Scuba Diving Heaven

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The two golden words before undertaking a scuba dive is safety and commonsense. Though the basic tips for scuba diving is the same for everyone, the way each person feels before a dive are different. While some can take it right away, others will need a proper training to be comfortable breathing under water.

Top five basic scuba diving tips

Some of the basic tips in scuba diving are stated below:

1 Ear problems

Many find it difficult to adjust their ears because of the water pressure. Some divers are imprudent in their behavior and attempt to continue with the dive in spite of the severe pain in the ear. The feeling that they are holding up the rest of the team of divers force them to lose the feel of calm making it difficult in equalizing the pressure between the inner and outer ear. Failure to think logically and making a reckless attempt to dive is highly dangerous as it can rupture the eardrum besides increasing the possibility for vertigo under water. Here is a nice tutorial on how to equalize ear pressure. A person suffering from ear pressure can seek the assistance of the dive master or his buddy and continue with the dive after solving the same if you need extra help.

2 Seasickness

Seasickness is the nauseous feeling induced by the rocking movement of the boat. Keeping in handy preventive tablets or crystallized ginger are the preferred ways for fighting against it. While some claim the feel of nervousness on the intake of the tablets, many prefer the crystallized ginger to a drug. It is always safer to chew the preventive measures at the onset of nausea than throwing up. A simple help can be using a Sea Band. We have used this with great success.

3 Diving etiquette

Every diver is expected to follow some fundamental etiquette like ensuring the presence of all basic items including BCD, skins, mask, fins, snorkel, wet suit, respirator mask, camera (optional), first aid kit and spare parts. A mesh bag is more preferred than a steamer-trunk bag. These essential items must be arranged before the start of the trip in such a way that they are easily accessible.

4 Seasickness under water

Some divers have the heavy urge to throw up under water. To remain calm is the first rule they need to observe. If you throw up into the regulator, keep the purge pressed down as it will clear the mess created. A diver should be careful to keep his calm and not to make an attempt to take off the regulator.

5 Moving under water

While under water, the diver should move slowly as the marine creatures are highly sensitive to the change in pressure. Slow movements also calls for reduced air consumption making the dive relaxing and longer.

The basics of scuba diving must be scrutinized to have a memorable trip under water. Keep these basic scuba diving tips in mind before your next dive.

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Exploring new destinations is what scuba diving is often about — or at least discovering places very few have really explored. This, at least, seems to be true for cave diving. Cave diving is specialized scuba diving. You want to be trained in cave diving before such explorations for safety – as well as specialized equipment training. However, once trained, the fun begins! Here is a video showing what cave diving in florida is really like:

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As scuba divers, we value the ocean — the sealife, the coral, the dolphins, whales and more. Yet, sometime when you try to explain to friends how important the ocean is, they don’t get it. For those people, here is a video appreciating the ocean — as more than 50% of the air we breath comes from the ocean.

A relaxing reminder that the ocean means life as well as recreation.

If you wear contact or eyeglasses, you will find yourself in need of a special scuba diving mask when you go diving. Luckily, there are many places you can obtain a prescription scuba diving mask for just his purpose. Since water automatically magnifies a very specific prescription will be needed to account for your natural vision and that the effect of being under water. Thus having a prescription scuba mask created precisely for your needs is essential.

* Elements of a Scuba Diving Mask

All scuba diving masks have these basic features in common. A scuba diving mask tends to be quite large and square shaped, and come up high on the face. A scuba diving mask should go across the forehead reaching as low as the nose and the rubber that surrounds the areas of the mask in order to help to fit tightly against the face thereby providing a seal that is watertight.

On the other hand, a prescription scuba diving mask works by either having the entire lens area as being a prescription lens, or having the Rx lens to be inserted separately between the mask and the eyes of the wearer. Moreover, the lens in the diving mask is usually made out of glass, acrylic, regular ophthalmic plastic or polycarbonate.

Not all contact lenses are ideal for use in scuba diving. Lenses made of RGPs and the old hard lenses may dig in to the eyes at certain depths due to the increased water pressure. In addition, soft lenses may gather waterborne organisms and thus be contaminated and result in causing disease. It may occur even in pools as well as fresh and saltwater bodies. Thus a prescription scuba diving mask is a necessity if you have any visual impairment.

* Maintaining Your Scuba Diving Mask

In addition to procuring the appropriate mask, you will need to properly care for your mask to prevent it from breaking down from salt-water exposure. Rinsing your scuba diving mask completely in fresh water is a must to keep it in proper condition. A damaged mask could break apart during a site dive, and that would make for difficult exploration.

One of the reasons that rinsing your scuba diving mask after each use is essential is that salt crystals can damage and rust the metal components, while straps and fabrics may decompose and break off completely. The abrasive power of salt can scratch your lens and make gauges in your face mask.

In addition to regular rinsing of your scuba diving mask, you should inspect the straps and purge valve for damage consistently. Stretch the straps to look for any cracks that might be forming. Check the purge valve for trapped bits of salt and sand. If you see any weaknesses you will want to address them immediately as the integrity of your corrective scuba diving mask is critical to your safety during a dive.

* Fog Free Dive Mask

Once you have your dive mask, keeping it fog free can be challenging. Though some people use saliva (which seems to help some, we found that Aquaseal Sea Drops Anti-Fog & Lens Cleaner really works well. It keeps it much clearer as is much more sanitary. As an added bonus it is used to clean your lenses as well.

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Here is one of the more interesting scuba videos I’ve found.  It is of professional quality and has exciting music in the background.  It shows underwater diving as it can be — full of adventure with coral, brightly colored fish, sea horses, turtles, even sharks.

It is fun to watch and makes you want to go diving again!

