Dispelling the Myths Surrounding Why You Shouldn't Scuba Dive

Reprinted from Enzine Articles c/o Mike S Shea

I have been a scuba diver for almost 20 years and a scuba instructor for more than 5 years. Still, it shocks me to hear some of the myths on why people don't want to dive. Some of the most common myths include: scuba diving is too hard; there is nowhere around here to go diving; scuba equipment costs too much; or my favorite is that scuba diving is too extreme or dangerous.

Let's start with the last one, scuba diving is too extreme for the common person or that it is dangerous. First, we have to understand that being human has inherent risks that we can't control (As a current commercial says, "It could be other humans"). Yes, scuba diving does have some inherent risks to it. If you are properly trained and follow safety protocols that almost every certifying agency (i.e. PADI, NAUI, SSI) prescribes to, your chances of injury is dramatically reduced. We still believe that your instructor is the main influencer to your future safety. IF they are poor, most likely your experience is going to be poor too (please note, if you had a poor experience with an instructor, don't give up diving, find a different professional to dive with).

As for being an extreme sport, I haven't seen scuba diving sponsored by Mountain Dew or advertised on the X Games, so it can't be that extreme! Humor aside, the reason diving received the rap about being an extreme sport was because original scuba equipment did not promote the feeling of being comfortable and confident in the water. I know this because I started out diving with much of this equipment. Looking back on it, if I was to choose diving over another activity, I would have stayed with the other activities. Those days being long in the rearview mirror, scuba equipment has lent itself to you being safer in the water, more comfortable in the water and thus more confident in the water. Properly configured equipment will do wonders on your abilities. That scuba equipment takes the extreme nature out of scuba diving.

So is the cost or your scuba equipment too much? Remember what I just said, proper equipment does wonders on your abilities to dive with confidence and comfort. With that being said, if you're looking to completely outfit yourself, a complete scuba equipment kit; it could cost anywhere from $500 to holy garbanzo beans! Scuba equipment should be looked at as lifesaving equipment, so cheap is not always the answer here. What you plan on doing with your diving adventures is what you should be basing your buying decisions on. Your locations of diving are going to influence more of what you should buy then just cost. This is where you need to trust a professional to help guide you along in your buying process. They should have the knowledge and be willing to listen to you about what you are looking to do with your diving, then help you make the correct decisions on equipment.

Remember, you don't have to purchase everything at once. You can purchase items here and there as money becomes available. Otherwise, you are going to be renting the required equipment until you get to the point of purchasing. No matter where you live, you are probably going to find a dive shop to help you make those decisions.

So if there are scuba dive shops almost anywhere, does that mean you can go diving almost anywhere? Why yes you can. I will let you in on a little known fact: the founders of PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) were originally from the Chicago area. If they could figure out a way to go diving there, you can probably go scuba diving where you are too. You don't have to live within an hour of the Florida Keys, or the Gulf of Mexico. Or, you don't have to live within an hour of the Catalina Islands in California. While those places do lend themselves to the diving lifestyle, you can dive in the Great Lakes or even those lakes near your house. There are quarries scattered all across the country that dive shops use to certify people. Along with that, there are multiple lakes that lend themselves to scuba diving too. I live in the Midwest, outside of Chicago, in Northwest Indiana. Weather permitting, I can be diving on shipwrecks within about an hour or two of my house.

So if you want to find out where the locals dive, go to the dive shop and find out where they dive. More chances than not, it is within the local area. If they really want you to dive, then they are going to offer trips to go to other places to scuba dive. Doesn't that sound easy enough?

So we have not talked yet about scuba diving being too hard. Reference the conversation earlier about equipment and perception. Diving has gotten easier. With any certifying agency, we are asking what your current state of health is. If there is a question, then we have a doctor give the thumbs up on your ability to dive. If they clear you, then we are good to have fun and start exploring. There is a physical aspect to diving, No doubt about that. I try to reduce that stress as much as possible. On the flip side, there is also a mental aspect to scuba diving. More people get hung up on the mental side more than the physical side.

Face it, when you step into the water, put the regulator in your mouth and slide below the waves, you take a step backwards in the evolutionary chain. Once you relax and realize that you have a full tank of air, everything becomes easier. We are going to have you do skills in the water to overcome common issues. While you might not like the skills, if you follow what the instructor is teaching then that too becomes easier and more relaxing.

So the scuba equipment manufacturers have created equipment that makes us feel more comfortable and confident in the water. Proper instruction helps you to understand common issues that can happen underwater and gives you techniques to correct those issues. Your instructor is there to also remove many of the physical strains that will happen during scuba diving. So how can this be too hard? Again, scuba diving suffers from a perception of what it used to be like, and not what it is today.

From someone that has been scuba diving for years, we start to see that scuba diving, with the right instructors is not too hard. They will show us many places to go scuba diving and really it doesn't cost all that much for our safety and comfort. Since we don't see Mountain Dew advertising scuba diving, it really can't be all that extreme. Scuba diving should be looked at as a relaxing and enjoyable sport that almost everyone can enjoy.

