News
BSAC reiterates safe diving message
After recent diving incidents over the summer, BSAC is encouraging divers to ‘dive safe’ at all times.
While current evidence shows that there is no clear reason or trend for the recent diving fatalities, they are a tragic reminder of the potential dangers of scuba diving and the importance of ‘diving safe’.
As the sport’s UK governing body, BSAC has reiterated its safe diving guidance to all divers. BSAC Chairman Eugene Farrell said that while diving fatalities in the UK are low, the loss of any diver is acutely felt within the community.
“Diving fatalities often involve multiple factors rather than a single trigger or cause. As divers we can all take the some simple steps to minimise any risk and to ensure the safe enjoyment of our sport.”
How to stay safe – BSAC’s essential guide to safe diving
- Follow your training and adhere to depth and other limits in line with your diving qualification
- Keep in practice and refresh skills following any break from diving
- Gain new skills and experience progressively – practice in controlled conditions before using in open water
- Maintain your equipment, have it serviced regularly and check for faults
- Follow ‘Safe Diving’ and use common sense
- Consider the use of checklists, especially for complex dives and equipment (eg rebreathers)
- Plan and prepare for every dive and follow the plan
- Look after your personal fitness and ensure that you are up to the physical demands of the planned dive
- Be prepared to cancel or terminate a dive if you feel unhappy about conditions or problems arising
- Use an appropriate gas, especially for deeper diving to minimise the effects of narcosis
BSAC has a comprehensive A-Z guide to Safe Diving which is available for all divers to download here.
For a week at the end of February I was invited to sample the diving with Orca Dive Club based at the Breakers Diving and Surfing Lodge by courtesy of SOMABAY.
Somabay covers an entire peninsula and is home to several resorts as well as residential compounds. Somabay caters for scuba diving as well as many other sports, including windsurfing, golf, sailing, go-carting, horse riding and many other activities.
All the activities are of a world-class standard and any or all of these can be booked directly from The Breakers.
I took Easyjet from Bristol (UK) to Hurghada. Easyjet are not by any means my favourite airline but the flight was cheap and direct (except for the surprise extra £48 I was charged at the gate for my carry-on bag).
I was met at Hurghada airport by a driver and car and taken to the Breakers 28 miles (45Kilomaters) south along the coast. Once at the hotel I was too late for an evening meal and so a basic meal was delivered to my room. That and a beer from the fridge and I was fast asleep.
Early the next morning after breakfast I arrived for my rep meeting at the Orca Dive Center for 8.00am. I was immediately made to feel welcome, and after brief introductions I got some dive gear from the store, had a chat with my dive guide Mohamed and got ready to try the house reef situated at the end of a very long wooded pier where all diving gear and divers are taken out by buggies.
Once at the end of the pier, a helping hand from staff makes sure your gear is set and then it’s a short walk to the very end where you can either climb down a ladder of simply jump in the water next to the reef. The house reef extends both north and south giving a very easy and safe dive with plenty to see. At this time of the year the water temperature was a constant 22 degrees Centigrade and there was little or no current, so there were no issues in swimming back to the pier.
Quite a few divers were in dry or semi-dry suits, but being from the UK and used to the cold I found a 3mm wetsuit with a 3mm neoprene vest quite comfortable. Even after 50 years of diving I still find that first dive of a trip slightly nerving until I am actually underwater and then all becomes relaxed and I ease into auto diving mode. There was plenty to see with many of the Red Sea favourites along the way.
After the dive and a buggy ride back to the hotel for a very good buffet lunch I was back in the water, once again on the house reef for an afternoon dive.
Check in for part 2 tomorrow when Jeff gets on a day boat and dives a few of the off-shore reefs.
Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.
Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit www.thebreakers-somabay.com.
Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.
In an interview recorded exclusively for Scubaverse.com, Jeff Goodman interviews Jeremy Higson from Sea to Sky about the itineraries the tour operator offers in Oman.
For more information about diving in Oman, contact Sea to Sky now:
Email: hello@mysetaosky.co.uk
WhatsApp: + 39 379 236 7138
Website: www.myseatosky.co.uk
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