Scuba Diving Tips for Beginners

Solo Dive: Why?

2009-09-04T18:01:00.000+02:00

Going solo in a dive may sound unusual. Every time you hear the tips of “find a buddy”, “do not dive alone’, and their kinds. But some professional divers would go for solo dive. Only certified divers can go solo dive. They need to be at least 21 years old, have advanced open water certification, and have at least 100 properly logged dives. There are some other reasons to solo dive.

1. Professional divers may increase safety when solo dive. In case of an ordinary diving session, we know that divers go in team that includes at least one experienced diver. The diver will help the less experienced divers when they face problems under the water. That is great for ordinary trip. But if you look carefully, there is not much to rely on when the experienced diver himself get problems. There is little probability that other team members can help. If they are really inexperienced, you can expect them to be panicked and lose focus. Experienced diver has to split the focus for his safety and other buddies’. While in solo dive, he can focus for the safety and fun of diving.

2. Professional divers can enjoy the dive more. They do not have the burden to take care of or guide other less experienced divers. Experienced divers can enjoy the dive to the full without worrying about other buddies’ condition. Of course it does not mean to be selfish. But there are times when a real diver wishes he/she could dive to the fullest of life. Just like any other hobbyist does.

3. Professional divers may have special mission or dive site to target. When a diver dives for special mission such as research, survival, dive site maintenance, or safety check, he/she would better go alone or be accompanied by other advanced divers. Also, if the site is for advanced skill then it is not safe to bring the inexperienced divers. Of course, in both case it is better if a diver goes with other experienced buddies.

Scuba Diving Basic: Stretching

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All sports require some levels of stretching, so does diving. Stretching is highly important before you dive to prevent injuries. Unprepared muscles are prone to injuries if you do unusual movements since they do not move a lot during your normal activities. As a diver, you need to know the further importance of stretching to understand the benefits. Here are them.

Stretching will increase flexibility. Your joints and muscles move better after a stretch, and thus you can move and use the dive skills well and safely during the dive. With more flexibility, it is also easier to get balance position and better posture. As your muscles get loosened, you can move freely without worrying about aches and pains. Stretching also increases your breathing and heart rate, as well as blood flow to muscles. It is easier to manage the right diving posture. And it is easier to keep being safe and controlled. Overall, stretching help your body to prepare for a workout.
Stretching will get away the psychological constraints, if any. Dive beginners may feel worried or stressed about the early experiences. And other divers can also be worried about something else that may affect the dive. We know that keeping strict focus is vital in diving. Stretching can help divers to relax, relieve stress, and improve awareness. When you dive with great focus, you will be aware of the surrounding, the marine life, your buddies, the line and nature, etc. Any possible harm can be recognized earlier.

So there is no excuse to miss stretching before you dive. Even dive training needs stretching to prevent injuries. If you are beginner in diving, make sure that your stretching program is monitored by a certified or experienced dive professional. It is critical to do the proper method of stretching. Otherwise, stretching may increase the risk of injuries.

Scuba Diving Tips: Liveaboards

2009-09-04T18:00:00.001+02:00

Liveaboards offers the dream life of divers, or at least a dream holiday. You stay on the boat for days, be around the water all the time, can dive anytime, and visit many dive sites. Everything is about three: dive, eat, or sleep. It is one the best adventures in diving. Taking liveaboards trip can be managed through tour packages. Let them manage all the stuffs. But, you can help to make trip a lot more memorable.

1. Pick the boat that meets your dream liveaboards trip. Do you want a trip with continuous dive or a more relaxed version with some photographs? What level of side sites to go? There are liveaboards with routes and specification focused on each of them. For example, if you want to take great photos, there are liveaboards with onboard photo pros. Or, if you are an advanced diver, there are liveaboards with special routes and boat’s features.

2. Pack your stuffs light and bring necessary extras. Liveaboards passengers pay for the space, so it is great if you can bring as little as possible. The gear should be there, but do not overwhelm with too many clothes, shoes, or other accessories. Bring thicker suit to bear the sea cold, spares for dive gear, dive signaling equipment, and batteries. Do not forget your personal medicines, toiletries, and small important stuff like sunscreen.

3. Prepare the trip. Get secondary plan for flight delay. Most agencies have back-up plans for those ho face flight delay. Also, make sure you arrive at the liveaboards starting point a day before so that there is no rush. If you need special cabin or meal during the liaveaboards trip due to sickness or other relevant reasons, make request at least a month before so that they can prepare to accommodate your need.

Scuba Diving Tips: Diver with Asthma

2009-09-04T17:58:00.001+02:00

We know that asthma is a chronic inflammatory lung disease which may trap air within the lungs and cause over expansion. Although diving with asthma can be dangerous as it increases the risk of air embolism during an ascent, people with asthma can still dive. Air embolism is a condition where air is trapped in lungs and lead to rupturing airways. The condition allows air to get into blood vessels and form bubbles that can affect brain or other vital organs in the body. It sounds caring and in fact it is. You do need to be aware of such conditions.

