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PAGE 7.1 - 12 JAN 2008 - THE BRITISH SUB-AQUA CLUB established 1953 - DIVING FOR DIVERS

Dive Section

CONTACT MARINE DIVERS: info@marinedivers.com Tel: (852) 2656 9399 / 9194 0221, Fax: (852) 2656 9399

SAFETY - READ THIS FIRST

Barracuda - Hong Kong

SAFETY FIRST CLICK

REQUIREMENTS FOR DIVING CLICK

CHECK-OUT DIVES CLICK

REFRESHER TRAINING CLICK

SUBSEQUENT DIVES CLICK

DIVE SUPERVISION CLICK

SAFETY FIRST

Underwater swimming, either Snorkeling or SCUBA diving, as an adventurous sport, carries many risks.

The most important aspect in undertaking underwater swimming is SAFETY.

Safety comes first, last and at all times. Remember that, and you should survive.

By insisting that this is considered throughout the operation, from planning to getting you back, by all concerned, the risks inherent in the sport are reduced to an acceptable level.

Remember, risks can never be reduced to nil.

BSAC training stresses the need for safety at all times, and ensures divers have the necessary rescue skills at appropriate times in their training - starting on the beginners course.

BSAC divers are trained not to be over dependent on their leader, but must be able to react appropriately as the situation dictates.

BSAC consequently has a safety record second to none.

At Marine Divers (MD), we put safety first. Fun comes second, we make no apologies for that (if you don't have fun, please let us know).

All diving operations are supervised by a qualified BSAC Dive Manager (DM) who is delegated responsibility by the Branch Diving Officer (DO) / School Chief Instructor (CI).

All divers are required to adhere to BSAC Safe Diving Practices. Dives will be conducted on that basis.

All divers are required to wear / carry suitable safety equipment if they have been trained to use it, including net cutter/ knife, Delayed Surface Marker Buoy (DSMB), Torch etc.

If the DM considers your own equipment to be unserviceable, you may be prevented from diving unless you use MD equipment.

REQUIREMENTS FOR DIVING

BSAC divers have all passed a 200m swimming test, and completed Medical declarations on joining. Our branch members usually dive regularly with the club, and thus the management team know their capabilities.

For divers qualified by other agencies, you may be requested to do the 200m swimming test and a short skills assessment before diving with MD depending on your recent experience.

All those wishing to dive must be medically fit. The DM is empowered to prevent those not fit to dive from diving. Fitness doesn't just mean physicaly fit, but medically and mentally, and of course dive fit. Dive Fitness has a great deal to do with conditions you have previously experienced and when you last dived.

CHECK OUT DIVES

Check out dives under the supervision of BSAC Instructors or BSAC Dive Leaders (DL) / Advanced Divers (AD) are necessary for a number of reasons and at certain times. They know the sites and conditions and will supervise you on these dives to check out your skills, ensure you are confident and competent in the prevailing conditions, and make sure you have a safe, fun time. Dives will be to depths well within your qualification, usually no more than 15m, depending on conditions, with one important objective of showing you what HK has to offer.

Diving in conditions which you have not yet logged experience of with be supervised.

If you have never dived in Hong Kong before, no matter what qualification you hold, you will be expected to undertake your first day of diving with MD under the above standards of supervision. Supervisor to diver ratio is 1:1 with BSAC DL / AD, 1:2 with BSAC Instructors.

For BSAC HK divers if you haven't dived for some time, no matter what qualification you hold, you will be expected to undertake your first dives under the above standards of supervision. Supervisor to diver ratio is 1:1 with BSAC DL / AD, 1:2 with BSAC Instructors.

REFRESHER TRAINING

For all divers, If you haven't dived for over 6 months, you will be required to attend a BSAC Refresher course before diving, a theory lesson on safety aspects followed by a practice session in the pool covering all the your grade skills. The second day will be check out dives as above.

For BSAC divers, this condition is extended until the DO assesses your confidence and competence is sufficient to dive with other BSAC divers of suitable grade.

SUBSEQUENT DIVES

For non-BSAC divers, and BSAC divers visiting HK, all dives after check-out will be under the above standards of supervision. Supervisor to diver ratio is 1:1 with BSAC DL / AD, 1:2 with BSAC Instructors. The DO will restrict diving to suitable conditions. Subsequent deeper dives will be done in 5m depth increments.

For BSAC HK divers, all subsequent dives may be conducted with other suitably qualified BSAC divers if the DO assesses your confidence and competence is sufficient. BSAC Divers dive 1:1. The DO will restrict diving to suitable conditions. Deeper dives within your BSAC qualification may be carried out if approved by the DO.

DIVE SUPERVISION

Dive Trips are planned and supervised by qualified BSAC DMs, responsible for all activities, not least for your safety above and below the water surface.

DMs with Deputy (DDM) and Assistant DM's (ADM), supervise all above water activities including supervising boat masters, logging divers in and out of the water, organising standby divers and coordinating rescues if necessary.

BSAC dives to a Wave Plan wherein only a proportion of divers are in the water at any time, the remainder act as Standby Divers in case of the need for rescue. All BSAC divers, even beginners, are trained in rescue skills.

Underwater, the DM delegates his duty of care to BSAC Divers of suitable grade to lead dives or BSAC DL / AD / Instructors.

Due to underwater conditions in Hong Kong (mainly "low" visibility), BSAC Instructors with MD are restricted to a maximum of 2 students or dive buddies on lessons or dives.

BSAC DL / AD / suitably qualified divers are restricted to diving with 1 buddy only.

Only BSAC Sports Divers (SD) may dive unsupervised by a more senior BSAC diver.

BSAC Ocean Divers (OD) must be accompanied by a BSAC DL / AD / Instructor.