Diver training consists of three components: 1. Academic or classroom study, 2. Confined Water or pool training and 3. Open Water training. Entry requirements, training procedures and qualification tests vary around the world. The purpose of this article is to make the reader aware of the requirements and training necessary to qualify as an entry level scuba diver in the United States and throughout most of North America and the Caribbean.
STEP 1
Qualify by age. You must be at least 12 years old to begin scuba diver training although those younger than 12 may be able to participate in restricted, junior diver, training programs sponsored by certain training agencies.
STEP 2
See if you’re fit for diving. scuba diving is an active sport that requires a reasonable level of good health and physical fitness.
STEP 3
Find someone to teach you. Locate a scuba instructor either through a referral from a friend or associate, an advertisement or through a local dive store. You should try to find one that is both well qualified (number of years diving and training divers, number of dives made and divers trained, breadth of experience, etc.) and whose instructional methods seem compatible with your way of learning.
STEP 4
Find a place to learn. Convenience is a big factor when selecting a dive store or instructor to conduct your training. You will be spending days or perhaps even weeks learning to scuba dive depending on how the course is structured so you may want to select a facility convenient to your home or place of work.
STEP 5
Find out exactly what your training will cost. Some instructors and dive stores charge a flat rate for complete certification while others charge incrementally as training progresses. Some include books and classroom materials in a single price while others charge extra for these usually-required items. Know what the total classroom and pool training will cost and also the charge for the final Open Water training. This may take place at a local lake or quarry or at a resort location and is often priced separately.
STEP 6
Find out what equipment you will need and how much it will cost. Scuba diving is an equipment intensive sport and divers need a full complement of scuba gear in order to participate. Some or all of this gear may be included in your course fee or you may be able to rent or borrow it.
STEP 7
Pass the required waterman ship test. The most basic prerequisite to becoming a qualified scuba diver is comfort in the water. In order for you to begin a scuba training course you must first demonstrate to an instructor your ability to swim continuously for 200 yards and float for 10 minutes, both without aids.
STEP 8
Register in a class that fits your needs.
One of the great luxuries in scuba diver training is finding an instructor and a training facility that will cater to you if you have a challenging schedule or in case you need extra classroom time or, particularly, extra pool time.
STEP 9
Take care of the legal stuff.
During class registration you will be asked to fill out and sign a version of the medical and fitness guidelines form certifying yourself fit to dive.
STEP 10
Learn the academics. Read the book, watch the tape or DVD or do the on-line course and the class work. Scuba diving is one of those activities where safety comes with and depends on a certain amount of specific knowledge. The academic portion of a scuba course teaches you the theory of diving and the procedures necessary to do it safely.
STEP 11
Keep on practicing. The Confined Water, or pool, portion of a scuba course is where the heart of the training occurs. This is where you will learn the function of all that equipment and how to use it safely.
STEP 12
Complete your Open Water training and certification dives. The final step toward becoming a certified scuba diver is to complete four open water training dives under the supervision of an instructor. These dives are conducted in a large body of water like the ocean or a lake to depths between 15 and 60 feet over two or more days.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Scuba DivingTools
If scuba is your hobby, and you have money to spend, there is no end to the list of scuba gadgets and scuba equipment upgrades you can acquire. Some of these items will genuinely enhance your diving experience, while other scuba gadgets are just underwater knick-knacks.
The following are some of the non-essential scuba gadgets:
• underwater cameras
• camera conversion kits
• dive computers
• dive log software
• buzzer (sub duck)
• compasses
• dive knife
• diving watches
• dry boxes
• first aid kits
• flags and floats
• gear bags
• diving gloves
• glow sticks
• inflatable marker tubes
• laminated charts
• laser pointers
• log books
• reels
• slates and pens
• tank banger
• tire inflator
• underwater lights
• underwater watchbands
The following are some of the non-essential scuba gadgets:
• underwater cameras
• camera conversion kits
• dive computers
• dive log software
• buzzer (sub duck)
• compasses
• dive knife
• diving watches
• dry boxes
• first aid kits
• flags and floats
• gear bags
• diving gloves
• glow sticks
• inflatable marker tubes
• laminated charts
• laser pointers
• log books
• reels
• slates and pens
• tank banger
• tire inflator
• underwater lights
• underwater watchbands
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Common Dangers in ScubaDiving
As Scuba Diving is a popular recreational sport, beautiful coral reefs and creepy shipwrecks around the world have become major tourist draws in their own right. However, it should not be forgotten that scuba diving is an extreme sport with its own unusual injuries and potentially life-threatening hazards. Most of these scuba diving dangers come from the effects of the increased water pressure of the undersea environment, but there are also dangers posed by sea life and faulty equipment.
Barotrauma
Barotrauma is caused by the damage done by increased underwater pressure on the air pocket in the middle ear. Divers usually "equalize" during a dive by pinching their nose shut and blowing, by chewing or by swallowing to push more air into the middle air. However, a descent that is too rapid can overcome a diver's ability to equalize and result in severe pain and even injury to the middle ear.
Decompression Sickness
Decompression sickness (also called "the bends") is caused by increased underwater pressure causing the body's tissues to absorb more nitrogen. If that pressure is suddenly reduced, this extra nitrogen forms potentially harmful bubbles. Deep divers return to the surface in carefully monitored stages so as to control the rate at which this absorbed nitrogen is released. Depending on the amount of nitrogen absorbed and the rate at which it was released, a case of the bends can range from aching joints or a skin rash to paralysis and death.