Divers with asthma should consider extra preparation if they want to dive safely. Asthma often attacks during exercising. When you scuba dive, you exercise, breathe with cold, dry, and compressed air. The condition makes diver prone to asthma symptoms and attack. But you can still dive and minimize the risks. Here are what to do for preparation.

Consult a doctor who is familiar with the risks of asthma in regard of diving so that you can get appropriate and specific physical examination. The doctor will know whether you are safe or not to dive with the asthma or past record of asthma you have.
Generally, if you should have normal spirometry at rest in response to exercise. If you do not, then it might not be safe to dive.
Take medication to control the symptoms and attack of asthma before you go diving. Also, do regular control and doctor visits to make sure that your asthma is controlled and there is no severance.
Those who do not need to use rescue inhaler frequently should not face increased risks when diving. But if you get asthma symptoms or need to use rescue inhaler days before a dive, then cancel the plan. Use rescue inhaler about 30 minutes before to prevent possible asthma symptoms during the dive.

Scuba Diving Basic: Pre-dive Check

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Pre-dive check is important in every dive to make final assurance that everything to support the dive is in proper condition. Also known as buddy check, pre-dive check is actually carried out with your buddy. Even though divers have re-checked their equipment after donning, a buddy’s check will enhance safety from other point of view. You check your buddy’s gear and preparation, and your buddy checks yours. The process allows more careful and detailed dive preparation. Besides you make sure your buddy’s gear is functioning well, by checking them you will also recognize any problem easier during the dive. For example, you will also know more about his/her gear type, how to release weight, how to manage the deflator, where to find emergency kits, etc when there is unexpected problem.

There are five components for pre-dive check, also known with the acronym BWRAF.

Buoyancy. Check if your buddy’s buoyancy is functioning well. Try to inflate and deflate the BCD slightly to see how it works.
Weights. Check if your buddy’s weight system is perfect. If he/she uses weight belt, check the following: belt, weight release, and belt excess. The weight belt should be on and able to release in time. Any excess should not be tied into gear which will make releasing more difficult. If he/she uses integrated weight system, check whether the weight pocket is in the BCD with the weights and the weight pocket is secured. You should also try to release them.
Releases. Check every release: the waist band, shoulder clips, chest and stomach clips (if any), tank strap, and also the tank clip.
Air. Simulate breathe taking and see if his/her air is turned on well. Watch the SPG to check if the tank is full and the needle is functioning well. If the needle dips, the air may not turn all the way on or the regulator may not be working properly. If everything else is fine, then check the alternate air source.
Final OK. As the final step, check if your buddy has all other necessary equipment to dive such as the dive mask, fins, and snorkel. If all is fine, ask if they are ready to start the dive.

Scuba Diving Basic: Head first to Descend

2009-09-04T17:57:00.000+02:00

There are two methods of descending: head first or feet first. Head first entry is preferred and recommended by many experienced divers because it gives you more control on the dive. You dive with both hands directing flat ahead and throw your body from head so that your flat hands touch the water first. Every professional diver would actually dive with the head first entry. However, feet first entry may be safer method for beginners who are still not accustomed to diving and easily panicked. But once you are comfortable with the descent and dive, try head first entry to feel the easier descent. Besides it gives more control, you can split the water easier with the flat hand heading ahead. Below are more reasons why head first entry is better than feet first entry.

1. Hands can move faster than legs do. You do not move a lot during the descent, but hands with more flexible moves and better coordination will make the entry perfect. You can direct the dive easier.
2. Legs are stronger than hands are. Since you go vertical for the descent, you need to lift the part of body which is closer to the surface when entering the water. Legs are stronger and thus can bear vertical position better hands do. If you go feet first, your head and hands will find it more difficult to keep staying vertical because there is less strength.
3. Hands allow one point of entry. Divers hold the flat hands to hit the water, thus creating steadier point to entry and continue the single rip. While with feet first entry, it is hard to keep the feet pressed together and especially to hold balance vertical position. Nevertheless, some divers have unique skills to do that with feet.

Most divers start with feet first entry to descend because the method tends to provide more confidence for beginner. But as time goes, you will gradually try other method and find which one is more comfortable.

Scuba Diving Basic Skill: Descend

2009-09-04T17:56:00.000+02:00

Descent can be hard for dive beginners. You may feel it like throwing yourself into the deep water, and it can be scaring during first trials. Learning how to descend is important because divers do it every time they start a dive session. Open water course will teach you the descent skills well. The information below will provide you step-to-step guide to descend, as well as some useful tips.

A descent usually takes one to three minutes in preparation. Divers start with signaling buddies that they are ready to go down and finding orientation on the surface. Orientation can be anything that is significant to provide you direction such as boat, wall, or a small island, so that you know which direction to go down. After that, prepare with the dive gear. Put the regulator in your mouth and check if your computer is functioning well. Hold the low pressure inflator above head and press the deflate button on to begin sinking. Ear equalizing can be done before you descend and recurred after every certain depth or when you feel necessary.

