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Underwater Navigation for the Novice Scuba Diver

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The new dive adventurer is similar to being a passenger on a long ride in a car.

You get to looking around and you have arrived at the destination and have no clue of the route taken to get there. The first couple of lessons you may be fine focusing on your breathing, clearing your ears, clearing of the mask and the awesome joy of the underwater adventure. The sooner you start working on your navigation skills the better, especially if you're learning in a lake that has visibility of twenty feet or less. Because just assured as you are reading this, you will be looking around and in an instant your instructor has disappeared into the darkness. Don't panic just stop for a minute and relax. The instructor will be back for you and if he or she doesn't come back ascend slowly to the surface because they haven't taken you far from the boat or shore. It happens don't worry about it, that is when you realize you need to sharpen your navigation skills.

There are some simple rules to navigation that will make it easier to find the way back to the point of entry. The first and most important is to have a dive plan before you and your dive buddy enter the water, decide who will be the lead diver. Follow the lead diver; let that person concentrate on navigating while the other diver focuses on time, air usage, distance and depth. If you are not the leader it is still important to know your dive plan for emergencies or if you and your dive buddy get separated you can get back to the entry point safely.


If the point of entry is a boat follow the mooring or the anchor line down to the bottom and familiarize yourself with the surroundings. From there follow the dive plan your group has put together. If the entry point is from the shore, swim out to the point you have planned to make the decent. Again get familiar with the surroundings and follow the dive plan.

Navigation underwater isn't any more difficult than above ground navigation. Look for markers, rock formations, sand bars and distinguishing corals of any kind or a tree stump. Anything that is memorable can aid you and your dive buddy in returning to the point of entry. These are just a few tips to make the dive more enjoyable and less stressful.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7050831

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

Tips for Choosing the Best Dive Centre for Your Next Scuba Diving Holiday

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If you're planning a dive trip to some exotic location that you've never been to, chances are you probably want to do some research before choosing the right diving center.

You want to make sure that your experience will be fun and exciting, but safe and well-thought out as well. As there are a lot of disreputable dive centers as there are respectable ones, it is extremely vital to make the right choice.

Moreover, choosing the right dive shop will make the difference between an awesome scuba diving holiday experience and a botched one.

That said, there are certain things to keep in mind when doing your research, several of which I've listed below:


•Read the online reviews on sites such as tripadvisor.com or scubadviser.com Although these review sites aren't 100% accurate as there have been efforts by businesses to skew the reviews, most of the time, the reviews will at least give you some sense as to whether a business is doing okay or terribly. Try to ignore the extremely bad or extremely good reviews, and focus on the ones in the middle. Those tend to be the more accurate of the reviews.

•Call or email the dive shop in advance. And remember to give yourself enough time to contact them. One of the ways you can gauge how good a dive shop is based on how responsive they are. I've seen countless people get turned off by a certain dive center simply because they never heard back from the staff. I know, I have. Usually, but not always, a dive shop that doesn't get back to you in time or simply ignores your email, is probably not going to be too concerned with the overall guest experience.

•Once you've established contact, ask if they have dive packages, and see if they are willing to offer you special scuba diving package deals. This is especially true if you'll be doing multiple dives over several days.


•Also, check to make sure the dive center is up-to-date with safety equipment such as oxygen kits, AEDs, emergency kits, as well as safety procedures. Unfortunately, there are a TON of dive centers out there lacking the basic safety equipment and standards, which makes it extremely dangerous if you end up diving with such a dive center. A simple asthma attack can turn deadly if the proper equipment and procedures aren't set in place.

•Always trust your gut instinct. From your correspondence with this dive center, do you get an overall good feeling? If something seems off or doesn't sit well with you, look for another dive center.


Taking these steps is by no means a guarantee for a fool-proof scuba diving holiday trip, however, it will help you eliminate many dive operations that are not up-to-par, and save you the headache from a completely botched dive vacation.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6973912

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

Muck diving: A unique form of scuba diving in the South Pacific

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When most people think about scuba diving and what you see underwater, they think of colorful reefs, crystal-clear water and plenty of fish swimming around. A growing number of divers have discovered a unique form of scuba known as "muck diving".

It's exactly what it sounds likes - diving in the "muck" or sand. According to "muck" enthusiast Jerry Cummins of J&D Scuba in Allegany, New York, "You can't fully appreciate 'muck diving' until you've done it. There is a diversity of marine life in the sand that most people don't take the time to appreciate."

During a recent trip to Atlantis Resort in Dumaguete, Philippines, Cummins and a group of dive professionals spent quite a bit of time in the "muck" and "sand" just off the shoreline. What did they see? Everything from colorful nudibranchs and shrimp to the elusive "flamboyant cuttlefish". The catch? Almost all of these creature would fit nicely on the top of a silver dollar.

