Expanding Horizons and Creating Memorable Experiences
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Quarterly Journal: April 2013, Vol. 7, No. 2 In this issue: Expanding Horizons and Creating Memorable Experiences Expanding Horizons and Creating Whether you have been a scuba instructor for decades or are currently a Memorable divemaster or dive supervisor, you have the opportunity to impact the lives of Expereinces your students and influence their diving adventures. Whether it is taking time in providing health and safety education for divers, such as breath holding, practicing static apnea and shallow water blackout, to preparing them for what NDPA Symposium hidden treasures they may encounter on a dive, such as marine life and corals; 2013 there is always room for growth and improvement for both the student and the teacher. EUDI Show 2013 Have you taken a voyage on a dive cruise where you live on board a boat for the length of your trip and explore more remote dive sites? Did you remember Magnificent Maldives it fondly? Would you go again? Have you shared your memories with your and the Liveaboard students? Do they know they too can venture on this type of vacation? Where Experience would you go? Who would you get in touch with? What could you recommend to your students? By sharing what you have learned and undertaken, helps others – from students and fellow divers to other leadership team members – become My Instructor Does aware of the vast resources and environments that are available for diving. Do Have Cool Fins, you have a favorite diving spot and would you like for others to enjoy this gem? But… We would love to hear from you. Interestingly, as you create Encouragement, neat and memorable Patience and opportunities for your Persistence Pays Off students, you too will come away a little more enlightened. Introducing others to Ice Diving – A Cold new experiences can be a Experience rewarding endeavor – which you already know if you teach. Continuing But never forget – you too can Education and enjoy new sights and create Contact Info fresh memories as you dive, you are always a student. Water Safety – Education Key NDPA Symposium 2013 By Tom Leaird, SEI & PDIC CEO, Instructor Trainer During the week of March 13 to 16 in Dr. Pollock tells us that four or more and announces to the lifeguard, “I’m Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, the National hyperventilation breaths will wash going to practice holding my breath Drowning Prevention Alliance, NDPA, out enough triggering carbon dioxide sitting in the shallow end - don’t worry held their annual symposium with that the diver is at risk of blacking about me.” This person must NOT be an attendance of more than 220 out during ascent. One or two allowed to do this. Without an in- water professionals from around the hyperventilation breaths are usually water buddy constantly watching, this country. As a member of the alliance, safe. In addition, a surface interval person is at risk of drowning. Tom Leaird, the CEO of SEI and PDIC, of at least twice as long as the dive attended as many sessions as time time is necessary to bring in enough Another presentation from Dr. Peter would allow. Prior to the morning oxygen prior to an additional dive. Antevy, included playing several 911 and afternoon sessions and during Dives practicing free dives should do emergency call tapes with the operator breaks, time permitted networking so in pairs with one diver down while attempting to gain information from opportunities in the trade show area the other rests and ventilates on the an hysterical mother whose child has which included at least 25 vendors surface. Even better would be three drowned and is attempting to bring providing information on items related divers together with one diver ready, help. After five or six of these and to water safety. The agenda included one diver recovering, and one diver showing the picture of the child on over 30 presentations - many of which down. the screen, there wasn’t a dry eye in were ground-breaking information on the place. Dr. Antevy is gathering data Another parallel, often incorrectly research currently being conducted in from across the country in an attempt called shallow water blackout, is the area of water safety and drowning to change the protocol and methods practicing static apnea (sitting in prevention. used by 911 operators and the 911 shallow water holding the breath in systems to upgrade the process. He Dr. Neal Pollock from Divers Alert an attempt to increase endurance.) also praised the use of intravenous Network, spoke on “Shallow Water Here again, excessive hyperventilation epinephrine in the early minutes and Blackout.” As we have known in causes hypoxia to occur before the use of air instead of pure oxygen recent years, free divers returning to sufficient carbon dioxide triggers as it