Scuba Diving

Arch Teryx asked:


What is it going to cost me to start SCUBA diving. What equipment should I buy, or which certifications should I get first and what will all this cost me?

Addison

In today’s world, where ordinary citizens and adrenalin-junkies alike are equally capable of chasing adventure, we turn to lessons to make sure we have the appropriate skills. We have lessons for golf, tennis, dance, and any other activity or hobby that can summoned to mind. But for those activities that come with risk, lessons become even more important. Subsequently, those who are interested in scuba diving should always begin with comprehensive scuba diving lessons.

If you are in good health, you can scuba dive. And with proper scuba diving lessons you can do so safely to ensure you get the most enjoyment out of your experience as possible. Finding scuba diving lessons is relatively easy, as scuba diving continues to rise in popularity. Luckily, the availability of lessons does not in any way depend on your proximity to the ocean. Scuba diving lessons are taught in indoor pools which gives the instructor maximum control and eliminates the variables that can easily arise in open water. For students, scuba diving lessons should be confidence building and the best way to achieve this confidence is by mastering your technique in a confined and controlled environment.

In most cases, however, scuba diving lessons actually begin with comprehensive classroom instruction where students are given the basics of the scuba diving technique. Only when the instructor is comfortable that all students completely understand scuba techniques – and the reasons behind them – will you enter the pool. In some cases, equipment can also be rented for scuba diving lessons – an enormous benefit for those who are delaying the purchase of pricey equipment until they receive scuba certification.

Pool instruction during scuba diving lessons offer students the opportunity to put those classroom lessons into use, practicing techniques over and over until they are comfortable. It is essential that these systems are mastered; scuba diving can be dangerous if not done properly and with full respect of the equipment and the water.

There are scuba diving lessons that are offered for children and adults separately. Be sure to research any instructors or instruction facilities to ensure that they are reputable and experienced in training.

Upon successful completion of your scuba diving lessons you will be certified for scuba diving; and you will be well on your way to enjoying a lifetime of adventure and exploration.



By: Michelle Bery

About the Author:

Irving

At the southern-most tip of the USA is beautiful San Diego, California — my home town and a playground for every water sport from skiing, sailing and surfing to fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving.

As a scuba diver you’ll find an exciting variety of marine life in Wreck Alley, in various kelp forests and in La Jolla’s massive underwater park.

The park combines La Jolla Submarine Canyon and Scripps Canyon, an underwater treasure of marine life including some of the more bizarre creatures among us.

The valley of this huge canyon system is about 1600 feet down. Its steep walls rise into two branches just made for convenient scuba diving access from the beach at either the La Jolla Cove or La Jolla Shores.

At the La Jolla Shores side you can start at the foot of Valicitos Street and swim to the buoys that mark the canyon’s upper reaches. Better be pretty skilled at swimming in surf. Otherwise, take a scuba diving charter boat out of Mission Bay.

By the time you’ve descended to about 30 feet you’ll be at the Scripps Canyon rim and its precipitous, narrow walls that plunge ever deeper toward the abyss. Be very careful here because the dropoff is nearly vertical at some points, often involving overhanging walls.

Visibility is good but variable due to upwellings and occasional strong currents. Winter water temperature is in the 50s; summer water gets up to the high 60s and sometimes low 70s.

Scuba divers and scientists alike have made the La Jolla and Scripps Canyons one of the most-studied undersea environments in the world. You can see the prestigious Scripps Institution of Oceanography and pier from any point along the La Jolla coastline. La Jolla Canyon’s fan valley was the site of the world’s first deep oceanic drillings, where core samples were retrieved from thousands of feet below the sea floor in 1961.

15 minutes south of La Jolla is Wreck Alley, about a mile off Mission Beach. Here you can explore artificial reefs created by eight sunken ships and a couple of unlikely structures that got there by both accident and intent.

The latest addition is the 366-foot Canadian destroyer Yukon, which was intentionally sunk here in about 100 feet of water during the year 2000. The Yukon still has years to go before it can compete with its older companions as a showpiece of densely populated cover.

The Ruby E, a 170-foot Coast Guard cutter resting in about 70 feet of water, was covered bow to stern with brilliantly colored Corynactis Californica anemones only a few years ago. But being one of the most beautiful sights for scuba divers’ eyes brought so much scuba diving traffic that some of the life has disappeared. Yet you can still drift through the wheelhouse and be absolutely dazzled by thick growths in a stunning array of colors. Be sure to bring a light.

Then there’s the kelp cutter Del Rey and several smaller wrecks, all with much more growth than the others because of lighter scuba diving traffic.

Now if you want to feel like you’re on an underwater highway, be sure to visit the Ingraham Street Bridge at about 60 feet down. It was demolished and dumped here in the ’50s or ’60s to make way for a new bridge in Mission Bay Aquatic Park. Now with some 50 years of cover it has become more like a natural reef with abundant growths of kelp, fans and algae, great colonies of filter feeders and all the marine life that comes to nibble.