"You have to take your time and look in places you might not normally look," Cummins said.

Muck Divers are an exclusive bunch that travel with large photo and video cameras, bright lights and have an eye for the "little critters". "There is a sense of accomplishment when you catch a photo of an animal you've been trying to see," said another member of the dive group. "Here in the South Pacific, you can see things that are nowhere else in the world. While they might be in the 'muck', they are there and it's great to be able to see them."

Thanks to Scott Jones from the Scuba Diving Examiner

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

200-Year-Old Shipwreck Found in Gulf of Mexico

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A newly discovered shipwreck in the Gulf of Mexico may have originally gone down 200 years ago. The ship is full of glass bottles, ceramic plates and boxes of muskets.

The shipwreck was discovered 200 miles (321 kilometers) off the Gulf Coast in more than 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) of water by a Gulf of Mexico mission led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The wooden hull of the ship has nearly disintegrated, but a greenish copper shell that once protected the ship's wood remains behind.

"Artifacts in and around the wreck and the hull's copper sheathing may date the vessel to the early to mid-19th century," Jack Irion, a maritime archaeologist with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), said in a statement.

The first hint of the shipwreck came in 2011, when a sonar survey by Shell Oil Company turned up an unknown blip on the seafloor. BOEM requested that NOAA explore such unknown blips during a recent expedition by the ship Okeanos Explorer. The ship returned April 29 from its 56-day mission exploring unknown areas of the Gulf.
Along the way, the researchers imaged deep-sea corals near the Macondo well, the site of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. They explored a thick forest of corals at the West Florida Escarpment, an undersea cliff. And they installed a device on Okeanos' remotely operated vehicle to measure the rate that gas rises in the water column.

The research team also explored four shipwrecks on the ocean bottom. One, explored on April 19, was first discovered in the 1980s, but has only been investigated by deep-sea archaeologists twice. This wooden-hulled ship dates between the mid-19th and early-20th centuries, though its story is currently a mystery. An exploration of another wreck, this one near the mouth of the Mississippi River, revealed that what was once thought to be a ship cannon was actually a bilge pump.

But the most scientifically interesting ship explored was the copper-plated wreck found 200 miles off the coast, according to Frank Cantelas, a NOAA maritime archaeologist. The ship was full of interesting artifacts, a remotely operated vehicle exploration revealed.

"Some of the more datable objects include what appears to be a type of ceramic plate that was popular between 1800 and 1830, and a wide variety of glass bottles," said BOEM's Irion. "A rare ship's stove on the site is one of only a handful of surviving examples in the world and the second one found on a shipwreck in the Gulf of Mexico."

Thanks to

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

What to Do if Your Kayak is Attacked by a Shark

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Director George H. Burgess of The Florida Museum of Natural History has written up suggestions for divers encountering aggressive sharks that lend some helpful insights to kayakers so I have integrated them here.

If you see a shark from your kayak, do not panic. Most likely the shark was attracted by something you were doing or by something in the area of your activity. If you are fishing and have a bait bucket over the side, let it go. If you think some catch of yours is attracting him, let him have it.

Regardless of the reason for its attraction do what you can to eliminate it and calmly start toward shore, keeping your eye on him, paddling with smooth gliding strokes, not frantic splashing. Gather up close to a paddle buddy as sharks are less likely to go after a group. Stay in your kayak until you reach shore. If you are far from a landing try to get up against a cliff (in calm water of course) or wall to minimize the directions he can approach you from.

Should the shark be making aggressive advances toward the boat, your paddle is the best weapon to discourage him. Hitting him on the snout should work but if he comes back go for the sensitive gill or eye area. I've wondered why I can't find expert advice on hitting them in the gills or eye to begin with. My conclusion is you do not want to assault a shark just because it is curious. The snout bump let's him know you are not helpless. Sharks are scavengers often looking for an easy meal like sleeping fish as a midnight snack so playing dead doesn't work here. Let him know you have a paddle and know how to use it, but like he and most creatures of nature do, showing ability to do battle is safer than an actual battle for all concerned.

If he knocks you out of your kayak, hold onto your paddle with all your might. Leap back onto your boat and swiftly, not frantically, paddle into shore. If you lose your paddle or kayak, swiftly, smoothly swim to another kayak or to shore. Let the kayak find its own way in if necessary. If you can't get to shore find a way to back up against something to again, limit the directions he can approach you from...and again, don't play dead. Use your hand to bump his snout if you lost your paddle. Leaping onto your kayak swiftly, quickly, even effortlessly, from deep water is achievable and an invaluable skill all sit on top kayakers should aspire to master.

Thanks to TopKayaker.net

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

This You Tube video is strickly for your viewing---is not related to the above story!!!

