I met my Canadian wife in Oman, she, a nurse, me, a contract officer in the Royal Navy of Oman. I was already well into scuba diving and chose to get certified as a Scuba Diving Instructor when my RNO contract ended after eight years. Although I was totally hooked on scuba diving by then, My Lady never really took to it, and I was too dumb to take the time to encourage her.
So, many years later, as we neared the end of our time on Saba, by way of Oman, the Turks & Caicos, then Saba, where we were married (we have a Dutch marriage certificate), it was to come to Canada, with myself a landed immigrant, My Lady, my sponsor, whilst I completed the process of becoming a Canadian Citizen.
I was at an age where chucking up to 60 scuba tanks every day seemed far more appropriate for all those young, new, bright eyed instructor and divemasters, rather than this ageing old beach bum! I think My Lady was just ready to be home again and enjoy Canada. Pretty much a win-win for both of us.
Around October/November each year Saba planned a 'Sea and Learn' event, inviting scientists from around the world to come to Saba and make presentations on their various disciplines and their relevance to Saba's rich marine and land environment. As well as an incredible marine environment Saba also boasts a rainforest at the top of 3000 ft Mount Scenery, and the island itself is a dormant volcano. Very impressive credentials. And one year my son Jamie was one of the Marine Biologist invitees. He's also the best Dive Buddy I know.
One of the unexpected finds on Saba, the Saba Iguana is recognised as a unique species. What a privilege to have lived in such places with so many wonderful treasures to explore and experience. Long hours and a very occasional 'blip', but hard to claim as work.
During my time as an instructor and divemaster I had only two divers who required treatment in a decompression chamber. The first, the father of a family, all scuba divers, on Saba for a 'good family time' as well as the diving. A lovely man with a lovely family.
After two safe, planned dives he resurfaced complaining of pain and a tingling in his arms, classic symptoms of decompression sickness.
We immediately returned to Fort Bay, where a doctor was waiting and immediately called for the typical decompression chamber treatment. The chamber was situated close to where we were berthed. Although it would curtail any further dives for the patient it was almost certain to alleviate his DCS symptoms.
When I returned to the diveboat to announce I was cancelling the third dive it was met with outrage, primarily by the patient's family! They had warned him the evening before to stop partying and drinking and he ignored them! So, they had their third dive! Poor dad was okay but forfeited his remaining dives whilst his family enjoyed theirs.
Just like drinking and driving, drinking and scuba diving is a dumb thing to do.
The second was a whole new experience for me. This was a very experienced diver and had made many safe dives with us without incident. He surfaced, after completing the safe, planned dive he'd been briefed, complaining of DCS symptoms. Once ashore he responded well to the chamber treatment, but was unable to complete more dives on this trip.
This incident was treated to a stringent investigation which subsequently produced conclusions that were way over any dive instructor's pay grade!
I knew the diver was a practising Buddhist as well as a very capable scuba diver. The investigation concluded that he had chosen to spend his safety stop by meditating and slowed his metabolism down enough to prevent the natural 'offgassing' of tiny bubbles completing its natural cycle.
Whilst divemasters are totally responsible for their guests’ safety they have no legal status to question apparently normal and happy guests about their alcohol consumption prior to taking them diving. As to my friend the Buddhist that was just something else again!
