Ask an Expert: Should Surface Markers Be Mandatory When Diving?

Con, by Chris Parsons: Dive-training agencies should teach SMB use, not mandate it

When I was asked to be the “con” on this topic, I almost said no — I rarely dive without a surface-marker buoy. After some thought, though, I realized that while there are definitely times when an SMB — or other type of surface marker — should be considered essential, mandating its use doesn’t really solve the problem.

One easy argument against mandating surface markers is that some dives simply don’t need them, and they might, in fact, get in the way — ice diving in a Minnesota lake comes to mind.

So who should mandate surface markers? Government? No, thank you. Training agencies? They don’t teach SMB use in the basic classes; it would be a huge jump for them to suddenly mandate them.

That really just leaves dive operators.

Operators can and sometimes do require SMBs. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean that a diver is able or even willing to use an SMB properly. I’ve seen many divers in situations that clearly indicated a surface marker ought to be deployed, but the SMB often remained clipped to their BC. When I asked later why they didn’t inflate it, despite being a mile away from the boat, I generally got a puzzled look rather than an answer.

There is a larger point here, and it is that divers simply need to be better prepared, and moreover, to take responsibility for their own safety. If conditions or a location prescribe that a diver should have a surface marker, it should be incumbent upon the diver to have one. Mandating a piece of gear doesn’t train the diver, nor does it prepare them.

I’ve been on boats where SMBs are required and seen divers show up without one. The dive operator will typically loan the diver one, and often the diver needs a quick lesson in how to use it. Note that this represents two strikes against the diver already — they showed up without an SMB, and they don’t know how to inflate it. Worse, they don’t understand when to deploy it — if the boat is a mile away, it might be too late. Strike three.

When there is boat traffic or significant current, the prudent diver might deploy the SMB from depth using a reel or spool. Once on the surface, the diver should be focused on boat traffic, not fumbling to inflate a surface marker. To do this, divers need to be trained and able to practice the skill. To my knowledge, SMB deployment from depth is not taught in Open Water or Advanced classes. Rather than mandating its use, perhaps the training agencies should teach its use — and its importance.

I understand why dive operators feel compelled to require SMBs. Ideally, they shouldn’t have to, but too many divers show up unprepared. That shouldn’t happen. Divers who show up at a dive operation should take the time to get trained, understand the consequences of diving in that area, and arrive with the gear needed for the dive.

This one should be on the diver.

Pro, by Alice Darwent: You never really know when you might need it

Ending your dive safely and getting back on board the boat are undoubtedly the most important aspects of diving, especially if you’re drift diving. This is why every diver should carry a surface-marker buoy and be shown how to use it safely.

In Tobago, where the majority of dives are done as drift, guides carry an SMB so the boat captain can monitor where they are at all times. The currents around the island can be strong, which is why the Association of Tobago Dive Operators recommends that you dive with a guide and not on your own. All ATDO member dive shops make sure their guides dive with an SMB. The Professional Association of Diving Instructors even runs a specialist course to teach divers the knowledge and techniques required for the safe use of SMBs.

There have been well-documented cases of divers going missing; happily, most of those divers are found. Inves- tigations into what went wrong usually reveal that the dive leader was either not carrying an SMB or that the SMB was not large enough to be seen by the boat captain. In cases where divers do go missing, having more than one SMB to blow up and wave around on the surface of the water will greatly increase their chances of being found. This is why every diver should have an SMB in his BCD pocket when he dives — to use in case of an emergency. You can be the world’s most safety-conscious diver, but sometimes Mother Nature throws you a curve ball, and you find yourself in an emergency situation. Carefully planning every dive you do will minimize risk, and that careful planning should include what you do if you get lost and what equipment you need — an SMB is part of that equipment.

SMBs also identify you to other marine traffic. Underwater, it's hard to determine the direction of sound, such as the noise of a boat propeller. Bear in mind too that the captain of the vessel will not know you are close to him. He might see bubbles, but by then it could be too late. Carrying an SMB, which is usually bright orange or yellow, clearly identifies where you are and warns marine traffic to stay away.

Personally I never dive without an SMB, even if it’s a shore dive. You never know when you might need it.