Big Sharks Close Up

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George Bartsch wanted to swim with Great White sharks.

He quickly came to his senses.

“I had the desire to dive outside the cage, until I saw one. Then I was glad to be in the cage,” the Simcoe, Ontario, scuba diver says of his trip in February to South Africa, where he witnessed close up the size and power of the Great White.

George, a scuba instructor who opened his own dive shop in Simcoe two years ago, went out with Shark Diving Unlimited to Dyer Island (also known as Seal Island) off the coast of Gansbaai, South Africa. There, he got in a steel cage attached to the boat that would offer protection from the giant predators.

The cage is rectangular, ten by four feet, and occupancy is limited to six people at a time. Once they enter it the lid is closed.
“They do a very good safety briefing,” says George. This includes a warning to keep all body parts inside the cage. The grid is large enough that sharks can be photographed with your hands and camera inside the cage without the bars showing. Children as young as seven view the Great Whites from the cage.

George and the others in the cage, who included his niece, did not use scuba gear at all. It isn’t needed because the top of the cage is above water and scuba bubbles tend to scare away the sharks.

“When the sharks come, you hold your breath and pull yourself down. The passes only last a few seconds, says George. “You get a fleeting glimpse. They come several times, about 30 to 35 passes. They’re very fast and agile.

“I’ve seen other kinds of sharks but this is the first time I’ve seen Great Whites. At one point we had five different sharks. The largest was five and a half metres and it would weigh about a ton and a half. It was a female and it came up right close and personal.”

On the way out, the boat operator dumps tuna blood into the ocean, creating a chum slick that the sharks follow. Once the boat is stopped and the customers are in the cage, they bring the sharks in close by throwing out a rope that has large tuna heads attached to one end. Close to the cage, they pull it out of the water before the sharks can strike.

“They are careful to make sure the sharks don’t get the tuna heads. They don’t want them to associate people with food.”
“It was breath-taking to say the least,” says George. “The mouth was right in front of us. You could see the teeth and the eyes.”
The sharks bumped the cage so hard it rocked the 22-foot, steel-hulled boat. They never did bite down on the steel bars, but large foam tubes on top of the cage had bite marks.


“The water was very cold but the adrenaline was pumping so hard you didn’t feel it,” he says of the 52-degree Fahrenheit water temperature.

While seeing Great Whites so close was obviously exciting, George also found the whole experience educational. A marine biologist was onboard the boat to answer questions. Someone wanted to know if the Great Whites’ appearance in the area was seasonal. They were told that while some of that species do migrate, those common to this particular area do not because the seals (food for the predator sharks) are there all the time. The boat operator’s success rate in finding sharks is 90 per cent.

Little is known about Great Whites, including where they breed or the length of the gestation period.

While Great Whites are aggressive, George says the much smaller bull sharks, which are at most six or seven feet long, are probably even more threatening. “You see them in Florida. A lot of the incidents (attacks) there are by bull sharks that come into the shallows.”

With the Great White experience now ticked off on his bucket list, his next project will be a trip to Utila, Honduras, to see the whale sharks. Growing up to 40 feet in length, they’re even bigger than Great Whites.

But there will be no need for a steel cage on this adventure. Whale sharks eat plankton. Not worried about becoming their dinner, divers often snorkel on the surface with whale sharks.

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

Scuba Diver Jobs: Commercial and Recreational Scuba Diving

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Are you one of those people who look forward to get away from it all and just dive? For the weekend scuba diver who can't get enough of the thrill of floating weightless underwater may want to do this every single day. If you are thinking about leaving your desk job to become a full-time professional diver, here are some things that you need to know.

First of all, if you plan on making your time underwater as your permanent job, you need to understand that being a professional diver is just like knowing how to drive a car. Scuba diver jobs are divided into two categories: commercial and recreational. Unless you want to just be a "driver," you have to combine scuba diving with another skill to rake in the big bucks.

Commercial Scuba Diver Jobs

If you plan on making it as a commercial scuba diver, consider combining scuba diving with underwater engineering, photography, and research. A full-time diver who knows how to work machinery or tell one kind of marine mammal from the other can really make it commercial scuba diving.

If something more dangerous calls out to you, you can join the military. The military constantly needs and trains divers for their underwater infiltration operations. Another dangerous but equally well-paying job is being a Hazardous Materials scuba diver, which means you clean up oil spills, recover bodies, and repair underwater machinery.


Recreational Scuba Diver Jobs

Succeeding as a recreational scuba diver is hinged on becoming a dive master as well as being a great people person. While the hourly rate will probably never be as high as an executive, you often make up for it in tips. Scuba diving jobs can be found in resorts and cruise ships. This is a great way to break into diving when you need the experience.

