10 Training Tips

by Jesse Iacono:

Hello, and welcome to the world of diving!  Regardless of how new you are to the sport, I’m sure there are some questions that are still running through your mind.  Your open water course just can’t cover everything there is to know and I’m here to provide a few answers.  I have seen numerous “10 tips for the new diver” articles on the web and can’t help but notice that they all are very useful, but incredibly similar.

Here are my 10 not so typical tips for the recently certified.  They have been developed through my experiences as an instructor in the field, numerous conversations with other instructors, and, most importantly, the polling of divers at many levels as to which topics were the most elusive to them.

1.Purchases – Buy a computer first.
Once you are certified, you will want to start considering which gear to own.  I would highly recommend looking to a personal dive computer as your first investment.  Dive computers have become extremely affordable and are your best friend in dive safety!  Additionally, with their small size, they are a breeze to travel with and having your own guarantees that you will be diving with a unit that you understand how to use.  Also, in many locations, an array of dive gear will be available for rental, but unfortunately computers often don’t make the list.

2.Skills – Show your compass some love.
Compass navigation is an integral skill for divers of every level.  Unfortunately, this skill is often only briefly touched on in many open water courses.  Don’t wait until your navigation specialty course to become familiar with your compass!  Take a compass with you on every dive and pay attention to which directions you are going and which directions landmarks are in.  They can seem like an intimidating piece of equipment at first, but don’t overthink it; use basic directional headings to gain your bearings and ensure you are swimming in the right direction.  Try carrying it around with you on land too for some extra practice.

3.Mindset – The best dive is the one you come home from.
This phrase has always resonated with me.  It may sound pretty dire at first listen, but it is a blaring truth for all levels of diving.  Let’s look at the reality of things; we are entering an environment in which we are not naturally adapted to in any way.  Without our equipment, we cannot effectively see, move, or breathe!  The phrase is not here to scare you, but to remind you to respect the foreign environment you are entering, keep up with your training and gear, and never fall victim to the “justs” – It’s not JUST a 20 foot dive, it’s not JUST a small equipment malfunction, it’s not JUST this once.  Falling into these habits on the smaller dives increases the likelihood of being okay with poor practices on the bigger dives.  At the end of the day, no dive is worth losing your life over.  We’re all in it for the enjoyment of this wonderful sport, so let’s keep it happy and healthy.

4.Continuing Education – Log your damn dives!
This is one of my personal pet peeves and a habit that needs to be formed from the beginning.  If you have not logged all of your dives at this point in time, then go get your logbook right now and make it current; you are not allowed to continue reading until it is done!

Updated?  Perfect, let’s continue!  Keeping an accurate and up-to-date logbook posts many benefits for the diver, especially in the earlier stages of diving. One of the most important benefits is proving experience.  Many of the courses that you will participate in will require a certain amount of experience to be shown before starting the course.  Without your logbook as verification, you are as good as freshly certified.  So please, for heaven’s sake, LOG YOUR DIVES!

5.Community – Get involved and pay attention to other divers.
As nasty as we can seem to each other online sometimes, most divers are pretty friendly people when they aren’t behind the keyboard!  Diving is very much community based and, once you are in, it really is an awesome community to be a part of!  Divers are usually very passionate about what they do (which is where some occasional tension can come from), but in every diver’s heart lies the desire to see the sport grow and witness the spark of scuba in a new diver turn into an unstoppable wildfire.  One of the best ways to enhance your diving experience is to join your local gatherings of divers and absorb everything you can from them.  Becoming a great diver is all about experience and unfortunately you lack that right now.  Take full advantage of what the community is willing to pass on and you will certainly thrive while making some great friends along the way.

6.Preparedness – Always check your gear.
Create a checklist, don’t wait until the last minute, do it yourself, check it at home, and check it again before the dive.  I have witnessed countless missed dives, close calls, and issues underwater by students and professionals alike resulting from ill-preparedness.  Unfortunately, it took a scare to make many of these individuals realize the importance of being thorough with their equipment.  When we place so much reliance on our equipment, it is paramount that it is functioning properly and that all of it makes it to the dive site!

