Chapter 8- Limited Visibility and Night Diving Limited Visibility and Night Diving 215 your head as protection against surface obstructions. If you have navigated correctly, you should be near your exit point upon surfacing at the end of the dive. Dry, warm clothes are essential for changing into after the dive. Potential Hazards of Night Diving Potential hazards associated with night diving include: • Disorientation • Claustrophobia • Entanglement • Boat traffic • Silt, which causes backscatter in light • Contacting hazardous creatures • Being startled by fast swimming creatures such as seals and sea lions When diving from a vessel, it is best to anchor as close to the dive site as possible, preferably in a sand flat area adjacent to the reef. The anchor line, or descent line, should be lighted at mid-depth and at the bottom for diver reference. The vessel should never be left unattended. If a current is present, a floating trail line with a light marker should be deployed. A distinct surface light should be placed at a high point on the vessel, for easy reference by divers at the surface. Check boating regulations for your diving area. SUMMARY Diving in limited visibility water can be an exciting and challenging addition to your diving skills repertoire. Activities which are frequently pursued in lower visibility conditions include location of submerged objects, hunting and collecting, searching for artifacts, and river dives. As you improve your limited visibility diving skills, your ability in clearer water will be enhanced by the increased awareness and anti-silt techniques you develop. Further, you will broaden your diving potential by developing the ability to dive in more diverse dive sites. Finally, you will be a more skilled and more competent diver under all possible diving conditions. Night diving is exciting, fun, and adventurous. There is a great deal to see and experience in the dark, mysterious waters of the sea at night. To enjoy night diving to its fullest, you should know the area, your buddy, and your gear well. You will find night diving can be rewarding and will increase your confidence in your diving ability. Give nocturnal bubbling a try. “O.K.” Distress Attention FIGURE 8-8. SIGNALS USED WITH A DIVE LIGHT. FOR FURTHER READING Blount, S. Treasure Hunting with a Metal Detector, In, Around, and Underwater. Pisces Books, 1987. Joiner, J. NOAA Diving Manual: Diving for Science and Technology. 4th Edition. Best Publishing, 2001. Keatts, H.C. Guide to Shipwreck Diving, New York and New Jersey. Pisces Books, 1992. Lang, M.L. and G. Egstrom. Proceedings of Biomechanics of Safe Ascents Workshop. A.A.U.S., Nahant, MA, 1989. Somers, L. Tethered Scuba Diving. Michigan Sea Grant College Program, Ann Arbor, MI, 1987.
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