| Sub Aqua is one of the most exhilarating and exciting | | | | minutes, irrespective of whether it is a dry practical, |
| sports there is. Properly taught it can be enjoyed | | | | in the swimming pool or in the sea. At the start of |
| safely for years. It can also be very dangerous if | | | | the briefing are the safety issues relevant to that |
| training is not of the highest standard. | | | | lesson and to the site being used. For example, when |
| Only a few people are killed each year diving. When | | | | teaching the removal and replacement of the |
| the statistics are reviewed it seems that most of | | | | regulator from the mouth it may seem obvious but |
| these could have been prevented if the casualty had | | | | the student is warned that they will not be able to |
| known what to do - or not to do. Sub Aqua teaching | | | | breathe for a moment! Safety warnings may seem |
| by the leading training bodies such as BSAC, PADI | | | | like overkill at times and may be repeated but they |
| and many more is of a superlative standard. This | | | | do have the desired effect. |
| includes the superb level of training of instructors | | | | One of the key elements of teaching a practical skill |
| who in turn must teach the novices. However, other | | | | to a new student, such as removing and replacing a |
| agencies around the world may not reach the highest | | | | face mask while underwater or donating a regulator |
| of standards and there are always small pockets of | | | | to a buddy in an out of air situation, is to break |
| underperformance even within the best agencies. | | | | down the skill into small bite sized parts that can be |
| The time when a new recruit first starts learning to | | | | individually understood easily before putting them |
| dive is the best occasion for lecturing the safety | | | | together for the complete procedure. Every discrete |
| ethos. A new and open mind is more ready to soak | | | | part of a diving skill can be taught in a safe way, |
| up the safety culture than a seasoned diver who | | | | such that the sudent carries it out safely. If you |
| probably taught himself to dive years ago. | | | | commence with little bits and build up this can be |
| Each lesson will start with an opening talk for a few | | | | achieved much more easily. |