Dec 2018

Canterbury Underwater Club

PO Box 2287

Christchurch 8140

www.canterburyunderwater.org.nz

Canterbury Underwater Club Inc. Newsletter

Club Meeting Information

November Meeting Summary The minutes from the November meeting can be found at the end of this newsletter.

Next Meeting – Burnside Bowling Club, Tuesday 11th December

Next club meeting will take place on Tuesday the 11th of December at Burnside Bowling Club - 330

Avonhead Road - by Burnside Park. Please come along at 6.30pm to have a go at bowling, followed by BBQ

supper and raffles! If you wish to try out the bowling please wear flat shoes.

Trips and Events

Watch for details on Facebook and the CUC website. Join CUC Messenger for more real time information on CUC trips and events. The Crays for Christmas dive will take place on the 23rd December. Location to be advised subject to weather. High tide is very early morning both for Montanau and Banks Peninsula and low tide is around 11.00am.

General Information

Dive Insurance

The Divers Alert Network (DAN) is your scuba diving safety association. DAN provides protection for scuba

divers with Worldwide Emergency Evacuation Coverage (with your DAN Membership) and optional Dive

Injury Insurance Plans, for chamber and hospital costs following a covered diving accident.

Joining DAN (Membership and Dive Injury Insurance) gives you peace of mind. It allows you to enjoy your

scuba diving knowing you will be looked after in the event of a diving incident, wherever you are in the

world, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.

Why DAN? With 30+ years’ experience helping sick and injured scuba divers worldwide, DAN are the experts

in diving accident management. Visit http://www.danap.org/ for more information.

New Member

We would like to welcome new member Grant Nicoll. Grant joined the club to connect with other divers, learn new skills and practise safe diving. His interests include wreck diving, photography, spearfishing, cray, scallop and scenic diving.

Member Trip

Whale watching in Vava'u, Tonga By Joan Werner

We recently went to Tonga to swim with the whales. We had quite a few close encounters, especially with a mother and playful baby. I was so busy videoing the "baby" that twice the mother came up right underneath me and I found myself rolling around, with my tummy on her back, watching the big tail coming. One flick and I'd have been history, but she just cruised on past. Don had a unique flukey experience. The mother came up under him too, belly up, and touched him with her fluke. It was quite deliberate. The manager of the Tongan resort (great place to stay) said that the ones that come back year after year sometimes do touch, as they remember swimming with people when they were calves.

It is great that you can get right through to Vava'u in one day now (no pesky overnights in Nukualofa or Auckland). But a word to the wise. There is nearly always some problem or other with the domestic airline (REAL Tonga). A group from Auckland just before us had to spend 3 days in Nukualofa because there were no flights due, they said, to bad weather. But the weather was good, and the real (no pun intended) problem was some mechanical issue. They said it was the weather to avoid liability for alternative accommodation costs. We were lucky. All that happened to us was they changed the departure time from 10am to 8am so we had to spend 5 hours at the international airport. At least we got there and back OK.

Go Dive Pacific Trips Information and CUC Members Discount CUC Member discounted trips Brent McFadden of Go Dive Pacific has offered CUC Members a 5% discount on all Lermontov wreck diving trips. More info and prices can be found on the Go Dive Pacific website - https://godivepacific.nz/lermontov/ He has also offered a 5% discount on the following trip coming up in January on the Go Dive Pacific boat, ‘Xtended Range’, see information below.

XTENDED RANGE TRIPS

Go Dive Pacific are now offering trips to parts of the Outer Marlborough Sounds and Outer Islands which enable us to dive sites that are rarely dived. The trips are based from our Dive Lodge in Port Gore but include overnight stays in lodges situated throughout the top of the South Island. All services provided including meals, air-fills, weight and cylinder rental.

JANUARY 12/13/14th 2019 with optional 4th day of diving

Itinerary: • DAY 1: Depart Lermontov Lodge at 8.30am. Dive Lastingham, Chetwode and D’Urville Islands, overnight at Catherine Cove on D’Urville Island. Three dives plus fishing. Includes accommodation and evening meal prior to the first days diving.

• DAY 2: Depart Catherine Cove at 8.30am, dive the Rangitoto Islands and Stephens Island. Day two second option depending on weather, dive the Koranui Wreck off the Beef Barrels and cray dive on west side of D’Urville. Three dives plus fishing.

• DAY 3: Depart Catherine Cove Lodge at 8.30am, dive around D’Urville, Chetwodes or Titi Islands or Lermontov, make our way back to the Lermontov Lodge. Three dives.

• DAY 4: (Optional) Dive the Lermontov. Two dives Requirements: Advanced diver certification or higher, DSMB and dive equipment fit for purpose. Other Stuff: Responsible hunting and collecting possible, no artefact collection off the wrecks. No solo diving. Trips limited to 6 divers and 2 non-divers, fishers or free divers. Total 8 guests. Check out the map of dives sites visited at www.godivepacific.nz. Conditions: Go Dive Pacific retains the right to change the itinerary depending on weather and environmental factors. If sea and weather conditions are deemed too unsafe to dive and travel to D’Urville the trip will be based entirely from the Lermontov Lodge. Trip Cost: • Option 1: 3 days diving with 3 nights’ accommodation and meals $995.00

• Option 2: 3 days diving with 4 nights’ accommodation and meals $1090.00

• Option 3: 4 days diving with 4 nights’ accommodation and meals. $1250.00

Truk Lagoon Trip

Recipe

Leek and Salmon Parcels Ingredients

50g unsalted butter

2 medium leeks

4 salmon fillets, skin off, scaled, pin-boned

8 tablespoons dry vermouth, or dry white wine

4 tablespoons organic chicken stock

1 tablespoon baby capers

a few sprigs of fresh dill

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.

2. Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Cut out four 40cm squares of greaseproof paper and brush with a little melted butter. Trim the leeks, then julienne or cut into matchsticks and sauté in the butter for 6 to 8 minutes, or until lightly golden. Season well.

3. Divide half of the leeks between the paper. Place a salmon fillet on each, season, and spoon over 2 tablespoons of vermouth, 1 tablespoon of stock and the remaining leeks. Scatter over the capers. Finely chop and scatter over the dill. Fold up the sides of the paper and scrunch up to make secure parcels.

4. Place the parcels on a baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked. Open the parcels at the table.

Dive Equipment Information

Your First Set of Scuba Gear: A Buyer's Guide Scubadiving.com For a new diver, buying gear is the final step, the act that says "I'm committed to really enjoying diving." But if you're newly certified, how are you supposed to know what to buy? Relax. Between our advice and your instructor's help, we'll have you outfitted in no time. It's helpful to think of buying gear in two phases: first, the basic stuff you need for class; second, the major pieces of life support — regulator, BC and dive computer — that you're allowed to purchase once you've got a C-card. Let's start with the basics.

Phase one, the basics:

Mask

The one-pane oval mask of Sea Hunt and those old Bond films is practically a relic. In its place is a variety of

styles for a world of faces. Your job: Choose the one right for yours.

What It Does - The mask creates an air space in front of your eyes that allows them to focus under water.

The nose pocket allows you to equalize the air

pressure in your mask as you go deeper.

What to Look For - A good watertight fit. Our Scuba Lab experts have come up with this six-step plan for foolproof mask fitting:

1. Look up at the ceiling and place the mask on your face without using the strap. It should rest evenly with no gaps.

2. Place a regulator or snorkel mouthpiece in your mouth. Does the mask still feel comfortable? Any gaps yet?

3. Look forward. Place the mask on your face without using the strap and gently inhale through your nose. The mask should seal easily on your face. Caution: A strong inhale will close minor leak areas and invalidate this test.

4. Repeat the sniff test with a mouthpiece in place.

5. If the mask is still in the running, adjust the strap and put it on your face. Make sure the nose pocket doesn't touch your nose and that the skirt feels comfortable on your upper lip.

6. Put the regulator mouthpiece in one more time to make sure you can easily reach the nose pocket to equalize your ears.

Any mask that passes this test is a potential keeper. You'll find a whole range of options on masks, including side, top and bottom panes for a wider field of vision. Some also have purge valves for venting any water that leaks in, and others have quick strap adjustments. These options (and a range of color schemes) are a matter of personal preference--just make sure the mask you choose fits right.

Cost - From $50 to $200. Our Advice - Clear or light-colored mask skirts let more light in and are generally more comfortable for new divers.

Snorkel

It seems simple enough: a curved tube that lets you breathe while floating face-down on the surface. Yet, as

you look at the giant wall of snorkels at your local dive store, you'll see an array of options and features to

choose from. Don't worry. Stay focused on the basics.

What It Does - As a diver, you primarily use a snorkel to conserve air in your tank when on the water's

surface.

What to Look For - Comfort. You want a mouthpiece that feels good in your mouth and breathes dry and

easy. The problem is, most attempts to keep snorkels dry also make them bulkier and harder to breathe

through. The snorkel for you is one with a good compromise between ease of breathing and dry comfort.

Remember, the bigger a snorkel is, the more drag it creates in the water. Also important: how the snorkel

attaches to your mask. Look for a durable, yet simple and easy-to-operate attachment.

Cost - From $30 to $90.

Our Advice - If you don't plan on doing a lot of snorkeling, this is the one piece of gear you can skimp on. Get

a simple, basic model and be done with it.

Fins

Fish don't have legs for the simple reason that fins are the best way to move through water. So if you're

going to play in the fish's territory, you need a good set of fins too.

What They Do - Fins translate power from the large leg muscles into efficient movement through water,

which is 800 times denser than air.

What to Look For - Comfort and efficiency. When trying on fins, look for a snug fit that doesn't pinch your

toes or bind the arches of your feet. If you can't wiggle your toes, the fins are too small.

Efficiency of fins is largely determined by their size, stiffness and design. Divers with strong leg and hip

muscles can efficiently use a bigger, stiffer fin. Smaller divers or less conditioned divers will be more

comfortable with smaller, more flexible fins. Finally, make sure buckles and straps are easy to use.

Cost - $75 to $250. Our Advice - Choosing the right pair is important to prevent muscle fatigue and cramping.

Good fins will enhance your enjoyment of diving; bad ones can ruin it.

What type is right for you? Here's a look at some considerations to keep in mind when choosing a pair.

Full-Foot or Open-Heel Fins?

Full-foot fins don't require dive booties and are best suited mainly for warm waters. The straps of open-heel fins can be adjusted for the different booties you may wear or for different

family members and children as they grow. Open-heel fins require less effort to put on, especially if a pull tab is added to the strap. The dive booties required with open-heel fins also provide foot protection and comfort while diving

and walking.

