Club Divers

The Deep Diver Specialty Course

As a diver peering off the side of reef or down into the depths of a beautiful wreck it is hard not to get lured beyond the 60 feet your Open Water Certification qualifies you for. Open Water Diver gives you the training wheels you need to start your diving in a safe and enjoyable manner. However it won’t take long before deeper diving calls to you. Getting the advanced level training you need to safely execute recreational dives to 130 feet 40m is an essential part of your diving journey. A great diver is always learning!

In the PADI and SDI training system 40;taught by the Academy of Scuba41;: As an open water diver your training qualifies you to dive to 60 feet with a buddy without exceeding your NDLs. As you move on to Advanced Diver your training qualifies you to dive to 100 feet with a buddy without exceeding your NDLs. Lastly as a PADI Diver when you take the deep diver specialty your training qualifies you to dive to 130 feet with a buddy without exceeding your NDLs.

Back in the “old” days qualification used to mean you could dive as deep as you could CESA from.

I mentioned PADI and SDI for a reason. They require a deep diving specialty to qualify you for 130 feet. However there are agencies like NAUI also taught at the Academy of Scuba that integrate that into the Advanced Diver stage versus the specialty. I am not say NAUI is better than PADI or Vice Versa but there are some nuances and differences … You need to do your due diligence and pick an educational path that is right for you!

Now keeping this away from an agency versus agency debate. I think training is essential at the deep diver level. To truly execute a safe deep dive you need to have the proper tools. You need to understand redundancy fail safe procedures true buddy system protocols deep safety stops equipment configuration variances SAC rate and Gas Management advanced dive planning emergency procedures rescues and assists the panic cycle and more.

Problem solving and basic survival skills like Alt Air Ascent taught in the OW class take on a whole new host of challenges and opportunities to learn. Also when you take your Deep Diver Specialty at the Academy of Scuba we go much more in depth about decompression theory and narcosis management even at the recreational level so you truly understand what is happening to your body as you dive at these depths. The recreational deep diving specialty is a great precursor for the SDI Solo Diver Course the NAUI Master Diver Course and Professional course like Divemaster and even Technical Courses like Advanced Nitrox or Deco Procedures.

If you are a new diver some of these courses may be a little far off into the future but it is fun and informative to start researching them now. It kind of gives you a goal to strive for. Of course training is essential to progress your diving. You will notice throughout my discussion I used the term “qualification” and never mentioned the word certification. There is a difference. Many divers go through the motions complete the course usually in a group setting and are issued a card. That is my definition of certification. In many cases they will never practice those skills again unless called on by some situation. You wouldn’t believe how many divers have never done their basic OW skills since their training dives. Back to the subject: most skills learned in a class are stored in short term memory and there is usually not enough practice to develop any long term muscle memory. So certification is what certification is … enough said.

Qualification is a bit different. This means you have acquired skills in a certification course. You have been given time to practice on your own and under a professional instructor or Divemaster. You have repeatedly done the skills in shallow water mid water and at depth. Can you truly be certified to dive to 130 feet if you have never done an alt air ascent from 130 feet?. Then you have put together a workout regiment to periodically practice and refresh these skills keep them from rusting. That is qualified. Without the practice element you cannot say you are truly qualified … merely certified. And with all the lakes rivers or even swimming pools in our backyards we really have no excuse not to practice. These are all great training grounds.

When you are ready to take these skills to the next level do them neutrally buoyant or in a blacked out mask. Make sure you have the proper supervision before doing this and ALWAYS stay within your training limits … of course. That is qualified.

A lot of people just jump in the water run down a line to 130 feet blow some bubbles and come back up. “Certification card please?” Thankfully they are usually safe. In my mind this is a “bet on black or red” gamble. The more prepared you are the more educated you are and the more your skills are refreshed the more you are playing with the house odds pardon the gambling analogy I am jonesing for Vegas. Most of all listen to your peers. They know their way around these waters.