Nitrogen Narcosis
Another nitrogen-related danger is the narcotic effect of all that extra nitrogen in the body. Anyone who has had nitrous-oxide gas at the dentist is already familiar with this effect. Nitrogen narcosis is a danger because it impairs judgment and sensory perception. As with the bends, the degree of nitrogen narcosis is related to how deep a diver goes and how much nitrogen they absorb.
Oxygen Toxicity
Oxygen toxicity is a usual problem that is encountered by deep divers who go below 135 feet. Like nitrogen, the body absorbs extra oxygen under increased underwater pressure as well. For most divers this is not a problem, but at extreme depths so much extra oxygen is absorbed that this life-giving gas becomes toxic. The effects range from tunnel vision and/or nausea to twitching to loss of consciousness and/or seizures.
Pulmonary Embolism
Another risk that a diver is facing is the pulmonary embolism. Those divers who rapidly ascend to the surface experience this. The increased pressure of the undersea environment results in the gas a diver breathes becoming denser, as more gas is crammed into the same space under pressure. The gas held in the lungs will expand at the same rate that the pressure on the body is reduced, so a rapid ascent can cause the lungs to swell and even pop like a balloon. Scuba divers guard against pulmonary embolism by making slow, controlled ascents to the surface and by never holding their breath.
Sea Life
Divers should always consider that each dive is equivalent of entering an untamed wilderness. While most sea creatures are not aggressive towards divers and attacks are extremely rare, incidents do happen and a diver cannot afford to forget that he is surrounded by wild animals. Divers should always treat sea life with great care and respect.
Defective Equipment
Many casual scuba divers do not own their own equipment, and are therefore reliant on renting equipment from the scuba diving operator who is conducting their dive trip. A broken depth gauge could lead to a mild case of decompression sickness, while a bad regulator might result in drowning. A diver should always carefully check rented scuba diving equipment, and never be shy about asking for a new piece of gear if they suspect something is wrong with what they have.
Barotrauma
Barotrauma is caused by the damage done by increased underwater pressure on the air pocket in the middle ear. Divers usually "equalize" during a dive by pinching their nose shut and blowing, by chewing or by swallowing to push more air into the middle air. However, a descent that is too rapid can overcome a diver's ability to equalize and result in severe pain and even injury to the middle ear.
Decompression Sickness
Decompression sickness (also called "the bends") is caused by increased underwater pressure causing the body's tissues to absorb more nitrogen. If that pressure is suddenly reduced, this extra nitrogen forms potentially harmful bubbles. Deep divers return to the surface in carefully monitored stages so as to control the rate at which this absorbed nitrogen is released. Depending on the amount of nitrogen absorbed and the rate at which it was released, a case of the bends can range from aching joints or a skin rash to paralysis and death.
Nitrogen Narcosis
Another nitrogen-related danger is the narcotic effect of all that extra nitrogen in the body. Anyone who has had nitrous-oxide gas at the dentist is already familiar with this effect. Nitrogen narcosis is a danger because it impairs judgment and sensory perception. As with the bends, the degree of nitrogen narcosis is related to how deep a diver goes and how much nitrogen they absorb.
Oxygen Toxicity
Oxygen toxicity is a usual problem that is encountered by deep divers who go below 135 feet. Like nitrogen, the body absorbs extra oxygen under increased underwater pressure as well. For most divers this is not a problem, but at extreme depths so much extra oxygen is absorbed that this life-giving gas becomes toxic. The effects range from tunnel vision and/or nausea to twitching to loss of consciousness and/or seizures.
Pulmonary Embolism
Another risk that a diver is facing is the pulmonary embolism. Those divers who rapidly ascend to the surface experience this. The increased pressure of the undersea environment results in the gas a diver breathes becoming denser, as more gas is crammed into the same space under pressure. The gas held in the lungs will expand at the same rate that the pressure on the body is reduced, so a rapid ascent can cause the lungs to swell and even pop like a balloon. Scuba divers guard against pulmonary embolism by making slow, controlled ascents to the surface and by never holding their breath.
Sea Life
Divers should always consider that each dive is equivalent of entering an untamed wilderness. While most sea creatures are not aggressive towards divers and attacks are extremely rare, incidents do happen and a diver cannot afford to forget that he is surrounded by wild animals. Divers should always treat sea life with great care and respect.
Defective Equipment
Many casual scuba divers do not own their own equipment, and are therefore reliant on renting equipment from the scuba diving operator who is conducting their dive trip. A broken depth gauge could lead to a mild case of decompression sickness, while a bad regulator might result in drowning. A diver should always carefully check rented scuba diving equipment, and never be shy about asking for a new piece of gear if they suspect something is wrong with what they have.
Kinds of diving
There are many types of diving you can choose to do, if you are qualified to do so. Some of course requires specialized training, while some don’t. One of the greatest things about diving is its variety, in terms of diving itself.
