ZOLL REAL CPR HELP, INCREASING THE ODDS FOR SURVIVAL

CPR Saves Lives. That’s why more than 30 states now require students to receive CPR training before they graduate from high school. Many of these states also require that students be trained to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).

CPR + AED = even more lives saved.

The evidence is indisputable: high-quality CPR is the primary component in influencing survival from cardiac arrest.¹ Not every patient will need a defibrillating shock, but every patient will need CPR to increase the flow of oxygenated blood to the heart and brain. More lives saved.

Even for seasoned health care professionals, it’s hard to know if you are pushing hard enough and fast enough to meet current AHA Guidelines for compression rate and depth. With ZOLL'S proprietary Real CPR Help technology, you know. It provides audio and visual feedback that guides rescuers to deliver high-quality CPR. ZOLL introduced Real CPR Help^® in 2002, and it is standard on every AED and professional defibrillator ZOLL sells.

See Real CPR Help in action in this online demo.

from CME Insiders http://ift.tt/2kdCT8N

Diving Ascent Methods and Decompression Stress

For safety, it’s best to ascend slowly from a dive to reduce the risk of decompression sickness (DCS). Divers should not ascend faster than 29 feet (9 m) per minute — but is it possible to ascend too slowly? How does your ascent profile affect decompression stress? Let’s examine diving ascent methods and decompression stress to find out.

Traditional ascent methods

Within recreational diving, it’s common to begin your dive at the deepest point. During the dive, you’ll gradually ascend to stay comfortably within your NDLs. On a multi-level dive, you’ll spend some time at your deepest depth. Then you’ll ascend to a shallower depth and spend some time there before moving up again to another level. Divers using dive tables were the first to plan multi-level dives, which historically allowed them to maximize already-limited bottom times. Since divers now follow NDLs in real time on dive computers, they tend to gradually ascend in a less predetermined way.

A bit of physiology

Although the dive community considers gradual ascents good practice, they are not very efficient when it comes to off-gassing. But why? Let’s have a quick refresher on how off-gassing works. It occurs when the partial pressure of the nitrogen (N₂) in your lungs is lower than the partial pressure of the N₂ in your tissues. This creates a diffusion gradient so that the higher concentration of N₂ in your tissues will move toward your lungs to equalize the pressure of that gas within your entire body.

Once the nitrogen reaches the lungs, they scrub out and exhale the N₂. Since your lungs are at the same ambient pressure as the water at your depth, and because it takes time for N₂ to move from your tissues to your lungs, ascent increases the pressure difference. This will increase the rate of off-gassing in a given amount of time.

Ascending too slowly

If we ascend too fast, the N₂ cannot leave our tissues quickly enough. Thusly, it will come out of solution while still in the tissues, forming gas bubbles. But if we ascend very slowly, the pressure difference remains quite small. This means that the rate of off-gassing will be slower, so your tissues will retain more N₂. It will eventually disappear from your body, but much of that will happen on your surface interval.

This may add to post-dive fatigue, because during a dive — especially during ascent — so-called “silent” bubbles form. Although these bubbles are normal when diving, our bodies consider them foreign invaders and respond by increasing the amount of white blood cells, which will find them and surround them to fight them off. This defense mechanism doesn’t do anything though, because instead of being a nasty virus, these are just bubbles of inert N₂ that don’t react with white blood cells.

The body also responds to silent bubbles by producing histamine. This increases the permeability of capillaries so that white blood cells can fight off pathogens more easily. But again, this has no effect on bubbles of N₂. What does this all mean in English? Well, a byproduct of a histamine response is inflammation, which can induce fatigue. If we can keep the number and size of silent bubbles to a minimum, perhaps we will feel less tired after a dive, as well as reduce our risk of DCS.

A different approach

Although scientists are still learning about decompression theory, studies have shown that a slow ascent is not always the best way to go, as defined by 3 to 10 feet per minute (1 to 3m/minute).

To illustrate, let’s examine a multi-level dive profile with a few small but significant changes. Once you’ve spent time at the deepest part of the dive, say 100 feet (30 m), make your next level distinctly shallower so that you maximize the diffusion gradient. Perhaps move to 60 to 69 feet (18 to 21 m), but try to do so at the maximum ascent rate of 30 feet (9 m/min). This will have two effects. First, it will minimize any further on-gassing in tissues that on and off-gas more slowly. This will reduce the overall amount of N₂ that needs to exit your body on the surface.

Second, you’re creating a larger pressure difference between the partial pressure of the N₂ in your lungs and the N₂ in your tissues. This is because the N₂ in your tissues will not have had much time to move toward the lungs, so it will be comparatively higher than the partial pressure in the lungs by the time you have ascended to 59 feet (18 m). Once you reach the shallower level, stay there and you will off-gas greater amounts of N₂ during that time underwater instead of on the boat. This applies for each level that you move up to until you reach your safety stop. Also consider a 5-minute safety stop on every dive for added conservatism.

Technical divers know this kind of ascent profile well, using it during decompression dives from the deepest point in the dive to the next level before moving up to a gas switch. I introduce students to this profile during the deep specialty course. We often find that students to make the transition to a slightly faster ascent, and they are rightly cautious. But over a few dives they learn to ascend closer to 30 feet (9 m/minute), but crucially, in a controlled way.

