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Nike is well-known for producing sportswear for both male and female athletes. This is due in large part to the multitude of styles, colors, fabrics and sportswear designs that are available. Athletes value comfort because it allows them to focus on the physical activity itself. The plethora of choices for men and women, boys and girls also makes this sports brand a popular one for athletic couples and large families.

Choices for Female Athletes

Athletic women can feel comfortable and protected in their sports attire while looking stylish at the same time. Just about everyone has owned a pair of shoes with the famous Nike logo. When buying shoes, women have options ranging from the practical Air Force Nike to the stylish Gladiator sandals. The shoes come in solid colors or a mixture of every color imaginable.

In addition to shoes, female choices in Nike clothing include everything from running Capris to women’s golf shorts to tennis skirts and more. A Nike Pro Women’s Bra is an excellent choice for the active woman. The Dri-FIT women’s tank tops help keep women comfortable and dry.

Men and Nike Sportswear

Men can enjoy Nike shoes for just about every sport imaginable. Basketball, golf, soccer and football are just a few of the shoe options available for men. The Nike K.O. Fleece training hoodie is a popular choice for men because of its lightweight fabric and thin seams. Options ranging from track pants, polo shirts, t-shirts and athletic jackets make this sports brand a popular one-stop shop.

Whether you are a thrill-seeker who loves swimming with sharks or somebody who just wants to be underwater — without worrying about the predators — the best place to be is somewhere in between those two extremes.

Sharks can be dangerous, yes. Anybody who has seen pictures of surfers’ shark bite wounds knows the kind of damage a shark can do. Sharks are also the subjects of numerous horror movies that have built them up to be vicious man-eating predators in our minds. In reality, though, sharks aren’t eternally hungry or eager to chomp on every person they meet. As with any animal, they hunt when hungry and attack if they feel threatened, and ultimately most attacks on surfers and divers are due to mistaking those people for their natural food: seals.

So, sharks aren’t evil killing machines bent on devouring divers. That isn’t reason to let your guard down, either, though. Most bites are caused by curious sharks testing to see if something is food. For scuba divers, shark attacks usually happen when they go to the surface, where their silhouettes resemble seals’ outlines. If you sight a shark while scuba diving, stick to the bottom and stay still — it might be curious, but the shark should move on after a moment without incident.

If you are considering starting to treasure hunt the best place to start is in Texas. Texas has a large number of artifacts that are just waiting to be found. Here’s a look at some of the hidden treasures Texas has waiting for treasure hunters.

 

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Gold

Texas has a large area that people can just sit and pan for gold. Panning for gold takes a while and you could spend hours and come up with nothing, but it can be well worth it. A small ounce of gold can go for well over $600.

Rock Hunting

Looking for rocks might not sound like the treasure that most people associate with treasure hunting but it can be profitable. In Texas, there are a number of old rocks that if found could be a hidden treasure.

Metal and Lost Items

Texas has a large number of beaches. Beaches are well known for holding a number of metals and lost items just waiting to be found. Treasure hunters have found items ranging from gold rings, diamonds and coins.

Texas is a treasure chest just waiting to be found. It is a great place to start your treasure hunting hobby. With so much treasure waiting to be found you’re sure to find something to add to your treasure chest back at  home!

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One of the most important parts of a scuba diving gear is the diving mask. This essential part is what lets you breath oxygen instead of drowning in water. The mask creates a small environment in front of your face that creates the feeling of breathing is air instead of holding your breath under water. But like all types of gear, a scuba diving mask requires some amount of maintenance.

A scuba diving masks constantly get fogged up. There is nothing you can do under water to un-fog the screen and you will not be able to see what you came to see under water. Another problem faced with scuba diving masks is that these masks develop an oily surface film. The oily film makes it harder to see under water. To remove this oily film, you can use fluoride filled toothpaste that will remove the oily covering. The toothpaste needs to be thoroughly rubbed on the surface of the mask to clean away the film, followed by fresh water. As soon as you come out of the water (sea water specifically), you will have to clean the mask with fresh water to remove the sand and other minerals out of the mask which will ruin the mask. This salty residue will corrode the mask. Sunlight is never good for drying your wet mask, since it spoils the silicon. Hence dry the mask under shade and never keep it under the sun for long. Before storing it for the next vacation, nicely dry the mask. Even when the mask is stored, take it out occasionally to give it a rinse. Avoid scratches to the front of the mask by keeping it well stored.