At 100 dives I thought I knew everything. At 1000 dives I knew I had a lot more to learn. Still learning today!!!! A great diver is always learning. Great mentors are always diving!

http://www.academyofscuba.com/courses/deep_diver.html

About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;PADI Master Instructor NAUI Instructor Trainer SDI Instructor Trainer Technical Dive Instructor DAN Instructor SeaSigns Instructor Examninerhttp://www.academyofscuba.com

Take Care Of Your Scuba Gear And It Will Take Care Of You

When you have a good amount of money invested in scuba diving equipment its only logical to maintain it properly to last you many years. Not to mention your safety and well being are dependent on the same scuba gear used in every dive you make.

Are You Neglecting Your Scuba Diving Gear

Nothing shortens the life of your scuba equipment more than salt water where the majority of scuba diving is done. If not properly rinsed off after a dive salt crystals that are extremely abrasive will be left on your gear and will begin to destroy it.

After a dive be sure to rinse with fresh water all your basic equipment like your mask fins boots and snorkel.

The buoyancy compensator BC must be rinsed inside and out. After completely rinsing off the outside of BC the bladder must washed out. This is very important and probably the most overlooked step in the preventive maintenance of your scuba gear. First drain out any salt water trapped in bladder. Then put some fresh water in bladder and shake vigorously letting water run out of mouthpiece. Repeat this process 2 or 3 times. Be sure all water is out of bladder.

If you use a wetsuit its very important to rinse this in side and out. Turn the suit inside out to insure getting all salt off. The regulator must be rinsed and purge air thru to get any water out.

Make sure your scuba diving gear is completely dry before storing in a cool dry place. Dont dry your scuba equipment in direct sunlight; the rays also shorten the life of scuba gear. Keep your mask in a protective plastic box so the lens doesnt get scratched. Store your buoyancy compensator on a sturdy hanger and fins in flattened state.

Make It a Habit

Once you have made this routine a habit you will see how quickly and easy preventive maintenance on scuba gear really is. Save yourself money and aggravation when on vacation trying to relax and enjoy.

About the writer:  Tom Gardner is an expert in Scuba Diving and has been a certified scuba diver for many years. He currently runs a website where he sells Scuba Diving Gear. Browse all varieties of Scuba Diving Gear here!

Snorkelling – Scuba Without The Fuss

I hate scuba diving. Thats not to say Ive ever tried it but frankly it seems like a lot of hassle to me. First theres the need to be certified and that requires both training and effort ndash; two things low down on my priority list when Im on holiday.

Then theres the dread: the fear of my mask filling up the terror of running out of air the horror of what my wobbly bits look like in a wetsuit. Generally its just not my cup of tea.

And while Im reliably informed that the vast majority of sea animals found around these parts cant harm me at all that does leave room for a vast minority that can hurt me very much indeed.

So all in I feel quite sure that the key to tropical bliss is snorkelling. It may not reflect the pioneering spirit of Jacques Cousteau but bobbing around on the surface enjoying the sights without disturbing either the wildlife or the underwater fauna seems to be the perfect middle road for people who want to see and be unseen.

And what a lot there is to see here ndash; Malaysias coral reefs are home to one of the most prolific congregations of underwater life on the planet forming an ecosystem some say is rivalled only by the rainforests of the Amazon and the Congo.

Before jumping straight in though there are some basics that you need to know. Obviously your selection of mask and snorkel are important. Fit and comfort are vital ingredients if you want to spend your time looking around rather than having to lift your head out of the water every few minutes to drain away accumulating liquid.

Get this done properly. Half an hour in a scuba shop will see you equipped with a mask perfectly suited to your phizog. To try on the mask move the strap out of the way brush your hair to one side and just push the mask firmly onto your face. If it will remain there unsupported then it is making a good seal.

Once you have determined which masks will fit properly other considerations are comfort field of vision some masks permit more view to the sides than others and of course the cost.

Dont forget to get a snorkel also and maybe a spare strap to hold it to your mask. The snorkel mouthpiece should be soft with flexible edges to be comfortable in your mouth.

Theres nothing worse than having illfitting equipment; says Bob Brunswick a professional diver with more than 25 years of experience in both scuba and snorkelling. If you get a mouthpiece thats too big it just rubs against your gums making them sore.

