We really hope that you enjoy this copy of BSAC Talk. If you have any comments regarding this issue, please let us know by email at maryt@bsac.com

A PDF copy of this issue of BSAC Talk can also be downloaded from the BSAC Talk index page on our website at www.bsac.org/page/93/bsac-talk.htm.

As this is the first copy of BSAC Talk in 2008 we would like to let you all know what the broad intentions are for the BSAC Coaching Scheme this year.

Above all else we have one aim which is to increase our contact with branches by getting out and visiting all those who would like our support. In doing so the intention is to bring the latest initiatives from BSAC to branches; which is what BSAC Council and National Diving Committee (NDC) have asked the coaching teams to do.

BSAC Council, HQ and NDC know that the Coaching Scheme is the way that we can directly get in touch with branches and have given extra support for 2008. This can be translated into effective support by utilising what is on offer.

Coaching visits to branches do not cost the branch anything financially; their purpose is to make contact with as many branch members as possible on the visits. To assist with this, the Branch Marketing Pack has been updated and a complimentary Branch Development Workshop developed so that coaches can outline the benefit of both. In a nutshell the coaching team will help branches understand how they can best benefit from the help available.

If your branch would like some help with its development or has anything else that the coaching team can help with (and the list is extensive) please let us know at philc@bsac.com; the Coaching Scheme really want to make contact and do whatever is needed to support BSAC branches.

Dave Tresidder stands down as Regional Coach for the South East, after 3 year in the role. Dave said "I would very much like to thank the volunteer regional team for all the help and support they have given during my time as regional coach. We have a fantastic membership support network in the South East that I know the members we come into contact with, very much appreciate."

Graham Pettett will take on the role of South East Regional Coach in January 2008. Graham is an existing highly active member of the South East coaching team and will be known to many of you. He is a First Class Diver and Advanced instructor with some 15 years experience. He will be organising a series of meetings in the new year, where he hopes to meet as many of the South East region's members as possible to find out what you want from him and the team. Graham will also be at the DiverSE'08 regional conference to be held at Kingston University on Sunday 10th February (see below).

Graham will be contactable on the current details - by e-mail southeast.coach@bsac.com, by telephone 07841 431689 or through the regional website (www.bsac-se.org.uk).

 

BSAC South East region proudly presents its third annual conference - DiverSE'08 held at Kingston University on Sunday 10th February . This year we are pleased to welcome the BSAC Southern regional team to the event.

Following on from the complete sell out success of DiverSE'07, we bring you another exciting event packed with speakers and exhibits to interest and intrigue divers of all agencies, interests and abilities. Win fantastic prizes in the free prize draw including a full set of equipment worth over £1,000 kindly donated by ScubaPro Uwatec and a digital camera and underwater housing worth £450 kindly donated by Cameras Underwater, plus many more prizes. DiverSE 08 also includes:

The opportunity to meet new South East region coach Graham Pettett.

Ace wreck hunter Rex Cowan talks about treasure, shipwrecks and politics regaling tales of his search for treasure laden wrecks from the 17th and 18th century.

Learn from Mark Strickland how you can dive with a purpose and help to conserve the reefs of the Red Sea.

Martin Dean explains how he has used the latest technology to produce stunning 3D images of some of our most interesting wrecks.

Discover the delights of diving some of the little known wrecks of Southern France.

The crew of Coastguard helicopter India-Juliet give an insight into some of the highs and lows of their, at times, treacherous work.

Dr Oliver Firth gives advice on diving medicine and ailments while abroad.

Record holding Free Diver Marcus Greatwood gives tips on breathing techniques to help make the most of your gas supply

Jeff Cornish tells the warts and all tale of his expedition to the 155m deep wreck of the Carpathia.

Space is limited, so don't delay and book your places for just £7, includes refreshments. A sandwich lunch is available by pre-booking for £5.

For further information and to book your place please visit the event website www.bsac-se.org.uk/diverse.
The event is kindly being sponsored by:

ScubaPro Uwatec - www.scubapro-uwatec.com blue o two - www.blueotwo.com

Cameras Underwater - www.camerasunderwater.co.uk DIVE - www.divemagazine.co.uk

Look I'm good at this buoyancy control lark, actually I'm fantastic at it! For years I have been perfecting the skill so that I am 100% confident I can maintain a position in the water ±0.2m. I have done it in very stressful situations where buddies have been panicking, whilst multitasking (which of course for any bloke is virtually impossible even when on dry land!), gas switching / shutdown drills at a 3m stop, deploying DSMB's and tying off distance and penetration lines - I could go on…

So why was it when doing my National Instructor Exam in August 2007 did it all go wrong? On three occasions I embarrassed myself in front of the examiners (usually the same one); fortunately not enough to fail however but it did result in a 'borderline' in my diving skills section. An outrage…

Following the exam I read the examiner’s comments and analysed what went wrong. I came to the conclusion that it's the particular type of stress that does it. In this case my particular desire to demonstrate to the examiners how 'good' I actually was as opposed to getting on with it. This is the sort of stress that you don't practice. So the moral of the tale is make sure that you practice the crucial skill of buoyancy in all stressful situations.