There are many certified scuba diving teaching schools that teach you various degrees of scuba diving. These scuba diving just require candidates to have a high school degree and no other qualifications are asked. In a few places even this minimum requirement is not asked before training is begun. Although you will need to pass the physical examination with flying colors to be able to get a chance to become a professional in this area. As for scuba diving, there are different areas of specialty that you can choose from like, deep sea diving for doing under sea petroleum work or normal sea diving which. The money earned here is quite high, and so are the risks involved. Hence make you choice after a lot of thought. Schools should provide you a certificate with certification. Certification is provided by national institutions such as Professional Association of Diving Instructions or PADI. A certificate from this agency will get you permission to use your diving skills anywhere in the world.

Although very few deaths per year related to diving are reported, the number of injuries is moderate. A few instances of diver losing his or her live will stop many people from experiencing the joy of scuba diving. But these instances of injury and death can be avoided by taking a few precautions before one goes into the water. Both adults and children can enjoy scuba diving if they follow these precautions.

The reason that most scuba diving accidents happen is because the divers are not properly trained to handle the equipment and to swim under water. This is the biggest reason because of which deaths happen in this sport. The most important thing that you have to do before diving is to get a degree of scuba diving from a reputable agency. Avoid getting trained by friends and family, instead look out for well experienced divers who know to teach and have the ability to rescue you if you are about to drown. Since scuba diving is a very strenuous sport, people with heart problems and circulatory problems will succumb to fatalities. A person does not have to be a good athlete, but at the least the learner needs to be able to run a kilometer on his own. Tasking a physical exam before you begin diving will help. When diving, never go alone or with another person who is less trained than you. A trained person is important at all times when diving; very important if you are diving alone.

Adventure sports such as rock climbing and wind surfing are a big no, but what about scuba diving? What is the maximum age till when a person can go for scuba diving? These is a good new for people above 50 and even above 80, it is never too late to indulge in scuba diving. Even people above 80 regularly indulge in scuba diving. The body’s resilience makes it harder to force oneself to scuba diving every day, but scuba diving does not put too much force on the body. Proper technique and equipment will reduce the burden of learning to scuba dive. The only factor that keeps people away from scuba diving at old age is the fear of drowning or being eaten alive by sharks. Also people with heart diseases need to avoid scuba diving, since it could lead to complications. Middle aged people can very well indulge in scuba diving. But the condition here is that they will have to learn from teachers who are much younger than you. Many people are repelled by the fact that teachers include young teenagers. Along with this, most of the others learning scuba diving along with you, will too be youngsters. Don’t let this fact stop you from indulging in something that you always wanted to do. Everyone needs to experience Scuba diving.

The fact that betting on sports encompasses much more than the nightly basketball or baseball game is lost on many people, even those who regularly partake in the activity. Sports betting can be done on any number of sports from bobsledding to gymnastics, and, in fact, some of the most popular non-traditional wagers take place for water sports.

From the America’s Cup sailing race to the world surfing championships to Olympic swimming water sports, people love betting on water sports, especially the most highly competitive and anticipated sporting events in the world. Many people have favorites, and many more choose to place sports bets on those they believe will win.

Because many of these races and meets are highly contested and can be decided in seconds, water sports are some of the most exciting sports to bet on. Due to the fact that anyone can win on any given day, betting on water sports also has the potential for great reward.

When contemplating your betting strategies, remember that your betting habits do not have to stay relegated to land sports only. If you have a favorite surfer or swimmer, then remember that you can make a bet on that just as easily as if you were making a bet on your favorite football or basketball team. With the click of a button on your computer, you can support some of the world’s best athletes while also making some added cash for yourself.

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Diving flippers are an essential part of the diving gear. These flippers are meant to provide humans with the ability to move under water, which we have long lost to out distant ancestors, the fishes. But there is a lot to know about flippers before one literally dives into the scuba diving gear. Although there is no need for speed in the fun sport of scuba diving, there is still need to be flexible under water so that people can move around under water easily.