Its much better to take the time to get the right kit. It may feel like a bit of a pain when you know the hotel youre staying at has masks to rent but I guarantee that youll be the one reaping the rewards when everyone else is struggling under the water.;

If you really feel like waddling into the sea looking like a pro you might want to consider some fins. In all honesty fins aren’t really a necessity for snorkelling; says Bob. But they do help you to get down more quickly so that you can see more of the underwater world on that breath of air.;

With kit on and back thoroughly sunscreened its time to take to the water. But theres one last thing to do. Inform someone where youre going? You definitely should but thats not what I was alluding to. Its the bit that kids especially love: the wellknown divers trick of spitting inside the face of the mask to stop it fogging up.

Spit keeps the air on the inside of the mask from condensing on the glass; explains Bob. Masks fog up because the inside is often dirty or dusty. Spit cleans off the dirt making it much harder for condensation and fog to form. It may not be sanitary but for most divers it works just fine.;

The technique couldnt be more simple: offer up a reasonable mouthful of your finest saliva wipe it around the inside of the mask with your finger and rinse out with seawater just before placing it on your face.

To keep the snorkel upright while you are swimming face down on the surface the snorkel fastening will need to be adjusted properly on the mask strap. Since the snorkeller cannot see the snorkel while it’s in use it may be helpful to have someone watch you to help find the proper adjustment.

Now you can swim along the surface breathing through the snorkel and observing the world below. When you see something interesting you can hold your breath and dive down to have a closer look.

In order to stretch your time below it is important to be relaxed and not expending a lot of energy; says Bob. To dive down under the surface rotate your body so that you can put your head straight down and stick your legs straight up and out of the water.

Then let gravity do its thing and you should be on your way down without moving a muscle. When your downward speed has deteriorated you can start kicking to continue. For the return to the surface tilt your head back and watch where you are going. You wouldn’t want to bang your head on the bottom of a boat.;

Key to doing this without ending up coughing and spluttering with a mouth full of water is to keep enough air in your lungs so that after you break the surface you can send a quick burst of air through the snorkel to help expel any remaining water. Make sure you also keep your head still back so that the open end of the snorkel will be pointing down as you bob up.

Generally scuba divers are taught to return to the surface with one hand stretched upward to prevent them from banging their head and also to be more visible to boat traffic. It’s not a bad idea for snorkellers to do the same.

Plus it gives your friends on the shore a chance to see you having a great time in the water and look on enviously. All that fun ndash; so little effort. Perfect.

About the writer:  Richard Ryan is a professional journalist who has worked in the UK Malaysia and Australia. For more information visit http://www.richardryan.co.uk

Snorkeling With Whale Sharks In Donsol Philippines

Donsol in the Philippines referred to by the locals as the Whale Shark capital of the world’ is a small rural community that have changed their way of life from hunters to tourist guides!The whole town thrives on the money the tourists bring in and hence they all strive to make everyone’s stay an enjoyable experience.They offer and actively promote whale shark interactions; the operations are managed by the local Tourism Board/local government and are supported by the World Wildlife Fund.

The whale sharks come to the Donsol area from January to May due to the large amounts on plankton and also to mate.The snorkeling trips organized are limited by local law to a maximum of 20 boats at any one time and no more that 3 hours per trip even the charter rate is controlled by law to avoid overcharging!.

I had arranged 2 sessions of snorkeling with the whale sharks and 2 days of diving.I was a little unsure of what to expect as we set out on the first day at about 10.30am.We had a group of 6 plus one guide and 3 spotters on our boat a traditional Philippine outrigger style.For what seemed hours the boat just cruised around with all the staff just looking out to sea.Then suddenly one pointed and shouted “Bundanting!”The local name for whale sharks everyone quickly put on their fins/mask/snorkel and the guide told us to jump in…A few seconds later I was face to face with my first whale shark about 10 meters long with its mouth open sucking up the plankton.It gently swam along only a few meters from the surface and the whole group was able to swim beside it for a few minutes.Over the following few hours we had a total of 5 encounters with Buntunding; the best of which was one animal that tolerated our presence while it fed for more than 15 minutes!At times it came to less than 1 meter from the surface and we had to actually avoid it!