Cave diving
Cave diving is underwater diving in caves which are at least partially filled with water. The equipment used varies depending on the circumstances, and ranges from breath hold to surface supplied, but almost all cave diving is done using scuba equipment, often in specializedconformations. Generally speaking, cave diving is considered to be a type of technical diving due to the lack of a free surface during large parts of the dive, and often involves decompression. In the United Kingdom it is an extension of caving while in the United States, it is an extension of scuba diving. Compared to caving and scuba diving, there are comparatively few practitioners of cave diving. This is because of the specialized equipment and skill that are required, and also because of the high potential risks like sickness and drowning.
Drift diving
Drift diving is a variety of scuba diving wherein the diver is transported by the flows caused by the tide or in a river. The current gives the diver the impression of flying and enables the diver to cover extended distances underwater, possibly seeing more habitats and formations than the usual. Often drift diving is performed more for the experience of underwater adventure and less for interactions with underwater life.
Ice diving
Ice diving is a variety where the dive takes place under ice. Because diving under ice places the diver in an overhead environment typically with only a single entry/exit point, it is considered an innovative type of diving requiring special training. Ice divers are generally tied for safety, wherein the diver wears a special harness under the scuba unit. A line is secured to this harness, and the other end of the line is secured above the surface by one of a number of methods.
Night diving
Night diving is an underwater diving done during the hours of darkness. It frequently refers specifically to a diving that takes place in darkness. The diver can experience a different underwater environment at night, because many marine animals are nocturnal. There are additional hazards when diving in darkness, such as torch or flashlight failure. This can result in losing vertical visual references and being unable to control depth or buoyancy, being unable to read instruments such as dive computers and diving cylinder contents gauges, and potential separation from the rest of the diving group, boat, or shore cover. Even with a functioning torch, these hazards are still present in night diving. Backup lights are recommended here.
Snorkeling
Snorkeling (also spelled as “snorkeling”) is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, usually fins. A wetsuit may also be worn when snorkeling in cool water. Snorkeling is a popular recreational activity, particularly at tropical resorts and scuba diving locations. The primary charm is the opportunity to observe underwater life in a natural setting without the technical and complicated equipment and training that are required for other varieties in diving, specifically in scuba diving.
Technical diving
Technical diving (also called “Tec diving”) is one of the varieties of diving that exceeds the conventional limits – especially depth and bottom time – of recreational. Technical diving exposes the diver to significantly higher risks than recreational diving, including permanent illness and death, and therefore requires extensive experience, advanced training, and specialized equipment. Technical diving also often involves breathing gases other than air or standard nitrox.
Wall diving
This is done through diving along the face of a near vertical cliff wall, particularly if the bottom is below the range of the diver's equipment and certification. This requires good buoyancy control.
Wreck diving
Wreck diving is a type of recreational diving where shipwrecks are explored. Although most wreck dive sites are at shipwrecks, there is an increasing trend to scuttle retired ships to create artificial reef sites. Wreck diving can also pertain to diving to crashed aircraft.
Cave diving
Cave diving is underwater diving in caves which are at least partially filled with water. The equipment used varies depending on the circumstances, and ranges from breath hold to surface supplied, but almost all cave diving is done using scuba equipment, often in specializedconformations. Generally speaking, cave diving is considered to be a type of technical diving due to the lack of a free surface during large parts of the dive, and often involves decompression. In the United Kingdom it is an extension of caving while in the United States, it is an extension of scuba diving. Compared to caving and scuba diving, there are comparatively few practitioners of cave diving. This is because of the specialized equipment and skill that are required, and also because of the high potential risks like sickness and drowning.
Drift diving
Drift diving is a variety of scuba diving wherein the diver is transported by the flows caused by the tide or in a river. The current gives the diver the impression of flying and enables the diver to cover extended distances underwater, possibly seeing more habitats and formations than the usual. Often drift diving is performed more for the experience of underwater adventure and less for interactions with underwater life.
Ice diving
Ice diving is a variety where the dive takes place under ice. Because diving under ice places the diver in an overhead environment typically with only a single entry/exit point, it is considered an innovative type of diving requiring special training. Ice divers are generally tied for safety, wherein the diver wears a special harness under the scuba unit. A line is secured to this harness, and the other end of the line is secured above the surface by one of a number of methods.
Night diving
Night diving is an underwater diving done during the hours of darkness. It frequently refers specifically to a diving that takes place in darkness. The diver can experience a different underwater environment at night, because many marine animals are nocturnal. There are additional hazards when diving in darkness, such as torch or flashlight failure. This can result in losing vertical visual references and being unable to control depth or buoyancy, being unable to read instruments such as dive computers and diving cylinder contents gauges, and potential separation from the rest of the diving group, boat, or shore cover. Even with a functioning torch, these hazards are still present in night diving. Backup lights are recommended here.
Snorkeling
Snorkeling (also spelled as “snorkeling”) is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, usually fins. A wetsuit may also be worn when snorkeling in cool water. Snorkeling is a popular recreational activity, particularly at tropical resorts and scuba diving locations. The primary charm is the opportunity to observe underwater life in a natural setting without the technical and complicated equipment and training that are required for other varieties in diving, specifically in scuba diving.
Technical diving
Technical diving (also called “Tec diving”) is one of the varieties of diving that exceeds the conventional limits – especially depth and bottom time – of recreational. Technical diving exposes the diver to significantly higher risks than recreational diving, including permanent illness and death, and therefore requires extensive experience, advanced training, and specialized equipment. Technical diving also often involves breathing gases other than air or standard nitrox.