Kathy Dowsett
www.kirkscubagear.com



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8285092

Making the Most of Your Day on a Dive Boat

Arrive at the boat well before departure time. If the crew says it’s okay to board, climb on and take advantage of your punctuality for an unhurried look around. Check out the boat’s layout, find a good spot for your gear that’s out of the way or close to the gate or that offers protection from the sun.

- If you don’t need it, leave it in your dive locker. On a busy dive boat there’s not much space allotted for each diver, so bring only what you’re going to need for the morning or afternoon dives. That way you can stow all your gear at your dive station without it overflowing into your neighbor’s space. If you can’t carry everything in one trip, you’ve probably got too much.

- As soon as possible, assemble you reg and BC on your tank and give them a quick test to make sure the tank is full and all systems are go. That way, if you got a short fill or if a gear failure occurs you still have a hope of getting a replacement. Also, do a final inventory check to make sure you have everything you need for your dives, like both fins, your mask, maybe a trusty pocket light for checking out the holes in the reefs, and, if the boat requires it, a safety signal tube.

- Don’t be shy about asking questions. All dive boats have their own rules and routines, so if you’re unsure about how to secure your tank, where to stow your weights, or which bucket is for mask rinsing and which is for cameras, simply ask. A good crew will always choose answering easy questions up front over scrambling to catch a tank that’s about to topple over or tripping on an errant dive bag. Knowing the proper boat procedures makes life easier for everybody.

- When you arrive at the dive site, resist the temptation to start obsessing on your gear and instead pay close attention to the pre-dive briefing. This is when you’ll learn about bottom contours, prevailing currents, depths and compass directions. Having this info tucked in your head before the dive will make all the difference in your comfort level and confidence during the dive, plus it can avoid having to be retrieved by the dive guide when you get lost, which is always embarrassing.

- Don’t forget to bring some cash for tips. A top-notch boat crew and dive guide who have both skills and sunny attitudes are instrumental in delivering to you a really enjoyable day in the water. Show your appreciation; they’ve definitely earned it.

From Sport Diver

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

Salt Water Aspiration and Scuba Diving

Thanks Natalie Gibb

As a scuba instructor, I tend to err on the side of over-caution. The dive equipment set-up and revision which I teach my students is very meticulous, and I insist that they perform these checks on every dive. One piece of equipment that I see many divers (and scuba instructors) overlook during their equipment set-up and inspection is the regulator mouthpiece. A mouthpiece's bite tabs may wear down or break off after many uses. Mouthpieces also tend to develop holes where the plastic tie-wrap holds them in to the regulator second stage. This is dangerous! Any mouthpiece developing holes must be replaced before diving. Holes in the mouthpiece can lead to salt water aspiration - a little-recognized syndrome that divers should know about.


Accidents happen. I observed an incidence of salt water aspiration (thankfully not on my dive!) at the beginning of my dive career. A diver ran low on air at the safety stop, and the instructor handed the diver his alternate air source regulator to allow the diver to breathe from his tank. All appeared well when the two surfaced and boarded the dive boat. The instructor had just launched into a lecture about the importance of carefully monitoring one's air supply underwater when the diver began to have difficulty breathing. He coughed, gasped for air, and felt weak. Suspecting decompression sickness, the instructor administered oxygen to the diver. When the boat reached the dock, and ambulance rushed the diver to the hyperbaric chamber.

The diver was not bent. He had inhaled a fine mist of salt water through a hole in the mouthpiece of the instructor's alternate air source regulator. The droplets of salt water were so fine that the diver didn't notice that he was inhaling anything other than air. When the dive gear was inspected, the hole discovered was so small that it was not visible unless the mouthpiece was pulled on and twisted. The diver, stressed from the low air situation, had pulled the hole open by looking around during the safety stop, and inhaled enough vaporized salt water to cause salt water aspiration syndrome. After treatment, the diver recovered and was perfectly fine.

What Is Salt Water Aspiration?:


Salt water aspiration may occur when a diver inhales tiny droplets of salt water due to an equipment malfunction or poor diving technique. Salt water aspiration may also occur in near drownings, or in any other scenario in which salt water is inhaled.

Salt water does all sorts of nasty things to a diver's lungs. One of the effects of inhaled salt water (without getting too technical) is that the high saltiness of the salt water in comparison to the relatively lower saltiness of the fluid in a diver's lung and body tissues causes body fluids to move through the walls of the divers' lungs (specifically the alveoli) and into his breathing spaces, making breathing difficult, if not impossible.

