Diver Panic
October 25, 2008 by mj · Leave a Comment
What is the most serious condition a diver can experience underwater?
DCS (bends), narcosis...?
It's probably panic, for the simply reason that once a diver starts to panic he/she looses all rational thought processes. In most cases the irrational thinking renders the diver giving self-help almost impossible. The diver is not able to 'think there way out of a problem'; below is an example:
You are diving a famous wreck in local waters, the depth of the wreck is at 40m and the visibility is around 10m. The pre-dive excitement and anticipation are high as you enter the water, once you and your buddy reach the wreck you are overwhelmed by its size... You both spend the next few minutes swimming around the wreck until suddenly you look around and can't see your buddy. Then your dive computer starts to beep as you run out of bottom time, you realize your some distance from the ascent line; so you make a made swim for it. In your haste to get to the ascent line, you don't see the mass of fishing line and it gets entangled around one of your feet/fins. The more you struggle the more you get entangled, with no one to help, you start to panic. No bottom time, limited air supply (at that depth on a single tank)...
It's easy to say, but not so easy to practice; BUT if you stop for just a few seconds try to calm yourself before you hit the panic stage. You can think about your predicament more logically... Relax and slow your breathing (to conserve your air and reduce CO2 build-up), which will make you feel more relaxed and less stressed. Look down identify the problem, maybe removing your fin will make it easier to untangle! If you have a knife or EMT shear (which are highly recommended), take them out and start cutting.
Even if you exceed your bottom time by a minute or two, your diving computer will still prompt you as to what to do (safety stop, ceiling etc); and obviously in this kind of situation it would be advisable to stop diving for a 24hr period if your no decompression limits are been exceeded.
A simple trip to break the circle of panic in a diver is to get them to perform a very simple task for themselves. This shows them that they are in control, and help clam and reduce the level of panic.
By James Costello, SDI Intructor Trainer #13056; visit my website Dolphin Dive Adventures & Services for more information about scuba diving.
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Scuba Diving Gear - Your Life Depends on It
July 13, 2008 by mj · Leave a Comment
By Sonny Castro
Scuba diving gear is life-support equipment, and like most adventure sports, to fully outfit presently costs a couple of thousand dollars. This gear is what makes scuba diving possible.The gear is necessary for a diver to breath underwater. It's fairly simple, but it is also very essential. This gear is as personal as the clothes one wears. Usually it's an assortment of equipment that includes a supply of compressed gas from a tank with regulated pressure. It is, however, essential for a fun and safe diving experience.
Scuba diving is clearly one of the most exciting hobbies to take. Enthusiasts find Bermuda particularly interesting, because there are many wreckage and coral reefs to explore.The diving gear permits the divers to stay underwater for long periods of time.This is a sport that is definitely not cheap, however choosing the best gear suitable for you and your dives can save you a whole lot of money from not repurchasing the same gear because it wore out. Scuba tanks are the most important piece of scuba diving gear as it provides oxygen that allows you stay in the water for an extended period time.These tanks are usually available for rent at any scuba diving resort.Another crucial piece of gear is a regulator that allows you to breathe underwater. A Mask or goggles allows you to experience the true wonders of the undersea world, so make sure you get the right scuba mask. The snorkel is used alternately with the regulator and is a secondary breathing system. Scuba fins help your feet move freely underwater and they give you more speed when you paddle.
Diving is a great sport though once you start buying your own gear it does get expensive, but it is well worth it as when you dive in a great location it's just like being in another world. Diving closer to home often takes less preparation as you already know the rules of the area as well as what is available. This can be dangerous and it may, for example, be necessary for one diver to surface for help while another stays with the third. This sport is all about comfort and safety.You may want to have your own BC, the fit of your own wetsuit, the readout on your computer and so forth; the more comfortable you are, the better the dive you are likely to have. Although diving knives are made from stainless steel, they will still rust.
Diving equipment is extremely costly, so don't make the investment unless you are serious about pursuing the sport.
Scuba diving gear is expensive and its use requires training and certification. The most famous of all parts of the gear is the scuba tank. Remember that this gear is great, as long as it is being used, but not so great when it is collecting dust. Used gear is that gear which has been used previously by another scuba diver or scuba divers. Be careful, acquiring good quality scuba diving gear is crucial as the sport does have inherent risks. Good diving gear is essential to safely swimming underwater.
Sonny Castro is an online marketer and entrepreneur who specializes in online niche products. His newest website, the insanely popular Scuba Diving Facts, Sites, Trips, Equipment and Games Website, is now available. For more information, please go to: http://www.scubajoesclub.com/
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The Importance of Dive Insurance
July 2, 2008 by Shannon · Leave a Comment
So, you have finally made it. You mastered your Open Water SCUBA skills and finally received your C-card. Congrats! Welcome to the new and exciting world of SCUBA diving! Now, before you begin looking for that world class vacation, there's one other important thing to consider. You don't want to forget (or ignore) the purchase of dive insurance.