avoids excess oxygen (oxygen the surface after an extended dive to breathing. Dr. Tom Griffiths noted toxicity) in children - together doubling depth can arrive at a point where the that this practice does not increase survival outcomes. We look forward diminishing partial pressure of oxygen endurance and continues to result to this research providing data that becomes insufficient to maintain in several deaths annually. Tom will improve survival of drowning consciousness, known as hypoxic Leaird spoke to Dr. Griffiths and victims - especially in children. Of blackout. This is true shallow water Dr. Pollock encouraging them to course, prevention is key and is heavily blackout. The current world record for come up with appropriate names dependent on education. a “no-limits” dive is 702 feet - using a for these effects while discouraging weight to carry the diver down and a the activity. Swimmers attempting Many other subjects concerning water lift bag to bring him up. Many other to set underwater breath-hold safety were presented. Research similar events are attempted for record distance records are warned to limit now underway will affect our using various methods. Whether diving hyperventilation breaths and spend teaching in the future. Therefore as for spearfishing, or just pushing one’s several minutes on the surface scuba instructors, it is important to limits, the real danger to these divers between these very dangerous dives. constantly keep up to date on changes is excessive hyperventilation prior Adequate supervision is always in our recreational activity. The NDPA to the dive. These records become required when practicing breath- symposium next year will occur during official when upon surfacing the diver holding underwater. If a diver or the month of March in Dallas, Texas. A removes goggles, gives an OK sign, and swimmer becomes unresponsive representative from our agencies will says their name. The divers without during a breath hold, a buddy must be again attend to bring back the latest in sufficient remaining oxygen to do this there to bring him or her to the surface water safety for our instructors. Always are disqualified. immediately. A pool patron enters keep learning. Page 2 Success for SEI & PDIC Italia EUDI Show 2013 Submitted by Alessandro Talamona, SEI & PDIC Italia Course Director, Italy The “EUDI Show 2013” was recently of our fourth anniversary held in Milan over 3 days – from to be held on the Portofino February 15-17. This event was Promontory in June 2013. held in conjunction with the most important tourism fair in Europe – “BIT” (International Tourism Exchange). Group in front of booth. Some EUDI Show 2013 facts: • 150 exhibitors • 30,000 participants • 130 events with the participation of more than 4,000 divers. Our organization has experienced great success and our booth attracted a strong amount of curious visitors. Massimilliano Fiorese The two important moments for SEI Tom Leaird image on the screen during main slicing ham. (A variety stage presentation. & PDIC Italia were as follows: of small events in the 1. The organization of a workshop, booth resulted in sharing during the “Master of Diving” 170 sandwiches, 9 kg presented by Doctors Claudio (almost 20lbs) San Cagnola and Ivan Luccherini, Daniele ham, 5 kg (over both underwater archaeologists 11 lbs) of gongorzola cheese, 5 kg (over 11 lbs) from the University of Oristano, of parmigiano cheese, with Fausto Salsa. The subject 4 kg (almost 9 lbs) of was: Archaeology Between Land salami, and 25 liters and Sea: Research of The Port of (over 6 ½ gallons) of Fenicio, Tharros-Oristano, Sardinia, good important red Alessandro Talamona and Davide Cecamore with 60 participants. and white wine). presenting an award. 2. More than 100 participants attended the meeting on the main stage Sunday the 17th during which Alessandro Talamona and Davide Cecamore (SEI & PDIC Italia leadership) presented SEI & PDIC Italia There’s A Difference. Following the speech, we were glad to present the new teaching method and we concluded with the 2012 AWARDS. The next important event of SEI & PDIC Italia will be the celebration Group on stage with awards. Page 3 Diving the Maldives Magnificent Maldives By Gabrielle K. Gabrielli, Ph.D., SEI Instructor, Florida Like many other SCUBA instructors, I eldest in our group, Elisabeth (Liz) from dollar bill must be crisp or it will not love teaching but I also enjoy SCUBA Canada, said, “I’m almost 70; I enjoy be accepted. I was the only one in the diving for pure pleasure. I find that a diving but don’t need to do it as much group who didn’t stay at a hotel that SCUBA vacation getaway replenishes as I used to. I am happy reading, sitting night because I have a friend there my joy for the sport and makes me on the shade deck, getting a massage, with a guest room, so I was thankful a better instructor as a result.