Research a dive site with current access sources, dated condition reports, local briefing questions and support arrangements; save a brief for rechecking.
Start a research note with the site name, mapped location, shore or boat access and proposed date and time zone. Distinguish similarly named sites and different entry points. Save the map or site description with its publisher and access date. Use older trip reports to identify questions, then seek current confirmation for the actual location and visit window.
Check the responsible park, port, land manager or other local authority for access arrangements, closures, permits and protected-area requirements. Ask the operator about meeting points and practical entry and exit arrangements. Record the source, date and any unresolved restriction. An old review or an accessible path does not establish permission to dive; do not mark an unanswered access question as complete.
Collect the relevant official marine forecast and warnings for the proposed window, alongside available observations and site reports. Record the forecast zone or station, issue time, valid period, time zone and units. Keep tide-height predictions separate from tidal-current predictions: high or low tide does not generally identify slack current. Record the vertical datum for water levels. Ask a knowledgeable local professional whether each source represents this site; a nearby station or a recent visibility report alone cannot establish conditions for the planned visit.
Take the research note to the instructor or operator familiar with the site. Ask about currents, depth, visibility, boat traffic, entry and exit difficulties and hazards relevant to the proposed activity. Discuss the team’s actual training, experience and equipment. Keep conflicting reports visible, with a person responsible for each follow-up question. This research note supplies context; the responsible trained team must make the actual dive plan and decide whether the conditions suit the divers.
Confirm the operator’s or team’s site-specific emergency action arrangements before the visit. Record how local emergency services are activated, the site location and responder access, available communication methods and the responsible surface contact. Ask who holds the current emergency action plan and how participants will be briefed. Resolve assumptions about phone coverage and support availability with the responsible person. Keep this practical handover with the trip information rather than treating a generic contact list as a complete emergency plan.
Save the source ledger, unresolved questions and agreed follow-up in your own trip notes. Download this page’s checklist plan as a preparation aid and keep the original source documents separately; the download does not fetch forecasts or fill in your research. Recheck current access, warnings and conditions before departure and at the site with the responsible team. If important questions remain unresolved or conditions change, discuss an alternative or postponement. After the visit, record dated observations in the dive log without presenting them as a forecast for the next visitor.
Loading your checklist…
Copy these headings into your own research notes. Fill them from identified sources and keep unknowns explicit; this page does not supply live site data.
| Record | What to retain |
|---|---|
| Site and coverage | Exact site, access point, forecast zone or station; relevance confirmed by whom |
| Source identity | Publisher, document title or URL and access date |
| Timing | Issue time, valid period and time zone; observation time for a site report |
| Measurement context | Units and water-level datum where applicable; prediction or observation |
| Open question | Coverage gap, conflicting claim, owner and next check |
Copy these headings into your own research notes. Fill them from identified sources and keep unknowns explicit; this page does not supply live site data.
| Claim to check | Appropriate follow-up |
|---|---|
| Access is open | Current responsible authority notice and any permit or closure conditions |
| The tide is suitable | Separate water-level and current information with local interpretation |
| Visibility is good | Dated site observation with location; uncertainty for the proposed visit |
| The forecast applies here | Correct marine zone, valid window and local site limitations |
| Help is available | Verified local activation, responder access, communications and responsible support |
NOAA and NWS links are U.S. source locators. Elsewhere, use the competent local hydrographic and meteorological services and the authority responsible for the site. This is a research worksheet, not a live conditions service or a dive plan. A completed checklist does not approve a site or replace training, local briefing or the team’s decisions.
Record who can answer each question and when it needs checking. Do not average conflicting reports into an invented condition estimate.
Keep dated originals alongside your notes so the team can distinguish a revised forecast from the version previously discussed.