FIN LIKE A FISH

Not only do fins move you through the water but with effective finning you'll also save air.

• Swim completely submerged
• Swim at a slow and steady pace
• Streamline yourself and gear
• Stay nearly horizontal when moving
• Properly weight yourself and use minimum air in your BC
• Be sure to kick from the hips, keeping your legs straight as possible. Pause and glide between strokes

UNWRITTEN RULES OF TECH DIVER ETIQUETTE

A interesting article by Dr Thomas Powell for the SDI - TDI - ERDI blog that I thought I would share.

We have all been somewhere intending to have a wonderful dive adventure, and been faced with an unexpected visit from “that guy.” In 2013 we began discussing “that guy” and how he can frustrate even the calmest of individuals. With any sport or hobby, there are certain unwritten rules of etiquette we should all consider. The objective behind partaking in a sport such as scuba diving is to have a good time. After all, we choose to dive; we do not need it to survive.

The diver who has to have everything on site

First, divers love toys. From the day we get certified as open water divers, there is always some trinket or item that at first seems to be the most sensible purchase ever made by any human being. After a while, we end up with a bag of items that never seem to be used. Despite this, the bag grows and things rarely get tossed because.....Read More

ASK DAN: Can I Dive with Asthma?

I recently made plans to take an open-water course with my fiancé, but I have asthma and am worried about whether it is safe for me to dive. I do a great job managing my condition in my daily life, but I know that scuba diving carries its own medical considerations. What should I know before I start diving?  Can I dive with Asthma?

Asthma
You’re not alone. A huge percentage of the questions we receive at DAN concern diving with asthma. As a chronic lung disease in which the breathing tubes (bronchi) narrow in response to various stimuli — including cold air, exercise and other atmospheric irritants common to divers — asthma understandably poses a risk for people wanting to breathe compressed gas underwater. The primary concern for asthmatic divers is suffering an asthma attack while diving.

Dangers to Divers
All divers experience reductions in breathing capacity due to the effects of immersion and higher gas density in the water. At 33 feet below the surface, for example, the maximum breathing capacity for a healthy diver is only 70 percent of what it is at the surface; at 100 feet, breathing capacity drops to approximately 50 percent.  Read More

Pain Management: When to Worry

The most common dive injury, particularly in novice divers, is middle ear barotrauma and, as an instructor, it is important to be able to recognize an ear injury, identify a more serious injury and manage either effectively.
 As you know from your dive training, equalizing techniques enable the higher-pressure air from the throat to enter the middle ear and equalize pressure. Divers who don't sufficiently equalize, or that are congested, can injure themselves.
 If divers surface and describe a feeling of fullness in the ears or crackling sounds (as if there is water or fluid trapped in the ears) they may be experiencing a barotrauma. If this occurs, divers should discontinue diving and you should advise them to see a doctor. Divers should not resume diving until all symptoms are resolved. Injured divers should also be discouraged from further attempts to equalize as this can exacerbate the injury.
 If divers surface complaining of ear pain, facial pain, vertigo, nausea, hearing loss or ear ringing (tinnitus), this could indicate a severe case of barotrauma. The eardrum may be perforated, resulting in pain and possible infection. Divers should discontinue diving and seek immediate medical care.
 Advise divers against treating any dive-related ear injuries with eardrops, as they are alcohol based and designed to prevent an infection called otitis externa (swimmer’s ear). They will not successfully treat the injury and may cause unnecessary pain.
 For more information about ears and ear injuries, you can read the DAN Diving Medicine FAQs on ear equalizing or Stop the Drops! Ear Pain Management. You can also download the Divers Guide to Ears (291 Kb PDF) or take DAN’s online seminar Ears and Diving. If you have any questions, contact the DAN Medical Information Line at 1-919-684-2948.

5 Scuba Diving Bad Habits and How to Avoid Them

by Megan Denny
Last September I went on a liveaboard dive trip and saw my first hammerhead shark, followed by a barracuda tornado. I also saw some classic examples of scuba diving bad habits – from experienced divers no less!

Liveaboards typically attract hardcore divers, and the boat I chose was no exception. On average, the people on board had 300+ dives, but a few of these old salts made mistakes that even a brand new diver would consider a rookie move.

Bad Habit #1 – Skipping the buddy check
You ask your buddy, “You ready? Yeah? Let’s go diving.” Everything seems fine until you roll off the boat and discover you forgot your fins, your buddy’s tank is loose, or something even worse.

Forgoing a buddy check takes a shortcut on safety and increases the chance of having to solve a problem in the water.  You can learn more about avoiding and adapting to problems in the PADI Rescue Diver course, but the best thing to do (as we teach during the Rescue course) is prevent problems before they begin with BWRAF 

Bad Habit #2 – Shooting fish butts
There were some very expensive camera rigs on board, but an expensive setup doesn’t guarantee good photos. Especially when the photographer doesn’t know underwater photo basics, or Want to read more click here?

Get in Shape

In Over Your Head !!!

 With summer just around the corner and diving season just getting started, many people haven't been doing as much during the winter as they should have been to keep themselves or their equipment in shape.

 To get your equipment back in shape is easy.  Just take it to your authorized dealer and have its yearly service done.  No, equipment is not "OK" if it hasn't been used.  As a matter of fact, diving equipment is better off used than left setting around.  It's sort of like your body and if you haven't been working on keeping that in shape you know how hard it is to do the things you use to do.  You really don't want to be in the water and out of shape with equipment that doesn't work.

 To get yourself back in shape can be easy if you just dedicate a little time every other day.  Yes we all want to look good but it does take time.  Remember the old saying you have to crawl before you can walk.  Speaking of walking this is a great way to start getting back into shape.  Only about a half an hour a day will do and if you take someone from your family this is known as quality time.  All gain, no pain.  Walking is a low-impact, aerobic workout that burns the same number of calories as running the same distance-but with much less stress on the joints and muscles.  Remember most of all, to do some stretching before you start and when you finish.

Susquehanna University & The Great Barrier Reef

Each year in the spring the Staff at Sunken Treasure Scuba Center trains students from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA.  In April, Kelsey & Alyssa where two students that completed their dives in the Susquehanna River at Jay Street in Lock Haven. Sometimes the conditions are not the best for them however then the fun starts! They study abroad on The Great Barrier Reef off of Australia.  I don't know if I should feel sorry for them or not that the water is cold in April.  NOT!!

5 Dos and Don’ts of Dive Boat Travel

Great post for all divers......When you head out into open water, you are embarking on a great adventure. Whether it is your 1st or 51st time diving from a boat, the fun doesn’t fade. But don’t let excitement get in the way of your manners – you are sharing the boat with other divers, and you don’t want to prevent them from enjoying their time in and above the water as well.
Follow these five etiquette tips to ensure a great experience for both you and your fellow divers: