Airfares and Travel

Hazards of Diving

The many wonders of the underwater world have been exposed to the public due to diving. The biggest danger of diving is often hidden by the various kinds of beauty that the deep blue contains. Many people may think that the real danger to the divers would be sharks or boats or anything else that may exist in the water, but it is in fact Caisson disease or decompression sickness.

The disease potentially affects anyone that moves between high pressure and low pressure environments. Henrys law explains how the bends happens; in short it states that when the pressure exerted on any fluid is decreased rapidly, gas bubbles will form within the fluid. In the case of the bends the blood is the fluid and the gas is typically nitrogen.

In an airplane cabin, the same process takes place but at a much slower rate. Therefore the lungs are able to remove the gas before the bubbles have any chance of forming. In the case of a diver coming up too fast, the process is quickened resulting in skin rashes and itching, joint pains, paralysis and possibly death.

How to avoid the bends

To prevent the bends, the diver must give the gas a chance to naturally de-gas by ascending slowly. Calculating the time required to come up can be very difficult due to the number of variables that need to be taken into consideration. This is the primary reason as to why dive computers were developed. Timers and sensors are used by dive computers to determine the depth of a diver and the exact duration of the time the diver was at that depth. Calculations are performed by the diving computers in real time and determine the correct process for the diver to ascend without causing the bends.

A dive computer in just about every brand and model is able to sense the exact duration of divers being at certain depths. The diving computer can then estimate the blood gas level of the diver and figure out: the time period in which the diver can surface without having to worry about the bends; the duration of the divers stop at each depth in order to surface safely and the maximum depth the diver can reach amongst other things.

Integrated Diver Display

Many forms of divers computer will have visual displays, which should be clearly read and visible while diving. The display of the dive computer should be uncluttered, so the diver does not experience information overload. In addition to the above information, better models of diving computers will display information such as the temperature of the water, the required decompression time at each depth and how fast the diver is rising. Many higher end models will transmit the entire dive to a computer for later analysis.

There are also other features that can really set the dive computer ahead of the pack. Once a diver has surfaced, these upper end diving computers will display the time before a diver can board an airplane. That is one of the quickest ways to achieve the bends, is to board an airplane too soon. Other upper end models will also keep track of the air supply available from the diver’s tank.

Identifying how much information is provided on the display and if the display is clear and readable is essential when shopping for a dive computer. The consumer should also note the other features that the product contains and what it monitors in diving quantity terms. The Suunto D9 would be the perfect example of a diving computer with all the necessary qualities needed to ensure a safe and secure dive.

So You Need A New Scuba Diving Suit?

Whether it is your first scuba trip or your 50th dive, ultra comfort in your Scuba Diving suit is important. Every diver knows that keeping dry and warm while diving in cold waters improves your dive significantly. A good wetsuit does just that but more importantly it provides divers with the flexibility needed to maneuver more efficiently.

Just like clothes Scuba Diving suits come in various sizes and thickness. The thickness of a wetsuit is particularly vital because it helps counter the harsh surrounding conditions. All serious divers know that having a quality wetsuit works to your advantage giving you the most out of your dive.

Scuba Schools

Another great place to help you look for wetsuits is a Scuba Diving school. Experts at these schools are sure to offer advice and help on choosing the right Scuba Diving suit. They would provide you with the wetsuit that best suits you.

Wetsuits can be quite expensive but there is a surety of quality in them. This quality is what will make your scuba adventure an experience to remember.

Internet Online shopping

If you do not have the time to go out and look for the suit yourself, online buying is an easy alternative. But you must be careful when purchasing online as it is not necessarily a ‘what you see is what you get’ policy. Most online sellers usually embellish the pictures and descriptions of the products on sale and the buyer won’t know what he purchased until it arrives on his doorstep.

Be sure to go to a reputable source and know what you are purchasing is what you are actually going to receive. It would also help to check if the site has a money back guarantee in-case you are not satisfied with the suit that you receive.

Knowing that you have the latest gear with you, your diving experience will be unforgettable. Scuba Diving is an exciting experience in itself but it is made even more enjoyable with new equipment.

Whether you are a beginner or an expert, you’ll feel much better going under in a new Scuba Diving suit than one that’s worn out and has a bunch of holes in it.

