Belize Dive-Kit List
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Blue Ventures Belize Dive-Kit List Last updated May 2014 Contents Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Essential Items .................................................................................................................................. 2 PADI Manuals & Materials ............................................................................................................. 2 Open Water Course ................................................................................................................... 2 Advanced Open Water Course ................................................................................................... 2 EFR ............................................................................................................................................ 2 Rescue Diver .............................................................................................................................. 3 Divemaster ................................................................................................................................ 3 Log Books .................................................................................................................................. 3 Mask ............................................................................................................................................. 3 Snorkel .......................................................................................................................................... 3 Fins................................................................................................................................................ 4 Dive Boots/booties ........................................................................................................................ 4 Timing device ................................................................................................................................ 4 Delayed Surface Marker Buoy (DSMB) ........................................................................................... 4 Reel ............................................................................................................................................... 5 Dive slate (A4) and pencil .............................................................................................................. 5 Knife or line cutter ......................................................................................................................... 5 Recommended (but not essential) Items .......................................................................................... 6 Wetsuit ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Buoyancy Control Device (BCD) ..................................................................................................... 6 Regulator ....................................................................................................................................... 7 Dive Computer .............................................................................................................................. 7 Dive Torch ..................................................................................................................................... 7 Introduction We realise that for new divers the array of dive equipment available can be slightly daunting! The following section should help you choose dive gear that is suitable for your time at Blue Ventures, without going overboard. Whenever purchasing equipment the most important factor to consider is comfort, if the equipment does not fit correctly it may not function properly. Money may be an issue, but regardless of your financial position conduct a little bit of research prior to buying, don’t be afraid of asking questions in the shop and remember a lot of sales assistants make a commission on the items they sell you. Essential Items PADI Manuals & Materials – essential for anyone doing any PADI courses - In order for our PADI instructors to teach you any PADI or EFR course, you must bring with you up-to-date course materials for each course you will be taking on site. If you are already certified to PADI Advanced or higher and will not be doing any dive training you only need to remember your proof of certification and your log book. What you need to bring is explained for each individual course below but essentially you must bring your own copy of the relevant manual, second hand, photocopied or out of date manuals are not acceptable. We appreciate books can be bulky and you have limited luggage space but we cannot provide these on site so it is essential that you purchase these at home and bring them with you. This requirement is set by PADI and it will not be possible for us to certify you without proof that you have all the required materials. You can buy these at your local dive shop, direct from PADI.com or from many online retailers. Open Water Course – you will need a PADI Open Water Diver Manual*. You will also need an RDP or an eRDPml (a table which we use to teach you how to plan safe dives) with the associated instructions for use booklet OR a dive computer and the PADI How to Use and Chose Dive Computers book. *Please note, PADI are in the process of amending the PADI Open Water Diver course. The updated manuals will be available early 2014. Until all training materials have been released globally by PADI for this course, Blue Ventures will be using the current course structure so please bring PADI Open Water Diver Manual 2013. Advanced Open Water Course – all volunteers must be certified to Advanced level before taking part in science training. To complete this course you need to bring with you the PADI Adventures in Diving Manual. Please ensure your manual has a plastic slate in the packet called the ‘Adventures in Diving Deluxe Data Carrier’ as you will also need this slate. EFR – You need to bring the Emergency First Response Participant Manual in order to complete this course. This manual covers both the primary and secondary care aspects of the course. Ideally please also bring some spare bandages, gauzes and latex gloves for practice. Rescue Diver – You need the PADI Rescue Diver Manual and the PADI Diving Accident Management Work Slate, this should be provided with the manual so check before you buy. Additionally please bring with you a pocket mask for providing in water rescue breaths. Divemaster – Often sold as a ‘Divemaster Crew Pack’, the required materials for this course are; the PADI Divemaster Manual, a PADI Instructor Manual, an RDP or eRDPml with the instruction for use booklet, the Encyclopaedia of Recreational Diving, a set of up-to-date PADI Dive Master Slates’, a Log Book, and a PADI decal sticker- this sticker is essential and must be sent to PADI with your Dive Master application, please ensure it is present in your pack when purchasing and please, please keep it safe! Log Books - essential if doing any dive courses with us and recommended to all divers to keep a record of all your exciting diving adventures. A number of different types are available, any diving log book is sufficient. Mask You need to have your own mask, and a spare is recommended. Different masks have different features, which your dive shop will explain, so make your decision and make sure it fits properly. To do this, place the mask against your face as if you were wearing it without the strap, and inhale through your nose. You should feel it sucking onto your face. Now shake your head about a bit, without breathing out, and if it has a proper seal then it should not fall off. Before you use your mask, get rid of the wax protection seal that manufacturers coat the inside of the lenses with by gently rubbing toothpaste into the surface of the lenses, inside the mask. Leave it on overnight, then wash it off in the morning, and you should find this helps prevent your mask fogging up during dives. Snorkel A snorkel is a standard part of dive equipment, which is useful during diving in case of surface swims, mandatory during PADI dive courses, and essential if you want to go snorkelling, which is a great way to explore the lagoon and shallower parts of the reef. Cheap, bog standard tube snorkels are fine, but as a rule the more you pay the easier the snorkel is to clear and less water gets in the snorkel from waves providing a better experience. You may want to consider a ‘dry’ snorkel; these don’t fill with water even when you duck dive, thanks to a system of valves and floats inside the snorkel. Remember the watch words are comfort and easy to use. Fins There are two main options with regards to fins; either full foot fins (which you wear without dive boots) or half cup fins (which you strap on around your dive boots). Full foot ones are light to use, easy to slip on and off but can rub so dive socks, or regular socks solve this problem. Full foot fins are fine for warm water, however if you plan to use your fins in cold water too, then your feet are likely to get very cold. Half cup fins are used with booties, and stay on by an adjustable strap which goes behind the ankle, these are heavier to transport and use. The water is warm enough for most people in full foot fins but if you are susceptible to cold consider the half cup fins. Dive Boots/booties Dive boots are only essential