Wreck Appreciation (Diving)

Course Aims

The main aims of the course are to show students:

• What wrecks are – historical timecapsules, artificial reefs and havens for marine life
• How to get information on wreck sites
• How to identify the major parts of a wreck
• The additional equipment and techniques used for wreck diving
• Marine diversity on wrecks
• Laws and responsibilities relating to ‘wreck’
• How to make basic site sketches
• Encourage further wreck study

Instructors

Lead Instructor to be minimum Open Water Instructor with a diver grade appropriate to the sites to be dived. Other Instructors on the course should be minimum Theory Instructor for all theory and dry practical instruction and Practical Instructor for all practical instruction.

Recommended instructor to student ratios are:

• 1:12 for classroom sessions and
• 1:4 for the dry practical elements
• The preferred in-water ratio is 1:1, (however if conditions and circumstances are satisfactory a higher ratio may be used)
• An instructor ratio of 1:1 is recommended for Ocean Divers

Instructors should either be familiar with the dive site, the layout and current condition of the wreck, noting any unstable areas, lines, nets, and other hazards or have sufficient diving skills and qualifications (Advanced Diver or above) to carry out an effective Risk Assessment and conduct proper
planning for the diving activities.

Note

The course Lead Instructor may have an additional role in advising and mentoring lesser qualified instructors in respect of the range of skills to be taught as part of the open water sessions and should be appropriately experienced and qualified to do this.

Practical dives require instructors to teach several skills, at appropriate locations, as part of a managed dive, making best use of the site, all within a restricted time frame.

The individual practical skills required for the course are within the capabilities of all OWIs and site selection should not provide for too challenging a dive. However, the development of less experienced instructors should be properly managed by qualififed instructors suitably trained in this role of mentoring and developing instructors in a controlled environment.

Facilities and Equipment

Instructor requirements:

• Classroom and suitable dry area for theory lessons and dry practical sessions
• Paper, rulers, set squares, a ‘flexi-curve’, pencils and rubbers for the drawing up sessions
• A safe, shallow, reasonably intact wreck, with easily identifi able features for the dives
• A shot-line with tail buoy, DSMB, extra reels, slates and pencils and two large reel type tape measures
• A suitably equipped boat and cox’n, if the wreck location requires it. This course may be shore based in some locations, but this will restrict experience in site location and the boat diving techniques usually associated with wreck diving

Nautical Archaeology Society (NAS) Accreditation. This course is recognised by the Nautical Archaeology Society. Full completion of the course entitles NAS members to claim six contact points towards their NAS part three certifi cation - ship technology section. See the NAS website for further details.

Course Programme

• Introduction (15 mins)
• Theory Lesson 1 Wreck Location (30 mins)
• Theory Lesson 2 Ship Construction and Wreck Layout (45 mins)
• Theory Lesson 3 Wrecks and Marine Life (20 mins)
• Theory Lesson 4 Wreck Diving Equipment & Techniques (50 mins)
• Theory Lesson 5 Wreck Laws and Simple Site Recording (30 mins)
• Dry Practical Lesson 1 Use of Distance Lines and DSMB (60 mins)
• Dry Practical Lesson 2 Simple Site Recording (75 mins)
• Dry Practical Lesson 3 Kit Configuration (30 mins)
• Open Water Lesson 1 Diving Techniques and Wreck Orientation (120 mins)
• Open Water Lesson 2 Further Wreck Study and Simple Site Recording (120 mins)
• Dry Workshop Site Drawing (30 mins)
• Theory Lesson 6 The Way Forward (15 mins)

This is a flexible course, which can be run as a complete package, or spread out, with the dry sessions staged in a suitable classroom and the wet sessions taking place separately. If changing the above order, theory lessons 1, 2 and 4 must precede dry lessons 1 and 3 and open water lesson 1. Theory lessons 3 and 5 must precede dry lesson 2 and open water lesson 2.

Extra Items to Include with Student Notes

• Respect our Wrecks leaflets
• Receiver of Wreck leaflet
• Information on NAS
• Information on other relevant BSAC courses
• Templates of standard cargo ship and MFV layout
• Further sources of wreck, information leaflets
• Instructors should also add local sources to this