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Chapter 6- Dive Planning and Recording Dive Planning and Recording 151 If possible, you should also look at the dive site in advance (figure 6-1). This will show you a great deal about the site’s accessibility, parking, fees, conditions, facilities, and entry and exit points. You might also find divers who can point things out and explain the best procedures for the location. Do not forget to investigate the emergency services in the area. Also, remember that conditions on your dive day can be radically different. Your third step is to determine the date and time of your dive or dive trip. Be aware of any conflicting activities that might affect the date you want to dive, including plans you have made for the night before the dive. It is unwise and unsafe to dive the morning after attending a late night party you had forgotten was planned when you scheduled your dive. You should not consume alcohol within 12 hours of a planned dive. It is even better if you do not consume alcohol within 24 hours of a planned dive. You must not be hung over and you must be well rested. If you are diving from shore, the time of day for your dive is also a consideration. Local winds might be light in the morning and strong in the afternoon, or vice versa. You might want to schedule your dive during high tide, because visibility is usually better at this time. Your fourth step is to make travel arrangements. This could be anything from deciding whether you or your buddy will drive to the dive site to making airline, hotel, and boat reservations. Your fifth step is to determine your equipment needs. For example, if the water temperature is different from the water temperature where you normally dive, you might need to obtain a different type of diving suit. Different diving suits will change the amount of weight you need to wear to ensure that you have good buoyancy control during your dive. Check to see if your buoyancy compensator or regulator needs annual servicing. If so, make sure you have any item in need of service checked at your local NAUI Pro Center well in advance of the trip. Your sixth step is to determine whether you need to take a NAUI Refresher Scuba Experience before your trip. If you have not been diving in six months or more, a refresher is a good way to brush up on your knowledge and water skills. Check with your local NAUI Pro Center or the instructor who trained you on the availability of a NAUI Refresher Scuba Experience. You must also be fit to dive. Regular exercise helps to develop stamina. One of the best ways to maintain fitness for diving is to swim regularly with mask, snorkel, and fins (figure 6-2). It is vital to prepare a “to-do” list for arranging your dive. Keep it handy so you can add to it as thoughts occur. NAUI Pro Centers have checklists available on a slate if you prefer not to make your own. Use this list to develop a checklist that will be helpful when planning future dives and dive trips. Do not rely on your memory. See Appendix C for a sample checklist. Verify What You Have Learned Review the following questions about long-range planning: 1. The six steps to long range planning are: a. ___________________________ b. ___________________________ c. ___________________________ d. ___________________________ e. ___________________________ f. ___________________________ 2. You should start planning a major dive trip _______________ in advance of the trip. 3. You should start planning a day of diving at a local site _______________ in advance of the dive. FIGURE 6-2. ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO MAINTAIN FITNESS FOR DIVING IS TO SWIM REGULARLY WITH MASK, SNORKEL, AND FINS.


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