So now you are descending. Since it is first trials, taking vertical position with feet to start may be the safest method. Remember to watch your head direction, equalize often or anytime when you feel discomfort in ears, and inflate the BCD slightly to adapt leveling off. Keep being close to your buddies. There is no need to use the fins. Just relax and breathe as usual. Exhale deeply to help you sink smoothly. If every condition is fine and you still float, then you may need more weights. Add more weights and start the process again. It should be fine as long as you keep relaxed. Some beginners may worry about sinking and losing control because of panic. You should not be as long as your gear is complete and you are relaxed. Enjoy the descent even if it does not go smooth at the beginning. Every diver starts with some trials before they can dive naturally.

Open Water Course for Beginner

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Beginners in diving or recreational divers may want to take Open Water certification after trying some shallow dives. Open water course will train you further to the basic skills in scuba diving so that you are eligible to dive to certain depth limit. After taking the course, you will get a certificate as a certified open water diver. Here is some basic information about Open Water course.

1. Open Water course requirements. To register for the dive course you will need to take medical test, be able to swim to certain distant, and be able to float for certain length of time. That is all. There is no limitation on what swimming and floating skill to do, and there is no requirement that you should master all the swimming skills.

2. Open Water course enrollment. Most Open water courses are for 15 years old or elder dive beginners. But there are also Junior Open Water courses offered by major training agencies. Children from 10 or 12 years old can take the course to take Junior Open Water certification and then upgrade to Open Water certification on their 15th birthday. Those who already have Junior Open Water certification do not have to re-certificate later.

3. Open Water course length. Full time Open Water course usually takes 3 to 7 days, but some can last for weeks and months. Part time courses usually last weeks to months.

4. Open water Course materials. Open water course will start with knowledge about basic diving techniques, diving safety, diving equipment, basic of marine life, and others. There is usually textbook or video to guide. After that, there will be water training in swimming pool or other shallow safe water environments to get you the confidence of practicing the basic diving skills. Finally, there will be open water training to really practice the dive and skills. The instructor will guide to real diving experience under the water until you are confident to dive.

5. Open water course qualifications. Open Water course will get you qualified for diving up to 60 feet depth with a buddy of same or higher certification level. For children below 15 years old, you are qualified for diving up to 40 feet depth with at least an 18 years old or older diver. Both groups of ages are also qualified to take Advanced or other specialty courses. Open water certification will never have to be renewed. So once you have it, it is there forever. However, if you have not dived for a long time maybe some refreshments are good to get used into it again.

Health Assessment in Diving

2009-09-04T17:53:00.003+02:00

Scuba diving takes you deep into the water. The cold, pressure, dive, ascent, and skills, require you to have the basic health conditions to minimize diving risks. To apply for a diving course, you will have to be able to swim and float, as well as pass some set of medical test. Some health conditions may troubled you in diving, while some may not count. What is the health assessment to take before taking a medical test? Below are some assessments you should make before applying for a dive course. If you have any of these problems, then consult your doctor for recommendation.

Lung and other respiratory problems. Do you have or ever had asthma, lung problems, wheezing, lung surgery, collapsed lung, wheezing with exercise, or other bronchial problems? Others such as chest problem and blood diseases can also be serious.
Pregnancy. Are you pregnant? Are you in attempt of being pregnant?
Age. Are you 45 years old or older? If yes, do you smoke, have high cholesterol level, taking medication, have high blood pressure, have diabetes, have inheritance of heart attack, or have inheritance of stroke? Even if you are below 45, the questions still matter.
Health record. Have you ever had serious surgeries such as blood vessel, heart, chest, back bone, sinus, ear, or spinal surgery?
Medication. Are you taking any medication or prescription drugs? Do you have problems such as dysentery, high blood pressure, colds, allergy, dehydration, hernia, ulcer problems, alcohol addiction or past record of alcoholism, colostomy, bleeding, migraine, recurrent headaches, epilepsy, or seizure?
Dive record. Do you have record of dive accident and any dive-related sickness? Or do you have motion sickness?
Body condition. Do you ever have bone fracture or injury? Do you exercise regularly? Do you ever have head injury, blackout, back problem, or ear problem?
Psychology problem. Do you easily get panicked, or have phobia related to diving such as phobia of deep water, open space, narrow space, dark, or others?

Scuba Diving Tips: What is in Rescue Diving Specialty Course?

2009-09-04T17:53:00.002+02:00

Rescue diving is perhaps the most important specialty course to take. Being underwater, divers do not have much option and help when emergency things happen. Divers have been taught about some rescue skills during the open-water certification course, but a specialty course will even let you know all. The course will train you how to sense emergency time, what to do for first aid, how to search lost diver, how to save unconscious diver, how to rescue yourself and buddies, how to recognize if your buddy is in bad situation, how to avoid danger, and many others. After getting a rescue diving certificate, you may also go more professional in the diving world by becoming a dive rescuer. It is a great career if you are much into diving.

