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.

Belfield Tide Plotter 2008 - CD ROM - £10.99 plus £1.00 p+p
Tide tables, tide graphs, tide information, Tide Plotter 2008 is the latest version of the our much loved tidal prediction program for Windows 95/98/NT4/2000/XP & CE with over 600 UK, Ireland, France, Holland, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Norway and Channel ports. Tide Plotter is easy to use and lets you produce a tidal prediction in just a few easy clicks for any day during the year 2008. A major new module has been added this year, Tidal Stream information in addition to the tide heights tables etc. The price remains the same.

Predictions can be shown in traditional monthly table form, just like in printed tide tables, or as daily graphs. Daily graphs show you every detail of a day’s tide. Double high and low waters can be seen clearly which is great when using waters such as Poole harbour which has very peculiar tides.

Tide Plotter 2008 is ideally used on a laptop onboard a boat. If you haven't got a laptop to take on your boat then do not fear. Tide Plotter 2008 can print both monthly tide tables and daily graphs so you can have the information when away from a computer. Tide Plotter 2008 will also work on the Windows CE pocket PCs which are becoming increasingly popular.

It’s not only tides that are calculated, sunrise and sunset times and moon phases are also shown.

Have you ever worried whether you are going to run aground come low water at an anchorage? With Tide Plotter 2008 you can bring up today's tidal prediction for your current position, enter the current depth of water and Tide Plotter 2008 will calculate whether you are going to run aground at the next low water and if you are it will show on the daily graph the period of time you will be aground for.

To order your copy, please go to http://www.bsac.org/page/515/dvds--cd-roms.htm.

After an extremely busy run up to this year's Try Dive campaign (24th - 30th September), we can report that more than 400 people have registered with HQ so far for the campaign. This number is set to grow as HQ is still receiving calls from the public and many of our Try Dive branches have also proved successful in recruiting their own participants.

With some Try Dive nights still continuing over the coming weeks, feedback has been encouraging, with many Try Divers signing up as BSAC members on the night. The campaign also generated some excellent local, regional and national press coverage raising the profile of diving with BSAC.

What's the story?

If you have a Try Dive night story that you would like to see on the web, please email it, with any accompanying photographs to alisond@bsac.com.

Newcastle University and Tritech's innovative design ensured them success in the DiveTrack competition this week.

DiveTrack was started by friends and family in memory of Penny Glover who died with her dive buddy Jacques Filippi in a tragic diving accident in 2005.

The aim of the competition was to develop a device that would help divers keep in contact and ensure that families of missing divers do not have to endure the pain that comes with waiting for news if someone goes missing.

The competition was supported by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (www.theiet.org/) and BSAC. The weekend of the 15/16th September saw its culmination with BSAC divers putting the prototype through a series of trials.

Of the four finalists only Team NU-Tritech represented by Mike Broadbent (Tritech) and Jeff Neasham (Newcastle University) made it through to the test weekend. The outcome was not a foregone conclusion however. The competition specified the device should be capable of detecting divers up to 400 metres away and to depths of 200 metres and that it should cost less than £150 per unit to produce.

BSAC divers led by the BSAC National Expedition Officer Andy Hunt assessed the DiveTrack device in real diving conditions in Ardmucknish Bay and Loch Etive near Oban, Scotland.

Following close scrutiny by the dive team, Fiona Denny (Penny Glover's sister), Jon Denny and Colin Foote (IET) it was agreed by all that the NU/Tritech prototype had met the competition requirements and was a worthy winner.

It was also felt that if this product had been available a couple of years ago, even in its current prototype form, Penny and her buddy Jacques would have been located within hours rather than after weeks. Given that the device can also transmit an emergency signal to the surface to alert boat crew to an incident underwater, the tragedy might even have been averted.
There are plans for the winning design to be on display at the Birmingham Dive Show in October and at the BSAC Diving Officers Conference in December.
The £5000 prize will be presented to the winners at the IET Awards Ceremony in London on 13th November.

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and BSAC are calling up British SCUBA divers to join the battle for Britain's seas by marching on Parliament to demand a Marine Act now!

The date of the March depends on the much-speculated general election announcement - Will Gordon Brown call one this Autumn, or won't he? The uncertainty means that the March is likely to take place on a later date than has been previously advertised.
If you want to help make a splash, please email MCS at info@mcsuk.org to register - you'll be sent details as soon as the big event date is set. (www.mcsuk.org).