There is a huge market for flippers when choosing scuba diving equipment. From flippers made from ordinary plastic to flippers made from high quality low friction polyester fiber. For a beginner, these materials might be very confusing, well it is even confusing for scuba diving experts who can’t differentiate between the different materials. Flippers are meant to be comfortable, and above anything else, they should be picked for comfort. There are two types of scuba diving flippers the open heel fins and full foot fins. The open heel fins can be worn with boots and are large. They make moving through the water easier. On the other hand, the full foot fins cover the bare feet completely and are smaller in size.

These are important for snorkeling since they provide very little push. Then there are paddle fins that are use by professional scuba divers. These are helpful when people are diving through currents and help push the feet upwards and downwards. There are a lot many types of diving flippers that have been introduced into the market. Many of the designs are patented and claim to be top of the line/state of the art.

To be more precise, treasure hunting related to marine is something which involves the exploring of the shipwrecks which may be a few hundred years old and salvaging the treasures or the artifacts from it. This is assisted by the modern technology and the equipments that you have today for easy detection of the things, which has helped in maritime treasure hunting greatly.

When you hear of maritime treasure hunting you should not jump to conclusions of pirates of the Caribbean model hunting and looting. It is not like that at all. The maritime treasure hunting is taken by various organizations or individuals with the permission of the concerned officials or governments and hence does not fall in the category of looting or stealing.

The reason why they take permission from the officials is because when you find an artifact, it has a lot of legal issues attached to it. For example, if you find gold and somebody comes forward saying it was something that was lost by their grandfather while on the sea; there would be a legal clash. Or the item can be of historical importance that would involve a lot of problems for the people.

Hence, treasure hunting is not exactly a walk through the garden; it involves a lot of formalities and legal problems. If you are keen to undertake such a task then you should consult with a person who has knowledge about the sport and who can provide you with directions as to how to go about it and how to direct it. Without this it would be difficult to pursue the task.

The marine life is very different from the normal life you see on the earth. There is a lot to the marine life and a whole lifestyle and species of flora and fauna that you have not discovered yet. It is believed that all the secrets of the marine have not been unlocked yet. There are yet a lot of species of flora and fauna to be found, and a whole lot of landscapes.

Did you know that the underwater geography is similar tot hat of the earth? There are hills, mountains, plateaus, and much more that are similar to the landscapes on earth. They are submerged below the water. Sometimes a part of this may be peeking out of the water, which can form an island. Hence, the marine life can have their own world for themselves.

The marine life has their own way of setting up things. They live in a harmonious way with nature and have their own mechanism of the food cycle and life. You may find a whole lot of colorful species of various fauna underwater which may enchant you for life. It is because of the magical touch in the water that most people become slaves of the oceans and sea.

The underwater world is very deep. There are some places which are yet to be explored. These places have never been seen, those far deep below the sea which is very difficult to observe. It is believed that there are a lot of things that needs to be discovered from there. It is only when you see for yourself the beauty of the underwater world that you would know what it really is.

Scuba diving can offer a lot of dangers and hazards. Though the sport is quite fun it is necessary to know about the dark side of it as well as this would give you an idea of the hazards that you would be facing. One of the major hazards that you would face when you dive underwater is the breathing difficulties which can be experienced due to a lot of factors.

One such breathing difficulty can be caused by the decompression sickness. You must have observed the divers ascending and descending very slowly and gradually into the waters. This is to avoid the formation of gas bubbles in the air which can cause decompression sickness. Nitrogen narcosis is also a breathing problem that you can experience when deep in the water.

The oxygen toxicity is another hazard which, from the name itself you may be able to make out is related to the oxygen that you breathe in and out. The air pressure is also important as each and every fluctuation in the pressure can cause problems. It should be noted that this is one of the most common problem and so many measures are taken to have proper air pressure.

The underwater is a very mysterious place; it can misdirect your judgments and make you think that something is safe when it is not. Always remember that if you are a beginner have an expert with you. This is for your benefit as without an expert you would not know about the various treachery of the water and might miscalculate. Always be careful while opting for scuba diving.

Technically speaking, snorkeling is a form of swimming in which the person who is doing the sport would have to swim across the waters with a diving suit and a snorkel. The snorkel is basically a tube, which can be in the shape of a J or a L. It has a small diameter in it, about, say, 1-3cms or something similar. The material from which it is made is usually rubber or plastic.

