MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Scuba divers and snorkellers enjoying their sport in the harbour area during the festive season are being "looked after".

Dive masters, who are currently being trained as scuba diving instructors by diving instructor trainer and course director Ken Walmsley in Mossel Bay, are on duty over the school holidays as rescue divers at "Dolosse".

This is the protected marine area at the Mossel Bay harbour. 

The divers are fully trained in rescue diving prior to becoming dive masters, so those on duty at the harbour are all qualified rescue divers.

Every December Walmsley trains divers to be instructors. 

Then he provides them with a part-time job as rescue divers, similar to lifeguards. 

As part of Walmsley's agreement with the port, he must take care of the protected area and the scuba diving fraternity must take care of the divers and snorkellers who frequent Dolosse.

Walmsley explains: "I pay them over December to work as rescue divers, just as the council pays lifeguards.

"The Dolosse area falls under the port. People must dive in the buoyed area because there is a high-pressure displacement zone along the harbour wall, which can be dangerous. 

"By law, the alpha diving flag, signalling there are people diving, must fly."

Walmsley maintains the condition of the buoys and the ropes around the protected marine area.

"Our rescue divers work in conjunction with the NSRI and emergency services."

He explains that the rescue divers will attend to snorkellers or divers that get into trouble, they will attend to blue bottle stings and to people who suffer cramps.

"Sometimes there are boating accidents or general accidents; people fall down stairs and hurt their backs. If someone drowns, the rescue divers pull the body out. 

"They also stop people from jumping off the harbour wall and report drunken behaviour."

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