7.Moving Forward – You don’t have to be perfect, but be mindful.
You are a new diver, everyone knows it, and there is nothing wrong with that.  Nobody is going to expect you to be a pro right off the bat.  Experience must be built, questions asked, and mistakes made.  Never fear judgment for taking some extra time or needing clarification on a topic.  The important thing to remember is to be mindful of your skill level and never lose the desire to improve!  Continuing education and keeping an honest eye on your own performance will lead you to success!

8.Reality – Your buoyancy sucks.
It just does.  Don’t take it personal, so did mine.  In fact, I didn’t even start to really understand what neutral buoyancy was until I had close to 50 dives under my belt.  Even if you are starting to get it much sooner than I was (which you probably are), don’t ever forget that great buoyancy is a habit, not a skill.  It requires constant monitoring and practice and is NEVER absolutely perfect.  Remember, neutral buoyancy is about more than looking like a total boss in the water; it poses many benefits to the diver and the environment.  It doesn’t have to be all business either; have some fun with it!  Grab a buddy and play some skill building games or get in front of a camera to pinpoint which areas need improvement. Whatever method you choose, keep up with it – it is worth the work!

9.Lifestyle – Pump the breaks, assuming that you remember how to use them.
Diving is a culmination of skills that should be mastered and maintained, not a checklist to be blown through.  As a new diver, you probably want to take every course available and move up to the advanced levels as soon as possible.  I whole-heartedly encourage you to do so, but keep in mind that each course you take relies on the understanding of any prerequisite courses.  Take the time to give more practice to what you have already learned before advancing.  Having a thorough understanding of the basics ensures comfort in the water and that they are second nature when you start becoming task loaded or run into a sticky situation.

10.Computers –Understand your NDL.
The no decompression limit is one of the most important functions of your dive computer.  It is the number that counts down throughout your dive and that you don’t want to hit zero! Exceeding your NDL will enter you into decompression diving – something that is much past your current level of training and can potentially put you at a significant risk.  If you are uncertain of how and why it works, please seek further info or consult with an instructor before your next dive.

source: https://www.tdisdi.com/10-training-tips-for-newly-certified-divers/

The Dangers Of Drink Diving

Vacations to tropical resorts are known for the beautiful beaches, crystal clear waters, great scuba diving, wild nights out partying and the morning hang over. I am sure that most of us have seen divers dragging themselves into the dive center nursing a hangover. Some may even still have the smell of alcohol on them. While we may chuckle at their discomfort, they may be putting themselves and even us in danger.

While science is still looking for a detail cause of a hangover and how to cure them, a simple explanation is that a hangover a set of signs and symptoms related to the bodies process to eliminate a large amount of alcohol. In doing so the bodies systems get out of the normal range. While the sufferer may be planning on diving it is possible that his condition will worsen before it gets better. Diving with a hangover can be a serious problem. The Diver who smells of alcohol should not be diving at all. That smell is an indication that he still has a high blood alcohol content (BAC). How many drinks it takes to get someone drunk or to raise their BAC to a certain level varies on many factors including weight and gender. While the legal limit for driving with a BAC is normally around .08 to .1  many people have no outward signs till they past .12 BAC, While what it takes to get to that level is not the same, the rate that it leaves your system is fairly consistent at .015 per hour. So a couple of strong pints at 2 am are still hanging about at 8am. 90% of that is broken down and the remainder is past by the lungs, urine and skin. Even when the BAC has dropped to zero, tissue may still be breaking down the alcohol that it absorbed. There has been a number of studies that show that cells breaking down alcohol release other toxins and gas at a slower rate. Relating that to divers, Nitrogen will be released from tissues at a slower rate.

The hangover creates a more complicated series of concerns. One of the largest impacts of the heavy drinking and also one of the triggers for a hangover is dehydration. Just simply drinking some water will not properly hydrate you. It may take days before your body is able to reestablish it balance. Electrolytes are also affected. Dehydration has been linked as a contributing cause in many DCS cases.