By mastering rescue diving, you are certainly a much more advanced diver. The certificate will let you dive in more sites, be authorized to save other diver, and also protect yourself much better. The skill will also make you eligible as dive leader, even it is not that important at all. You will be trained to catch even very little problem or might-be problem such as loose belt, leak buoyancy control, harmful marine habitats, little air supply, etc. You will learn the responsibility to take care of yourself and other divers.

Rescue specialty course may come in serials. After you learn the basic introductory course, there may be other advanced ones before you can be a rescue diver. The basic certifications for introductory rescue specialty courses may be like first aid certification, CPR certification, and the first rescue diver certification. The first aid course may fall into some specific skills such as first aid for hazardous marine life injuries, on-site neurological assessment, oxygen first aid, basic life support, and many others. You may want to master the rescue specialty course thoroughly or just some of it. Just keep in mind that being skillful to do rescue is really important in the sport.

Scuba Diving Tips: What is in Dive Insurance?

2009-09-04T17:53:00.001+02:00

Dive insurance is similar to other insurances. You pay for the premium, and you get coverage if something you do not plan (or plan) happens. Diving is not dangerous, but in case something happens to you, the gear, or even the trip, you do not have to worry about the money spent anymore. Think about expensive dive insurance premium? Let’s see what you can get.

First, there are some types of programs in dive insurance. You may apply for one, some, or all in a package. The common programs available in dive insurance are as followed.

Insurance for dive accident. Dive accident can happen anytime. Insurance for dive accident usually covers injuries, dive-related sickness, accidental death, dismemberment, permanent or temporary disabilities, total disabilities, extra accommodation and transportation due to the accident, loss equipment due to the accident, and others. The term and condition may vary between dive insurance companies.
Insurance for dive trip. This program usually includes the coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, baggage delay or other problems, accidental death during the trip, and even car rental collision.
Insurance for dive equipment. The dive equipment insurance usually covers lost equipment, broken equipment, and loss of parts of equipment.
Insurance for dive camera. The program provides coverage for your dive camera: if the camera is broken, lost, or some parts of the camera are broken or lost.

So dive insurance is not only about your life, but also your beloved dive gear, dive camera, and the expensive traveling expense. A standard dive insurance which covers all the coverage above usually cost you less than $100 per year. Most are even available for premium below $50 per year, depending on the amount of coverage you will get. And just like other insurance programs, dive insurances also come in different plan and premium. So it depends on you to make decision.

Scuba Diving Tips: Dive Insurance

2009-09-04T17:52:00.000+02:00

Most professional divers might have applied for dive insurance. You might also hear a lot about the insurance, why it is important, what it covers, etc. Diving underwater, you are prone to the wildest life of marine. Of course diving is not dangerous if you are skillful and the gear is fine. But there may be other factors that affect dive safety such as weather, currents, unexpected marine lives, dive-related diseases, wild dive sites, and many others. Even the professional divers need insurance. And do not cancel your next dive trip. Getting dive insurance does not mean you are pessimistic about life. It is also for your expensive dive gear, expensive dive trip, and others. The importance of being insured does not imply that diving is a life-betting sport. Here is some information about dive insurance.

Dive insurance includes sickness and dive-related health problems. You know, getting decompression sickness, injuries, and even disabilities can happen in diving. Dive insurance will provide you coverage for such incidents.
Dive insurance may include lost gear. Diving gear is not cheap. Divers may invest thousands of dollars for a quality set of gear. When diving, there are many factors that may cause you to lose the gear such as loose gear or small accident under the water. Every dive insurance may have different term and condition, but at least if something bad happen and you lose the gear, you do not have to worry about coverage anymore.
Dive insurance may cover others such as trip insurance and camera insurance. If your trip is canceled, if your camera is broken, or if you lose or broke the camera parts, you may also get coverage. Dive insurances are available for them too.
Lastly, dive insurance is not that expensive. Many dive insurance programs cost you less than $40 per year for ten to hundred thousands of coverage during the lifetime. Some programs may cost you more than $50 per year, but you get even much higher coverage.

Tips to Choose the Right Dive Agency for Specialty Course

2009-09-04T17:50:00.000+02:00

Taking specialty course is the next step after the basic diving certification. Among the many specialty courses are such as night diving, wreck diving, deep water diving, rescue diving, navigation diving, boat diving, underwater photography, and hard-current diving. For early step, you may choose one that meets your interest most. The certificate from specialty course will take you deeper to the diving world. If you live in a location with popular dive sites, there must be many dive shops, resorts, or agencies that offer diving specialty courses. While the course price may not differ significantly, you may want to choose the best place for the advanced training. Asking for references from buddies or your former instructor may be good, but you also need to consider other aspects. Here are the tips to choose the right diving specialty course.

