Alert Diver Lite September 2022

ALERT DIVER LITE

DAN IS

DIVE SAFETY ORGANISATION

On the Cover

Contributors

Frauke Tillmans, PhD. Jessica B Adams, Ph D Jim Gunderson

Christine Tamburri

Bevin Reynolds Stephen Frink

Francois Burman, PR ENG , M SC

Dennis Guichard

Nicolene Olckers

Dr Sara Andreotti

Charl Marias Dean Condé

DAN Medical Team

Team

Dr Frans Cronje

Morné Christou

Nicolene Olckers

FEATURES

THE

SISTER

The long, thin island boats everything a diver needs for a relaxing holiday plentiful dive sites, wonderful accommodations, and a variety of marine life and healthy corals in calm, clear waters

Page 104 Spiegel Grove

THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF AN AMBITIOUS ACHIEVEMENT | Text & photos by Stephen Frink

With help from human ingenuity and a final from heaving hurricane waves, the purposely sunk shipwreck overcame an inauspicious beginning to flourish as an enlivened ecosystem

SHY

| Text & photos by Stephen Frink

Photo donated to DAN by Bryan Hart

Rhinopias frondosa or weedy scorpionfish shot on Aliwal Shoal reef with Canon S110 in iKelite housing & Inon Bug Eye lens with video light. Exposure set to sun & water column

Page 96 Cayman Brac

Quick Reminders Supporting Travellers in 2022

FROM THE SAFETY STOP Perspectives

It is encouraging to see that DAN members are starting to face travel with the former zeal now that the worst of the pandemic is behind us! After a 2 year slump, travel industry analysts report that more people than ever are planning big trips this year, often including adventure activities that include diving! In addition, they've noted increased willingness among travellers to spend more on more distant, more luxurious, and more exotic travel.

Unsurprisingly, people are eager to set off across the globe again. Please remember that DAN remains one of the best ways to protect divers in need. After more than 20 years, we have earned our spurs Many experiences (even during the pandemic) have given us a thorough understanding of what can, and occasionally does, go wrong affecting all sorts of travel and travellers.

Throughout our history, we've supported thousands of members and non members, divers and

non diving travellers sometimes with direct assistance and sometimes by using the coverage benefits we extend to our DAN members all through the DAN Emergency Hotline.

As divers return to the water, pass through airports and stay on liveaboards, we want to remind you that travel is still affected by certain COVID precautions The COVID precautions may still cause delays and queues so plan and make wise provisions and allow extra time amidst the excitement! Also, please remember diseases like malaria and travellers' diarrhoea are still with us, so don't forget the necessary precautions (including for other endemic illnesses depending on where you intend to go)!

DAN willingly provides the necessary guidance, and we have the coverage our members need to take on their travel boldly and confidently

Please make use of our valuable benefits and advice. Also, a big thank you to those who had remained DAN members even when travel was impossible We are genuinely touched and deeply grateful that you 'stuck' with us in these difficult times: As you know, we rely on your membership to support our vital DAN health and safety services. Thanks also for attending our webinars We are very grateful for the positive feedback!

Quick Reminders Supporting Travellers in 2022

FROM THE SAFETY STOP Perspectives

WORLDCUE PLANNER: For all your real time resources offering information about vaccinations, travel document requirements, foreign exchange rates and travel advisories Call +27 82 810 6010 for assistance.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION ASSISTANCE:

DAN members enjoy up to R900,000 of evacuation assistance coverage for diving and non diving medical emergencies anytime you travel more than 100km from home.

24/7 EMERGENCY HOTLINE: Supporting divers worldwide, our staff is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to assist you with coordinating emergency care and evacuation Call +27 82 810 6010 for assistance.

MEDICAL INFORMATION LINE: Need non urgent medical information? Call us at +27 82 810 6010 and speak to a specialist You can submit non urgent medical questions via email anytime at danmedic@dansa.org.

DAN's primary focus has, been and always will be our members' safety. We are as committed as ever to providing the most up to date and relevant coverage and benefits for our dive members and travellers. Don't forget there are resources such as the new Travellers Medical Guide (available on https://bit ly/dan travel medical guide) and, of course, the DAN Emergency Hotline.

Again, thank you for your loyal support as a DAN member. We are there for you, but thank you for being there for us too!

Morne Christou Chief Executive Officer

DAN's Medical Assistance Services

DAN’s medical assistance services are available to divers, dive professionals, and health care providers. We offer an emergency hotline, medical information, physician consultations, continuing medical education, and a worldwide referral network of doctors who evaluate and treat divers. We provide real-time assistance during dive emergencies and work to prevent injuries and promote dive safety.

D A N D I S P A T C H

DAN MEDICAL SERVICES

As you make plans to dive this summer, remember that an essential benefit of DAN membership is access to DAN Medical Services. Our team of EMTs, paramedics, nurses, and doctors helps divers in three primary ways:

Providing information about diving with various medical conditions

Referring divers to local physicians who can evaluate their fitness to dive Providing 24/7 emergency medical assistance

DAN medical staff can answer your questions about diving with cardiovascular conditions, musculoskeletal injuries, psychological diagnoses, dental issues, ear and eye problems, and much more

Beyond simply passing along expert opinions or the latest research, DAN medical staff seek to educate callers, providing them with criteria for making good decisions and giving them questions to ask their personal physicians. DAN Medical Services is also available to medical professionals; many callers are physicians or other healthcare providers

If you experience a dive emergency or symptoms after diving, call local emergency medical services, and then call the DAN Emergency Hotline (+27 828 10 60 10) We’re standing by 24/7/365

If you have questions about fitness to dive or diving with a particular medical condition, or you would like a referral to a doctor in your area who has training in dive medicine, call the DAN Medical Information line (+27 828 10 60 10). We’re available from 8:30 a m to 5 p m

Pros Choose DAN

Trusted When It Matters Most

Ross Neill, Director of Training at Rainbow Reef Dive Center in Key Largo FL, explains why he chooses DAN.

D A N T R A V E L L E R S

MEDICAL GUIDE

DAN’s new Travelers Medical Guide was created to help divers, boaters, and adventure travelers recognize and manage travel related illnesses and injuries Drawing on DAN’s decades of experience managing emergencies, this digital guide explains common symptoms, illnesses, and treatments in an easy to understand manner.

We know that DAN members are active explorers, and know that traveling the world requires knowledge and preparation The new edition of the Travellers Medical Guide was designed to help DAN members stay safe wherever they go. A benefit of DAN membership, the guide provides general information as well as targeted advice for specific travel situations With topics ranging from packing tips to instructions for conducting an on site neurological examination, the guide is intended to help people prevent, recognise, and manage travel related illnesses and injuries

Drawing on DAN’s decades of experience managing emergencies, the Travellers Medical Guide is packed with information of practical interest to divers and travellers Review it before you depart, and bookmark the most relevant sections for easy access. A glossary and a list of acronyms and abbreviations appear at the back of the guide for quick reference Whether you’re planning a trip, expanding your knowledge, or facing a challenging situation in a remote area, DAN’s Travellers Medical Guide can help

Click here to download the guide now!

Safety Tips for Dive Operators

DAN’s new Safety Tips for Dive Operators guide identifies some of the risks involved with running a dive operation and what can be done to mitigate them. It outlines minimum safety standards for various aspects of dive operations and provides a foundation for refining safety protocols by offering dive safety officers and other dive pros a tested approach for assessing safety and modifying practices to prevent incidents and limit liability.

S A F E T Y T I P S F O R

DIVE OPERATORS GUIDE

DAN’s new Safety Tips for Dive Operators guide identifies some of the risks involved with running a dive operation and what can be done to mitigate them.

It outlines minimum safety standards for various aspects of dive operations and provides a foundation for refining safety protocols by offering dive safety officers and other dive pros a tested approach for assessing safety and modifying practices to prevent incidents and limit liability.

Use DAN’s Safety Tips for Dive Operators to help you:

Ensure a safe working environment for your staff Conduct systematic reviews of your operations Comply with industry standards

Prevent the spread of infectious diseases

Promote customer satisfaction

Enhance your emergency preparedness

DAN has a long history of working with dive operators to promote safety. Dive professionals are the lifeblood of the dive industry, and the ones who instil safety consciousness in new divers The tips and strategies outlined in Safety Tips for Dive Operators represent the most significant steps dive operators can take to promote safety and limit their liability ”

Click here to download the guide now!

DAN Training

First Aid Courses

DAN’s first aid courses were created with divers in mind. But they will give you the skills to respond to almost any emergency no matter where it occurs. These engaging and rewarding courses can be completed in as little time as a single afternoon and can equip you to save lives both on and off the water. Don’t wait until an emergency strikes to find out if you’re ready to respond, find a DAN Instructor near you and start a course today.

CAPE TOWN DAN TRAINING WORKSHOP

FIRST AID TRAINING

By Nicolene Olckers

The first post COVID DAN Instructors Workshop.

Whether on the scene of an accident, or witnessing a medical emergency, most people will be involved in a crisis at some point in their lives First aid training and incident management skills empower people to step up and take action should these situations arise.

DAN First Aid courses prepare people to manage injuries related to scuba diving and those that occur in other settings Dive medicine physicians and diving educators developed the DAN courses; DAN's courses are easy to understand and designed to provide you with the skills and confidence you need to respond to emergencies. All our courses meet the current ILCOR and AHA guidelines.

We conducted the first DAN Southern Africa Instructor course post COVID lockdown in July. We were hosted at the False Bay Underwater Club After completing the online theory modules, the candidates conducted a practical skills audit over three days to test their knowledge and hone their skills

It was great to see the enthusiasm amongst the candidates that signed up and completed the DAN Diving First Aid for Professional Divers (DFA Pro) Instructor course DAN's DFA Pro course is designed for commercial, professional, aquarium and scientific divers, and it provides knowledge and first aid skills specifically for these work environments Professional divers have unique responsibilities and a duty to respond to special situations; their first aid training should not be any less remarkable.

The DFA Pro course includes all DAN CPR Health Care Provider elements with First Aid and Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries courses It contains material about Neurological Assessment and First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries. In the Neurological Assessment portion of the DFA Pro course, the candidates learned how to manage injuries with neurological implications properly They learnt to recognise these injuries and adequately perform a neurological assessment They also learnt what information to collect and relay to emergency medical services Recognising symptoms and responding quickly can shorten recovery times and improve long term outcomes In the Hazardous Marine Life Injuries segment, the candidates gained the knowledge needed to identify specific types of marine life injuries and the first aid skills to treat them.

The DFA Pro course is the dive industry's most comprehensive first aid course While geared towards

dive instructors and Divemasters, anyone, even non divers, will learn indispensable First Aid and risk mitigation skills

The newly trained DAN Instructors will now help build a better trained and skill equipped diving community They can help develop a highly qualified dive staff, increase the business at their dive centres and show their customers they are committed to safety.

DAN Southern Africa would like to congratulate and welcome the following DAN DFA Pro Instructors:

Armand Coetzee Alpha Dive Centre Strand, Western Cape

Bennie van Rhyn Independent Instructor Western Cape

Megan Wagner Independent Instructor Western Cape Nicholas Higgs Its Africa Bro Diving Glencairn, Western Cape Ruan Weyers Alpha Dive Centre Strand, Western Cape

DAN Instructors are vital to the DAN Mission, educating the diving public through DAN courses If you want to become a DAN Instructor visit the DAN website at www.dansa.org/instructor courses to learn more.

Lessons for Entrepreneurs

Interviewed by Nicolene Olckers

G R E G O R Y N O R R I S

Industry News

LESSONS FOR ENTREPRENEURS

By Nicolene Olckers

Lessons

for aspiring entrepreneurs

Gregory Norris is not square, at least not yet.

Small businesses in South Africa were responsible for generating R2,3 trillion (or 22%) of the R10,5 trillion total turnover of the formal business sector in the 2019 financial year. According to the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) statistics, 510,000 new companies were registered in 2020. One such new company was 3 Square Digital Design & Fabrication We caught up with the intrepid business owner, designer, scuba diver and creator, Gregory Norris

According to Greg, the origins of 3Square Digital Design & Fabrication (3Square) were accidental, and Covid was the catalyst for this business. "After returning to South Africa in the middle of 2020, I found myself desk bound for the first time in decades during the pandemic.

My 9 to 5 job (if you can call it that) is as a remote site medical manager.

My duties are to set up and manage medical programs in hostile and remote environments such as Afghanistan and Ukraine, "said Greg.

Being back home in Cape Town, South Africa, allowed him to dive far more frequently, which meant that he could utilise the dive time to use his GoPro action camera more often Over the years, he battled to get satisfactory results from his action cameras while taking underwater videos and imaging. Having more time to dive, he was in the ideal position to learn why an otherwise excellent camera performed so poorly underwater.

Greg completed the PADI Open Water course and was a certified diver at thirteen.

"This year will be my 32nd year of diving, and I am currently qualified as an OC Trimix diver and CCR technical diver," said Greg

His career in electronic engineering progressed to electromechanical engineering. This field was unfortunately not quite as exciting as he had hoped, leading him to pursue a career in emergency medicine, which is still his primary employment

The turning point in his quest to produce quality imaging with his action camera came while speaking to several underwater film and photo experts who informed him that "lighting was everything." The decision to start 3Square Digital Design & Fabrication was due to frustration He embarked on a mission to find good quality, affordable lighting solutions and to develop the means to attach the lights to work effectively while using an action camera such as the GoPro. The available stabilisation products manufactured explicitly for action cameras are not exceptionally budget friendly

Greg provides customised stabilisation and lighting solutions for any underwater camera setup. He also designs and fabricates customised internal gearing for some of the larger camera housings These include both focus and zoom gearing interfaces fitted inside underwater camera housings

Although other businesses provide services and products for the action camera market, they do not offer the same services that 3Square does "We tend not to focus on potential competition and instead invest this time into product development," said Greg.

When he started his business, the most significant expense was investing in the printers Finding the right quality 3D printing setups and the software to run them was financially draining. Currently, the main ongoing expense is the maintenance of the printers Another cost saving endeavour is that he uses solar energy to power the printers while printing his products "The rising cost of electricity and the lack of availability are not particularly concerning,” said Greg.

Almost everything that they fabricate is quite unique Some of the more exciting items Greg had to design and produce were gearing solutions for his high end videography clients. His most unusual product is the "Aqua Stick." The Aqua stick provides the user a single adaptable platform to mount their GoPro and lighting on an extendable rod Other products include flexible rubber bands for hose management. These are used for stage and bail out cylinder hose management. Stage cylinders are cylinders filled with extra air or a breathable gas mix used by technical divers

Small Business Tips

Persevere

You can expect many failures If you make a consistent effort and look after your clients, you will be successful. You must talk to your clients to build a good rapport and find out their needs and what they aim to achieve Be realistic about the solutions you can provide and never propose a product just to make a sale The product must add real value to your client's underwater photography and videography

Marketing

Each business is different. I will take some time to figure out what works for you Social Media has become the go to for many start up businesses.

Bear in mind that the competition is stiff on the various platforms Your content needs to be of top quality. Don't be afraid to make some marketing blunders.

Ingenuity

Most small businesses cater to niche markets Inflexibility and commitment to product lines or processes could prevent the business from growing

Another factor is growing too fast. Employing people who aren't necessarily a good fit for your business can cause other problems with production etc

Underwater Photography

Do you enjoy underwater photography?