Summary

To be clear, I’m not saying that this is a “safer” way to dive — it’s just a different approach. You must always obey the maximum ascent rate you have learned or the ascent rate that your dive computer will allow. You must also consider that relative pressure change increases as you shallow up, so it’s not necessarily appropriate to continue this kind of ascent once you’re within 33 feet (10 m) of the surface.

Whether this type of ascent decreases fatigue is also subjective. I feel far less fatigue after a dive by using this kind of profile. But although it works for me, it may not work for you. Either way, it is worth remembering that many factors affect decompression stress, and you must consider all of them for every dive. For more detailed information on factors affecting decompression stress, watch this presentation by Dr. Neal Pollock.

The post Diving Ascent Methods and Decompression Stress appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2i2CSAv

Bye, bye web TV – hello online video

The decline of linear TV has been a topic for a long time, today no one is questioning the fact that the way we consume TV and moving pictures has changed.

Read more ...

from World News Publishing Focus by WAN-IFRA - World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers http://ift.tt/2iqqeiA

Technical Diving in Malta

We recently wrote about the fantastic recreational diving in Malta. If you’re into wreck diving in warm, clear water, it’s a fantastic choice, easily accessible from anywhere in Europe. But the technical diving in Malta is just as impressive, with a variety of wrecks available just beyond recreational depths.

Because so many wrecks dot the Maltese coast at varying depths, it’s perfect for technical fun dives and courses at all levels. For those taking a foundation tech course, there are plenty of shallow dive sites for practicing new skills. On decompression courses, wrecks such as the MV Karwela, with its famous staircase, offer something to explore in the (35 to 45 m) range as you rack up some deco before heading back to a shallow reef on your decompression stops.

For deeper courses, such as open-circuit trimix or mixed-gas rebreather, Malta offers some fantastic and historically important deep wrecks. If you are already trimix certified, these are exactly the type of dive sites that made you want to get the qualification in the first place. We covered the shallower wrecks, such as the Um El Faroud, in our previous article, so here we’ll focus on the deeper wrecks each of them a highlight of technical diving in Malta.

SS Polynesian

The WWI-era SS Polynesian wreck sits upright, with a list to port, on the seabed between 174 and 213 feet (53 m and 65 m) seven miles (11 km) offshore from Valetta. It launched in April 1890 and worked as a French passenger ship until WWI. In 1914, the French Government commandeered the ship for troop transport. This made it a prime target for the German Navy and, in August 1918, while carrying Serbian troops, a UC22 German mine-laying submarine attacked and sank the ship. It sank within 20 minutes with the loss of 10 men.

At 492 feet (150 m) long, there is a lot of wreck to explore. A deck gun, fitted by the French Navy, is still visible, and it’s is in good condition considering how long it’s been underwater.

HMS Southwold

HMS Southwold was a Type-II British Hunt-class destroyer operating during WWII. Its main role was to act as a convoy escort for merchant ships, which meant keeping constant alert for enemy warships, mines, aircraft and, of course, the dreaded U-boat. On March 23, 1942, a group of 10 destroyers, three cruisers, and one battleship from the Italian Navy attacked its convoy. Most of the ships escaped with light damage, but the cargo ship Clan Campbell went down. The oil tanker Breconshire was hit as well. While towing the Breconshire, the Southwold hit a mine, which caused significant damage to the engine room. Although the crew attempted to tow the Southwold back to port, they had to abandoned the ship due to bad weather. It subsequently broke in two and sank.

The wreck lies 1.5 miles (2.4 km) offshore of Marsaskala, and sits at around 230 feet (70 m) on the seabed in two sections. The bow is 131 feet (40 m) long and sits on its starboard side. The stern, which lies around 984 feet (300 m) away from the bow is around 92 feet (28 m) long and sits upright. The distance alone between the bow and stern means that you will need to do numerous dives to properly explore the wreck.

HMS Stubborn

The Stubborn was a British S-class submarine that survived WWII after operating in the North Sea, Mediterranean, and the Pacific. It was commissioned in 1943 and suffered serious damage in 1944 after attacking a convoy and being crippled by their escorts. The wreck sat on the bottom of the North Sea without power for 10 hours before being repaired enough to surface and limp back to shore. After significant repairs, it was put back into service and managed to survive the rest of WWII.

The Navy purpose-sank the wreck in 1946 to act as an underwater target for training purposes, and subsequently lies intact. It’s 203 feet (62 m) long and 23 feet (7 m) wide, sitting upright but at a slight lean to starboard at around 187 feet (57 m). Because the visibility is so good, divers can see the wreck from far above as they descend. It’s the perfect site for the final dives of a trimix course, but you’ll want to dive here again and again.

Dive conditions

Although there can be currents on these wrecks, technical diving in Malta is a joy because of consistently good visibility. It’s incredible to see a wreck as large as the Polynesian in its entirety in crystal-clear water. There are also many more wrecks in and around Malta, all with interesting backstories. Numerous dive shops can accommodate technical divers wishing to see these wrecks, either for fun, or as part of a tech course. The oldest and most established outfit is Techwise Malta, which runs open- and closed-circuit trimix courses from a variety of different agencies. All dives take place from either a purpose-built dive boat with a rear lift or a RIB running out from the dive shop.

The post Technical Diving in Malta appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2BmKHbV

The loveliness of Lillicoco.