Diving is one of the most exhilarating ways to spend a vacation. As your Open Water textbooks explained, however, there are many inherent risks involved with the sport. Although the risk is generally very low if you follow all the rules for bottom times, ascent rates, safety stops, etc., things can still happen. Even if you follow all the rules to a "T", no one, even in the best of condition, can be completely guaranteed against the bends or any other accident.
Also, as we've been witnessing more and more lately, mother nature can rear her ugly head at very unexpected times. What if a big wave sweeps all your gear into the deep dark depths of the ocean? Dive equipment is far from cheap. Without an insurance policy which covers such things, it might not be so easy for the average person to go out and purchase another complete set of gear. You might think your items were covered by your home insurance, but this is rarely the case. The safest bet is to purchase a specific policy which caters to the diver's need. There are many choices when it comes to purchasing dive insurance. Which one you should choose depends on a variety of factors.First, you should check with your own primary insurance company to investigate your coverage in the event of a dive related accident. In particular, inquire as to what coverage is provided for hyperbaric treatment and emergency air evacuation in case of decompression illness. An uninsured ride to the chamber can cost you $10,000-$20,000. The hyperbaric treatments are thousands more than that. Equipment losses are another consideration. After you're familiar with what you already have, then comb through the benefits provided by the various insurance companies that have policies specifically for divers.
There are many companies which offer this type of insurance. Some of the biggest are Diver's Alert Network (DAN), Dive Assure, and Dive Safe, to name just a few. Each of these has its own caveats, so you must look through the policies thoroughly. Some are primary insurances, while others are secondary. Some have depth limit or technical diver restrictions. Some cover you at home, while others cover you after you've left the country. Some offer trip cancellation insurance in case of illness or inclement weather. In addition to providing insurance, DAN is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to research, and the wellness of divers. They provide a 24 hour hotline, staffed by medical personnel who are able to answer your dive related medical questions, in both emergency or non emergency situations. All are important considerations as you make your decision.The most important thing, though, is to make the decision. Getting caught abroad in a medical situation is scary enough. Getting caught without the appropriate insurance could be a life altering event. The financial ramifications could last long beyond the physical ones.
Are you a new or seasoned Scuba Diver looking for great deals on Scuba Equipment? Check out our Scuba Auction Store to find the lowest prices on Scuba Equipment.
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Scuba Diving Safety and the Importance of a Diving Buddy
June 16, 2008 by mj · Leave a Comment
Scuba diving has always been a "buddy-sport," an activity that you did with at least two people. You learned how to dive together, and help each other, should the need arise. Lately, some divers move first to technical diving and then to solo-diving. There are now even books and official courses promoting solo-diving on the market.
Solo-diving as an alternative to buddy-diving does not make a lot of sense. It is another way to promote diving, to make some extra money, that may be interesting for the marketing department of some scuba diving organizations, but it is a dangerous development. The main danger lies in the fact that most players in the scuba diving industry have the tendency to copy one another, when there is money to be made.
Scuba diving has always been a "buddy-sport" for a reason. For some people solo-diving may be more attractive, considering the freedom you have when solo-diving. But there is a price to pay, and this price is a higher risk of having accidents. Every scuba diving safety organization can confirm that solo-diving is a higher risk activity than buddy-diving.
One reason for this is the buddy-check. When you perform a good buddy-check your equipment receives a double-check before the dive: once by you, when you build it up, and once by your buddy, who does a systematic check of your diving equipment. This means that the chance that you enter the water with faulty equipment is much smaller.
But it does not stop there. During the dive your buddy can help you, when you become entangled, or when you have an equipment problem. And in extreme cases, like when you have a heart attack or a deep water blackout, your buddy can bring you to the surface. When you have these extreme problems when you dive on your own, it means that this dive was your last dive.
You not only need a buddy in these extreme cases. It is good to have someone who reminds you about the time and depth limits of the dive, or who asks you if you still have enough air. A buddy who can point you in the right direction when you are lost underwater. Or tow you during a long surface swim, when you are very tired.
These examples show that it is safer to dive with a buddy than without a buddy. It does not matter whether you have double equipment, like double dive-computers, or double knives. They do not replace a good buddy, who cares about you and is willing and able to help you should the need arise.
It may be a personal preference whether you dive solo or with a buddy, but the accident statistics do not lie: buddy-diving is safer than solo-diving. So when you adhere to the principle "safety first," you always dive with a buddy. For most people this is not just safer, but more fun too.
Thijs Hottenhuis,
Scuba Diving Instructor, Web-writer and Webmaster of:
"The Online Encyclopedia Of Scuba Diving Safety."
http://www.scuba-diving-links.com
"The Biggest and most Up-To-Date Scuba Diving Links Directory on the Internet."
If you love scuba diving, you will love these two websites!