Exposure Protection Suits

Form-fitting exposure suits are usually made of foam neoprene rubber (wetsuits) or spandex-like materials

(skins), sometimes with a fleece lining.

What They Do - Exposure suits insulate you against the cooling effect of water, which can rob your body of

heat 25 times faster than air. The thickness and type of exposure protection you need depends on dive

conditions. Simple Lycra suits provide little thermal insulation, but do help protect against scrapes and

stings.

A wetsuit keeps you warm in two ways:

Keeping Water Out. Any water that gets inside the suit is going

to leak out again. When the water is inside, it absorbs some of

your body heat. When it leaves, it takes that heat with it. So

the first thing a wetsuit has to do is keep the cold ocean from

flushing through it. A good fit, one that feels equally snug

everywhere, is critical, so the space the ocean wants to use to

flow along your skin is as small as possible.

Providing Insulation Against Heat Loss. A little science here:

Solids and liquids conduct heat well; gases do not. Air, for

example, is about 20 times less conductive than water. As a

practical matter, good insulation — above or below water — is

all about trapping air. That's why neoprene foam works so

well. Gas bubbles are permanently trapped inside the "closed

cells" of the wetsuit material.

Some features can help the suit do its job. They include: wrist,

collar and ankle seals; sealing flaps behind zippers; pre-bent

arms and legs; and smooth inner coatings to minimize water

flow inside the suit.

What to Look For - Fit and comfort. Exposure suits should fit

snugly without restricting movement or breathing. Reject any

suit that's too loose, however. Gaps at the arm, leg, crotch and

neck allow water to circulate and defeat the suit's ability to

prevent heat loss.

Cost - Wetsuits and skins range from $70 to $650. Drysuits can

cost from $850 to more than $2,500.

Our Advice - As long as a wetsuit fits correctly, it will do the

job. If you're going the budget route, your choices will usually

be limited to basic models. Bright colors and graphics aren't

necessary but do make you more visible to other divers.

Here's a guide to choosing the right weight for the conditions

you dive in.

Exposure Suit Comfort Zones

Water Temp

25-30C - 1.6mm neoprene, Lycra, Polartec

20-30C - 3mm neoprene

18-25C - 5mm neoprene

10-20C - 6.5mm neoprene

02-18C - 9.5mm neoprene, dry suit

Once you're a newly minted diver, the anxiety you had about buying gear will likely be replaced with a rush

of excitement — a desire to max out the plastic or convert the Roth IRA into a heap of the latest and greatest

in scuba gear.

Fine. Having your own gear is essential to enjoy this sport fully and to maximize your comfort and safety. Just

remember that your experience with equipment is limited. You've got to study the field and understand

what you want — and need — out of each piece of gear.

Phase Two: Life-Support Equipment

BC’s

The BC is the most complex piece of dive equipment you'll own and one of the most important. So choose carefully based on the style of diving you'll be doing most.

What It Does - What doesn't it do? It holds your gear in place, lets you carry a tank with minimal effort, floats you at the surface and allows you to achieve neutral buoyancy at any depth.

What to Look For - Correct size and fit. Before you try on BCs, slip into the exposure suit you'll wear most often. Look for a BC that fits snugly but doesn't squeeze you when inflated. The acid test: inflate the BC until the overflow valve vents. The BC should not restrict your breathing. While you've got the BC on, test all valves for accessibility and ease of use, then make sure the adjustments, straps and pockets are easy to reach and use.

Pay particular attention to the inflator hose. Is it easy to reach and extend over your head? Make sure there's a clear distinction between the inflate and deflate buttons and that you can operate them easily with one hand.

Cost - $350 to more than $1,000.

Our Advice - This is an important piece of equipment that you can expect to use for many years. Don't skimp; go for quality. Test as many different models as you can in real diving situations before buying. Rent them if you have to.

How Much BC Lift Do you Need?

Tropical Diving (with little or no wetsuit protection) - 12 to 24 pounds Recreational Diving (with a full wetsuit or dry suit) - 20 to 40 pounds Technical Diving (or diving under other demanding conditions) - 40 to 80 pounds

Regulators

The good news: Among major-label regulators — the kind sold

in dive stores — there is no junk. Regulators have been

perfected to the point that even budget regulators can offer

high performance. However, you must do your homework

before buying this vital piece of gear. We can help: Scuba Lab

has tested hundreds of regulators in thousands of breathing

machine tests.

What It Does - Converts the high-pressure air in your tank to

ambient pressure so you can breathe it. A regulator must also deliver air to other places, such as your BC

inflator and alternate second stage.

What to Look For - High performance. The best regulators can deliver a high volume of air at depth, under

heavy exertion even at low tank pressures. Some regulators also have diver-controlled knobs and switches to

aid this process, so it's important to understand the controls and how they work.

Comfort. Look for a comfortable mouthpiece and have your local dive store select hoses of the right length

for you.

Try as many regulators as you can in real-world diving situations. Breathing on a regulator in a dive store tells

you nothing about how it will perform under water.

Cost - From $225 to $1,600.

Our Advice - You've got to do your homework to find the best regulator available for your budget. Talk to

dive store personnel, experienced divers and read ScubaLab's objective tests and reviews.

