10/ Surfacing Safely
17/03/12 14:25
Surface very carefully, always keeping airway open, no equalizing.
-Signal your Buddy (thumbs up, OK)
-Time: check your computer, within no deco limits?
-Elevate your arms and inflator hose, finger on purge button
-Look up, listen for boats
-Ascend and surface slowly, breathing normally: airway open
-Rotate as you ascend, stay aware
-Inflate your BC at the surface, be prepared to drop your weights
When you reach the surface:-inflate your BC: you need to float, no matter what happens
-keep your mask on your face, never on your forehead
(on your forehead is a sign of stress, and easy to lose it )
-keep your regulator in your mouth - never know what can happen
-be prepared to dump your weights if necessary
-when you are confident that you are safe, signal the OK sign:
(the best ok sign is a fist on your head - unmistakable )
-be prepared to rescue your buddy, keep observing
Keep your mask and reg in place until you are on the boat or land-you need to be able to breath and see if something happens
-chit chat only when you are out of the water and out of harm’s way
Stay away from the boat ladder until it is clear-divers often fall from the ladder, you shouldn’t be under them
You need your fins on if there is a current-climb the ladder with your fins on if this is the case
-best never to relinquish our fins, keep them on your wrists
you may need them for rescue, self rescue etc (you never know)
-climb one step at a time, watch your head as you get in the boat
-reg and mask still in place in case of falling back into the water
Get your gear out of the way before you start chatting(especially if you are on a boat)