The snorkel is used by the swimmers or divers as you can call them when you observe the suit, to breathe. There is a tank through which you will be able to breathe when you are underwater. It is this small tube and the tank that you would have to carry on your back that would let you survive underwater for a long time without any breathing problems.

You must be very careful with the tank. Always check if the air or gas in it is in the correct amount. Check the pressure and similar specifications because it is a matter of life and death when you go underwater and one mistake can prove to be fatal. Also, if you are not really confident that you would be able to carry out the snorkeling then it would be better to opt out of it.

Snorkeling is a very rejuvenating sport. It can open up the possibilities of you seeing some of the very interesting and beautiful things of life. It is one of the best holiday options you have, a day spend at snorkeling and watching the beauty of the underwater life.

No, this isn’t about recreation, like many would think. While scuba diving is a fun diversion in a day of a vacation somewhere in the Keys enveloped in the radiant sun and crystal waters, believe it or not the activity of scuba diving is actually a profession, and even one you can attend not simply in a traditional university but an online one! Think of online degrees, and there you go: imagine the prospect of landing a degree fit for scuba diving in no time, giving you the credentials necessary for a job on an exploration ship somewhere.

If you do your research, you’ll find the credible degrees to focus on would be in such fields as Biology, Marine Biology, Engineering, Anthropology, and Oceanography. Part of your training would involve some form of scuba diving; it’s true. Once you’re done, the sky (or in this case, the ocean) is the limit. You can honestly do what you want if you simply have the drive to pursue it. Thankfully, online education makes that even more possible; don’t shy away from your dreams.

If you’re interested in the prospect of being a professional scuba diver, go ahead and “dive in” to the resources, possibilities of obtaining an accredited degree that will give you your dream, a dream Clive Cussler would love and Dirk Pitt would be jealous of. Who knows–maybe Cussler would end up putting your life story in a book!

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For people that are passionate about diving a career as a deep-sea diver is an option you may want to consider. Many professional divers work on bridges, pipeline systems, and ships. Many divers work on offshore oil sites and recovery projects.

However, diving is not just something you go out and do. You have to be certified and well trained. In addition, you need to have sufficient diving experience. The more diving hours you have the better your chances of landing a great job as a deep sea diver. This is a unique career that is adventurous and exciting.

Initially, many divers will start at salaries that range between $19,000 and $37,000 per year. The salaries are determined by experience, attitude and quality of work. Many experienced deep sea divers make between $65,000 and $100,000 per year once they have been in the business for a while. The salary also depends on where you work. Working on offshore oil fields tends to pay much higher than working on ships.

While you may love diving, deep sea diving as a profession can be dangerous. In addition, the work can be difficult. However, most divers only work nine months out of the year. This depends on the type of diving job and the location. Some time may be spent in an office completing reports and other paper work.

Diving as a career is a great opportunity for experienced divers. The benefit of only working nine months out of the year will allow you to spend time diving for leisure and enjoyment. There are many opportunities available. It requires great skill and the ability to work under water. While many people are passionate about diving, not all of them have the ability to perform work tasks under water.

Many scuba accidents happen while people are on vacation. Many people will sign up to go diving even though they do not have experience. In many countries, you can dive with no experience at all. Often, vacationers will sign up for a charter offered at their hotel. They think they will be safe; however, many of the locals that run the diving charters are not certified divers. If they were, they would not let someone scuba dive that has not been properly trained. These are the accidents that people often hear about.

In addition, many new scuba divers want to go cave diving. There is special training for those that want to dive in caves. Many new divers will not take the additional training. Cave diving can be dangerous if you do not know what you are doing. Many cave diving accidents have been due to lack of skill and training. It does not matter if you have been diving for quite some time, if you want to cave dive you still need the additional training.

Scuba diving is safe provided you obtain the proper training and certification. Investing in scuba lessons is the best thing you can do. You will learn scuba safety and will become familiar with the equipment and gear. Choose a certified instructor with a great deal of experience. You will find a few scuba schools in your local area.

Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, Florida, started out as La Chalupa research laboratory, dedicated to exploring the continental shelf.  It is now a recreation facility and hotel. The structure is completely submerged and to reach the lodge, guests must dive 21 feet beneath the surface. Anyone wishing to stay must be previously certified or receive certification lessons before embarking on a dive.

