Marshalling the Bluey

Doing "The Duty"

(First printed in the MKSAC Newsletter, December 2002)

Most members of the club, provided they have attained the grade of Sports Diver or above, have their name down to open the Blue Lagoon about once a year. Recently, an increasing number of members have waited until the week they are supposed to be on, then refused to do their turn. Some members have genuine reasons, to those we say “please let us know in plenty of time and we will take you off the rota”.

If you have a preference for summer (relaxing drink in the shade while divers get on with it) or winter (only one day, no Wednesday), let us know and we will try and fit you in.

To those who are worried or frightened of doing “The Duty”, don’t be. It’s quite easy and needn’t take up a lot of your time or prevent you from diving. The job (which only comes round once a year or so) comprises the following stages.

	Arrange to meet the person from the previous week to hand over the board / key / Oxygen kit. Often accomplished on a Tuesday night at the clubhouse but could be anywhere, anytime. It is up to THEM to contact YOU.
	Open the gate at 10:30 on Sunday morning (and at 18:30 on Wednesday if appropriate). Leave Oxygen kit within sight of the waters edge.
	Hand a “visitors” form to any expected visiting club and collect their fees.
	Sort the MKSAC divers into pairs (the hard part, but see later)
	With assistance check divers air and time in; air, time and other details out. This does not mean you don’t dive, just hand the board to someone else while you are in the water. In return be sympathetic when you are NOT on duty and hold the board for a few minutes for someone else. Just a small request; Please write legibly, indicate who the pairs were and include enough detail to avoid confusion. You may know which "Pete" it was but we have at least four in the Club!
	Pack away, lock up and go home. Check who is next in the newsletter or on the website, contact them and hand over the gear. Relax for another year.

The hardest part in the above is sorting the divers into pairs. Don’t panic! Ask around. Most divers will sort themselves out, either into “Oh, I always dive with…” or “…. Is taking me today for SMB / Navigation / Crayfish hunting etc”. Those few who are left – sort them into pairs (don’t forget yourself!), ask them if they are happy with the buddy you have allocated and let them get on with it. If in doubt, the Diving or Training Officer is usually around to ask

Lastly, a plea from the Diving Officer, Secretary and the Web Master. Of course not everyone can make the date we have allocated. Please don’t ring us. Try swapping with the people either side of you on the rota, swapping with your best mate, bribing someone if you have to. Then let us know who you have swapped with. Telling us helps in three ways, we can keep the rota on the web up to date (so YOU know who is on next week), the Secretary can send the reminder to the correct person and the DO can tell the right person which visitors are expected.

Safe Diving and Marshalling