Scuba Diving is a sport and  as with the majority of sports there are safety guidelines and it is important to follow these to eliminate risk.

Here are a few considerations for safe diving.

" Safe Diving Practices"

always teach the fundamentals at Openwater Diver level. These include dealing with buddy separation and DCI.  Should you be separated from your buddy then the rule is that you should search for no more than one minute and surface safely. Hopefully, you will be reunited at the surface as your buddy should be doing the same. The key thing here is not to continue to dive alone. If for any reason your buddy does not surface, it could mean that he/she may be in difficulties and if  this is the case then time is of essence if a rescue has to take place.

"Buddies"

Decompression sickness and illness can occur, but it is highly unlikely. There are certain things that you can do to minimize the risk. One of the major causes of DCS is dehydration, so drink plenty of water and stay hydrated. Diving itself is a dehydrator as is the loss of fluid from the body due to sweating.   It is always useful to carry a supply of rehydration salts to aid rehydration.  Also be aware of how much alcohol has been consumed the night before a dive and do not consume alcohol prior to a dive or between dives.  If you decide to snorkel between dives or immediately after diving then stay on the surface as micro bubbles are in your system and duck diving is like having a “mini” dive.  The micro bubbles can be forced into the tissue. The other recommendations are that you do not exercise or have a hot shower immediately afterwards as again this can force micro bubbles into the tissues.  Always remember that flying after diving has time guidelines from 12 hours for a single dive and 18 hours for multiple dives.  To help eliminate nitrogen in the body it is recommended that a safety stop should be done for a minimum of 3 minutes at 5metres. It is important to be a SAFE diver..slowly ascend from every dive!!

Many dives are conducted from boats, which gives rise to certain safety issues.  Divers surfacing should have signaling devices, so that moving boats can see that there are divers below. The most common is the SMB (surface marker buoy) The SMB is normally deployed on the safety stop at 5m. The SMB is sometimes known as a safety sausage and is generally orange in colour. There are two types commonly used, the self sealing and the open ended.  It is not necessary to have a forest of SMBs when surfacing, but be close to the person who has it just in case a boat does pass by.  Also watch your depth while you are doing your safety stop. Try and maintain 5m and not go shallower. Remember, a boat can pass over you at 5m, but at 3m if you don’t have a signaling device, you may be on a collision course.  Engine noise direction is impossible to determine. However, if the noise is getting louder it is approaching you, quieter it is moving away.  Wait to surface once you know that it is safe to do so.

"SMB"

If you see your boat underwater should you swim to towards it? The answer is no. Always surface to the side or at the back of the boat and do deploy the SMB. It is important for the crew to see you. If it is a live boat and the boat constantly moves to pick up divers you do not want to be under the boat if the propellers are engaged.

There a variety of signaling devices on the market including strobes, mirrors to name a couple. However, it is highly recommended that as a diver you should have two devices with you, audible and visible. The audible could be something as simple as a whistle that can be attached to the BCD.  It is also advisable to carry a cutting tool should entanglement happen. The most common  is a small dive knife that again can be attached to the BCD. If you do get entangled remain calm and systematically free yourself with the help of your buddy. Try not to turn around as you may make the situation worse.

"Whistle"

Diving is a very safe sport but there is no room for half measures when it comes to safety. The guidelines are there minimize risk and should be followed at all times.

Night diving is something that divers seem to love or hate, just like marmite!!! Night diving offers an experience that is completely different to day diving.  First and foremost it’s dark and a torch is a must. The torch gives light, but it is concentrated, so you only get to see what is in the beam.  If anything, this lets you focus more on the marine life that is highlighted.

Diving in the Dark

It’s incredible to see the difference in life. The day shift is going to bed and the night shift is coming out. You will find fish tucking themselves into cracks in the rocks for protection against the nocturnal predators. Parrotfish, for example, can be seen with a protective mucus bubble surrounding them. This can only be produced once during the night, so it is important not to disturb the fish when shining the light.

If you should be lucky enough to see a turtle sleeping then just say “hi” and “goodbye”. When a turtle sleeps it lowers it’s heart rate, so that it is able to sleep without having to go to the surface for air. If the turtle is disturbed then it may become disorientated and doesn’t know which way up is.