Wall diving
This is done through diving along the face of a near vertical cliff wall, particularly if the bottom is below the range of the diver's equipment and certification. This requires good buoyancy control.
Wreck diving
Wreck diving is a type of recreational diving where shipwrecks are explored. Although most wreck dive sites are at shipwrecks, there is an increasing trend to scuttle retired ships to create artificial reef sites. Wreck diving can also pertain to diving to crashed aircraft.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Some Best Dive Sites in the World
Check out the some dive sites worldwide. These best spots are known because of its beauty, fish life, visibility and overall dive experience.
1. SS Yongala Wreck
The SS Yongala Wreck might just be THE Best Wreck dive in the World! This 110m long steamer called the Yongala was sunk in 1911 near Townsville during a cyclone. It was only re-discovered in 1958 and is now the most famous dive site in Australia. It is home to an amazing array of marine life which includes barracudas, Giant Trevallies Turtles and Sea Snakes. You might even spot the rare Bull Shark and the mighty Tiger Shark.
2. Barracuda Point
Barracuda Point is the best dive site of the World Famous Sipadan Islands. Here, you could watch a huge shoal of thousands of Barracudas pass by underwater, making it a dream spot for underwater photography. Various reef Sharks and many pelagic fishes are also guarding the area. Hammerhead sharks are a possible encounter, too.
3. North Horn
North Horn is located on the Osprey Reef only reachable by Liveaboards. It is a natural underwater amphitheatre where you can spot plenty of Grey Reef Sharks, Silvertip Sharks and even some Hammerhead sharks! A feeding frenzy of sharks is an impressive thing to watch which will certainly get your adrenaline pumping.
4. Richelieu Rock
The World famous Richelieu Rock is located near the Surin Islands in Thailand. Regarded as one of the best spots to have a chance of spotting the gentle giant Whale Shark underwater, this spot has been described as a “Whale Shark magnet”! It is also an excellent place to spot huge pelagic fishes and for macro photography with a very intriguing critter life to discover.
5. USS Liberty Wreck
This fascinating huge wreck dive site is a 130m long armed cargo ship which was hit by a Japanese torpedo during World War 2 and then pushed back into the water in 1963 by a volcano eruption! It is a very easy dive but with a whole lot of things to see such as Garden Eels, a nice swim-through inside the wreck and big schools of fishes.
6. Cod Hole
Cod Hole is a very popular dive site of the Great Barrier Reef, much like North Horn. It is an easy reef dive where you can observe and also feed huge friendly Potato Groupers. There are also harmless Whitetip Reef Sharks and Napoleon fishes swimming about. The visibility is fantastic and the diving conditions are usually ideal making it a perfect place for underwater photography.
7. Navy Pier
This is a rather unusual dive site beneath an Australian Navy Pier in Exmouth in Western Australia. The conditions are not great here with poor visibility but the fish life is just astonishing with an incredible biodiversity in such a tiny place. Here you can see Nurse Sharks, the bizarre looking Wobbegong Shark and many strange small creatures such as Flat Worms, Nudibranchs, and Frog fishes. This makes it one of the best shore dives in the world and a real dream for any underwater macro photographer.
8. Crystal Bay
The spot itself at Crystal Bay is great but not amazing but what makes it so special is that this is THE place to spot the giant, strange looking, rare and mysterious Mola Mola Oceanic Sunfish… You also have good chances to spot these around Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan from August to October, too.
9. Batu Bolong
Batu Bolong has a huge underwater rock featuring amazing coral and a teeming reef life. In fact, there are so many fishes that you have to take care to not lose your dive buddy! All around, there are Giant Trevallies, Dogtooth Tuna and Barracudas patrolling the area, as well as huge Napoleon Wrasses and Whitetip Reef Sharks sleeping in the cracks. A truly beautiful dive site.
10. Elephant Head Rock
It is hard to decide which dive site is the best in the Similan Islands as they are all so amazing. However Elephant head Rock has something special with a very particular underwater topography with arches and swim-through worth to explore! In addition the fish life is really great with Leopard Sharks and Blacktip Reef Sharks swimming around. This is a must dive in any liveaboard trip to the Similan Islands.
1. SS Yongala Wreck
The SS Yongala Wreck might just be THE Best Wreck dive in the World! This 110m long steamer called the Yongala was sunk in 1911 near Townsville during a cyclone. It was only re-discovered in 1958 and is now the most famous dive site in Australia. It is home to an amazing array of marine life which includes barracudas, Giant Trevallies Turtles and Sea Snakes. You might even spot the rare Bull Shark and the mighty Tiger Shark.
2. Barracuda Point
Barracuda Point is the best dive site of the World Famous Sipadan Islands. Here, you could watch a huge shoal of thousands of Barracudas pass by underwater, making it a dream spot for underwater photography. Various reef Sharks and many pelagic fishes are also guarding the area. Hammerhead sharks are a possible encounter, too.
3. North Horn
North Horn is located on the Osprey Reef only reachable by Liveaboards. It is a natural underwater amphitheatre where you can spot plenty of Grey Reef Sharks, Silvertip Sharks and even some Hammerhead sharks! A feeding frenzy of sharks is an impressive thing to watch which will certainly get your adrenaline pumping.
