Scuba Diving Rules

Diving is a fun and popular sport. However, there are some steps every diver should follow to ensure he has a safe dive.

Scuba Diving Safety Rules:

Get proper training

Being comfortable underwater will go a long way towards having a safe dive. Proper training is one key to being comfortable underwater. The beginning of proper training is to get your open water certification. If you go diving in caves, caverns, wrecks, etc., you should also have the proper training for this type of dive. Don't dive beyond your ability.

Never dive alone

Always dive with a buddy no matter where you are. This is key. When you do dive with a buddy, keep an eye on him/her to make sure everything is OK (and hopefully they are doing the same). If something happens, that buddy can be the difference between life and death. Never violate this rule. Also do a pre-dive equipment check with your buddy.

Be in good physical shape

You don't have to be a triathlete but you should be able to swim and take the stress of diving. A physical exam is a good idea before diving.

Don't hold your breath

Remember to always breathe slowly and in a relaxed manner and to exhale fully. Don't take short, shallow breathes and never hold your breath. Holding your breath underwater can lead to lung injuries and worse, in the extreme case.

Ascend slowly and with control

As you ascend you are ridding your body of nitrogen in your tissues and bloodstream. If you ascend too quickly, you risk decompression sickness. Always do a safety stop at 15 feet for at least 3 minutes after deeper dives. After your safety stop, do not propel yourself to the surface either. Ascend that last 15 feet very slowly also.

Check your equipment

Checking equipment is especially important if you are renting. If you own your regulator and haven't dove in a while, it should also be serviced to make sure it is working properly. Do a check of the regulator hoses also.

Relax

Being relaxed and comfortable underwater is key to a successful dive. If something happens, stop, breathe, think and act. Do not panic and rush to the surface. But observing this safety rule could be key to a safe dive.

Plan your dive and dive your plan

You will hear this in your training (or you should) and you should follow this advice. Prior to going under, you and your buddy should know the max depth you will go, the amount of bottom time you'll have and how much air you will start to ascend with. Check your air supply often. You should also agree on the hand signals you will use to communicate underwater.

This is just the beginning of scuba diving safety rules. However, if you follow the above list you increase your chances of a safe dive. For more essential rules, check my website. Have fun!

*retrieved from http://isnare.com

Free Diving Tips

Free diving is a kind of aquatic activity which depends on the breathe-hold principle. Actually it seems weird when compared to scuba diving. As all scuba-divers would know, first rule is not to hold your breath !

So, what is it all about? Here some tips for the beginners.

      1. Time your breath-holding capacity underwater, and record it for future reference.

     2. Take your pulse rate by putting both your index and middle finger together and either hold on your wrist or side of neck. You only need to apply slight pressure and wait a few seconds to feel slight "pumps" count for two minutes. Divide this by 2 (makes for a more accurate pulse rate) and you should now have your pulse rate. Record this and keep track of it.

     3. Figure out how far down you can go on one breath, but do it with a partner in case of blackout. Record this depth.

     4. Practice taking slow, deep breaths -- 10-15 seconds or more on the inhale and the same on the exhale. After you've mastered this, remain still and do it while having somebody else record your pulse.

     5. Practice this until you can hold a pulse of under 80 beats a minute before starting the next step.

     6. Try going down after deep breathing at the same location you did your last dive. If you went down 7-10 feet the first time, try to get it to 16 feet, 11-19 feet try to go to 25 feet, 30+ just try to beat it by ten feet.

     7. Try practicing the above steps over and over. Your pulse should get to 60 or below after about a month, so try getting fins and testing how far you can go.

     8. Practice slow, deep, refined kicks with the biggest fins you can find and you will decend faster with fins later on.(Get proper freediving fins with a soft action)

     9. Try spending 1 minute under water and 1 minute out of the water to let the co2 escape from your lungs.

     10. Grab a rock to help prevent your body's natural buoyancy.

*retrieved from http://wikihow.com

Tips about Masks

Your window to the underwater world, scuba masks are an important piece of scuba giving gear. They are also one of the first pieces of gear you’ll want to own rather than rent, even as early as your first scuba certification. Most divers put a great of effort into finding and selecting the right kind of mask with the perfect fit for themselves. It’s no wonder then that a Dive Mask is also a piece of equipment that divers are fondly attached to. So if you’re as fond of your scuba diving mask as I, here’s a look at some tips I’ve found useful along the way regarding problems with your mask or just tips on taking better care of it.

When buying a scuba mask, it’s very important to look at the silicon skirting around the mask. The skirting and shape of the mask must fit your face well to provide you with a comfortable fit. The quality of the silicon should be good. Higher quality silicon is usually found in the more expensive models and will feel softer and more flexible than poorer grade silicon.

Another important consideration to make while picking out a dive mask is the nose pocket. Different types of masks have different shaped nose pockets. Check that your nose fits comfortably in the pocket without touching your nose. This will help protect and cushion your nose as well as have necessary air pockets that’ll help equalizing and purging water out in case any gets in.

Brand new masks usually have a coating of silicone left over from the manufacturing process on the lens that will cause it to fog constantly, no matter how many defogging agents you try. So, first you’ll have to treat it to remove any traces of this coating before using it on a dive. You can rub the inside and outer glass surfaces with a tiny pearl of toothpaste using your index finger and leave it overnight, before wiping it off with a soft cloth or washing it. Another way to go is to burn the residual coating on the lens by running the tip of a flame over the lens.

If you frequently face a foggy mask, pay closer attention to your breathing. More often than not you’ll notice you tend to try breathing out your nose unconsciously before you expel air out your mouth. When you breathe out through your nose, even slightly, the warm air from your body creates condensation, or fog, on the inside of your mask. Breathing out your mouth only will help your mask will stay crystal clear. Adjust your breathing technique and pay closer attention to consciously avoid breathing out your nose, unless you’re clearing your mask. This will prevent your mask from fogging up despite using a de-fogging agent.

One of the most important things to ensure your mask stays with you a long time is to keep it out of contact with direct sunlight as much as possible. Harsh Sunlight and high temperatures attack the rubber and silicone of masks, turning the translucent soft silicone into a yellowing harder mass, that causes mask leaks and degradation over time. Mask bands and straps exposed to sunlight, form cracks and may break easily when stretched. Always store your mask inside its case in a cool dark place but not moist. If you have a silica gel packet or desiccant, place this inside your mask case to keep the moisture at bay.

*reblogged from http://aquaviews.net