1. Check the instructor’s experience. The instructor must have enough real and teaching experience in the type of diving he/she trains. If the instructor does not have enough specialty diving experience, you will not learn much from the course.
2. Ask about the course. Obviously you want a specialty course that will get you master the advanced skill. You should know whether the course is just an introductory or not, whether there are materials you can keep, how long it will take for in-class training and in-water practice, how long the course is, how many students per class, and how is the exam for certification.
3. Ask about the diving practice. You should know in detail about how many dives to go during the course, what are the taught specific skills, what are the needed equipment, how to get the equipment (rent or buy?), and where are the dive sites.
4. Know the certificate. You should know what kind of certificate you will get after the specialty course. Some dive agencies may only provide additional C-card.

Types of Diving Specialty Courses

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Divers may consider taking specialty courses after the basic open water certification. An advanced certification sounds good for those who love the sport. You will be able to do more kinds of dives, dive in more sites, and master advanced diving skills. Not sure which specialty course to take? Here are some of the most popular and important diving specialty courses.

Navigation diving. The course will train you how to use compass, how to use natural navigation, how to read current, how to keep track and dive in the right position, and others.
Deep water diving. The course will train you how to manage air and the related gear in deep water diving. After getting the deep diving certification you can dive deeper than 60 feet.
Night diving. The course will train you how to use different “night” equipment, how to manage the communication in the dark water, and how to keep the dive in track.
Rescue diving. The course will train you how to prevent diving accidents, what to do in emergency times, and how to recognize the signs of emergency (eg. tired buddy). This may be the most important diving specialty courses to take as safety is the main issue in the sport.
Boat diving. The course will train you how to operate, exit, and re-enter the boat safely and rightly.
Wreck diving. The course will train you better on how to navigate the wreck, how to dive in a wreck, how to keep the dive in track, how to avoid silt, and how to minimize the risk of wreck diving. The specialty course will open you to many wreck diving experiences.
Underwater photography. The course will train you how to take photos under the water, how to adapt the light and camera, how to target objects, and how to improve buoyancy skills.
Underwater naturalist. The course will teach you about underwater life: fish identification, underwater ecology, and anything that is under the water.

Boating Safety in Scuba Diving

2009-09-04T17:47:00.001+02:00

Divers usually reach dive sites by using boat. Rented boats are available in every dive location, with or without accompanying boatman. Since it is one of the activities related to diving, knowledge about boating safety is also important to scuba divers. Aspects of safety in boating include the preparation process, boating to dive sites, until you go back to the land after a dive. Here are the safety principles in boating.

1. Make sure you wear a life jacket. No one knows what might happen. Studies have shown that those who wear life jacket during boating have ninety percent more chance to survive an accident. Also, prepare your floating plan with a buddy before boating. It is important to avoid being panicked and fasten rescue process.
2. Take a boat safety course. To understand boating safety thoroughly, professional divers would better take the formal course. Even many accompanying boatmen do not take any formal boating education.
3. Know how to operate boat. This includes how to navigate, maintain, handle, fix, and anchor a boat. By understanding the boat, you will now what to do in case of accident.
4. Do not take alcohol before a boat drive. Besides it is prohibited in many areas, boating with alcohol is much more risky than using alcohol on the land.
5. Check the boat safety requirements regularly. Install aid kits such as signaling radio so that you can get quick rescue of something happens. Kill switch lanyard is also highly important in case boat operator turns imbalance. The kit will ensure boat to turn off automatically. So if you rent a boat, check for the safety kits.
6. While diving, let one or two stay on the boat. They can be friends or boatmen. It is really important that there is at least someone to monitor the dive or surrounding water, as well as the boat machine.

Factors that Increase the Risk of Decompression Sickness

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Decompression sickness can happen to any diver. If you maintain good preventive cares, you are less likely to experience it. However, there are also other factors that increase the risk of decompression sickness. They contribute to decompression sickness in different levels, but it is good to know in advanced so that you can be more cautious.

Overweight. Overweight divers have more fat in the body, while fats absorb nitrogen more easily. The condition increases the risk of nitrogen getting trapped when it is time to release, which may further affect other organs such as nervous system, lung, blood stream, etc. Due to the fat, women also have more tendencies to get decompression sickness as they have higher body fat content than men do.
Age. Older divers have less efficient circulatory and respiratory systems, thus increase the risk of getting decompression sickness. Those with injury and other illness will also affect body circulation and may increase the risk of decompression sickness.
Water consumption. Having no enough water in the body will cause dehydration, which then lead to less blood supply to be exchanged with gas when it is tome to ascend. Avoid drinking alcohol before and after a dive as it can accelerate circulation and cause gas fills in the tissues.
Exercise. Exercising before a dive can be beneficial because it will produce proteins to protect the body. Regular exercise will also keep the body fitter when diving underwater. However, exercising within 12 hours before and immediately after a dive can increase the potency of decompression sickness. It will encourage bubbles as there is raised amount of gas micronuclei, increase the risk of bubble transfer to circulatory system, and increase the risk of bubble transmit to blood pressure.
Diving altitudes. Wrong altitudes such as ascending too quickly, reversing profile, and improper breathing can also substantially increase the risk of decompression sickness.

