Photo By Sgt. Erik Brooks | Scuba gear maintenance is an important part of diving and should be done regularly....... read more read more
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OKINAWA, Japan - During the summer months many take to the beaches for a variety of water-related activity. One of those activities, scuba diving, offers enthusiast the opportunity to explore the depths of the sea.
Along with the fun comes the dangers of diving. With the peak of dive season happening now, there are many guidelines to follow to keep safe.
There are several ways to prevent dangerous situations when diving.
Knowing your limits, as well as your gear, is a way to prevent accidents, said Mike Morrison, the chief dive instructor at Camp Foster’s Tsunami Scuba.
Divers are generally classified into three groups; open water diver, advanced open water diver and rescue diver, said Morrison. To stay safe, one must follow the guidelines they learn during their training.
“Before a dive, make sure you are in good health, hydrated and your gear is serviced and working properly,” said Edward J. Dunn, a master dive instructor. “This will ensure you have the best chance to stay safe underwater.”
Morrison instructs students to follow the 10-second rule, a well-known rule in the scuba diving community.
“If you have to think about going in the water at that spot for more than 10 seconds, don’t do it,” said Morrison. “Staying safe under the water is usually 99.9 percent common sense.”
When ascending from a dive, take a three- to five-minute safety stop at 15 feet below before surfacing, said Dunn.
This is done so a diver’s lungs can adjust to the pressure without bodily harm.
“Divers should maintain an assent rate of 60 feet per minute or slower,” said Robert A. Zimmerman, scuba recreation specialist at Camp Foster.
Another rule to follow is the buddy system.
Always dive with someone else, and let someone know where and when you are going to dive and provide them with a backup dive site. This ensures diver safety in case plans change.
“Divers should bring the dive flag and a whistle with them on every dive,” said Morrison.
The dive flag tells the boaters where the diver is underwater, so the boats stay away from that area. The whistle is used by a diver to signal for help when they are in distress.”
With thousands going diving this summer, it will not be hard to find a dive buddy.
Going out in a group is the best bet to stay safe according to Dunn.
“Beginners should dive with divers that know the areas,” he said. “Some new divers let their ego and lack of common sense do the deciding and they end up in trouble. Do not let peer pressure talk you into a dive you do not feel comfortable with.”
Being safe in the water is all about common sense.
“Most people don’t look at the water as dangerous,” said Morrison. “If you look at the water as a wilderness, you will be prepared for any danger.”
For weather and sea conditions call 634-4081 or visit http://kadenaforcesupport.com/weather.html.
| Date Taken: | 07.08.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 07.07.2011 19:35 |
| Story ID: | 73405 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 148 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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