Former Sault Athlete Helps Earn Medal In Underwater Hockey

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Former Sault residents who recently returned from the World Underwater Hockey Championships in Columbia last week helped the Canadian team place third.

Kimberly Grattan recently moved to the Ottawa area but grew up in the Sault and played for years with the local Sault Tridents Underwater Hockey Team. Kim had just been in the Sault the week before going to the World Championships in order to get some last minute training / scrimmaging with her old teammates.



Kim Grattan played on behalf of the Canadian Women’s Team which earned third place at the end of the tournament; the championships ran from August 8 – 15th in Medellin, Colombia. These girls played some very stiff competition and played well for Canada. The women played well throughout the round robin portion of the tournament. The women initially lost 6-2 in a close match to the U.S. women’s team at the very start of the tournament but rallied back afterwards. The U.S. Women’s team beat the Colombian Elite team by one goal followed a few games later by the Canadian Women’s team beating the Colombian Elite team 3-1. At the end of the round robin, the girls had a 5-1 record going into the gold medal round.



The girls faced off against the Colombian Elite team for the gold but unfortunately lost out in a tight 3-2 match. This left Canada playing for the bronze medal round as the Colombian Women’s Elite team ended up beating out the U.S. Women’s team for gold and silver respectively. The girls played off against Team Orca, a second Colombian women’s team, for third and ended this game with a final score of 10-0, securing the bronze medal. One of Kim Grattan’s teammates, Amy Cannon, picked up a trophy for most goals scored in the tournament by a female player – 34 in total.


This is Kim’s first kick at the world circuit but she has played for the last few years on the National and Provincial levels. Kim has a strong aquatic background competing on a variety of levels and competitions. Kim’s brother Dave Grattan also played for years with the local Sault contingent until moving to southern Ontario.



The Sault Tridents have had a number of players compete on a Provincial, National and World level. The team itself has competed as a whole for many years in both Provincial and National tournaments. The team has traditionally done very well at these tournaments. World teams are selected through the assistance of the national underwater games body and several members from the Sault have competed regularly at this level.



World competitions are held every two years with the next competition slated for Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2012. The local Sault Tridents play weekly at the YMCA and occasionally at the John Rhodes aquatic facility. The team partakes in several tournaments a year including tournaments in Lansing, Michigan, London, Ontario, Champagne, Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, Guelph, Ontario, and Toronto. The team’s local website can be found at: sootridents.com



Underwater hockey was started by Alan Blake, Secretary of the Southsea British Sub- Aqua Club of Portsmouth, England, in 1954 to improve the snorkeling skills of his scuba students. The game came to Canada via Norm Liebeck, an Australian SCUBA instructor, who introduced the sport to the Vancouver Vanquatics SCUBA club in 1962. Ten years later, the Underwater Hockey Association of BC (UHABC) was formed and received support from the BC government.

In 1975, the first Canadian Men's Championships were held and in 1978, the first Canadian Women's Championships took place. Both were held in Vancouver, B.C., as well as the first World Tournament in 1980, now a biannual competition. The first Canadian Mixed Championships were held in 1982 in Montreal. The Canadian Underwater Games Association (CUGA), which governs both underwater hockey and underwater rugby in Canada, was formed in 1985. It was around this time that stick design and methods of playing had evolved to what is seen at present.

Today, the sport is played in more than 20 different countries including Australia, New Zealand, France, Holland, South Africa, the US, the U.K., Sweden, Hungary and Japan. Internationally, the sport is governed by the Underwater Games Commission of the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatique (CMAS), the world diving organization. In Canada, CUGA is our national contact.

Thanks to Jack Rice from the soonews.ca

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

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Virginia Hatter, not your ordinary dive instructor