If you read my list of 101 jewelry small businesses closely, you may already have discovered Lillicoco – but this great little shop is too fabulous to breeze by without taking a closer look.

Lillicoco launched two years ago with an initial investment of only £500 and it’s been making waves ever since.

Co-owners Stacy (“The Magpie”) and Simon (who needs an awesome nickname of his own) have grown their little dream into a highly respected international store with stellar reviews and an ever changing inventory of 300+ vintage and antique treasures.

Continue reading The loveliness of Lillicoco. at Diamonds in the Library.

from Diamonds in the Library http://ift.tt/2Ak3Huz

CME and Medisource: Successful Collaboration in Action

Healthcare facility operators often find themselves in the midst of an upgrade, with 70 percent of hospitals planning or actively undergoing projects, according to a 2016 Hospital Construction Survey. While these projects can vary greatly in scope and size, one key factor can usually contribute to their success – collaboration.

from CME Insiders http://ift.tt/2idbkfu

Calypso Renovations Have Hit a Setback

All those who are excited for the rebirth of Jacques Cousteau’s iconic Calypso will have to wait a bit longer. The ship, a former British Royal Navy minesweeper transformed by Cousteau into a scuba-explorer’s dream vessel is undergoing renovation, as reported on ScubaDiverLife.com last year.

A setback for Calypso

Now it seems that although the renovations were pushing ahead at a shipyard in Turkey, there has been a setback. On September 12 at around 2:30 am, a fire broke out and damaged the legendary ship. The Cousteau Society reported no loss of life or injury. The damage has impacted only the newly finished wooden parts and the ship’s historic elements remain intact. A police investigation is currently underway to determine the origin of the fire.

The society reports that the fire will cause a delay of between six and eight months, not to mention the loss of much painstaking work put in by the team and dedicated carpenters.

The project will carry on as planned, says Francine Cousteau, President of the Cousteau Team.

“It’s an exciting, complex mission,” she says. “And whatever the price, the time, the obstacles, I will never give it up. For Calypso we have an excellent construction site, dedicated management teams, motivated and exceptional marine carpenters who work with love and talent. For them, for all those who have shown so much hope to see this ship rebuilt, I want to succeed.”

 

 

 

The post Calypso Renovations Have Hit a Setback appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2zNJUUM

Let the algorithm do the job

How do you rate a traffic incident in Stockholm on a 1 to 5-scale? At Svenska Dagbladet an algorithm is running the news, and tech is a way to secure the future of journalism.

Read more ...

from World News Publishing Focus by WAN-IFRA - World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers http://ift.tt/2ibY2zG

The Paralenz Dive Camera Is Here

The Paralenz Dive Camera  is the first action camera built by divers, for divers. Because it was built specifically for diving, the Danish engineers, divers and innovators responsible for the design have developed a camera packed with features that will appeal to scuba divers and freedivers from all over the world.

No more filters mean much more color

One of the camera’s most game-changing features is its depth-controlled color-correction (DCC) capability. This eliminates the need for any external filters and still gives great colors to your footage, straight off the camera. The Paralenz also doesn’t need an external housing, which makes it far more portable, and it can go as deep as 656 feet (200 m), right out of the box.

Sharing your dives is easy 

As soon as you get back on the boat after a dive, you can easily upload your footage to the Paralenz Dive app and share it immediately. The app even shows you a profile of the dive, so you know exactly where you got your best shots. Your depth and the temperature can be displayed in the footage as well, always letting you know how deep you were.

The Paralenz is built for diving 

This robust camera was made for extreme environments and all the use and abuse that happens on a dive boat. The form factor and its military-grade aluminum housing makes it perfect for dives in all conditions, and the battery life of over two hours in 4K and over three hours in 1080p will last you throughout the dive day.

Built by divers, for divers 

The Paralenz team reached out to the dive community through Kickstarter in July 2016. They received massive interest from the crowd, hitting over $350,000 USD in contributions. Not only was this seed money enough to get the project started, but it also created a community. Around 250 divers from 38 countries were involved in the testing and development phase of the camera. Based on their knowledge and community feedback, the camera underwent more than 30 improvements from the test unit to the final production model. 

The future of Paralenz

The team at Paralenz, with a background in innovation and product development, plans to keep on developing new accessories, products and features for the camera, so stay tuned. Check out the latest news at www.paralenz.com.

Specifications

• Waterproof to: 656 feet (200 m/21 ATM)
• Video Resolution: 4k to 30 fps/1080p-100 fps/720p-240 fps (MOV – H.264 codec)
• Audio Recording: Yes (internal microphone)
• Still resolution: 8 MP (Picture size: 3840 x 2160)
• White Balance: Auto, 4500K, 5500K, 6500K + DCC
• Battery Life: Over three hours recording time (1080p – 30 fps)
• App: Viewing/sharing/settings (iOS & Android)
• Useable with gloves: Yes
• Shockproof: Yes
• Field-of-view: 140 degrees    
• Weight/Dimensions: 5.6 ounces (161 g); (4.5 x 1.4 x 1.5”) (116 x 35 x 38 mm)
• Housing: Military grade aluminum and polycarbonate (no external housing required)
• Port: USB-C (for fast charging)
• Storage: 64 GB Micro SD-card (Class: U3 or V30) – not included
• Mounts: Mask mount and universal mount included
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB
• Display: 0.5” OLED
• Operating temperature: -4°F to 185°F (-20°C to 85°C); EVA padding (minimizing battery discharge in cold water)

The post The Paralenz Dive Camera Is Here appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2Ac9Mt2

Sarah Magid’s Delicious Candy Drop collection

There are a lot of different things jewelry can do: it can make you feel strong, elegant, sexy, refined, bold – but sometimes what you really want is a piece of jewelry that makes you smile.

