The Scottish Sub Aqua Club, Organisation, Membership, Policy, Medical Forms,GC & NDC Minutes, Diver & Instructor Training, Diving Safety & Incident Reports
Diving Medicine Information, Boat-handling, Underwater Photography
Useful Marine Books
Great British Marine Animals 3rd Edition by Paul Naylor
This book is a "must have" for any diver who wants to learn about marine life and recognise the extraordinary animals in our seas. And let's face it, if you don't want to know what you are looking at - why dive?
Paul Naylor has produced a masterpiece. 320 pages packed full with all kinds of detail about the life in our seas. Every page contains excellent colour photographs. There is an explanatory chapter at the beginning of the book and a comprehensive index at the back.
All any diver really needs is a good Diving Manual and this book!
The book is a real bargain at £19 from Aquatron Dive Centre or £13.19 (post free) from www.amazon.co.uk (at 18th December2011)
ISBN: 978-0-9522831-6-4
Collin’s Pocket Guide to the Seashore of Britain & Europe, by Hayward, Nelson-Smith, Shields. ISBN 0-00-219955-6 price approx £15.
Collin’s Pocket Guide-Fish of Britain & Europe, by Miller and Loates, ISBN 0-00-219945-9 price approx £17
Guide to Inshore Marine Life by David Erwin & Bernard Picton, The Marine Conservation Society, ISBN 0-907151-345 Price-not sure
The 3 books above are excellent books for the Sports Diver. They will help you to learn about the marine creatures you see under the sea.
An excellent and very comprehensive source of Diving knowledge is the US Navy Diving Manual (Revision 6) http://www.supsalv.org/00c3_publications.asp This is a large File and it will take 2-3 minutes to download but well worth having. No diver should be without this FREE Manual
The Royal Navy had a Diving Manual: BR2806, but it is not now available in print or on line. A great deal of the information in the RN Manual BR2806 is more or less the same as the US Navy Manual.
Safety at Sea-Contact the Coast Guard
It may all seem a bit obvious but .... Don't have an Emergency at Sea. Know what you are doing and keep ALL gear in good order. Don't go to sea if the conditions look bad or look as though they may deteriorate. You can always dive another day. You don't have to dive. However:
If you have an emergency at Sea, such as Boat in Distress and in imminent danger of sinking, broken down engine, a Medical or Diving Emergency, lost crew/divers, use your VHF Radio (Channel 16) to contact the Coastguard. http://www.mcga.gov.uk/
If you see a boat in distress from the shore, dial 999and ask for the Coastguard.
In all cases you should provide exact details of where the emergency has occurred.
Before you go to sea you should advise the Coastguard regarding your plans. They would far rather know in advance about what is going on and are always pleased to offer advice.
When you are going.
Where you are going.
What you are doing.
When you expect to return.
Also, let someone else know your plans, in case your VHF radio fails.
NOTE: When you return, advise the Coastguard that you have returned and that all is well.
Emergency Distress Call on a Marine VHF Radio Transceiver
1 The operator should hold a licence to operate the Transceiver or be supervised by a licence holder. (If you do not hold a licence but you use the Transceiver sensibly and in a genuine emergency, it is unlikely you would be prosecuted.) 2 Check that the Transceiver is ON and at full power 3 Turn the Transceiver to operate on Channel 16 (the Emergency Channel) 4 Listen for 10-15 seconds to make sure no one else is already using it. 5 Press the "transmit" button and clearly say the following:
MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY THIS IS DIVING BOAT (name of boat), DIVING BOAT(name of boat), DIVING BOAT(name of boat) MAYDAY (name of boat) State position in Latitude & Longitude OR distance and bearing from an observed point, ie one mile north west of Ardnoe Point, Crinan State the nature of distress ie sinking or on fire State how many people are on board the boat state any other relevant information eg divers in water on surface with lifejackets inflated. OVER
5 Release the "transmit" button and wait for a response from the Coastguard or another vessel. 6 If there is no response after 30 seconds, repeat clearly the message above.
Each time you wish to speak to the Coastguard or another vessel REMEMBER to press the "transmit" button. Each time you have finished speaking to the Coastguard or another vessel, REMEMBER to release the "transmit" button.
Above all, try not to panic, do not gabble or mumble. Make preparations to abandon ship by donning a lifejacket and taking a whistle, torch, flares etc. DO NOT abandon ship unless it is about to sink or you are in danger of serious injury or death.
You may also use the above procedure if a person is severely injured and in danger of his/her life. ie, Decompression Sickness, severely severed limb from a propellor but NOT a broken arm. This would probably be a "Pan Pan" call - urgent but not critical.
