Anatomy of a Good Dive Briefing

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Cacia

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What information do you look for as a diver?

What have you learned through experience leading dives?

My tip is not to overload people to the point that the essential information is buried.
Seperating the "boat briefing" (routine requirements of Coast guard) from the actual dive portion helps. Doing the boat portion at the dock and the dive portion at the site...
 
catherine96821:
What information do you look for as a diver?
Terran
Max Depth
Current (speed and direction)
and how do I get back on the boat. (do I have to swim back to a line or is the boat following)
and do they have cold beer waiting for me when I am done.


and if the dung really hits the fan, what is the absolute no-no to do. (example don't pop up in the shipping channel)
 
As a diver (not as a dive leader, thank God for everyone involved), in addition to Jeff's comments, I like to know the best way to navigate a site as well as potential hazards on that site. I also want to know what I may see during my dive (marine life) and the best place to see those critters.
 
Jcsgt:
I also want to know what I may see during my dive (marine life) and the best place to see those critters.
I was going to list that. But I had mixed feelings. It always makes for the "herd" to go straight to that spot.

But to add to the list...Be told of unique features of the site. (wildlife unique to the site or maybe just unique inanimate objects)
 
The guy who dives the bouy should give current strength and direction. Sometimes it is cool to know if the current is due to switch during the dive....

yea, if we have something really special, like a Dragon Morray, I don't like to tell everyone because the next thing you know some fish collector hears about it and nabs him for some shop. Even the frogfish are sitting ducks once the announcement goes out. (of course, photographers get special treatment, when nobody is looking)
 
known or unknown dive buddies?

mostly i'll want to know terrain and current. then general dive plans like "teams head left at the wall". if its a boat dive i want to know the specific procedures they like. i need to know if i'm going to try to make it back to the drop point, or just drift and have live pick up. if there's a current hazard where we want to watch not getting blown out into shipping lanes or something like that, i want to know about that as well. mostly i want to know the parameters that i need to operate within. then if you want to mention a few nifty options for the dive that's cool, but i definitely want the mission critical stuff to be communicated clearly first.

then for new buddies, hand signals, light signals and gas management are critical along with some equipment familiarization. then agree on who is leading and what the specific dive plan is, along with contingencies.
 
catherine96821:
(of course, photographers get special treatment, when nobody is looking)
and it probably doesn't hurt if they bat their eyelashes either ;)
 
oh, its also useful to get instruction on "how to find the wall" or other *major* features of the site. if you've been briefed that the wall only goes down to 70 feet and you swim down to 90 without seeing it, you know you missed it (BTDT).
 
I find a whiteboard with a drawing is really helpful. I don't relate as well to verbal instructions. A picture even just a scrawl tells me so much more, I can carry that in my head while a verbal description may build an incorrect picture.

An arrow for north, an arrow for current, some x's for interesting stuff here, a marker for the boat and anchor if there is one - the drop zone and pickup zone. NoGo areas if there are any. Than all that's needed in the verbal briefing is a quick review and the special hazards if any of the site.
 
Yes, I find diagrams of wrecks to be helpful. I'm a visual type of person. Also, since I am a photographer (albeit a newby underwater) I would hope to get the info on the critter locations.
 

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