Dive Teams

One of the big rules of diving is to never dive alone. A diving buddy can save your life if you have any sort of problems underwater. Being able to rely on your buddy is extremely important. Scientific divers take the buddy system to a new level and utilize dive teams.

Dive teams for scientific diving includes not only the divers underwater but also any dive operation support personnel. Every dive team member works together to help with the scientific pursuit of the operation. They all need to be competent divers that are able to promote a safe and healthy dive operation. It is important that all team members have an understanding of the dive operation and scientific research goals. As part of the team they need to work together to understand all aspects of the project and be able to step up and fill another team members role.

Every member plays an important role in the success of the project. There is usually a dive supervisor or a dive leader that takes charge of the operation. Two divers act as underwater buddies for each other. Support crew stays on the surface to help in case of emergency, to monitor divers, and to help record any data.

The dive team works together for the entire dive - starting at the early stages of planning a dive, site orientation, and research goal objectives. This makes certain that all dive team members are on the same page. During the dive, every team member knows what is happening and is able to support his or her teammates in any way necessary.

Dive teams vary in size. In perfect conditions with minimal tide, clear waters, and shallow depths, a team may only consist of a dive supervisor and two divers. However if the research is taking place in dark waters or Polar Regions, dive teams need more people in case of emergency. If the dive is especially deep, stand-by divers may position themselves at different safety and decompression stops to make sure that the divers are doing okay.

The key to dive teams, as it is with any type of team, is that everyone works together to accomplish the goal. Understanding the diving operation, being ready for the unexpected, and having the ability to fill any teammate’s role sets a scientific diving team up for success.