Another perk of being a recreational diver is the fact that you can practice your trade in exotic locations like Thailand, Hawaii, the Philippines, and many more. If you are business-minded and are willing to take on extra work, you can set up your own dive shop, too.

Whether you decide to become a recreational diver or a commercial one, one thing is for sure. This job is great for those who are young, restless, and want to spend as much time underwater as they can. If this sounds like you, take a chance and be part of the exciting and potentially lucrative scuba diver industry.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7021983 and Matthew Nathan

Kathy Dowsett

Salt Water Aspiration and Scuba Diving

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Thanks Natalie Gibb

As a scuba instructor, I tend to err on the side of over-caution. The dive equipment set-up and revision which I teach my students is very meticulous, and I insist that they perform these checks on every dive. One piece of equipment that I see many divers (and scuba instructors) overlook during their equipment set-up and inspection is the regulator mouthpiece. A mouthpiece's bite tabs may wear down or break off after many uses. Mouthpieces also tend to develop holes where the plastic tie-wrap holds them in to the regulator second stage. This is dangerous! Any mouthpiece developing holes must be replaced before diving. Holes in the mouthpiece can lead to salt water aspiration - a little-recognized syndrome that divers should know about.


Accidents happen. I observed an incidence of salt water aspiration (thankfully not on my dive!) at the beginning of my dive career. A diver ran low on air at the safety stop, and the instructor handed the diver his alternate air source regulator to allow the diver to breathe from his tank. All appeared well when the two surfaced and boarded the dive boat. The instructor had just launched into a lecture about the importance of carefully monitoring one's air supply underwater when the diver began to have difficulty breathing. He coughed, gasped for air, and felt weak. Suspecting decompression sickness, the instructor administered oxygen to the diver. When the boat reached the dock, and ambulance rushed the diver to the hyperbaric chamber.


The diver was not bent. He had inhaled a fine mist of salt water through a hole in the mouthpiece of the instructor's alternate air source regulator. The droplets of salt water were so fine that the diver didn't notice that he was inhaling anything other than air. When the dive gear was inspected, the hole discovered was so small that it was not visible unless the mouthpiece was pulled on and twisted. The diver, stressed from the low air situation, had pulled the hole open by looking around during the safety stop, and inhaled enough vaporized salt water to cause salt water aspiration syndrome. After treatment, the diver recovered and was perfectly fine.

What Is Salt Water Aspiration?:


Salt water aspiration may occur when a diver inhales tiny droplets of salt water due to an equipment malfunction or poor diving technique. Salt water aspiration may also occur in near drownings, or in any other scenario in which salt water is inhaled.

Salt water does all sorts of nasty things to a diver's lungs. One of the effects of inhaled salt water (without getting too technical) is that the high saltiness of the salt water in comparison to the relatively lower saltiness of the fluid in a diver's lung and body tissues causes body fluids to move through the walls of the divers' lungs (specifically the alveoli) and into his breathing spaces, making breathing difficult, if not impossible.

Symptoms of Salt Water Aspiration:


Salt water aspiration may be difficult to diagnose, because it mimics many of the symptoms of decompression illness. Some divers may have severe reactions to salt water aspiration (such as those with a history of asthma or hay fever) while others may have a much milder reaction. Symptoms are usually delayed from one to fifteen hours and may include the following:

difficulty breathing and chest pain
a cough that produces phlegm
flu-like symptoms including body aches, exhaustion, fever, nausea and headache
pale skin
shivering


What Is the Treatment for Salt Water Aspiration:

Most cases of salt water aspiration are mild, go undiagnosed, and resolve within a few hours. If a diver feels sick enough to suspect salt water aspiration, he should seek immediate emergency medical care. The symptoms of salt water aspiration mimic those of decompression sickness, and decompression sickness must be ruled out before salt water aspiration is diagnosed. Some of the treatments include administration of oxygen, rest, and administration of bronchial dilators. Treatment may also be required for infections caused by bacteria in the inhaled salt water. With treatment, even severe cases of salt water aspiration have a high chance of resolution.

How to Avoid Salt Water Aspiration When Scuba Diving:


Correct gear maintenance and diving procedures should prevent most cases of salt water aspiration. Check to make sure that your regulator mouthpieces have no holes. Be sure to stretch and pull the mouthpieces to ensure there are no hidden holes and check carefully around the margin of the mouthpiece where the tie-wrap holds it in place. Do this to both your primary and alternate air source.

More tips for safer diving:

• Why You Should Never Use the "Up" Button
• 8 Tips for Being a Safer, Better Buddy
• What Are No-Decompression Limits and Why Are They Important?

