Another Reason to Dive with a Long-hose regulator
WE DON’T INSIST BUT SEVERAL DIVERS DO ONCE THEY TRY IT Dive RAID International does not mandate the use of a ‘long hose’ for recreational open water divers. That’s to say. a regulator second state on a longer than standard LP hose is not a piece of kit required in a RAID OW-20 class, for instance. It’s simply a recommendation. There are many reasons for our recommendation, and a few for not insisting on its use at that level. But first, let’s discuss what a long hose is and why it’s out there and available at all.
Why We Think and Act Differently
IT SETS RAID APART FROM THE COMPETITION There are dozens of diver training agencies: at last count, more than one hundred. And while it’d be easy to say we’re the best of the bunch, that would come across as marketing BS and be difficult to prove at the best of times. Every organisation has its fans and its critics. Everyone has their own opinion. What we can say is that we don’t follow the fast track. Some agencies promise open water certification on a schedule we refuse to match. That’s not because instructors teaching The RAID Way are slow; it’s because their approach is that learning to dive skilfully, comfortably, and safely takes time. While some pick it up quickly,
Gas Management 101
A SIMPLE ALTERNATIVE TO WHAT TECHNICAL DIVERS DO… Most of us are aware of the basic technical diving gas management “Rule of Thirds.” It ‘dictates’ one-third of a diver’s starting volume to begin the dive and reach the ‘destination,’ one-third to swim back to the starting point, and one-third in reserve as contingency gas. It’s a simple rule based on a team diving in an overhead environment: a cave. It works for diving in caves, mines, inside wrecks, or any environment where direct access to the surface is either impossible (because of the overhead) or impractical (such as being a long a swim away from a safe exit point such as a mooring line). It is the go-to solution for
What’s the ideal first dive?
THE BEST OPTIONS AFTER GRADUATION ARE THE SAME EVERYWHERE… AND ALWAYS… JUST GET OUT AND DIVE! When a friend, fresh off obtaining their C-Card, asks, “Where’s the best place to dive?” what do you tell them? Unless you’re fortunate enough to live near Sharm el Sheikh or a local dive site with its own community of resident turtles and vibrant coral, it might not seem appealing. The average scenery is rarely as beautiful as this photo suggests. But don’t worry; every dive contributes to experience and comfort level. It’s tempting to recommend to any new diver, popular dive destinations—places you love or those spots on your bucket list—like the Red Sea, Cozumel, Southern Africa’s famed sardine run, or Thailand.
Equipment Failure
TAKING IT IN YOUR STRIDE One of the biggest fears divers have is gear giving up the fight and failing to work during a dive. This according to a recent survey from an online scuba magazine. Unfortunately, the survey did not specify what type of equipment failure was top of the list. One would imagine that, given the option, most of us would prefer to deal with a broken fin strap on the surface rather than a regulator first stage falling to pieces at 30 metres. But the survey left that to the reader’s imagination. So, let’s look at the situation for ourselves, logically. What’s bad and what’s reasonably easy to avoid… or at least easy for a diver to
Asking Questions is an Education
AND SOMETIMES THE ANSWERS ARE A PLEASANT SURPRISE A common mistake is for a company to think they own their brand. Most management books will tell you that’s wrong. A brand isn’t the sum of the logo, the company colour scheme, its mission statement or value proposition. A brand is something that lives in the mind of its audience… its customers. With that in mind, from time-to-time was ask our members — the professionals who teach for us, and the folks they teach — to reinforce what RAID represents to them. Want we tell ourselves, the ‘water cooler talk, around the office is that RAID is about safety. And of course it is, but the answers we get from the