BSAC News Centre New BSAC website Launched
Published: 08/09/08 Invite to Aberdeen SAC\'s 50th anniversary celebrations
Published: 26/08/08 BSAC response to draft Heritage Protection Bill
Published: 19/08/08  

Hardboat Prep

Kyle of Lochalsh
4th-7th May 2007 
 
A commentary on a few days in Scotland preparing for the BSAC National Instructor Exam:
 
 
1.     Objectives
2.     Resources
3.     Methodology & Practical Implications
4.     Objectives met?
5.     Summary & Conclusions
 
 
 
1.OBJECTIVES
The main objective of the weekend was for candidates to prepare for the National Instructor Exam to be held at Kyle of Lochalsh in August 2007.
In a briefing note the ‘Boss’, Maggie Cowing suggested the aims of the event as follows:
 
a. To help people get used to working together in a team of peers to achieve an objective (… some safe, adventurous diving …..!)
b. To help ‘students’ get their head round what’s required of them in the following sections of the exam (i.e. the bits that are likely to be assessed on the skippered boat day), in terms of what’s being examined and the pass standard:
    1. Planning and Organising of Boat dives.
    2. Marshalling and Management of Boat Diving Operations.
    3. Adventurous Boat Dive.
    4. Project Boat Dive.
    5. Project Evaluation and Reporting.
    9. Surface Teaching.
  10. Coaching and Mentoring.
  21. Personal Diving Skills.
 
c. To give the ‘students plenty of practice in as many of the above areas as can be squeezed in the time available.
d. To encourage teaching/coaching at a high level at all times-including the students providing constructive feedback to each other.
e. To give each student personal feedback on their performance which will promote and encourage improvement.
f. To gain some familiarity with the boat and the area. This is the last thing we should be worried about, frankly, although it may give some comfort to the students.
Jim 5 a dayg. Most definitely to have fun and enjoy some great diving with like-minded people.
 
2.RESOURCES
 
  1. A Site- Kyle of Lochalsh, more that 70 miles beyond Fort William and 5 hours drive from Gretna. There is lots of water, a convenient pontoon and loads of potential diving sites.
  2. A Boat- The Brendon, a 38ft boat with more than helpful Dave as Skipper.
  3. Kit- Everything from reels, DSMB’s, Ropes, buoys, GPS, Oxygen kits, Trapezes galore and just about everything needed for a successful expedition.
  4. Accommodation-On the quay, the Lochalsh Hotel, which served us well, hot water for the baths excepted! We had the luxury of the free run of the dining room for our prep session.
  5. The players:
    1. The ‘big guns’     Maggie Cowing (Boss)
                                   Jim Watson
                                   Jim Bromham (Organiser)
                                   Allan Goodwin
                                   Jeff Reed
    1. The ‘wannabes’ Steve Pearson
                                                     Sarah Gauci
                                                     Dave Sydenham
                                                     Simon Campbell
                                                     Alan Thomas.
       6.   Food: Obtained from the local Co-op, each wannabe took their turn and no one starved.
 
3.METHODOLOGY & PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
 
We had the site, the way of getting about, the kit to do whatever we want and a bunch of people to do it with.   
So how do we do it?
How do we reach our objectives and succeed?
 
PLAN AND PREPARE!!!!!
 
The initial Expedition Plan was created and acted as the bible for our management and task rota.
The roles included, Day Supervisor, Dive Manager, Deputy Dive Manager, Deck Hand and Support Diver.
As with all plans items need to be tried and the results analysed and where necessary the plan adjusted to meet the requirements of the group.
 
The Day Supervisor role worked well, the DS introduced the day’s activities, coordinated the plan for the days diving, collected the information and formed the whole plan for the days diving.
The Dive Manager introduced the plan to the divers on the boat and was in charge of all diving operations and for delegation of roles as required.
The Deputy Dive Manager probably works well on a larger scale expedition. The role was to support the DM by doing any role allocated, when the DM is in the water the DDM takes over operations until the DM return.
Deck Hand, the often unnoticed role but a vitally important part of the team, basically the general dogsbody.
Support Diver, a role which proved unnecessary for our style of operation and team size.
 