Check to make sure that the regulator's exhaust valves seal properly before diving. With the first stage dust cap in place, place the regulator in your mouth and inhale. If any air leaks in, the exhaust valve is not sealing properly, and will breathe "wet" when diving. Any regulator that leaks through the exhaust valve or breathes wet underwater requires maintenance.

Follow diving protocols that minimize the chance of water entering your mouth. Seal your lips well around the regulator mouthpiece, and be certain to block water from entering your mouth when using the regulator purge button. Exhale, or block the opening of the mouthpiece with your tongue when pushing the purge. Avoid removing the regulator underwater whenever possible, and refrain from flipping upside down or into unusual positions when diving. Most regulators will breathe a little wet when inverted.

The Take Home Message About Salt Water Aspiration and Scuba Diving:

Salt water aspiration is fairly uncommon in scuba divers, but it does occur. The condition may be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms mimic those of decompression illness. With this in mind, be sure to check your gear carefully before a dive (especially rental regulator mouthpieces), and follow procedures to prevent salt water from entering your regulator second stage.


Thanks to Natalie and About.com

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

Do You Practice Your Scuba Diver's Skills To Keep Them Sharp?

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No law requires that scuba divers become skillful at the sport of diving.

Once a diver gets that basic level open water certification nothing says you need any further training for the rest of your life.

No professional dive operation will fill your scuba tank without seeing your certification card. At the same time no dive operation expects to see certification levels beyond the first training stage of scuba.

So why should you bother to get more training, or worry about getting better at your scuba skills, once you have that basic open water certification card? After all, your basic card is good for life. It shows everyone who's interested that you are a certified scuba diver.

That card doesn't make you a skilled scuba diver though.
If you don't practice your observation skills you risk losing sight of your dive buddy. You won't know, and can't help, if that buddy gets into trouble during the dive.

And you can't get help from a buddy that's out of sight, and unable to see when you get into trouble yourself.

I know of one diver whose octopus hose tangled under a training platform as she carved a pumpkin one time. She had no idea of the entrapment. Fortunately a pair of divers happened along, noticed her entangled hose, and set it free. She finished carving her pumpkin, and returned safely to the dock.

Without help, and low on air after carving a pumpkin, she faced a potential life-threatening situation.

If you don't practice your breathing techniques you enjoy the underwater world a lot less. You run out of air so fast that you barely get to diving depth before you must return to the surface, and end your dive.

Here again is a situation that not only negatively affects your diving fun, but also destroys the pleasure, and disappoints, other scuba divers. When you burn through your air like a space shuttle sucking rocket fuel you force your buddy to quit the dive early too. Safety demands that your buddy return to the surface when you do.

Ever experience a short dive because you or your dive buddy ran out of air too fast? How did you feel when your buddy signaled a low air condition, after 20 or so minutes into the dive? How did you feel when you saw the look on your buddy's face after you made him quit diving 30-minutes earlier than he expected?

When you fail to sharpen your skill of buoyancy control you risk destroying the underwater pleasure of all scuba divers.

Poor buoyancy control causes you to bounce all over the place during your dive. That takes away from your buddy when he must keep an eye on you in case of a sudden dangerous ascent. If your buddy is a conscientious diver he also must watch to make sure you don't slam into the reef during uncontrolled plunges.

And of course every time you do plunge into the reef you kill coral. That means it won't be there for future scuba divers to study.

Scuba training courses above the basic open water level give you more information, and help you improve your diving skills by showing you how to practice for improvement. Your basic course is merely a door that opens the way to learning this underwater sport.

Don't just step through that door, and decide you've completed your training. Do us all a favor, including yourself, and keep learning your scuba diver's skills. And practice them to keep yourself at expert skill level.


Joe Jackson is a PADI certified dive master who just enjoys being wet. His eBook, "How To Save Air While Scuba Diving" offers methods for conserving scuba air. Get details at: Sip Your Air.



Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

BadDiverBill

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BadDiverBill was born in Jersey, grew up a “Vegas rat” in America’s gambling capital and now lives in Southern California, where he pursues his passion for scuba diving.

So how did a guy who spent his formative years in the dessert get into scuba and launch a group for people who like fun with their diving? Bill Hill says his founding of BadDivers (www.BadDivers.com) “was one of these things that happened on its own.” Hill, who prefers to be called “BadDiverBill,” earned his certification as a diver in California and “decided to dive naked somewhere else.”

He took a “red-eye flight” to Florida and as midnight marked the beginning of his birthday, “I went on a nice shallow dive around a pier in Florida in my birthday suit, with my shorts in my hand and waving them over my head.” Later, he and some friends had birthday drinks. A surprise soon followed when Bill was taken to the Florida Keys for an open-water dive. He enjoyed it but was struck by how serious the dive boat people were.