If you are looking for a sport that is unique, beautiful and at the same time adventurous, that sport is Scuba Diving. Everyone should give it a try at least once in their lives. They would find the experience of being underwater both exhilarating and relaxing at the same time. Scuba Diving though can be a dangerous sport without proper training and preparation. Proper equipment together with precautions can make this sport a safe and wonderful activity. The following are a few safety tips to go through before taking up Scuba Diving.

Dive Classes

If you are looking to make a hobby out of Scuba Diving, it is advisable for you to obtain a Scuba Diving certificate. This can be done by way of a training course. However, if you are looking for a one-off Scuba Diving trip or just a relaxing outing, it is recommended for you to take along an instructor with you.

Physically Healthy

Regular visits to the doctors before any Scuba Diving activity is recommended. A doctor should give the all clear on any divers physical conditioning to ensure safety. Good respiratory and cardiovascular systems are essential to diving. Those potential divers with weak hearts and asthma should be aware that during a dive they are most prone to asphyxiation. Being a good swimmer is also essential to diving even though scuba equipment assist scuba divers to navigate underwater.

Dive Site Awareness

Ranking is given for your Scuba Diving training and certification depending on the underwater hazards you have been trained to handle. Do avoid places that you are not certified to manage. This is due to the hazardous nature of some dive areas which would need special certification and training in specialized equipment. These hazards include Scuba Diving in shark infested waters, ice floes, coral reefs with toxic or aggressive underwater life forms, underwater caves and shipwrecks.

Properly Maintained Dive Equipment is a Must

Included in the training certification process is care and maintenance of Scuba Diving equipment. Keeping your gear in good shape is necessary in keeping you alive under water. Always remember that when renting scuba equipment to thoroughly check it for faults. Drowning is a real possibility if your breathing apparatus fails while diving.

Buddy Diving - Don’t Dive Alone

When embarking on a Scuba Diving excursion, an experienced instructor is a wise choice to take as a buddy. It is important that you do not take a buddy who is new to Scuba Diving. The chances of accidents happening will be quite high here. However, if you decide to take a new diver with you, ensure that they know how to follow instructions once underwater. Have a buddy watching out for you if you decide to dive alone.

Observe the Weather Conditions before Diving

Can you imagine diving during a typhoon or thunderstorm? This would be a disaster. Check the weather conditions and reports before going out diving to avoid ending up in a situation like this. Pack enough medical equipment to compensate for sudden changes in the weather. Heat waves have been known to cause heat strokes and dehydration to divers even underwater. This is possible because water conducts heat more efficiently than air. Heat waves and other adverse weather conditions can prove problematic.

Danger Signs to be Aware of

Having some knowledge of medical signs and conditions is essential when diving. Conditions such as hypothermia, heat exhaustion, asphyxiation, dehydration and a malady specific to divers called decompression sickness are just a few that afflict divers. Decompression sickness is when the divers body is subjected to prolonged breathing of high pressure gases. Decompression sickness can also happen when a diver ascends too quickly to the surface. This causes air bubbles to form in the blood causing dizziness, sickness and vomiting from system shock.

Among the best sites for Scuba Diving and snorkeling in Kenya are Wasini Island and Shimoni in the South Coast. Shimoni village is located 76 Km south of Likoma near the Kenya-Tanzania border, and is most well known for the Shimoni caves in which many slave-trade-era artifacts can be found. These artifacts include some well-preserved wooden crates previously used for transporting slaves to Arabia. Wasini Island is situated a few minutes from the village, and it is from Shimoni that the journey to Wasini starts.

Wasini Island is a small traditional fishing centre located close to Tanzania that has remained unchanged for ages. The island is popular for the Ancient Swahili ruins and the coral gardens; a landscape of exposed coral reefs. Wasini has an Arab settlement dating back to the 18th and 19th Century and it features ruins of ancient architecture. The 6 sq km island has no cars or roads and is generally reached by dhow. The coral island is occupied by the friendly fuba people(an indigenous group of the Niger Congo, Bantu speaking dialect) who speak Swahili and Kifuba. The fuba population is about 1500.

Next to Wasini Island is the Kisite-Mpunguti marine National Park, the most accessible marine park in Kenya. Kisite is situated about 75 miles south of Mombasa and it has a wide variety of fishes and coral. The weather conditions at Kisite are excellent for diving throughout the year. Snorkeling is also possible off the fringing reef of a large rocky islet and a wonderful sand bar which appears out of the blue ocean at low tide.