After an exhausting session whale sharks swim a lot faster that it seems! we headed back to shore; all with big grins on our faces!

My second day of whale shark interactions started early at 7am again with the same number of people/crew on the boat; but the experience was much different or maybe my attitude was!.We spotted our first whale shark within minutes of reaching the area.Over the next 3 hours we had 9 sightings/swims some with the same animal.But the most memorable moment of all was halfway through the trip when we saw a 12 meter Buntanding which actually surfaced towards us swimming along less than half a meter below the surface it was tolerant of me swimming next to it; close enough to touch!This gave me a fantastic opportunity to take some very close up photographs.

Photographs by James Costello Dolphin Dive Adventures amp; Services

About the writer:  SDI Instructor Trainer with Dolphin Dive Adventures Services I have been diving around Asis for over 6 years.

Shopping With Sharks

Shopping with Sharks

Bangkoks latest temple to the shopping god Siam Ocean World in the basement of Siam Paragon is your chance to get thrown into the deep end and gawk at raggedtoothed sharks while your other half eyeballs Gucci shoes. The dive takes place in a three millionlitre tank in the Deep Ocean exhibit the aquariums fiberglass rocks were artistdesigned but all the marine life from the algae to the threemetre sharks are real.

Films such as Jaws have fostered the modern collective fear of sharks so turning for most people at least the idea of diving into a shark aquarium into an unthinkably dangerous concept.

Sounds scary? Dont be chicken. The most dangerous thing that could happen is bumping into a rock which is why weve got you all padded up says Robin Lloyd one of the friendly fellows from Planet Scuba who leads the dives. Everyone is provided with all the necessary equipment including a fullbody wetsuit with hood gloves and boots. Divers without certification must do a morning training session in a nearby pool before taking the plunge and certified divers who have not dived in the previous 12 months must take a refresher course. In an open water dive in the ocean theres no guarantee that you will see any of these amazing creatures so its a great opportunity to view unforgettable marine life whichever way you turn. Like a gift basket this floral feast has been carefully packaged by human hands for maximum enjoyment.

Shark species in the tank include leopard tawny nurse bamboo and Africanimported raggedtooth sharks. Theres no need to wet your wetsuit because none of these sharks will attack people unless seriously provoked. Once in the water however there is no guarantee that that knowledge will necessarily insulate you from the primal fear of big pointy teeth. Dive packages range in price from 5300 to 6600 Baht depending on your level of scuba diving experience. Friends and family receive discounted tickets to Bangkoks premier aquarium Siam Ocean World if they watch you dive.

Whilst in Thailand why not check outsome of teh country’s best three beach destinations

Koh Lao Liang: http://www.andamanadventures.com/kohlaoliang.shtml

Ao Nang: http://www.andamanadventures.com/ao_nang.shtml

Railay/Tonsai: http://www.andamanadventures.com/railaytonsai.shtml

About the writer:  Runs Andaman Sky Co. Ltd specialising in climbing and diving trips to Thailands best beach destinations.

Shooting Fish While Scuba Diving In Thailand

If you’re checking to see if it’s legal and how you plan to punish me please allow me to explain. I’m a PADI Master Instructor of Scuba Diving and I spend my working days teaching scuba in Thailand. One of the most rewarding experiences for my diving students’ is shooting great photographs of aquatic marine life.

Making underwater photographs in Thailand has many advantages for divers searching for that ‘perfect shot’;

• Clear blue water
• Warm water averaging 28 degrees centigrade
• Pristine Coral Reef formations
• Established Diving Centers and Scuba Equipment Shops

The most popular tourist areas for scuba diving in Thailand are Pattaya Phuket and Koh Samui. These resorts offer great fun and excitement for beginners and certified divers. Whether it’s vibrant fish life colourful corals or sunken ship wrecks the camera won’t stop clicking while you’re scuba diving in Thailand. I’ve captured pictures of Seahorses and giant Gorgonian Sea Fans in Phuket Black tip reef Sharks in Koh Samui and World War 11 ship wrecks in Pattaya.