Sarah Magid’s new Candy Drop collection is like laughter made tangible. It’s vivid, vivacious, and (ahhh I’m out of v words) just super fun. It’s also a delight for the eye to behold.

These chandelier earrings are the showpiece of the Candy Drop collection and a perfect introduction to its lurid, voluptuous appeal.

Continue reading Sarah Magid’s Delicious Candy Drop collection at Diamonds in the Library.

from Diamonds in the Library http://ift.tt/2AddS4e

Scuba Diving in Tufi

 

The scuba diving in Tufi, Papua New Guinea is some of the world’s best, with stunning offshore reefs and vibrant inshore critter sites. The area takes its name from the small village of Tufi, which functioned as the local settlement for the Australian colonial administration when PNG was under its control.

Located on the northeast coast of the main island of New Guinea, Tufi is visually stunning. Imagine the fjords of Norway, but set in a tropical location with a dense covering of rainforest cascading to the water’s edge.

Three things make Tufi so special: first is the immediate and obvious attraction of the area’s tropical fiords, both above and below the water.

Second, starting about five nautical miles offshore, are a string of rarely visited reefs and seamounts. These sit right in the path of the Equatorial Currents that nourish the northeast coast of Papua New Guinea.

Finally, there are the local people and their customs, who have set up homestays and conduct regular cultural demonstrations.

The location

The ancient eruption of three large volcanoes on Cape Nelson are responsible for the area’s unique topography. The resulting lava flow created the long and narrow coastal inlets as it poured into the Solomon Sea. Geologists refer to such coastal inlets as “rias,” because a true fjord is created by glaciers – in short supply in Papua New Guinea.

Tufi Dive Resort  sits the site of the original pub and hotel that served the small expatriate community when Tufi was a colonial settlement.

How to get to Tufi

Tufi is completely isolated from the nation’s capital, Port Moresby, and the south coast of New Guinea island by the formidable and densely forested Owen Stanley Range that runs down the spine of the island.

Reaching altitudes of over 13,000 feet (4,000 m), there are simply no roads through the mountains and so the only real option to get to Tufi is via air from Port Moresby. There is also a ferry service if you have plenty of time and like your adventure on the strong side.

Because of its grass landing strip, Tufi used to be limited to small planes. A few years ago, however, the resort’s owners went to the significant expense of extending the runway so that larger planes could land. PNG Air serves Tufi regularly from Port Moresby.

Where to stay

The only truly viable accommodation option if you are scuba diving here is Tufi Dive Resort. Homestay accommodation is available in several local villages, but you will have to get to the resort by 8:00 a.m. every morning to go diving, which would require a bit of a trek and a canoe ride. If you’re interested in a homestay, it’s far better to keep that part of your trip separate from the diving.

Accommodation at Tufi consists of several self-contained bungalows scattered around the main lodge. A terrace and barbecue area overlooks Tufi fjord and offers superb views all the way to the extinct volcanoes in the distance.

Logistics in Tufi

PNG currency is the Kina, and $1 USD will buy you about three of them. Most visitors to PNG get whatever Kina they think they will need at the ATM or currency exchange after arrival at the international airport in Port Moresby. There are no banks or ATMs available in Tufi, so you must bring whatever cash you need with you.

If you are staying at the resort, cash is not an issue as they accept credit cards. But you will need some local currency to buy souvenirs in the villages and for staff tips.

Scuba diving in Tufi

Scuba diving in Tufi offers a unique combination of options. You can go critter hunting in the accumulated flotsam and jetsam around the main wharf or dive on pristine offshore reefs, rarely visited by anybody other than the resort’s guests.

A typical dive day at Tufi begins with breakfast at 7 a.m. in the main lodge. Afterward you’ll stroll down “the hill” to the dive shop and jetty, located next to Tufi’s public wharf. The dive crew will have all your gear ready and loaded for departure at about 8:30 a.m.

Offshore dive sites vary in distance from five to 15 nautical miles and it takes between 30 to 50 minutes to get them. Two reef dives are typical, but if everybody agrees and there are not too many divers — and the weather conditions allow it — the crew will bring extra cylinders for a third dive.

Afternoon and night dives take place directly in front of the dive shop jetty in the fjord, where you’ll find all the critters.

Tufi’s reefs

Without doubt, the main draw for divers visiting this part of PNG are Tufi’s superb offshore reefs.

Located between five and 15 nautical miles from Cape Nelson, the reefs and seamounts rise from the sea bed some 656 feet (200 m) below. Few divers but the guests at Tufi resort ever visit.

Only about 25 of the seamounts are close enough to dive and have been surveyed, while the rest remain largely unexplored. Overall, they offer some exceptional and adventurous diving with a great selection of walls, swim-throughs, hard and soft corals and schooling fish. Divers also have the chance to see passing pelagics and the occasional great hammerhead shark.

