effectively. Are you and your buddies trained and prepared to handle the following situations?
- Distressed/Unconscious diver in the water
- Fire on-board the vessel?
- Weather suddenly turning while divers are in the water
- Lost/missing divers
- Decompression sickness and other diving injuries
- Crew- Are you and your buddies experienced and qualified mariners and rescue divers? In the event of an emergency in/on the water, you need to have well trained personnel on hand to lend assistance effectively. Are you and your buddies trained and prepared to handle the following situations?
Dive charters staff professionally trained and experienced crew members to assist and handle these types of scenarios. These crew members are often overlooked, because most of the time their skills are not required. But when there’s a problem, you will be glad they are there to help.
Unless you and your buddies are very experienced mariners and divers, we strongly recommend choosing to dive with a professional dive charter instead of heading out on the water alone. Dive emergencies happen quickly and unexpectedly, and having trained professionals and the proper equipment on site can turn a potential fatality into a minor hiccup in the day’s events. Next time you’re thinking about going diving, let the pros do all the work and head out with your local dive charter. To find an SDI facility in your area, click here.
Tips & Tricks for a Successful Drift Dive
by Lauren Kieren:
Photo Credit: Becky Kagan Schott
Drift diving is like flying underwater. When you are soaring along the bottom contour, neutrally buoyant, guided by a gentle current, watching the marine life; it gives you a perspective of the underwater world that is difficult to obtain any other way.
Depending on where you dive, Divemasters (DM’s) and dive operations may use different techniques for drift diving. In many cases, drift dives are conducted off a boat while a DM guides the direction of the dive while towing a Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) to mark the divers’ location in the water. Meanwhile, a boat might be following the group to pick up divers as they surface (keep in mind, drift diving from a boat requires a skilled boat operator to conduct drift diving procedures properly).
Prior to participating in drift diving activities, you should be extremely proficient in your diving skills. If you have not participated in diving activities for a period of six months or longer, we highly encourage a diver to go through the SDI Inactive Diver Course before considering this type of advanced dive. Setting up a drift dive can be a fast paced activity that requires your diving skills and techniques to be dialed in – the ascents and descents can be challenging but once you are on the bottom… It’s your time to cruise along the ocean floor.
So what should you consider before drift diving? Here are a few tips and tricks before you hit the water:
STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME – Prior to entering the water, ensure all of your dive equipment is on, functioning, and you have completed a pre-dive safety check. Make sure you are properly weighted so you can descend with the group. If you are having difficulties equalizing on the descent – signal to your buddy and be aware of the divers’ location on the bottom, and the surface marker buoy signaling your location. If conditions allow (good visibility and manageable current) slow your descent to catch up with the group. If conditions do not allow for this and you cannot catch up with the group, surface with your buddy to abort the dive.
GO WITH THE FLOW – Once you are on the bottom, it’s important to “go with the flow.” Avoid swimming against the current, as this will increase your work load and air consumption rate. Streamline yourself and your gear to glide effortlessly through the water. Keep an eye out in front of you to plan your moves accordingly. If you see obstructions ahead of you – whether it’s a coral head, a wreck, or a cluster of fishing line – it’s important to plan your moves ahead of time to avoid a collision.
SELF AWARENESS – As previously mentioned, the descents of a drift dive can be fast paced. It is extremely important during all dives (especially drift dives), to monitor your depth gauge to ensure you are staying at a consistent depth versus drifting downward or upward without realizing it. Also, keep a close eye on your no decompression limit (NDL), as you glide along the bottom your air consumption rate may be reduced due to the lack of physical exertion required during this phase of the dive. Remember, just because you have ample an amount of cylinder pressure remaining, does not mean your NDL, or bottom time hasn’t exceeded the limits. Finally, check your tank pressure early and often and make sure you will have an ample supply of breathing gas to make a slow ascent, conduct a safety stop, and safely surface with some remaining tank reserve.
MAKE YOURSELF NOTICEABLE! – No, we’re not talking about wearing flashy dive gear… Prior to ascending, make sure to keep your eyes open and your ears tuned for boat traffic. If you and your buddy are surfacing before the group, ascend in sight of the SMB the DM is towing. Once at the surface, deploy your own Surface Marker Buoy, give yourself some distance from the SMB marking the divers underwater, then signal to the dive boat for pick up. If necessary, carry a whistle or audible alarm to be heard from a distance if you are not seen. When the boat makes its way towards you, stay put and do not swim towards the boat unless instructed by the boat operator.