Chris Parsons is an underwater photographer, boat captain, rebreather diver and former PADI instructor. He is the rep for Nuticam and Zen Underwater photo gear.

Alice Darwent has been affiliated with the dive industry for 25 years. President of the Tobago Dive Association, she is owner of AquaMarine Dive, Speyside, Tobago.

Thanks to Scuba Diving

Kathy Dowsett
www.kirkscubagear.com

Sharks are not 'man-eaters'

The term "shark attack" is typically used by the media, government officials, researchers and the public to describe almost any kind of human-shark interaction - even those where no contact or injury occurs between humans and sharks.

Now, Christopher Neff of the University of Sydney, Australia, and Robert Hueter, leader of Mote Marine Laboratory's Center for Shark Research in Sarasota, - the only Congressionally designated national research center in the U.S. focused on sharks - propose a new system of classification to support more accurate scientific reporting about shark interactions and more accurate public discussion about shark risk to swimmers and divers.

The international study, published this week in the peer-reviewed Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, is titled, "Science, policy, and the public discourse of shark 'attack': a proposal for reclassifying humanshark interactions."

In the study, the authors analyzed global shark statisticsand found the term "shark attack" misleading in many cases. For instance, a 2009 government report from New South Wales, Australia, documented 200 shark attacks - but 38 involved no injuries to people.

In Florida, often called the "Shark Attack Capital of the World" because of the number of reported shark attacks, only 11 fatal bites have been recorded over the past 129 years - a lower number than several other locations in the world, and vastly lower than deaths from natural events such as drowning or lightning.

"Not all shark 'attacks' are created equal, and we certainly shouldn't call bites on kayaks and bites on people the same thing," said Neff, a doctoral candidate conducting the first study on policy responses to shark bites at the University of Sydney.

"Nor should we equate the single bite of a 2-foot shark on a surfer's toe with the fatal bite of a 15-foot shark on a swimmer, but that's how the current language treats these incidents," said Hueter.

The Neff-Hueter study groups shark incidents into four categories based on clearly documented outcomes rather than speculation over shark motives and intentions. These include:

1, Sightings of sharks in the water near people with no physical contact.

2, Shark encounters where no bite takes place and no humans are injured, but physical contact occurs with a person or an inanimate object holding a person, such as a surfboard or boat. A shark might also bump a swimmer and its rough skin might cause a minor abrasion.

3, Shark bites by small or large sharks that result in minor to moderate injuries.

4, Fatal shark bites causing fatal injuries. The authors caution against using the term "shark attack" unless the motivation and intent of the shark is clearly established by experts, which is rarely possible.

"These new categories provide better information to the public so they can judge their levels of risk based on local shark activity," Neff said. "If 'sightings' of sharks are increasing, or if 'encounters' with kayaks are decreasing these are important pieces of information. There simply is no value in using 'attack' language. It is time to move past 'Jaws.' "

"Contemporary scientific understanding of sharks paints a very different picture than that current public discourse and even early research," said Hueter, a world expert in shark biology, behavior and ecology. "Few sharks look like the large great whites you might see on the movie screen. Of about 500 shark species on Earth, most grow to less than 3 feet long. In addition, most shark species rarely, if ever, come into contact with humans. When they do, serious bites are the extremely rare exception rather than the rule."

Sharks were labeled "man-eaters" two centuries ago by scientists who had a limited understanding of shark behavior and biology, and a researcher in the 1950s wrongly suggested sharks could go "rogue," developing a taste for human flesh.

These concepts inflamed public concern and resulting government responses. Multiple nations have used shark hunts and intensive commercial fishing targeting sharks - and even deployed naval depth charges - to kill supposed "rogue" sharks and protect the public.

Popular culture - especially the novel and film Jaws in the 1970s - has strengthened rogue shark legends. News media reports also have contributed to misperceptions of human-shark interactions. The current study reviewed Associated Press articles in Florida during 2001 - known as the "Summer of the Shark" because of shark incidents ranging from minor to severe - and found 79 percent of the stories used "attack" in the headline, even in the case of non-serious injuries.

