COVID-19 Precautions
Rockfish Divers takes your concerns seriously. We were closed late March to early May to help flatten the curve. As we begin to open again, we want to ensure you feel safe diving. We have implemented a number of strategies to help minimize your risk of infection while still adhering to dive safety protocol.
If You're Going Diving:
If You're Diving on One of Our Boats:
If You're Going Diving:
- Wash your hands
- Use hand sanitizer when washing is not available
- Don’t touch your face
- All rental equipment is disinfected prior to and after use.
- Ensure social distancing is observed when entering the water. Don’t crowd together on the surface once in the water. If current is present, use a trail line so divers can socially distance on.
- Divers should maintain at least 6 feet of distance when clearing their nose, sinuses or throat at the surface or after a dive.
- Divers are encouraged to remove their own fins, unless safety becomes a priority.
- Divers should only handle their own equipment.
- Buddy checks also require social distancing. Divers should describe how their alternate air source and other equipment is used from a distance.
- Divers are discouraged from checking their alternate air source by inhaling on the second stage. Ensure gear is serviced regularly and simply purge the second stage to demonstrate clearing a regulator if needed.
- Tank valves are to be turned on all the way (not a quarter turn back), air is checked by the diver during buddy checks by viewing gauges rather than buddies touching valves.
- Deflate valves should be checked by fully inflating the bcd; orally inflating BCD's prior to diving is discouraged and is not allowed on rental equipment.
- Although transmission of COVID is highly unlikely underwater, divers are discouraged from touching each other underwater.
- Please socially distance - keep 6’ feet away from others
- Store capacity is limited to 4 persons, please wait outside otherwise
- Please try not to touch anything you do not intend to purchase.
- If you try a mask on, please notify staff, we will wash all masks tried on.
- Please try to limit the number of masks you try on.
- Staff regularly wash their hands and or use PPE when touching items that could be touched by others
- Staff regularly clean and disinfect surfaces coming in contact with customers.
If You're Diving on One of Our Boats:
- The number of divers per boat has been reduced by half of what is allowed according to Transport Canada Standards. Non-Divers are discouraged from boarding our vessels
- Any materials not needed for the dive operations or for safety reasons are not taken on board. We no longer include any food or drink; sharing food or drink is discouraged.
- Any divers renting equipment have their equipment put on board by staff in PPE prior to other divers boarding.
- All equipment not used should be contained under each divers bench.
- Boarding is done slowly and always organized to respect social distancing at all times.
- Pre-dive mask rinse buckets are not used. Anti-fog should be used, spitting in masks is discouraged, and is not disallowed on rental masks. Ideally divers should have their own masks.
- Staff always wear PPE when handling equipment.
- During dive briefings, social distancing is discussed. On a moving boat or in the wind, the virus may travel a longer distance. The use of protective masks will reduce the risk of contamination, but the virus can be present on any surface on board.
- Hand sanitizer is provided on board
- Divers are advised to avoid touching anything where possible and to avoid touching their face.
- Divers are reminded to not share equipment or even let their equipment touch.
- Social distancing is observed while divers enter the water, and we ensure divers do not crowd together on the surface once in the water. If current is present, a trail line is provided for divers to hang onto and socially distance on.
- Divers are to maintain at least 6 feet of distance when clearing their nose, sinuses or throat at the surface or after a dive.
- Social distancing is observed when divers get back on board. Divers are encouraged to remove their own fins, unless safety becomes a priority.
- When tanks are distributed, after they have been placed by staff, the handles and exterior of the tank is cleaned with disinfectant.
- Divers are to only handle their own equipment.
- Buddy checks also require social distancing. Divers should describe how their alternate air source and other equipment is used from a distance.
- Divers are discouraged from checking their alternate air source by inhaling on the second stage. Ensure gear is serviced regularly and simply purge the second stage to demonstrate clearing a regulator if needed.
- Tank valves are to be turned on all the way (not a quarter turn back), air is checked by the diver during buddy checks by viewing gauges rather than buddies touching valves.
- Deflate valves should be checked by fully inflating the bcd; orally inflating BCD's prior to diving is discouraged and is not allowed on rental equipment.
- Although transmission of COVID is highly unlikely underwater, divers are discouraged from touching each other underwater.
- All rental equipment is disinfected prior to and after use.
- All briefings are conducted observing social distancing rules, divers are encouraged to wear face masks.