There are about 25 symptoms or conditions that medical experts associate with a hangover. Some of these can be a prime concern for divers.  One is periods of lack of concentration. Victims of a hangover will often find that they lose track of what they were doing. It can last just seconds or expand to minutes, Losing situation awareness while diving can be deadly. 

Here are a few others:

▪  A hangover gets worst before it gets better, it will not peak until the alcohol has been fully processed. A diver showing medium symptoms while kitting up may start having severe reactions while diving.

▪  Light headiness and dizziness are two similar items. They can effect the divers' ability to maintain proper buoyancy and concentration

▪ Slowed mental responses. The mind is reacting slower to stimuli and taking longer to make a response.

▪ Erratic motor functions, the victim may not be able to fully control all muscles. Muscles may twitch for no apparent reason.

▪ Diarrhea and Nausea/ vomiting. Opposite ends of the same problem, I will leave it to your imagination

▪ Irritability and Moodiness. Can cause irrational behavior.

▪ Fatigue. May struggle to maintain control

This is just a summary of some of the possible effects of a hang over. The best solution is to moderate your drinking so that the BAC and a hang over is not an issue. If that does not fit your plans than switch to afternoon and night dives. 

Fotoshooting at the Similans

Fotographer Frank Schneider had a few good days with iQ-DIVE in Khao Lak and we will see his work soon at "Tauchen" - the biggest Dive Magazine in Europe
http://www.tauchen.de/ 

Schildkröten auf Eiland Nr.1

von Helgard Below aus Phuket

Auf Insel Nr. 1 gibt es eine Schildkrötenschutzstation, auf Nr. 4 einfache Hütten und ein Restaurant für Naturtouristen, Nr. 8 bietet eine Postkartenkulisse mit Granitfelsen, und alle Inseln sind umgeben von einer Unterwasserwelt von Weltrang. Das alte Fischerboot tuckert vorbei an einem kahlen Granitfelsen, der im Meer liegt wie eine riesige Schildkröte. Vier Touristen aus Deutschland und Schweden sitzen mit Rucksäcken auf ein paar Holzplanken, die sie von der tiefblauen Andamanensee trennen. Gespannt halten sie Ausschau nach ihrem Ziel, der Insel Nr. 4. „Look, a marlin!“, ruft Somsak, der junge Fischer, der das Boot lenkt, und zeigt auf einen dunklen Punkt im Wasser.
Und aus den Wellen taucht die fächerförmige Rückenflosse des seltenen Fächer- oder Speerfisches auf. Sportfischer würden sich mit Begeisterung auf diese begehrte Beute stürzen, doch die haben hier nichts zu suchen. Wer sich auf den weiten Weg zu diesem entlegenen, streng geschützten Archipel macht, ist Naturtourist und kommt zum Beobachten, Schnorcheln, Tauchen. Somsak steuert auf eine kleine Insel zu. Eingerahmt von runden, in das Meer gestreuten Felsen und üppig wucherndem Urwald liegt ein einsamer, im Sonnenlicht glänzender Strand.

Eines der besten Tauchreviere in Thailand
Durch die Bäume schimmert die kunstvoll geschnitzte Holzfassade eines kleinen Palastes - Ferienwohnsitz von Prinzessin Chulabhorn von Thailand - und hinter der ersten Buschreihe liegt der Zeltplatz von Insel Nr. 4. Die neun unbewohnten Eilande des Similan-Meeresnationalparks im Südwesten Thailands gelten als eines der besten Tauchreviere der Welt. Sie liegen etwa drei Bootsstunden nordwestlich von Phuket oder zwei Stunden von Khao Lak entfernt. Und weil die Besucher sich ihre Namen nicht merken können, werden sie kurzerhand mit Nummern bezeichnet.
Der Bau von Hotels ist im Nationalpark verboten, aber es ist möglich, bei den Nationalparkstationen auf Insel Nr. 4 und Nr. 8 zu übernachten. In Zelten, einfachen Langhäusern oder kleinen Bungalows. Zudem bieten einige Tauchunternehmen in Khao Lak und Phuket Tauch- und Schnorchelsafaris an, als Tagesreisen oder mehrtägige Kreuzfahrten mit Schlafkabinen auf dem Boot. Ankunft ist meist auf Insel Nr. 8, wo die Tagestouristen ein paar vergnügliche Stunden mit Südseeflair verbringen, mit Schwimmen, Schnorcheln und einem exotischen Büfett am Strand.