The resort visits the inner reefs regularly, but the best time to dive the outer remote reefs is in October and November. During this doldrums period, between the trade wind seasons, the dive conditions are at their very best, with calm seas and great visibility. Most of the reefs are completely submerged, which means they provide very little, if any, shelter. Diving them safely really does require good weather.

Diving Tufi fjord

At the other end of the spectrum is the diving in the main Tufi fjord, centered around the dive jetty and the adjacent public wharf.

Underneath those jetties and on the slope down to the bottom of the fjord some 164 feet (50 m) below, is the accumulated flotsam and jetsam of everyday life in Tufi since it was a colonial settlement under the Australian administration. Although it’s not a pretty sight, all the rubbish makes perfect homes for all the critters that have settled here.

Afternoon and night dives here feature entry from the dive shop jetty. With camera in hand, you’ll either turn left or right and follow the fjord wall. You could spend hours exploring here, spotting a plethora of macro critters such as ornate and robust ghost pipefish, dumpling squid, crocodilefish, gobies, nudibranchs and more.

The remains of two WWII-era American Navy motor torpedo (PT) boats sit out from the jetty and down at 147 feet (45 m). The boats were sunk during a refueling accident in 1942 and feature anti-aircraft guns, live ammunition and torpedoes. Interested divers can visit these sites on a decompression dive.

Local engagement

The presence of a resort like Tufi in such a remote location, where the local people live a subsistence lifestyle growing or catching what they need to eat, could easily create a two-tier effect: us and them. On my visits to Tufi, however, I found that the resort has made genuine efforts to engage the local villages in tourism. They’ve helped villagers set up home-stay type accommodation and taught them how to cook and serve meals to western standards.

The villages conduct regular cultural demonstrations where large groups dress up in traditional costumes and conduct sing-sings and dances for tourists from the resort.

I found the presentations to be well done, colorful and photogenic, and they present a great opportunity to get a bit closer to the villagers. If you really want to peel the onion a bit more with the local people, then consider a homestay before or after your dive trip.

Australian Don Silcock is based in Bali. He has dived many of the Indo-Pacific’s best locations. His website offers plentiful articles and location guides. Learn more about Tufi and Papua New Guinea in his complete guides.

The post Scuba Diving in Tufi appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2zoNW1V

Learning to Scuba Dive in Fresh Water

Most people assume that qualifying dives take place in the ocean when learning to scuba dive. However, each year thousands of people take the plunge in a freshwater environment, whether it’s a lake, spring, river or quarry. What are the pros and cons of learning to scuba dive in fresh water? And how do you transition to salt water once you’re certified?

Location

There are thousands of freshwater dive-training sites around the world, but why would you choose one?

First, it may be a case of simple logistics. You may live far from the coast and getting to the sea might not be a simple task. However, there may be excellent inland training facilities on your doorstep.

Second, the sea in your area may be more challenging than a tropical reef and not a suitable training environment for inexperienced divers. On-shore winds and surge may be prevalent. Or, alternatively, local sea diving may be conducted from boats, where the depth limits and water conditions are a too challenging for introductory training.

The local inland training facility may also simply be more friendly, professional and better equipped than the sea-diving alternative for offering introductory courses.

Finally, there are countless amazing freshwater dive sites to explore, so training in that environment can be an advantage.

Benefits of learning to scuba dive in fresh water

Learning in a freshwater environment has several benefits:

• First — and most importantly — many inland, freshwater dive sites, particularly lakes and quarries, have bespoke diving facilities especially tailored for dive training. Often the site features lots of resources to expedite diver training. There may be waterside parking for easy access, equipment sales or servicing onsite, a compressor and cylinder filling stations. There may be food and refreshments available at the site. Many freshwater diving sites also have attractions beneath the surface, such as wrecks placed in certain areas of the site to create points of interest. Often these training wrecks have been cleaned of entanglements and hazards, making them perfect for training.

In addition, many freshwater training facilities have onsite emergency equipment and procedures in place. Often a rescue team with a small boat and first aid supplies are just seconds away.

• From a practical standpoint, the lower density of fresh water — as opposed salt water — means that you’ll need to carry a little less weight. While the difference is only usually two to four pounds (1 to 2 kg), the reduced weight is a bonus if you’re walking to or from a shore- entry dive site. New divers not used to the weight of a full scuba kit can find the physical process challenging and additional weight can become a stressor.
• Logistically, there is rarely a long boat ride at a freshwater dive site. Many are shore dives, so you can enter the water and complete your training without worrying about time and tide. Diving a non-tidal environment means that visibility and water level usually remain consistent throughout the season, making for a more controlled setting. And, your new equipment won’t become encrusted with salt and you can clean it more easily when you’re done diving.
• Socially, at many freshwater dive-training sites, there will be lots of other new divers completing their initial training. On surface intervals, you may have the opportunity to chat and exchange stories, tips and experiences.
• Many freshwater dive sites have unique wildlife or topography that you simply won’t find at a saltwater dive site.

Potential drawbacks

While there are many benefits to learning to scuba dive in fresh water, there are some considerations to be mindful of — and to carry along when you transition to the ocean.

