1. Night Diving

2. Why Do It?
Night diving allows you to see different critters and or different behaviors.
It is another form of limited visibility diving and some divers find their first night dive both exciting and spooky.

3. Learning Objectives Describe the ideal setting for a night dive.
Discuss night diving techniques, including the importance of navigation during a night dive.
State the minimum number of lights each diver should carry during a night dive, and explain why.
Demonstrate standard light signals, and discuss light etiquette.
Discuss features to be considered when selecting a dive light, including re-chargeable vs, non re-chargeable batteries.

4. Main Points Ideal setting Buddy techniques Communications
Light etiquette
Navigation
Avoiding disorientation
Required equipment
Lighting concerns

5. Ideal Setting
Familiar site
Favorable conditions
Boat

6. Buddy contact Good buddy techniques Positioning
Plan the dive and dive the plan
Personal identification lights
Separation plan

7. Communications Light signals Diver-to-diver Diver-to-shore or boat OK
Attention
Distress
Diver-to-diver
Diver-to-shore or boat

8. Light Etiquette If the light is in your hand, it should be on.
Don't shine your light in your buddy's eyes.
Don’t shine the light in your eyes.
Control the light during descent.

9. Navigation More important at night than during daylight Surface
Use compass and range lights
Make sure you can identify the exit point.
Underwater
Plan your pattern and stick to it.
Don’t try to cover too much area.

10. Disorientation Most significant problem bubble trail
descent/ascent line
buddy
bottom
kelp
Breathing
Water in mask

11. Required Equipment All standard gear for daylight diving plus
2 dive lights per diver
Purpose of the second light?
1 ID/marker light per diver.

12. Dive Lights: primary vs. backup beam pattern ease of use size
purpose/function
beam pattern
ease of use
size
maintenance
store with batteries out
lubricate "O" rings
store with pressure off "O" rings
filament most vulnerable when light is on

13. Rechargeable Batteries
Batteries die suddenly (little warning)
One charge doesn't last as long as standard battery
Battery Memory:
If you charge battery before it is completely drained, eventually the battery won't hold a charge as long.
Batteries may swell during charging, to the point that they won't fit in the light.
Batteries may spike when freshly charged.
Turn light on and leave it on to take the edge off.
If the battery hasn’t been used in a while the first charge won’t last as long as normal.

14. Personal ID lights Strobe lights Chem/ID Lights: color code dive teams
position for maximum visibility

15. Surface Lights Ranges Float or boat marker light Flashing
Dressing area
Be aware of background light

16. Have We Covered Ideal setting Buddy techniques Communications
Light etiquette
Navigation
Avoiding disorientation
Required equipment
Lighting concerns

17. Can You Describe the ideal setting for a night dive.
Discuss night diving techniques, including the importance of navigation during a night dive.
State the minimum number of lights each diver should carry during a night dive, and explain why.
Demonstrate standard light signals, and discuss light etiquette.
Discuss features to be considered when selecting a dive light, including re-chargeable vs, non re-chargeable batteries.