Next was a dive from Fort Lauderdale on a boat where safety was taken seriously but post-dive fun was part of the experience. “I went from what I call a military operation to a boat whose captain wore a shirt that announced ‘rehab is for quitters.’ ” After the dive they opened a cooler and “we had a great time.”

The stark contrast between the two approaches prompted Bill to tag the first dive experience as one for “good divers,” while the second was for “bad divers.” BadDivers was launched. Fun does not trump safety with BadDivers. “One of our slogans is we’re safe but not so serious.” For BadDivers, there is also a lifestyle component in diving. They encapsulate that into the post-dive experience. “When the dive flag goes down, the BadDivers flag goes up.” BadDivers is not a club in that it doesn’t sign up members. “It’s that feeling, you’re a BadDiver,” says Bill, who likens it to the lifestyle promoted by Jimmy Buffett. The popular singer, songwriter, pilot and businessman glorified escapism to exotic islands and explored that lifestyle island hopping in the Caribbean in his amphibian aircraft. Bill says a lot of people get into diving but all they do is the dive. “It’s a lot of work to be underwater for a half hour . . . They get burned out fast.” He believes in making it a complete experience that also includes travel and sharing a post-dive drink. Also important is interacting with “the people we meet along the way.” He promotes his BadDivers concept through BadDiversTV (www.BadDiversTV.com), which involves short segments on the internet that he hopes someday will evolve for television. They usually cover some of his favourite dive locations, scuba talk and instructions on preparing various cocktails. He calls them “adult beverages.” “I’m a bar man. I tend bar. I’m either in the ocean or swinging drinks,” says BadDiverBill. “My passions are scuba diving and cocktailing. It’s lots of fun, a never-ending learning process.”

His favourite dive trips include Roatan, Utila and Cayos Cochinos, all Honduran Bay islands. Diving there after dark gives scuba enthusiasts the chance to see ostracods, small aquatic crustaceans whose bioluminescence (the ability to produce and emit light) creates a spectacular show. In mating season they light up to attract a mate, forming what looks like a string of pearls under water. Bill remembers a woman with 2,000 dives to her credit telling him before they descended that if they saw two or three groups together in a string they would be lucky. They were pleasantly surprised. “We floated off the reef and all of a sudden, as far as I could see there was a string of pearls. We were down about 70 feet. If we had enough air we would have stayed down there until the sun came back up.” BadDiverBill was certified as a rescue diver and plans to eventually become a dive master, but has no interest in teaching the sport. “I know instructors who got burned out and I don’t want to do that. I think I’ve found my niche. “We’re not trying to be that serious. We’re hoping to make people laugh. My quest now is to find the most interesting dive spots, dive people and dive bars. And I’d like to dive the fountain at the Bellagio (a Las Vegas hotel).” On a more serious note, Bill says he also wants to do something to protect the ocean. As he puts it, “BadDivers always do something good.”


Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

Shark Finning – How Municipal Laws in Canada are Saving Sharks & Setting an International Example

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Mbour (Senegal) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Ryan Venables

Introduction

Arguably, for the first time since the dinosaurs disappeared, humans are driving animals and plants to extinction faster than new species can evolve, one of the world’s experts on biodiversity has warned. Additionally, conservation experts have already signaled that the world is in the grip of the ‘sixth great extinction’ of species, driven by the destruction of natural habitats, hunting, the spread of alien predators and disease, and climate change.

As time passes and we continue to march into the future, it is easy to see that unless more is done to protect vulnerable species, the list of near threatened, endangered, critically endangered, extinct in the wild, and extinct species will continue to grow. Considering Earth’s oceans span approximately 361,419,000 square kilometers or just under 71% of the global surface, I would suggest particular importance should to be given to ensure this resource is protected for the benefit of all who utilize its resources I would further suggest, at the top of the list for protection are the various species of sharks.

Globally, sharks have been under attack for approximately the last 20 years for the value of their fins. Estimates reveal that between 70 and 100 million sharks are killed annually for their fins, which can be valued at up to $300 USD per pound. However, despite the systematic targeting of sharks for their fins, all is not lost. Awareness is being raised, and a global cause to save the sharks, and to protect their fins is growing.

As a result, the focus of this paper will examine many new municipal laws that have recently been enacted which are not only protecting the sharks, but also leading to an outright ban on shark fin products. I would suggest these municipalities are leading a global crusade and are setting an international example on the importance of sharks, and how Earth’s oceans are dependent on sharks as apex predators. I would further suggest Canadian federal laws follow suit and adopt laws which not only outlaw the finning of sharks, but place a wholesale ban on the importation on shark fins. For the purposes of this paper, I will focus on the following issues surrounding shark finning.



Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

Zale Perry

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Zale Parry is an American pioneer scuba diver, underwater photographer and actress. She lives in Tillamook, Oregon.

Zale started diving in the 1940s as a young girl. She was raised on a Wisconsin lake and learned to swim and love the water at an early age. As a young woman, she became involved in pioneering diving and scientific work. In 1953 she became a tester of underwater equipment for Scientific Underwater Research Enterprises. Later, she and her partner designed, built, and marketed the first civilian hyperbaric chamber for divers. They were evangelists for the purchase of hyperbaric around the world to provide lifesaving facilities for divers suffering from "the bends".

In 1954, Zale set a women's depth record to 209 feet. She is said to have stopped at 209 feet when she reached the bottom. That year, she became the third female instructor to graduate from the L.A. County UICC program.


It was a good year for Zale when later in 1954 Zale made her screen debut in "Kingdom of the Sea", a Jack Douglas Production, which was shown in 70 countries and had a successful run of several years. Because of her work in Kingdom of the Sea, Zale was tapped by the producers of the new show, Sea Hunt. Parry calls Sea Hunt an "underwater western". The good guy, played by Lloyd Bridges, was introduced to an undersea problem or villain at the start of the show. By the end of the half hour, he had resolved the problem. Zale's beauty and her knowledge of the sea and diving made her a natural to join the Sea Hunt show. She was cast without a single screen test. Her role in the series was primarily as a female underwater stunt double, but she did appear as an actress in a few episodes. She also assisted in teaching Mr. Bridges how to use scuba gear prior to the series going into production.

Zale’s acting continued on other shows, including GE Theatre, Wagon Train, Peter Gunn, The Magic Circus, and more. Zale continued as an actor for a number of years including many commercials and as a stunt woman on a wide variety of shows involving underwater scenes.

Most recently, she was in the film Tillamook Treasure in which she played Sam, the owner of a hardware store.

Zale's experience goes beyond diving and acting. She is an accomplished photographer and writer. She has used her organizational skills to bring the beauty of underwater photography to the public. In 1957, Zale co-founded the International Underwater Film Festival that ran for 17 years. In 1960, she became the first elected woman president of the U/W Photographic Society.

She wrote and published a book with the late Albert Tillman, Scuba America Vol. I, the Human History of Sport Diving in America. The book is now also available as an eBook.

She was on the cover of the May 23, 1955 issue of Sports Illustrated magazine.

Zale received the NOGI Award for Distinguished Service, DEMAs Reaching Out Award, the Women's Scuba Association Scuba Diver of the Year Award, and the Los Angeles Parks and Recreation Education Award. In 2001, Zale was made a "Lifetime Ambassador at Large", by The Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences. In 2002, she was inducted into the Cayman Island International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame and received the Beneath the Sea Diver of the Year Award. Zale has been an ardent supporter of The Women Divers Hall of Fame (WDHOF) since its inception in 1999.

Thanks to Wikipedia

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

Don't Take Quickie Scuba Dive Courses!

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Oxygen toxicity occurs when the lungs take in a higher than normal O 2 partial pressure, which can occur in deep scuba diving. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Good Advice Dave Albright::::

There are so many dive shops offering abbreviated Scuba Courses. Don't Do IT. Think about it for just a second.... Does it make sense to try to cram a little knowledge in a short time just so you can get certified to take part in a potentially dangerous sport? The cost is almost the same for a full length course and look at what you get. The attention of a qualified Scuba Instructor for days instead of a few hours. Time in the pool to practice what you are taught and to become proficient in the skills.


This is going to sound funny but time to forget how to do the skill and then reacquire the skill knowledge. Anyone, including a monkey can mimic a skill a few minutes after it is taught. If you have some time in between learning and demonstrating, you will find you actually retain it better.

You will not only have a book to read and take quizzes, you will also have a CD to review the material and most importantly you can ask the instructor questions about anything that is fuzzy. Also, others will ask questions that only make your learning better.

Also, ask yourself 'do you really feel qualified to dive in the ocean with kelp, waves, surf & critters if you only do lake dives in a local lake to become certified? I have heard of divers who become so-called advanced divers who never have been diving anywhere but a local lake. That is not an advanced diver and you have been done a disservice being called one. It does a couple of things

1. Gives you a false confidence.
2. Gives others a false sense of your skills
3. Puts you in danger because you can be exposed to diving above your skill levels.

I have been teaching Scuba Classes since 1984 and they have never been quickie courses but rather the 4 week variety (twice a week sessions) with a full complement of dives at the ocean. The divers I have taught are regularly recognized by dive masters both in Northern & Southern California Dive Boats as superior divers, having skills higher that the 'Advanced Divers' that have only had quickie courses. Also, dive masters at resorts in warm diving areas have often commented on the skill level of my former students. This is not because I am some wonderful instructor, but because the students assemble and dis-assemble gear several times, practice skills until they become second nature and have time to make mistakes and get them corrected in the pool before becoming certified!

