News
Dive Buddy Assessment – Increasing Safety with a New Dive Buddy
Chris had just over 100 dives under his belt and thought himself to be an experienced diver, though he hadn’t dived in over a year. He recently moved back to the west coast from Oklahoma and joined a local diving group. Eager to dive as soon as possible, Chris buddied up with Nick, a stranger from the dive group. Nick was glad to learn that his new buddy was experienced because he was barely just certified with fewer than 20 dives. Though Nick had dived the local waters, he still wasn’t quite comfortable with his new skills and wanted to make sure that if something went wrong, a more experienced diver would be there to assist. Since Chris hadn’t dived in the area for some time, he was glad to be buddied up with someone who was more recently familiar with the site and he was happy to help out a newly certified diver with adding some dives to their logbook. They reviewed hand signals and did the proper buddy check procedures before entering the water.
Unfortunately, this dive would put one of these divers in the emergency room.
What went wrong? Chris didn’t tell Nick that his gear was in storage for over a year and that he hadn’t dived in as much time. Chris was overconfident in his diving skills and decided not to take a refresher course. As an Open Water diver, Nick was limited to 60 feet (18.3 meters) so the two divers planned to not exceed that depth. However, after 25 minutes at depth, Chris’ inflator valve stuck open and he began a rapid ascent to the surface. Now in a full panic, Chris held his breath the whole way up and was consequentially treated for pulmonary barotrauma at the local hospital. Nick was angry that Chris failed to tell him about his diving history and lack of equipment maintenance (in this case, a rusted inflator mechanism that was easily replaced). Nick felt that if Chris had shared more information, he would have considered finding a different buddy and diving with Chris once he had gone through a refresher course and had his gear inspected.
It is without doubt that there are things that Chris should have done better, but what if Nick was equipped with a way to determine if his new buddy was safe to dive with? In our Open Water class we are taught how to assess the water conditions, plan a dive, conduct a pre-dive buddy check, how to communicate with each other under water and practice out of air situations but we’re never taught how to find a safe buddy. We are encouraged to exchange numbers with people in our class and dive with them, but that’s not always realistic if you have different diving plans than they do (for example, they are vacation divers and you want to dive locally). Sometimes newly certified divers are left looking for buddies to dive with and so join dive groups where those needs are met. Seasoned divers can wind up in a situation where a new diver asks to join them or where, for various reasons, they are buddied up with a stranger on a dive boat. We are not taught how to assess a potential dive buddy and ensure our (and their) safety before jumping into the water with them. What if you instead asked qualifying questions that enabled you to determine if you want to dive with this person or not?
Here are some example questions that you can ask when you are approached by another diver who you are unfamiliar with and who wishes to dive with you:
1. What is your diving experience (number of dives and certification level)?
Determines if this is a newer or infrequent diver who may need some encouragement. Are you comfortable with their certification level and potential depth limits?
2. How many dives do you have in this location and in these conditions?
Our certification qualifies us to dive in conditions similar to what we were trained in. Can this diver handle getting through the surf, maintain composure in low visibility or conduct a night dive in an unfamiliar environment?
3. When was the last time you dived?
Don’t be deceived. Just because someone tells you that they have 400 dives doesn’t mean that they have been in the water recently. Are you comfortable risking safety to dive with someone who may not remember how to assist you if you need help or who may panic when their mask floods?
4. How is your gear working and do you have it serviced regularly?
Determines if they care about their safety in the water and ensures you have a reliable air source in an out of air emergency. How do you know if they have the skills to handle an equipment failure? If they dived recently, did they encounter any gear problems?
5. How long are your dives and what is your average depth?
This is a quick way to help determine who may be the first to run out of air. Are they using steel or aluminum tanks and what is their capacity?
It would be inappropriate to ask people about their medical or physical conditions, but you should use your own best judgment to determine if you want to dive with someone who appears to have obvious signs of impairment that you are uncomfortable with. For example, I’ve heard of people who reeked of alcohol insisting they were fit to dive. That’s definitely not someone anyone should want to dive with!
You can tailor questions to fellow divers to suit your needs. For instance, if you are a wreck diver, your questions would be changed to satisfy the skills needed on a dive to penetrate a ship. The idea is to encourage you to ask questions to benefit the safety of you and your buddy. Keep in mind that if you are asking questions and don’t feel like the other person is being honest with you, follow your gut instinct. If you find out that they weren’t being honest (maybe after something goes wrong) then at least you did your part in attempting to ensure your (and the other diver’s) safety. If you feel uncomfortable asking divers questions about their skills and level of diving consider what the consequences are if you don’t. I’d rather tell a diver, “No, I don’t feel comfortable diving with you until you have your gear serviced or take a refresher course,” than face a family who is mourning the loss of their loved one because of a gear malfunction that contributed to their death.