4. Richelieu Rock
The World famous Richelieu Rock is located near the Surin Islands in Thailand. Regarded as one of the best spots to have a chance of spotting the gentle giant Whale Shark underwater, this spot has been described as a “Whale Shark magnet”! It is also an excellent place to spot huge pelagic fishes and for macro photography with a very intriguing critter life to discover.
5. USS Liberty Wreck
This fascinating huge wreck dive site is a 130m long armed cargo ship which was hit by a Japanese torpedo during World War 2 and then pushed back into the water in 1963 by a volcano eruption! It is a very easy dive but with a whole lot of things to see such as Garden Eels, a nice swim-through inside the wreck and big schools of fishes.
6. Cod Hole
Cod Hole is a very popular dive site of the Great Barrier Reef, much like North Horn. It is an easy reef dive where you can observe and also feed huge friendly Potato Groupers. There are also harmless Whitetip Reef Sharks and Napoleon fishes swimming about. The visibility is fantastic and the diving conditions are usually ideal making it a perfect place for underwater photography.
7. Navy Pier
This is a rather unusual dive site beneath an Australian Navy Pier in Exmouth in Western Australia. The conditions are not great here with poor visibility but the fish life is just astonishing with an incredible biodiversity in such a tiny place. Here you can see Nurse Sharks, the bizarre looking Wobbegong Shark and many strange small creatures such as Flat Worms, Nudibranchs, and Frog fishes. This makes it one of the best shore dives in the world and a real dream for any underwater macro photographer.
8. Crystal Bay
The spot itself at Crystal Bay is great but not amazing but what makes it so special is that this is THE place to spot the giant, strange looking, rare and mysterious Mola Mola Oceanic Sunfish… You also have good chances to spot these around Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan from August to October, too.
9. Batu Bolong
Batu Bolong has a huge underwater rock featuring amazing coral and a teeming reef life. In fact, there are so many fishes that you have to take care to not lose your dive buddy! All around, there are Giant Trevallies, Dogtooth Tuna and Barracudas patrolling the area, as well as huge Napoleon Wrasses and Whitetip Reef Sharks sleeping in the cracks. A truly beautiful dive site.
10. Elephant Head Rock
It is hard to decide which dive site is the best in the Similan Islands as they are all so amazing. However Elephant head Rock has something special with a very particular underwater topography with arches and swim-through worth to explore! In addition the fish life is really great with Leopard Sharks and Blacktip Reef Sharks swimming around. This is a must dive in any liveaboard trip to the Similan Islands.
Dive Spots in the Philippines
The Philippines is part of the "coral triangle", in which live 76% of the world's coral species, 6 of the world's 7 marine turtle species and at least 2,228 reef fish species. The central Philippines also has an especially high number of species which are discovered nowhere else in the world.
Since Philippines has many exceptional diving spots, many tourists and divers prefer to experience diving here in the Philippines rather than go diving in other parts of the world.
Diving in the Philippines is throughout the entire year, however, the best time is generally December to April. July to September is the monsoon season. The hottest months are April to June with temperatures of 32°C or above. The wind swings from North-East to South-West for June to September and this opens up few places that are not so accessible for diving in the drier months. Water temperatures are 27-31°C all the year round. Diving highlights include the World Heritage site of Tubbataha, thresher sharks at Malapascua and enormous pelagics at Panagatan.
The tropical storm Haiyan/Yolanda in the Philippines has badly damaged the Eastern Visayas. The provinces of Samar and Leyte were particularly affected. Popular tourist areas like Boracay and the southern parts of Cebu are mostly unaffected, but right after the typhoon, other tourists ought to check the local conditions before travelling.
However, despite the typhoon Yolanda, the affected areas in Eastern Visayas were able to cope with it and Eastern Visayas is now welcoming those visitors and divers again.
Since Philippines has many exceptional diving spots, many tourists and divers prefer to experience diving here in the Philippines rather than go diving in other parts of the world.
Diving in the Philippines is throughout the entire year, however, the best time is generally December to April. July to September is the monsoon season. The hottest months are April to June with temperatures of 32°C or above. The wind swings from North-East to South-West for June to September and this opens up few places that are not so accessible for diving in the drier months. Water temperatures are 27-31°C all the year round. Diving highlights include the World Heritage site of Tubbataha, thresher sharks at Malapascua and enormous pelagics at Panagatan.
The tropical storm Haiyan/Yolanda in the Philippines has badly damaged the Eastern Visayas. The provinces of Samar and Leyte were particularly affected. Popular tourist areas like Boracay and the southern parts of Cebu are mostly unaffected, but right after the typhoon, other tourists ought to check the local conditions before travelling.
However, despite the typhoon Yolanda, the affected areas in Eastern Visayas were able to cope with it and Eastern Visayas is now welcoming those visitors and divers again.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Diving - The Different Types
divespot.com.ph will give you much information about diving.
There are truly four 'small histories' in the interesting story of man's yearning to investigate underneath the ocean; they relate to four different routines for diving, of which scuba is however the most recent.
1. Breath-hold diving (free diving, skin diving). This earliest form of diving is still honed for both sport and commercial purposes. The breath-hold diver’s compressible air spaces are crushed by the expanded water weight all around the dive. Each one dive, restricted by the individual's tolerance for breath-hold and the danger of suffocating from hypoxia, is generally a moment or less.