The Jules’ is located in a mangrove lagoon and divers can swim in a tropical environment that may include angelfish, barracuda, puffer fish, sea horses and even manatee. Experienced divers are free to spend their stay diving whenever they please. Special dive arrangements can be made, such as an excursion to the MarineLab, a manned underwater research lab.

Facilities at the Jules’ Undersea Lodge include an entry port, a wet room, two bedrooms, and a common room with a refrigerator, microwave, television and DVD player.  42 inch windows allow you to view the surrounding marine environment. Meals are brought in from the surface using special, waterproof cases.

While this is a unique experience, it’s also an expensive one. The least expensive package is for groups of 5 or 6, priced at $250 per person per night and includes breakfast and dinner, but not lunch. Dive gear and unlimited air tanks are included in the cost. Additional activities cost extra, such as the MarineLab excursion, priced at $150 per person. Booking is recommended at least one or two months in advance.

While staying at the lodge, divers can earn a NAUI or PADI certification by taking part in a presentation and discussion of living and working in an underwater habitat. The cost of the presentation and certification is $150 per person.

You can’t dive into the ocean, but you can dive into related activities that will keep your weekend full of fun.

Go to a dive pool. Use this time to take a refresher course and hone your skills. Have you been thinking about getting an advanced PADI certification or becoming a rescue diver? This could be the time to do it. If you’ve thought about going pro, check out those classes as well. You can even spend some time wandering around the dive shop, checking out the latest equipment.

Go to the aquarium. While it’s not as up-close-and-personal as a dive, it’s the next best thing. Stroll through the exhibits and enjoy both the native and the exotic marine life on display. If possible, attend a tour or lecture, especially if it’s on your local marine area. This could be a great opportunity to learn more about the local flora and fauna. You’ll be that much more in the know when you take your next dive.

Rent a movie. There are plenty of diving-related movies to choose from, such as “The Abyss”, “Big Blue” and “Men of Honor.” If you prefer something more realistic, there are lots of documentaries to choose from. Jacques-Yves Cousteau and the crew of the Calypso filmed a series of documentaries during the 1960s and 1970s that set the bar for oceanographic shows. These remain a marvel of underwater filming and are a joy to watch.

Whether you stay home in front of the screen or head out for some activities, don’t let the bad weather keep you from the waves.

The NOAA Ocean Buoys app transmits live data from buoys to your mobile phone. These buoys are located all over the United States and Canada, including the West Coast, the East Coast, the Great Lakes, the Gulf Coast, Hawaii and Alaska. Buoys are also positioned in the Caribbean and Europe.

Using this app, buoys can be found on a map, by region, by coordinates or using search terms. Most buoys give the same type of information and you will generally be provided with a list of current conditions that can include air and water temperatures; wind direction, speed and gust, and wave height and dominant period.

This app is intuitive and has an easy to use interface. While it may be great to have if you live in the areas where these buoys are located, it is limited. There are no buoys listed for Mexico, South America, Africa or Asia. However, if you’re planning to visit one or more of the areas with the NOAA buoys, it could be worthwhile knowing which locations have the best conditions for your dive.

This app could also be useful for surfers, fishermen, kayakers and just about anyone who want to know what to expect before they make that trip to the beach.

The NOAA Ocean Buoys app costs $0.99 and is available for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. You can download it through iTunes or the App Store on your mobile device.

Beginning scuba divers learn the basics about breathing and about the breathing equipment. The following are other rules scuba divers at all skill levels must adhere to when diving. Follow these rules because practice does make perfect in and out of the water.

Dive with another

The best practice is to take diving lessons with a friend because you can practice all the important points you learned, like CPR, locating a diver, first aid, and sharing air supply. These things are easier to do with someone you know until these things become second nature to you where you can handle them with any diver, in the event a real emergency occurs.

Do not stay down for too long and do not go down too deep (always have a plan before you dive)

Keep an eye on the remaining air in the tank. The farther down in the water you go, the less time you can spend there. If you stay in shallower waters, you have more time to spend exploring.

Be careful in the underwater environment

Items dangling from your suit can damage things beneath the water’s surface. Be careful where you kick as well. Be aware of your surroundings at all times during a dive.

Only dive where you have been trained

Advanced diving courses will train divers for special precautions when cave or wreck diving. Beginning divers should only dive in the places their instructors trained them to go.