My top tips for buoyancy nirvana

• 1 Make sure your weighing is correct so that at the end of the dive you can hold a stop at 6m with 50 bar in your cylinder and very little gas in your drysuit/BCD (just enough to prevent pinching - no more)
• Make sure your trim is correct. By this I mean that adjust your weighting / kit configuration so you can sit totally horizontal in the water and totally stop finning whilst maintaining your buoyancy (more difficult that it sounds)
• Breath normally, don't hold your breath when you are concentrating on a task
• Be progressive. Don't try and maintain your buoyancy within too tight parameters at the beginning
• Try and get it better in every dive but don't become obsessive (is it really me saying that?). Of course you think you have really sussed it and then something will happen to shatter your confidence (see above)
• Once you have it sorted, start to task load yourself by checking your gas or writing on a slate with a reference in sight such as the bottom / marker on the shotline and then moving on to deploying DSMB's
• Oh... All this is covered in the soon to be released Buoyancy and trim workshop. Cheap ad…
  
  Any queries, mail me at simon.campbell@bsac.com

Simon Campbell
NDC Diver Training Development Officer

What is perfect buoyancy

Apart from being the fundamental skill that underpins all diving from both an enjoyment and safety point of view, what do we really mean by proper buoyancy control? The objective level of required skill will vary depending on the activity and experience but what should that be?

Training
+/- 2m
Well not the ideal but a minimum tolerable target

Ocean/Sports
+/- 1 - 0.5m

Well not the ideal but a minimum tolerable target when diving at this level and not doing anything other than a safety stop or two

Deco procedures and Instructor
+/- 0.3m

Get into deco and this should be the objective. Instructors should be looking at demo quality at definer stages better than this.

Think SAFE - Dive SAFE
Jim Watson
BSAC Safety and Development Manager
For more detail and information please visit www.bsac.org/page/45/diving-safety.htm.

Our Club Medway 59 had been working towards Club Mark for the past 18 months to 2 years. We received a lot of support from our local Medway Sports Development Team Sarah Risby and Guthrie Miller who covers the whole of Kent.

Medway 59 also signed up for the Kent Connect card which also gave 20% discount towards some of the Courses. The courses were "Safeguarding and Protection for Children", “First Aid", "Sports Equity", "Club for All" these are all. it was also important not to have the same person doing all the Courses.

Back in the summer we were very lucky to have been choosen to go on the "BSAC" pilot system. After several meetings our Chairman Kevin Tarr and myself met over several weekends going through all the different polices and agreements together. We decided that it would be easier to take a section at a time. We managed to complete this over about 2 months. Plus we also had a branch visit from Martin Hammond who was our mentor back in September to go through what we had put together. We were 95% there at this time but we still had a deadline to meet 25th October when Martin Hammond was due to hand over our portfolio. Sarah Risby was also present at this meeting.

After this meeting I went away and completed the rest of what was needed working through for about 3 to 4 weeks up to 12am -1am most nights. I gave myself a deadline 1st October to get everything finished but we still had to have a Committee meeting for the rest of the Committee to go over all the agreements for Coaches, different Youth clubs agreements and our local swimming pool. Every Instructor had to sign agreement forms plus they also to keep had a copy. The master copies had to be counter signed by the D.O., Chairman and the Secretary.

We were very lucky because we already had a "Welfare Officer" because we have under 18s in our Club. Again this had to be built into our Club Constitution. But again we still had to produce the minutes from the AGM 2 years before this was brought in. All of our Instructors and Assistant Instructors have all been CRB checked. This again we had already done free through BSAC.

After several phone calls with Martin Hammond, our Diving Officer and myself met up with Martin Hammond on the Thursday 9th October. Half way from Kent and the Midlands. Martin thought he was only to have one box file it was more like 3 more box files!!!!

We had to provide evidence of pool sessions, open water training, snorkelling, Duke of Edburgh Training with a Youth Club going for their silver award. I also included photos of in branch training like the Nitrox Workshop which our Area Coach ran for our branch again we had to show regular contact with our Area Coach what better of way of showing it. A lot of hard work went into our portfolio.

Our club was diving at Stoney Cove on Thursday 25th October, the day that all of portfolios were being presented there were 3 other branches. Martin Hammond walked in with his portfolio for his branch 1 boxfile. Then produced 4 box files. Mary Tetley, Mike Halligan and everyone else were amazed on the amount of edvicence produced. On the way back from Stoney Cove Mike Halligan phoned me to tell me the good news that we all had been Accredited with Club Mark. Which we were all delighted to hear.

On Saturday 1st December we were presented our Club Mark Certicate at the Awards Dinner the Diving Officer’s Conference.

This is a very big achievement for the Club and we are really very proud.

Judith Bodkin
Medway Sub Aqua Club

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