2. Diving in a heavy-walled vessel. Heavy-walled vessels can maintain their internal atmosphere at or near sea level pressure, and so prevent the surrounding water pressure from affecting the occupants. Such vessels include: the bathysphere, an unpowered hollow steel ball lowered from the mother ship by steel cable: the bathyscaphe, a bathysphere with buoyancy control so that cable is not needed for descent and ascent: and the submarine, which can travel great distances in any direction under its own power. All one-atmosphere vessels require a system to both provide fresh air (usually by adding oxygen to the existing air) and get rid of exhaled carbon dioxide (with soda lime, lithium hydroxide, or a similar compound that takes up CO2). A modern extension of the one-atmosphere vessel is the self-contained armored diving suit, adaptable yet equipped to withstand weights at profundity: basically, the diver gets to be just about like a little submarine. With these one-environment suits a diver can work at a profundity of several hundred meters for hours.
3. Diving with compressed air supplied from the surface. The diver is separated from the supply of fresh air, which is kept on the surface. Air achieves the diver through a long umbilical, which in its easiest structure closes in a controller and mouthpiece conveyed by the diver. In more modern frameworks the umbilical leads into a dive suit or some bigger encased space holding the diver. Devices in this category include caissons (huge spaces supplied with compressed air, employed mainly for bridge and tunnel work), underwater habitats used for saturation diving, diving bells, and rigid-helmet diving suits. In all these devices, the diver breathes air at the same pressure as the surrounding water pressure, and so is at risk for decompression problems (bends, air embolism, etc.) if ascent is too fast. Special ‘high tech’ mixtures, such as hydrogen-oxygen, helium-oxygen, and helium-nitrogen-oxygen, are used to dive deeper than possible with compressed air.
4. Diving with compressed air or other gas mixture that is carried by the diver (scuba diving). There are two principle types of scuba: open and closed circuit. Open circuit vents all expired air into the water, and is the mode used in recreational diving. Closed circuit systems, in which exhaled air is re-breathed after carbon dioxide is absorbed and oxygen added, were widely used before open circuit became available, particularly by military divers who wished to avoid showing any air bubbles. Likewise with divers utilizing surface-supplied compacted air, scuba divers are at danger for decompression problems on the off chance that they climb without fitting decompression. Helium-oxygen and other mixtures can be used to go deeper than possible with compressed air.
There are truly four 'small histories' in the interesting story of man's yearning to investigate underneath the ocean; they relate to four different routines for diving, of which scuba is however the most recent.
1. Breath-hold diving (free diving, skin diving). This earliest form of diving is still honed for both sport and commercial purposes. The breath-hold diver’s compressible air spaces are crushed by the expanded water weight all around the dive. Each one dive, restricted by the individual's tolerance for breath-hold and the danger of suffocating from hypoxia, is generally a moment or less.
2. Diving in a heavy-walled vessel. Heavy-walled vessels can maintain their internal atmosphere at or near sea level pressure, and so prevent the surrounding water pressure from affecting the occupants. Such vessels include: the bathysphere, an unpowered hollow steel ball lowered from the mother ship by steel cable: the bathyscaphe, a bathysphere with buoyancy control so that cable is not needed for descent and ascent: and the submarine, which can travel great distances in any direction under its own power. All one-atmosphere vessels require a system to both provide fresh air (usually by adding oxygen to the existing air) and get rid of exhaled carbon dioxide (with soda lime, lithium hydroxide, or a similar compound that takes up CO2). A modern extension of the one-atmosphere vessel is the self-contained armored diving suit, adaptable yet equipped to withstand weights at profundity: basically, the diver gets to be just about like a little submarine. With these one-environment suits a diver can work at a profundity of several hundred meters for hours.
3. Diving with compressed air supplied from the surface. The diver is separated from the supply of fresh air, which is kept on the surface. Air achieves the diver through a long umbilical, which in its easiest structure closes in a controller and mouthpiece conveyed by the diver. In more modern frameworks the umbilical leads into a dive suit or some bigger encased space holding the diver. Devices in this category include caissons (huge spaces supplied with compressed air, employed mainly for bridge and tunnel work), underwater habitats used for saturation diving, diving bells, and rigid-helmet diving suits. In all these devices, the diver breathes air at the same pressure as the surrounding water pressure, and so is at risk for decompression problems (bends, air embolism, etc.) if ascent is too fast. Special ‘high tech’ mixtures, such as hydrogen-oxygen, helium-oxygen, and helium-nitrogen-oxygen, are used to dive deeper than possible with compressed air.
4. Diving with compressed air or other gas mixture that is carried by the diver (scuba diving). There are two principle types of scuba: open and closed circuit. Open circuit vents all expired air into the water, and is the mode used in recreational diving. Closed circuit systems, in which exhaled air is re-breathed after carbon dioxide is absorbed and oxygen added, were widely used before open circuit became available, particularly by military divers who wished to avoid showing any air bubbles. Likewise with divers utilizing surface-supplied compacted air, scuba divers are at danger for decompression problems on the off chance that they climb without fitting decompression. Helium-oxygen and other mixtures can be used to go deeper than possible with compressed air.
Diving - The Early History
Signing up on divespot.com.ph would make you up-to-date about diving world.
