Surface Support Team
We always need help up top
We are always looking for energetic individuals to assist in our dive operations.
Surface support and safety divers are an integral part of our team and their assistance is greatly appreciated. A single individual will often carry out both positions of surface support and safety diver due to limited space on the boat.
Gearing up time lapse (courtesy of Dan Warter)
Pre Dive
Over 18
Willingness to work with boat Captain to ensure safety of all team members.
Work with Captain to ensure boat is correctly loaded.
Ensure all deco-station components are present and in good working order.
Assist team in loading gear and dive platform onto boat.
Deploy and set grapple on direction of boat Captain.
Rigging of deco station.
Assist team members in gearing up. This is not as easy as it may seem, each team member may have several tanks that will need to be clipped on.
Small details such as orientation of gate clips is crucial.
Attention to detail is critical as each diver will have specific requests that the surface support team member will need to address.
Assist heavily laden divers to swim step.
Help divers with fins as requested/needed.
Inform Captain if diver has extra gear that will be handed down after water entry such as cameras or scooters.
Communicate between Captain and diver to ensure divers safe entry into water.
Ensure no part of divers gear hangs up and inform Captain of ‘diver in the water’.
Hand down and assist diver with remaining gear.
Assisting Teams while Surfacing
NOTE: This is a very busy time, while assisting a surfaced team, another team may surface. Communication and organizational skills are very helpful.
Inform Captain that divers have surfaced.
Liaison between divers and Captain to ensure safe positioning of boat.
Inform Captain when divers are on the swim step.
Assist divers in removing and lifting stage tanks onto boat.
Tanks cannot be left on the deck to roll around and must be properly stored.
When divers reach top of platform, help with removal of fins.
Assist diver to seated position if requested.
Assist diver with rig removal if requested.
After All Team Members are On Board
Recover and stow deco platform.
Recover and stow grapple and lines.
Ensure all gear is safely stored.
Enjoy ‘post dive libations’ that will be presented to the surface support crew by the exploration team members.