Etiquette for boat divers
After you. No, I insist: after you.
John Eastman believes that behaving properly when you go on a dive boat means more than displaying good manners to your skipper and fellow passengers. It may be a matter of life and death
One of the first things a diver learns is that, however eminent his instructor or the dive marshal, once on board a boat everyone defers to the skipper. There are good reasons for this.
Whether the skipper is in command of an ocean-going leviathan of thousands of tons or a 5-metre inflatable, he is the person who bears responsibility for the safety of the vessel and all those on board. With a dive boat, he will also want to make sure that the vessel is run for the equal convenience and enjoyment of all concerned.
What does this mean in practice? And how can the boat diver do his or her bit to help things to run smoothly?
Firstly, all boat passengers should ensure that they arrive at the pre-arranged time. Waiting for a latecomer isn't just annoying: tides can be missed just because someone didn't allow enough time for the journey, or wasn't sure about where they were meant to meet.
The rules for stowing your gear are the same regardless of whether the vessel is small or large - do it the way the skipper wants you to. Always ask permission first. He knows his vessel, and he should know whether your things will be in his way later.
With a small boat, he will instruct you on how to lay down your aqualung cylinder, whether he wants you to rig it before you load it, or indeed if he prefers you to wear it on your back! He will also know if he wants you to bring your dive bag on board or simply to stow the contents in some other way.
On bigger vessels there may appear to be more space, and you may have deck space to kit up in when you reach the dive site. But remember, all those ropes and winches and seafaring clutter have an important function, and the crew will certainly need to be able to get to them (sometimes in a hurry).
Don't be frightened to ask where it is best to put things. Keep them tidy. Avoid the temptation to spread out and use all the available space. And remember to stow your gear so that it doesn't roll around. The calm conditions in a harbour may be strikingly different from those on the open sea.
In a small boat, sit where you're told to and avoid moving about, especially when travelling at speed when you might fall out. During low speed manoeuvres, you may alter the trim of the boat and its handling characteristics at a crucial moment. This is especially true with a rigid-hull inflatable. Fending off at the wrong moment can ruin a docking procedure or endanger yourself. Listen to what the coxswain says.
On larger vessels things are a little more complicated. Firstly, it's worth knowing a little nautical terminology. "Port" is left and "starboard" is right. The pointed end of the vessel is called the "bows" (up forward) and the back is the "stern" (aft). Corridors are "companionways" and downstairs is "below". The skipper controls the boat from the "bridge" or "wheelhouse". There may be times when he would rather do without your company! Manoeuvring the boat into the dockside, for instance, is one time when pleasantries will not be appreciated.
Bear in mind that the helmsman or driver needs to see where he's going, so avoid sunbathing if it involves lying across a forward deck, which might block his vision.
The toilet of a boat is always a temperamental piece of equipment. It is called the "head" and you should never try to put anything down it you have not previously eaten. (Ladies should take special note.) Unjamming a blocked toilet is never a pleasant task, and necessitating it will not endear you to the crew member detailed to do it!
If you suffer from seasickness, use the ship's rail on the leeward side (with the wind blowing away from you), not the toilet. Again, be careful not to follow your dinner into the sea.
On liveaboard boats, cabin doors should be secured either open or shut when at sea. "Portholes" are called such because they are designed for ventilation only when the vessel is securely tied up in port. A porthole left open can mean a wet bunk, an over-worked bilge pump, or worse! Keeping your cabin immaculately tidy will endear you to the crew and make your cabin mates more amenable too.
Never go below with wet gear. Never smoke below, or in any part of the vessel not specifically designated as a smoking area. Never smoke near petrol, which means never in any boat with an outboard motor.
Fresh water is normally a valuable commodity on a liveaboard boat. Several tonnes will only last a short time if several people use it in a cavalier fashion. Avoid leaving taps running while cleaning your teeth and don't use fresh water for washing your dive gear, except when you have just completed your final dive.
All boat captains and dive guides are safety conscious. They will be concerned both with the safety of the vessel and all those on board. The initial safety briefing is important, and you should sit and listen. If you think some item of importance (the location of emergency O2 equipment, for example) is omitted, make sure you ask about it.