Individuals have had a devouring enthusiasm toward going underneath the ocean for a long time. Aged original copies hold portrayals of right on time divers. Extremely old stuff infers that individual bird for materials for adornments, for example, pearls. Greek writing alludes to right on time wipe divers. Herodotus (500 B.C.) recounts the story of Scyllis, a Greek mariner, who utilized a reed to inhale as he cut the mooring lines of Persian ships. This interest pushed people to develop ever-improving methods of staying underwater for longer periods of time and at ever increasing depths.
Men and women have practiced breath-hold diving for centuries. Indirect evidence originates from thousand-year-old undersea antiques found ashore (e.g., mother-of-pearl decorations), and portrayals of divers in aged drawings. In old Greece breath-hold divers are known to have chased for wipes and occupied with military adventures. Of the latter, the story of Scyllis (sometimes spelled Scyllias; about 500 BC) is perhaps the most famous. As told by the 5th century BC historian Herodotus (and quoted in numerous modern texts).
"During a naval campaign the Greek Scyllis was taken aboard ship as prisoner by the Persian King Xerxes I. When Scyllis learned that Xerxes was to attack a Greek flotilla, he seized a knife and jumped overboard. The Persians could not find him in the water and presumed he had drowned. Scyllis surfaced at night and made his way among all the ships in Xerxes's fleet, cutting each ship loose from its moorings; he used a hollow reed as snorkel to remain unobserved. Then he swam nine miles (15 kilometers) to rejoin the Greeks off Cape Artemisium."
The desire to go under water has likely constantly existed: to hunt for food, uncover artifacts, repair ships (or sink them!), and maybe simply to watch marine life. Until people figured out how to breathe under water, notwithstanding, each one dive was fundamentally short and frenzied.
How to stay under water longer? Breathing through an empty reed permitted the body to be submerged, however it must have gotten obvious immediately that reeds more than two ft long don't work well; trouble breathing in against water weight adequately breaking points snorkel length. Breathing from an air-filled bag brought under water was also tried, but it failed because of rebreathing of carbon dioxide.
In the sixteenth century, individuals started to utilize diving ringers supplied with air from the surface, presumably the first powerful method for staying submerged for any time allotment. The chime was held stationary a couple of ft from the surface, its bottom open to water and its top bit holding air packed by the water weight. A diver standing upright would have his head circulating everywhere. He could leave the ringer for a moment or two to gather wipes or investigate the bottom, then return for a short while until air in the chime was no more breathable.
In sixteenth century England and France, full diving suits made of leather were utilized to profundities of 60 ft. Air was pumped down from the surface with the help of manual pumps. Before long caps were made of metal to withstand much more stupendous water weight and divers went deeper. By the 1830s the surface-supplied air cap was idealized fine to permit far reaching rescue work.
Beginning in the nineteenth century, two primary avenues of investigation - one scientific, the other technologic - enormously quickened underwater exploration. Scientific research was propelled by the work of Paul Bert and John Scott Haldane, from France and Scotland, separately. Their studies helped clarify impacts of water weight on the body, and likewise characterize safe cutoff points for layered air diving. In the meantime, enhancements in technology - layered pneumatic machines, carbon dioxide scrubbers, controllers, and so on., made it feasible for individuals to stay under water for long periods.
Individuals have had a devouring enthusiasm toward going underneath the ocean for a long time. Aged original copies hold portrayals of right on time divers. Extremely old stuff infers that individual bird for materials for adornments, for example, pearls. Greek writing alludes to right on time wipe divers. Herodotus (500 B.C.) recounts the story of Scyllis, a Greek mariner, who utilized a reed to inhale as he cut the mooring lines of Persian ships. This interest pushed people to develop ever-improving methods of staying underwater for longer periods of time and at ever increasing depths.
Men and women have practiced breath-hold diving for centuries. Indirect evidence originates from thousand-year-old undersea antiques found ashore (e.g., mother-of-pearl decorations), and portrayals of divers in aged drawings. In old Greece breath-hold divers are known to have chased for wipes and occupied with military adventures. Of the latter, the story of Scyllis (sometimes spelled Scyllias; about 500 BC) is perhaps the most famous. As told by the 5th century BC historian Herodotus (and quoted in numerous modern texts).
"During a naval campaign the Greek Scyllis was taken aboard ship as prisoner by the Persian King Xerxes I. When Scyllis learned that Xerxes was to attack a Greek flotilla, he seized a knife and jumped overboard. The Persians could not find him in the water and presumed he had drowned. Scyllis surfaced at night and made his way among all the ships in Xerxes's fleet, cutting each ship loose from its moorings; he used a hollow reed as snorkel to remain unobserved. Then he swam nine miles (15 kilometers) to rejoin the Greeks off Cape Artemisium."
The desire to go under water has likely constantly existed: to hunt for food, uncover artifacts, repair ships (or sink them!), and maybe simply to watch marine life. Until people figured out how to breathe under water, notwithstanding, each one dive was fundamentally short and frenzied.
How to stay under water longer? Breathing through an empty reed permitted the body to be submerged, however it must have gotten obvious immediately that reeds more than two ft long don't work well; trouble breathing in against water weight adequately breaking points snorkel length. Breathing from an air-filled bag brought under water was also tried, but it failed because of rebreathing of carbon dioxide.