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If PADI dive instructor “Virginia from Virginia” Hatter’s experience is any indication, there has been a “surge,” no pun intended, in SCUBA diving interest on the part of women.
When she started instructing in San Diego, her male students outnumbered their female counterparts by a ratio as high as 80:20. Now, it has become equal, if not more women, maybe as high as 60 to 70 per cent female, she says.
“I do not advertise. Almost 100 per cent of my students are referrals,” says Virginia, who only learned to dive herself in 2004 and quickly progressed from PADI Open Water Diver certification to several specialized disciplines, PADI Master SCUBA Diver, PADI Assistant Instructor, PADI Open Water Instructor and PADI Master SCUBA Diver Trainer.
In her case, female students recommending her course to their friends is a factor in changing the male-female ratio so dramatically. But it’s also a sport that is as suited to one sex as the other.
“Everyone loves the ocean, exploring wrecks, canyons, reefs and all different types of diving.”
Growing up in Virginia (hence the nickname “Virginia from VA”), she had learned to love a variety of water sports, from small time sailing to waterskiing, jet skiing, surfing and swimming.
“I’m a water person anyway,” Virginia says, so she welcomed the challenge and opportunity when her staff at a sports retail store she managed urged her to sign up for PADI Open Water Diver lessons the store was offering. “I loved it from the first breath I took underwater in the pool. Little did I know it would change my entire life.”
Being a stressed out HR manager in Virginia wearing dress suits and paying to park, turned into her passion for “changing the lives of others for the better through SCUBA diving instruction.” She adds that “the only difference is my panty hose are now seven-mm thick.”
Virginia had moved to San Diego by the time she took up SCUBA diving and instructing has become a full-time job for her. She has a waiting list of students.
She prefers to work as an independent so she can control the number of students in her classes and does not press her students to finish in a prescribed time. “There are no make-up fees for classes missed, nor will I promise a certification date.”
“I do not believe in large classes,” says Virginia, who never teaches more than four students in the water at once, and usually instructs private or semi-private classes. “I don’t want to be the biggest. I strive to be the safest.”
It has been a little slow this year due to problems that affected all dive operations in the San Diego area. They include high surf, red tide, strong currents and low visibility.
“I do not take students in unfavourable conditions. Instructing students to dive in these circumstances and conditions is simply not safe. Diving is already a little intimidating as it is. Safety must come first, then education, followed by fun.”
Virginia also suffered two sting ray hits that kept her out of the water for awhile. The second one was more painful. A large number of small, aggressive sting rays had congregated close to shore off San Diego for four or five days and there were more than 100 hits, including hers.
Virginia says she doesn’t know if her female students are more comfortable with a woman instructor than a man, but that wasn’t the case for her. Her instructors were all men and she called them “the best of the best.” She never experienced any male chauvinist attitude among instructors who taught her or among those who are now her competition. “Most are men for whom I have the highest regard.”
In fact, she adds, when she couldn’t instruct while her foot recovered from the sting ray hit, a male instructor who was her competitor helped her out by finishing the course for one of her students whose completion was time sensitive. Another female instructor helped with the same student, only proving what a bond SCUBA instructors develop, no matter who they instruct for. This student is now becoming a commercial diver in hopes to aid with repair efforts in the Gulf of Mexico on other oil rigs. “We’re all on the same team.”
Virginia credits SCUBA Diver Girls for playing an “awesome role” role in attracting women to the sport. She once got eight women together to dive in hopes it would lead to something better “but it just fizzled out. So when Scuba Diver Girls started, I said ‘way to go, girls.’ SCUBA Diver Girls are in a class of their own, they rock.”
The next step is to involve the entire family in the sport more often. Virginia has certified children as young as 10 as PADI JR Open Water Divers. One of them who took her certification class went on to dive on just about every continent. The child’s parents took her course, too, because the whole family was going on a world tour “home schooling” their daughter.
Another young diver of hers is currently working on her JR Advanced Open Water Diver with her father in tow and plans to complete PADI JR RESCUE Diver, as well.
Could family diving become the next trend?

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

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“Plan your dive, dive your plan”

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Tips for scuba diving emergencies

For a scuba diver, panic is one of the most dangerous circumstances that can occur. A diver in a panic will forget all they have learned about self-preservation and will become a danger to others around them. The longer that a diver is in a panic, the more likely exhaustion and drowning will occur. Basic training in emergency response techniques could help assist someone in a panic before it can turn into a tragedy.

There is the perception; however, that one does not need to know basic water safety and emergency response skills unless you are planning to become a certified rescue diver. Unfortunately, this makes for a large percentage of divers who have inadequate training to handle an emergency, or to be capable in preventing one. I am not talking about managing an underwater crisis, but situations and events that happen at the surface. Let’s face it; all diving emergencies eventually will come to the surface. That is why it is prudent that even the most novice diver be prepared to assist in aiding a victim, or at minimum, be alert to the potential dangers.