Indiscriminate use of the term shark attack "can create a perception of a premeditated crime, lowering the public's threshold for accepting shark bite incidents as random acts of nature. The narrative establishes villains and victims, cause and effect, perceptions of public risk, and a problem to be solved," the authors say in the study.

In contrast, the Neff-Hueter naming system would provide a more balanced way to describe shark risks, significantly adjusting reported statistics, the authors say.

In the government report from New South Wales, Australia, the new naming system would reclassify 200 shark "attacks" between 1900 and 2009 as: 56 fatal shark bites, 106 shark bites, 37 shark encounters and 1 shark sighting.

In Florida, the 637 confirmed cases of unprovoked shark "attacks" since 1882 would be reclassified as 11 fatal bites and 626 other interactions including bites, encounters, and a small fraction of sightings. (Shark incident data from the International Shark Attack File.)

"When public discussion centers on the idea that sharks are out there attacking humans, it doesn't reflect the reality of what we have learned over the past 40 years about shark behavior and biology - sharks are not man-eaters, and in fact, many shark species are threatened by humans who overfish them. Using the 'attack' language really hinders public discourse about the need to protect shark species, especially those vulnerable to depletion or even extinction," said Hueter.

Thanks to MocaGrandeTalk


Kathy Dowsett
www.kirkscubagear.com

HMS Investigator (1848)

HMS Investigator was a merchant ship purchased in 1848 to search for Sir John Franklin's lost expedition. She made two voyages to the Arctic and had to be abandoned in 1853 after becoming trapped in the ice. Her wreckage was found in July 2010 on Banks Island, in the Beaufort Sea. She was the fourth ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name.

Built at Scotts of Greenock and running 422 tonnes, Investigator was purchased by the Admiralty in February 1848 and was fitted for Arctic exploration by R. & H. Green at Blackwall Yard.

She was strengthened for Arctic service by William M. Rice, Master Shipwright of Woolwich Dockyard. She was extensively strengthened with timber (teak, English oak, Canadian elm) and 5⁄16 inch (8 mm) steel plating. Ten pairs of iron diagonal riders were set in the hold, with ten pairs of diagonal plates on the sides of the vessel between decks. To cope with snow and ice loads, the upper decks were doubled with 3-inch (76 mm) fir planking. Preston's Patent Ventilating Illuminators were installed to improve light and ventilation. Sylvester's Warming Apparatus, a modern stove system capable of warming the entire ship, was also employed with good results. The same or similar device had been used by William Edward Parry in 1821 to prevent condensation and aerate the lowest deck.

Later in 1848, she accompanied Enterprise on James Clark Ross's expedition to find the missing Sir John Franklin. Also aboard Investigator on this expedition was the naturalist Edward Adams. She was commanded for the return voyage by Robert McClure, but became trapped in the ice, and was abandoned on 3 June 1853 in Mercy Bay, where she had been held for nearly three years. The following year, she was inspected by crews of the Resolute, still frozen in, and reported to be in fair condition despite having taken on some water during the summer thaw.

Unlike the loss of Erebus and Terror, the events surrounding Investigator's abandonment are not a mystery. McClure provided an official account of the journey, and the ship's surgeon Alexander Armstrong published an unofficial account in 1857. However, the location of the wreckage was not known for over 150 years because of difficulties reaching the area, which is inhospitable and often covered in ice.

Oral traditions of the Inuit tell stories of the ship. The abandoned ship was a source of copper and iron for the indigenous people in the area; metal nails were missing from smaller boats on the shore when they were discovered. One Inuit account from 1910 noted that "one year she had still been on the beach and the next year she was gone without a trace". When Canadian anthropologist Vilhjalmur Stefansson reached Mercy Bay in 1915 during his voyage to the Arctic, he failed to find her remains. After meeting the Inuit who made pilgrimages to the wreckage, he suggested a link between the Investigator's stranding and the absence of muskoxen on Banks Island. He speculated that the Inuit had killed off the animals during their journeys to and from the wreckage over the 40 years since abandonment. The muskoxen have since repopulated the island and now number nearly 50,000.

