Posted on Jul 29, 2009 under Scuba Diving |
how to scuba
August has been an exciting month for scubadiving enthusiasts. With the finding of Blackbeard’s flagship off the coast of North Carolina, the USS Grunion off the coast of Alaska and an underwater city near Japan, now is a better time than ever to learn to scuba dive.
With a PADI certification course, you’ll spread your time across classroom, pool and open water settings. You’ll learn about the various equipment, maintenance, first aid rescue, in addition to breathing and swimming techniques. Sometimes you can learn to scuba dive in just a few hours, while other times it can take up to four weeks. You can spend $69 at a small resort or $5,000 on an elaborate cruise. It all depends on your personal preferences.
Your imagination’s the limit when it comes to deciding where to take your lessons. For example, Sunrise Divers in Thailand offers a three-day, beginner, PADI-certified course plus two beach dives, two boat dives and a group lesson for $295. Intermediates can take a three-day rescue diver course in Egypt for $332. More advanced divers may want to spend four weeks in Honduras taking the PADI-certified divemaster course, where they’ll learn to become instructors and underwater tour guides. Five days all-inclusive at Australia’s Barrier Reef could set you back 2, but any seasoned diver will tell you it’s well worth it. Once you learn to scuba dive, you will never really forget. Once certified, you may want to add an , three-hour refresher course onto your Mexico vacation. You can check out www.adventuresportholidays.com to find a diving vacation that suits you.
When you learn to scuba dive, a whole new world opens up. Whether you’re in search of wildlife and plants or shipwrecks and treasure, this lifetime hobby is bound to be a rewarding one. Some even consider giving a scuba package to a loved one for a holiday or birthday. Everyone — from fifteen to fifty — can enjoy this opportunity.
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Posted on Apr 24, 2009 under Scuba Diving |
diving courses
Did your heart skip a beat when Captain Nemo saved a South Indian fisherman while scuba diving in the Jules Verne Classic 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea? Do you daydream about finding Blackbeard’s treasure chest in his submerged ship? Does watching the Discovery Channel make you yearn to learn to scuba dive? Perhaps you should turn your dreams into reality and investigate scubadiving as a new hobby. It’s easier than you think!
You can learn to scuba dive in just a few hours, but if you want to be swimming ancient ruins in Egypt’s Red Sea or investigating Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, you will need diver certification. There are a number of valid certification agencies out there (such as PADI, SSI and NADI) that all pretty much provide the same service for $350 to $450. You will experience a combination of classroom, pool and open water instruction, while learning not only about swimming and breathing techniques, but also about equipment and first aid information. Some people visit their local scuba dive shop, while others prefer to spend vacation time learning something new. While it may seem like an expensive hobby at first, most divers say that it’s comparable to ski resort and golf course prices.
Why would one want to learn to scuba dive, you ask? Aside from it being a mind-blowing vacation addition and rewarding hobby, there are career and practical reasons too. Commercial divers build boats and docks, excavate ancient ruins and shipwrecks, survey tectonic plates and underwater volcanoes, construct pipelines and dams, or repair bridges and submarines. Scientists dive all the time to study marine biology, underwater species and habitats and archaeological finds. Additionally, combatant divers have completed military assignments underwater for centuries.
Whether for sport or pleasure, you won’t regret your decision to learn to scuba dive. If your interest really piques, you may want to join a scuba diving club with weekly dinners, movies, excursions and social gatherings. Others go on to independent studies and become instructors themselves. A third option would be to find a career calling as a search-and-rescue diver, marine biologist, underwater photographer or excavator.
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Posted on Mar 19, 2009 under Scuba Diving, scuba wetsuits |
scuba gear
Dry suits are the key to diver comfort in cold waters and extreme situations, so when choosing one, you’ll want to research the different options before you get to the dive shop. The last thing you want is to walk away with a $3,000 suit you’ll never use or a membrane suit that will leave you trapped underwater and freezing.
Wet suits are great for warmer water dives because the neoprene material allows water in and traps it against the body, which then heats up to your temperature and insulates the body. The general rule of thumb for wet suits is: the tighter the fit, the better. Otherwise water will just keep entering and exiting the suit, without time to heat up against your body. You can choose from 2 – 9mm thicknesses and from shorts or full-length styles. Shipwreck or cave divers are best off purchasing full-length diving suits with toughtex neoprene, which provides an extra layer that’s snag-proof. You’ll want your suit to hold up in the tightest squeezes and off the sharpest coral. However, for diving in water less than 60 degrees Fahrenheit, dry suits are the only sensible choice.