Dive Computers

Nobody enjoys working the dive tables, but they're an

invaluable tool for safe diving. Dive computers are an even

better tool for the same reason a laptop is better than a slide

rule.

What They Do - By constantly monitoring depth and bottom

time, dive computers automatically recalculate your no-

decompression status, giving you longer dive times while still

keeping you within a safe envelope of no-decompression

time. Computers can also monitor your ascent rate and tank

pressure, tell you when it's safe to fly, log your dives and

much more. That's why dive computers are almost as

common as depth gauges these days.

What to Look For - User-friendliness. The most feature-

packed dive computer does you no good if you can't easily

and quickly access the basic information you need during a

dive: depth, time, decompression status and tank pressure.

Some models have both numeric and graphic displays for at-

a-glance information.

Mounting options are an important feature to consider and let you position computers on your wrist, gauge

console, hoses or attach them to BCs.

Some computers are conservative in their calculations, automatically building in safety margins; others take

you to the edge of decompression and trust you to build in your own safety margins. Only RSD publishes a

chart ranking the relative conservatism of dive computers on the market today.

Before you buy, ask to see the owner's manual and check it out. Complete and easy-to-understand

instructions are important, especially on feature-packed machines.

Cost - $300 to more than $1,300.

Our Advice - Begin with an honest evaluation of your diving needs — do you plan to use mixed gases

someday to do decompression diving? Study the features of different computers and choose the one that

offers the mix of features you need at the best price.

Where Should You Buy Gear?

Scuba equipment can be purchased in dive stores, at other retail outlets, by mail order or as used equipment

from private parties. There are distinct advantages and disadvantages to each.

Private party. Buying used gear from a private party may be the cheapest possible way to go, but provides

absolutely no guarantees. Unless you are extremely knowledgeable or an equipment technician, you will not

know if a regulator, for example, can even be serviced. You will also not have any performance data. The

seller's statement that the regulator "breathes fine" and your breathing on it out of the water are both

meaningless. We recommend not buying used life-support equipment from private parties.

Non-dive store retail outlets. Sporting goods and discount stores may have scuba gear for sale. Some of

these stores actually have scuba departments and should be considered dive stores. However, most are

simply retail outlets and cannot provide the service, support and expertise that a dive store can. Other than

price, there is no reason to buy at these non-dive store outlets. And even price may not be an advantage

since name-brand gear can often be purchased at dive stores at discount prices.

Mail order. Catalog buying is a popular and useful way to shop, particularly when some products are not

available locally or may be purchased through a catalog for significantly less money (including shipping and

handling charges).

But buying scuba gear through the mail is not like buying a sweater from a clothing catalog. In particular, our

concerns are these:

Diver life-support products should not be sold to unqualified buyers.

Dive gear should not be sold when operating incorrectly.

Gear should not be sold to a diver without regard to proper fit and function.

Little service or support is available by mail order, and gear that is not purchased locally may not be able to

be serviced locally and may have no warranty.

Dive Stores. Retail dive stores have been the focal point of local dive support since recreational diving

became popular. Your local dive store can provide instruction, dive travel, local dives, inspection and repair

services, compressed air, rental equipment, equipment advice and the opportunity to look at, feel, compare

and test equipment before purchase. In addition, the store can back up products immediately if necessary.

Personal contact is also an important part of a dive store's value. In short, a dive store is in a better position

than a mail-order dealer to provide the service and support you need and should expect.

So What's This Going To Cost Me?

No doubt about it: scuba is a gear-intensive activity. But scuba gear is also built to last. When properly cared

for and regularly maintained, your first set of gear can last a long time.

When You Get It, Take Care of It

Scuba gear is designed to be rugged and durable. Most items will last you many years--if you take care of

them properly. Some top tips from old pros:

• Immerse your gear in fresh, clean water after use. Do not spray.

• Partially fill your BC with fresh water, slosh it around, then drain.

• Allow each item to dry thoroughly before storing in a cool, dry and clean area.

• Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight, heat and chlorinated water.

• Do not allow contact with petroleum products or other solvents.

• Protect your gear from physical shock when transporting it, especially on airlines.

• At least once per year (more if you dive frequently) have your BC, reg and computer serviced by your dive

store. The leading cause of equipment failure is lack of maintenance.

• Do not allow moisture into the air intake of your regulator's first stage, and do not depress the purge on

your second stage unless the unit is pressurized.

• Inspect each item of gear well before a planned dive trip so there is time for repairs. Do not dive if your

equipment is less than 100 percent reliable.

Safety Section Heart Disease Does Not Mean the End of Scuba Diving

We continue to follow Eric’s story, from his diagnosis to his surgery and treatment and his eventual return to

scuba diving.

Scuba Diving After a Heart Attack - A True Story of Recovery By Eric Douglas, scubadiving.com

Chapter 4: Understanding Heart Attacks and How They Affect Your Body

We met briefly several years ago and I’ve read his articles and research for many years. He is highly respected in the field of diving medicine and is known for his ability to explain medical issues so a layman like me can understand them. He agreed to answer my questions with the understanding that I would pass along his thoughts to everyone else. If you find yourself in this same situation, obviously your local cardiologist will be in charge of your care, but consulting a doctor who understands diving is important when it comes to getting back in the water. Divers Alert Network maintains a database of physicians who have been trained in diving medicine. So I asked Caruso a number of questions related to my experience with heart disease and what it means for scuba divers. WHAT IS CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE? “Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease encompasses not only disease of the coronary arteries but also disease of the peripheral arteries and the arteries that supply blood to major organs such as the brain. The process involves the buildup of atherosclerotic plaque that progressively narrows the lumen (inside portion) of the artery. If the arteries involved are supplying blood to the brain, the person may suffer a stroke. When atherosclerosis affects the arteries of the heart, then a myocardial infarction or even sudden cardiac death may occur. This is commonly known as a heart attack.