Ultimately, non-swimming rescues are the safest option. Most of the time, though, you find yourself already in the water or the diver is out of reach. If you do attempt a swimming rescue, and are not wearing a buoyancy compensator, remember to take a floatation device to aid in the assist. If you are wearing a BC, be sure that it is slightly inflated. The best way to perform a swimming approach is to use a heads-up front crawl. This will allow you to maintain visual contact with the victim in the event they begin to submerge. Do not come within reaching distance of the person until you assess their level of stress. Panicking is one of the greatest threats to both the victim and the rescuer in an aquatic emergency. If they seem to have some control, close the distance to assist. Make sure you do not over-exert yourself. Take into account that your own safety is the primary concern when assisting a diver in distress, and that practice and repetition are essential to executing a successful rescue. Never attempt anything that is beyond your capability.

When assisting a panicking diver, you should:

1. Try to communicate with the victim, be calming and reassuring.

2. Establish buoyancy for the victim. Inflate their BC by circling around behind them and reaching over their shoulder for the power inflator. Keep your other hand on their tank valve so they cannot turn around.

3. Assist the diver in recovering their regulator and keep them turned away from the waves so the water does not splash into their face.

4. If the victim begins to struggle, you need to maintain a defensive position. Swim away on your back while keeping your eyes on the victim. Bring your knee up with your fin extended towards the victim. If they get too close to you, place your foot gently on their chest and push them away. Do not kick at them as this may cause injury. Swim in the direction of safety, as they may continue to follow you there.

5. If you cannot retreat to a safe distance then as the diver reaches for you, respond by grasping their wrist with your opposite hand and pull them hard towards you. This will cause you both to spin with you ending up behind the victim.

6. If the victim has grasped you around the head or neck, they will try to climb you. To escape, you need to turn your face away from the crook of their arm and towards their hand. Then grasp their elbow with your hand closest to the crook of their arm while grasping their hand or wrist with your other hand. Push up on their elbow and pull out on their hand, and as you sink, twist their arm away from you. Immediately swim clear and prepare to regain control.

The optimal way to assist a panicking diver is to not let them panic in the first place. It is much easier to lend a hand to a tired diver then it is to help one in a panic. Be observant of divers lagging behind or off by themselves. Before the onset of panic, almost all divers will show signs of fatigue. If you notice this, talk to the diver to determine the potential problems (i.e. muscle cramps, overweighting, onset of hypothermia, etc.) and ask if you can help. Always talk calmly and try to be reassuring. If it is necessary to tow the diver back to safety, then ask the diver to stay on their back. Grab them by their tank valve, being sure to make yourself buoyant first, and then pull them along while you swim. If the diver is able, have them fin as much as they can. If they are hypothermic, though, have them keep as still as possible. Excess movement from the victim will decrease body temperature when swimming in cold water. Be sure not to tire yourself out, taking a slow and steady pace and resting when needed.

A diver is not required to hold a Rescue certification to be a conscientious and observant diver. Common sense and a little practice will enable any diver to be able to avert a potentially dangerous situation. Scuba diving in general is a well-regulated sport, but it is up to the individual diver to make it a safe sport. Even if you never intend to go past Open Water certification, check with your local scuba diving shop to see if they teach any basic water safety courses. If they do not, check with a Red Cross chapter in your area. Most have water safety classes, though not diving specific, that can teach you excellent water safety and rescue skills. Keep in mind that these skills are applicable for all who participate in aquatic activities, not only for scuba divers.

Thanks to J.W. Dawson

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

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Marine Creatures to be Aware of

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So without further ado, here’s the rest of the dangerous marine creatures:

Puffer FishIn the last list of marine creatures to be aware of, we talked about sharks, sea urchins, box jellyfish, sea snakes and stingrays. Those were already a handful and so I saved up the rest of the list for this entry.

The importance of this is to be aware of what creatures you’ll encounter when you’re scuba diving, why they are dangerous and how you can avoid them or treat the damage they can cause you.

So without further ado, here’s the rest of the dangerous marine creatures:

Puffer FishPuffer Fish – If only this fish was as kind as Bloat in Finding Nemo, but it’s not. This fish is known to contain enough toxin that it can kill 30 people. The sad fact about it is that there is no known antidote, what one can only do is support the respiratory and circulatory system until the poison wears off.

What’s very ironic is that this fish is considered a delicacy in Japan, so if you have a loved one that’s been a victim of this fish, go ahead and eat one for revenge.

Stone FishStonefish – This fish is known to be the most poisonous fish in the world. It’s also good in camouflage that people accidentally get too close to it. This fish has 13 spikes on its back that contains an extreme venom. If not treated, it can cause death to a person in hours. Be aware of this fish because not only is it good in camouflage looking like rocks but it usually hides in coral reefs and can be found at the sea bottom.