Types of Decompression Sickness

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There are two types of decompression sickness, Type I and Type II. Each type can affect different parts of the body and cause fatal damages to death. Divers should understand the risk of getting decompression sickness and the dos to prevent it. Decompression sickness can start from symptoms such as fatigue, headache, vertigo, numbness, joint pain, skin rashes, stomach sickness, unconsciousness, heart problems, blurred vision, and respiratory problems, or immediately goes to one of the types.

Type I decompression sickness is not as life-threatening as Type 2’s. Divers usually feel pain in the body. Two common signs of Type I decompression sickness are read rashes and aching. Red rashes happen when divers get cutaneous decompression sickness, a situation where nitrogen bubbles come out of solution. Red rashes usually happen on shoulders and chest parts of the body. The other sign, aching, usually happens in the joints. It is called joint and limb pain decompression sickness, which may be caused by bubbles exaggeration. The pain can move from one to other joints.

Type II decompression sickness is more serious and can be fatal. Divers feel the effects directly on the nervous system. There are three types of the Type II: neurological, pulmonary, and cerebral decompression sickness. The neurological decompression sickness comes with numbness, tingling, respiratory problems, and unconsciousness, which spread quickly throughout the body. Nitrogen bubbles affecting nervous system are the main cause of this condition. The pulmonary decompression sickness happens when bubbles accumulate in lung capillaries and interrupt the blood flow. The effect in respiratory and heart can be harmful. The last one, cerebral decompressions sickness, happens when bubbles go into arterial blood stream, continue to the brain, and finally cause arterial gas embolism ion the brain. Symptoms of this are such as blurred vision, headaches, and unconsciousness. This is perhaps the most dangerous form of decompression sickness.

Decompression Sickness in Scuba Diving

2009-09-04T17:43:00.000+02:00

As always, no activity is without risk. So is scuba diving. One of the most common risks in scuba diving is decompression sickness. Divers are prone to decompression sickness because of the pressure they face, mostly, during an ascent. The Bends, DCS, and Caisson Disease are other names for decompression sickness. It happens when there is rapid pressure decrease and nitrogen bubbles build-up. When divers descend, the pressure around increases and body tissues absorb the nitrogen until you reach the saturation point. It is a point where there is balance between surrounding pressure and body tissues’ pressure. The process can be harmful when you need to release the pressure and nitrogen. Thus, divers should ascend slowly so that the process is not “shocking” to the body. Otherwise the nitrogen released from body tissues will become bubbles. We call it as decompression sickness.

There are two types of decompression sickness, Type I and Type II. The effects can be like damages to nervous system, pain in body, paint at joints, serious heart problems, serious respiratory problems, arterial gas embolism, and paralysis. Divers can also suffer from the symptoms of decompression sickness only, which come in different forms. Symptoms of decompression sickness are such as fatigue, headache, vertigo, numbness, joint pain, skin rashes, stomach sickness, unconsciousness, heart problems, blurred vision, and respiratory problems.

The effect of decompression sickness can be fatal to divers. However, appropriate preventive actions can reduce the risk of decompression sickness. Here are them.

Ascend slowly. Take your time and do not push to the limits.
Breathe normally. Never hold your breathe during diving.
Be physically fit. Take regular exercise and maintain ideal weight. However, taking exercise within 12 hours of diving is not recommended.
Do not drink alcohol before and after a dive session. Instead, drink enough water to prevent dehydration.

Tips to Buy Your First Scuba Diving Gear

2009-09-04T17:41:00.000+02:00

Dive beginners must find many concerns when it is time to buy dive gear. Which brand to choose, what level of quality to buy, how much it cost, and how much the budget is are just few questions to address. You know that scuba diving is a gear-intensive sport. You do the sport underwater, and you need gear to keep you safe and alive. Scuba diving gear is also not cheap. Buying a full set would certainly cost you thousands of dollars. But you buy gradually and manage to make each a good investment. Here are some tips to buy your first scuba diving gear.

First of all, you need to know the price range information for each quality level. A mask costs you from $25 to $150 for the high-end one. Fins range from $60 to $200, snorkel ranges from $15 to $80, while dive boots usually start from $30 to $150. For “bigger” dive gear, dry suit’s price ranges form $60 to $200, while wetsuit can reach $550 for a high quality piece. The regulator is usually around $250 to $1,500 or more, while buoyancy control is from $300 to $800. Dive computer, which together with regulator are the two most expensive dive gear, can cost you $300 for the most standard features to $1,400 or even more for the high-tech features.
Dive beginners can choose whether to buy the budget, moderate, or high-end level of gear. In most dive gear, quality goes with price. Quality gear also ensures your dive safety under the water, which is really critical. But do not get trapped in expensive gear. Consider other aspects such as brand, reputation, and reference or review from other users. Buying the quality gear will be good investment during the years of your diving hobby. So invest wisely and buy those with important features. Just try to buy the best you can afford.
Once you buy the gear set, the next important thing is maintenance. Dive gear maintenance is highly important. It is not only for the long lasting use but also for safety. So you get both from good maintenance: save money from buying new gear in replacement to broken old one and safe life from unnecessary incidents caused by broken gear. Find reference about how to maintain each scuba gear.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Buying Dive Gear Online

2009-09-04T17:40:00.000+02:00

Online shopping is available for many kinds of products: foods, apparels, services, sport items, medications, etc. Dive gear is no exception. The number of sites that offer or sell dive gear keeps increasing as more people find comfort with online shopping. It just needs to do some clicks to find many online dive shops in seconds. Many dive beginners may also have tried the experiment. As we all know, online shopping offers many advantages to buyers. But there are some considerations when it comes to buying dive gear.