Take the time before you dive to ensure your safety and the safety of marine and life, so that all you have to do during a dive is to enjoy the view and explore.

Hawaii is beautiful, whether you are looking at it from the water or from land. Divers find some of the most amazing places for diving in Hawaii, and Kona Coast is one of them.

Kona Coast is a historic part of the island is the place where King Kamehameha spent his final years.

With sixty miles of sunshine from the Kona International Airport to Kealakekua Bay and beyond, Kona Coast is a favorite among divers. There are 80 dive sites within a 20-minute boat ride, with additional dive sites within an hour’s ride.

The names of a few of the dive sites are Nai’a, Kaloko Arches, Turtle Pinnacle, Eel Cove, Pawai Arches and Rock Awash. Divers can expect to get up close and personal with the following:

Dolphins – one of the most intelligent animals

Dragon eels – live in coral reefs, in warm waters, and are mostly nocturnal

Frog fish- some frog fish live in open waters, some in deep waters, and others are bottom-dwellers

Octopus – with two eyes and four pairs of arms, the octopus live on the ocean floor, in open waters, and in coral reefs.

Millet Seed and Raccoon Butterfly Fish – They inhabit shallow reefs. Small Butterfly Fish live secretly in corals.

You can see schools of Surgeon fish eating algae off turtle’s shells.

Kaloko Arches has arches and canyons with vertical walls.

Nai’a means dolphin in Hawaiian.

At Pawai Arches and Rock Awash, there is a small cave where you can sometimes see white tip reef sharks sleeping.

For more experienced and long-range divers with 50 or more dives, there are also chances to see some Manta Rays, Hammerheads, and Eagle Rays.

All this and more make Kona Coast a special diving site.

Fundamental equipment:

· Compact digital, digital point and shoot, and single lens reflex cameras

Underwater photographers prefer digital cameras because they cannot change the film under the water. Digital cameras also give the photographer feedback instantly. This allows the underwater photography to improve their ingenuity and learn quickly what works best.

· Waterproof housing

Housing for cameras comes in plastic or aluminum cases, ranging in price from inexpensive to the high-priced ones. Silicone o-rings make the housing waterproof at all crucial joints.

Housing permits underwater photographers to use any lens they choose. They include control knobs to enable the underwater photographer to use all the functions of the camera.

· Macro or wide-angle lenses

These lenses allow for close focus, eliminating excessive water between the subject of the photo and the camera.

· Dome shaped ports

When using wide-angle lenses, refraction can cause distortion. A dome shaped port maximizes the effectiveness of the lenses used in cameras. Refraction increases magnification in macro lenses, beneficial when taking photos of small objects underwater.

· Wet-coupled lenses

Housing may also be equipped with wet-coupled lenses that increase the view field of an underwater photographer. Divers can add or remove these underwater, if they prefer both macro and wide angle underwater photography.

· Flash

Housing can also have connectors for attaching an external flash. The power and position of the camera’s on-board flash is not powerful enough for use underwater. The strobe is redirected or disabled by the external flash.

Underwater photography is challenging and exciting, whether for combining two recreational activities, or pursuing a career in capturing on film the amazing wonders of the deep.

Did you know?

Color is absorbed as it travels through the water. The deeper the water, the less reds, oranges and yellows remain.

In 1985, Mel Fisher discovered the wreck of a 1622 Spanish Galleon, the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, off the Florida Keys. About four hundred million dollars worth of artifacts such as gold bars and jewelry have been recovered, but items of the ship’s treasure remain buried at sea.

Salvage operators continue to scour the wreckage of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha as well as the wreckage of her sister ship, the Santa Margarita. Mel Fisher’s Treasures has opened the opportunity for the public to join in the salvage operation while learning more about historic shipwreck conservation and enjoying some leisure time in Key West, Florida.

The vacation package includes the following:

• Six nights’ accommodations at a Key West house or condo
• Orientation
• Welcome barbecue
• Checkout dives, 2-tank reef dive and training sessions
• Tours of the Mel Fisher Museum and Conservation Lab and the Shipwreck Museum
• Two days of treasure hunting with multiple tank dives on the Atocha trail
• An evening wine cruise aboard a chartered ship

If you’re looking to keep the treasure you find, this might not be the expedition for you. Items found cannot be kept, but Mel Fisher’s Treasures will reward you with a previously found artifact of equal value up to $2500.

