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PNG is home to the most amazing wreck dive sites in the world such as the B-17F Black Jack aircraft wreck, Mitsubishi Zero wreck, and Deep Pete wreck, to name a few. Exploring the wrecks in the country is a fun and memorable experience, but it can be dangerous, too, as wreck diving, in general, has its own risks. Even experienced divers are prone to these risks so it is important to take caution when taking the plunge inside these historic sites.
With that said, here are some safety tips you should keep in mind when exploring wreck sites in PNG.
Check Your Diving Equipment
Wreck penetration is a special form of diving, and as such, it requires special gears to perform the activity. A full-length wetsuit, spare air, cutting tool, reel & line, and underwater flashlight are only a few of the standard equipment you should have when wreck diving. Always check that your gear is optimal and in excellent working condition. If not, get it fixed before taking the plunge. Don’t make compromises with each piece of gear because safety should always come first.
Make Sure You are Trained & Certified
The basics of wreck diving teach us that there are three levels of this activity, each possessing its own hazards. Stay only where you are trained to wreck dive and stay away from areas you aren’t certified to explore yet. If you want to see the inside of a wreck, say, the Pacific Gas in PNG, learn about limited or full penetration diving and get a proper certification first from renowned dive institutions. Courses such as PADI’s train you to dive each level properly and prepare you for the dangers of said levels.
Dive as a Team
Team diving makes each plunge more fun and safer. Fortunately, it is a skill that can be practiced and improved. From initial planning to post-dive assessments, diving with a team betters your chances on and inside the wrecks you explore. However, this skill takes more than just a simple application of the buddy system. As a team, everybody should understand the strengths and weakness of each member, as well as the protocols and limits the team has established.
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Practice & Perfect Your Skills
Before taking the plunge, you should also ensure your foundational diving skills are reliable and ingrained. You must be able to perform your team skills, situational awareness, propulsion, control, trim, and buoyancy consistently without fail in case of emergencies, e.g. entanglement, collapsed structures, or silt-outs. You must also be able to perform them without adding to your task loading or requiring any specific mental focus.
Don’t Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone
Self-discipline is a must in wreck penetration. Many wreck divers have lost their lives because they can’t resist peer pressure and their ego, exploring areas beyond their limits. To avoid this, you must learn when to abort a dive, take shortcuts, and guard yourself against complacency. Assess each dive honestly and acknowledge your mistakes and skill deficiencies, then use these to determine your comfort zone and to set the appropriate limits.
When wreck diving, remember that your safety should always come first. Whether you wreck dive in PNG or in any other dive havens, always keep these tips in mind to stay safe and get the best out of your experience.
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