Die aufeinandergestapelten, hohen Granitfelsen in der spektakulärsten Bucht des Archipels sehen aus wie aus der Fernsehwerbung von Raffaello und können sogar bestiegen werden. Von oben bietet sich ein grandioser Blick über die türkisblaue Bucht mit dunklen Korallenbändern und einigen weißen Yachten. Wieder unten, am Strand, rollen hellblaue Wellen auf den feinen, weißen Sand. Die Unterwasserwelt ist überwältigend. Im flachen, 28 Grad warmen Meer halten sich an einzelnen Korallenbüschen Gruppen winziger Jungfische auf. Etwas tiefer beginnt das zusammenhängende Korallenriff mit roten Fächern, blauspitzigen Geweihen und geriffelten Gehirnkorallen. Große, blau-grüne Papageienfische nagen hörbar am Riff, gepunktete Süßlippenfische beäugen den Eindringling mit Schmollmund, knallblaue Doktorfische ziehen vorbei.

Einige Meter weiter fällt das Riff steil ab ins Nichts, denn in 25 Meter Tiefe endet die klare Sicht. Ein großer Makrelenschwarm schwimmt in spiralförmigen Strudeln, die fast schwindelig machen. Und in der Ferne zieht ein junger, angeblich ungefährlicher Riffhai ruhig seine Bahnen. Im Süden der Inselgruppe liegt Insel Nr. 1. Sie ist lang gezogen, von einem schmalen, unberührten Strand gesäumt und kann mit einer Überraschung aufwarten, die nur wenige zu Gesicht bekommen. Zum Schutz einer seltenen Tiergattung sind Schiffsverkehr, Tauchen und künstliches Licht auf diesem Eiland seit längerem verboten. Busabong hütet diesen Schatz und zeigt seine Schützlinge nur Besuchern, die eine Genehmigung der Nationalparkranger vorweisen können. Er führt sie zu einigen mit Sand gefüllten, in den Sand versenkten Tonnen, gräbt in einer von ihnen - und hält eine Art Tischtennisball hoch. „Das ist das Ei einer Grünen Meeresschildkröte,“ berichtet er stolz.

Die Weibchen legen 150 bis 200 Eier
„Wir von der Schildkrötenschutzstation sind hier, um diese stark gefährdete Art zu schützen. Die Weibchen kommen nachts an den Strand und legen 150 bis 200 Eier in den Sand. Und wir müssen sie finden, bevor sie von Waranen gefressen werden!“ Nach dem Schlüpfen bleiben die winzigen Jungschildkröten noch einige Tage in der Obhut der Station, bis sie keine allzu leichte Beute für Krebse, Möwen und große Fische mehr sind.

Dann werden sie in die Freiheit entlassen. Neben dieser und einer weiteren Schutzstation auf den weiter nördlich gelegenen Surin-Inseln kümmert sich der WWF Thailand in Kooperation mit örtlichen Hotels und Tauchbasen um die vier Meeresschildkrötenarten, die an den Stränden der Andamanensee ihre Eier ablegen. Wie alle Meeresschildkröten sind diese Tiere vom Aussterben bedroht. Busabong und seine Kollegen sorgen dafür, dass Schnorchler und Taucher den sanften Panzerkröten zumindest in der Andamanensee wieder häufiger begegnen. Jeder kann dagegen ohne Genehmigung den Urwaldpfad auf Insel Nr. 4 erkunden.