In the sixteenth century, individuals started to utilize diving ringers supplied with air from the surface, presumably the first powerful method for staying submerged for any time allotment. The chime was held stationary a couple of ft from the surface, its bottom open to water and its top bit holding air packed by the water weight. A diver standing upright would have his head circulating everywhere. He could leave the ringer for a moment or two to gather wipes or investigate the bottom, then return for a short while until air in the chime was no more breathable.
In sixteenth century England and France, full diving suits made of leather were utilized to profundities of 60 ft. Air was pumped down from the surface with the help of manual pumps. Before long caps were made of metal to withstand much more stupendous water weight and divers went deeper. By the 1830s the surface-supplied air cap was idealized fine to permit far reaching rescue work.
Beginning in the nineteenth century, two primary avenues of investigation - one scientific, the other technologic - enormously quickened underwater exploration. Scientific research was propelled by the work of Paul Bert and John Scott Haldane, from France and Scotland, separately. Their studies helped clarify impacts of water weight on the body, and likewise characterize safe cutoff points for layered air diving. In the meantime, enhancements in technology - layered pneumatic machines, carbon dioxide scrubbers, controllers, and so on., made it feasible for individuals to stay under water for long periods.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
5 Longest Free Dives of All Time
Divespot would like to share this article about some well-known people behind free diving.
As far as extreme sports go, free diving is among the most challenging. Divers push the limits of human evolution by descending hundreds of meters below the surface, fighting massive levels of water pressure and minutes without oxygen. Patrick Musimu, a leading figure and eventual victim of free diving, rejected the term “extreme sport,” and calling it an adventure.
The 50 meter mark was first breached in 1962 by Enzo Maiorca; his rival Jacques Mayol hit 100 meters 14 years later. As the sport developed and gained popularity, divers began incorporating fins, weights, inflatable balloons and diving sleds, going ever deeper. In 1992, the International Association for the Development of Apnea (AIDA) was established to set global standards and verify free diving records.
In no limit free diving, the diver uses a weight sled to descend to a predetermined depth, at which point he or she activates an inflatable balloon to return to the surface. If this seems like cheating, think about the fact that to descend to the current deepest mark of 214 meters, Herbert Nitsch went 4 minutes, 24 seconds without taking a breath. This is not a sport for those who have weak heart, or lungs. In the last decade, free diving has reached new depths, but the risks involved have become more manifest than ever.
These five amazing divers all set world records, but not every diver made it back to the surface.
5. Francisco “Pipin” Ferreras, 162m, January 2000
The Cuban Ferreras began free diving in the 1980s. His rivalry with Italian diver Umberto Pelizzari pushed each to set a series of world records, but Ferreras came out on top, hitting 162 meters in 2000, which was 12 meters deeper than Pelizzari ever reached.
4. Audrey Mestre, 171m, October 2002
Audrey Mestre married Pipin Ferreras in 1999, and the couple became the most famous in the free diving world. In 2002, Mestre attempted to break the record for both genders (the women’s record today stands at 160 meters) by diving to 171 meters. The dive ended in tragedy when Metre’s balloon failed to inflate properly; she had gone more than eight minutes without oxygen before she was brought to the surface. Much of the blame for Mestre’s death fell on Ferreras, who was accused of pushing her too far and not taking proper precautions. The failed dive was acknowledged as the world record in honor of Mestre.
3. Herbert Nitsch, 172m, October 2005
Almost exactly three years after Mestre’s deadly dive, Herbert Nitsch surpassed her record by safely diving to 172 meters. It was his first no limit record dive (he had already set 14 different records in other diving disciplines), but not his last.
2. Patrick Musimu, 209.6m, June 2005
At 200 meters below the ocean’s surface, there are no plants; sunlight cannot penetrate that far. Belgian diver Patrick Musimu was the first to break that boundary. Musimu viewed free diving as an act of meditation rather than competition. Musimu’s 209.6 meter dive was never an official record; he refused to have anyone verify the accomplishment. But it was widely acknowledged in the free diving world as the best ever. Musimu died in July while training alone in his pool.
1. Herbert Nitsch, 214m, June 2007
A part time pilot, Nitsch cemented his status as the Deepest Man on Earth in 2007 with a new world record. No one has yet surpassed 214 meters, but there is no doubt that daring souls will continue to descend into the depths of the ocean, and the record won’t stand for long. For an idea of what that will take, watch Nitsch set the current record.
The Deepest Dive Ever
There are some places on earth where the human body will fail to go. 1,000 feet below sea level is one of those places. However, a South African deep diver, Nuno Gomes, did not mind those limits. In 2005, Gomes set the official record of deepest Scuba dive ever.
That is still today’s record. He descended 1,044 feet into the depths of the Red sea, and is hesitantly, making it to the surface alive.
For context, at depths of 100 feet, symptoms of nitrogen narcosis begin, with the toxic gas bubbling into a diver’s tissues and brain, causing motor coordination problems and symptoms of drunkenness.
At 165 feet, hallucinations and feelings of terror can kick in. At 230 feet, a diver can brown out, his body might probably fail. And at 300 feet, unconsciousness and death can occur.
With the help of helium gas mix called Trimix, and a lifetime of experience and training his body to function to the place where most bodies fail, Gomes completed his record dive yielding to only mild decompression sickness. Nobody has gone deeper on a self contained breathing apparatus since Gomes got the record.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)