“Many names are used to describe the same process. Coronary heart disease, ischemic heart disease, and coronary artery disease are all terms that describe a progressive narrowing of the interior of the arteries resulting in a decreased flow of blood to the heart muscle. A limitation of blood flow means that insufficient oxygen delivery to the cardiac muscle itself will be the result and those deprived areas may be injured (myocardial infarction). Worse yet, the pacemaker cells of the heart are also very dependent on oxygenation

One of the first things I did after being diagnosed with coronary artery disease — and getting scheduled for open-heart surgery — was begin researching exactly what it meant for me. I have a background in diving and emergency medicine, but my experience was in very general terms.

Heart disease wasn’t something I had been directly involved with. I wanted to understand what was going on in my body. Exactly. Of course, that led to searching the web and stumbling across too much information.

As a friend said to me recently after a WebMD search, “Do I have a sore throat or do I have throat cancer?” Before I was out of the hospital, I knew I would be writing about this process and I immediately set my goal of getting back into the water. I also knew that I was going to have to consult some experts versed in diving medicine to accomplish both goals. At that point, I was pleased to realize that James Caruso, M.D., is also a regular contributor to Scuba Diving magazine.

A picture of the heart catheterization that

revealed blockages and restrictions in the

author's coronary arteries requiring bypass grafts

and when those areas are not receiving enough blood, a fatal cardiac dysrhythmia may occur (sudden cardiac death).”

This particular explanation was interesting to me. I had a heart attack, but didn’t realize what was actually happening at the time. I wrote about that in the first Heart Disease and Diving column. It wasn’t until my cardiologist gave me a heart catheterization that I actually knew that I’d had a heart attack. As I understand it, my heart muscle showed some signs of injury, but it wasn’t severe enough that it caused any worry. They had seen worse and felt that once they restored normal blood flow to my heart muscle, it should heal and return to normal function. That was good news for me and diving: I wouldn’t have been able to get back at it if my heart wasn’t pumping at full capacity.

HOW DID IT HAPPEN TO ME? “Essentially it is a plumbing problem,” Caruso explained. “Atherosclerotic plaque buildup is predominantly a combination of cholesterol buildup on the inside of the blood vessels along with injury to the lining of these blood vessels. There are several risk factors that accelerate this plaque formation such as: cigarette smoking; elevated serum lipid levels such as high cholesterol and high triglycerides; high blood pressure; genetics; increasing age up to a point; and male gender.

“Plaque buildup generally begins in areas of turbulent blood flow such as branch points in the arteries. This

actually is quite convenient because that means that coronary artery disease is usually worse near the

beginning of the artery where it branches and not near its endpoint. Cardiac surgeons take advantage of this

when they perform bypass surgery. You can bypass a blocked artery near its origin, but not further

downstream. High blood pressure provides an additional risk. The heart’s response to high blood pressure is

to get bigger (like any other muscle pushing against resistance). A larger heart needs more oxygen and the

blood has to flow to more tissue. This can really be problematic if there is coronary artery disease restricting

blood flow.”

From my experience in the diving-safety community and from writing the Lessons for Life column for the

past several years, I know how often “dive fatalities” are actually heart attacks in the water. I was fortunate

to be at home when I had my heart attack, but what would have happened if I had been on a boat and away

from emergency medical help?

ARE DIVERS AT GREATER RISK? “Divers are at no greater risk for coronary artery disease than the average person,” Caruso says. “The fact that we have a somewhat aging diving population means that there are many middle-aged males participating in recreational diving and that is the group at greatest risk. The other problem is that diving frequently takes place in somewhat isolated locations, far from the high-level medical care required to get a person through a potentially fatal ischemic cardiac event. You are much more likely to survive a heart attack if immediate resuscitation efforts, particularly defibrillation, are employed.”

I’ve been writing and teaching about the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) on dive boats since

2003. Many liveaboards have opted to purchased them, and even some of the smaller day boats have too.

Unfortunately, not all of them have taken that step. Learning CPR is a great skill for divers and it is absolutely

important as a first step to save the life of someone in cardiac arrest, but it isn’t a magic bullet.

For every minute a person is in cardiac arrest, their chance of survival drops by approximately 10 percent —

even with CPR. After about 10 minutes, the chance that person will regain a pulse is just about non-existent.

When you consider the possible delay to providing care by bringing an unconscious diver to the surface and

getting his gear off to get him in the boat, the window is very, very small. Having an AED, and a crew trained

to use it, on the boat is vitally important. Which brings up the question of risk.