Durch den dichten Dschungel führt er, vorbei an übermannshohen Farnen, deren Blätter wie grüne Fischschwänze im Wind schaukeln, und Baumriesen mit Stelzwurzeln, unter denen eine komfortable Hütte Platz hätte. Vögel tschilpen unsichtbar in den Wipfeln, schopfartige Farne haben sogar die Äste erobert. Nach 20 Minuten ist eine einsame kleine Strandsichel erreicht. Das türkisblaue Wasser lädt zu einem weiteren Schnorchelgang ein, bei dem sich wieder ganz neue Unterwasserwelten auftun.

Eine Schildkröte ist diesmal nicht dabei, aber dafür eine schwarz-weiß gestreifte Wasserschlange, Muränen, Anemonen, Quallen und eine riesige Fülle an Schwarmfischen in allen Formen und Farben. Wenn sich die Sonne dem Horizont nähert, ihre Strahlen nicht mehr brennen, wenn leichter Wind über die Haut streicht, haben die Tagestouristen die Inseln längst verlassen. Glücklich die, die in einem Zelt oder Bungalow hinter dem Strand nächtigen können. Sand rieselt durch die Zehen, die Wellen plätschern leise, und der Himmel färbt sich hellrot. Thailands Naturjuwel in der Andamanensee lädt zum Verweilen ein!

Quelle: http://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/inhalt.thailand-schildkroeten-auf-eiland-nr1.8c7ea354-6df8-49e8-b482-6674514410c1.html

Spectacular seahorses

10 thinks to knbow about these tiny undersea wonders

The big creatures that ply the ocean’s waters often get an equally big share of the attention, but some of the most fascinating underwater denizens come in small packages. Seahorses, with their oddly equine looks and unusual lifestyle are worth getting to know a little bit better.


Study up on these unique facts about seahorses to learn more about these beautiful creatures you may see on your next dive.

1. They are faithful partners. If you’re a seahorse, you can count on one thing: a stable relationship. They are monogamous and once they find their match, they mate for life.

2. They might not look like it, but they are fish. Seahorses belong to the taxonomic group of bony fish. Instead of scales, they have skin that stretches over their bones.

3. They’re bad swimmers. You might think that living underwater demands fine-tuned swimming skills, but seahorses don’t have them! They’re one of two species that swim upright, and they use tiny, fast-moving fins to steer themselves. It’s so tough for them to swim that they sometimes die of exhaustion trying to move from place to place.

4. They like to rest. Given their ineptitude at swimming, seahorses use their curly, prehensile tails to grasp onto vegetation and just hang out, mostly in shallow coastal waters among coral or sea grass beds.

5. They act as “Mr. Mom.” Male seahorses bear unborn offspring, not females. Females put their eggs into males’ brood pouches, after which the male fertilizes the eggs internally and then waits out the gestation period, barely moving during that time. After gestation, baby seahorses emerge from the brood pouch tiny but fully formed.

6. They have a big appetite. Seahorses graze almost constantly, using their long snouts to suck up crustaceans. They might eat as many as 3,000 tiny shrimp in just one day.

7. They are colorful characters. While some seahorses are physically adapted to match their surroundings, others can change color with their environment. They’ve also been observed changing color during mating rituals.

8. They have great vision. Like chameleons, seahorses can move their eyes independently; that means they can look forward with their left eye and backward with their right. For animals that hunt by sight, it’s a handy adaptation.

9. They have a big extended family. It’s estimated that there are between 30 and 40 species of seahorse, and possibly many more. They pose a particular challenge to scientists because individuals of the same species can look quite different.

10. They face some big threats from humans. Dried seahorses are used in some traditional medicines, and you’ll often find them sold as souvenirs as well. Find out more about protecting seahorses and other sea life at ProjectAWARE.org.

source: http://www.padi.com/blog/2013/08/27/spectacular-seahorses-10-things-to-know-about-these-tiny-undersea-wonders/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialmedia&utm_campaign=blogpromo

Crystal Pyramids Discovered

TWO GIANT UNDERWATER CRYSTAL PYRAMIDS DISCOVERED IN THE CENTER OF THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE


With the use of sonar, oceanographer Dr. Meyer Verlag discovered giant glass pyramids at a depth of two-thousand meters. The use of other devices have allowed scientists to determine that these glass giants are both made of a crystal-like substance, and are nearly 3 times bigger than the pyramid of Cheops in Egypt.