Yes indeed I enjoy videography, and I am trying my hand at macro photography To do this, I am using the INON lenses available for GoPro. One of the biggest challenges with underwater photography is having good light, and 3Square stocks a range of affordable and compact lights which are perfect for the job.

Do you prefer Macro or Wide angle?

I am a fan of wide angle imaging, and the ocean has so much to offer that it is difficult to capture the vastness with anything other than a wide angle lens 3Square, stocks some fantastic wide angle lenses for GoPro camera users.

Compact or DSLR? Which do you prefer??

Compact for sure! When doing technical diving, there is so much gear to consider and carry that it would be challenging to manage a DSLR as well

Action cameras are surprisingly powerful. One can capture great shots provided you have enough light to work with, are sufficiently stabilised and have the right lenses for what you are trying to capture.

Tell us about your favourite photo? Why? Where was the photo taken? What equipment did you use?

By far, my favourite shot is of a gas flame nudibranch It was my first attempt at macro photography while shooting with my GoPro. This image was taken using a Hero 9, mounted on a 3Square custom made INON tray, using the INON UCL G165 lens with Micro Cube lights

TRAINING FREEDIVING INSTRUCTORS

EDUCATOR OR

By Charl Marias

When training any educator or instructor, there is always a sense of responsibility a fear of not giving enough or meeting the level of training required by the candidates The same is true when we train PADI Freediver Instructors. We want to provide the best, measure up to their expectations, and not disappoint them during the training. We ask them to give up their time, commit to long hours, entrust their dive centres to staff or close them for the duration of their training

This was the first ever Freediver Instructors course taught in Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town It was the first PADI Freediver instructor training course attended by multiple dive shop owners as candidates. Also, an audit of the course (FD ITC) was done by the first PADI Freediver Staff Instructor (SI), Britnee Engelbrecht."It was a week of firsts. It was also the first time I dived into

any of the aquarium's tanks Yes, the first time ever silly, right? And I live in Cape Town!" said Charl Marais, PADI Instructor Trainer from Apnea Addicts Anonymous Dive School

The classroom aptly named Tranquility has a wall of acrylic and Cape kelp fish staring at the candidates' presentations, hanging midwater on their every word The confined water sessions were conducted in the Aquarium pool that provided the future instructors with a rare view over the skyscrapers of the CBD and the buzz of the V&A Waterfront. Confined deep water sessions were conducted in the 6m deep tank with eagle honeycomb and short tailed stingrays, black mussel crackers, groupers and other indigenous shoaling fish

As with any FD ITC the course started in the classroom with an orientation. This included a presentation by DAN Southern Africa about the benefits and importance of DAN membership for instructors and students.

The following day we combined a confined water session and a

standards presentation by Brittnee (FD SI in training), followed by static training in the swimming pool. The PADI forum was held online, and we were in front row seats with the windows of the I&J tank as the backdrop A presentation by PADI regional manager Ulrich Horn gave us all insight into the PADI Scuba organisation, after which I was allowed to present Freediving to the centres that were present, "I also introduced the (NEWF community/organisation) and my candidates to the Western Cape PADI dive centres. Seeing the new names and four new centers on the representatives' list was refreshing It was refreshing seeing entrepreneurs developing new businesses during this difficult time."

By day three, the candidates were all starting to grasp precisely what they got into. Confined training was the game for the day, Static and Dynamic Apnea workshops were well done with a few laughs and professionalism.

Over the next two days, we continued with open water diving sessions at the

local dive sites at A Frame in Simonstown and on the boat with Jan De Bruyn from DiveTeam. Whilst diving from the boat, our candidates dived, learned and had fun exploring the Smitswinkel wrecks, drifting past Batsata Rock into Hell's Gate The next day was spent at Blue Rock Quarry with a bit of a stress test as the divers had to contend with low to zero visibility and more open water training. Laughter, joy and a bit of gloom were seen at Blue Rock as the dark depths of 3m visibility stared us in the face

The final days of the course saw us taking to the aquarium again, the pool for confined workshops and evaluation, and the tank for the Open Water equivalents. Bob, the Greenback turtle, provided entertainment, nipping at the divers to figure out which part of our bodies is the least likely to come off when pinched

It appears that old lady Bob adores a blue suit since Brittnee was the one that almost got the sharp end of a greenback's beak

The Instructor Evaluation went well, and all the candidates proved their skills in the presentations, demonstrations and debriefings The training was concluded with marketing tips, ideas, and a brainstorming session. Nic Higgs from It's Africa Bro had some insightful ideas on marketing

The debriefings were on the cards with the presentations, confined and deep water training, and the written exams "Debrief like this always opens hearts and bares a little of the soul. Doing the debriefing session with each candidate gave us the insights we, as instructor trainers, need It assured us that we trained them properly, and brought them to a new understanding for the sport of Freediving, which we love, said Charl

This journey humbles me, the knowledge imparted and what we all have learned of our personal and professional growth while training competent, professional Freediving instructors

Thanks and congratulations to the candidates, hosts and staff.

Host and candidate Pieter Van Wyk TOA PADI Dive School and Western Cape Freediving

Host and candidate Tersia Greenstone TOA PADI Dive Centre

Master Freediver Jandre' Bloudam' Blom Social Media Marketer

Master Freediver Don Marx Marine Biologist

Candidate Frank Andrews Marine

Biologist

Candidate Josh Van Vuuren TOA PADI Dive Centre

Candidate Marko Venter Kief Divers PADI Dive Centre

Candidate Megan Robertson TOA PADI Dive Centre

Candidate Nicholas Higgs It's Africa Bro PADI Dive Centre

Candidate Jandre Terblanche It's Africa Bro PADI Dive Centre

Candidate Sarah Sandmann Swim School Owner

PADI Instructor Trainer Charl Marais Apnea Addicts Anonymous Dive Centre

PADI Freediver Staff Instructor Brittnee Engelbrecht Apnea Addicts Anonymous Dive Centre

Since 1994 Since 1994

BY NICOLENE OLCKERS

Alpha Dive Centre was started by Ettienne Raal.He completed his two years of national service as a member of the South African Navy While he was based at the SA Navy Base in Gordons Bay, WC, he became acquainted with the owners and divers of the dive centre across the road Through Ocean Divers International, he met the charismatic Dave Cohen. He promptly started his fun, recreational dive career as an instructor at Ocean Divers Port Elizabeth in 1993 This all changed in 1994 when he met with Retief Swart, and the dream of having a dive centre became a reality Today, Alpha Dive centre is still situated opposite the Strand Railway Station. They provide professional services in scuba training, equipment servicing, cylinder fills and stock major scuba equipment brands for retail sales

Alpha Dive Centre started as an NAUI centre and remained solely so until 2008 At the time, NAUI was the dive association that was prominent in the recreational scuba industry in South Africa "I was fortunate to have the NAUI Southern Africa representative, Mike van Niekerk, in my town, and we were the first dive centre he would visit on doing his shop visits around the Southern African region," said Ettienne.

He qualified as an NAUI Course director, and up to the year 2008, they certified approximately 130 NAUI Scuba Instructors through Alpha Dive centre At that stage, NAUI awarded him a lifetime membership award that he had to collect from the association in the United States of America in person Arriving in the USA, he soon noticed how big in proportion PADI was to the NAUI organisation "It blew me away," he said

There was only one logical step as a dive shop owner: to follow the example of dive centres worldwide Alpha Dive Centre changed its allegiance from NAUI to PADI. "We first represented both associations, but when we were awarded a 5 Star PADI rating, we had to convert and commit to the PADI way," said Ettienne From 2008 to 2014, PADI was the best certifying Dive Association for divers and dive centres. He crossed to PADI and became a PADI Instructor Trainer with the organisation

"We did a lot of training and became one of the top five training centres in South Africa We maintained the privilege of being one of the top PADI training facilities in the country and Cape Town area "

By 2014 Alpha Dive Centre changed its training regime

again and signed on with Scuba Schools International (SSI) Although they continue to offer the full range of PADI courses, they also offer scuba training and services registered as an SSI Diamond training facility.

Scuba Schools International is considered the new kid on the block, but they have been around for more than 45 years They have shown the way on the digital scuba front for the last ten years "I believe they have the best digital platform used by divers to access training, log dives and connect with other instructors and dive centres This is the best and easiest solution for my clients to follow."

Over the past 28 years, Divers Alert Network(DAN) has had a consistent presence at AlphaDive Centre They have been DAN members from day one and follow the principles of DAN via their training, membership, research, and safety protocols Ettienne was proud to say that they received several DAN Training achievement awards from as early as 2010 and are still DAN Industry Partners today

CORE VALUES AND FUTURE PLANS

Their priority always has been to provide the best possible client service "It has been our crucial mission from day one We can give our clients the best possible opportunities and deals, from servicing their equipment to selling them their first scuba gear Through, from the new beginner that walks through our door and says: "I want to learn how to scuba dive." To sell them an adventure and to make their dive dreams come true And to do that well, we strive to maintain and retain the client We have been very successful at doing this and have been around for 28 years We still have clients that return years later informing us that we qualified them as open water divers, said Ettienne proudly. "It is great to know that it started with us teaching them to scuba dive right at the beginning, and that is our core value "

They ensure whoever comes through the dive centre's door is treated well, receives exceptional service and is given the best possible opportunity to realise their dreams as a scuba diver

THE FUTURE

Alpha Dive Centre aims to teach and certify its clients to be competent scuba divers. Once certified, the qualification can be used to develop a career anywhere in the world Their primary focus is young people between the ages of 19 and 25. "We love to train them to work as Scuba Instructors or Divemasters anywhere there is water He said that our future as scuba educators lies in the Alpha Dive Academy, "he said

The Academy has been operational for the last two years. It provides training to those youngsters looking to complete a "gap year"

The Academy aims to qualify them as competent Divemasters, Instructors and possibly 5 to 6 other qualifications commonly found in the yachtingfield This will enable them to find employment on a yacht worldwide Ninety per cent of these yachts promote international travel and have dive gear on board "If you are a deckhand or stewardess qualified as a Divemaster, with knowledge of ropework and rope access training and knew how to navigate yourself around the workings on a yacht, you will certainly find employment," encouraged Ettienne The same goes for a chef, assistant chef or stewardess with a Divemaster qualification who has a paying position onboard a vessel "Through our programs, we hope to equip you to make the world your oyster " Our most popular program, the CEO program, runs over a 6 to 7 month period. I suggest visiting the Alpha Acandamy website at www alphadiveacademy co za to learn more "

Shooter Richard Darke

By Nicolene Olckers

This underwater ‘shooter’ was petrified of the sea Richard Darke grew up in Mooi River, KwaZulu Natal. His grandmother said, “Be careful if you go into the Sea, there are dangerous things in there that will eat you up ” Clearly, he didn’t heed his grandmother’s advice, as his career soon showed

A long awaited trip to the UK was extended to include a visit to Egypt and the Red Sea “My aunt suggested I google the town of Sharm El Sheik to see where we would be going, and I discovered that they do mainly scuba diving. I was fascinated,” said Richard

He investigated the dive scene in Cape Town, and the first dive place he ended up at was a social

event at the then Duck & Dive club

He enrolled in an open water diver course with Dive Action in Paarden Eiland, Cape Town Within a few days, he purchased a complete set of scuba gear The purchase of his equipment included a complimentary ticket to dive in the shark tank at the Two Oceans Aquarium, in Cape Town, as the fifth dive. “I decided to do this as soon as possible to eliminate my perceived fear of sharks ”

On the sixth dive, still only an open water diver, he was diving in the Red Sea from Sharm El Sheikh. “That was it! I was hooked and have been since,” said Richard

When did you start with underwater photography?

2008 I was on a trip to Sodwana bay diving with Nemo divers. And I bought a camera for the trip a Sony Cybershot w270 compact type camera

I still have the photographs taken with the compact Sony with the Mantas and the ribbon tail rays At the time, I also decide to become a master diver I needed to complete a few more speciality courses. Denis Baião, the Instructor of Tofo Scuba, suggested I do the Digital Underwater Photography Speciality (2013) He eventually certified me as a Master Scuba Diver. By the end of my Mozambique vacation, I decided to complete my Dive Master course, skippers, and other speciality courses

You moved from the compact Sony and Canon G16 to the DSLR 7d and 7d Mk II in Nauticam housing. How did the upgrading in camera systems influence your photography?

Every underwater photographer has their own style; there is no doubt about it `You grow into it by the way that you try to frame the picture I can’t say that I prefer any specific style. If I could choose I would rather prefer doing wide angle My wide angle images are all about the fans and the reef scenes where fish are flying over it. The choice for set up depends on the water conditions When photographing macro subjects, one does not always see the animal in its entire, proper environment. I wish to see the animal/critter depicted in its environment. In low visibility, photographers traditionally opt to shoot macro, the small critters, but with good visibility or clear water, doing wide angle images is a good choice.

What do you like about diving in False Bay, Cape

Town?

Although a lot of people think Cape Water is cold, dark, dirty, dull, and green. Ironically, the reefs here are so much more diverse than anywhere else When you dive in other places around the world, the reefs are blander, and the animals are colourful. I love the diving in Cape Town and the vast differences and vibrancy on the reefs There is a major difference

between diving in warm water and cold water, so there is a massive difference within False Bay One has to travel from the Western to the Eastern side of the bay to have very different scenes and creatures to photograph

The variety of soft corals, sponges and all the animals make diving in False Bay enjoyable Even when visibility is not good

A few of my favourite reefs are Batsata, Atlantis and the area around Roman Rock Lighthouse It has been dived many times and is a firm favourite with Cape Town divers.

The Lusitania wreck is another of my favourite dive sites. If you get it right on a day with good conditions, it makes for a great dive with the reef that drops off almost vertically from about 15 m to about 33 m Most of the wreck lies between the base of the wall and a prominent ridge

(Note: Many Cape Town divers consider the wreck of the SS Lusitania to be one of the top wreck dives in the region It is pretty deep, the wreck is entirely broken up but still interesting, with several identifiable components, and the visibility is often quite good However, it is a physically challenging dive, quite a distance from the launch sites, and conditions are not often suitable, so it is not dived very often Depth: The depth is 35 to 40 m on the wreck, with a few parts rising as high as 27 m Source: https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Diving the Cape Pe ninsula and False Bay/SS Lusitania)

If I want an easy, calming, relaxing dive, the place to go would be the SAS Pietermaritzburg or PMB reef, as the locals call it The wreck has outstanding profile views in areas, but I usually swim off to the nearby reef after spending a short time at the wreck itself I found some fantastic things/critters while visiting the wreck and the nearby reef, said Richard.

Tell us about an extraordinary event or sight while diving in False Bay?

While diving at Blousteen on the Eastern side of False

Bay with Kate Jonker, we happily enjoyed a macro dive when a giant Seven Gill Cow shark harassed us I looked at Kate to see the shark nudging her in the side with its nose. It then turned and came towards me with the same intention of investigating what we were At this point, we were both lying on our cylinders, fending the shark off with our cameras. After several fending off moves, we eventually managed to deploy our SMB's and start our ascent to the surface while carefully watching the shark circle below us

We used to see numerous white sharks around False Bay 2013/2014 but today, there are no sightings. We used to see the great whites while diving on the wrecks in Smitswinkel Bay They would take off very quickly once we dive in.