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Whether your exposure to scuba diving has been through James Bond movies or through videos from YouTube,  perhaps you understand that scuba diving is about exploration.  It is about discovering a new world under the sea.  These are things that most people don’t get to experience – it is a wonderful adventure.

In 1943, Emile Gagnan, with the help from Jacques Cousteau, invented  the Aqualung — the first scuba gear we know.  Being able to breathe for longer periods under water began to open the underwater world for people to explore.

More advanced gear for underwater gear developed and by the mid-1950’s SCUBA gear has truly started to be created including regulators.  Wetsuits and diving instruction became available and the sport of scuba diving began to take off.

If you are new to scuba diving, formal training is recommended to be done by  PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) or NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors) schools worldwide to ensure safety during your underwater adventure.  Though it isn’t required it teaches you needed techniques for using scuba gear and underwater safety.  Training is well worth the time and effort as it may save your life.

When you get more experienced in scuba diving you can go cave diving.  This feels like true exploration!

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If you have been wanting to see gorgeous diving and have been delaying it because of budget, perhaps this deal from Travel Zoo will entice you to enjoy diving in Australia.

SAN FRANCISCO–JANUARY 10, 2009– Qantas Airways has just
released a brand-new 4-day sale on nonstop flights to Sydney
from San Francisco. Fly for $760 per person roundtrip and
save up to $300 OFF other airlines. (Note the same fare exists from LAX as well.)

What makes this offer really amazing is the wide travel
window: Feb. 1 – Sept. 21. February is the last month of
summer in Australia, a season when fares rarely go on sale.

You must book soon — this sale ends Tuesday, Jan. 13. The
$760 fare is also good on flights to Melbourne and Brisbane.

To book through Qantas Airways, click below. Prices listed
will reflect one way fares ($380) based on roundtrip travel.
http://www.travelzoo.com/Newsflash.asp?518092

Restrictions, taxes and fees apply.

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If you are looking for a gift for a scuba lover, we found a great dive watch deal.

Get a Invicta Men’s Pro Diver Stainless Steel Watch #5249 for $49.99 with FREE One Day shipping. (Normally priced at $129 – retails at $325). Offer is good til Dec 23, 2008 noon PST. This is a wonderful deal for a great watch!

Have a wonderful holiday!

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It is ironic that that even though a diver may be surrounded by water, dehydration can be a life-threatening problem.

When you don’t have enough water in your system, you become dehydrated. Water is essential to function clearly and easily. Unfortunately, it is easy to not get enough water.

Why You Need Water

Water is essential for cells to carry out chemical reactions. Tissues require fluid to keep flexible. Water is needed to produce blood and keep it flowing properly throughout the cardiovascular system.

How Water Is Lost

When scuba diving, water is mainly lost simply from breathing. It is also lost from sweat (yes, even underwater) or urination.

Normal breathing expels considerable moisture into the air. You can prove this by breathing close to a piece of glass. Underwater breathing actually accelerates that effect because the air in scuba tanks is significantly drier than ordinary surface air. Moisture is quickly used while just breathing.

Problems From Losing Water

Blood and muscle tissues are adversely affected when there is not enough fluid. When the body is dehydrated, blood flow is lessened in the tissues. This reduces the body’s ability to absorb and release nitrogen. Unfortunately, this increases the amount of time needed to perform a safe ascent.

Remember, in order to avoid decompression sickness, a diver needs to ascend in a controlled way – climbing no faster than 30 feet per minute. Often, several additional stops at various depths on the way up are commonly recommended. If one skips this, one gets ‘the bends’ – joint pain, cramps (legs, arms, abdominal, etc) and a number of other nasty consequences.

If nitrogen can’t be released at the proper rate, ascents can take longer – and you may run out of oxygen. That is a situation we all want to avoid.

Dehydration can also cause faster fatigue which can lessen your enjoyment and shorten your dive. This is due to lowered blood flow which make your heart pump faster.

How To Re-Hydrate

Fortunately, it’s easy to achieve the proper level of hydration before and after a dive.

* Drink Lots of Water

Depending on your general physical condition and level of activity simply drink plenty of water or a sports drink. Choose one without large amounts of sugar. If the weather is hot, drink more fluids. If you plan to dive longer, drink more. When you drink water over a long period of time, you give your body plenty of time to absorb the fluid without overwhelming the kidneys.

* Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol

Just as important is what to avoid. Don’t consume black tea, coffee or other caffeinated drinks like mountain dew and colas for several hours before or after a dive. Never drink alcoholic beverages for many hours before or after a dive. Yes, it many not be what you want to do. Yet, being alive and healthy is worth it.

Warning Signs

Headaches are often caused by insufficient fluids in the blood vessels in the head and neck. Be aware of how your body feels. One way you can test your fluid level is by examining your urine. It should be light colored to clear before a dive unless you take lots of vitamin B or C. After the dive, drink lots of water slowly.

Be Prepared

Common sense helps every diver. Keep hydrated for scuba diving. You may want to keep water on the boat so you can drink directly before or after your dive. Having a bottle filled with water such as: Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottles can help make it easier. Alternately, simply packing a sports drink every time works too.

Knowing what is recommended and following it helps you have many enjoyable dives.

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We all need laughter .. here is a silly scuba video filled with underwater tricks. Sometimes one is too serious, here’s the silly side of diving. Here are some creative tricks you can do under water and have fun.

Obviously, skip the tricks if there is coral nearby!

If you are thinking of starting to take pictures like these underwater, here is a great camera for up to 30′ for less than $100: Vivitar VIVICAM-6200W 6.0 MegaPixel Underwater Camera with 4x Digital Zoom 2.0 There are better ones out there but this is relatively affordable and will take wonderful pictures in or out of the water. Be sure to pay attention to your buddy as well as the camera!

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