Todays modern camera equipment has changed the way that scuba divers ’shoot’ fish underwater. The traditional film camera is still used by many diving professionals but digital underwater cameras have made underwater photography both accessible and affordable to the majority of scuba divers. Learning to Scuba Dive is not difficult for most people who are comfortable in the water but snapping great photos under water takes novices some time to learn. One of the most important attributes is good buoyancy control. Apart from all the obvious advantages that neutral relaxed buoyancy has for scuba diving if you’re trying to compose that image of the tiny yellow blob commonly known as a Frogfish being able to hover almost motionless just centimetres away from your subject is what sets you apart from the norm. Also as recreational scuba divers descend water absorbs colour. Starting with Red Orange and then Yellow and as you dive deeper you’ll lose Green and Blue. Strobe lights help to restore some of the colour that’s lost which is how the professionals obtain fantastic vibrant colours from their images.

I fully appreciate that not every diver has a passion for taking pictures of the new world that they’ve discovered. Many divers are more fascinated by ship wrecks perhaps diving deep or making dives using nitrox an increased amount of oxygen but most of my scuba buddies have admitted that they are very keen to share the wonders on the underwater world by shooting pictures of fish and other marine life. With modern technology as a friend it’s now possible to store and share underwater images with your family friends and even the general public via social sites and the internet. The dive may have been the most amazing experience that you’ve had but it’s so much more powerful to share the adventures with those for whom it may not be possibly to try scuba diving. PADI scuba courses teach student divers how to capture and share underwater photographs and the Digital Underwater Photography course is now available to all scuba divers from the age of ten.

Private scuba lessons are becoming more popular now especially in Thailand. Taking a dive course with you own private scuba instructor offers exclusivity the personal touch and usually more flexibility. So to enrol in the shooting fish course otherwise known as the PADI DUP digital underwater photography course you do need to be a certified diver of at least ten years old. But be prepared for some underwater fun that diving in Pattaya has to offer. The coral reefs are shallower here than other dive sites in Thailand and the other advantage is that scuba diving in Pattaya is available year round because the Gulf of Thailand tends to be sheltered from the southwest monsoons that arrive in Phuket from June until October. Pattaya is not a famous diving destination but beginners and experienced divers will be rewarded with some of the best wreck diving in Thailand. So clean up the lens replace the batteries and make sure that you have a watertight seal because when you dive in Pattaya the camera never lies. You really can see Turtles Seahorses and Sharks and the wreck dives will leave you breathless pardon the pun as you drift along US Landing Crafts from the Second World War that were intentionally sunk by the Thai Navy for the local Thai divers and tourists on a scuba diving holiday in Pattaya.

Learn how to Shoot Fish in Thailand the passive and harmless way with a private scuba photography course from a Master Instructor at www.privatescuba.com

About the writer:  Known as ‘Scuba Steve’ to my friends I’m a PADI Master Instructor with almost twenty years of experience in scuba diving.

Scuba Show 2009 Long Beach CA Debrief

June 1 2009 After the Show
By John Flanders

Cool mornings cloudy days and big crowds marked the Scuba Show weekend in Long Beach www.scubashow.com. I cant think of too many ways I would rather spend a weekend than looking at all the cool new products and talking Scuba diving. OK perhaps I would rather be Scuba diving. But this was a good second.

A lot of folks used the weekend to spend one day in the water in Catalina or Laguna and then one day at the show. A great combination! For the most part there were a lot of happy divers enjoying what they love the most Scuba.

There were many highlights to the 76000 square foot Exhibit. The over 200 vendors were very positive and uplifting. Occasionally you could hear some whispered conversations about the state of the industry or the economy however most folks felt that things were improving.

Of course while it is always a pleasure to see old friends and visit the booths the real excitement of the show is going from booth to booth and seeing all the new Scuba gear and hearing about all the exotic destinations that want you to come visit them. We had a lot of folks from the Academy of Scuba in Phoenix AZ at the show customers and staff. And after two days of browsing through every booth in the convention hall I could write about each and every one of them I wanted to take a second and write about the more interesting conversations and unique products we had and visited.