Do you think we, as divers/underwater photographers, can create awareness to promote conservation?

I think we can create more awareness. But the diving community in South Africa is tiny If we stand and work together as a global community, we can make a difference. While I travelled to several dive destinations in recent years, I have seen an increase in conservation efforts through artificial reef projects, beach clean ups and noticing divers collecting plastic underwater I think we divers are the link between the “townies” non divers and the louder we speak about the underwater issues, the more they will be interested in supporting our efforts. More needs to be done by authorities to protect the oceans

The biggest project is education. To educate those that don’t dive about what is in the water A day will come when we cannot show them the physical animal in the water, and the future generations will only have pictures to know what a 7 gill Cow shark looked like Though many think the Cow shark is a docile animal, they get malicious, especially when an unwanted diver pesters them

You are in the process of publishing a coffee table book of your work When can we expect to see the result.

“I am in the process of publishing a book; a few images are still needed Hopefully in the next few weeks” The main idea was to share my experiences and passion for underwater photography. Underwater photography is not easy, and it has a steep learning curve With the book, I would like to inspire more people to take up underwater photography and learn the skill In the book, I also included images from my trips to the Red Sea and Bali

What do you do when you are not diving and taking pictures?

I edit my pictures and make identification of the species I take thousands of images, and it takes time to work through them Sometimes plenty of diving is needed to get the perfect picture you want.

GET IN TOUCH

Richard Darke Facebook: @rcdimages www.rcdimages.com

TEACHING THE HANDICAPPED TO DIVE

BY DEAN CONDÉ

'YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO WALK AGAIN." ONE LINE, SEVEN WORDS WHEN SPOKEN TOGETHER, THEY CAN FLIP YOUR LIFE UPSIDE DOWN AND LEAVE YOU FEELING BROKEN.

On September 11th, 2013, Sue Jordaan's life drastically changed when she was involved in a motor vehicle accident that left her paralysed from the hips and unable to walk. Her paralysis was due to a compressed L1 spinal fracture and a wedge of her T7 vertebra due to the compression fracture "When the morphine haze wore off, and the hours stopped merging, together I started to realise the impact of those words," said Sue

After a harrowing two years of self pity, anger, frustration and confusion, she realised that she needed to take action. She tried to get back into the various hobbies that she was practising, and that was when getting back into scuba diving changed her life.

The Handicapped Scuba Crew has dedicated itself to improving the physical and social well being of people with disabilities through the sport of scuba diving.

Richard Ashman of Scuba Crew in Pretoria, South Africa, started diving with persons with disabilities in 2014 and trained divers with adaptive techniques Together with Dean Conde and Frik Botha, they completed their Instructors and Course Director Training under the HSAI banner with Course Director trainer Zelda Norden in Mozambique in October 2021 (1).

Once they all passed the theory exams, it was off to the pool session The practical assessments involved three pool sessions during which the candidates were expected to be blindfolded and take turns being a blind diver, a paraplegic and then a quadriplegic diver. Not being able to see is intimidating Additionally, the candidates have to

trust their dive buddy to guide them, control their buoyancy and their direction on the reef This is repeated in open water sessions.

Both Richard and Dean are qualified PADI SCUBA instructors Richard is an SSI certified instructor as well.

How would a disabled person go about starting their own scuba dive experiences?

As with all persons wanting to learn to scuba dive, a person living with a disability must undergo a full dive medical. Once they are declared fit to dive, they can sign up for training "At Handicapped Scuba Crew, we offer monthly pool sessions to introduce persons with disabilities to the sport.

Organisations like the Handicapped Scuba Association International have special resources to assist Diving Medical Examiners who may otherwise be reticent to pass divers to dive who are paralysed or use prosthetic limbs, etc

Visit: https://www a1scuba com/documents/forms/HSA

INSTRUCTOR MANUAL pdf

The course directors, instructors, and adaptive dive buddies aim to allow the adaptive divers to do as much as they are physically capable during the kit up of their gear and diving in the heated pool at the centre " said Dean Non disabled divers are welcome to join during these discover scuba sessions

During the in water practice, the disabled diver is always assisted by an instructor, divemaster or trained volunteer Students that have facial paralysis make use of a full face mask as they don't have the strength to bite down on a regulator mouthpiece Equalisation of ears is essential; if the student cannot do this independently, they are assisted by the instructor or the divemaster buddy The usual dive skills such as mask clearing and regulator recovery out of air exercises are practised and accessed in shallow water. Once the adaptive student has successfully demonstrated their ability

or inability to complete these skills, the instructor/divemaster ascertains the student's capability before proceeding to the deep water of the pool.

In the 3m pool, adaptive divers are allowed to swim on their own.Visually impaired or blind divers will receive tactile hand signals agreed and practiced on the surface, on the lower and upper arms, and on their hands In the case of some people with quadriplegia, they are guided around by the pillar valve.

Are there special considerations or different classes/levels of handicapped influence the candidate's signing up?

The Handicapped Scuba Association International (HSAI) and Handicapped Scuba Crew offer three types of Adaptive diver qualifications The Dive Buddy Course (DBC) and Instructor Training Course (ITC) are internationally recognised and unequalled by other industry programs. The performance requirements of the different levels determine the proficiency

or competence of the adaptive diver to perform certain skills on their own and/or be able to assist other divers

Some students do not want to qualify for the HSA International qualifications as they believe in themselves and can be eligible within PADI or SSI requirements for Open Water Scuba Diver

Name some crucial points (safety, fitness, abilities) that the disabled person should consider when they want to learn to scuba dive?

Any person who can breathe on their own without the assistance of an external ventilator and does not have an external heart pacemaker has the ability to SCUBA dive. Some paralysed students who cannot hold a regulator safely in their mouth have the option of using a full face mask to ensure comfort and safe dive activities. Visually impaired students may be offered a custom mask, changing their underwater

view immensely.

Certain disabled divers dive with a guide/assistant. What differentiates their training from that of the disabled diver?

The HSAI Dive Buddy program prepares instructors, divemasters or qualified divers to assist divers with any disability

A dive buddy is put through the theory portion, either through online self study or in person, to educate them on the different types of physical and cognitive divers they will buddy with. A dive buddy knowing about circulation issues for a quadriplegic diver who gets cold quickly and cannot regulate their body temperature like a non disabled person will need to look out for signs of getting cold and warm the adaptive diver up adequately after the dive.

Although the training gives the buddy a strong foundation for handling adaptive divers on land, on boats and in the water,

the real learning takes place in real life situations.

For adaptive divers like Sue Jordaan and Tharina Stoltz, scuba diving offers much more than a short underwater escape period "SCUBA diving changed my life. Being part of a community with the same passion, I once again found a safe place where I could be independent and scuba dive just like anyone else Being able to SCUBA dive again, my world opened to new friends, travel and a better state of mind " says Sue

For Tharina, experiencing the underwater world with her three daughters on vacation to the world renowned Sodwana Bay has brought them closer together She was paralysed from the waist down after an unfortunate motorcycle accident in 2020.

"Being a female wheelchair user comes with its challenges or sure. Getting use to a different way of doing everyday

mundane things is a huge challenge at first Stepping out of your comfort zone to experience anything representing an adventure was so daunting to me that it was never an option There is no adventure within your comfort zone!" says Tharina She thought that her disability was a burden to her family But diving with her daughters, surrounded by millions of fish and other magnificent sea creatures, they could experience an adventure like never before.

P A R T 2 T R E A T I N G

THE BENDS

THE CHAMBER OPERATOR

By Dennis Guichard

When it comes to anyone's ultimate well being inside a hyperbaric chamber, it is undoubtedly the skill and experience of the Chamber Operator that is most critical to the success of any treatment

It’s the Subsea and Hyperbaric Medicine qualified Physician who, of course, assesses any patient's condition upon arrival at the hyperbaric facility and prescribes the suitable course of treatment, it's the Chamber Attendant who ensures your comfort and well being inside the chamber, but it’s the Chamber Operator who critically manages all the life support systems, ensures adequate oxygen delivery, carefully controls prescribed descent and ascent rates, operates oxygen delivery and air break time schedules, controls the fire risk systems, and is the valuable link between the Physician and the Chamber Attendant.

There is no question that the Chamber Operator is a technical wizard of humbling capability They are often paramedical or commercial diver medic qualified, but they also have a deep understanding of

diving physics, physiology, dive planning, and decompression theory They are also commonly formally trained through the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Society in the fundamentals of hyperbaric medicine.

The Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Care Unit is managed by the incredibly talented and professionally minded Chad Katz, who runs the day to day functional operation of the chamber facilities, assists the facility Physician (Dr Craig Springate) with patient wound care treatments, works as the Chamber Operator doing everyday hyperbaric medicine treatments, is on constant standby 24/7 to help treat any decompression sickness cases referred by the DAN Hotline, and freelances as an experienced Paramedic for various emergency services in his spare time

Not only is the Chamber Operator managing the safety of any patients in the chamber but also managing the decompression schedules and well being of any number of Chamber Attendants who might be doing multiple or split time treatments in the chamber, each of whose tissue loading and decompression status need to be monitored and controlled to ensure they don't bend and become patients themselves

The internal environment of the chamber must be maintained within prescribed set points to ensure thermal comfort of the occupants, ensure that breathing gasses are provided at an adequate life support level, and ensure that the internal environment of the chamber is at a low fire risk status. The Chamber Operator can't blink for a moment as they keep a keen eye on chamber oxygen levels, carbon dioxide levels, chamber humidity, and chamber air temperature. These conditions need to be kept within a tight range of balance

In SCUBA diving, we are commonly taught not to exceed a maximum partial pressure of oxygen of 1 6 bar, and ideally not to let that value exceed 1 4 bar to control the risk of central nervous system oxygen toxicity in the water, whilst during a controlled recompression treatment we will have diver patients breathing 100% medical oxygen at 2.8 bar partial pressure for repetitive cycles of 20 minute intervals whilst undergoing decompression sickness treatment

The risk of oxygen toxicity is high, but the medical oxygen is being administered in a controlled medical environment by an experienced and knowledgeable staff of hyperbaric professionals where the risks are controlled and because the benefits thereof are critical to how hyperbaric medicine works in the treatment of many disorders including decompression sickness.

Functionally speaking, recompression following diagnosis of decompression sickness has many physics related benefits, including a reduction of any trapped inert gas bubble volume, reducing the surface area to volume ratio of bubbles inducing them to collapse, and enhancing the gas diffusion gradient encouraging inert gas to leave the bubble and dissolve back into the blood plasma

Additionally, hyperbaric oxygen treatment also helps heal clinical physiological symptoms through various biological mechanisms oxygenating any ischaemic tissue, reducing leukocyte (white blood cell) adhesion in blood vessels, and releasing neurotrophin proteins which are protective of nervous system neurons

Worldwide we have a range of various recognised treatment tables which we can use for decompression sickness treatments and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. However, in South Africa, it has long been accepted

protocol to rely on the US Navy tables for our use

The primary treatment schedule for mild pain only decompression sickness is thus the US Navy Table 5, which commences with pressurisation to a chamber depth of 18m seawater, equivalent at a slow controlled descent rate of 6m per minute. The patient will then be given 100% medical oxygen to breathe at that depth via a hood system that provides the oxygen and vents expelled air safety back out of the chamber.

Ideally, we would hope to see a resolution of the pain symptoms within 10 minutes of breathing oxygen at depth. Otherwise, the US Navy Table 5 can be extended with two additional 20 minutes cycles, or we can change the treatment protocol to US Navy Table 6, which is also longer and offers more time for a resolution of symptoms.

US Navy Table 5 is a relatively quick

treatment lasting just 2 hours and 15 minutes, whereas US Navy Table 6 is 4 hours and 45 minutes long, offering extended periods of breathing 100% medical oxygen at 'depth' Both Tables 5 and 6 include slow controlled ascent rates of just 0 3 metres per minute, carefully and delicately controlled by the super skilled Chamber Operator.

US Navy Table 4, which is used for the treatment of more severe cases of decompression sickness, is 38 hours 35 minutes long, and US Navy Table 8, which is used for uncontrolled ascents when more than 60 minutes of compulsory decompression have been omitted (if you even survive an ascent and tissue loading of that nature), can be up to 65 hours 29 minutes long

Last but not least, it is an essential function of the Chamber Operator to keep a fully detailed logbook recording every aspect of every treatment, as this information forms parts of the legal

framework of operating a hyperbaric facility Relatively straightforward, perhaps on a singular short hyperbaric or decompression sickness treatment profile, but endlessly more complicated on those long treatment tables where teams of doctors, chamber attendants, and chamber operators have to work in shifts to ensure continuity of adequate patient treatment and also manage the decompression status of the attendants

According to the latest 2019 DAN Diving Report, 2,423 decompression sickness cases for the four years, 2104 through to 2017. Of those cases, around 23% were Type 1 pain only joint bends, 26% were skin bends, and 45% were the more serious Type 2 neurological bends, i e , bubbles in the spinal cord and brain Although a recent publication on PubMed is now also suggesting that Cutis Marmorata (skin bends) may, in fact, rather be a symptom of microbubbles embolising on the brain stem (the site of autonomic nervous system regulation of skin blood vessel dilation and constriction) and thus much more serious than we’ve always believed

The consequences of this hypothesis are that Cutis Marmorata skin decompression sickness should no longer be considered a mild innocuous form but rather a severe neurological form and treated accordingly It's also thus a frightening realisation then that some 71% of bends, according to recorded DAN worldwide statistics, are the more serious forms of neurological decompression sickness which are also often known not to always heal completely without residual complications.

It appears that we're also literally at an endpoint of our long standing early belief in thinking that it is a hypothetical algorithm that is always going to keep us safe by preventing decompression sickness when in reality, we all embody a wide range of individual susceptibilities that throw the basis of any algorithm's general framework of assumptions into vast disarray When statistics show us that some 86% of decompression sickness cases are from divers completely within their maximum allowable dive time limits, it becomes clear that there is certainly more going on physiologically in our bodies than just the simplistic formation of microbubbles at the end of any dive

We seem to be moving into an exciting new realm of more closely considering individual diver bubble generation risk profiles, which may differ wildly from one diver to the next and from one day to the next in any individual It's critical, of course, first and foremost, to adhere to all the guidance around effective dive profile management to help minimise the generation of bubbles in our tissues and venous systems. Still, it is equally fascinating how each of our physiologies responds to the presence of microbubbles after any dive, which seems equally central to whether we might present with decompression sickness

Every scuba dive generates microscopic bubbles in our tissues and venous bloodstream; there is no such thing as a bubble free dive And it seems that decompression sickness is then a result of how our bodies individually respond on any given day to how those microscopic bubbles interfere with the endothelial lining of our blood vessels and perhaps lead to vascular inflammation.

There are many questions in decompression theory for which there frustratingly don't seem to be any conclusive answers Still, we seem to be making some exciting strides forward thanks to a handful of phenomenal minds worldwide asking the 'deep' questions

Whatever physiological mechanism it is that brings you to us, you can undoubtedly be grateful for the incredible skill of the Chamber Operator in helping you heal.

