Nelson-Atkins Museum unveils interactive website (Gadling)

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Beth

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Scuba Diving Safety – A Guide on Safe Scuba Practices

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Beth

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Scuba diving can be one of the most enjoyable recreational sports you will ever make. However, before you start getting all excited about scuba, you have to be very well aware that scuba diving does carry its own risks.

Diving related accidents resulting in death or serious injuries are not all that rare. You may hear every now and again of such unfortunate incidents in which a diver looses his life. It makes you want to stop and think.

However, this should not stop you from a giving it a try. With proper care and caution, scuba diving can be a very relaxing sport. There are kids and elderly alike that enjoy this pastime without loosing their lives.

Let me put this into context. Scuba is no more dangerous than riding a motorcycle. In fact I dare to say that today, it is more dangerous riding a motorcycle in a quiet street. But that does not stop bikers from getting on the road and enjoying their machine.

Firstly let us take a look as to why most scuba diving accidents occur. Well, according to statistics, most scuba diving deaths occur to divers who are not properly trained. Either due to not knowing how to operate their scuba equipment or because of a lack of understanding on the effects of diving in deep water.

The first step you should need to do even before buying your own equipment is to get certified with a reputable certifying agency. Do not opt to get trained by a friend or a relative who is not a a certified scuba instructor. Instructors are highly qualified in specialized training and skill and will provide you with the necessary scuba skills which you will not get through an unqualified person.

Physical health is another important factor. Scuba is a very strenuous sport. Scuba fatalities from heart or circulatory problems account for about a quarter of all scuba diving deaths. Although you do not need to be a world class athlete, You should be healthy enough to take on the physical stresses associated to scuba diving. If you are in doubt of your physical capabilities, it would be wise to undertake a physical exam before a dive.

One of the most crucial scuba diving safety rules is – never dive on your own. No matter what level of expertise you have, you should always dive with a buddy. Help given underwater even in the simplest form can make all the different between life or death. Besides it is more enjoyable to have someone to share your diving experience with rather than diving on your own.

Always go down with someone who has far more experience than you. This is especially the case if you are a beginner to scuba diving. Two or more beginner scuba divers going on their own is an ingredient for disaster. Get the necessary skills by learning from other who are more proficient. Notice the way they fin underwater, how far more relaxed and delicate their movements seem to be. Become an active diver. If you were to dive frequently, you will maintain your proficiency and will gradually build up your experiences and capabilities.

Many divers risk their lives by overlooking certain risks. Over-confident divers may stray away from their dive plan to explore an underwater cave. This risk can easily be avoided if the dive plan is maintained. Never stray away from the dive plan.

Remember that you are a guest in the underwater environment which is alien to the world you are normally accustomed to… There are many factors that can lead to dangerous situations. Therefore you have to always be aware of your surroundings and be prepared to react when caught up in a dangerous situation.

A key in scuba diving safety is to continue your diving eduction. A good diver will never stop learning. There are so many things to learn about which will give you the necessary confidence in scuba diving. It is therefore essential that you maintain your scuba skills by diving frequently.

The most important factor when it comes to scuba diving safety is that you take proper care of the equipment which is taking care of you when you are underwater. Service your scuba equipment at least annually and maintain your gear in good condition. If you own scuba tanks then it is best to pressure tested them every 5 years.

For a detailed check list on scuba diving safety, check out our scuba diving safety rules at http://Scuba-Snorkeling-Adventures.com/scuba-diving-safety-rules.html. These checklists consist of important scuba diving rules which will ensure that you maintain your safety before and during your dives.

This article is an excerpt from a series of informative guides appearing on Scuba-Snorkeling-Adventures.com under the Scuba Diving section.

Kris Mifsud- A keen enthusiast, with a life long passion for all types of water sports. Editor and publisher of http://Scuba-Snorkeling-Adventures.com – a comprehensive Scuba and Snorkeling guide to techniques, equipment and reviews.

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Snorkeling, Scuba Diving and Free Diving; What’s the Difference?

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Beth

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Snorkeling would be using a mask and snorkel; you may or may not have fins on. Normally snorklers stay on the surface and cruise around looking at the fish and corals underneath them. A lot of them will then want to dive under the water, and see the fish up close.

Those that break the surface and use fins would be considered free divers. Many are now taking this to some real extremes, with the record being over 80 meters! For most free divers, 6 to 20 meters is the normal range. If you are going to try to become a serious free diver, it is in your best interest to get some professional training for a couple of good reasons

1) To maximize your skill, which will make you more efficient and able you to go down longer and deeper. PADI, SSI and most dive certification agencies have specific courses for this.

