Des Glover is a man on a mission – to make divers more visible.
The co-owner of Kennack Diving on Cornwall’s Lizard peninsula is leading by example with his multi-coloured custom-made drysuit.
He says his “How Is Your Vis?” campaign for the new season “will get every diver asking us why – which can only be a good thing!”
The PADI 5* dive-centre at Kennack Sands that Glover runs with business partner David Roberts is, he says, the most southerly in mainland Britain.
“We dive in all levels of visibility, so how visible we are to our students and the students are to us is very important. And because we deal with a wide range of divers and qualifications we see a lot of different kit – some good for visibility and some not so good.
“Being visible does nothing to damage the environment, wildlife or the total dive experience – so why not make yourself easily seen? There are many things people can do to be safe, but being able to be seen both above and below the water is a massive plus-point.”
The distinctive drysuit was made by Otter Watersports in Leeds. “I told them I wanted a hi-vis statement drysuit and they came up with this,” says Glover.
“Otter offers a wide range of colours but would be the first to admit that the majority of suits it makes are black or, at least, just one block colour, though of course it also uses stick-on reflective patches wherever possible.
“I’m not saying that every diver should wear something extreme like my drysuit of many, many colours, but I am encouraging them to wear something bright. That gives our hardworking emergency services the best chance of finding and helping someone in trouble.”
Divernet – The Biggest Online Resource for Scuba Divers
07-Apr-17