One of our first visits on Saturday morning was to the Divers Platform Booth. Harry Wood president of the Divers Platform was smiling and larger than life. He had all his platforms out on display with an impressive stand that truly demonstrated the capabilities of this amazing product. The Divers Platform is more than a buoy or diveflag. The Divers Platform is a surface workhorse for the diver or the dive professional. And Harry keeps innovating more and more utility including his bailout bottle and 30 foot hose. For those of us who like good old American ingenuity and construction the Divers Platform is a great tool. I own two of them. http://www.thediversplatform.com

We spent a lot of time at the Bonica Precision Booth http://www.bonicadive.com. I have been using the Bonica HD camera for over a year. Nice unit low cost makes it a eye catcher in my book. The had their light rigs on display and spent a lot of time talking about how instructors are using it in their Underwater Videography Course. It was worth the stop and the great discussion. They even handed me a nice CD filled with files specific to instructors.

As always it was great to see our friends at Atomic Aquatics http://www.atomicaquatics.com and talk leading edge regulators. They had their ST1 on display and we got a good look at that. And we spoke quite a lot about their fins and the great success they having with them. Nothing earth shattering but always a good experience and learn something new.

Bonaire was well represented at the show with the Bonaire Tourism Association Captain Dons Buddy Dive the Divi and more. http://www.ilovebonaire.com If you are looking to go to Bonaire it seems like there are a lot of great deals between now and October 1. I spent a fair amount of time speaking with the folks from Captain Dons Bonaire and Curacao. Captain Dons has an InterIsland special on a two week stay on both Islands they pick up the interisland air fare. Further they said there are programs where the government is offering airline incentives. Of course you would want to contact Captain Dons directly about these programs. I am sure there are conditions and expiration dates.

It was obvious that the airline baggage restrictions were creating entrepreneurial opportunities. One company Dive Caddy http://www.divecaddy.com has come up with a unique solution to this problem. The Dive Caddy allows divers to put all of their gear in a simple rollup bag that can be used as a carryon item. There is a video demo on their site.

One of my favorite stops at every dive show is by the DeepSeaSupply http://www.deepseasupply.com Booth. Tobin the companys president always has a good little giveaway. This year was no different. His innovative product of the show was his Power Inflator Service Tool. I took some time and went through all his gear offerings. And as usual the innovation and high quality continues to be signature mark for DeepSeaSupply.

There must have been four or five rebreather manufacturers represented at the show. And the folks at Extreme Scuba were touting their specialization in the field. All the rebreather booths seemed to have a gravitational pull to them. Not sure if it was just curiosity or if their truly is this much interest in rebreathers. My guess is we are a lot closer to mainstream adoption than most folks think. The one rebreather manufacturer that caught my attention was the Nautilus http://www.divenautilus.com. They are fairly new to the block and I dont think they have set their retail price. I do think however they will be priced below the competition and they have a quality that is second to none in this field. In speaking the with the founders their unit is comprised of the highest quality manufacturing process and design. Their use of fiberoptics is impressive and their container design is truly unique. I am looking forward to learning more about the Nautilus.

The Roddenberry Dive Team was on site with celebrity divers and merchandise. Their booth was pretty active. I did get a glimpse at their Dry Suits. The ones that look like Star Trek uniforms and noticed they have a membership. Anyone interested in an away mission specialty should check out http://www.roddenberrydiveteam.com

Speaking of celebrities the folks at DiverWire http://www.diverwire.com had record setting Breath Hold Diver Jana Strain at their booth. Jana is a very impressive Free Diver. Smart articulate and judging by the line of guys there attractive. Jana was autographing photos of her Free Diving. Looking at her early successes I would guess that Jana has a bright future ahead of her.

Its been a while since last diving the incredible walls of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. We spent a little time reminiscing at the Cane Bay Dive Shop http://www.canebayscuba.com. Cane Bay Dive sits across the street from a beautiful beach. From there you can catch one of their boats or shore dive what seems like an endless wall. Within minutes you are scurried off to incredible dive sites like North Star or Two Palms. The Reefs crest is a comfortable 35 feet and the wall continues into the deep abuss at depths where advanced Trimix divers dare not too follow. After the dive there is a great little restaurant and bar within a stones throw of the rinse tanks. St. Croix is great diving and Cane Bay are great folks.