Also, the shock of being woken could induce a heart attack, which is not a good scenario!! So it is important to show respect for the sleeping creatures and not shine the light directly into their eyes. Can you imagine what it is like when you are fast asleep and someone walks into your bedroom and puts the light on?

Predators, like moray eels looking for a midnight feast can often be seen free swimming at night. They look amazing as their undulating bodies move across the reef. During the day morays tend to hide in rocks, so it is hard to appreciate their size and beauty. Barracudas are really quiet cheeky and often use the torch light to locate their next meal. So, if you don’t want to be responsible for fish becoming a meal then don’t shine you torch on it!

The night shift includes crabs in all different shapes and sizes. Have a look in finger corals to find small porcelain crabs, look under coral blocks to find the larger ones. Decorator crabs, with their legs covered in camouflage are difficult to find as they look like the coral surrounding them.  Sponge crabs are amusing to watch as they try and merge with the rocks, so they can’t be seen.

Lobsters can be seen walking around the reef and are very good rock climbers and they don’t even need crampons!! It’s amazing how quick these cumbersome creatures can move. Look in coral blocks and you will be able to see red dots, like little rubies. These are the eyes of shrimps, many different species in all shapes and sizes.  Again, a lovely sight as they dance around.

There is just so much to see on a night dive, but the key is to move slowly and concentrate on a small area. Always take the opportunity to blank out your torch by placing it against your body (don’t switch it off) and wave your arms around. If the Bioluminescence are in full swing then you will create a magical moment as they sparkle around you.

Night diving is an experience not to be missed ………………………

Why leave it all to chance……….. enjoy your first night dive experiences with a Professional, so you can enjoy the wonders anytime day or night.

Good at taking underwater photos, but not quite sure if yours are good enough? No problem Scuba Cat Diving is here to help you………

Capture those perfect moments of the wonder and adventure of the underwater world with the Digital Underwater Photography specialty. Are you are a snorkeler, scuba diver or just an aquatic enthusiast? Do you want to capture those underwater memories for life? Maybe you already take pictures, do you want to improve their quality and learn from a professional? Well now you can with the DUP you will receive expert instruction on how to take the perfect picture. The Digital Underwater Photographer specialty course has made taking great photographs above and below the surface easier than ever. With the guidance of a Instructor you will develop your skills to easily obtain captivating underwater photos.

Take advantage of our Summer Specials……….

‘s Digital Underwater Photographer specialty will introduce you to the exclusive SEA Method of digital underwater photography – shoot, examine and adjust, and is available for divers, snorkelers and in fact anyone who loves to take pictures. There is no minimum age limit or experience required.

‘s Digital Underwater Photographer specialty course explains the fundamentals of underwater photography, from choosing a camera that suits your needs, helpful camera techniques, choosing your subjects wisely, and finally, learning to use software to maximise the quality of those photographs.

Submit your best underwater or diving lifestyle photo for t 2012 Member Card photo contest. You will have the opportunity to have your photograph, name and / or website printed on the 2012 Diving Society membership card used throughout the world!

Photos must be submitted by 22 September 2011.

Member Card 2012……………..It could be you???

Ask Sarah for more details………

Another big thank you to Jelena Rsumovic who completed her internship with us during 2011. She  completed all courses with Scuba Cat Diving from Divemaster to Instructor.

Scuba Cat Diving Phuket Thailand Instructor Internship

“I had a very professional and organised environment where I completed my divemaster and instructor internship. The divemaster course was the hard one, but today like an instructor, I feel very confident about the skills that I had learnt. I had the opportunity to guide customers on the boats, assist courses etc. I have 200+ dives now, and I am thankful to Scubacat, Vince Callaghan my instructor on divemaster, Christophe Pace, my course director on my IDC and Sarah Kench – general manager of Scubacat for providing me all the support, experience, excellent education and made me the dive instructor I am today. should be very proud of this Dive Centre”

A big Thank you to Bruce who completed his IDC Gold Package with us this year.

Scuba Cat Diving Phuket Thailand IDC

“Sarah ensuresthe Dive Centre runs efficiently and has a very professional team. A true centre of excellence – please consider following their model. I’ve dived in Egypt with 2 CDC’s and they are not half as good as the Scuba Cat operation. We had our program mapped out from Day 1, the dive centre staff all made us welcome and most importantly as a TEAM they supported everyone of us on the course.

– the way the world learns to dive

SCUBACAT – the way should encourage all centres to work!”