Preparations are well underway for this year's Diving Officer’s Conference, open to all BSAC members and instructors from other agencies. I am reminded yet again that I am the Diving Officer that the event refers to and not, as is popular belief the individual Diving Officers of our branches who are in effect my deputies.

The role of Diving Officer, as explained in the Branch Officers Handbook (recently updated) is to carry ultimate responsibility for all diving and training conducted within BSAC by our members. That is a substantial, if not impossible task for any one individual to carry out so I rely on significant help and support in fulfilling my responsibilities.

Training is carried out using a comprehensive and constantly developing training system for which I am eternally grateful to the massive work carried out by volunteer members of NDC and related working groups. This is delivered by Instructors, in branches, regions and BSAC Centres, who are themselves the product of the ITS system.

Diving safety is managed both through my delegated authority to manage that diving by branch Diving Officers and centre senior instructors who in turn delegate responsibility to Dive Managers but the onus of responsibility also carries on down to every member.

Sean Gribben
National Diving Officer

Who is responsible?
We all truly believe that we want to and do dive safely and yet the moment an unfortunate incident occurs one of the first reactions is to question who is responsible for controlling the activity.

The first and overriding responsibility is to the divers (buddy pair) themselves. Regardless of their background, training and experience, they are equipped with the skills and knowledge to make their own informed decisions for their own safety and that of their buddy. All divers should be encouraged to take responsibility to follow their training and restrict their diving to the limits of their qualification. Divers should refuse to be tempted beyond their limits by more experienced and qualified divers no matter how forceful or knowledgeable they may be. This would include Ocean Divers making sure they only dive where such activities are properly dive managed and approved by the Diving Officer.

Dive Leader/Manager
BSAC diver training provides a progressive range of dive leading skills from Ocean Diver upwards. By following training, not exceeding limits and applying common sense to all dives there should not be any concern over taking responsibility for leading a dive with a buddy of similar or lesser experience.

Similarly, those responsible for managing or supervising diving activities should not be concerned that this makes them in some way liable providing they apply the same principles of following their training in planning, monitoring and reacting to developing situations. The responsibility is clear where formally organised branch or other group diving is being conducted. However, what responsibility does an experienced diver have in situations such as taking a place on a shuttle boat or holiday dive?

Diving Officer
The Diving Officer seems to carry the full weight of responsibility, It certainly feels like it for many Diving Officers. They are responsible for the provision of training and award of qualifications as well as for any diving undertaken by members of the branch. It is important however, to recognise that this is not done in isolation. Training should be conducted according to the standards laid down in BSAC training materials and there should be no need to add or subtract from this. Qualifications should be awarded on the completion of such training again with no additions or subtractions made as a prerequisite of the award. Diving should be conducted within the guidelines recommended in the 'Safe Diving' booklet and in accordance with the limits of an individuals qualifications and experience. In addition to all that a Diving Officer can call on advice and support from the advisors at HQ, the Coaching Scheme and ultimately the National Diving Officer himself. The only risk is in not making use of all these resources.

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

BSAC HQ is keen to keep in touch with all its members and email is the most effective way to deliver all the latest news. With increasing numbers signing up for our Members Mailing List, we're now encouraging more members to sign up.

By joining our mailing list, exclusive to BSAC members, you will be kept up-to-date with all the latest BSAC, membership and diving news - direct to your inbox. Subscribing is easy and free - simply go to http://www.bsac.org/page/454/opt-in.htm.
and fill in the form with your details. You will then begin to receive emails on a monthly basis keeping you right up to date with the latest diving news and information.

Your email address will be used by BSAC only and under no circumstances given to a third party.

So to stay informed about the latest developments in your sport and your club, subscribe today!

South East Region AED Courses
The South East Region is pleased to offer all its branches, Defibrillator Courses for the certification fee only - £15. Courses can be run in a single evening for any branch that wants it. The region has training units and modified resuscitation manikins that we can bring to your branch and deliver the course to you.

Automatic External Defibrillation units are set to become as commonplace as O2 on dive sites. Learn how to use one now.

If you are in the South East Region, contact your Area Coach or Dave Tresidder on 07841 431689 or southeast.coach@bsac.com.