By Shane Addenbrooke, Sportsworld Whakatane Dive Instructor

As the year rolls around and the scallop season nears, the mind turns to diving for these tasty little morsels. For many it will be the first dive since summer, AND the pleasure of getting back into the water much anticipated.

As you know, diving is relaxing but not sedate and you need to be in good health. Your health, fitness and conditioning should be sufficient to handle moderately strenuous activity that could include an emergency or other unanticipated physical demands. Being in good health assures that you can meet these demands, which in turn affects your safety.

A few points to consider:

• Keep at least a moderate level of fitness through exercise, walking or swimming lengths of the pool with fins.
• Maintain rest and suitable diet prior to diving.
• Avoid alcohol, smoking and drugs before diving, as they can impair judgment and increase the risks of Decompression Sickness.
• Have a dive related Physical Examination by your doctor every two years.
• Review your dive skills and knowledge after a period of inactivity.

Especially with scallop diving you can face the most physical demands on the surface at the end of the dive with a full catch bag.

• Plan with your buddy to start your dive by swimming into the current; have a boatman who can pick you up if tired.
• Stay with your buddy on the dive and at the surface.
• Signal buddy or boatman if in difficulty
• Establish adequate buoyancy at the surface, be prepared to drop weights and catch bag if necessary.
• Never attach a full catch bag to your gear.

The best way to keep dive fit is to dive! Find a buddy who enjoys the same type of diving you do and get diving. To dive well, maintain good health, avoid health damaging habits and stay in good mental and physical shape. Not just for diving but for life.

Good diving.