MKSAC Newsletter March 1995

It was a wet and windy night. The time and date, quarter to nine on a March Thursday evening. The place, just outside a swimming pool. The event, a normal pool night for a south midland branch of the BSAC. As the Diving Officer and her helper unloaded the kit (Seven DV's, seven stab jackets, five tanks and an assortment of other bits and pieces) most of the other members of the club went about their normal business.

The four Novices were anxious to begin their training. So anxious that they were already changed and, despite their enthusiasm, unable to help carry the equipment. Their instructors had not yet arrived. In a corner, a group of Dive Leaders and Advanced Divers stood, pretending not to see, as the DO and her helper carried the half ton of kit onto the poolside. As soon as the kit was sorted out, the Dive Leaders split up and went for a swim.

At the end of the pool session it was the same story. The Advanced Divers led a rush for the bar leaving the DO and helper to supervise washing the kit and packing it back in the car. By the time the workers made it to the bar, last orders were being called and the Novices were clamouring for log book signatures.

The problem is, this is not a fairy story. I have been connected with several clubs in the South Midlands and they all seem to be the same. As members become more highly trained, they want to be involved less and less with actually helping. This is not a hard and fast rule, some Novices don't help and some Advanced and National Instructors are very helpful indeed. Look round your branch and see if any of the following rings true:-

1. Our club has a rota to operate the compressor on a Tuesday night. All operators are at least Sports Divers who have attended the BSAC compressor course (or a locally run equivalent). Start time is officially 7:30 PM. In practice, the same two people operate the compressor week after week. It is not unknown for members who should be on duty that week to walk into the clubhouse demanding a fill (often for a non-club dive) and complain about the slow service.

2. Our club has access to one of the prime diving sites in the area. Known as the Blue Lagoon, it is an old brick pit with depths of up to nineteen metres available. Over the years, the club has dropped various items into it for divers to explore. there is a plane in eleven metres, an old Ford Capri in about five and a bus at about fourteen. Add to this five sunken boats, a few lengths of concrete pipe to swim through and a training platform (under construction) and you have a dive site that most clubs would be proud of. Indeed, visiting clubs drive in from miles around to dive with us on a Sunday morning (for details, see our website for the Blue Lagoon).

Where are our divers? There is usually a group of Novices standing around wanting a dive. Sports Divers there are in profusion. As for Dive Leaders and above, there may be one or two if you are lucky. Mention the Blue Lagoon to most Advanced Divers and you get "The Bluey? no mate, we're off proper diving" followed by some story of daring do, often involving the bending of BSAC guidelines.

3. In conjunction with another local BSAC Branch, our club organises an annual outing for all the new Novices. This normally takes place in April or May and is based around shallow dives (10-15 metres) in or just outside Portland harbour. Once again, the cry goes up from the experienced divers 'What's the fun in diving 15 metres'. Once again, the Diving Officers (of both clubs) bully, bribe or blackmail Dive Leaders and Instructors into attending.

As an outside observer, it seems to me that many of today's Dive Leaders and above are missing the point of their qualifications. The grade of Dive Leader, as is suggested by the name, is someone who can LEAD a dive, taking care of a buddy of whatever grade. The fact that a Dive Leader is allowed to go deeper than 35 metres or to do decompression stops is secondary. Likewise, an important part of the definition of an Advanced Diver is one who can plan and organise dives for the whole branch, not just a small part. As for Instructors, well.......

Having read this article, do you recognise your own description? If you are one of the helpers, thanks very much and keep up the good work. If you are one of the others, don't just laugh it off. Offer to take a Novice diving. If you see one of the helpers struggling under a mound of kit, lend a hand to carry it. Above all, don't turn dives down just because they lack the "Macho" image you are trying to project.