HOW MUCH HIGHER IS MY RISK AFTER HAVING A HEART ATTACK? “Even in the best of cases, the diver must choose to accept risk. Despite a flawless revascularization and textbook recovery and rehabilitation, the diver with a history of coronary artery disease will always be at a greater than baseline risk of suffering a future cardiac event. Additionally, the diver may be on medications such as blood thinners and blood pressure medications that need to be figured into the cost-benefit equation. For many passionate divers, the small increased risk of having a health problem during a dive is outweighed by the adrenaline rush and extreme pleasure that comes with being in the underwater environment. For others, the risk of having a cardiac event at depth with the resultant high probability of drowning or even having a significant medical problem while on the surface or back in the boat is unacceptable.”

In the fifth installment of this diving and heart disease series, I will discuss the actual exercise capacity

required to return to diving, with help from Caruso.

Photograph of the Month This section features impressive underwater photography from around the globe.

Tom St. George, Tulum, Mexico

Behind the Shot by Tom St. George: Occasionally, following heavy rainfall, tannic runoff stained by decaying leaf litter enters Cenote Carwash, turning it a vibrant reddish-orange. This tannic water blocks much of the daylight, and the cenote becomes darker than normal — it feels a bit like diving on Mars. Shot with ambient light only, this image required pushing the camera quite hard — shooting almost wide open, dragging the shutter, and pushing the ISO to 6400. The low-light settings also help accentuate the beam from the diver’s torch.

Safety Don’t Drink and Dive By Stephen Phillips, TDI SDI

It’s that time of the year when divers plan holidays or expeditions to many diving destinations all over the

world. For many, this is a once-in-a-lifetime dream. It shouldn’t be a nightmare.

The whole experience revolves around diving and of course the social interaction with like-minded people,

but we need to be responsible.

As the old saying goes, “First drink/last dive.” It seems harsh, but would you drink and drive or use

complicated machinery in your job under the influence of alcohol? Of course not. Diving is no different.

There are a number of effects that can lead to bad consequences, both underwater and when we surface.

Really diving and consuming alcohol before after and during surface intervals do not go together. Alcohol

affects the central nervous system. It impairs judgment and coordination. This reduces the ability to react

and coordinate many skills and tasks we try to perform during our excursions underwater.

Diving whether Recreational or Tech we are exerting ourselves physically and mentally.

If an emergency happens, we need to act quickly. Studies looking at the effects of alcohol and performance

have shown that a high percentage of all drowning incidents in adult males are associated with alcohol

(Diving and Subaquatic Medicine, Edmunds C, et al.,2002)

Alcohol takes time for effects to subside and the body to metabolize alcohol and its effects to subside.

Performing skills and thinking processes can be impaired by as little as a blood alcohol (BAC) of 0.04%. Put in

laymen’s terms, this would be the BAC of an average 82 kg/180 lb adult male who drinks two, 12-ounce

beers in a short period of time on an empty stomach.

This was highlighted in a study by M.W.Perrine and colleagues. The study also found that, at lower levels,

situational awareness and problem solving were impaired. Remember that, in a diving environment were

awareness and problem solving are critical if an emergency occurs

In many of the courses we teach, dehydration, when severe, is most likely a major factor in decompression

sickness (DCS). This may be caused by recent alcohol intake as well as seasickness, excessive sweating, the

fact we are breathing dry air and diuresis from immersion. It has not been conclusively answered whether

alcohol causes diver’s susceptibility to DCS due to only a few studies out there but that’s for another day and

personally, I do not want to be that statistic.

Tech diving, in particular, is a section of diving where meticulous planning and skills are required given the

depths sometimes attained. So it is in our interest and safety that we think carefully about alcohol

consumption before and after these formal activities.

Trimix lessens the effects of nitrogen narcosis on some deeper dives. However, this benefit can be offset by a

high BAC. High blood alcohol levels may enhance the effects of nitrogen narcosis along with dehydration.

This could lead to accidents because of poor problem-solving.

The bottom line is that diving and drinking alcohol do not go together.

The central nervous system is affected in such a way that judgment is impaired. Plus in fact, reaction times

and coordination are reduced. This is not the best recipe for sport or tech diving. How many risk assessments

do we see with alcohol consumption highlighted?

As divers we need to take a responsible approach to alcohol consumption. Not only before diving but

afterward. Following a few simple rules will leave us with good memories, not ones we regret.

These rules are:

Get a good night’s sleep. Anything up to eight hours or more.

Limit alcohol consumption the night before to two or three, with a non-alcoholic drink between them.

Drink plenty of water or sports drinks the morning of your dive. Being well-hydrated helps.

Don’t drink on an empty stomach. A good meal helps slow the flow of alcohol into your system.

Don’t forget to have a healthy breakfast on the morning of your dive.

I have covered only the tip of the iceberg here. There is a lot more information out there. They say

knowledge helps us make the right decisions, so let’s be safe.

Committee Notices

Entertainment Books

Master of Entertainment Books: The Club has done well over the years selling Entertainment books and many members and friends have used them extensively to save heaps on meals and entertainment. Wayne Lester has lead this for many years and now needs a break. If you are willing to assist please contact the President on 021 531 993 or let the committee know at the next Club Meeting. Many thanks to Wayne for doing this over many years.

Links

For member and lodge booking information and upcoming event information check out our website: http://www.canterburyunderwater.org.nz

Also visit our Facebook page for the latest trip reports and other news!

https://www.facebook.com/CanterburyUnderwaterClub

Oxygen Administration If any members are interested in doing the oxygen Administration course at a discounted price please let the committee know. Please note that the oxygen kit is available for use by members trained in oxygen administration. Please contact Wayne if you want the oxygen kit for upcoming trips.