Dennis Guichard is a multi agency qualified Scuba Instructor Trainer and a DAN ‘Master Dive Pro’ member He is qualified as an offshore saturation medic and a Hyperbaric Technologist freelancing as a chamber operator and attendant at the Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Care Unit, Durban, South Africa

Pros Choose DAN

Trusted When It Matters Most

Tec Clark, Associate Director, Scuba Diving Nova Southeastern University, explains why he chooses DAN.

HOW ACUTE & LONG COVID IMPACTS DIVE SAFETY?

MYTHS

By Dennis Guichard

Coronaviruses are nothing new they are families of viruses that have been infecting humans and animals separately for millennia Four coronaviruses are endemic to humans, typically infecting the upper respiratory tract and causing what we know as the 'common cold' not to be confused with the seasonal 'flu', which is something entirely different again, caused by various strains of an influenza virus rather than a Coronaviridae virus

In just the past two decades, however, three of what are referred to as 'zoonotic' coronaviruses have unusually transferred from animal infection to humans (SARS COV 1, MERS COV, and the current SARS COV 2). It is these that have been particularly causing chaos to human health.

Demystifying the myths to help keep you safe under pressure

DennisGuichard is qualified as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach with advanced gut health and hormone optimisation certification He is also an IMCA Assistant Saturation Life Support Technician, HSE Offshore Diver Medic, and a DAN ‘Master Dive Pro’ member He freelances as a Hyperbaric Technologist at the Netcare St Augustine’s Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Care Unit in Durban, South Africa

There is a common misconception, perhaps quite understandably driven by covid fatigue and our shared desire to wish the virus away, that the new Omicron virus is 'just the common cold' Still, unfortunately, the systemic damage caused within our bodies by this zoonotic coronavirus is quite different pathologically It has many concerns for us in the recreational, commercial, and saturation diving industries.

Like many of us, I'm sure I've lived the last two and a half years or so in absolute fear of SARS COV 2 I've lost more friends than I bear to think about to the virus and have lived in near isolation, focussing on eating a protective, nutritious diet and adhering to all the recommended sanitisation protocols, just trying to keep myself safe from getting it. But a few weeks ago, it ultimately got me anyway. I don't quite know whether to be relieved or devastated. Still, there is undoubtedly a level of emotional trauma involved as much as the physiological

Currently trying to nurse myself now back to total health, I find myself trawling through all the medical portals of published science, trying to deeply understand quite how the various mutations of the virus affect us as divers and quite when might be a safe point for me to get back into the water diving and back into the chamber working as a hyperbaric technologist doing oxygen therapy with patients What I've found is that there is minimal consensus among the various dive associations worldwide as to when might be a safe point for a return to diving, but to be fair, the virus has also been mutating and changing its physiological impact on our various bodily organs so rapidly that it's been near impossible for science to keep up.

Much of the current scientific literature is understandably based on deep research into the behaviourisms and pathophysiology of the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta lineage of the viruses form,

but what has now emerged in the recent six months or so is an entirely new strain of the coronavirus that is structured and behaves quite unlike any of the others It is so different that there are elements of the scientific community already talking about identifying Omicron as SARS COV 3 or Covid 21 because it is unique

Scientists aren't even sure where Omicron came from, as it is not a derivative mutation of Delta or its Covid 19 predecessors There is conjecture that it perhaps evolved out of some animal yet again possibly connected to the original virus, but it is indeed unique The positive with it, if we can call it a positive, is that Omicron has crowded out the alternative Delta strain of the virus and now dominates worldwide.

But even Omicron is evolving so rapidly that it must be nearly impossible to keep up with We initially seemed to have two separate strains of it, named BA 1 and BA 2, although a (relatively rare occurring) BA 3 developed with some shared mutation similarities to both BA 1 and BA 2, whereas BA.2 seemed to very quickly mutate into the version BA.4 and then BA.5 which are most prevalent now here in South Africa but which have also been identified extensively worldwide.

These latest versions are thought to almost be the 'perfect' coronavirus as they have developed their connective spike proteins to be an almost perfect match to the ACE2(Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2) receptors that we have on our own eukaryotic cells (cells containing a nucleus which the virus needs to replicate itself and spread). It is thus, again perhaps positively, thought that coronaviruses cannot possibly become any more infectious as they are now at the peak 'perfection' of how they attach to our cells

Whereas the earlier versions of Covid 19 caused havoc to our lungs, Omicron is less likely to. Delta and the likes needed a particular cellular protease enzyme, known as TMPRSS2, for it to penetrate our cells to reproduce and spread and that enzyme is found abundantly in our lower respiratory system in the deep recesses of our lungs and alveoli Once the virus got into our cells and our own immune response system recognised it as being there, our bodies flooded the alveoli with antibodies and cytokines, trying to suppress the infection. Our inflammatory response, however, often had catastrophic outcomes for many, and divers that insult our lungs may leave us with bullae and tissue scarring that can be detrimental to our safety whilst diving

But Covid 19 doesn't just give us a pulmonary insult. It also gets into our bloodstream and causes damage to the endothelial lining of our entire cardiovascular system, a critical interface for how inert gasses are absorbed and released, which may impact our decompression stress risk and render traditional dive tables or dive computers NDT time limits valueless Not only is the very basis of decompression theory disrupted, but the endothelial particles discarded by the blood vessels are also ideal seed nuclei for bubbles to form around and clotting to occur.

But then Omicron is also different to the Delta lineage viruses in that it doesn't need TMPRSS2 to access our cells it has evolved itself to much more efficiently gain access to our upper respiratory paranasal cells through a process called endocytosis positively resulting in a 'weaker' insult than the Delta TMPRSS2 binding mechanism. Omicron also doesn't cause individual cells to fuse together (a process known as syncytia) as Delta did to our lung tissues. Omicron has evolved, however, to have some of the same spike proteins as the 'common cold' virus, which is why it has also partially become so 'successfully' infectious It perhaps is also where the convenient dismissing confusion comes from about the severity of Omicron

So, all in all, Omicron can get into our bodies in a seemingly less destructive and often asymptomatic manner and can sneak into cells without our immune defence system often realising it is there, but that's not for a moment to think that it isn't still destroy once it's snuck in the back door Assessment of commercial divers through British research has shown that as many as 40 50% can actually be Covid positive but still be completely asymptomatic, yet often show negative pulmonary changes on CT scans.

By all accounts Omicron certainly causes fewer hospitalisations and fewer deaths than the Delta predecessors so it ‘seems’ to be ‘milder’ but the concern for us is not necessarily whether the virus is symptomatic, or whether it gives us a direct pulmonary insult, but quite what damage it might be causing internally that might risk our safety in diving.

Research reveals two pathways of concern one, that the virus has been shown to impact our colon microbiome negatively, and secondly, how the virus spike protein triggers what is known as amyloid clotting systematically within our cardiovascular systems. This amyloid microclotting (amazingly first identified by a South African researcher Resia Pretorius at the University of Stellenbosch) is also thought to be central to what causes the long covid effects that so many people are finding they're struggling with

Besides accessing our eukaryotic cells and causing direct destruction, Covid is also known to act like a bacteriophage, infecting bacteria in our gastrointestinal tract and through to our colon microbiome When the bacteria sense the presence of any virus, they release toxins to try to destroy it, modifying its surface properties which ironically permits the virus to gain access to the bacteria whereby its RNA can either combine with or break down the host bacteria

In ongoing research by Dr Sabine Hazan in the USA, the covid virus has been found to be thriving in faecal bacterial samples of patients up to a year after the infection was thought to have passed symptomatically It has been shown that there is commonly a resultant decrease in beneficial bacteria and an increase in pathogenic bacteria because of covid harbouring in our colons In almost all patients who suffer insult from the virus there is shown to be an initial lack, or a destruction, specifically of Bifidobacterium

Our gut health is central to the effective functioning and well being of almost every other function and organ in our body Bifidobacterium is key to much of that The bacterial changes influence a decrease in lipid (fat) metabolism, a decrease in glycan biosynthesis (important for maintaining tissue structure, porosity, and integrity), and a decrease in metabolism pathways Interference with the microbiome also shows a resultant enhanced carbohydrate metabolism. This microbiome dysbiosis may also concern saturation teams where optimised nutrition and energy balance are critical for divers' well being

Coronaviruses can impact any organ containing the binding enzyme ACE2, found throughout our respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, liver and gallbladder, pancreas, kidney and bladder, male testis, female fallopian tube and placenta, etc.

The potential presence of amyloid clotting and hyperactivated platelets are of tremendous concern to us as divers because these persistent micro clots are resistant to the body's own fibrinolytic processes (which usually break down and remove clots). These clots may be problematic because they could also interfere with the solubility of inert gasses going into and out of our tissues in decompression, and again also provide ideal seeds for the formation and aggregation of bubbles that might otherwise not have formed on our typical dive profile General pathology blood tests do not pick the micro clots because the inflammatory markers are trapped within the micro clots

Diving physicians worldwide are doing their best trying to grasp quite what risk these endlessly mutating viruses might pose to us in diving The Delta lineage viruses risked causing chronic pulmonary damage, whilst all of the viruses, including Omicron, still risk potential harm to our cardiovascular, central nervous system, and metabolic processes The most recent guidance for even mild or asymptomatic infection seems to vary between a week to 3 months respite for a 'safe' return to diving. The truth, though, is that we're each very bio individual, and what guidance is 'right' for one might not be so for another

The DAN' Return to Diving' guidance follows the grading system offered via the Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine publications. It seems the most reasonable and widely used worldwide. Ultimately the best advice has always been to obtain a full diving medical from a respected Diving Physician, which is certainly what I will do for myself once I feel entirely asymptomatic again

DAN Student Coverage For Entry Level Divers

Entry-level students can explore with confidence knowing that their dive centre and instructor are committed to their safety with DAN's Student Dive Coverage.

R E V I V A L

SOUTH AFRICAN FREEDIVING

By Bevin Reynolds

The South African Freediving Federation has seen an energetic and eventful revival with various freediving competitions hosted around the country Divers from the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, and Western Cape competed, some for the first time, in locally held competitions, before gathering in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) for the South African National Championships

Eastern Cape divers enjoyed three mini competitions this season, all being held at the beautifully maintained Newton Park swimming pool in March this year. The competitions comprised of three main events. The dynamic events of DNF (Dynamic No Fins), DYNB (Dynamic with BiFins), DYN (mono fin), as well as the static or breath hold event These competitions were open to both novice and experienced divers.

In Gauteng, divers took to the water with renewed commitment Over the season, Gauteng Freedive hosted three notable events: Komati Springs Deep Weekend & a summer series consisting of two pool competitions DAN backs both

The Komati Springs Deep Weekend saw divers of varying skill levels enjoy an entire weekend of deep line work under the watchful and passionate coaching of Gletwyn Rubidge and Charles Muller. The divers acquired new skills and techniques through one on one tutoring, and most improved their performances The proceeds from this weekend event were utilised to purchase a valued oxygen kit that will be present at all SAFF training and competition events

In both Gauteng pool competitions, participants experienced the challenges and rewards presented by an organised freediving competition The March competition was the first of its kind with the introduction of a results board that displayed all divers' achievements poolside The nerve inducing DNF event, which had not been included in any Gauteng Freedive competition previously, was also on the cards. Notable performances came from Samantha Hunter, who joined the 100 m club in her DYNB event and Charles Muller, whose infectious love for static apnea revealed that 5 minutes is entirely doable.

The Federation was grateful for the DAN goodie bags each competitor at these events received and prizes made available by Dive Factory in Durban, Coral Wetsuits, and DMD Fins in Cape Town, which were much appreciated by the freedivers!

Freediving Africa hosted this year's Cape Town based event at Ant's heated, outdoor 25 meter pool in Hout Bay on 30th April & 1st May. The facility is owned by Ant Latimer and is well known amongst freediving enthusiasts around the Western Cape Although we couldn't have asked for better weather, Winter was around the corner, and the pool heaters were run non stop to create a super comfortable in water temperature that was perfect for this outdoor apnea competition This event saw some impressive results from several competitors, both new and experienced It also enabled all divers to hone their skills to compete in the South African Freediving Federation Nationals

Some outstanding record breaking performances were those of Bevin Reynolds with 141 m in DNF & 159 m DYNB and our United States comrades, both of who unofficially broke US records, Evan Walthers with 162 m DNF & 185 m DYNB, and Brandon

Reed 7:04 min in the Static apnea/breath hold event

Special thanks to Ant Latimer for the use of his venue and to Kayla Keet and Paul Winter Event Signage for their clear and quirky signs on the day

The 2022 Freediving year culminated in an outstanding South African National Championships held in June at the Newton Park Pool in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape This competition saw some of South Africa's top divers and judges and several new competitors meet for three days of diving The judges, divers and the safety team were delighted to find the 50 m pool warm and pristinely clean, creating the perfect conditions for excellent performances Three new South African records were set Bevin Reynolds increased her women's DNF and DYNB records to 150 m and 194 m, respectively Gletwyn Rubidge joined the 200 m club with his new men's DYN record A special mention goes to our young up and coming divers, Nick Stow and Zephyr Rubidge. They added many meters to their underwater events and revealed a promising future for freediving in our country

The Federation would like to acknowledge the work and assistance of the judges at this year's competition events Thanks to Matt Stow and Quintin de Boer, the safety team from Coastal Water Rescue, Chevonne Bishop, Roelien Roodt and Samantha Hunter, Tarryn Witbooi, Jacques Wuis, Coastal Water Rescue and Bruce Mills Due to the gracious support of the sponsors, the competitors at the competitive events gratefully received prizes from Freediving Africa, Cape Town Freediving, DMD FINS, Billy the Bee Yoga & Meditation Accessories, DAN Southern Africa, Coral Wetsuits, Rabitech, NAUI Services Africa, Cressi South Africa, and Salteez Ocean Shop, Freedivers Online Store, Janet Rudman (Freediving Johannesburg), and Sapmok.

It has been a successful season, with great performances from our members and the collective accomplishment of well organised and safely run events The South African Freediving Federation looks forward to another exciting year of growth and development. At our recent AGM, there was a renewed commitment to our beautiful sport from the following members:

Matt Stow (President)

Chevonne Bishop (Treasurer)

Roelien Roodt (Secretary)

MJ Kühn (Safety, Education & Training)

Samantha Hunter (Marketing)

Shane J v Vuuren and Charles Muller (Safety, Training & Education)

Sophia van Coller (Vice President)

Bevin Reynolds (Communications)

New to the committee: Our collective vision remains the same: to grow and enhance the sport of freediving in safe and positive ways! We hope to see you in the water to share our love of freediving.

Advertise In Alert Diver

Metabolism & Nutrition In Saturation Diving

Living and working for extended periods at extensive depth during saturation diving can lead to a host of challenges related to diver well being, including metabolic changes, oxidative stress, changes to blood biomarkers, serum iron retention, microbial imbalances, and a reduction in the body’s ability to absorb some vitamins like Folate, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12

diver bodyweight a day would be the ideal target for ensuring optimised energy balance in saturation divers. This would equate to an average 3,880 kcal energy requirement for a typical 80kg diver per day, or 4,850 kcal per day for a 100kg diver, which is pretty extensive by usual dietary standards

Ensuring wellness and productivity in the deep water high pressure environment.

