Canadian Association of Diving Contractors

Our undersea industry is exciting, challenging, and full of adventure. That allure is why many of us have chosen it both as a career and a lifestyle. There are so many different opportunities that one doesn’t really have to be a diver in the water to participate. No matter what you’re involved in, this is a rewarding industry to build a career.

One of our feature articles this issue is about the world of underwater filming and how things are improving related to safety and procedures, which haven’t always been a priority. Getting the shot sometimes trumps doing it safely. Is it worth it?

In one segment of my career, I am a professional documentary photographer—much of it underwater. I was on assignment for NATO’s Naval Special Forces—the Deep Diving group of Mine Countermeasures divers—off the coast of Curaçao in the Netherlands Antilles. One particular task was to get a dramatic shot of the divers ascending from a 300 foot dive and get a silhouette of them hanging off the decompression line at 30 feet. They were on rebreathers and I was on SCUBA with a tank I grabbed off the bottle rack. It looked kind of worn, but hey, it contains air! I’m experienced! I can do this!

Seeking the “money” shot, I had been waiting alone— untethered—for about a half hour at 40 feet along the down line and could finally see them ascending out of the darkness. Hanging alone in over 400 feet of black water is very eerie for sure. They passed me and gave me a familiar but friendly one-fingered salute with a chuckle, and continued their ascent to the 30 foot stop. I got busy 10 feet below them and started shooting the silhouette shot and figured I should get one last image at a deeper depth. Down I went another 30 feet into the gloom and looked up. Perfect! Seventy feet. I swung the camera into position and then suddenly felt the “I’m-running-low-on-air!” feeling, with a long sucking draw of air on the inhale! Quick! Get the shot! One shot! Two shots!! Too late!!! Overstayed! I’m running out of air. NOW!

As I drew in a last hard sucking—near panic—inhale, “experience” kicked in with what seemed like a milli-second to spare. I recalled having the same sensation many years ago—you know, that breath you take when you draw down on a J-valve as you run out of air (J-valve being a valve that releases a reserve of air if properly activated). The old tank I had grabbed had a J-valve! With one last effort, I quickly undid the chest strap, did a hard shrug to bring the tank up, and reached as far back as I could to activate the valve. Got it! SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTT was a welcome sound, and I drew a full breath and started heading up. I never said a word to anyone.

“Experience is what you have left after you screw up” resonated in my head. I had screwed up. Another “lucky day,” but I wondered how many I had left. What a helluva career!

Fast forward to today. The feature on page 17, Lights, Camera, Action: The End of the Cowboy Era for Diving in the Film Industry? ponders whether we’re seeing the last of the Wild West, in terms of diving for the film industry, where the importance of “getting the shot” may preclude in doing it safely. Things are changing and responsible production companies are taking safety seriously and using diving practices that follow proper regulations. This article by Aaron Griffin, Seneca College, will focus on how production companies can do things proper and safe. It will also touch on how CADC members are training graduates to work to these standards.

This issues’ cover story, which starts on page 15, is Divers Without a Helmet: Waterless Work. This important article is written for those who are training to be a diver but love the idea of a job in the industry, without getting wet. You can still hone your skills, finish your training, and find a job you’ll love. This article by Richard Engel, ASI Group, will look at the technical requirements of working in this field, from understanding a project’s needs and executing detailed planning, to ensuring the safest processes are in place.

In a “stop-the-presses” kind of way, we realized that in 2022 the CADC has been in existence for 40 years! We celebrate the event in an article on page 23 called CADC – Forty Years of Diving Safety. Make sure to check it out to learn about our colourful past and our accomplishments to date. I’m confident there will be many more to come!

Choosing a Professional Diving Company talks about how an underwater contractor ignorant of current safety standards and regulations can expose the employer to serious (and expensive) civil and criminal liability. Bill C-45 of the Criminal Code of Canada states it is the legal duty of employers and those directing work to take reasonable measures to protect employees and the public, and if not, a company could be charged with criminal negligence. Find out if it’s worth the risk on page 26 (it’s not!), in this article by Doug Elsey, Executive director of the CADC.

We are excited to feature CADC member Canpac Marine Services Inc. in the article Connected Coast: Canpac Marine Services Inc. Based in the Port of Vancouver, Canpac Marine’s focus delivering safe, high-quality, cost-effective solutions for inspection services, repairs, maintenance, and construction of marine assets from surface to 2,000 metres of water depth. Learn more on page 29.

On page 32, David Parkes, CEO of the Diver Certification Board of Canada, talks about the importance of certification to divers, diving companies, and the industry as a whole.

This is just a snapshot of what you’ll find in this edition. Enjoy the read and stay safe!

Both Downloadable PDF and Online viewing are here: CADC – Magazine Summer 2022 HERE!