Today’s topic in our series ‘Guide for the Metrically Impaired’ is tank pressure. Those of us familiar with the Imperial system measure tank pressure in psi while the rest of the world uses bar. So if the divemaster says that you need to turn around and head back to the boat when you have 125 bar, or you need to be back on the boat with 50 bar, how do you comply if your gauge is in psi? Most importantly, listen to the dive briefing and pay attention to the guidelines and hand signals. Here are some handy conversions:
Full tank 3000-3200psi 200-250 bar
Turn-around point or start
ascending to a shallower depth 1000-1250 psi 100-125 bar
Yes, fellow Americans…this means you. If you have never been diving outside the US or the Caribbean, you might be really confused by your dive briefing–“The sandy bottom is at 25 meters. The water temperature is around 21 degrees. How many kilos do you need? When you get to 80 bar, ascend to your safety stop at 5 meters for 3-5 minutes.” Or, the divemaster points to his gauge asking how much air you have left and you indicate 1 (for 1000psi), and all you get back is a confused (or maybe panicked) look.
Today’s quick guide – Depth
You are used to this.
Your rental says this
What you need to know
3 metres=10 feet Use for Safety Stop
5 metres=15 feet Use for Safety Stop
18 metres = 60 feet Open Water depth Limit
30 metres = 100 feet Advanced Open Water depth Limit
The Villa market in Bali is pretty full these days but no one considers our underwater friends. After talking to a marine biologist about how they tied together short lengths of plastic pipes to bring invertebrates in for study. We figured figured some small “Bis Beton” pipes would make nice habitats for our own critters here in “Mucky Pirates Bay”. So now we have 6 undersea view villa habitats spread out towards the jetty here in Pemuteran Bay. Unfurnished villas are available for rent, ideal for families, with all round salt water pool.
DM Wayan, Captain Budi and Trainee Edi – Villa Construction
Captain Sahari, Trainee Rozi, DW Mis, DM Made, DM Abdul – Material transport and general skivvying
Currently “Mucky Pirates Bay” is pipefish heaven, or lovers bay. Its the season and we’re seeing lots of ornate ghostpipefish and Robust ghostpipefish. Also DM Abdul with Anne and her mother have found Ambon Scorpionfish right off the beach here. Anne’s photos are coming soon once she shorts out her favourites.
Thanks Anne for lending me your spare camera so I could capture these pics.