• In colder, freshwater diving environments, regulator systems are more prone to free-flowing, which can cause issues both above and below the surface. If you’re learning to dive in a colder freshwater environment, be sure you have the right regulator for the job.
• Being smaller than the oceans, freshwater dive sites can become very busy. Choose your time to dive them wisely to avoid becoming part of a diver-soup.
• Taking your initial training in fresh water can trip you up when it comes to your weighting in salt water. When you assemble your weight system for your initial sea dives, add an extra two to four pounds (1 to 2 kg) with all other factors being equal. Complete a weight and trim check at the beginning of the dive.
• Inland freshwater dive sites are sometimes exclusively shore dives and are unexposed to the tide and water movement of an ocean dive site. If you haven’t dived from a boat before, make sure you find out the proper procedures when you do. Listen to the briefings. Similarly, if you’re diving in a tidal region or in a location with currents for the first time, obtain a local orientation. When necessary, train for diving in that region. Take the proper equipment for the location and consult a local dive operator if you’re unsure.

There are several good reasons to make your initial training dives at a freshwater dive site. And, when qualified, there are some stunning freshwater sites in various parts of the world to explore. However, be mindful of the differences when transitioning between the two different environments to ensure you have safe and enjoyable dives.

The post Learning to Scuba Dive in Fresh Water appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2jWIVup

What Next After Your Technical Diving Courses?

 

Technical diving courses are intense. Instructors push students to absorb new knowledge and physical skills at every step. When you graduate, all of it is fresh in your mind, but what happens after six months or a year? Here, we look at ways to keep these hard-earned skills fresh and ready for your next tech diving adventure.

It’s all about experience

Technical diving training lays a foundation to build upon. It’s far from the end of the line, but instead a door opener into a different world of diving. Now that you have your tech-diving license, it’s time to practice and gain experience. While the training must be challenging to help prepare divers for potential emergencies, not every subsequent technical dive will be quite so intense. All dives, however, require thorough planning and a well-considered execution of that plan. Going through those steps repeatedly helps imprint them on a diver’s memory. Just like you developed a routine for recreational diving, getting ready for a technical dive will become second nature. Gear preparation, dive planning and working together as a team will become easier and take less time.

Invest in your own equipment

Remember how long it took to set up that harness and backplate? And the adjustments after the first few dives to get your gear just right? How about that sidemount BCD? Most instructors introduce their students to different ways of setting those up, as well as rigging tanks. But because of the flexibility inherent in sidemount diving, most newly qualified students continue making changes long after their courses have finished.

Purchasing your own equipment allows you to continuously improve your gear setup until it reaches that sweet spot where it is both functional and comfortable. Just like you heard in your initial Open Water class, buying your own gear will also encourage you to get out more and plan more dives. And if something does go wrong, as it inevitably will at some point, diving with your own gear will make it easier to deal with the situation.

Develop a storage system

Technical divers carry more redundant equipment than recreational divers. Stowing this in a streamlined, yet accessible, way is key to functionality. If you are diving in back-mount configuration, on twinsets/doubles, use pockets to stow accessories. You can either sew these onto your exposure suit or purchase them separately as a pair of shorts or a holster-type setup.

Most sidemount divers prefer something different, as pockets on their legs can get in the way of tanks or become hard to access. Try several options to find what works for you. and Once you have that system, change it with caution and especially not before a big dive to avoid confusion when it matters.

Find a regular tech diving team…

In an ideal world, newly qualified technical divers develop their skills as part of a team of tech buddies. This allows them to get used to each other’s diving style and learn from the rest of the team. It also creates equipment familiarity among the team.

…Or book guided technical dives

Many tech-training centers offer guided technical dives as well as courses. These are a great opportunity to practice what you learned on the courses and explore new territory. You’ll still have to plan and prepare the dive with tech guides or instructors on hand to help with questions, but your choice of dive sites is often much wider than it was in your course.

Guided technical dives are also a great way to explore areas you’re not familiar with. Depending on where you are in the world and your dive plan, you may be able to complete one or two decompression dives per day, allowing you to build experience and apply what you learned during training.

Practice, practice, practice

Even if you can’t go technical diving for a while, try to practice the skills you learned. Make a habit of diving in trim position. Practice different propulsion techniques to develop precision, or plan your gas consumption for a recreational dive as if you were going tech diving. All of this will help you get back into it more quickly the next time you put on a set of doubles.

Keep reading

Technical diving is a fast-developing discipline and new information is published almost daily. It’s a good idea to subscribe to newsletter published by an organization such as DAN for the latest research into decompression sickness or, even better, planning better dives. Plenty of tech-diving instructors share articles on social media and many popular forums discuss new ideas.

Having said that, not every study or research paper is of high quality. Therefore, keep a healthy dose of skepticism and do your own research if possible.

Proceed with caution

Is it time to take the next step and train to the next level? Perhaps. Ask yourself how comfortable you are with skills that should be second nature at your current level of qualification. If you are feeling a bit rusty, consider a skills refresher or build-up dives to get ready for that next step. And remember, it’s not a race: the next course will be there when you’re ready.

The post What Next After Your Technical Diving Courses? appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2hOIWfK

101 places to buy jewelry on Small Business Saturday.

It’s officially shopping season, my darlings, so I want to be sure that you all have a nice, long list of places you can go to buy all the best bling for all the loved ones on your list (and don’t forget to treat yourself).

I’m a little biased because I’m a small business owner myself, but I love love love to support small businesses – especially when we’re talking about a product as special as jewelry.