Saturation divers work extremely hard, doing long repetitive shifts for days and weeks at extreme depth Weight loss is not unusual following extended saturation exposure through a loss of muscle mass, so adequate energy provision and nutritional balance are essential.

Norwegian research identified that an energy provision of between 44 53 kcal per kg of

Research has shown a four fold increase in metabolic fat oxidation in saturation divers in a heliox environment, whilst carbohydrate oxidation was two fold smaller. Thus, saturation divers should consume a relatively high healthy fat diet at the expense of carbohydrates and increase protein uptake. The high fat diet would also be helpful for the divers to satisfy their higher general energy expenditure demands and help

D E N N I S G U I C H A R D

them remain healthy and energised to cope with their workloads

We’re all very bio individual, though, with varying muscle/bone/fat body profiles, so any dive teams metabolic needs need to be individualised in an ideal world setting, a dedicated task for deep water saturation operations.

All commercial dives deeper than 50m are typically performed with divers breathing either helium/oxygen (heliox), helium/oxygen/hydrogen (hydreliox), or hydrogen/oxygen (hydrox) for the ultimate reduction of inert gas narcosis, high pressure nervous syndrome, and ultimately decompression sickness. However, all inert gasses ultimately have narcotic potency at various depths and partial pressures as a percentage of the breathing mixture

In saturation diving, the ‘bottom phase’ can often entail living in a high oxygen environment with a partial pressure of oxygen at around 0.4 ATA and can be elevated during the working bell runs to between 0 6 0 8 ATA Whereas under normobaric surface conditions, we are all exposed to a much lower level of oxygen at just 0.21 ATA.

Our bodies each contain an estimated 39 trillion microscopic microbes, which play a critical role in maintaining wellness. As we’d expect, oral and colon bacterial diversity is found to sway in favour of a proliferation of oxygen loving pathogenic aerobes like Proteobacteria (Neisseria) and Actinobacteria (Rothia) with a reduction in salutogenic (healthy) anaerobes like Fusobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes Anaerobes can only exist in low oxygen environments, so it is no wonder they diminish in the hyperoxic saturation environment

Proteobacteria are generally considered harmful in excess, potentially leading to metabolic disorders and inflammatory bowel disease in the long term and can also trigger asthma When in healthy balance, Actinobacteria are generally considered beneficial with the sub family phylum Bifidobacteria commonly found in probiotic supplements However, Chinese research indicates there is often ironically a reduction in colon Bifidobacteria and short chain fatty

acids in working saturation divers

Oxygen tolerant respiratory bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus are associated with many disorders like impetigo skin infections, urinary tract infections, gastroenteritis, pneumonia, and pulmonary infection in the pleural space can also increase in a saturation environment.

Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes are usually abundant in a healthy colon. They are essential for producing anti inflammatory short chain fatty acids which are considered key in many ways to wellness within our bodies Yet, these also diminish in the saturation environment. The changes in aerobic and anaerobic bacteria impact divers’ energy metabolism, oxidative stress response, and Vitamin B12 biosynthesis

Vitamin B12 is essential for producing new red blood cells, which is critical for all of us A diet rich in fibre and prebiotic and probiotic foods is also necessary for optimised colon bacterial health. A resultant need was thus demonstrated that saturation divers should indeed receive Vitamin B12 supplementation in their diet (as a B Complex supplement), something we should all be ensuring, even in normal daily life

Mild anaemia is common after saturation diving because the high oxygen environment causes a reduction in the generation of haemoglobin rich red blood cells and is often why saturation divers tend to experience fatigue for up to a week after completing a dive cycle Erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone produced by the kidneys that help make red blood cells in the bone marrow, is also downregulated by the body during saturation exposures to protect against excessive oxidative stress

Research indicated a rise in lipid (fat)biosynthesis and a fall in fatty acid biosynthesis. Furthermore, there were also metabolic changes in the way certain protein amino acids were biosynthesised in divers’ bodies, changes in biological signalling molecules needed for DNA and RNA synthesis, and a reduction in carbohydrate metabolism.

Increased oxygen exposure in saturation can lead to increased body iron stores, whilst the hyperoxic environment can also affect the metabolism of folate, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12 The amino acid homocysteine can become elevated when these vitamins are lacking, leading to fatigue, dizziness, mouth sores, mood changes, and pins and needles

Saturation diving has been shown to disturb the fluid balance, EEG and sleep patterns, redox homeostasis (vital for helping the body combat oxygen free radicals), immune system function, liver function due to increased oxidative stress, and reduction in the generation of new blood cells

Bone osteonecrosis has been a well known malady amongst saturation divers for many decades. Divers can frequently lose between 1 5kg on a typical 28 day saturation dive, resulting from reduced protein synthesis, increased basal metabolism, and alterations in metabolic fuel utilisation Long term energy deficiency whilst in saturation may weaken the immune system and compromise bone health.

Heliox possesses a conductivity some six times more than air, increasing the energy cost of divers keeping themselves warm, whilst despite the reduced breathing gas density, the increased pressure of being at saturation depth still also places an extra burden on the energy cost of breathing It is thus a legislative requirement that heliox is heated in saturation dives below 150m depth

Despite that changes in blood physiology is a natural reaction from the body responding and adjusting to a changed hyperoxic environment, commonly leading to post dive fatigue and headaches, it is still essential that catering support teams help ensure adequate nutritional balance for saturation divers by providing a healthy diet with a suitable balance of macro and micronutrients and vitamins

Research by the NASA NEEMO project studies reveals evidence of a DNA damage and repair response process from living in high oxygen environments DNA telomere protective foods contain Vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, found in spinach, carrots, red peppers, lentils, white haricot beans, mushrooms, eggs, cod liver oil, sardines, and mackerel Minerals like magnesium are also invaluable for DNA protection, found in almonds, oatmeal, bananas, wholewheat bread, avocado, spinach, brown rice, and tofu.

Magnesium is essential for mitochondrial ATP cell energy production and detoxification It is needed to create glutathione, one of the body’s most potent antioxidants, naturally critical in any hyperoxic environment

For protein, a 100g steak contains 25g of protein, one large egg contains 6g, and 100g of chicken contains 31g of protein. However, we can also get all the protein and essential amino acids our bodies need from a 100% plant based diet by eating legumes, lentils, beans, chickpeas, soy, hemp seed, quinoa, buckwheat, etc One cup of cooked soybeans provides 20g of protein, as much as a small steak but much more beneficial for the colon microbiome and proliferation of essential short chain fatty acids.

Healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats containing Omega 3 fatty acids are essential in our diets to help regulate the integrity of our immune and digestive systems and ensure the production of hormones that regulate the flow and clotting of blood and manage inflammation

Protective foods that stimulate the release of regenerative stem cells like dark chocolate, fish, whole wheat, green beans, and turmeric are also valuable in any diet, or equally more generally by following the framework of the popular Mediterranean diet

Iodine, zinc, and selenium are essential to help make thyroid hormones, which can be obtained from consuming seafood and Brazil nuts Zinc can be obtained from oysters, red meat, eggs, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds

Saturation diving is a gratifying career respected as the absolute pinnacle of professional diving services, an aspiration for many divers everywhere. It, however, demands tremendous sacrifice working far away from home for long periods at extreme depth in hyperoxic environments that have unavoidable physiological and metabolic impacts on divers’ bodies

A delicious, nutritionally well balanced meal plan must be assured for saturation divers that deliver adequate energy balance to keep them at peak performance and in good health for the long run

Dietary Guidelines

Healthy mono & poly unsaturated fat: 35% of total daily calorific intake i e , avocado, olives, nuts, hummus, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts, salmon, mackerel, etc.

Carbohydrates: 45% of total daily consumption i e , a diversity of vegetables and salads ensuring a high fibre (60g+) content variety is key

Protein: 1.3g/kg body mass, i.e., 104g protein per day for an 80kg diver (so roughly 20% of daily diet)

Antioxidants: a varied diet rich in fruit and vegetables to fuel the body’s antioxidant defence systems

Vitamin B: B Complex supplementation + a well balanced, varied diet

Folate (Vitamin B9): for red blood cell formation and healthy cell growth

Vitamin C: antioxidant, liver protection, immune system, wound healing

Vitamin D: critical for bone health

Vitamin E: antioxidant, liver protection, vision, protects blood and skin

Magnesium: muscle & nerve function, energy generation, blood pressure

Dennis Guichard is qualified as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach with advanced gut health and hormone optimisation certification He is also an IMCA Assistant Saturation Life Support Technician, HSE Offshore Diver Medic, and a DAN ‘Master Dive Pro’ member He freelances as a Hyperbaric Technologist at the Netcare St Augustine’s Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Care Unit in Durban, South Africa

M A R I N E B I O L O G Y

THE SHARKWISE PROJECT

By Dr Sara Andreotti

Among all the fascinating creatures in the underwater world, sharks are the ones that spark the most contradictory feeling from people Most people’s opinions about sharks don’t stem from personal experience. Some people obsessively love them, some fear them, and others don’t want to hear about them These animals are also generally vilified by movies and media outlets, looking to leverage people’s thirst for shocking stories.

Regardless of people’s feelings, what is true is that sharks are essential for the marine environment They are crucial to maintaining a balanced and healthy ecosystem, eliminating sick individuals from their prey populations, keeping smaller predators’ populations in check, and their distribution confined.

Sharks are facing an unprecedented threat from human activities Most sharks in South Africa are legally fished, poached, killed as bycatch, and targeted by shark nets for “beach protection”.

These threats escalate when there is a lack of information on sharks’ population numbers, distribution, and reproductive cycles The lack of information on these species prevents efficient management and conservation efforts. As a response, South Africa started to prioritise shark research in the National Environment Biodiversity Assessment Act (2004), the National Plan of Action for Sharks (NPOA Sharks 2020) and the Shark Biodiversity Management Plan (SBMP 2015), which states that “to achieve and maintain a favourable conservation status for resident and migratory sharks within South African waters it is necessary to have science based management approaches”

It is challenging to achieve the above goals because it requires dedicated scientists with specialised training to study sharks It is a time consuming and costly exercise

The facts mentioned above are why The SharkWise Project came into being The Project is the collaboration between conservation minded corporates Italtile and Stellenbosch University to increase shark researchefforts in SouthAfrica The goal is to raise the necessary funds,enhance shark research and ultimately train the next generation of marine biologists to expand the work in the future

To kick off the program, the Department of Botany and Zoology of Stellenbosch University graciously received a deserved R 150 000 financial injection from Italtile and Tivoli taps at the Italtile Branch of Somerset West. The funds are used to purchase laboratory equipment, fieldwork equipment and travel expenses

Thanks to the SharkWise Project support, three Masters degree students and two PhD students could enrol at Stellenbosch University Their current research projects span fields of environmental DNA and population genetics to shark behaviour.

In parallel with raising funds, the SharkWise Project Marine Internship was created to provide free logistics support to the studentsneeding continuous access to the field/ocean for data collection

It also provided selected interns the opportunities to gain hands on experience in the marine biology field The SharkWise

Project Marine Internship was founded by Dr Sara Andreotti, an extraordinary lecturer from Stellenbosch University, and Walter Bernardis, owner of African Watersport and well known for his knowledge of sharks’ behaviour Similarly, in the Western Cape, some students receive logistic support from the Shark & Marine Research Institute based in Gansbaai.

The SharkWise Marine Internship is a fully research oriented internship program based in Umkomaas to assist with the data collection of current MSc or PhD projects, analysing data using specialised software and the opportunity to meet like minded local and international people! The program is run by a local marine biologist, who ensures all the data are organised correctly, and the equipment is well looked after The interns must pay to access this training program Still, there will soon be merit sponsorships for a few young South African students to join the program free of charge

The hope is for more conservation minded companies to join Italtile and Tivoli tap in our effort to study and conserve South African sharks Get in Touch or contact them to support their efforts to create future SharkWise marine experts.

Website: www sharkwiseproject com

Peter Buzzacott's

Research

Journey Interviewed by Frauke Tillmans,

Ph.D.

R E S E A R C H P R O F I L E

When did you start diving?

I got certified in 1992 on the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia. For the next five years, I dived in Turkey, Thailand, and on the shipwrecks of Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands, Scotland all over the place In 1997 I completed instructor training at Bass Lake in South Africa and then started teaching in Wales, where I lived. My wife and I moved to Western Australia in 1999, and I opened a diver training facility at the local boat dealership Life was pretty good for a few years, and I issued more than 500 certifications from basic open water diver to technical decompression diving

It was quiet in the winter there, so I returned to university and earned a bachelor’s degree in training and development After that, I spent another two years researching dive injuries while earning my master’s degree in public health I then closed the dive business to focus on dive research, and around that time, I took up cave diving

Where did you complete your doctorate?

In 2005 I asked the late Richard Vann, PhD if I could work on my doctorate with him Still, I wanted to stay at the University of Western Australia (UWA). After some discussion, he decided that splitting my program between two universities would not work, so in 2006 I started at UWA In 2007 Vann invited me to apply for a DAN internship. My application was successful, and he collected me from the airport in late May

There were quite a few interns that year, and we all trained to collect data for Project Dive Exploration (PDE) After a week, the others flew to various dive destinations. I remained at DAN with Erin from South Carolina and Alex from Colorado We worked on projects at the DAN office or Duke University during the week and went diving on weekends Alex and I did 135 dives in six states that summer Our first observational study showed that the no decompression limits in dive computer user manuals were not reliable for how conservative the

computers were likely to be for diving in lakes at high altitudes

What did you do after the internship ended?

I returned to Western Australia and continued collecting data for PDE more than 1,500 dive profiles Meanwhile, I dived, usually in caves Then I finished my doctorate and presented my findings at the European Underwater and Baromedical Society meeting in Istanbul, Turkey The Norwegian professor and dive researcher Alf Brubakk, MD, PhD, was one of my examiners He chaired the morning session before I presented my results

I was nervous, but a month later, I learned that he passed my thesis with only minor corrections

By then, I was certified to dive trimix with low oxygen levels (hypoxic trimix), which I used for diving into very deep caves I spent the next couple of years diving mines in Sweden, sump diving in Polish caves, and exploring the giant, water filled caves 90 m under the Nullarbor Plain,

RESEARCH, EDUCATION & MEDICINE

Research Profile

an immense limestone plateau on the southern coast of Central Australia. That is where I currently dive.

How did you end up in Europe?

After finishing my doctorate, I was wondering what to do next when I received an email inviting me to apply for a two year postdoctoral fellowship in decompression research as part of the Physiopathology of Decompression (PHYPODE) Project at the Université de Bretagne Occidentale in France. On Christmas Day 2012, my wife and I arrived in Brest, France The university did not reopen until January 4, which gave us a couple of weeks to explore

On my first day, I walked to work carrying a small French English pocket dictionary, counting my steps along the way. By the time I got to work, I could count in French. “Une, Deux, Trois.”

What were you doing there?

The work was fascinating, and François Guerrero, Ph delight to work for and very demanding He would en us to aim higher, submit our results to better journ make the most of every opportunity that came ou mentored three doctoral students one researching cells, one decompressing rats, and one using human In addition to helping them, I looked at populat epidemiological data This time in my career wa productive, and I made some dear friends with who work

I have dived all over France and northern Italy on weekends and holidays Other trips took me to lakes in Germany, shipwrecks in Croatia, flooded buildings underneath Budapest, and mines in Belgium, Slovakia, and a few other countries. I even won a research grant to visit Brubakk’s lab in Norway While there, I flew to Rana, Norway, and dived in the arctic Plura Cave

Between all this diving, we worked on our interests in decompression sickness’s genetic determinants. We imagined what it would be like if we had a test that could tell us if someone’s genes were upregulated and they were peaking in terms of protection right before a big dive We designed a selective breeding program and bred a strain of rats highly resistant to decompression, and this work continues

What did you do next?