Dr. Verlag believes that further investigation into the secrets in the the pyramids center could reveal more information regarding the cases of mysterious disappearances associated with the Bermuda Triangle. In a press conference held in the Bahamas, the scientist presented a report with the exact coordinates of the pyramids, and made note that the technology at use is unknown to modern science. A more detailed study may bring results that are difficult for us to imagine. Who knows what will be discovered about these underwater architectural anomalies – perhaps something of shocking significance.

Built on Land – Lost During Last Pole Shift?
There are several Western scholars who argue that the pyramid on the seabed may have been initially made on the mainland, after which a devastating earthquake struck and changed the landscape completely. Other scientists argue that a few hundred years ago the waters of the Bermuda Triangle area may have as one of the cornerstone activities of the people of Atlantis, and Pyramids on the sea floor may be a supply warehouse for them.


A more detailed study over time will give results that are difficult to imagine. Scientists have processed all of the data and concluded that the surface is perfectly smooth for it to look like glass or ice. The size of the pyramids are nearly three times the size of the pyramids of Cheops. This news was sensational, and was discussed at a conference in Florida and even reported to local Florida newspapers.. The journalists present in it, have a lot of pictures and high resolution computerized data, which show three-dimensional pyramids perfectly smooth, without being covered with a surface free of debris or algae or cracks.


Pyramid Discovery Challenges Current Archaelogical Theory
A gigantic structure, initially identified by a doctor in the 1960s, has recently been independently verified by diving teams from France and the U.S.

The discovery has rocked scientists around the world. Will they rush to investigate it? No, they’re more likely to studiously ignore it. If pressed, they’ll officially position themselves as highly skeptical—especially in light of the potential ramifications.

The pyramid could confirm some engineers’ contentions that pyramids were originally created as massive power sources, support the claim that the ancient city-state of Atlantis did exist, or even provide answers to the mysterious goings-on that have been recorded since the 19th Century in the region of the Atlantic dubbed the Bermuda Triangle.

source: http://www.endalldisease.com/two-giant-underwater-crystal-pyramids-made-of-thick-glass-found-in-the-center-of-the-bermuda-triangle/

Freedivers 'Hanging Out' 98 Feet

Photographer Lia Barrett's Surreal Underwater Photos Feature

Enjoying a cup of coffee in the presence of sharks is all in a day's work for a group of very special models photographed recently in a series of stunningly surreal underwater photos.

The pictures, taken by American photographer Lia Barrett, feature freedivers dressed in regular street clothes and recreating everyday above-ground scenarios 30 meters (around 100 feet) below the surface of the ocean.

Barrett drew inspiration for the unconventional shoot while photographing divers in the Caribbean Cup Freediving Competition off the coast of Honduras, according to CNN.

"After the competitors reveled in the new national and world records set at the competition, I took advantage of their breath-holding skills to do photo shoots I had only dreamed of before," Barrett told the site. "A 30 meter descent for these shoots was no great strain on the abilities of these champions who were going deeper than 90 meters during the competition. They were the ideal underwater models."

The Korean-born Barrett graduated from Parsons School of Design and Eugene Lang College in New York in 2007 and has spent the last six years traveling the world with her camera, according to her website. Partnering with deep-diving submersible designer Karl Stanley, Barrett often uses homemade submarines during her shoots, during which she spends hours in a cramped glass bubble just to capture unbelievable moments like these:

This "family of three" may seem ready for a bike ride through Central Park, but in fact the two adults are freedivers -- extreme athletes able to dive hundreds of feet without oxygen. (Don't worry, the baby's not real.)

Cool as a cucumber in his crisp, white shirt, this freediver seems unaware that he's "standing" beneath a shark off the Honduran coast.

A pair of good friends appear to be casually sharing a cup of joe together, totally unperturbed by their location 100 feet beneath the water.

source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/09/lia-barrett-underwater-photos-freedivers_n_3733793.html