Catfish – No matter how good they taste and how crispy they can get, these fishes can be a potential danger to humans. When it feels threatened, it puts out spikes that contain venom and cause severe pain. Though very rare, there have been cases that death has been caused by such. Catfish venom still remains in them after a few days, so if you’re planning to cook one, be aware and cautious and handle it with care.

Blue Ringed OctopusBlue Ring Octopus – Though these creatures are small, they are known to be the deadliest sea creatures ever known. They will attack anything, even humans, when provoked. Their poison is enough to kill 20 people or more in minutes. Their venom can cause paralysis and respiratory arrest. Again, there is no known cure for it.

Cone ShellCone Shell – No matter how attractive these may be, be careful before you pick them up. These are snails that have teeth like harpoons where venom passes through. Such venom’s symptoms are pain, swelling and numbness and, in some cases, can lead to death.

Lion FishLionfish – These fishes have long poisonous spines that are deadly to a variety of marine creatures. Though not known to be deadly to man, it causes severe pain, headaches and vomiting. They don’t attack people unless provoked but if you get stung by one, soak the affected area in hot water and immediately get medical help.

These are some of very dangerous marine creatures known to man, but we should always remember that we are more dominant than them because we have the brains to keep ourselves safe.

Always remember to be alert and cautious. Seek medical help immediately when needed. Never, ever provoke such animals because most of the ones listed here will only attack when they are provoked.

Thanks to Sean and Expedition Fleet Liveboards

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubgear.com

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Disabled aim high, dive deep

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Jackie Danielsson quickly experienced the joy scuba diving instructors feel when they see their students succeed.
Little did she know at the time that satisfaction would be magnified for her even more in the specialized field of scuba instruction she would pursue.
Jackie and Roger Haseltine, who had taught her to dive, would later establish Adaptive Scuba Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to introducing disabled children, adults and military veterans to the underwater world of scuba.
Adaptive Scuba Network, which operates out of Northern California’s Napa Valley, gets its inspiration and training from Diveheart, an Illinois-based pioneer in the field, whose long-term goal is to make scuba as available to the disabled as skiing is today.
Jackie contacted Diveheart founder Jim Elliott, started helping his organization, and, in turn, Jim decided to train Jackie, Roger and a few others to be dive buddies and instructors for the disabled.
The Adaptive Scuba Network offers scuba training to people with a variety of disabilities, from quadriplegics, to paraplegics, those with traumatic brain injuries, the blind, deaf and people missing limbs. It also works with the Yountville Veterans Home in the Napa Valley with its Pathway Home program for returning veterans or those still deployed who have problems re-adjusting due to post-traumatic stress disorder.
“If possible, we certify everyone to PADI standards. If not, we certify them as HSA (Handicapped Scuba Association),” said Jackie.
For Jackie, the stimulus to get involved in this project came at the Northwest Dive Show in Washington State, when she met a medic who had returned from the war in Iraq.
“He wouldn’t go outside. Any noise set him off,” said Jackie. “Scuba diving saved his life. He was the one who set it in stone for me to pursue it.”
Impressed with the work of Diveheart and its ability to reach out, Jackie and Roger decided to work with that organization and help any way they could. They are currently creating an adaptive scuba website with chat rooms for the various groups they serve so people with disabilities can talk with others around the world. “Jim (Diveheart’s Elliott) will train them. We will be an aftercare.”
The website, which Jackie hopes will be available in about a month (late September) will be www.adaptivescuba.org and her email at the organization is Jackie@adaptivescuba.org
Adaptive Scuba Network is supported by fundraisers such as a golf tournament on Oct. 3 or from money that comes in from teaching able-bodied divers to be dive buddies for the disabled.
For Jackie Danielsson, who always wanted to be a scuba diver but didn’t know if she could handle it until a ride on a river raft gave her the confidence to try, it has been quite a journey. She has worked her way up to be a dive master.
Seeing their students’ eyes light up when they accomplish something they believed was beyond them is special for most people who teach. But given the disabilities of the students she teaches, it is extra special for Jackie.
They are students like Chris, a quadriplegic who needs dive buddies to push him through the water. But he flourishes with the underwater experience.
Then there’s Tiffany, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in an automobile accident. Such injuries often result in short-term memories, prompting Tiffany’s mother to worry that her daughter would never remember the hand signals divers are taught.
“Three weeks later she still remembered the signals. Her mom was floored. She was like ‘I cannot believe what this has done for her.’ ”
That, for a teacher, is the ultimate reward.

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Thanks to Jackie Danielsson

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

Spinal Cord Injury Persons Go Scuba Diving