It takes time and some effort to become proficient in Scuba. It is not safe to jump in 'over your head' to try and do skills you haven't been properly trained for. Remember, you are only qualified to dive in areas and skill levels similar to your training.

Don't put yourself in life-threatening situations by not being properly trained - take only full length and featured Scuba Classes.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6864012

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

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Children are smart and they usually figure out long before us parents do that they don't like soccer, basketball or even baseball. Maybe they don't like it because they have figured out they aren't good at it or they physically aren't built for it. If a child doesn't like football, baseball or soccer it will be difficult for them to stay interested in the sport. That's where scuba diving comes in to play.

Scuba diving levels the playing field literally and physically. When scuba diving the diver is horizontal, making us all the same height, leveling the playing field dramatically. Some of the physical attributes that are advantages on solid ground are not necessarily advantages underwater. For example a tall person doesn't have an advantage over a short person. In fact, in many cases the smaller scuba divers air supply lasts longer, therefore giving the smaller diver the advantage of staying underwater longer known as bottom time. A longer bottom time is the desire of all scuba divers. But it can work both ways. I heard a famous retired NFL defensive lineman say that at an early age it was obvious that his daughter was going to be too tall to be a gymnast so they got her into swimming sports. It isn't scuba diving but it's an example of how underwater adventures can level the playing field.


Imagine the confidence scuba diving could have in your children's life, the pride they could have in saying "I am a scuba diver". The fact that they are doing something the other kids in class aren't doing. More importantly think of the bonding experience you and your children will have scuba diving together compared to dad and mom standing on the side line watching. There is nothing wrong with watching your children playing sports, but why watch when you could be having the time of your life while building your children's confidence. The confidence children build in themselves will serve them well later in life when difficult situations arise. They will have the confidence to face the situation with assurance that they will succeed. People who scuba dive together refer to each other as dive buddies. The term dive buddies is given through earned trust. For parents and children to refer to each other as dive buddies means there is a trust between them, a trust that children will remember when they have difficult decisions to make in the future.

Start building your children's confidence and enjoy underwater adventures together now. More importantly start your bonding experience with them and making memories that will last forever. Sharing underwater adventures opens a line of communication with children that will last a lifetime.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6891287

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

Nitrox Scuba Diving: Extending Bottom Time With Scuba

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Scuba diving in Elba island, Italy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You jump on a plane with your scuba diving buddies and head out of the country. Though hopping onto a rocking boat isn't what you came here for, the boat will get you to the dive spot. Finally, you make the plunge into the deep blue and you start to think "this is what makes it all worth it". Aggressively you swim from the top of the coral reef to the bottom and back to the top just trying to see in every nick and cranny. Then all of a sudden you realize your dive is done with plenty of air in your tank!

How can that be? This is because of the no decompression limits. It happens to all of us scuba divers. This is the interval that a diver may theoretically spend at a given depth without having to perform decompression stops. The no decompression limits helps divers plan dives so that they can stay at a given depth and ascend without stopping while avoiding significant risk of decompression sickness.

In 1985, Dick Rutkowski, started to introduce enriched air nitrox to the recreational diving community. This was a major movement that did not see any impact in the industry until the late 1990's. Even then training organizations, instructors and other divers in the community fought nitrox from becoming mainstream.

Nitrox reduces the proportions of nitrogen by increasing the proportion of oxygen, reducing the risk of decompression sickness for the same dive profile, or allows extended dive times without increasing the need for decompression stops for the same risk. In turn, nitrox allows us to stay longer and decreases our minimum surfaces.

Note: nitrox is not necessarily safer than air, although it can extend our bottom time and decrease surface intervals. Nitrox also has a risk of oxygen toxicity and if used incorrectly underwater you can increase the risk of convulsions due to the higher proportion of oxygen. This is why it is important to seek professional training and certification.

It's just like driving a car. Once you know the risk, and how do it properly, it can be very safe. Nitrox diving is the same. Once you learn and understand the risks you become a safer diver.

As a reward for becoming a safer diver, you can have the ability to stay longer underwater scuba diving and spend less time out of the water during a surface interval. Now go dive with nitrox!

Butch Zemar "Scuba Butch" is a scuba instructor that has been diving for over 15 years with well over 2,000 dives. He teaches entry level divers as well as instructors at a heated pool in Chicago. Trainers from around the nation come to train in Chicago, so why not train with the best? "Scuba is a romance and entertainment business. We increase communication and relationships through the enjoyment of recreational activities. Visit http://www.ScubaButch.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Butch_Zemar

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6910532

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com