Also, consider that as you ask another diver questions about their skills and comfort levels, you too may want to volunteer the same information to them. If you are a new diver looking to dive with others, ask questions and reciprocate with honesty about your skill level as well. Know that divers may feel hesitant to dive with you, so be candid about your weaknesses and point out your strengths. This tells them that, in the least, you have an understanding of what you’re doing in and out of the water as a newly certified diver.
Of course, there are some divers that are okay jumping in the water with just anyone and that’s fine if he or she is comfortable with the risks. However, there are plenty of divers out there that have scary buddy stories to tell or who may have had a better experience if they had taken steps to find out a little more about their new dive buddy. Of course, asking questions doesn’t mean that it’s ultimately going to eliminate any dangers. We all know that anyone, no matter his or her skill level, can have a bad day in the water, even leading to loss of life. Unexpected things do happen. However, by putting information out on the table from the start increases your chances of having a great day in the water. It can help determine a safer dive plan, lead to improved buddy alertness, boost skill confidence, enhance safety awareness, and most importantly build a foundation of trust with a potential lifelong diving friend.
The above story is based on true events. Names and details have been changed to protect privacy.
In this series, the Shark Trust will be sharing amazing facts about different species of sharks and what you can do to help protect them.
This month we’re taking a look at the Dusky Shark, a highly migratory species with a particularly slow growth rate and late age at maturity.
Dusky sharks are one of the largest species within the Carcharhinus genus, generally measuring 3 metres total length but able to reach up to 4.2 metres. They are grey to grey-brown on their dorsal side and their fins usually have dusky margins, with the darkest tips on the caudal fin.
Dusky Sharks can often be confused with other species of the Carcharhinus genus, particularly the Galapagos Shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis). They have very similar external morphology, so it can be easier to ID to species level by taking location into account as the two species occupy very different ecological niches – Galapagos Sharks prefer offshore seamounts and islets, whilst duskies prefer continental margins.
Hybridisation:
A 2019 study found that Dusky Sharks are hybridising with Galapagos Sharks on the Eastern Tropical Pacific (Pazmiño et al., 2019). Hybridisation is when an animal breeds with an individual of another species to produce offspring (a hybrid). Hybrids are often infertile, but this study found that the hybrids were able to produce second generation hybrids!
Long distance swimmers:
Dusky sharks are highly mobile species, undertaking long migrations to stay in warm waters throughout the winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, they head towards the poles in the summer and return southwards towards the equator in winter. The longest distance recorded was 2000 nautical miles!
Very slow to mature and reproduce:
The Dusky Shark are both targeted and caught as bycatch globally. We already know that elasmobranchs are inherently slow reproducers which means that they are heavily impacted by overfishing; it takes them so long to recover that they cannot keep up with the rate at which they are being fished. Dusky Sharks are particularly slow to reproduce – females are only ready to start breeding at roughly 20 years old, their gestation periods can last up to 22 months, and they only give birth every two to three years. This makes duskies one of the most vulnerable of all shark species.
The Dusky Shark is now listed on Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS), but further action is required to protect this important species.
Scientific Name: Carcharhinus obscurus
Family: Carcharhinidae
Maximum Size: 420cm (Total Length)
Diet: Bony fishes, cephalopods, can also eat crustaceans, and small sharks, skates and rays
Distribution: Patchy distribution in tropical and warm temperate seas; Atlantic, Indo-Pacific and Mediterranean.
Habitat: Ranges from inshore waters out to the edge of the continental shelf.
Conservation status: Endangered.
For more great shark information and conservation visit the Shark Trust Website
Images: Andy Murch
Diana A. Pazmiño, Lynne van Herderden, Colin A. Simpfendorfer, Claudia Junge, Stephen C. Donnellan, E. Mauricio Hoyos-Padilla, Clinton A.J. Duffy, Charlie Huveneers, Bronwyn M. Gillanders, Paul A. Butcher, Gregory E. Maes. (2019). Introgressive hybridisation between two widespread sharks in the east Pacific region, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 136(119-127), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2019.04.013.
3rd AUGUST 2024 – 1 or 2 WEEK PROGRAMMES
Daily water programme with Snorkelling & Scuba Diving.
Beginners or qualified, something for all.
Leave the kids with the Splash Team for days of Excitement, Fun & Adventure!
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
There are various options for accommodation with options for 2, 3, 4 or 5 guests.
Eco Huts provide accommodation for families of up to 4. The best option to enhance the adventure and closest to camping with basic facilities. For August we will provide central air cooling for all the Eco Huts.