My wife and I sold our home and moved to North Carolina As this wonderful time ended, Petar Denoble, MD, DSc, offered me a position at DAN It was fantastic I published a lot of dive research over the next few years and made a lot of dives spanning 20 states. DAN sent me to give talks at dive shows and dive clubs, which I enjoyed

There is one big question I haven't yet answered but would like to: Does diving add to our life expectancy or reduce it?

I gave 32 presentations in my last year at DAN The dive clubs were the best I’d give a talk to a packed room, and then we’d go for dinner somewhere I’d end up at a table with people who had been diving all their lives. There could be 150 years of dive experience at the table, and the plentiful dive stories came out fast, especially if you mentioned the “old days ”

Meanwhile, I was the DAN Annual Diving Report editor and ran the DAN Internship program I had come full circle While at DAN, I published a few epidemiology papers I still consider among my best work I worked on estimating the risk of dive injuries in recreational divers, which is still my focus Everyone else military divers, dive scientists, etc. has someone closely looking after them, but recreational divers are fascinating

Where are you now?

In July 2018, after three and a half years at DAN, I accepted an offer at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia

Now I am the director of graduate research, which means I help all the master’s and doctoral students stay on track I also teach one unit, applied paramedic bioscience, which I enjoy. The rest of my time I spend on my own research, by which I mean my doctoral students’ research

I still collaborate with researchers outside my university Last year I won the DAN/Alfred Bove Research Grant, which I am using to establish a wet lab in our new hyperbaric chamber facility We have doctoral student researchers studying bubbles and cardiac function in recreational divers We plan to add a third to look at nitrogen narcosis The grant is an excellent opportunity to grow a new generation of dive scientists.

What’s left that you want to discover?

There is one big question I haven’t yet answered but would like to: Does diving add to our life expectancy or reduce it? I’m also interested in whether deep vein thrombosis in commercial airline passengers is a form of decompression sickness and how we can identify recreational divers prone to bubbles after diving I can’t pin it down for you too much in the world holds my interest There just aren’t enough hours in the day.

Research, Education & Medicine Research Profile

Peter Buzzacott

There is one big question I haven't yet answered but would like to: Does diving add to our life expectancy or reduce it?

Heated Garments

By Frauke Tillmans, Ph.D.

Getting cold on a dive is unpleasant, but it becomes potentially fatal if it progresses to hypothermia Even more, than discomfort, considering the physiological and psychological stress, it can cause, being cold is potentially risky.

Every diver has an individual tolerance to temperature exposure and freezing water. A diver’s resilience regarding temperature will vary from day to day. Upgrading your thermal protection is one way to combat the cold You might go from a 3 mm to a 5 mm wetsuit, from a wetsuit to a drysuit, or from a thin layer of ski underwear to heavy fleece undergarments under your drysuit

A further step is to use heated undergarments or heated

vests to keep your core or entire body warm Many divers who have started using these devices are not planning to return to standard warming gear

Previously expensive and hard to find, heated vests and undergarments are readily available in many dive shops today and are becoming more popular in recreational diving How do these devices hold up when it comes to safety? What should a diver consider? Is heated underwear the right choice for you? This article should clarify some confusion about heated garments and how to use them properly

What Is Available?

Some drysuit manufacturers have been selling electrically heated undergarments for years These undergarments work with their drysuits to insulate the body and sometimes the hands and feet. You can now find heated vests and full undersuits from independent companies, ranging from integrated heating coils to pouches that you can stuff with molded heating pads Power comes from rechargeable internal or external batteries carried in pockets in the vests or undergarments The connectors, batteries, and heating elements are tested, approved for different

environments, and rated to specific water resistance standards.

It is important to note that not all heated undergarments and vests are for underwater use or immersion. If you can use them for diving, they might be safe for wetsuits or only suitable for drysuits Products specifically designed for other activities, such as motorcycle riding or hunting, are not generally for use in water unless they have the appropriate rating. It is essential to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations

Thermal Impact on Decompression

A study conducted at the Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU) and published in 2007 involved exposing divers to four different dive profiles in a hyperbaric chamber’s wet pool. The divers were either warm or cold for their bottom time and decompression, warm during bottom time and cold during decompression, or vice versa. They did not wear thermal protection and were exposed to warm (27°C) or cold (15°C) water in the dive’s different phases.

The researchers tested selected dive profiles. The experiments showed that some profiles showed no incidents of decompression sickness (DCS) in the cold bottom and warm decompression trials. The same profile with the inverse temperature profile resulted in many DCS incidents While this is an oversimplified description of this well designed and intensive study, it provides valuable insights into the potential thermal impact on decompression physiology.

What does this mean for trying to combat the cold with heated undergarments? When your body is warm, your blood vessels will dilate. Dilated (widened) blood vessels allow more gas to move in and out of the surrounding tissues, which means the on and offgassing of those tissues can occur faster than in the cold. In short, you need to be mindful of the heating device’s effects on your on and off gassing and your risk of decompression stress.

Constricted blood vessels on and off gas more slowly, but that doesn’t mean that being cold on a dive is

preferable On the contrary, an uncomfortable diver will likely become stressed, which can take away from the joy of diving and become a safety risk

Consider the following scenario: You have your new heated vest turned on during the descent and bottom portion of the dive. You chose a low setting despite freezing temperatures because you read this article and know that you will experience increased ongassing during bottom time than you would with no additional heat The plan was to switch to a higher temperature for ascent and increase your comfort during the decompression phase. If the vest failed right before ascent, however, your body might not be able to off gas as well, potentially increasing your risk of developing DCS.

Safety Considerations and Failure Points

Divers rely heavily on technology While we all know that we need a backup plan for a potential computer failure, many divers do not consider a

fallback option for that critical piece of equipment

Electronic devices are prone to failure, and your heated vest or undergarments may stop working. It would help if you didn’t plan your dive relying on the fact that your heating device will keep you warm It might not be fully charged, the electronics might malfunction, or you might have forgotten to take the remote control with you and notice only when you are already well underway

When choosing your heated vest or undergarments, ensure you wear the correct size and know where the heating elements are Before using it, inspect all exposed wiring, connections, and batteries for any signs of damage, and ensure you have secured and sealed the batteries and know how to switch off the device if it overheats Avoid squeezing or folding the heating elements to prevent malfunctions or overheating. If you notice the battery pack becoming unusually hot, switch off your warming device and call the dive Divers have reported squeezes from inaccurately folded heating layers and burns directly exposing their skin to the heating element without a clothing layer between their heating vest to shield their skin

Although DAN is unaware of such reported incidents, any device that operates on batteries inherently carries risks Educating yourself about heated undergarments and ensuring you use them correctly can safely increase your comfort during cold water diving

S A F E T Y 1 0 1

MY OCTOPUS GOES WHERE?

By Christine Tamburri and Jim Gunderson

The dive industry is full of debates. Should you use a jacket style, back inflate, or backplate and wing buoyancy compensator? A canister light or a cordless light? A weight belt or integrated weights? Regular fins or split fins?

Dive manufacturers release new technology every year, and with new equipment comes differing opinions. Some are legitimate, such as standardized markings for gas content in cylinders Others, such as air integrated computers, are matters of personal preference and individual needs One size rarely fits all.

For a traditional recreational configuration, divers wear the octopus (or safe second) on the right side This second regulator is ready for rapid deployment if a diver’s buddy runs out of breathing gas. Does positioning it on the right allow optimal use in an emergency? This topic is another source of debate, and there are arguments for wearing an octopus on the left and the right.

Folklore says that the octopus was initially designed for divers to wear on and deploy from their left sides.

R E S E A R C H , E D U C A T I O N & M E D I C I N E

Another tale claims that during a photo shoot for early marketing materials, the photographer realized that the desired shot was unachievable unless both models had their regulators on the same side. They switched the octopus to the right, the photos were published, and the rest is history Yet another story says divers reversed the sides due to a lack of available low pressure ports on the first stage. There is little documentation of these tales, but something (or a combination of things) is responsible for creating or changing the industry status quo.

To assess the advantages of a particular configuration, we must first evaluate the purpose of the equipment in question What is the primary function of the octopus? Divers can use it to inflate a delayed surface marker buoy or as an alternate breathing device in the event of primary regulator failure. Still, the main purpose is to donate gas during an out of air emergency. Therefore, we must compare its function in the left and the right positions to determine which side is optimal. The following table compares the positions and highlights the advantages of wearing an octopus on the left Note that this does not apply to a diver who uses a BCD integrated octopus, an octopus that can work upside down (like a side exhaust regulator), or a long hose and necklace configuration

Octopus donation in a real out of gas emergency will likely be more chaotic and intense than any training exercise An optimal equipment configuration could be the difference between life and death in these situations. Of course, change is often challenging to implement We encourage divers to experiment and practice skills while wearing an octopus on the left to learn if that configuration is the correct choice for their dive needs

When modifying any equipment configuration, practising in confined water is essential Grab a buddy, go to a local pool, and practice deploying an octopus with your left hand A local dive shop can assist divers who need assistance with reconfiguring their hose routing

One of the benefits of wearing an octopus on the left is controlling the out of gas diver with your right hand, the dominant hand for most divers This configuration brings the

diver face to face with you. It avoids the awkward S turn necessary in the hose to deploy a right side octopus when sharing breathing gas Rehearse, grabbing the out of gas diver’s shoulder strap with your right hand as you deploy the octopus

Although pressing the purge button is discouraged, some circumstances may require it, so divers should also practice that skill Focus on maintaining eye contact and proper positioning in front of the out of gas diver. Pay attention to where the hose travels it should be just under the outside of your left arm Try positioning your index finger on the bridge of their mask to keep it in place

The common theme is control of the hose, control of the out of gas diver, and control of the situation Some tasks, such as maintaining eye contact, may be possible with the octopus on your right. Still, those processes can be nearly flawless when wearing it on your left

The greatest challenge that faces the industry when rethinking the octopus’s positioning is the overwhelming number of divers who learned to wear it on the right While this position is not necessarily incorrect, it is not ideal when wearing a typical recreational gear configuration No training agency standard dictates wearing it on a particular side.

Divers are encouraged to question the status quo Ask instructors or mentors for their thoughts and opinions to gather as much information as possible With change comes resistance, and divers who decide to wear their octopus on the left should expect questions and comments from others. Ultimately, it is up to each diver to determine which position is optimal for their dive needs

The industry will continue to debate the octopus’s correct positioning. Conversations about gear configurations should spark a healthy dose of curiosity in divers Changing habits can be difficult, but the task is less daunting when divers educate their peers With leadership, others follow, which is the only way to create genuine change

F R O M T H E

Q | I have developed Bell’s palsy. I understand the risks of its external effects such as not being able to blink in a mask clearing situation and not having complete control of the regulator in my mouth but could diving cause anything to happen internally that would worsen the condition? Due to its internal effects, are there any reasons I should not dive?

Anything that diverts your attention from diving is a potential safety risk No evidence suggests that diving worsens Bell’s palsy’s effects, and no studies show adverse effects. The main concern is that facial droop, eye twitching or inability to close your eye, facial numbness or paralysis, drooling, pain around your jaw or behind the ear, and a headache could all accompany Bell’s palsy. These symptoms compromise dive safety by not allowing you to securely close your mouth around a regulator, increasing the risk of aspirating seawater and causing eye irritation Although the onset is different, the signs and symptoms of Bell’s palsy can mimic a stroke or decompression illness (specifically arterial gas embolism) This could, theoretically,

make it a bit more difficult for a physician to make the diagnosis, especially if the facial paralysis happened in conjunction with diving activities

Conservative diving measure is always a good idea when there is any dysfunction, as this assists in excluding the likelihood of them being attributable to decompression illness. These conservative diving measures may include: diving well within no decompression stop limits; using enriched air nitrox while diving on air tables; lengthening safety stops around 3 to 5 meters; taking a day of diving after the third day if diving is planned for seven days or more; limiting the number of days diving, as well as the number of dives per day. More than two dives per day are not recommended Although these measures do not specifically address concerns related to Bell’s palsy, conservative diving always makes it easier to consider alternative diagnoses rather than decompression illness when symptoms arise within 24 hours of diving

If Bell’s palsy symptoms start improving within two weeks, the prognosis is typically very good for a full recovery The marginally elevated PO2’s during diving may even help reduce the swelling associated with the facial nerve. Importantly, irrespective of any of the above guidelines, if the symptoms of Bell’s Palsy worsen due to diving, discontinue further diving and seek medical advice

Anne Strysniewicz, AEMT, DMT

Q | I dive using nitrox and wonder if I can safely use Sudafed and Claritin while diving.

There are two significant issues with using Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) while diving Research shows a theoretical risk of oxygen toxicity with Sudafed while diving with higher partial pressures of oxygen Pseudoephedrine was not explicitly tested, but it is a sympathomimetic a drug that produces effects similar to those the sympathetic nervous system produces so we might infer from other drugs in that category that it has a similar outcome In addition, our current understanding of the mechanisms that cause oxygen convulsions would predict that sympathomimetic drugs might enhance susceptibility to oxygen convulsions

Given the findings from that study, we can say there may be an increased risk of oxygen

toxicity, but this is not likely under recreational diving limitations

The other issue with Sudafed is that it has a relatively short half life, meaning its effects wear off quickly, and your congestion can return abruptly as the drug wears off This rapid shift can create the conditions for a reverse squeeze. The difficulty is that it is hard to equalize if the issues occur during your ascent If your congestion returns during a dive, it is possible that your return to the surface may cause a significant barotrauma injury.

Sudafed is a decongestant, whereas Claritin (loratadine) is an antihistamine and may not provide the same equalization benefits. Claritin D is a combination of the two drugs It may offer equalization benefits in a longer lasting preparation with a decreased tendency to wear off. You may want to talk to your doctor about alternative options for checking congestion If you always require decongestants for problems equalizing, you may want to consult with an ear, nose, and throat specialist.

Ben Strelnick, NREMT, W EMT

Q | While on a cruise, I booked a dive excursion through a recommended vendor The cruise ship was leaving port without me as we finished the dive. We had just completed a dive to a maximum depth of 55 feet for 50 minutes on air, a 45 minute surface interval, and a second dive to a maximum depth of 43 feet for 50 minutes. The vendor and cruise line took responsibility for the mishap and booked me on a flight to meet the ship at the next port Four hours elapsed from the end of my dives to my flight departure I had no pain or symptoms during the flight, and I still feel fine. After hearing my story, a local dive instructor told me I should not have flown without a longer surface interval. Should I be worried about decompression sickness (DCS)?

DAN has well established recommendations for safe flying after diving based on our 2002 Flying After Recreational Diving Workshop Based on your dive profiles, the minimum recommended surface interval before flying should have been 18 hours

Dive tables and computer algorithms are based on theoretical models and designed for the masses. It is practically impossible to create a model to determine an individual’s risk and the factors that would make someone susceptible to DCS Many things determine a person’s decompression stress The shallow dives and short bottom times may have helped in your situation Still, nothing guarantees a repeat outcome under the same circumstances in the future.