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Scuba Diving Safety and the Myth That Anybody Can Dive
June 16, 2008 by mj · Leave a Comment
Scuba diving used to be an activity that attracted adventurous people, who were very comfortable in the water, fit and healthy snorkelers and swimmers. Lately it has become a mainstream activity, that is advertised as something that anybody can pursue. The result of this marketing effort is that you can expect anybody to sign up for a diving course, regardless of their medical fitness, physical fitness or comfort level in the water.
This view of scuba diving as an activity for everyone is clearly a myth. You need to be medical fit to be a diver. One third of all diving accidents involve people who are medically unfit to dive. They should not be diving in the first place, and if they had a realistic view of how healthy and fit you need to be for diving, they probably would not have started to dive.
A good basic fitness level is just as important. When a dive goes as planned, and the conditions are easy, you do not need to be fit at all. But as soon as something happens; an equipment problem, a stronger current then expected, a long surface swim to the boat, you understand that fitness is crucial for safe and enjoyable diving. Some divers complain when a dive is tougher then expected, but the time they spend complaining would be better spend working out in the gym.
A good aquatic comfort level is mandatory for signing up for a diving course. It is bizarre, that sometimes even people who cannot swim at all sign up for a diving course! The only reason I can see for this is the continuous marketing efforts of the diving industry. Diving became a must for modern people: when you go to Paris, you have to see the Eiffel Tower, and when you go to the Red Sea, you have to do a diving course!
Diving is not a must, when you go on a holiday. You can also swim, snorkel, work on your suntan, party, go sight-seeing above the water, or read some good books. If you do not feel truly comfortable in the water, if water is not your element, then do not dive. There are 100.000 other interesting activities you can pursue.
If you decide to do a diving course, then you will first have to check if you are medically fit to dive, by filling out a medical statement, and if necessary , visiting a doctor. It is crucial for your safety that you are honest during this check. Once you are declared medically fit, you will also have to asses your fitness and aquatic comfort level.
If either your fitness or aquatic comfort level is not good enough, there is work to be done. A regular, good swimming workout solves both problems at the same time, and gives you a good foundation to start a diving course. It is an investment that will pay itself back in better health and more fun during your dives.
Thijs Hottenhuis,
Scuba Diving Instructor, Web-writer and Webmaster of:
"The Online Encyclopedia Of Scuba Diving Safety."
http://www.scuba-diving-links.com/
"The Biggest and most Up-To-Date Scuba Diving Links Directory on the Internet."
If you love scuba diving, you will love these two websites!
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Scuba Diving Safety - Practicing Your Basic Diving Skills
June 16, 2008 by mj · Leave a Comment
One aspect of scuba diving safety is the training of your basic diving skills: mask clearing, regulator recovery, out-of-air drills and buoyancy control. There are more skills that are considered to be basic diving skills; buddy checks and compass navigation to name a few, but let's look at these four for the moment.
Mask clearing is a skill you need, when water leaks into your mask because you move your facial muscles, you need to clear the water out of your mask. The regulator recovery is a skill you might need when you lose your regulator from your mouth, often caused by a fin-kick from your buddy. There are two ways to recover the regulator, the "sweep-method" and the "reach-method."
Out-of-air drills are normally only needed when you forget to monitor your air supply, and breath your tank empty. You then need to secure the octopus of your buddy for breathing. And buoyancy control is a basic skill, because without good buoyancy control, you need to use your strength and stamina to control your depth, and this depletes the reserves you might need during an emergency.
These four skills have in common that they have to be practiced until they become second nature. You cannot practice them once or twice and then think that it is enough. When you need the skills they have to be trained reflexes, and that means that they have to be trained regularly, over and over again.
Most holiday-divers, and even some divers who dive almost every week, hardly practice the basic diving skills. This is downright naive. If you study martial arts, how often do you practice a certain kick? One, two, or hundreds of times? When you play tennis, how often do you repeat your backhand drills, before you are satisfied with the results? Five times, ten times, or hundreds of times?
Every year several divers die because they have a regulator or mask problem, and they do not have the necessary routine to solve the problem, and then panic. They thought that practicing a couple of times would be enough, and they where proven wrong. Do not end like one of these statistics. It does not take much time to practice the basic drills, and it will build your skill and confidence.
A good way to practice your basic diving skills is to take a couple of minutes during every dive, after the safety stop, to work on improving your skills. Mask clearing, mask removal and replacement, regulator recoveries (both ways) and an out-of air drill, all while remaining neutrally buoyant, to practice your buoyancy control at the same time.
If you make this "skill drills" part of your diving routine you will become a more confident and capable diver. The more skilled you are the better you will feel underwater. You will be better equipped to cope with emergencies. You will feel more relaxed and have more fun while diving.
Thijs Hottenhuis,
Scuba Diving Instructor, Web-writer and Webmaster of:
"The Online Encyclopedia Of Scuba Diving Safety."
http://www.scuba-diving-links.com/
"The Biggest and most Up-To-Date Scuba Diving Links Directory on the Internet."
If you love scuba diving, you will love these two websites!
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http://EzineArticles.com/?Scuba-Diving-Safety---Practicing-Your-Basic-Diving-Skills&id=1218365
