Chapter 8- Diving Environment Diving Environment 191 Plastic trash bags are especially harmful to sea turtles. These animals regularly feed on jellyfish as part of their diet, and a plastic bag floating in the ocean resembles a jellyfish closely enough that a sea turtle will eat it. Obviously, turtles cannot digest these bags. The bags block their digestive systems and kill the turtles. You should dispose of trash properly and recycle it when possible. Looking at trash under water is not a fun part of diving. Verify What You Have Learned Review the following questions about conservation: 18. ___________ or ______________ can damage coral. 19. You should only collect shells that are ____________________________. 20. __________________ mistake plastic trash bags as jellyfish. BOAT DIVING Many of the best diving sites in the world are in remote locations and can be reached only by boat. To enjoy this experience, you must learn the proper procedures for diving from boats. Boat diving requires unique skills whether you dive from a small or large vessel. It is important to become familiar with the procedures for diving from a charter boat. Go with an experienced diver or group to learn the correct techniques. You must know how to enter, exit, get your cylinder filled, keep your gear together, and all of the other procedures used for boat diving in your area (figure 8-27). Commercial charter boats depart at a set time, so plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before its departure time. Sign in when you board the boat and stow your gear as directed by the crew. Tour the vessel and ask questions to familiarize yourself with its layout. Diving from a small boat requires that you learn yet another set of procedures. Because of space limitations created by the size of the boat, you must learn how to manage your gear in as small an area as possible. For FIGURE 8-27. BOAT DIVING REQUIRES SPECIAL PROCEDURES. example, you might need to assemble your scuba unit and don your diving suit on shore, board the boat, and ride out to the site. Procedures for entering and exiting the water vary depending on the size and configuration of the vessel. On a small boat, care might be required to keep the boat balanced as you enter or exit it. In this situation, it is often helpful to don and remove your scuba equipment in the water rather than aboard the small boat. Some means to get back in the boat must also be available. Additional safety procedures are also necessary for small boat diving. A written plan of your destination and your expected time of return must be left with someone on shore so they can summon help if you do not return within a reasonable time. This plan is called a float plan. Good seamanship is important, and more than one person aboard any boat must be trained to operate it competently. Be sure to take a sanctioned course in small boat handling if you plan regular dives from small boats.
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