Upon surfacing, the nitrogen from your dives begins to leave your body tissues Most inert gas is eliminated 24 hours after the dive, which is one of the reasons you can fly 18 hours after diving It is rare for someone to experience DCS more than 24 hours after diving

Since you have flown home without experiencing symptoms in flight and are still symptom free a few days later, it is reasonably safe to say you will not experience DCS

Soncini, NR P, DMT

Robert

Question

I am scheduled to undergo cervical fusion and discectomy When can I dive again after surgery?

There are several considerations to discuss with your surgeon After surgery, the minimum benchmarks to meet are to be released by your physician for full and unrestricted activity, including contact sports, and then add a convalescent period equal to at least half of your healing time. If your doctor releases you for unrestricted activity after eight weeks, your total waiting period would be 12 weeks That extra time will help you regain the physical fitness and aerobic capacity you lose from atrophy during your recovery. Once you’re back into a regular exercise routine after the waiting period, you can discuss a return to diving with your doctor

Diving typically requires you to perform certain physical demands that you may want to discuss with your orthopaedic surgeon You need to be able to carry weights around and walk while fully geared. Your dive preparation might require significant weight on your shoulders

Boarding a boat after diving means you need to climb a ladder fully geared Shore dives could pose an additional risk, with the difficulty of navigating surges and uneven surfaces such as river rocks and iron shore If you are in a leadership position, you’ll also need to be ready to help others with their gear and keep them safe by whatever means. Your physician must feel comfortable that you will be up to the task

There is an increased risk of spinal DCS in people with previous spinal injuries, including surgery Adding as many conservative behaviors as possible into your diving will help mitigate this risk, but nothing will eliminate it Behaviours such as diving nitrox while using air tables, limiting the number of dives per day, limiting the number of consecutive dive days, and increasing safety stop and surface interval times are easy changes.

Lana P Sorrell, MBA, EMT, DMT

Q | I was recently diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) I’m seeing a physical therapist to resolve vertigo and move the otoliths (crystals) out of my inner ear canals. Suppose my symptoms are resolved, and I am not experiencing vertigo. Do you know of any pressure related issues concerning BPPV that I should be aware of while diving?

While there are no known direct pressure related issues with BPPV, diving is not recommended for anyone with this condition until it has been fully treated and resolved Specific head and neck movements while on deck, entering and leaving the water, and during the dive may provoke another episode and result in serious injury. It’s a good idea to consider the risk of incapacitation from a sudden onset of vertigo, the danger of which increases exponentially in the underwater environment.

Additionally, the symptoms of BPPV can resemble those seen in serious medical conditions such as DCS and lead to an inappropriate or incorrect diagnosis of an underlying disease, which may result in improper treatment BPPV symptoms may be debilitating or incapacitating, so a diver must consider the risks to themselves and others should they require assistance.

Before diving, a physician trained in dive medicine should evaluate your condition and carefully explain the risks.

Anne Strysniewicz, AEMT, DMT

Oxygen Cleaning Dive Gear

By Francois Burman

Fires in compressed oxygen equipment are rare, even though we hear about life threatening accidents a rebreather fire, an emergency oxygen regulator accident, or a gas blending system fire

Several key questions arise: Why do situations with high oxygen levels and dirty hands or workbenches not always result in a fire? What is sufficient oxygen in a breathing gas to elevate the fire risk?

The answer to the first question lies in the statistical term probabilistic Sometimes materials in 100 percent oxygen at 150 bar psi and heated to 200°C spontaneously ignite. Sometimes they don’t If there is a reason for this, it is likely

beyond even the most qualified scientists to explain fully But we must err on the side of caution No oxygen fire is acceptable, and significant injuries or fatalities are often the outcomes

The number of oxygen molecules in an air filled scuba cylinder at 3,000 psi is 207 times more than what we find in the atmosphere There are other factors, but even a charged scuba cylinder could be considered oxygen enriched

Fires in our air systems are extremely rare. Setting aside the ignition sources and flammable materials lets us focus on situations where the amount of oxygen increases the fire risk.

Many codes, standards, specifications, guidelines, and

P A R T 1 : W H E N T O C L E A N

industry practices define oxygen enriched breathing gas differently We hear statements that 40 percent nitrox does not require oxygen clean equipment. How do we know the acceptable, safe level with all this conflicting information?

Table 1 summarizes references stating when gas is oxygen enriched Realistically, we could draw the line at no more than 25 percent. Still, asking where the level was tested, the intended maximum pressure, and how oxygen gets above 21 percent is essential.

Navy research in the 1960s and ’70s included studies of fires with varying oxygen enrichment levels, breathing gas mixtures, and environmental pressures The results showed that as pressure increases, the flame rate of materials increases rapidly with increasing oxygen concentrations. Above 25 percent, the burn rate rises quickly. At 40 percent oxygen and 90 psi, the burn rate is 50 percent higher than the 21 percent oxygen in normal air At higher pressures, 40 percent quickly becomes a fireball

For lower pressure applications, such as in commercial diving umbilicals, the oxygen levels could be higher than 25 percent At the 200 bar of a scuba cylinder, all bets are off

The American Society for Testing and Materials standard for gear material selection and design provides the most defendable answer: For use at 25 percent and above, all high pressure scuba gear should be cleaned for oxygen use.

Pros Choose DAN

Trusted When It Matters Most

Captain Breezy Grenier, Owner, Breezy SEAS, explains why she chooses DAN.

The Shy Sister The Shy Sister

AND PHOTOS BY STEPHEN FRINK

The Cayman Islands consist of three islands two of which divers know pretty well Grand Cayman's reputation is built on fun in the sun, the vast Seven Mile Beach, cruise ships, snorkel excursions to Stingray City, and diving Little Cayman is much smaller, but travellers revere its quiet, laid back ambience and stellar diving opportunities along the iconic Bloody Bay Wall and Jackson's Bight

Cayman Brac, however, is not as well known among dive aficionados despite the island's infrastructure and attractions above and below the waterline A great dive resort and several smaller guest properties offer coordinated dive services on this 20 km long, 1.2 km wide island The big airstrip at Charles Kirkconnell International Airport accommodates large jets and offers multiple options for daily air service. Planes, boats, rooms, restaurants, tanks, compressors, and the clear, blue Caribbean Sea what more could you want in a tropical dive destination?

During a recent visit, I was reminded of how good it is there. Cayman Brac was part of my first overseas assignment for a dive magazine The resort I stayed at then is no longer there Still, on this trip, we boarded the boats at the same government pier and went to many of the same dive sites I had experienced 40 years ago In the decade after my first trip, I

continued to dive Cayman Brac at least once a year as the photo pro for the Nikonos Shootout events Each summer, several hundred divers gathered there for a Nikon sponsored photo contest and a week on location to celebrate underwater photography My daughter's first Caribbean dive destination was Cayman Brac. However, she was only three months old and probably didn't remember it as well as I do

Arriving at the airport and schlepping my bags was familiar There was an element of déjà vu during this recent trip, although it was also quite different in many ways. Still, the cab driver at the airport was excited to see me. I first thought his demeanour was the typical friendliness of the people there, but I soon learned I was the first international visitor in nearly two years. With travel restrictions largely gone and the cash flow ramping up again, he was happy

While good diving is likely available all around the island, Cayman Brac's topography dictates where most diving happens The airport is on the island's flatter western end, and the guest accommodations and dive services are close to the airport To the east rises a dramatic bluff inhospitable for docks and a long boat ride from the west. The western tip is closer to Little Cayman than Cayman Brac's North East Point, 20 kilometres away Occasional bluff run boat dives

TEXT

happen in favourable conditions. Still, most of the moored dive sites are along the island's northwest side in the lee of the prevailing winds The southwest side also has several quality dive sites, although they are a bit more weather dependent A one week dive holiday that combines diving north and south side sites, a bluff run, and a half day, three tank trip to nearby Little Cayman will provide extraordinary diversity Perhaps the Brac's greatest charm is the variety of dives available there.

My most recent trip began with a dive at Grunt Valley to fulfil my desire to shoot some schooling fish. Schools of Bermuda chub mingled with various grunt species, schoolmaster snapper, and high profile coral heads at 25 to 35 feet There was a curiously high density of lobster this time, and while the reef looked much the same as when I last dived here in 2012, the snapper and grunts were noticeably more skittish Two years with fewer divers may have had an effect. Still, no doubt they will soon reacclimate to the presence of divers and go about their business in the same undisturbed manner I remember. This site is great for a warm up dive

The second dive (the morning dives are typically two tankers) was to the unimaginatively named Patch Reef With 70 moored dive sites, I suppose you run out of

inspiration for naming them. What it lacked in appellation, it made up for in decoration The bottom structure in the shallows was rich with yellow tube sponges and hard corals, sometimes with the sponges growing atop the brain coral

Our group was small, so we did a third splash to one of their newly named moored sites, Turtle Alley While the reef at the mooring pin's base was much like the others (no surprise given their proximity), the mid reef in 12 15 meters of water was rich with barrel and row pore rope sponges as well as the gorgonians typical of deeper reefs with a bit of current flow.

Unlike the Gulf Stream currents in the Florida Keys or the flow typical off Cozumel, dives here are generally mellow. Despite the colourful sponges and filter feeders decorating the seafloor, which would typically suggest the presence of currents, none of my dives had any perceptible current. The dive operators are conscious of tides and local conditions and pick sites that aren't particularly challenging The conditions are ideal for beginning divers or underwater photographers who prefer to stay in one place to set up a shot anyone who will benefit from not having to work particularly hard to stay put.

The wreck of the M/V Captain Keith Tibbets is a

highlight of any Cayman Brac dive expedition. In the 1999 dive guide I published with Bill Harrigan, the photos show a ship upright in the sand, perched on the edge of Cayman Brac's north wall. At that time, it was referred to as the "Russian Destroyer" or simply the "356 " In Shipwrecks of the Cayman Islands, Lawson Wood details how it came to be sunk off the island Capt Wayne Hasson of the Aggressor Fleet was at dry dock for the Cayman Aggressor in 1996 when he spotted it at a pier in a Cuban Navy base. It was 330 feet long with a 43 foot beam and steel hull and was constructed with an aluminium superstructure to save weight.

Hasson learned it was to be scrapped for parts and had the epiphany that it would make an amazing artificial reef, so he reached out to the Cayman Ministry of Tourism and Transport, which shared his enthusiasm for creating a new dive attraction for Cayman Brac. After purchase from the Russian embassy, a tow from Cuba to the Brac, and thorough cleaning, the ship was anchored and sunk on Sept 17, 1996 the result of countless volunteer hours but a relatively low $300,000 expenditure

A quarter century on the bottom has taken a toll on the Tibbets It is no longer upright and rests on its port side along the sand slope Much of its superstructure has collapsed. I descended to about 85 feet to begin the dive by photographing a large cluster of tube sponges on the bow railings Most divers probably swim to the bow and gradually work their way up the decks past colourfully decorated railings, pause at the forward gun emplacement, swim past the debris field now amidships, and finish the dive at the shallower stern guns and deck.

It's nice to have ample time on the stern deck, as it is one of the most photographically productive parts of the wreck The sponge density along the rear railings is impressive, and the guns are fantastic for a wide angle setup with models. The money they spent to keep the guns on the wreck was great, for they truly define and distinguish this wreck from so many others.

On this day, I had a nice pass from a hawksbill turtle

at the stern and a wonderfully photogenic lionfish. Nonendemic lionfish are ubiquitous and can be part of the reef detail for dive journalists Once the local dive operators begin more regularly diving their sites and lionfish culling starts anew, lionfish populations may dwindle Still, without significant dive activity here for two years, I expected the reefs to have more lionfish than I saw I didn't find one on every dive, and I didn't see more than one or two on any dive This is not an empirical fish census, just a casual observation that it was counterintuitive to see so few lionfish on the reefs this time

I always recommend visiting three fantastic north wall dives: East Chute, Middle Chute, and West Chute East Chute used to get all the love because of the small tugboat Cayman Mariner sitting in the sand at about 55 feet, which was a nice place to off gas at the end of the dive The past few passing storms have pretty well pancaked that wreck, so we opted for West Chute to see something new I'm glad we did because it was a fantastic dive I had been asking for a chance to shoot some pillar coral because of the threat from the stony coral tissue loss disease that is raging through so many Caribbean island reefs I wondered how they fared on the Brac. There was no sign of coral disease on these deep coral buttresses in the 70 to 80 foot range, and I saw one fascinating pillar coral that was pristine except for an adjacent barrel sponge beginning to overtake it Other pillar corals at End of the Island and Angel Reef looked healthy I'm not a coral scientist, but I think these reefs are doing quite well.

Aside from the pillar coral, which would have been justification enough for the dive, we found a mellow hawksbill turtle munching on a barrel sponge It tolerated several photos and then swam leisurely along the back side of the coral bommie. We exchanged a few high fives in exaltation for such a productive series of pictures and then were back on the boat for our next dive at Treehouse in Stake Bay.

I reminded the dive staff of a particularly aggressive green moray that swam out to meet me the last time I was here ten years ago They acknowledged there was a time when the green morays were a little frisky,

expecting to be fed lionfish after the culling and associating divers with a free meal They soon decided to change their disposal protocols for lionfish carcasses, but intermittent reinforcement is a challenging behaviour to extinguish The green morays at Treehouse are still likely to be found swimming freely, but they are not nearly as in your face hopeful these days There was also a lovely nurse shark under a ledge, but it was destined to be our turtle day. We found yet another hawksbill in the shallows, seemingly posing against whatever yellow tube sponge or purple sea fan it could find to craft a gorgeous background.

My dive buddy, Barbara McDowall, is a Brac dive veteran, so whenever I called out a special request for some familiar marine life or coral structures from the old days, she was able to suggest the reefs that were the best replication She suggested the southwest reefs, just a short run from the dive resort for my search for elkhorn and pillar corals

I recall early days shooting Velvia slides of massive elkhorn forests that dominated the shallow, fringing reef on the south side While much of that elkhorn is only a skeletal remnant, there are intermittent stands of impressive elkhorn Sergeant Major Reef, in particular, has isolated but intact elkhorns comingled with cascading sheets of star coral. Only after diving so many places where these corals are now gone is it clear how unique the areas are where they still remain.

In keeping with the retro theme of the week, our last dive was to Angel Reef This time my dive buddy was Jason Bellport. He had started his long and distinguished career in dive operations as a divemaster on Cayman Brac and retained an intimate familiarity with these reefs. When I told him I was still on the hunt for pillar coral, he unerringly directed me to an imposing specimen Once I knocked out that photo op, we embarked on a swim around the corals in the 40 to 50 foot range I was delighted to see a Nassau grouper swim a beeline toward me, slam on the brakes, and expectantly stare at me.