The advantages of buying dive gear online include the flexible shopping hour and method. You can start from a well-known marketplace, directory of business listing, your instructor’s reference sites, or typing on search engines. It is really easy and time-saving. In addition, buying dive gear online also allows you to compare prices, read reviews, find more brands, find more designs, etc. Buying online also enables diver to find almost anything offered by the market. Most of the experiences will get you to lower price as well. And while traditional dive shops have limited supply, you can easily surf for anything you hear by going online. So the advantages are outstanding.

However, buying dive gear online also has substantial disadvantages. First, you can not see the live gear and try the set to check for fitness and comfort. Divers know that both are really important to enhance safety and fun diving experience. Even more, you can not check whether the dive gear is in good condition or not. Irresponsible sellers may do anything to lead sales. There is no guarantee about warranty or post-sales service. Sellers also can not check buyer qualification to determine whether they can operate the gear or not. So the drawbacks also matter a lot.

If you want to buy scuba gear online, make sure you shop from reputed sites or sellers to minimize the risk. You should also have known what specific design and size of gear to buy so as to minimize the risk of unfitness. Maybe you can try at offline dive shops and then browse online to check for the price?

Where to Buy Diving Gear?

2009-09-04T17:39:00.000+02:00

Divers can find all the necessary gear at dive shops as the first option. Buying gear at dive shops will allow you to see the live unit, test and try different brands and variations, and consult the dive instructor. But as information technology spreads rapidly, abundant options for dive gear nowadays can also be found on Internet. And what about other places to buy dive gear? Which one is better? Well, each comes in its own advantages and disadvantages. Let’s look deeper at some alternatives.

Buying dive gear on Internet. You can find many sites that offer or sell dive gear. Some also use mail order or catalog buying to buy the gear. With this option, you spend some on handling and shipping fee. But still, the prices are usually lower than those you find at dive shops. Buying on Internet also means it is easier to compare price, brand, and product. But the drawbacks are not insignificant. First, there are rules that apply to buying and selling dive gear which can hardly be settled trough online buying. For example, sellers should know buyer qualification before they offer or sell a specific dive gear, buyers should try for fitness and fun
ctioning upon buying dive gear, and buyers can not check gear quality before they arrive at home. Besides, managing warranty and post-sale service are not that easy if you buy online.
Non-dive sport outlets. Sport shops also offer diving gear. But they do not have the expert shopkeeper or instructor to give you recommendation. While beginners need recommendation and reference, sport outlets may not be the right place to buy. They often sell sport items, including dive gear, for sale. But only experienced diver who really knows what to buy can try the luck here.
Private party. Private part usually offers second-hand dive gear at much lower price. The price is of course good news. But there is no way to ensure the quality of the sold gear if you are not an expert in dive gear. If they get broken, you can neither go for guarantee. Thus buying dive gear at private party is only feasible if you are knowledgeable with some technical skills.

Life-Support Equipment in Diving

2009-09-04T17:38:00.001+02:00

Diving requires a full se equipment to keep you dive in comfort and safe condition. There is basic gear such as mask, snorkel, fins, and diving suits. There is also life-support equipment to keep you alive during and after a dive. The basic gear supports your dive a lot and they can not be left behind, while some equipments work directly on your vital body need: breathing.

Buoyancy control. BC is one of the most important dive equipment because it keeps all your gear right, keeps you float at the surface, and helps you stay at neutral buoyancy. When choosing a BC, look for the best size and inflator hose. The size should fit you best with a dive suit on, while the inflator hose should be reachable without limiting your move. BC can last for years, thus it is recommended that you buy a quality one. It may cost you over $500, but it is for years.
Regulator. Regulator get you air at ambient pressure to breathe. It regulates the high pressure air in the tank and delivers air to the BC inflator as well as other gear that count. Most of the regulators in the market are at least of standard quality regardless of price. When choosing a regulator, look for comfort and high performance. You need higher performance to deliver higher air volume at deep dive. The hose and mouthpiece should also be comfortable when used.
Dive computer. Dive computer does a lot of jobs: monitor the dive depth, the bottom time, the ascent rate, the no-decompression status, the tank pressure, etc. You can enjoy the dive while the computer does the safety reminders. When choosing a dive computer, look for user-friendly operation and mounting options. You should be able to operate and access the data in dive computer easily. In addition, the mounting options will allow you to position the dive computer at comfortable area.

