1. Dive carefully on wrecks, especially in fragile aquatic ecosystems.
2. Be Aware of your body and equipment placement when wreck diving.
3. Keep the wreck diving skills sharp with continuing education.
4. Consider your effect on aquatic life through your interactions.
5. Understand and respect underwater creatures who have made wrecks their home.
6. Resist the urge to collect souvenirs while wreck diving. Wreck artifacts and debris may be protected by law, but are also the home of the attached or shy aquatic life.
7. If you hunt and/or gather game while wreck diving, obey all local fish and game laws.
8. Report environmental disturbances or destruction of your dive sites.
9. Be a role model for other wreck divers when interacting with the aquatic environment.
10. Get involved in local environmental activities and issues.
STANDARD EQUIPMENT
**Exposure Suit
Wrecks often have sharp, rough edges. Your suit should be thick enough to help prevent cuts or abrasions. On deeper dives the temperature will be colder, your suit should also be based on the bottom temperature of the dive, not what the temp of the surface is.
**Gloves
Gloves will not only protect your hands, but wearing sturdy gloves can be used to help pull you along a wreck.
**Knives / Dive Scissors
Wrecks often have monofilament lines or fishing nets on them. You need a way to cut free if you get entangled. Carry a knife that is easily accessible. Carry the scissors in the holder at about chest level. Consider carrying 2 knives and a pair of scissors, making sure you put them in different locations.
**Dive Lights
Ambient light may be dim in and around a wreck. Carry a dive light to look in the crack and crevices. If penetrating a wreck, carry a primary light and at least 1 additional light per diver. More backup lights the better. Before the dive, ensure that all batteries are changed and the lights are in working order. Check the O-rings and make sure that the light is well closed and sealed.
**Slates
Slates are used for mapping the wreck as well as communication. Consider carrying a grid slate for mapping and a smaller one for communication.
**Clips
The extra equipment you carry on a wreck dive makes clips useful. Choose clips that are sturdy and easy to use underwater. Consider putting clips on the BCD.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
**Penetration Lines and wreck reels
Only make penetration dives with proper lines and reel for visual / tactil reference.
The lines should be strong, durable, and made from a non-biodegradeble material -- nylon is best. The reel should have 3 times the lenght as you would need and easy to operate. Inspect lines and reels BEFORE each dive.
**Pony Bottles
Having a complete independent air source in addition to the standard alternate air source is highly recommended. Maintain a pony bottle with a separate attached regulator. Pony bottles come in a variety of sizes as shown below. The size you need is how much extra air you want to carry and of course, your physical size as well.
Check bottles that it is filled and system is operating with no flaws. Attach pony bottles with a special harness and put 2nd stage in a place that can be easily accessed.
This is only one type of band attachments for the pony bottles. Click on above picture to go to products page.
READY, SET, GO ...
Evaluate your readiness for wreck diving.
1. Get familiar with local laws concerning wrecks. Know what you can and can't do on the dive. The local dive shop should help you with this.
2. Develop a dive objective for exploring the wreck. Determine what you want to see and do the dive depending on it's size.
3. Get familiar with the wreck's position underwater so you can formulate a navigation plan.
4. Determine your physical and emotional readiness. Be ready to dive. Are you trained to dive on this wreck, and at this depth. If not, take a guide with you.
5. Check your Recreational Dive Planner - confirm No Decompression time.
6. Use familiar Equipment. Do not dive with new equipment till first you made a dive that was not so chalenging.
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