In July 2010, a team of Parks Canada scientists, archaeologists, and surveyors began searching for the sunken Investigator in Mercy Bay at the northern tip of Aulavik National Park. It was the first expedition to search for the ship. The team arrived on Banks Island in the Beaufort Sea on 22 July and began a sonar scan of the area three days later. The ship was detected in the scan 15 minutes later. In order to confirm the discovery, the team made more than a dozen sweeps of the area over the next hour. Its remains were discovered on the shores of the island with the deck of the ship about eight metres below the surface. According to Ifan Thomas, a superintendent with Parks Canada, the ship was found "sitting upright in silt; the three masts have been removed, probably by ice". The cold arctic water prevented the outer deck from deteriorating quickly. There are no plans to raise the ship's remains, although the team will send a remotely operated underwater vehicle to take photos of the underwater portion of the ship.

A team of six Parks Canada archaeologists, led by Marc-Andre Bernier, scheduled dives on the Investigator site for 15 days beginning on 10 July 2011 to gather detailed photographic documentation and mapping of the wreck. This will be the first human contact with the wreck, which lies partially buried in silt 150 meters off the north shore of Banks Island.

Thanks to Wikipedia


Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

Night Snorkeling - Discover the Wonders of Snorkeling at Night

Snorkeling at night can be extremely exciting. This snorkeling activity is in fact my favorite type of snorkeling. The only other activity that may surpass it, in my opinion, is night scuba diving due to the fact that you have more chances to dive deeper, otherwise night snorkeling still gives you the same adrenalin buzz.

So why would anyone try and snorkel at night? It might seem strange and intimidating. Anybody who has tried it will tell you that there is a different world yet to be discovered.

The mystery of snorkeling at night will provide you with a new outlook on your favorite snorkeling site which may have lost its day time charm. At first you will feel slightly anxious... everybody does, its only natural, but then once you get used to it, you will automatically replace your anxiety with excitement, curiosity and a sense of adventure.

At dusk, you will encounter aquatic life that you seldom see during the day, making sight seeing different from what you would usually see during day time. At night the reefs become alive with the different fauna.

There are a number of aquatic creatures that just don't come out in the day time. Nocturnal animals such as lobsters and shrimps become active, coral polyps open up at night to feed giving the reef a fuzzy and colorful sort of look.

You will also experience encountering luminescence microscopic plankton which generate light flashes if disturbed. Should you experience such an encounter, turn off your flashlight and wave your hands through the water. This will provide you with an unforgettable experience as you will see "sparks" igniting around you.. Its a great sensation... Try it, you will be in for a surprise.

Before entering the water - what equipment do I need?

Safe snorkeling is a must, especially when you are snorkeling at night. Therefore be sure that before conducting your night snorkel you are well equipped for the job. The difference to snorkeling during the day is that snorkeling at night requires additional equipment and more planning and preparation.

The most important piece of equipment is an underwater flashlight. The flash light will not only serve to bring out the colors and show you way during your night snorkel but will also make your position known to your snorkeling buddy.

When snorkeling at night, besides carrying a flashlight, I advise you to also consider using chemical lights. These are basically light sticks which use a chemical reaction. These type of lights serve as orientation lights for marking your own and your buddies location. It is wise to strap these lights onto your buoy flag staff. I also find these lights useful for finding


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4963958

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

Reliving Sea Hunt with vintage diving gear

For Bryan Pennington, scuba diving with vintage gear wraps up childhood memories, history, freedom, ease of movement and simplicity, all in one package.

“For many of us who grew up watching Jacques Cousteau and Sea Hunt it was the gear our heroes used so that's what we wanted,” says Bryan, whose business, Vintage Double Hose, in Wesley Chapel, Florida, serves vintage diving enthusiasts. “Diving with vintage gear is driven by your skills, not your equipment. It's very liberating and gives you time to focus on what's around you, as opposed to what's strapped to you.”

He underlines freedom associated with vintage gear this way: “Think about the times you dive in just a shorty or a swimsuit and then you put on a seven-ml with a hood. Now, imagine going without the cumbersome BCD.”

