Buoyancy, Search Patterns, Body Bagging

 

Charlie imparts tips and techniques on buoyancy control essential for running a proper search pattern.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sullivan demonstrates his skill with neutral buoyancy.

 

 

 
 

 

 

While candidates are practicing buoyancy control with Charlie, team members visit the body to be used in an upcoming exercise.

Dom and Robert fin carefully so as not to disturb any bottom sediment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next, the new guys meet the mini-mother underwater for the first time. So far, they have only practiced patterns on a dry-run at the air unit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve gives a beautiful demo of the circular search pattern on a mini-mother. Note the line stays taunt, and fins are kept off the bottom. The perimeter marker can be seen behind him.

 

 
 

 

Here are the candidates first attempts at our signature search pattern. Some problems were encountered, but all participants were able to work out any difficulties on their own.

Three patterns were run this day; normal circular search, circular search using a ringed-line, and semi-circular search patterns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After everyone had some practice with running the pattern, duct tape was put over diver's masks to simulate a zero visibility search. Sediment at the bottom of the pool became quite stirred up as candidates searched for small do-hickies set out for them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A mannequin, set in the classic drowning position, was used to familiarize divers with underwater body-bagging and recovery techniques.