Dry suits can be made out of several different kinds of material: neoprene, membrane or a hybrid of the two. Neoprene is made out of synthetic rubber and is the most rigid type of suit and though difficult to get on, will keep you the warmest. Another advantage to neoprene is that it’s less susceptible to rips or tears and will maintain functionality and buoyancy if a rip were to occur, making it perfect for those cold water wreck or cave diving expeditions.
Membrane shelled suits are generally the most comfortable — made of thinner nylon or vulcanized rubber material, waterproof and breathable — and are recommended for divers who will spend a lot of time out of the water on the boat. Because the material is thinner, divers will need to wear an under layer made of polyester or another tight-fitting material. The latest models are hybrids with a rigid, overall-style neoprene bottom that supports proper kicking and a looser-fitting membrane top to allow easy arm maneuverability.
You may be shocked at the cost of buying new dry suits. The cheaper ones go for no less than $500, while the more high-end diving suits can cost as much as $2,000. Lessons usually include wet suit rental or offer them for a small fee. If you’ll just need a dry suit for your vacation, you can rent them for $40-$50 per day. Some dive clubs will offer specials, like buy one day get the second half off or weekly rentals for as little as $30.
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Posted on Mar 17, 2009 under Scuba Diving |
diving equipment
Purchasing diving equipment can easily be a lifelong hobby that can add up to thousands of dollars. The budget-conscious may choose to rent scuba diving gear for classes or vacations too. But either way, the many different parts to a scuba diving ensemble can leave people feeling puzzled. What are the essentials? How much can it cost? What is the maintenance like?
Masks can run anywhere from $20 to $150. You’ll have to consider construction, size and lens. Low-volume masks provide divers with less distortion, as well as more light transmission and peripheral vision. A double-flanged face seal is a nice variation that ensures your mask remains watertight. Other options for this diving equipment include: anti-fogging, purge valves (to keep water out), nose pockets and adjustable straps.
Fins can be as little as $30 or as much as $200. Length, material and design will all need to be taken into consideration. Different design variations include split fins, force fins, self-adjusting pivotal blades and vents. This piece of diving equipment is crucial because choosing the proper scuba fins can save energy, air and unnecessary hassle.
Regulators are among the most expensive diving equipment, running from $150 to $500. The main reason we buy this piece of diving equipment is to ensure proper air flow in any condition with the least amount of effort on our part. As you descend deeper, remember that the air will get heavier and more difficult to move from the tank to you, so a good regulator will deal with this physics problem effectively. Experienced divers recommend regulators with swivels and adjustable airflow stages, such as the Aqualung Legend LX or Oceanic Delta 3. Warranties are important, so consider brands with lifetime warranties.
Divers in warm coastal waters may choose thin, clingy wet suits that allow water to seep next to the body and keep divers warm. They can choose between short, long or overall styles. Cold water divers (in waters 60 degrees or less) will want more heavy duty dry suits. Looser dry suits can be made out of several different kinds of material: neoprene, membrane or a hybrid of the two. A proper body suit is one of the most important pieces of diving equipment, because the comfort of your trip depends upon a good style and fit.
Buoyancy Compensators can also run $150 to $500. The most important factor here is the fit. You can choose back-mounted, flow-through or wrap-around diving equipment. Female divers will be happy to know that the Oceanic Isla, Seaquest Diva and Scubapro Ladyhawk are all BCs made exclusively for women, with shorter waists and more comfortable chest straps. Most divers won’t need to worry about purchasing extra lift capacity, unless they’re diving in rough waters.
Hefty tanks will set you back $100 to $400. Aluminum tanks are widely used for their light weight; however, some people still prefer steel. Neutrally buoyant tanks are widely recommended by professionals.
Lighting systems range from $30 for the most basic incandescent hand light to $800 for a professional HID torch system. Cave and wreck divers or night divers will especially need to look into this piece of diving equipment. Safety recommendations require that every cave diver have three separate light sources present — one main and two backups. A wide-beamed primary light will illuminate a large area and is ideal for overcoming total darkness, while a brighter, smaller secondary light will reveal coral crevices and nooks.
Now that you’ve looked into masks, regulators, BCs, lighting, gauges, tanks and fins, you’re well on your way to embarking on that Red Sea dive or Australian coral reef adventure! Remember that diving equipment is not something you can skimp on. It is an investment and one day your very life may depend upon proper scuba gear and maintenance.
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