Wasini and the Kisite marine park are a snorkelers’ and divers’ haven, and host a great diversity of plant and animal life in the protected areas. There is an interesting and prolific bird-life there including the fish eagle and the rare palm-nut vulture.

The Shimoni complex hosts Green and Hawksbill turtles, together with seven species of dolphins that have been found there. The turtles and the dolphins can be seen almost daily. Also seen regularly in October and November are Humpback whales during their yearly migration.

Several fish have been observed in the area, and most fall into the following families - Large Wrasse, Emperors, Puffer fish, Butterfly fish, Trigger fish, Snappers and Groupers. The specific species found include Scorpion fish, Parrot fish, Wrasses, Moray eels, Cardinal fish, angel fish, Damsel fish and rays.

The main snorkeling site, accessible from either dhow or from the beach at low tide is a fringing reef near Kisite Island in the centre of the park. Many of the dive-sites fall within the park as well as the reserve. Behind Wasini Island there are two uninhabited islands Mpunguti Yaa Chini and Mpunguti ya Juu.

If you want to travel to Wasini Island, you can take a bus or taxi from Likoni to Shimoni. At Shimoni, Mpunguti Restaurant operate a dhow that can take you to the island.

An ideal gateway for those that wish to discover the last remaining unspoilt islands of the world is Mafia Island that is located off the delta of the Rufiji Islands in the southern region of Tanzania. This island is 120 km from the city of Dar es Salaan in Tanzania and its one of the six districts of Pwani Region in Tanzania.

The island of Mafia’s economy is primarily based on agriculture and fishing. Fishing is controlled in the southern area of the island within the confines of the Mafia National Marine Park. The Mafia has a rich history that goes way back to the 18th century when it formed an integral role as a training centre for the people of Persia and East Africans.

The island served as an important stop for the dhows of Arabs and Persians who plied their trade in the Indian ocean waters from the Gulf to Mozambique and Madagascar. Consisting of one large island (394 sq km) and several smaller ones, Mafia Island attracts many scuba divers, sport-fishing enthusiasts, and other tourists.

Chole Bay, Mafia’s protected deep-water anchorage and the original harbour, is studded with islands and beaches. The refreshingly clear protected waters provide wonderful snorkeling, sailing and swimming. Chole island excursion is packed with numerous ancient ruins and it is a good starting point for Mafia Island tours.

The horseshoe-shaped Chole Bay is an ideal site for snorkeling, underwater photography, and Scuba Diving. The Mafia National Marine park, which Chole bay is part of, extends to Kinasi Pass Wall. Kinasi Pass is a sheltered reef comprising several species of hard and soft corals. The reef supports a wide variety of marine life.

Some Mafia Island residents who identify themselves as Washirazi or Wamberwa, and found throughout the island especially in the North, claim to be the Island’s earliest inhabitants. You will also find the Wapokomo in the North, while in the South are small numbers of people of Arab descent, ‘Indian traders’, and Europeans in the tourism industry and aid projects. Ethnic identity keeps shifting as a result of population movements, and changing historical circumstances and contexts.

Mafia Island’s main language is Kiswahili, though locals also speak another dialect called Kingome. Mafia retains a friendly traditional culture that has not changed much from the ancient days. Efforts by the community tourism association seek to preserve the island. The protected Mafia Island Marine Park is supported by the World Wide Fund for Nature and covers Chole Bay, and its surrounding forests and islands.

Mafia Island’s other popular leisure activities include sports fishing, birdwatching, and visits to archaeological sites, villages, coconut plantations, local villages, and traditional boat-building yards. For diving enthusiasts, the best season for diving is from October to the end of March. The Island has two rain seasons: the long rains between March and April, and the long rains from October to Mid-December. Mafia island is easily accessible by road and air from Dar es Salaam and Arusha all the year round.

Scuba Diving is the use of independent breathing equipment to stay under the water for long periods of time. This equipment is used both for recreational and professional diving. Scuba Diving is not just a fun way of staying fit, but provides sights and experiences which are simply unique. Perhaps the more widespread availability of equipment and certified instructors would induce more people to explore underwater, plus thanks to the internet you can get cheap scuba gear easily.

