Safety Talk This Month
Not fit for much….? I wasn't really feeling sorry for myself but I ended the day more confident and knowing that I wasn't completely on the scrap heap. The story started as a result of me going down to the Midlands diving chamber to try for clearance to dive before a trip to Red Sea to see some old relics or other left around by the Pharaohs. Due to a heart attack and bypass plumbing, I have to take medication to avoid it happening again which results in shortness of breath. Not surprisingly the diving doctors started crossing themselves and offering signs to ward off the evil eye that some old fart was daft enough to think he could still dive. Common sense took over and we accepted that snorkeling would have to be enough. I went to Egypt and paid for a snorkeling trip. The 'dive guide' (I use the word loosely) equipped himself with a 'sailing' solid lifejacket so that he could not snorkel down (or sink as he was frightened of water). He then started to lecture me on not diving down to look at the marine life as there was a stone fish sat on the bottom. As he was looking down from the surface 10 metres above maybe he wasn't able to tell the difference between a stone fish and a puffer fish - but that is another story. Meanwhile, we had all headed towards the headland of the bay some 100 metres away, swimming along the reef when one of the ladies (most of whom were not exactly in their teens and were in hired basic snorkeling kit) shouted she had cramp. Said dive guide, who was nearer to her than I was, did nothing apart from float around looking bemused. I swam back to her and towed her back to the beach, maybe 30/40 metres. No big deal really but it did fascinate me that they were prepared to take people with no training/experience and just give them kit and say 'off you go.' I had already had to show them how to spit into a mask to stop it fogging, and the easiest way to don fins and clear snorkel. There was a dive centre at our hotel and they just seemed to pick anyone who was available to staff the snorkeling trips from the resort. Gordon Longworth, BSAC National Instructor (retired)
Fitness is a state of mind
Mental fitness is just as important as the body's physical fitness. Even when our bodies start telling us it is time to ease back you can never fully achieve it until you mentally accept those limitations. However, it doesn't have to mean limiting yourself to the comfort of an armchair and daytime soaps. Experience, skills and an understanding of responsible behaviour can still make a valid contribution.
Water confidence
As divers we learn to be confident in the water environment and to use the specialist equipment that allows us to enjoy the water safely. Aqualung equipment makes it even easier but water confidence helps even when snorkelling. Many find the freedom from carrying lots of equipment especially liberating, more so in warm clear tropical waters where the majority of life can be seen from the surface. The ease with which this environment becomes accessible does however, allow those less confident and comfortable to get themselves into minor difficulties and so proper training and supervision is always preferable to going it alone. Know someone who is off to warm waters and they are likely to fancy a peek underneath? Encourage them to come to your branch to experience snorkelling safely and perhaps undertake training or even try diving.
Be prepared
A confident diver will soon find their own level of comfort and be quite happy exploring for themselves. That should not prevent them from being constantly aware of their environment and the comfort and safety of others. Snorkel divers engaged in surface dives should do so as a buddy pair using the one up one down approach to safeguard against risks including shallow water blackout. A natural part of being a diver is being aware of others and being ready to provide assistance to them if necessary.
Be responsible
When part of an organised group it is not unreasonable to expect others to rely on the group supervisor. Confident water users may not be too concerned by a less than competent guide. But if you identify potential risks for those less confident then be prepared to both act or to assist and subsequently raise concerns with appropriate people for the benefit of future participants.
Think SAFE - Dive SAFE
Jim Watson, BSAC Safety and Development manager
Top Safety Tip 1
Improve your Buoyancy
Top Safety Tip 2
Be properly weighted
Top Safety Tip 5
Be Responsible
Top Safety Tip 3
Have enough Gas
Top Safety Tip 4
Conduct Safety Checks
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