Get Involved Your support is required. We are hosting the NZUA annual conference in June 2019. Last year it was held in Hawera in South Taranaki and now it is our turn. Wayne Lester and Mark Buckland are managing the organisation of this event and would really appreciate some help. In the New Year there will be a meeting to outline what is proposed to make this a memorable event for all visitors and locals attending the annual conference. From this, what needs to be done will be advised and your assistance would be greatly appreciated. If you are able to help out please contact either Wayne on 021 436 913 or Mark on 027 706 5516

Carpet binding for mats We have kept some carpet remnants from the Lodge to make mats and would like to know if anyone has access to a binder or knows of a good one. Please contact Wayne Lester if you can help 021 436 913.

Members’ Favourite Dive Locations

We have a lot of active diving members so you guys must have some favourite dive spots!

We’d like to include a section on favourite dive spots written by members in future newsletters. It could feature: Location, Access, Features, Best time of year, Memorable moments, Foreign destinations, Best local spots. Please send us your recommendations!

Dritek Hangers

As part of a fundraiser the Club is selling Dritek Hangers. These are not available to be purchased in New Zealand, so get yourself an exclusive purchase and be the envoy of your friends. These are currently being sold at a one off price of $35.00 each and we have very limited stock. So get one for your wetsuit and one for your BC, might as well get the wife one while you’re at it. STRONG: The toughest, most versatile hanger on the market. Comfortably holds up to 30kg

PROTECTIVE: Designed to help you dry garments naturally, whilst being gentle on fabrics and maintain garment performance. SECURE: “Closed hook” carabiner clips-on, wraps around or hooks over. Whichever way you use it, it will not fall LONG LASTING: It won’t break, it won’t let you down. VERSATILE: Unlimited hanging possibilities: indoors and outdoors, on-board or on shore, hang anywhere solution ENVIRONMENTAL: Made using recycled materials and you’ll never send it to landfill

These will be brought along to Club meeting so bring your cash, but as there is only limited stock email michael.lester82@gmail.com to have yours put aside. Please note: pre-ordered ones will only be held for one month. Cash only transactions at the meeting – these will not be posted

Important Notice to all Members – Club Vouchers

The committee are recalling all Canterbury Underwater Club vouchers issued with a face value of Five Dollars

($5.00) and Ten Dollars ($10.00.)

These vouchers will be replaced with the equivalent monetary value in Fifteen Dollar ($15.00) Vouchers.

Current financial club members who are holders of the $5.00 and $10.00 vouchers will be required to return

them to the Club Treasurer for exchange before the 31st March 2019 if they wish to maintain this credit.

After the 31st March 2019 the $5.00 and $10.00 vouchers cannot be redeemed and will have no monetary

value.

Members who are in possession of vouchers with a total value of less than $15.00 should contact the Club

Treasurer if they are not going to redeem them before the 31st March 2019.

Canterbury Underwater Club Inc - Lodge Information The Canterbury Underwater Club Lodge offers a fantastic facility to both members and non-members with dedicated boat parking, gear washing facilities, fish filleting stations, crayfish cooker and a communal cooking and living area.

The lodge can sleep a maximum of 20 people in its five rooms,

specific rooms can be requested when booking but may

change to accommodate the numbers of person in a party.

The Annex rooms (11 to 16) can sleep up to 16 people and will

be reserved for members only unless the entire Lodge has

been pre-booked for a Group.

This will not apply to holiday weekends and may be varied for

either of the above if the lodge is only or likely to be partially

occupied during your stay.

Please remember that while pillows with pillowcases and bottom sheets are provided, you need to bring your own bedding. A laundry fee of $5 per person per stay is required to cover the cost of commercially laundering the CUC sheets & pillowcases after your stay. This is payable at check in when picking up the key.

Member Rates Members and Partners $15.00 per person per night Child 5-17 years $5.00 per child per night Child Under 5 Free

Member Cancellation Policy Prior to mid-day on the day of arrival No Charge Later than mid-day on the planned day of arrival 1 night charged Cancellation of a booking for a holiday weekend must be done 3 days prior to the planned day of arrival or a two night penalty charge will apply if the beds booked cannot be re-let. The booking agent will advise the Treasurer and Secretary in these events.

Non-Member Rates Adult $26.00 per person per night Child 5-13 years $10.00 per child per night Child Under 5 Free Vouchers can be used for non-members (for a stay when accompanied by a member) but will be redeemed

at the non-member price.

Non-Member Cancellation Policy Cancellation of bookings and refund of deposits will be as per standard motel practice for Groups or

Individuals.

Important Lodge Booking and Check in/Check out Information Bookings are handled by Sam and Lyn Wang at The Blue Seas Motel. To lessen the impact on the Wang

family in the running of their own business, we kindly ask that you respect the following instructions:

1. E-mail is the preferred booking method. See new email booking address below. 2. Phone bookings should be made no later than 7pm and no earlier than midday. 3. Please let Sam and Lyn know how many people are in your group so they can allocate beds and also

the member/non-member make up of your party. 4. For any group booking, preference is for one person to go to Blue Seas Motel office to pay for all

accommodation and to uplift all room keys. (This speeds up the process for all concerned)

5. Payment must be made upon collection of keys and your membership card must be shown to avail of the member rates – Vouchers, Cash or Cheque only please, NO EFTPOS.