Every once in a while you would see a buzz of people hanging out by the Blue Steel booth http://www.bluesteelllc.com. They had their high quality steel tanks out on display. They also had a fair amount of valves and manifolds with them. Glad I wasnt the one helping them carry everything into the convention center. As we spoke with their staff we wildly impressed to see at the innovation and creativity they are coming up with to customize solutions for all types of divers.

With all the equipment travel art and other vendors on display we could spend hours telling you about every booth we visited. There we over 30 seminars and presentations. Experts like Marty Snyderman Dale Sheckler and Bruce Watkins were on hand to help divers become better. A great time in a fun little Southern California town.

My advice is take some time next year and spend it with a bunch of divers in Long Beach CA.

About the writer:  PADI Master Instructor NAUI Instructor Trainer SDI Instructor Trainer Technical Dive Instructor DAN Instructor SeaSigns Instructor Examniner

Scuba Diving

We have all heard the terms Skin Diving and Scuba Diving and know that they are something to do with underwater diving. More specifically skindiving a highly competitive sport is free diving using no equipment to breath. The divers use a single breath of air to descend to depths of over 100m competing with other diver to reach the greatest possible depth. With extensive training and yoga a professional skin divers body reacts like that of whales and dolphins during a skin dive. The heart rate slows down and the oxygen from that one lung full of air is concentrated in the heart and in the brain. A skin diver is in danger of becoming unconscious as he nears the surface after a skin dive due to the very low concentration of oxygen in the brain as he reaches shallow water. This is called shallow water blackout.

Scuba diving on the other hand is a noncompetitive sport now practiced all over the world by not only the young athletic but by couples and families too. Divers descend underwater using breathing equipment call scuba gear. The word scuba means Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. That is the diver is self contained and not attached by a hose to an air supply on the surface. He is free to move around weightless underwater like a fish breathing air from a cylinder on his back. The air in the cylinder is compressed to 200 220 atmospheres in other words a lot of air into a small space.

Depending on the depth and time of the dive and the individual divers breathing rate and the size of the cylinder the diver can spend up to one hour underwater. The relationship of depth and time for scuba divers is most important. This is due the absorption of Nitrogen into the blood stream and tissue cause by breathing compressed air under pressure. The deeper the dive the more pressure is exerted on the air that we breath causing the nitrogen part to be absorbed in the form of a liquid into the blood stream and tissue. This nitrogen reforms into a gas as the diver ascends to the surface after a dive. If there is too much nitrogen absorbed during the dive it cannot all be reformed into a gas and breathed out while ascending leaving some in the body in the form of a gas a bubble. This nitrogen gas bubble can become lodged in a joint heart brain or spine etc. causing decompression sickness The Bends. The deeper the dive the less time we can spend underwater. It is a depth time relationship and dive tables or dive computers are used to calculate the amount of time a diver may spend on each dive. Learn more by doing a PADI Open water Diver Course

Scuba divers are able to enjoy and explore all the wonders that the worlds oceans have to offer. People of all ages shapes and sizes enjoy this noncompetitive sport. It is a way of life for many people. Good training by a certified instructor being in good health and waterfit are the only requirement.

So get yourself prepared to discover a whole new world and a new way of life. Scuba Diving in Mauritius is the answer

About the writer:  Kevin Cock is NAUI INSTRUCTOR Founder and owner of Prodive Limited a South African with 23 years tourism and diving experience in Mauritius Prodive Limited is a professional scuba diving company at the Casuarinas Hotel at Trou aux Biches Mauritius. They offer easy diving courses full certification courses PADI diving excursions private dives and exclusive dive charters

SCUBA Diving Pattayas Near Islands

Koh Krok:
The Western face and the Southern point of the island are where the corals are. The corals start on the sand at 15m and extend right up to near the surface. An excellent site for a drift dive as the prevailing currents run parallel to the island. Large “bommies” are a feature of this site; Staghorn brainMushroom and table corals are in abundance. Neptunes Barrel and blue sponge are amongst the soft corals found here. Bushy Antipatharian corals can be found at the deeper sections.