Continue reading 101 places to buy jewelry on Small Business Saturday. at Diamonds in the Library.

from Diamonds in the Library http://ift.tt/2B8rquC

Name Your Own Coral Reef in Australia

 

Lord Howe Island, just two hours by plane from Sydney or Brisbane, is home to some of Australia’s best diving. But amazingly, much of the water surrounding the island, dotted with hundreds of reefs, caves, archways and other underwater formations, has never been explored. Divers have long been exploring the surveyed dive sites that surround the island, but you can now take that exploration to a whole new level when you discover and name your own coral reef.

“On one side of the island most of the reefs and dive sites are charted,” explains Aaron Ralph, owner of the island’s dive shop, Pro Dive Lord Howe Island. “But on the other side, there are many scattered reefs that just aren’t as convenient to access. As a result, one whole half of the island hasn’t really been surveyed or even explored — all we’ve got are these unknown blips on the sonar.”

Diving at Lord Howe Island

Lord Howe Island’s established diving experiences are pretty special. You can swim with turtles off Old Settlement Beach or find yourself surrounded by large schools of trevally near Ned’s Beach. You can dive through a series of underwater arches at the bottom of deep gullies at the Lagoon, see rock lobsters the size of small pigs at Red Point, and swim with large schools of Galapagos sharks at Ball’s Pyramid.

Additionally, some of the island’s marine life, including the double-header wrasse, the Lord Howe butterflyfish and the lovely Ballina angelfish, is endemic to Lord Howe Island, meaning you’ll see it nowhere else on Earth.

So, if the known sites are this good, the island’s unknown diving treasures are likely to be just as breathtaking.

“From what we can see on sonar, we’re expecting to see some very interesting gullies and swim throughs,” says Ralph. “In fact, the terrain looks really interesting, and where there’s interesting terrain, there’s usually lots of interesting marine life. Because this side of island is rarely visited, we also expect to see lots of curious Galapagos sharks and maybe even the very rare conspicuous angelfish.”

Naming your own reef

With so many uncharted areas, the idea of asking visitors to name the sites that they explore was an obvious one, says Ralph. Exploring uncharted waters requires a certain level of diving ability, so Ralph has come up with an unusual solution. Pro Dive has teamed up with island resort Pinetrees Lodge to stage an annual “Lord Howe Island Dive Week,” a dive-training experience where keen underwater explorers can practice navigating unknown waters confidently. They’ll go over skills such as buoyancy and air consumption and dealing with strong currents as well before venturing to unmapped areas. Once the exploration is complete, divers get to name the reef they’ve explored.

Coral reefs are usually named as part of an official survey but, as is tradition, the dive community traditionally maintains smaller sections of reef and other dive sites. Particularly noteworthy sites usually end up in guidebooks.

Exploratory diving can be somewhat challenging, but the reward on Lord Howe Island is not only the opportunity to name a dive site, but also the incredible marine life you encounter while exploring.

There are limited spaces left at the next Dive Week in January 2018. Pro Dive Lord Howe Island will also consider taking groups of experienced divers on a series of exploratory dives outside Dive Week. Contact Pro Dive Lord Howe Island for more information.

By guest author Deborah Dickson-Smith

The post Name Your Own Coral Reef in Australia appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2A2q1Zd

SeaLife Launches Handheld Sea Dragon Mini Fluoro Underwater Light

 

 SeaLife, in collaboration with Fire Dive Gear, introduced the new Sea Dragon Mini Fluoro light at the DEMA (Dive Equipment & Marketing Association) tradeshow in early in Orlando in early November. Featuring the same LED and filter technology as the full-size Sea Dragon Fluoro-Dual Beam, the Mini Fluoro emits a powerful blue-light beam and adds an integrated dichroic filter creating the optimal light wavelength to “excite” underwater life.  

How does it work?

Here’s how fluorescence works to give underwater viewers an incredible underwater light show: When energy emitted from the fluoro light strikes an atom on the surface of an underwater marine organism, it knocks an electron up to a higher energy state. When the electron decays back to its normal state (usually instantly, after a few nanoseconds), it emits a photon of light (in the visible, lower energy part of the color spectrum). In much simpler terms — when illuminating marine life with the Mini Fluoro’s light, a colorful energy reaction occurs and the sea creature emits its own light.

The compact, handheld Fluoro light uses a blue LED and a special mirrored “dichroic” filter to pinpoint the light wavelength needed for an optimal energy, or light response. The light also includes a yellow-mask barrier filter, which eliminates excess blue light remaining in the viewing area and maximizing the fluoro viewing effect.  

“The Sea Dragon Mini Fluoro’s compact size and affordable price makes it ideal for anyone to explore the marvels of underwater fluorescence” says Bjorn Harms, SeaLIfe’s VP and lead product developer. “It’s also the perfect light for dive operators to run nighttime fluoro dives and equip everyone in the group with a Mini Fluoro light and barrier filter.”

The Mini Fluoro light boasts an impressive seven watt/M² brightness at full power, more than enough to get a spectacular display of color, and while fluoro diving and viewing is most visible at night, the light is certainly effective in daylight. Unlike UV lights, Mini Fluoro is powerful, but not harmful to human eyes or those of sea creatures.

The light runs for eight hours on one 18650 rechargeable Li-ion 3400mAh battery at quarter power or two hours at full power.  Two single-use CR123 may also be used with four-hour run time at quarter power and one hour at full power. The battery grip features an integrated safety pressure-release valve that relieves internal pressure built-up in the vent if the battery becomes damaged. The light is sold with or without batteries.