6. Uplift keys before 8pm; please phone if you are running late. 7. On day of departure from the lodge allocated room must be vacated by 11.30 am. Fitted sheet and

pillow cases to be placed in laundry basket. Blue Seas Motel Phone: 03-319-5441 Sam & Lyn Wang Email: blue.seas@xtra.co.nz 222 Esplanade, Kaikoura 7300 When requesting a Booking/Reservation, please use the following email address: Email: divelodgekaikoura@gmail.com

General Lodge Rules and Obligations for ALL Users No Pets of any description to be taken onto or into any part of Club Lodge facilities unless the

committee receives a request in writing prior to staying in the Lodge and approves pets to be there

under special circumstances only.

Any visiting guests may not over-night at the lodge unless booking and registration is completed at

The Blue Seas Motel prior to 8.00 pm and it does not interfere with any other persons booking.

No smoking is permitted at the Club Lodge.

Alcohol consumption is permitted in moderation.

General noise to be kept to a minimum late in the evening to be respectful to others staying at the

lodge.

No undersize Fish/Crayfish/Shellfish or excess quota of any species to be kept at the club lodge.

BBQ and Crayfish Cooker are only to be used outside.

Clean up when you leave. Leave the Lodge as you would like to find it.

Keys must be returned to The Blue Seas Motel on the day of departure. Lost keys will incur a $25.00

fee.

Please direct any complaints (other than minor booking issues), suggestions or issues with the lodge

facilities to a committee member.

These conditions of use of the Lodge are authorized by the President, Treasurer, and Secretary of the Canterbury Underwater Club Inc. Signed on behalf of the executive of the committee: Mark Buckland - Treasurer Dated: 01-06-2015 Updated 16-10-2018

Committee Members 2018 – 2019

Committee members are here to help if you have any questions about the club or any of our facilities.

Position Name Contact Details

President John Schurink m: 021 531 993 e: president@canterburyunderwater.org.nz

Vice President Michael Lester e: michael.lester82@gmail.com

Secretary Warren Kelly

Treasurer Mark Buckland

p: 03 322 9335 m: 027 706 5516 e: treasurer@canterburyunderwater.org.nz

Trips Coordinator Position Vacant

Committee Jonathan Selkirk m: 021 389 821 e: jonathanselkirk@hotmail.com

Committee Glenn Bolton e: glenn@lens.co.nz

Assistant Lodge Custodian

Ian Waite p: 03 308 8866 m: 021 355 379 e: ianwaite@canterburyunderwater.org.nz

Editor Lesley Curry e: editor@canterburyunderwater.org.nz

NOVEMBER 2018 GENERAL MEETING MINUTES Chair: John Schurink Minutes: Warren Kelly Date: 13th November 2018 8.00 – 9.12pm Location: Burnside Bowling Clubrooms. Attendance: 16 members. Apologies: Mark Buckland, Larry Thomas & Michael Bennett.

Guests: A welcome was extended to prospective new member Christoph Bartneck.

Entertainment: The President welcomed Richard Chitty to the meeting. Richard had kindly offered to give an

illustrated talk on his recent trip to the Solomon Islands. His presentation was warmly received by the

members.

Previous Minutes: October General meeting minutes were taken as read from Newsletter. Moved by Jens,

seconded by Chris and passed as correct by majority.

Matters Arising from Minutes: Randall Bess has requested that the club formally support, in writing, the

formation of the South Island “Peak Body” that he spoke about at the Oct meeting. This was approved by the

meeting.

Trips: John Schurink advised there were no trips planned for Show weekend at this time. The crays for Xmas

trip was planned for the 23rd of December. Michael Lester asked for members to let him know if they were

planning any trips in the future.

General Business: A question was asked as to where the boat survey was at. Wayne Lester advised that he

was awaiting a reply from the bowling club for a special meeting booking for the boat survey. Jonathan

Selkirk gave an explanation as to what the meeting would involve. There was a general discussion on the

process involved in purchasing a boat.

John thanked Wayne Lester, Craig Henderson and Jim Grant for their efforts at the Kaikoura Lodge with the

carpet replacement. Wayne advised that some of the salvaged carpet had been used to replace the carpet in

room 16 of the annex which had suffered from sun damage.

Warren Price suggested that the CUC and Nth Cant Dive Club could share newsletters and also offered an

invitation to CUC members to attend the NCDC auction nite on the 3rd of December at The Kaiapoi Riverside

Bowling Club, 13 Belcher Street Kaiapoi.

Wayne Lester called for assistance to help run the NZU AGM which the CUC is hosting on 29th June 2019.

Warren Price offered to assist. Wayne also asked for a volunteer to manage the Entertainment Book sales

next year. Jens Christensen has a dive gear bag for sale.

John Schurink advised the meeting of an incident at the Kaikoura Lodge involving a small stove fire which will

require some work to rectify. He did not believe it would involve an insurance claim.

Raffle results:

The lucky winners were drawn as follows: Jens Christensen, Max Wright, Joe Dunning, Wayne Lester, Wayne

Lester, Joe Dunning, Jens Christensen, Warren Kelly, Jo Mackay, Max Wright.

Meeting Closed at 21.12hrs