Drift diving is a fun and exciting way to explore the underwater world, however, it can also lead to increased stress and anxiety if you are not prepared. This text is not intended to replace proper dive training, nor does it cover all aspects and requirements of drift diving. Following these tips along with proper training will ensure you get the most out of your drift diving experience.
For more information, contact your local SDI Dive Facility to sign up for the SDI Drift Diving Course.
Drift Diver Missing at Sea
photo credit: Bill Downey
I was alone. And it was all because I had stopped to take a few close-ups of a Moray. When I had looked up, my diving buddy and the rest of the diving group was long gone. We were all drifting in the same current, so I figured that the boat would be nearby when I decided to surface. Twenty feet above me, the last red rays of dusk faded, and inky darkness enveloped all but the faint glow of my dive flashlight. Below, a labyrinth of jagged coral canyons raced by as the current swept me along steadily.
The dive computer on my wrist beeped, signaling that my decompression stop was over. I reached down to turn it off, but I must have pressed the wrong button, because it kept beeping. I held it closer to my mask for a better look. And that’s when I hit the wall. Something in my shoulder popped, and then I bounced off the sharp coral several times until I lost my mask and regulator. I tried to reach back to catch my regulator, but my right arm wouldn’t move. I panicked, and all I could think about was getting to the surface, but I couldn’t see, and I couldn’t tell which way was up. I at least had the presence of mind to slowly hum to myself so that my lungs wouldn’t explode when I ascended, but doing so meant that I sank even deeper into the reef. I knew I was going to die.
In my blind terror, I searched around with my left hand for the button to fill my BC. I finally found it and filled the vest with as much air as it could hold, but it was already almost full, and I was still sinking. Even though my eyes were shut, I was starting to see stars. I knew I didn’t have long. “The weight belt,” I thought to myself… I fumbled with the release lever on my weight belt and let it drop away. I felt my descent halt, and then I started to slowly rise as my lungs screamed for air. I had no idea how far down I was, but I had run out of air. Once I knew which way was up, I started kicking frantically. I clawed my way to the roiling surface just as I was on the verge of losing consciousness, and then I almost sucked a mouthful of water as a wave hit me in the face. After a full minute of catching my breath, I started trying to get my bearings. It was dark and choppy, and the dive boat was nowhere in sight. The rest of the group would have surfaced in the last five minutes, so the boat had to be close. As I reached the top of a swell, I tried to kick higher so that I could see further, but the weight of my scuba tank made doing so difficult. We were miles offshore, and I couldn’t see lights in any direction. I had been drift diving dozens of times, but I had never been separated from my group. It started to dawn on me that the guys in the dive boat might actually not be able to find me. They would be looking for me now, and I needed some way to get their attention in the dark. I reached for my dive flashlight, only to find that I didn’t have it anymore.
My stomach sank as I realized that I had quite possibly doomed myself over a few stupid pictures. Pictures! This was my last chance. I reached back with my good arm, and sure enough, my camera was still secured to my BC and bumping against my scuba tank. I turned the camera on and held it as high over my head as I could. When I reached the top of a swell, I took a picture and let the flash go off. I did it again and again for five minutes, pausing after every flash to listen for sounds of rescue. And then the battery went dead. I stared at the camera in disbelief. It had been my only hope. Now, I was floating in the middle of nowhere, bleeding, dehydrated and alone. Every bad shark movie I’d ever seen came to mind, and I screamed in frustration. I kept screaming until my throat went raw.
I floated there, fully appreciating my situation, when I heard a voice in the wind. I thought it was my imagination at first, but I heard it again. As I reached the top of a swell, I scanned what I could see of the horizon. The dive boat was idling just 50 feet away, and it still had its flag flying to signal to other boats that there were scuba divers in the water. I flailed my arm wildly and shouted to get their attention until someone shined a flashlight in my eyes. The engine roared as they started toward me, but I kept my arm up so that they wouldn’t lose sight of me. I almost couldn’t believe it when the boat pulled up and reassuring hands caught hold of me. That was the last time I was ever going to get separated from my group on a drift diving trip.