Bryan says if a diver has good water skills and a great grasp on buoyancy and how to achieve it, he or she is ready to go. “The equipment is far simpler to operate and understand than a lot of modern equipment. You are diving for the sake of diving, not for that sake of using all the latest and greatest stuff you can strap to yourself. “

He got into vintage gear because a two-hose was given to him as a child and that was his first dive experience. “One day, I wanted to dive again with one and found out there were no parts.”

The only vintage-gear parts were left-over originals. “I set out to change that and have reproduced almost 100 per cent of the parts you would need to rebuild, service or restore your U.S. Divers or Voit double-hose regulator. I have specialty companies that reproduce all my parts.”

For the most part, says Bryan, Voit regulators are the same as those of U.S. Divers, with some cosmetic differences. “Voit regulators were used by Mike Nelson (the role played by Lloyd Brydges in Sea Hunt) and are very desirable to the collectors out there.

Interest for vintage dive gear has evolved to the point that the National Association of Vintage Equipment Divers (NAVED) has members around the world.

That has spawned business for the parts he produces as well as for his repair work. “I also buy and restore regulators so people who are interested can buy one right from my store and go diving. We also have a tremendous ‘do-it-yourself part of the community and my website hosts all the manuals and technical information you need to service one yourself.”

Bryan dives only with vintage gear. For operations that require a BCD, safe second-stage and pressure gauges, the vintage enthusiasts as a group have built gear that meets the criteria but keeps with the vintage equipment configuration. “I am currently working with a few vintage equipment divers who are also skilled draftsmen and design engineers to introduce a 100-percent brand new double hose regulator with some modern features that will appeal to a whole new group.”

Some of the vintage-gear enthusiasts remain hard-core Sea Hunt fans. For instance, Alec Peirce from Scuba 2000 in Toronto http://www.scuba2000.com/, is the foremost authority on Sea Hunt and has the largest collection of the show’s memorabilia in the world.

“He was a great resource and helped me when I was getting started,” says Bryan. “There was a large celebration at Silver Springs, Florida, in 2011 where many of the Sea Hunt episodes were filmed as a 50th anniversary celebration. For two days the group dove in Sea Hunt-period correct gear, thrilling the passengers on the glass bottom boats with re-created knife fights with the bad guys, underwater torches and attacks by sea creatures.

“Another person is Phil Nuytten of Nuytco Research http://www.nuytco.com/ and Diver Magazine http://www.divermag.com/ in Canada. Phil is an expert on the early days of the Aqua-Lung who also has a vast collection. Without his help and continued support I doubt I'd be here doing this today.”

Diving with vintage gear is also less intrusive to fish. Jonathan Bird of Jonathan Bird’s Blue World TV show...http://www.blueworldtv.com/ has two double-hose regulators Bryan built specifically for him. He uses them during much of the filming of his show because the exhaust bubbles go behind the diver’s head and the fish scare less easily. “He is also using one of our latest designed plate and wings specifically used with double hose regulators.”

Vintage Double Hose

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

Scuba Diving – An Enjoyable Experience For The Two Of You

Thanks to Turismo Chino

Usually in tropical places or in interesting diving sights, scuba diving has become a popular activity for couples of all ages. This is a rather amazing feeling in which anyone can enjoy the wonders of the ocean which will not be seen under any other circumstances. If the person is passionate about photography, there is the possibility to use an underwater camera. The photos takes will be precious memories of the creatures of the sea.

The places for diving are many and sometimes the most popular ones are around vessel wrecks or underwater caves. Here the mystery of the complex ocean life is lived to the full. Scuba diving is much fun for the entire family, but it requires the people to have good diving gear and a little bit of swimming experience.

The benefits for all

Besides all the entertainment and fun of this activity, scuba diving is known to be a good therapy for people. Under the water there is not much noise and the sound produced by the bubbling equipment is rather soothing. The world met underwater tends to be rather alien looking. The creatures met have an entirely different perspective and it can be a really powerful life experience. The thrill of diving is an intense feeling and sometimes people prefer to put themselves in danger and dive together with creatures like whales or sharks. In order to do that, you will likely stay inside a protective cage. The instructor will take care of your safety. Diving with the sharks will in many cases prove to be a lot of fun, while people begin to understand these lovely sea creatures, rather than fear them.