A "Safety Traffic" Call to the Coastguard For example, our dive boat, "Clydebank Diver" wishes to tell Clyde Coastguard about our diving operations near Carsaig Bay on the Sound of Jura, by Tayvallich (on Loch Sween). "Clydebank Diver" turns on the Transceiver, switches to Channel 16 and listens for 10-15seconds, then presses the transmit button on the microphone and says:
Clyde Coastguard, Clyde Coastguard, Clyde Coastguard, this is Clydebank Diver, Clydebank Diver, Clydebank Diver. Clyde Coastguard, this is Clydebank Diver. I have Safety Traffic please, which Channel, OVER.
Clyde Coastguard says on Channel 16:
Clydebank Diver, Clydebank Diver, Clydebank Diver, this is Clyde Coastguard, Clyde Coastguard, Clyde Coastguard, Channel six-seven please and Standby. OVER
Clyde Coastguard, this is Clydebank Diver, channel six-seven, OVER
Boat changes to Channel six-seven (67), but waits to be called by the Coastguard as he indicated he was busy by asking us to "standby". Eventually ...........
Clydebank Diver, this is Clyde Coastguard, go ahead with your Safety Traffic, OVER
Clyde Coastguard, this is Clydebank Diver. I am a rigid hulled inflatable boat operating with 6 divers out of Carsaig Bay on the Sound of Jura, one mile west of Tayvallich on Loch Sween.
We are diving at position five-six degrees, zero-one minutes north and zero-five degrees, three-niner decimal eight minutes west, approximately one nautical mile south west of Carsaig Bay. Diving operations are expected to last two hours. I will contact you when back at Carsaig Bay. OVER
Clydebank Diver, this is Clyde Coastguard. Received all that, OUT
At the end of Diving operations, REMEMBER to call the Coastguard on Channel 16 to tell them.
NEVER "chit chat" on Channel 16. Channel 16 is for Emergency Traffic and initial Coastguard contact ONLY
HM Coastguard Maritime Rescue Centres
Aberdeen Tel: 01224 592334 Clyde Tel: 01475 729988 Forth Tel: 01333 450666 Shetland Tel: 01595 692976 Stornoway Tel: 01851 702013 In an Emergency,Dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard
Always take a Marine Transceiver AND a mobile phone in a boat. The Marine Transceiver for genuine Boat business. The Mobile phone to call the Spouse, Accountant, Bookmaker etc!!!
It would be a good idea to have these numbers in your Mobile phone!!!
Nausea, Weakness or Fatigue, Itching, General Rash,
Lumps, Joint or Muscular Pain & Discomfort,
Limitation of Limb Movement, Coughing, Chest Pain,
Headache, Confusion, Memory Loss,
Visual Disturbances, Lack of Co-ordination,
Numbness, Pins & Needles, Urinary Retention,
Ears Ringing, Dizziness, Vertigo,
Full or Partial Paralysis of Lower Limbs,
Unconsciousness.
Symptoms can strike even after an apparently “safe” Dive,
and may appear immediately or up to 24hours after the Dive.
If in Doubt-Do NOT Delay, Assume the Worst
Do Not rely entirely on Decompression Computers. Learn about the principles of Decompression Theory. Carry backup Instruments & a set of Decompression Tables AND know how to use them.
Body Mass Index
Are you feeling or do you look a little "chunky"!? Perhaps your Drysuit or wetsuit has shrunk!?!?!? Has your BCD waist belt shrunk as well? Admire your svelt temple of a body in the mirror and then ask yourself, Is my BMI a little high? Your Body Mass Index will give you an indication of how much excess fat you might be carrying. "What!, me!" All joking apart, if you have any concerns you should seek the advice of your Doctor. Excess weight - fat, may increase your susceptibility to Decompression Sickness as well as contribute to a lack of stamina and physical fitness. You may not be as agile as perhaps is necessary to carry out certain underwater tasks or move about in the confines of a Dive Boat, and crucially, you may find it very difficult to rescue a buddy diver or your buddy may find it extremely difficult to rescue you.
Body Mass Index, is calculated from height h (in metres) and weight m in kilograms using the following formula:
BMI = m / ( h ² )
BMI = weight (kgs)
height2 (metres)
The Medical Profession suggests that anyone with a BMI over 30 should be referred to a diving doctor to investigate the effect of obesity upon diving. Some questions have been asked about the appropriateness of this test: if you're worried, speak to your doctor.
Here is a table of maximum weights for height to keep below BMI=30.
FeetInchesPoundsMetresKilogrammes
491391.4563.05
4101441.4765.32
4111491.5067.59
501541.5269.85
511591.5572.12
521641.5774.39
531691.6076.66
541751.6379.38
551801.6581.65
561861.6884.37
571921.7087.09
581971.7389.36
592031.7592.08
5102091.7894.80
5112151.8097.52
602211.83100.25
612271.85102.97
622341.88106.14
2.205 lbs = 1 kg
Cut out the pies, crisps, cakes, pints, whisky and rum and see your Doctor. If you have any concerns regarding obesity and diving you should consult a doctor who has diving knowledge. Further guidance is available from SSAC Headquarters.
An excellent and very comprehensive source of Diving knowledge is the 