2) Shallow Water Blackout, which can be deadly! Shallow Water Blackout is caused by the changing partial pressures of air at depth, which most only affects free divers and is why it is recommended to get some training, and why serious free divers always dive with a buddy that understands about Shallow Water Blackout, and what to do should it happen. It is standard operating procedure that one of the buddy pair is always on the surface, to help the other guy if there is a problem.

Fishing while free diving is a whole separate sport and quite an exciting one, as you are looking for the fish, then you need to hit it with some sort of spear, and then you have to take the fish and yourself to the surface. In Hawaii it has been taken to a art form as they latch onto fish in the 20 kilo and larger size, and they can have a real man vs. nature battle that is quite intense, as the fish will do their best to escape, which means that you have something fighting against you, trying to keep you from going to the surface when you need a breath of air right now! Besides wrestling bears or boxing kangaroos I can’t think of a fairer fight. Hunting fish with scuba diving gear is illegal in most places, and is considered in all sportsmen’s eyes as unethical.

Scuba Diving would be using mask, fins and a tank of air, usually they will have a scuba jacket attached to the tank called a “BCD” also attached to the scuba take would be a set of regulators, in diver lingo referred to as “regs” or “octo’s” which will have normally 2 hoses with regulators, and a low pressure hose or 2, as well as a information package containing 1, 2 or 3 different pressure and depth gauges, compass and computers. Scuba divers will also have some other equipment like weights and knives (for freeing themselves from underwater entanglements) lights, underwater cameras and underwater video cameras are common accouterments to see on scuba divers. We hope to see you soon underwater, no matter how you get there!

Fred Tittle has lived and worked in holiday vacation resorts his entire life, from Lake Geneva?s Playboy Club, as a rock jock for KSPN FM in Aspen Colorado, he became a PADI Pro Scuba Diver in Hawaii, diving on Maui, Kauai, Kona on the big island, and Waikiki on Oahu. He now owns EcoSea Dive in Sihanoukville Cambodia where he teaches SSI and PADI scuba diving courses and runs liveaboards in the gulf of Thailand and Asia adventure tours, http://www.ecosea.com

Fred?s new project http://www.CheapCharliesHotels.com where he reviews cheap hotels , budget guesthouses , discount accommodations and cheap international flights, but is really an excuse to vacation more, China is up next.

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What Is Skin Diving and How Is It Different From Scuba Diving?

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Beth

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One of the most exciting water adventures you might want to try to experience is exploring the beauty that lies beneath the ocean. You can swim amidst the different and colorful sea creatures, marvel at those majestic coral formations, examine wrecks, or just enjoy the tranquil atmosphere beneath the sea. You will be able to do all of these through scuba or skin diving. Although these two endeavors may accord you the same opportunity of seeing the splendor beneath the emerald green waters, they actually differ in many ways.

For starters, scuba diving involves the use of a set of gears which would allow you to stay underwater for long periods of time. Even just the name scuba, which is really just an acronym for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, is a complete giveaway of the very thing that separates it from skin diving. Aside from the breathing apparatus, scuba diving require enthusiasts to don on a wetsuit to keep their body temperature at comfortable levels while exposed to a different environment for long periods of time, otherwise they run the risk of suffering from hypothermia which you really do not want to suffer while underwater

Skin diving, on the other hand, is several gears removed from scuba diving. While diving enthusiasts also don on diving masks, and fins, or flippers as others prefer to call it, they do not have an underwater breathing apparatus which would enable them to stay beneath the surface for long periods of time. Instead the enthusiasts rely on the natural capacity of their lungs to hold their breath which would give them adequate time to dive under and see the majestic glory of a thriving environment beneath the sea.

The diving enthusiasts also wear snorkels to enable them to first view what lies beneath before actually diving in to have a close encounter with the aquatic life. Skin diving is also different from snorkeling since the latter only involves the underwater environment from the surface and is able to breathe through a snorkel all the time.

The two most important gears of an enthusiast are actually the diving fins and mask. While it is the task of the mask to enable the skin diving enthusiast to view the beauty of a flourishing aquatic life, it is the job of the fins to propel the skin diver closer to these wonderful sea creatures, and to help the diver surface to catch some air before diving again.

Skin diving is actually fun and can help you greatly in conditioning your body to underwater environment before actually donning that breathing equipment to stay beneath the surface a little longer. So get your diving mask and fins now and enjoy the splendor that awaits you beneath the sea.

Suzie has been writing articles on interesting topics including sports, relationships and family. Her new interests are in bathroom items such as Bath Hand Towels

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