Finally, there’s NOSC Tower, thanks to a 20-foot wave that dealt a fatal blow in the dark of one 1988 winter night. For three decades the NOSC Tower had served as a research platform off Mission Beach for the Naval Electronics Lab and the Naval Ocean Systems Center. Now it’s a twisted mass of steel covered with anemones, mussels and star for fabulous scuba diving in a world of stunning color. Bring a light for the show and a sharp knife for the fishing line and rope that you’re likely to find.

Bring your camera too, of course, for a great photography dive. Visibility averages 15-25 feet and by the way, hunting is not wanted here.

You can reach this great scuba location on such Mission Bay charter boats as Blue Escape (619-223-3483), Dive Connection (619-523-9282) and DiveQuest (800-303-3483).



By: Elizabeth Miller

About the Author:

Carver

Buying a wetsuit can be somewhat confusing. There are many different styles, thicknesses, qualities and price ranges to choose from.

Trying on a wetsuit isn’t the most fun thing to do in the world either. However, it is a necessary evil if you want to keep warm on your dive.

So with that in mind, here are the items you should look for when buying a wetsuit:

* Style – The first thing you will have to decide is what style of wetsuit do you want.

Do you want a full wet suit or a shortie (has short arms (usually) and legs that end just above the knee)? Do you want a farmer john or jane (a two piece suit – one piece has long legs with a sleeveless top; it is usually worn with a covering jacket)? Do you need a hood?

A shortie is for warm water diving and is what I wear when I need more than a skin (mine is 2mm). It does leave your arms and legs exposed to the water so you have to decide if it will be warm enough for you.

A full scuba diving wet suit is probably the most common/popular and is what I see the most while diving in the Caribbean. This style is one piece and has long arms and legs.

Buying a wetsuit hood is not necessary (for most people) for diving in warm water. It is more for cold water diving. I can count on one hand the number of people I have seen wearing a hood while diving in the Caribbean.

* Thickness – The thickness is probably the most important factor that will determine your comfort underwater. Choose the thickness based on the type of water and diving you will be doing. For the Caribbean, a 3mm should be sufficient for most people.

* Quality of Construction – This will determine how long that scuba diving wet suit will last. Most importantly, you need to check the seams of the wet suit.

The cheapest and least strong is a glued stitch. It will sometimes have a piece of glued tape over the seams which will help with comfort. While it is adequate, it will probably give out the quickest of all the seams.

Another of the basic stitches found mostly in “bargain” and “cheap” wet suits is the over-lock stitch which joins the neoprene a the seam by stitching the edges together. The ridge is on the inside of the suit which can become uncomfortable. If this seam is stretched to its limit the seam may open up and let in some water.

At the other extreme of construction quality, is the blind stitch. Here the material is first glued and then stitched on one side. However, the stitch doesn’t pierce the material which would give an entry point for water. The same stitch is then done on the reverse side and interlocks with the first stitch. This gives the strongest seam. Of course, as you would guess, this type of construction is found on the more expensive scuba diving wet suit.

In between, is the flatlock stitching which you will find in many warm water wet suits (mine included). The two pieces of neoprene overlap and are joined together. Unlike the over-lock stitch, the seam lays flat making it more comfortable for the diver.

While water can sometimes seep through these seams when stretched, it will be much less than with an over-lock stitch. Taped seams, with any of these stitches, helps prevent water leaking through the seams. It also helps the comfort factor, making the scuba diving wet suit more comfortable against the skin.

* Neoprene – The type of neoprene your scuba diving wet suit is made of affects the quality of the suit and, of course the price. Scuba diving wetsuits are made of neoprene which is a synthetic rubber foam.

The neoprene has thousands of tiny bubbles for insulation. The material is then typically laminated with a nylon based material. Once this elastic fabric dries, the neoprene becomes pliable and flexible. The type of neoprene your scuba diving wet suit is made of affects the quality of the suit and, of course the price.

The highest quality neoprene is gas blown and made with thousands of little bubbles of nitrogen gas. While it will compress and eventually wear out like all neoprene, it is the most durable type of neoprene. A chemical blown wetsuit feels softer but will not be as durable.

Hopefully this guide will make your purchase easier. I hope you have a nice warm dive.



By: Dianne Rein

About the Author:

Ethen

It’s vacation time again and you feel like trying something new this year, something that’s both fun and educational. There are many options and many exotic places where we can spend your holiday, and if you haven’t made up your mind yet, we suggest that you try a relaxing scuba diving vacation. Why scuba diving? As, we’ve said before, this is the best way to combination of fun and learning about the underwater life, which will never cease to amaze us with its variety. If you are interested in a marine life, a scuba diving vacation offers you the chance to be close to it. This sport will always provide a wonderful and unforgettable to those who practice it due to the amazing variety of underwater life. It’s this amazing variety that makes each scuba diving vacation different from what you have experienced before. As a recreational form of diving, scuba diving beats any other type of seaside vacation by a long shot, as lying in the sun and bathing in the ocean pale in comparison with being in the middle of all those wonderfully-colored fish, coral reefs, and other underwater forms of life.

