In-Water Dive Procedures Besides a thorough discussion of the dive plan, in-water BUSINESS EDU continued
3. Be energetic and engaging. You may have visited this site 1,000 times, but it is new to many of the divers on board. Be enthusiastic and excited about the dive, and the divers on board will be too. Appropriate humor can help engage divers and lighten the mood. Do your re- search and share what makes this site dif- ferent and unique. The divers will remember this information when they share the stories of their experience with their friends and families. Dive boats are more than simple taxis that shuttle divers to and from the dive sites. They are a portal to the underwater world. Dive guides and dive leaders, whether operating on a boat or from the shore, are the secret sauce that makes a dive
procedures and hand signals are important to review. The following are some of the important points to cover: 1. Hand signals. You don’t have to have a signal for every type of marine or- ganism in the sea but share those that are for animals that are com-
Dive guides and dive leaders, whether operating on a boat or from the shore, are the secret sauce that makes a dive a magical experience.
mon and likely to be seen. Make sure divers know how you will ask for their remaining air, and how they should describe the number (e.g., thousands on the arm, hun- dreds in the water). Review any other important hand signals you plan to utilize (e.g., out of air, half tank, turn around, slow down, something is wrong, go up, deco time left, etc.). 2. Review the planned safety-stop procedures. 3. Discuss maximum depth, no-decompression time limits, dive time expectations, and when to be back on the boat. Be sure to tell the divers how much air they are expected to surface with in their tanks and what to do if they reach this level of air before the dive is complete. 4.Describe the emergency recall procedure that the boat will use should a surface emergency arise during the dive. 5. Remind the divers of the lost buddy procedures employed on the boat. 6. Remind divers to treat the environment with respect and to avoid touching sensitive areas (e.g., coral reefs, etc.). Additional Tips for an Excellent Dive Briefing As a dive leader, the dive briefing is an essential tool to help you manage the dive, keep the divers safe, and maintain good customer satisfaction. For divers, the briefing establishes clear expectations and helps them enjoy the experience while remaining safe. In addition to the nuts and bolts discussed above, there are other considerations that dive leaders should keep in mind. 1. Keep the briefing short and engaging. The divers are anx- ious to dive. The sun may be hot; the boat may be rolling. Make sure you cover all the essential points both effi- ciently and effectively. 2.Find the right time and place to do the briefing. Com- peting with loud boat engines may make your comments get lost in the noise. Perhaps gather the group in the gal- ley or, depending on conditions, on the bow of the boat. Don’t wait for the divers to get into their gear to do the briefing as they may become overheated, uncomfortable, and less attentive.
a magical experience. The dive briefing is the most effective tool in their toolbox. Use these tips to help your divers get the most out of their dives and turn them into repeat customers!
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