In the movie Open Water, a young American couple takes a tropical dive vacation to catch a break from their hectic lives. After surfacing from a dive on a coral reef, they discover that they have accidentally been left behind by their dive boat, stranded far from land. No one looks for them. They are not rescued. The ordeal that follows is frighteningly real. The story successfully plays on one of our most basic fears: abandonment, being lost and forgotten. Open Water is based on the real life account of Americans Thomas and Eileen Lonergan, who were lost off Port Douglas on Australia's Great Barrier Reef in 1998. It was a freak accident: two crew members got the head count wrong and none of the other guests on the 26-passenger vessel noticed the pair was missing. Two days later, when the boat's skipper found a bag onboard containing the Lonergans' wallets and passports, the alarm was finally sounded. By then, it was too late. In the weeks and months that followed, their dive equipment washed ashore, including a dive slate with Tom Lonergan's hand writing: "We have been abandoned on Agincourt Reef . . . Please help us . . ." Their bodies were never found. News of the stranding was quickly picked up by media around the world, and cast a pall over dive tourism. In Australia, new safety laws governing diving were passed. But for travellers about to slip on a tank and fins in a foreign locale, the best practice is still "diver beware." "It was a wake-up call for all of the industry," says Col McKenzie, executive director of Queensland's Marine Park Tourism Operators. In an interview, he says the dive operator did not follow the industry code of practice in place when the Lonergans were left behind. As a result of the accident, Queensland passed a law requiring all divers to sign when entering or leaving the water; two crew members to perform head counts and the skipper to sign that he's seen those counts. The state employs five full-time dive inspectors to go out on boats and make sure the code of practice is being strictly followed, and to issue fines when it isn't. "We can never say it can't happen again," says McKenzie. "You can't legislate for stupidity." The regulations have had a huge effect on the safety of Queenland's dive industry. "It's safer diving in Queensland than any other place in the world," McKenzie says. "It's a very tight professional industry. You don't see fly-by-night operators here any more" But standards differ across the diving world from the South Pacific to the Caribbean. Scuba certifying agencies such as the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) and Scuba Schools International (SSI) have safety standards for their members. However, these organizations do not police dive centres -- each country has its own laws and regulations pertaining to scuba diving. In Canada, for example, there are no such laws for recreational diving. The industry has avoided legislation by regulating itself. Unfortunately, many tropical destinations have little or no regulations for diving. Utila, in the Bay Islands of Honduras, is one such place and is is a popular diving stop on the Gringo Trail. Boat dives, including equipment, can be had for as little as $10 (U.S.). And while reputable operators do exist, shoddy gear, decrepit boats and cattle crowding are the norm. It was one of the scariest places I've ever dived. One day I surfaced to find a young European couple, whom I didn't recognize, on my boat. Like the Lonergans, they had been left behind. We were the only vessel in the area. As with other things, in diving you often get what you pay for. But unlike most other sports, poor instruction and equipment can kill you. The best practice for would-be divers is to research operators and follow safety recommendations. Be especially cautious of cut-throat deals and cattle boats. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I have been on dive boats that nearly capsized in Fiji, been run over by an operator in the U.K. and met people who have dived to 60 metres without training in Thailand. | | "Diving is a serious hobby and a serious business," Irene Beck, manager of Fly and Sea Travel, a Vancouver dive travel specialist, says in an interview. "I've heard of places in Asia where local boys, who aren't trained, and don't speak English, are working on dive boats." She says there are many things to consider when booking a dive trip. "I look at everything: customer service, specs on the boat, how often it's serviced. Just being PADI doesn't cut it." She cautions people against booking dive vacations over the Internet. "Be wary, and do a little homework before hitting that 'buy' button." Despite precautions, accidents can happen with even the best operator. The same conditions that can make a dive site great -- strong currents, remote location and proximity to open ocean -- can make it dangerous. If you've ever spent time on the sea, you know how rapidly marine weather can change. In the span of an hour -- the average length of a dive -- a placid sea can whip up into a boiling, blustery storm. Tides change. Currents build. I've surfaced from dives to find my group spread out over several kilometres. Earlier this month a group of 12 divers on a live-aboard vessel in the Red Sea was swept away in strong currents after coming up from a dive. They stayed together by linking arms. The Egyptian Navy was called in for a massive air and sea search for the missing divers and found them 11 hours later, sunburned, dehydrated, and nearly 60 kilometres from the dive site. Many in the dive industry fear Open Water could have an adverse effect on the sport. When Jaws hit theatres in 1975, it flattened the industry, observers say. Throughout the 1980s, PADI worked hard to market scuba diving as a fun, safe sport for everyone. (Although the plot of Open Water involves the threat of sharks, for most divers the real worry is being left behind and dying of exposure.) But while tragedies are exceedingly rare, when it comes to diving, you can never take safety for granted. SAFE SCUBA CHECKLIST 1. Choose the right dive operator Research an operator's qualifications and experience before parting with your hard-earned holiday dollars. A knowledgeable travel agent can save you time and money and can often get you a better deal than you can get on your own. 2. Be honest about your abilities Always dive within your limits and always dive with a buddy. If you're an inexperienced warm-water diver, for example, you'll need additional training before taking on the wrecks at Scapa Flow in the chilly North Sea. 3. Ask about safety equipment All dive vessels should carry oxygen and first-aid equipment at all times in the event of an emergency. A good dive operation will have a proven, redundant system for tracking divers in and out of the water. 4. Buy travel insurance A dive accident involving Medivac and chamber treatments can total $50,000 or more. Go to ScubaLinx™: Diver Insurance for information about companies that offer dive-specific travel insurance. 5. Carry a signalling device A visual signal such as a safety sausage (an inflatable orange tube) or waterproof flare can be spotted at great distances. Whistles and air horns can attract attention in a hurry if a boat is nearby. |
