Before the dive

• You should be in good physical condition, well-rested, and very hydrated because…

  – It is demanding work that will take a lot of strength & energy.

  – You need to be vigilant on the dive, go to sleep earlier than normal.

  – You will lose 0.8L per dive, just from being in saltwater, then add on for your hard work, the heat, the sun, all in addition to your normal recommended intake.

• Please let the person in charge know if you are not confident/comfortable with…

– How you are feeling, physically or emotionally.

– Diving if you are injured or tired, you need to recover.

– The weather, tides, currents, visibility or other ocean conditions.

– Your dive leader may cancel the dives, or your participation in the dives based on

the conditions and/or your experience.

– Remember to log your dive with the person

– Are you submitting data to Project Aware, Ghost Gear Global Initiative (GGGI) or other organizations? Prepare how you’ll record any details including what was surveyed, retrieved, type of gear, GPS coordinates, weights etc.

 

• Continually check that your gear is in proper working condition, including…

– Your dive computer has adequate battery life and try to have/wear a spare.

– Your cutting tool is attached to your BCD (or in the pocket/sheath). Ensure you won’t lose it while not using it. Also replace it if it’s getting dull.

– Have a primary cutting device (scissors), and one additional cutter for safety, like a line cutter.

– Ensure you have protective gloves, and that the fingers are not worn out etc…

– Your audible signaling device is attached (whistle at a minimum, but horn is preferred).

• Leader shall state and confirm that everyone understands the intended mission…

– Type: survey, marking and/or retrieval.

– Capabilities of and the plan for surface support or lack thereof, think and plan:

Can you send a DSMB with collected gear?

Is there a person on a Kayak to help?

Do you need to bring it up, and then back to the boat yourself?

How much you can manage against currents etc.?

Please think of what might be optimal for everyone, then be more conservative.

• Before entering water, conduct proper buddy check…

– BWRAF: BCD inflated, Weights & weight system function, Releases, Air pressure, Fins/face mask/final check

– Also, have your dive computer, compass, cutting devices, gloves, reel, clips etc.

– You have a DSMB/lift bags for gear lifting, plus your personal Surface Marker Buoy.

Other equipment reminders

– Make sure you have a first aid kit & an oxygen kit

– Try to wear rash guards etc. to keep the sun off your skin.

– In needed, apply reef safe sunscreen 1 hour or more prior to entering water.

– Each diver should bring a spare battery for their computers.

– Bring sea sickness pills if necessary

– Cut resistant gloves are ideal if you can get some (butcher’s gloves)

Lifting & devices

• Lift Bags

– Lift bags might be necessary for large items, but the hard part is getting it onto the boat, so always try to bring up manageable sized pieces.

– Should have experience with them if you’ll be using them

– Generally, not necessary to have/use

• DSMB (Deployable Surface Marker Buoys)

– Great device for lifting ghost gear

– They can lift a considerable amount, lifts gear which allows divers to go around to untangle the points that caught or rocks/coral etc.

– Most likely, you’ll want to attach it securely then fully inflate so you won’t need to add more after it has ascended slightly.

– With nets, it’ll easily tear free, so attach it to ropes, and try to spin/bundle nets to increase strength before attaching/inflating.

– A long net that is stretching along will require multiple lift bags. The best place to apply is at an end, and then maybe every 10 meters. It’ll create a wall/curtain/mountain range, where you can see exactly where it needs to be freed.

– After inflating a DSMB, it becomes easy to see all the entangled sea life, commonly, coral, shells (which feed on dead fish), urchins, and crabs (hold them on the side of their backs, just above the legs, which prevents them from pinching you, and doesn’t damage their eyes) and coral skeletons/rocks.

– If the net is large, it’s good to stop a dive early so that you can free organisms from gear as you ascend, and then on the follow-up dive, you can free the last bits during the descent.

– When the net is draped like this, it is also easier to remove organisms than while at the bottom.

During the dive

 

– FIRST analyze the site and think of where & how you want to work on the gear.

– Never separate from your dive buddy. It is extremely easy to get entangled in ghost gear.

– Always/regularly check your and your buddy’s air supply.

– Always finish the dive with 50 bar/750 psi. (3000psi = 200 bar, so 1500 = 100 [half tank]

– Pay close attention to your bottom time, and No-Decompression Limits.

– You will not be diving for at least the rest of the day if you have gone into deco.

– DO NOT go into deco mode, your buddy’s computer might be much more conservative.

– Be careful where you place your hands. Stonefish and scorpionfish are hard to detect and are very common around ghost gear.

– Please be very careful not to cut yourselves (or your buddy) with the scissors.

– Please be careful not to cut yourselves on coral or growth on the ghost gear.

– Do not get caught up/carried away in the cleanup (literally or physically)

– Please always pay attention to your surroundings including changes in current conditions, depth, visibility and where your buddy is…

– Visibility may be bad and become worse while working with ghost gear.

– Debris from the gear sometimes causes complete loss of water clarity, meaning no-viz.

– If you find yourself with no-viz, reach for your buddy and try to move back from the gear.

– Even 50cm/1.5ft can make a big difference in visibility.

– Think about how the debris from you/others will affect visibility for all.

Entanglement is very common

– Everything can get entangled, that’s why all involved divers need to be experienced.

– If you are tangled, don’t panic, stop moving and call or signal for help.  That’s what dive buddies are there for.  That’s why it is important to stay together with your buddy.

Environmental impacts while removing gear

– Be mindful of the environmental impact of the removal process, we’re here to save it, right!

– Please try to untangle nets from coral. One technique is cutting the net around the coral and then removing the small piece(s) separately.

– Be mindful of how easy it becomes to lose small pieces.

– Remove any trapped/entangled marine life, first the living, then non decayed (as they might be alive, but with little energy/playing dead, then dead organisms.

– Try to stir as little sand as possible when removing the gear. Sand/sediment/siltation will also kill coral. Feet up position is best, which also prevents your gear from damaging marine life.

– While we are removing ghost gear, the aim is not only to retrieve but to be selective and very careful so that there is minimal or no additional negative impact on the surroundings.

– Please be extremely careful when filling the air for releasing the lift bag that yourself or anything attached to you is not entangled to ghost gear being lifted to the surface.

– Sea urchins are common in the nets and are generally still alive, don’t get poked.

After the dive

– Please make sure your scissors are rinsed in freshwater. You can extend their life by having an alcohol rinse container (like at a barber’s) and then apply petroleum gel to create a protective coating.

– Attend to any cuts immediately and skip the next dive(s) if necessary.

– Disinfect and treat all cuts. Many of us have gotten infections from even tiny scrapes, the conditions around ghost gear are not clean.

– Remember to log your dive with the person recording details including what was surveyed, retrieved and type of gear. Record info needing if you are submitting data to other organizations.

– Please let person recording details know of any species seen caught or entangled in ghost gear.

– Assist with tank fills and please make sure all your dive equipment is in order.

– Make sure you have enough surface interval before you resume the next dive. Other team members might be on a different profile than yourself and your buddy.

– Pace yourself!!!! We are doing multiple dives for multiple days in remote areas with very limited medical facilities. The retrieval dives are deceptively strenuous. We’d like for you to be happy, healthy, and free of ear infections for the next leg of the expeditions.

– Pay close attention to how you are feeling each day and how your ears are doing and listen to your body!!! It loves you <3

– Stay hydrated and stay safe!!!

***Note, do not attempt unless you have been properly trained by a professional, and are an extremely experienced diver. Our recommendations is that this is for dive master and above only, without exceptions****