Scuba Diving is not only a popular activity all over the world, but an experience that will be etched in your heart forever. Scuba Diving is fun, and we like to see turtles, sharks, coral, fish, invertebrates, nudibranchs, crabs, mollusks, molluscs, eels, sting rays, manta rays, and shrimp. Along with this, we take video and photographs of reefs, reef, fishes, fish, inverts, invertebrates, lobsters, octopus, octopuses, octopi, and coral. Scuba Diving is great fun and can open the way for you to discover the diversity of the amazing underwater world. Scuba Diving is a sport that is unparalleled. It’s a great work out, but generally considered a lazy man’s sport (you’re floating 98% of the time).

Scuba Diving is greatly different from other sports and recreations in this necessity. In other sports, there is little necessity of belonging to or registering with a certain organization. Scuba Diving is popular in Cancun, though it’s not as spectacular as in Cozumel. Look for a scuba company that will give you lots of personal attention: smaller companies are often better at this than larger ones. Scuba Diving is a relaxing, action-packed and exciting sport that can be enjoyed by everybody. Evidence shows that people have been diving for thousands of years, either to hunt for food, seek out treasure, in the art of war or to simply observe the world beneath the waves.

Scuba Diving is practiced as a recreational sport as well as a means of conducting military and scientific research.  Scuba Diving is clearly one of the most exciting hobbies to take. This activity takes you to depths, literally and figuratively. Scuba Diving is a fantastic way of learning about the seas on which we, the human race, rely to support the world’s eco-system. Australia is very fortunate to be surrounded by some of the most diverse marine biological eco-systems in the world. Scuba Diving is safe and very inexpensive compared to other excursions offered at resorts. Scuba Diving is one of the most popular water sport activity in the country - a diver’s paradise, a marine jewel rich in sealife and astonishing underwater scenery. Some of my favorite destinations is Scuba Diving in Australia and Scuba Diving in Thailand.

Cabilao Island is one of the best dive place in the Philippines and it is the perfect dive spot for beginners and experienced divers. Scuba Diving is an equipment intensive sport. If we are to become good at it, we must be using the same equipment each time we do it.

So my advice is you are thinking about in learning or not about the amazing sport of Scuba Diving is: go for it… for sure you will love it and you will become an avid scuba diver.

The Development Of Scuba Diving

One of the most loved water sporting activities, Scuba Diving has a long and very interesting history that spans numerous civilizations and many long years. In the earliest stages it involved doing dives in which one had to hold one’s breath for as long as was possible. Also referred to as free diving, Scuba Diving has been known to man from the ancient times and was used by many civilizations as a means to spear fish and to also compete among the locals. It was the Greeks who were often called free divers as they used diving to hunt for things such as sponges as well as used it as a part of their military preparations.

Hollowed Out Reeds

The early civilizations actually began what is today known as Scuba Diving by using snorkels that were constructed of hollowed out reeds and they also made use of bags filled with air as diving bells. However, the efficiency of such methods was questionable and obviously they are far removed in their design to what modern scuba divers use today. For one, when using reeds, divers were not able to dive to any great depths while the air bags soon became full of carbon monoxide and thus were less than trustworthy, and finally there was noticeable lack of mobility when using diving bells.

All that of course changed after diving suits began to be used by the French and English scuba divers who wore leather apparel into which air could be pumped from above with the help of manually operated pumps. After that, Scuba Diving was never the same and further changes took place in the form of helmets that enabled scuba divers to withstand greater pressure since air could be manually pumped into the helmets and thus it allowed divers to go even deeper down into the waters, which obviously promoted Scuba Diving a step further.

The nineteenth century saw still more improvements to Scuba Diving equipment and it was then that a Frenchman named Paul Bert and a Scot named John Scott made some discoveries as a result of their research efforts on how to deal with water pressure and to make diving with compressed air a lot more safe. Thus, equipment such as regulators, air pumps and a few other useful items of equipment began to be used that further changed the face of Scuba Diving.

The twentieth century saw many more new inventions taking place that took Scuba Diving equipment to new levels of efficiency and it soon became commonplace for divers to use swim fins and masks as well as other gear that made the whole sport of Scuba Diving much more interesting and challenging. During the 1950’s all these efforts bore fruit when Scuba Diving became a very popular sport and there were many new stores selling scuba gear coming up that helped to further promote the sport. Scuba Diving even began to be shown in movies and has become a very popular sport.