Symptoms of Salt Water Aspiration:


Salt water aspiration may be difficult to diagnose, because it mimics many of the symptoms of decompression illness. Some divers may have severe reactions to salt water aspiration (such as those with a history of asthma or hay fever) while others may have a much milder reaction. Symptoms are usually delayed from one to fifteen hours and may include the following:

difficulty breathing and chest pain
a cough that produces phlegm
flu-like symptoms including body aches, exhaustion, fever, nausea and headache
pale skin
shivering


What Is the Treatment for Salt Water Aspiration:

Most cases of salt water aspiration are mild, go undiagnosed, and resolve within a few hours. If a diver feels sick enough to suspect salt water aspiration, he should seek immediate emergency medical care. The symptoms of salt water aspiration mimic those of decompression sickness, and decompression sickness must be ruled out before salt water aspiration is diagnosed. Some of the treatments include administration of oxygen, rest, and administration of bronchial dilators. Treatment may also be required for infections caused by bacteria in the inhaled salt water. With treatment, even severe cases of salt water aspiration have a high chance of resolution.

How to Avoid Salt Water Aspiration When Scuba Diving:


Correct gear maintenance and diving procedures should prevent most cases of salt water aspiration. Check to make sure that your regulator mouthpieces have no holes. Be sure to stretch and pull the mouthpieces to ensure there are no hidden holes and check carefully around the margin of the mouthpiece where the tie-wrap holds it in place. Do this to both your primary and alternate air source.

More tips for safer diving:

• Why You Should Never Use the "Up" Button
• 8 Tips for Being a Safer, Better Buddy
• What Are No-Decompression Limits and Why Are They Important?

Check to make sure that the regulator's exhaust valves seal properly before diving. With the first stage dust cap in place, place the regulator in your mouth and inhale. If any air leaks in, the exhaust valve is not sealing properly, and will breathe "wet" when diving. Any regulator that leaks through the exhaust valve or breathes wet underwater requires maintenance.

Follow diving protocols that minimize the chance of water entering your mouth. Seal your lips well around the regulator mouthpiece, and be certain to block water from entering your mouth when using the regulator purge button. Exhale, or block the opening of the mouthpiece with your tongue when pushing the purge. Avoid removing the regulator underwater whenever possible, and refrain from flipping upside down or into unusual positions when diving. Most regulators will breathe a little wet when inverted.

The Take Home Message About Salt Water Aspiration and Scuba Diving:

Salt water aspiration is fairly uncommon in scuba divers, but it does occur. The condition may be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms mimic those of decompression illness. With this in mind, be sure to check your gear carefully before a dive (especially rental regulator mouthpieces), and follow procedures to prevent salt water from entering your regulator second stage.


Thanks to Natalie and About.com

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

Do You Practice Your Scuba Diver's Skills To Keep Them Sharp?

No law requires that scuba divers become skillful at the sport of diving.

Once a diver gets that basic level open water certification nothing says you need any further training for the rest of your life.

No professional dive operation will fill your scuba tank without seeing your certification card. At the same time no dive operation expects to see certification levels beyond the first training stage of scuba.

So why should you bother to get more training, or worry about getting better at your scuba skills, once you have that basic open water certification card? After all, your basic card is good for life. It shows everyone who's interested that you are a certified scuba diver.

That card doesn't make you a skilled scuba diver though.

If you don't practice your observation skills you risk losing sight of your dive buddy. You won't know, and can't help, if that buddy gets into trouble during the dive.

And you can't get help from a buddy that's out of sight, and unable to see when you get into trouble yourself.

I know of one diver whose octopus hose tangled under a training platform as she carved a pumpkin one time. She had no idea of the entrapment. Fortunately a pair of divers happened along, noticed her entangled hose, and set it free. She finished carving her pumpkin, and returned safely to the dock.

Without help, and low on air after carving a pumpkin, she faced a potential life-threatening situation.

If you don't practice your breathing techniques you enjoy the underwater world a lot less. You run out of air so fast that you barely get to diving depth before you must return to the surface, and end your dive.

Here again is a situation that not only negatively affects your diving fun, but also destroys the pleasure, and disappoints, other scuba divers. When you burn through your air like a space shuttle sucking rocket fuel you force your buddy to quit the dive early too. Safety demands that your buddy return to the surface when you do.

Ever experience a short dive because you or your dive buddy ran out of air too fast? How did you feel when your buddy signaled a low air condition, after 20 or so minutes into the dive? How did you feel when you saw the look on your buddy's face after you made him quit diving 30-minutes earlier than he expected?

When you fail to sharpen your skill of buoyancy control you risk destroying the underwater pleasure of all scuba divers.

Poor buoyancy control causes you to bounce all over the place during your dive. That takes away from your buddy when he must keep an eye on you in case of a sudden dangerous ascent. If your buddy is a conscientious diver he also must watch to make sure you don't slam into the reef during uncontrolled plunges.

And of course every time you do plunge into the reef you kill coral. That means it won't be there for future scuba divers to study.

Scuba training courses above the basic open water level give you more information, and help you improve your diving skills by showing you how to practice for improvement. Your basic course is merely a door that opens the way to learning this underwater sport.

Don't just step through that door, and decide you've completed your training. Do us all a favor, including yourself, and keep learning your scuba diver's skills. And practice them to keep yourself at expert skill level.


Joe Jackson is a PADI certified dive master who just enjoys being wet. His eBook, "How To Save Air While Scuba Diving" offers methods for conserving scuba air. Get details at: Sip Your Air.



Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com