The southern point is home to a few turtles and Pufferfish Parrotfish “Half and Half” Wrasse and Six banded Wrasses are plentiful . One section of the West face has an area covered with giant sea anemones along with the usual Anemone and Clownfish. Schools of small Barracuda Jacks and Tangs can be seen at the North point. There are a few small caves at the southwest end allowing entry only at high tide.

The area is great for snorkeling in particular the southern point. Another benefit for divers and snorkellers is that there is little or no surface traffic of speedboats and jetski’s.

Koh Larn:
The left of the bay there is a breakwater of large boulders. Along the seaward side of this breakwater the area is good for snorkeling and diving although the diving is very shallow. As you continue South West towards the head the corals get progressively deeper extending down to about 15 meters. At this point you round the head and come upon an area of short gullies with rock walls about 3m high. The sandy bottom offsets the walls and the corals very well. The marine life is plentiful and good and the area is home to a few Turtles and numerous Grey Nurse Sharks.

Still with the same area set off to the North East from the bay towards the cliff face on the island. The diver will find an area with flat sandy bottom and many large coral heads and groupings Here you will find numerous Giant Sea Anemones with their inhabitants as well as a variety of Elephant Ear Anemones and the Black and White Clown Fish. Many divers may have seen these clown fish and observed their habit of disappearing into the mouth of the anemone as the divers approach. These fish make very good photographic subjects.

A point to note around these islands is the large number of fishing boats that operate with their nets very close to the reefs. It is a pity that the authorities cannot control the practice of netting so close to these islands as they are visited daily by thousands of visitors hoping to view the excellent corals and the myriad of fish.

Koh Sac:
Koh Sac is a small almost kidney shaped island lying just to the North of Koh Larn. It is very popular with the large numbers of Asian tourists that come to Pattaya and the waters can be very busy particularly in the mornings. From midday onwards the tourists tend to depart leaving the divers and snorkelers to enjoy the beautiful bay and plentiful corals. This bay is well protected from the prevailing winds for most of the year and the water is calm and clear.

Please see my article Scuba Diving Pattayas Koh Sac Island” for greater detail.

For further information please visit Adventure Divers Pattaya at www.pattayadivers.com

About the writer:  Adventure Divers is owned and operated by Robert Camp an Earthman born in France citizen of the world now living in Thailand and his partner Phillip Boyes highly experienced in marketing new to Thailand. They and the staff are committed to safe dive instruction and dive trips in a relaxing and enjoyable environment.

Scuba Diving Malaysia

Scuba Diving Malaysia Sea Dragon Malaysia

Scuba Diving Malaysia Sea Dragon Malaysia Sdn Bhd is an independent wholly Malaysian scuba diving training center conveniently located near Time Square in Kuala Lumpur.

Scuba Diving Malaysia is a member of PADI Professional Association of Diving Instructors the world’s largest recreational diving membership organization. The membership includes dive businesses resort facilities academic institutions instructor trainers dive educators divers snorkelers and other watersports enthusiasts.

We recognize that our strength and competitive advantage is in performing outstanding service and developing excellent programs. We pride ourselves in listening to the need of our markets and exceeding their expectations.

The instructors and team that make up Sea Dragon Malaysia have amassed a wealth of experience and skills from teaching and servicing a diverse clientele range over these past 10 years. We are proud to offer the same limitless dedication and commitment to you.

We also offer diving or snorkelling Equipment to buy and rent dive trips and can even sort you out with accommodation with a wide range of resorts throughout Malaysia.

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In all that we do we will demonstrate our steadfast commitment to being a worldclass leader in every aspect of our business in the training of scuba divers and instructors in the support and service we provide in diving safety and education in aquatic environmental education and preservation in the way we design and develop our products. We honor our commitments take personal responsibility for our actions and practice the highest ethical standards.

For further info please visite our Website http://www.scubadivingmalaysia.com Or by Email web at scubadivingmalaysia.com . Scuba Diving Malaysia Bali Diving

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About the writer:  Scuba Diving Malaysia Sea Dragon Malaysia