The Cayman Brac grouper population had moved to

Little Cayman for the annual grouper spawn known as "grouper moon " I hadn't seen any groupers all week, which Barbara predicted would be the case because we were just off the full moon in February. However, several groupers had made it back to Brac reefs by the end of my trip They were now making puppy goo goo eyes at me a behaviour generally associated with food more than friendship

I responded by taking their picture, of course, but they would be disappointed if they were expecting a handout from me I thought of the fish feeding days in the Caymans, particularly the Goliath grouper known as Sweetlips, who hung out on the Oro Verde shipwreck and made the cover of Skin Diver magazine back in the day Sweetlips dined on a diet of frozen squid and Cheez Whiz for a few years until she wasn't there anymore Local divers speculated she might have eaten one too many Ziploc baggies from careless tourists. Her demise might have been one of the motivators for the Cayman Islands Department of Environment's edict against fish feeding

These groupers were a legacy of classical conditioning, but not from fish feeding, for that was never a thing on Cayman Brac. However, in the early days of lionfish culling, the groupers, like the green morays over in Stake Bay, came to associate divers with a free meal. The more giant groupers are unlikely to take a live lionfish Still, they would opportunistically scoop up one that had been speared and discarded on the seafloor. That doesn't happen anymore; presumably, the groupers will extinguish that behaviour one day

For now, it was the highlight of my dive to have such friendly Nassau groupers hover within inches of my dome port, whatever their motivation might have been. I told myself that somehow they knew I don't eat fish and wanted to reward me with proximity

HOW TO DIVE IT

Getting there: Several airlines offer flights to Owen Roberts International Airport on Grand Cayman for connecting flights to Cayman Brac A 40 minute island hopper serves Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. The 90 minute Cayman Airways nonstop flight to Cayman Brac operates out of Miami on Saturdays Travel to Grand Cayman is even more accessible these days with a renovated airport and nonstop flights from Atlanta (Delta); Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, or Philadelphia (American); Newark, Washington, D C , Houston, or Chicago (United); Fort Lauderdale or Baltimore (Southwest); New York, Boston, or Fort Lauderdale (Jet Blue); or Toronto (Air Canada or West Jet).

Conditions: The water temperature is usually 24°C year round, so a 3 mm wetsuit is perfect Air temperatures are 22 24°C Visibility on Cayman Brac varies from good to outstanding 18 m to more than 30 m unless there is a robust and consistent wind. When the north wind picks up, the waves can batter the beach and Ironshore and stir the sediment on the shallow, hardpan seafloor. The good news is that this leaves the southern dive sites with good visibility The opposite is true with a southern or southeastern wind It takes a heavy tropical disturbance to lose dive days on the Brac, but it can happen The elevation is higher than Little Cayman, so Cayman Brac has weathered most hurricanes reasonably well. Still, events such as Hurricane Paloma can do massive damage.

The dive operations are professional and safe, and most operate large, seaworthy boats Dive operators prefer that recreational divers keep to 30 m and shallower Currents aren't often an issue, and most diving is in reasonably calm conditions. A hyperbaric chamber is in George Town, Grand Cayman

A Photo Diary of the

SPIEGEL GROVE

THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF AN AMBITIOUS ACHIEVEMENT

The long, strange trip of the Spiegel Grove began in 2001 over beers at Sharkey’s Bar in Key Largo, Florida. Several Bibb and Duane shipwrecks project organizers were musing about what they would do differently next time. They had successfully sunk the pair of 327 foot Coast Guard cutters as artificial reefs in 1987, but all agreed that the next ship should be bigger.

Former Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary manager Bill Harrigan said plenty of large, derelict vessels were in the Navy’s mothball fleet along the James River in Virginia. He went to look for us, and I remember the day he called to say he’d located one. “I found it, Steve. Five hundred and ten feet long, with lots of decks, doors, and companionways to swim through. Giant well dock at the stern that will probably hold schooling fish. All we gotta do is get it donated, clean it, tow it, and sink it ” Yeah, Bill that’s all

Text and photos by Stephen Frink

Bernie Campoli Circa 1980

For the 20th anniversary of sinking the Spiegel Grove, this photo retrospective shows its evolution from a former Navy vessel to a complete reef ecosystem

Launched in 1955 and decommissioned in 1989, the ship was named for former President Rutherford B Hayes’ estate and sailed with 18 officers and 330 enlisted crew The Navy donated it to the Key Largo Chamber of Commerce, which worked with the Upper Keys Artificial Reef Association to clean contaminants and mitigate the predictable hazards to divers. Primary funding for the project came from the Monroe County Tourist Development Council.

It was quite an ordeal to get the Spiegel Grove cleaned and get the Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency to agree it was ready to be sunk in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) waters. A rigorous underwater survey ensured the site would not damage any natural coral reef and had to be deep enough never to be a hazard to ships passing overhead. The project eventually surpassed the original budget, so several Key Largo dive operators had to sign promissory notes with local banks to fund finishing the preparation. They recouped the money by selling dive medallions to tourists who wanted to dive the local artificial reefs.

Once the ship anchored on location off Dixie Shoal, 6 miles offshore from Key Largo, there was still work. Local volunteers did last minute cleaning and welded open or removed doors that might later prove hazardous to divers.

Andy Newman 8 May 2002

Sergio Garcia 17 May 2002

Stephen Frink 16 May 2002

Boats shuttled crews of workers to the site for a week’s worth of preparations necessary to get final Coast Guard authorization to sink the Spiegel Grove

May 17, 2022, was the official 20th anniversary of the sinking, such as it was that day Because of the FKNMS waters’ ecological sensitivity, it was never possible to sink th explosives, which mammals in the ar the ship would int that some of the w flooded the engine the ship rapidly to still trapping air, a rested on the seaf the bow was still a

I recall my first co after the Spiegel G like, “You need to have a shipwreck. This needs to get f blown apart. It is u had already comm but now there was $250,000 was add Marine Group to f on the seafloor. Th y

local volunteers for three weeks to deploy massive lift bags. The idea was that the ship might roll over and land upright on the bottom if tugboats pulled while the bags lifted. On June 10, 2002, the ship sank, but not upright it

Stephen Frink 6 June 2002

Stephen Frink 17 July 2002

Stephen Frink 6 June 2002

came to rest on its starboard side

The Spiegel Grove rested that way for three years but was still an immensely successful shipwreck Estimated figures suggest up to 50,000 divers visits the wreck per year

On July 9, 2005, Hurricane Dennis swept along Florida’s Gulf Coast, generating massive waves storm passed about 125 miles west of Key West still caused strong winds and storm surge to Ke Largo

The combination of the surge, current, and the shallow trough behind the wreck coalesced int perfect conditions for the Spiegel Grove to roll perfectly upright. Seventeen years later, it rem upright in 134 feet of water, with the top of the wheelhouse around 60 feet deep and the first s throughs just a bit deeper. Over the years, the has acquired an impressive patina of sponges a deep water gorgonians. According to a Reef Environmental Education Foundation census, i hosts a fantastic variety of marine life at leas tropical fish species.

The Spiegel Grove started with ambition, sank complications, and emerged as one of the most popular wreck dives in the Florida Keys. ADL

EXPLORE MORE

Dive the Spiegel Grove in this video.

https://youtu.be/ ddicLbP-mc

Stephen Frink 19 July 2002

Stephen Frink 19 July 2002

Stephen Frink 24 June 2002

T H E F O U R M I N U T E F A T T O R C H

TABATA TRAINING FOR DIVERS

By Jessica B. Adams, Ph.D.

Developed in Japan almost two decades ago and designed for training athletes, early versions of the Tabata protocol were tested on Japanese speed skaters who, despite training for a mere two hours per week, showed significantly greater improvements in both aerobic and muscular fitness than the control group, which trained for five hours a week. Despite the dramatic success of this training method, Tabata has only recently become popular in mainstream fitness.

True Tabata training involves 20 seconds of maximum intensity activity followed by 10 seconds of rest for eight rounds, resulting in four minutes of high intensity exercise. Because this program was originally designed for extremely fit athletes, the original protocol is enough to cause nausea in many people Fortunately, people of most fitness levels can benefit from lower intensity variations of training that applies the principles of Tabata

A worldwide survey by the American College of Sports Medicine identified high intensity interval training (HIIT) as the number one fitness trend for 2014 When practitioners engage in HIIT responsibly, the technique provides optimal health benefits in a relatively short period, making it a popular workout. For the purposes of HIIT, “intensity” is a relative term based on your personal fitness level

DIVE FITNESS NOTE

STRENGTH & FLEXIBILITY

Intensity is simply a percentage of your maximum effort.

Although the original protocol was designed using a cycle ergometer (stationary bike), any large muscle group exercises can be used for Tabata training. When you practice Tabata training, you can use the exercises provided here or substitute exercises from previous issues of Alert Diver LITE.

When selecting exercises ensure that the transition time from one exercise to the next is included in the rest interval. This consideration means some practitioners use the same exercise for all eight rounds. The key elements of this type of training are time and intensity.

Before you jump in, begin with a 10 minute movement specific warm up. Complete four repetitions of each exercise, gradually increasing

the speed and range of motion. Then set your timer. You can use a traditional stopwatch, wall clock, Tabata trainer or one of the many apps available.

For rounds five through eight, repeat the exercises and intervals you used in the first four rounds. You may be able to complete only four rounds at first. That is perfectly acceptable as long as you work towards the completion of eight rounds with maximal yet safe efforts. Pushing through some discomfort due to tired muscles is good; pushing through pain can lead to injury. Listen to your body. The goal is to complete each repetition as fast as possible without compromising your technique.

Your Tabata training should always be followed by a three to 10 minute cooldown. Make sure to stretch all areas that feel fatigued.

DAN SA recommends that divers avoid strenuous exercise for 24 hours after making a dive. This avoids increasing the chances of decompression sickness.

D I V E F I T N E S S

BURPEE

1) Begin standing

2) Squat until your hands touch the ground. 3) Jump your feet back intso push up position 4) Jump your feet forward again 5) Stand up 6) Repeat

Tip: Maintain a tight core to help keep your back straight.

Modification: Replace push up position with lying prone on the ground. Tabata Exercise 1

D I V E F I T N E S S

INCHWORM

1) Begin standing

2) Bend down, keeping your knees as straight as possible (forward fold).

3) Walk your hands forward (left, right, left) until you are in push up position.

4) Walk your hands back (right, left, right) until you are back in forward fold.

5) Stand up

6) Repeat.

Tip: The straighter your knees (without being locked), the more you will stretch your calf muscles. Improving calf flexibility can reduce calf cramps during finning

Modification: Bend your knees to get to the floor Each session you will be able keep your knees a little straighter Tabata Exercise 2

D I V E F I T N E S S

SPEED SKATER

1) Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.

2) Flex (bend) your knees about 45 degrees

3) Flex at the hips so your shoulders are above your knees

4) Hop sideways (to the right), landing on your right foot.

5) Hop sideways (to the left), landing on your left foot

6) Repeat

Tip: Keep your chest up, and start with short jumps; you can increase the distance with each session.

Modification: Shorten your jumps, and allow your other foot to touch the ground for stabilization.

D I V E F I T N E S S

SKI ABS

1) Start in plank position (the “up” phase of a push up)

2) Jump both feet toward your left hand.

3) Jump both feet back into plank position.

4) Jump both feet toward your right hand

5) Jump both feet back into plank position 6) Repeat

R E V I E W

F R O M A D A N M E M B E R

I have had nothing, but the absolute best service one can get from a service provider I got the bends in 2021, and the DAN crew were phenomenal during my incident A massive shout out to Laurel, who was by my side throughout the process. From the moment I suspected it to the moment I was finally free from the aches and pains after treatment, and even then, still beyond that, DAN was right by my side, calling me regularly to check how I was doing, getting me additional medical information to questions I had etc. Nothing was too much of a task for them. I will never dive without DAN for the rest of my diving years ahead. Thank you to the DAN team a shining example of what excellent service and customer "care" genuinely mean

O B I T U A R Y

Peter Bennet

With sadness and a heavy heart, we share with you the passing of Dr Peter B Bennett, the founder and former CEO of Divers Alert Network (DAN) America With more than 100 journal publications, Dr Bennett dedicated his life to the field of diving as a researcher, organiser, and leader After leaving DAN America, he became the Executive Director of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society He will remain a profound influence on everyone working in the field of diving Dr Bennett's infectious pioneering spirit will be deeply missed

One way to conserve sharks is to try and connect these animals and the general public if someone looks at one of my images of a shark and says, wow, what a beautiful animal job done! Blue sharks are very interactive sharks to dive and photograph They are pelagic sharks that is, you need to travel far off the coast to be able to dive with them, and are often accompanied by MAKO sharks for this reason, this type of shark dive should be on every frogman’s Bucket List of dives to do! To take an image of any moving animal in portrait orientation is no easy task. There is literally “nowhere to move in the frame” for the shark, and the chance of cutting out part of the animal whilst it moves is highly probable I saw the shark approaching, with the sun on its back with strobes set to medium power to fill in and expose the shark but not too much to blow out the whites and fired off a salvo of images A lot of elements had to come together for this image, and I feel that the “halo” allows the shark to pop from the otherwise blue water! A Canon 500 D in a marlin Marine housing, dual Ikellite strobes, and a Tokina Fish Eye lens did the job for this image!

CALLING THE DAN HOTLINE

WHEN SHOULD I PHONE THE DAN HOTLINE?

All diving emergencies

Non diving medical emergencies

Diving medical information, such as fitness to dive, medication, and travel medical advice and enquiries

Travel notifications and advice

Diving medical examiner contact details

International medical centres or doctors who want to confirm DAN memberships

WHAT DO I NEED TO HAVE READY?

The caller and/or patient’s name and contact number

The nature of the emergency

The patient’s DAN membership number, if applicable or known

The patient’s medical aid information, if the incident occurred within South Africa

The patient’s travel insurance information, if applicable

If the caller is not at the scene, at least one local contact number should be provided in order to reach the person that is in need of assistance, or those who are in charge of their care.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I HAVE LOGGED THE EMERGENCY?

DAN makes a conference call to one of the on call diving medical officers (DMOs) when an emergency call is received and the nature of the event has been established. The DMO will provide specialist diving medical advice regarding how and what should be done immediately and will also make decisions concerning the further management of each case, depending on the situation

WILL I GET EVACUATION BY AIR?

Aeromedical resources, such as helicopters and air ambulances, cannot be dispatched unless authorised by the DMO. It may take longer to activate an air ambulance than it would take to mobilise emergency medical services via a ground ambulance Several factors, aside from costs, will determine aeromedical evacuation

The DAN hotline provides emergency medical assistance to injured divers We encourage you to call early, even when you are uncertain, rather than wait until the situation has become critical as the opportunity to assist becomes more restricted.

IMPORTANT FACTORS

TRANSPORT

THE AVAILABILITY OF TRANSPORT

Is an air ambulance or a helicopter available?

THE INJURY

THE NATURE OF THE INJURY

How urgently does the patient need advanced life support and should they be moved to intensive care?

THE LOCATION

THE LOCATION OF THE PATIENT

What are the optimal logistical considerations for efficiently and safely moving the patient to a place where they can receive medical assessment and appropriate medical care, with appropriate medical support, during the transfer?

LANDING ZONE

VARIOUS ASPECTS REGARDING THE LANDING ZONE OR AIRPORT

6010 HOTLINE

Advertise In Alert Diver

DAN members have a passion for the water, a quest for knowledge and love of community So be part of something bigger. Join nearly 500,000 divers worldwide and experience valuable benefits to make you a safer, smarter diver.