 
4. OBJECTIVES MET?
  1. The Team.    Yes, there was a gelling of the team. Yes, there were different opinions. Yes, occasionally feelings were stirred. Yes, we laughed and had fun and even when the dive wasn’t quite up to what we had expected we looked at the positives.        Was the diving safe? Yes, the sites were picked with safety at the fore, the dive management was structured to ensure safe diving.        Was it Adventurous? Yes, some of it definitely, the drift could have been a bit faster but we can’t be perfect all the time!
  2. Getting your head round it is definitely one of the most difficult hurdles, understanding which criteria are covered on each day of the exam.
 
    1. Planning and Organisation. Each day was organised using the resources available. Yes, we had charts but our best resourse was the knowledge of the local organiser and two of the preppers who had dived the area previously. Use that information, don’t ignore it, analyse it and if it suits use it. The use of the pre prepared role rota worked well and kept a discipline for all to follow and gave each prepper notice of what their next role would be.
    2. Marshalling and Management. The students all had at least one go at the full boat management and all were utilised as deputies.  Each student worked from a preprepared brief sheet which ensured all the main areas were covered and had a record and note should any questions arise. The manager must be alert at all times and it was evident the speed and attention to detail picked up as the days passed and by day 3 when the plan was for 3 dives the planning was followed by good aggressive management to ensure the success of the day. 
    3. Adventurous Boat Dive. At least two of the dives came into this bracket. The drift in Kyle Rhea got the group thinking and, yes, there was a drift and for a first dive in this area was suitably adventurous. The wall in Loch Duich was enjoyed by all, giving some the chance to get down to 50m and at the adventurous end of the scale.
    4. Project Boat Dive. The opportunity was taken to do more than one project dive, the first on the site of a 16th century wreck at the north of Kyle Rhea, the second was the survey and recording of items around the Port Napier Wreck and the third  a wreck survey off Rubha Ard Treisnis at the entrance to Loch na Baiste. Unfortunately no treasure chest was found on the first project, in fact, very little was found, but it was a start at putting together a project dive using the whole team. There were shortfalls and lessons were learned-make the survey of appropriate scale relevant to the objects being looked for-consider the kit being used by the survey divers-think of different search patterns. The detailed survey of items around the Port Napier was using more exacting survey skills to record individual items.  The third was the most successful, surveying a previously unrecorded wreck (of a Barge), breaking the survey into manageable chunks and allocating pairs to each chunk. The total of all the chunks put together equals one wreck survey and hopefully a useful plan of the wreck. The project went well, there was a slight current which meant the centre survey line bowed in the current, securing periodically should be considered, buoyancy is very important and probably many others.
    5. Project Evaluation and Reporting. An opportunity for everyone to contribute to the team project. The survey detail was collected, a plan was prepared, a marine life survey report prepared and a presentation structure put together. Each of the students contributed to the planning and the presentation.

9.      Surface Teaching. It was evident from the pairs sitting around the boat that everyone had a good go at teaching. It was a great opportunity to use a willing pair of ears to practice this difficult skill.

10.   Coaching and mentoring. Again there appeared to be lots going on. This should not stop and any diving item, however small, can be coached or mentored.
           21.  Personal Diving Skills. No comment here, obviously practice andpractice.             
 
 
5. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
 
A great few days in a lovely part of the country. We set out with objectives and as a group all were covered, some possibly, only touched on. The prep was pitched at the right level at this stage of development, it gave an insight of what will be expected and gave a great opportunity for the students to work together and gain from each others knowledge and areas of expertise and to gain from the NI’s knowledge and skills. A lot to digest and think about.
 
At the event debrief there was an opportunity for everyone to give their comments, a few of the points raised were:
 
 
 
 
 
There were more but these were the ones stuck in my mind.
Many thanks,
Alan Thomas,
One of the students and wannabes.
10-5-07
Return to top
Page last modified: 17th May 2007 - 14:57:07