Tips to Stay Warm When Diving

2009-09-04T17:34:00.000+02:00

Getting cold during a dive can expose you to more risks such as loss of focus, body pain, and diving sickness. Thus, staying warm is important to enhance safety and fun diving experience. Thicker neoprene works to keep you warm in cold water temperature. But there are also other tips to help you feel warmer other than a thick neoprene that will lessen your flexibility. Here are them.

Cover what is coverable. You head, your legs, they are also main sources of cold in the body. Head accounts for 20 to 40 percent of heat loss because your brain is there. Legs too, account for large proportion of body mass. Covering both will keep you feel much warmer on the entire body.
Start to keep warm since the pre-dive. For example, if you go to a dive location with cold temperature, then wear warm jackets to keep you warm. The warmth will keep up until you really dive under the water. Wind during the boat trip after a dive will also expose you much to colder temperature as you stay wearing wetsuits. For the dive, stay shallow if there is no specific target in the deep. Deeper is colder. And the pressure also affects your wetsuit insulation a lot.
Check your diving suit. Leaks often found at the collar areas. They get cold water in and you will soon feel chilling. If you bother fixing the leaks from time to time, wetsuits that are designed well at the neck seals will stay in good condition longer. Wearing diving suit that fits your body perfectly also count a lot. The fittest suit is usually hard to pull on. So take your time when choosing a dive suit. Choose custom-measured wetsuits with more sizes to choose from. You will have more probability to find one that really fits your body. If everything seems right but you still feel uncomfortable sold, then buying a new wetsuit may be a good option because you might buy one that does not fit you perfectly.

Scuba Diving Risks

2009-08-30T08:15:00.001+02:00

Before going for a dive session, it is important that you understand the scuba diving risks. It is not to make you worried. Instead, knowing the risks will get you prepared to avoid the happenings. There are some possible risks in scuba diving.

Risks related to ascending. Wrong methods of ascending can cause harmful conditions such as lung expansion injury, alveoli in lungs, and headache. Ascending too fast can cause headache as your body is not ready to bear the pressure. Besides, alveoli and lung expansion can happen because you hold breath during an ascent. Holding breath causes excessive pressure in the lung.
Risks related to decompression. Accelerated decompression may cause some conditions such as decompression sickness and embolism. A hurry decompression can make the nitrogen coming out of a solution.
Risks related to pressure. High water pressure may cause bone lesion and arrhythmia's. Bone lesion is an effect of too-long exposure to high pressure water, while the arrhythmia's are a state of abnormal heart rate as an effect of external pressure. Insufficient air pressure can also cause tinnitus, Eustachian (a tube in the ear) damage, other inner ear damage, and hearing loss. Unbalanced pressure in the inner ear may also cause dizziness at the earlier phase.
Risks related to gas. Gas can cause fatal conditions in diving such as arterial and cerebral gas embolism. The arterial embolism is a condition where gas coming out of a solution in the arteries, while cerebral embolism is the same but happens in the brain. While “light” risk like pain in the mouth can also happen if there is trapped gas in the fillings.
Risks related to toxicity. Be careful of symptoms of toxicity such as headache and shortness of breathe. Holding some breathe during heavy exertion may cause CO2 accumulation in the body and lead to CO2 toxicity. Otherwise, O2 toxicity can also happen if you inhale too much oxygen. Symptoms of O2 toxicity are such as burning lungs, vomiting, and dizziness.

There are other risks in scuba diving such as dehydration, poisonous animals, hypothermia, abrasion, and getting out of air. Nevertheless, you should be over-worried about the sport. Everything should be safe if performed correctly. By knowing the diving skill, diving equipment, and necessary preventive actions, diving is a much enjoyable activity.

Tips for Scuba Diving Safety

2009-08-30T08:13:00.001+02:00

Scuba diving is not a dangerous sport. But without careful planning and good state of mind, you can easily get panicked under the water when unexpected things happen. Something like getting lost with no friend around, getting trapped in puzzled fishing ropes, or spotting odd fish can make you forget the basic rules in diving. It is highly important to keep calm in whatever situation you face. The hormones and heart rate will increase as a natural reaction, but you need to get back the state of calmness to think reasonably.

Before a dive, divers must have been trained about the safety kit for diving and techniques to survive hard situations. Never dive without a knife. It is not to hurt the beautiful marine beings, but to save yourself at emergency times. Choose dive knife that is shorter than 5 inches and straight in shape. Besides it is easier to hold and target, you are less likely to accidentally cut the diving gear which effect can be deadly. Dive knife should be effective and efficient, that is right to the target and safe to bring. By staying calm, you should be able to consider the surrounding and think of appropriate actions.

To enhance safety in diving, here are some tips to help.

Be knowledgeable about diving skills and equipment. By doing so, you have more preparation to face emergency situation.
Develop good attitude. The under water world is much different from the land. You are not the host. It is important to keep good behavior while diving. Do not hurt or damage anything and love the world as if it is yours. Besides you are doing ethically well, you also prevent yourself from unexpected attacks.
Prepare yourself for the dive. Keep your body fit by doing some exercise and taking enough rest. Diving need full focus and fitness.