It is always nice to participate in the running of the ship, but wait until you're invited. The crew may have procedures which are too complex to explain in the heat of the moment. However, when it's time to unload the boat, your muscle power will certainly be appreciated.
The dive guide will have important points to make regarding things like the segregation of full and used cylinders. And when he tells you it's half an hour until the next dive, be sure that you will have everything you need ready. Check that your gear functions properly before you leave home, not just before diving.
When you are in the water, remember that the most dangerous thing you are likely to meet is your own vessel. Pay attention to the method by which your skipper wants you to leave and rejoin it. Keep well away from the propellers.
Generally speaking, your skipper will prefer you to enter the water and swim on the surface, where he can see you, until you are well clear. The vessel is affected by the wind as well as the sea, so be aware that the skipper will want to have the vessel without power (without the props turning) for the minimum of time. This is especially important when picking up divers.
Dive sites selected sometimes have to be changed because of sea conditions. It's no good moaning. No one can anticipate what conditions will be like until you get there.
Every captain understands that you want the maximum underwater time, but he has to please all his passengers too. If you are given an hour for a dive, don't push it. If you are a serious underwater photographer, intent on doing your own thing, do the right thing and consider chartering your own boat. Do not inflict your specialist needs on other passengers.
Have respect for the possessions of fellow passengers. Treading on someone else's computer just because you are feeling a bit awkward with your tank on your back just isn't good enough. If someone else's suit looks to be in danger of blowing overboard, secure it before you tell them about it.
There are always things to complain about, but the weather, the sea conditions and the visibility are not things over which your crew have any control. When things are going well, don't forget to voice your appreciation either! Finally, listen to the dive briefings and try to remember them. So many boat divers seem to leave their brains behind the moment they hit the water. n
LISTEN UP!
A typical dive guide's briefing to guests at the start of a liveaboard trip. Remember: it's for your own good. So pay attention.
You will be given a box in which to keep your diving gear. Keep the aft deck tidy and respect other people's possessions.
Please be ready to dive at the time previously announced, taking your full cylinder from the stock at the starboard side of the vessel.
If we dive from the main vessel, stay with your buddy, and do not try to get a position further up the queue. Do not enter the water until you are cleared to do so. (The ship's ladder will already be swung down.)
Jump well away from the side of the boat.
After you hit the water, give the OK signal and swim on the surface away from the vessel at least 20 metres before you submerge, with your buddy.
If we use the tender (inflatable), step into it only when the coxswain tells you to, and sit immediately where he tells you to. When you get to the dive-site, roll in only when he tells you to and once again swim on the surface well away from the boat before submerging.
Because you will be making up to four dives each day, we have a moratorium on this vessel on dives in excess of 30 metres. If you accidently dive deeper you will be asked to miss the next dive.
We prefer you not to empty your cylinder completely; but please make a very slow ascent, plus a safety stop of at least 5 minutes in depths of less than 9 metres. If it means coming back with less than 50 bars, so be it. When we dive from the main vessel on a mooring or at anchor, we hang a safety bar at 6 metres. You will find a hookah regulator hanging on it, for use by those who have mis-managed their air.
Otherwise, when you surface, inflate your BC and stay near the reef (or shot-line buoy) until the pick-up boat approaches. Give a clear OK signal. You may have to be patient if there are other divers who need picking up at the same time. You may need to use your sausage or flag. The coxswain may ask you to swim away from the reef at this time.
Be ready to hand up your equipment, weight-belt first. Check that your BC is inflated before taking off your aqualung. Keep your mask and fins in place until you are safely inside the boat. Be ready to help other divers into the boat.
When the tender is safely alongside the ship, climb aboard when the coxswain tells you to. Be ready to receive any equipment which may be passed up to you and move it well away from the place on the deck where divers climb on board.
Put used cylinders on the port side of the vessel. Wash only your regulators and cameras in the freshwater bucket. Do not leave them there to soak. Hang your suits securely so that they will not blow overboard.
We will want to know the details of your dive for the ship's dive-log. We will want to see your computers after each dive. If you, or your buddy, have made an abnormal ascent, we want to know about it.
There will be a briefing for each dive 30 minutes before we are due to go in. Please be there!
Appeared in DIVER - February 1998
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