Scuba diving is not a dangerous sport either, as long as you wear the special scuba diving equipment. This sport doesn’t require too much physical effort on your part, so it’s safe to say that if your are in good shape and you can walk a few miles, you will also be able to enjoy your scuba diving holiday at its best. You don’t even have to have excellent swimming skills. All it takes is that you feel comfortable in the water and adapt to it with no worries.

The scuba diving equipment is the essential element of this sport. A diver must be familiar with the scuba diving equipment and the way it works so that he or she can feel comfortable and confident while submerged. This equipment represents a simple, yet ingenious system, and certified scuba diving instructor will present it and the way it works, as well as the way it can be assembled. When wishing to purchase a scuba diving equipment, you must always ask for the assistance of a specialist, unless you’re not one yourself. There are five essential elements in the scuba diving equipment which have to fit you perfectly, and this is the reason why you should ask for help from a specialist.

Should you hire a travel agent to care of your holiday, you’ll find that your scuba diving vacation will be so relaxing and pleasant, that you’ll definitely want to go back next year. Exotic destinations such the Hawaii, Cozumel, Fiji or Belize offer vacations that are hard to beat. You will enjoy the good food and the sound of the ocean. Your scuba diving sessions will show you the marvelous coral reefs, colorful fish, sharks, and mantas. You will be saved all the hassle, as the travel company will arrange everything for your scuba diving vacation, from flights and accommodation to diving packages. And the best part is that reservations can be made online. So you’re only one click away from the scuba diving vacation of your dreams.

For more resources about scuba diving vacation or even about scuba diving equipment please review the following page http://forum.scubish.com



By: Groshan Fabiola

About the Author:

Amery

Tyler G asked:


i’ve seen on tv and stuff ppl go diving with just snorkels, but they take the snorkels underwater. do they have somekinda special snorkel that holds oxygen or sumthin or what. plz help me i want to go scuba diving soon as a beginner but i need info.

Daley

lady31 asked:


I want to surprise my husband with with a trip to Florida to go Scuba diving. He loved Key Largo.

Thanks,

Stacy

codycutthroat44 asked:


Choose the BEST way to rewrite the sentence.

A) The two men enjoyed scuba diving together, they had traveled to the Caribbean and Red Seas.
B) The two men enjoyed scuba diving together. They had traveled to the Caribbean and Red Seas.
C) The two men enjoyed scuba diving together and they had traveled to the Caribbean and Red Seas.
D) Correct as is.

which one is it?

Jerome

One of the fastest growing of all water sports in the world today appears to be scuba diving.

The corresponding growth in increased and easier to use transportation links now makes the more obscure and hard to get to diving locations now much more within the reach of the average diver.

In this article I really want to take a basic look at Scuba diving but also take a look at one of the world’s leading scuba diving locations in Grand Bahama Island.

The activity of swimming underwater whilst using a scuba set is not unsurprisingly known as Scuba Diving. By carrying and using an independent source of compressed air, Divers are able to stay underwater for much longer than they would normally be able to.Scuba equipment gives divers the ability to stay underwater for periods way in excess of normal usage.

The additional advantage to all of this as far as the diver is concerned is that it frees them up from being hindered and attached to some form of surface powered air system.

It is more common to see scuba divers propelling themselves around underwater by the usage of flippers on their feet. That having been said it is not uncommon for divers who are undertaking large scale explorations’ to actually use a DPV (Diver propulsion vehicle). Commonly known as a scooter divers occasionally use sleds which are attached to surface boats to help them with moving large distances.

The original equipment from which modern day scuba equipment was developed came from the use of oxygen rebreathers developed and sued by US Navy frogmen in World War II.Most people now recognize the term as being made popular by the equipment developed by Jacques Cousteau and Emile Gagnan.

For the technically correct amongst us the term SCUBA is actually an acronym for the phrase “self-contained underwater breathing apparatus” but as with other technical phrases such as the word “laser”, the term scuba has now entered into normal linguistic usage and usually refers to scuba equipment, scuba diving etc.

So to Grand Bahama Island. The reputation of Grand Bahama Island as a diver’s paradise has been growing ever since the earliest episodes of the TV Series “Sea Hunt” were filmed there.The seas around the Island boast elaborate coral gardens, a whole series of speciality dives, deep sites, cave diving and in fact a whole series of different dives.

Grand Bahama Island is of course also famous for its “blue holes” – these are spectacular azure portals in the reefs through which you can descend, surrounded by reef wall on all sides. Depending on which way the current is going at any one time these holes can be “blowing” or “sucking” and the currents here can be quite strong and as a result quite dangerous if you are not an experienced diver.

The geographical sub structure on which the Island is based is a massive limestone base and tied into this is also one of the other major reasons why people flock to this area of the world for diving and that is the massive underwater cave network that exists here.

The underwater cave network that is located by and large within the Lucayan National Park is the second largest of its type in the world.

The caves are still being explored, and there are numerous special dive programs that can take you into them (provided you are cave certified).



By: Stephen Morgan

About the Author:

Lloyd

Drake D asked:


When you answer please provide a list of basic scuba equipment with prices, and a list of scuba accessories with prices.
Scuba Diving not snorkel please

Hardy