Deluxe Chalets are only suitable for 2 guests. Fully air conditioned rooms with private bathroom and other facilities.
Boutique Rooms are available for families of up to 5.
Individual bespoke rooms fully air conditioned with private bathroom and other facilities.
Eco Huts: £675 per adult / £425 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge
Deluxe Chalet: £830 per adult / £505 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge
Boutique Room: £925 per adult / £550 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
This is a truly unique opportunity to have a Family Desert Adventure totally away from it all! You will be based at the remote Roots Red Sea on the coast of the Egyptian Eastern Desert, 140km south of Hurghada city.
Red Sea Splash main focus is Snorkelling & Scuba Diving but that’s not all, we provide a rounded week of activities in support.
Pool& Field Games – Arts & Crafts
Marine Biology Workshops
Cultural Activities – Orienteering Adventures
Roots Red Sea have established strong links with the local communities of Hamerwain & El Quseir affording our guests to have a true taste of the local culture, SPLASH CAMP embraces this opportunity and bring in the local children to join in the fun with our adventure seekers.
During the day, families are welcome to take part in all activities together or the kids can be left with the SPLASH CAMP team while the parents enjoy the facilities or go diving themselves!
At the end of the day, its family time while the SPLASH CAMP team take a break. For those with the energy, there are family evening activities planned a few evenings.
Open Air Movie Night – Desert Star Gazing Walk & Talk
El Quseir Evening City Tour
The second week is very special, we head off on the Big Blue for a liveaboard safari around Fury Shoals.
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
U-8 Splash Club
Sadly we can’t offer Scuba Diving to the Splash Club but we can have lots of fun Snorkelling & Free Diving!
Splash Club includes:
Certified Snorkel Course – Marine ID Games – Intro to Free Diving
Arts & Craft Sessions – Adventure trails – Cultural Playtime – Pool Games
U-12 Explorer Club
In addition to an exciting snorkelling and Free Diving Programme in the Splash Club we can take you under the water on SCUBA to a whole new world of fun and wonder. If you are under 10 your first breath under water will be as a Bubblemaker and continue with daily Seal Team Missions. From 10 we will complete a Discover Scuba Diving experience in the amazing Red Sea. Alternatively we offer a full junior certification programme to become an international qualified Scuba Diver.
U-16 Adventurer Club
For qualified Scuba Divers regardless of age it’s the Adventurer Club and exploration of the local reefs and marine life. There will be 2 dives every day with the Open Ocean marine field station team who will introduce you to Red Sea marine life and workshops on marine research. Alternatively there are opportunities to continue your scuba diving certifications with our instructional team.
Parents are welcome to join the club activities and join the courses.
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
Big Blue might seem like the new kid on the block, but the team behind the highly acclaimed liveaboard is far from that. They have been running Red Sea safaris since the late 1980’s and were in fact part of the early pioneers who ventured out to the unknown on vessels that in today’s world, really shouldn’t have left the harbour! It’s that experience and the years of operating the award-winning Roots Red Sea resort which truly set Big Blue apart from the crowd!
Large lounge area, spacious sun deck and terrace deck.
Airy restaurant with five tables with up to six chairs per table, serving a varied and delicious menu with special dietary requirements catered for.
The spacious cabins have side by side beds and a large walk in wet bathroom.
Ample dive deck for divers & snorkelers.
Safety is everyone’s priority, whether you are relaxing on board, swimming, snorkelling or diving.
On board Big Blue is fitted with smoke alarms, emergency lighting and a fire alarm system. The lower corridor has a full-size door fire exit at the bow and open stairs to the stern. There are evacuation plans in each room along with life jackets, glass breaker tool and a fire extinguisher.
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
Red Sea Splash at Fury Shoals is a very rare opportunity to get involved with marine biology expedition for children and adults. Open Ocean biologists are on board to provide fascinating and entertaining facts about the marine life you will see. The team will provide workshops on marine life identification and survey methods both of which, should you wish, you will have the chance to put into practice during your safari.
The week is open to snorkelers, scuba divers and non divers too!
Fury shoals is perfect for first time mariners as it offers plenty of protection from the weather.
We board at Port Ghaleb on Saturday evening and prepare to set sail early on Sunday morning.
Heading south, our first day will be diving the reefs of Abu Dabbab before sailing overnight to reach our ultimate destination the Fury Shoals.
Here we will spend four days swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving amazing reefs. This includes guaranteed DOLPHIN encounters at Sataya Reef! After the last dive we haul anchor and head back to Abu Dabbab for our final two dives before disembarking our boat BIG BLUE.
Camp Extension Cost*
Adult £650 per adult
Under 16 £350 per child
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
FURTHER INFORMATION – INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM
TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
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