Bonding together

Scuba diving is seen as a great change to stay connected to the loved ones. This is why it is recommended to try the experience with your family. These thrills will unity the couple more. The beauty of the ocean can totally be admired in places like the delicate coral reefs. The reef is a real organism and near it a myriad of other creatures live and thrive. The fish will sometimes to curious and will get really close to the divers. This will prove to be exciting and something to tell to your grandchildren.

In order to benefit from this great experience of scuba diving in two, you should visit the website intotheblue.co.uk. Here you will be offered all the information needed for an exciting experience.

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

THE HEART OF A SOLO DIVER: Once unheard of, Solo Diving is starting to gain acceptance

(DiverWire) Contributing Editor John Flanders talks about the growing acceptance and changes in the industry when it comes to Solo Diving.

I’ve taught many divers to be self-sufficient and written several articles on Solo Diving. Several years ago, this topic was taboo and even scorned by many. The buddy system was rooted firmly in most divers’ minds and only radical non-conformists would even dare think about breeching this tried and true practice. However, as time grew on, the debate took on a depth outside of the normal constraints that solo diving was figurative practices more than a literal practice. Even with a diver right next to you, there was still a possibility that you were a solo diver. The concept of solo diving evolved to a higher level and the pundits, while still holding firmly to their buddy system, even agreed that the idea of practicing emergency drills without the aid of a buddy was a good idea.

Welcome to 2012. Just about every major agency has embraced a self-reliant or solo diver course. Charter companies are reviewing standards and procedures for solo divers. More divers at the recreational level are thinking about self-sufficiency, redundancy, and fault tolerance. Some would say the solo divers have won. But you have to ask … have they?

It wasn’t too long ago I was on a charter boat in California. One of my former “solo diver” students was sitting on the deck preparing for his upcoming dive. I saw him as he handed over his solo diver release to the boat captain (who accepted it with a grimace of suspicion, but accepted it nonetheless). I watched him as he dressed for the cool waters of Southern California. I watched him closely as he wobbled his way to the swim step. It was at this point I stopped what I was doing, walked back to the swim step and stopped him. I asked one simple question: “Where is your buddy?” He laughed, a bit over-confidently, and stated, he was solo diving today. I looked him square in the eye and said, “no you’re not.” At this point, he chuckled uncomfortably. “What do you mean”, he asked. “I am a certified solo diver, don’t you remember?” I told him I remembered his class quite well, but he obviously did not. At that point, I corrected all the problems I saw in my brief inspection.

I could list all the things he did wrong prior to our brief interaction, but his preparation was faulty at every level. The simple fact is, he had a solo diver card and he thought that entitled him to dive without a buddy any time he wanted. However, what he forgot was all the equipment, planning, and preparation that go into solo diving. Simple and obvious points he was missing included (but were not limited to) spare mask, appropriate cutting devices, qualified redundant air systems, and filing a dive plan with the boat crew. He was a solo diver that was breaking every rule in solo diving. But, most of all, he was missing the heart of a solo diver.

The heart of a solo diver is a simple concept. A solo diver is prepared to come back from every dive. In fact, all the planning, preparation, equipment purchases, and mental practices are geared to one objective: Come back from every dive … alive! A solo diver is not someone who just dives on their own, on occasion. A solo diver is someone who is prepared at the highest levels with a host of contingencies for even the most remote problems that may occur. A solo diver does not just review a quick checklist and jump in the water. A solo diver spends weeks, maybe months, reviewing their equipment, reviewing dive plans, getting site briefings from local experts, and learning all the angles that go into a particular dive. A solo diver is someone who attacks every dive with the highest degree of complexity. Yes, even that 30 foot reef dive has protocols of redundancy, self-sufficiency, and fault tolerance. The heart of solo diver beats in one rhythm: Be prepared, come back alive! A solo diver is not just a solo diver when they are alone, but the heart of a solo diver beats on in every dive, regardless of their buddy plan. It never stops beating. At the beginning of every dive, a solo diver knows he can count on himself or herself first should any problems arise.

Thank you John Flanders

Kathy Dowsett
www.kirkscubagear.com