The Mini Fluoro light is constructed of an anodized-aluminum machined body for maximum durability and corrosion resistance. The dual O-ring design ensures a reliable waterproof seal down to depths of 330 feet (100 m).

Featuring simple one-button operation, the Mini Fluoro can cycle through three brightness levels: 100 percent, 50 percent and 25 percent brightness.

The Mini Fluoro light includes the universal mask barrier filter with protective cover, lanyard with BCD clip, two spare O-rings and O-ring lube.

The Sea Dragon Mini Fluoro will be available for shipment in November of 2017 and retails for $159.95

SeaLife launched its first fluorescent dive light, the Sea Dragon Fluoro-Dual Beam, also in partnership with Fire Dive Gear. one of the world’s foremost experts in fluoro diving and imaging. Favored by divers for its spectacular show of color and impressive nighttime display of emitted energy, fluorescence or “fluoro” diving with specialized lighting has become popular. The Fluoro-Dual Beam is already available at select SeaLife dealers.

 

About SeaLife

SeaLife Underwater Cameras are made by Pioneer Research in Moorestown, NJ and were first introduced in 1993. In 2000, SeaLife developed the world’s first digital underwater camera. In 2007, SeaLife developed the first non-housed digital underwater camera, and in 2013 SeaLife introduced the powerful Sea Dragon Lighting system and its innovative Flex-Connect tray, grip, arm, and accessory system. In 2014, SeaLife introduced the Micro HD, the world’s first permanently sealed underwater camera, followed by the new Micro 2.0 in 2015 and the cutting-edge DC2000 underwater camera in 2017.  SeaLife cameras, lighting and accessories are sold and serviced in 64 countries around the world.    

The post SeaLife Launches Handheld Sea Dragon Mini Fluoro Underwater Light appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2B2mmYG

Scuba Diving in Tela, Honduras

Occasionally, dive spots come along that stand out above the rest. They are often far from the epicenter of diving and take some commitment to access, but the payoff is usually well worth the effort. The scuba diving in Tela, Honduras perfectly fit the bill for a great under-the-radar location. Five minutes into my first dive I was lost in endless fields of coral. My underwater navigation skills are on point, but Tela had me swimming in circles, captivated by the colossal size of the reef.

Tela is located southwest of the Bay Islands, Roatan and Utila, both the top destinations for divers visiting Honduras. You can get to Tela by taking a ferry or airplane to the mainland from the Bay Islands and then a bus or taxi from San Pedro Sula or La Ceiba. The trip will take you between 2.5 and six hours, depending on the route you take.

Scuba Diving in Tela

If you’re diving in Honduras, it’s well worth your time to take a weekend or a few days to dive in Tela. Note, however, that you can only dive for six months in Tela — from April to September, give or take a month on either side. During the winter, low visibility, winds, and currents restrict most diving activities.

Tela Bay is still quite undeveloped, and the only dive shop is in the Tela Marine Research Center. Diving is personalized and relaxed. Because the reef is fairly shallow, dives typically last 60 minutes or longer. Tela Marine is a PADI dive center open to certified and non-certified divers. If you want to complete a scuba course, check ahead to make sure an instructor is available before your arrival.

The Tela reef

The best way to describe the Tela reef is to close your eyes and imagine you’re sailing the Caribbean on a pirate ship hundreds of years ago. You find the perfect cove to anchor your boat and then hop in the water. What you would see then is how you are seeing the reef today —that’s how old and intact the reef really is.

Tela Bay is 24 miles (38 km) wide. The coral reef runs parallel to the coast in a thin band, in the center of the bay. The reef starts around 33 feet (10 m) below the surface, and corals cover the ridges down to 66 feet (20 m). The best diving however, is between 40 and 52 feet (12 to 16 m).

The ridgetops are covered in thin, leaf lettuce coral so abundant that it easily overpowers slower-growing coral like gorgonians. The sides of the ridges are dotted with colorful Mycetophyllia cactus corals and the happiest great star corals I’ve ever seen.

What really stuck with us about this reef was the sheer volume of coral. In a 2015 survey, Tela boasted over 70 percent coral coverage. It’s safe to say, though, that some parts of the reef feature 100 percent coral coverage. When you look through the cluster of lettuce coral you can see more corals growing beneath them. 

Why is the Tela reef so healthy?

The reason might surprise you. Tela has an unusually high number of black long-spined sea urchins, Diadema antillarum. These spiny echinoderms are the perfect reef cleanup crew, with a voracious appetite for algae. Before 1980, the urchins covered the entire Caribbean. But in 1983, the urchins underwent a mass mortality and populations plummeted by as much as 97 percent.

Therefore, a leading theory on why the reef in Tela is so healthy credits the abundance of Diadema inhabiting the reef. Researchers are currently looking at ways to rear sea urchins and reintroduce them to degraded reefs around the Caribbean.

We loved Tela so much that after a few days we decided to extend our trip another month. And to our good fortune, we explored new reefs — and I was lucky enough to have a reef named after me. While diving in Tela might not be for everyone, if you are a coral enthusiast and want to see how a Caribbean reef should look, it’s time to add Tela to your bucket list.

The post Scuba Diving in Tela, Honduras appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2iHoJct