The cost of this vacation package is $2500 for each diver and $500 per person for each non-diving companion. Companions share a room with participants and can accompany them to all non-diving activities.

This vacation package is restricted to the summer months, i.e., June, July and August. You can find more information at Mel Fisher’s Treasures.

The ideal dive sites for these curious individuals are those with the most interesting and attractive sites to see, deep in the oceans or seas. These include shipwreck sites.

One of the world’s top wreck sites is the SS Yongala, a passenger ship that encountered a cyclone on its way from Melbourne to Cairns on March 23, 1911. She sank south of Townsville on the northeastern coast of Australia.

Discovered in 1958 by skin-divers Don Macmillan and Noel Cook from Townsville, the wreck of the SS Yongala lies near the center of the Great Barrier Reef, which has the most wide-ranging ecosystem of anywhere on earth. Lying on its starboard side in the arid tropics of Queensland, the SS Yongala is the most historic shipwreck in the waters off Australia.

In addition, the SS Yongala is one of the largest shipwrecks of Australia, and is now an artificial reef with the most varieties of coral, and an enormous amount of reef species growing on it. Divers can see ten times more fish in one dive to the SS Yongala, than in ten dives on the reef.

A few of the varieties of marine life found at the wreck site of the SS Yongala include giant Queensland gropers, the largest bony fish found in coral reefs. These fish hang below the stern of the ship. The coral coated wreck is also home to clown fish, eagle rays, turtles, and sea snakes.

Whether you are a beginner scuba diver or an experienced one, there is something for everyone to see and explore. The beautiful backdrop of the water and plentiful marine life at the dive site is a moving tribute to the 122 lives lost on that day when the SS Yongala sank.

The Submerged Cultural Resources Unit or SCRU, established in 1980, conducts research on historic shipwrecks. One of the most significant and memorable shipwrecks is the USS Arizona.

When the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 sank the USS Arizona, 1,177 lives were lost. Navy diving teams were unable to save the USS Arizona, but were able to remove several items. The wreck of the USS Arizona still lies at the bottom of Pearl Harbor, serving as a memorial to all those who died during the Pearl Harbor attack.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Navy Salvage Teams cut away most of the USS Arizona’s structure above the surface of the water. The superintendent of the SCRU wanted to know what was there among the wreckage of the submerged USS Arizona.

In 1983, along with the US Navy’s Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit, the SCRU conducted a ten-day evaluation of the wreckage. They used the information gathered, to plan comprehensive mapping operations of the USS Arizona.

The first divers found the USS Arizona’s #1 turret with 14 guns still intact. Subsequent dives produced enough information to map out the port and starboard sides of the USS Arizona. This information showed what was down there among the wreckage.

In 1985, researchers wanted to use the information to find out was going on with what was still down there. They wanted a detailed report of what organisms and chemicals might be down there. This would give a time-line of how long the wreckage would last at the bottom of the water.

The Arizona memorial above the surface of the water serves as a place of remembrance of the attack on Pearl Harbor and for those entombed in the ship, their final resting place.

The Cancun Underwater Museum is situated with the National Marine Park. The sculptures are located from depths of 9 to 20 feet, making these works of art accessible to swimmers, snorkelers and scuba divers. The figures include life-sized people and objects, though being underwater, they appear 25% larger.

The 400-plus sculptures are the work of English artist Jason de Caires Taylor. A swim through this sculpture garden will allow you to explore his vision for art that evolves along with nature. The statues are made of materials that work harmoniously with the environment. The shifting of the sea floor surface is taken into account. Algae is not only expected but encouraged to grow on these statues. Other forms of marine life are welcome to swim among the statues and find habitat in their midst.

Although the sculpture garden is new, it’s already changing as marine life flourishes in this welcoming environment. It’s a museum that changes day by day, tide by tide. Eventually, it is hoped a natural reef will form around the statues.

Jason de Caires Taylor is no stranger to underwater sculpture and has works of art in other parts of the world. Moilinere Bay, Grenada, has 65 sculptures, including “Vicissitudes,” a circle of 26 figures holding hands. The river Stour in Canterbury, United Kingdom, has “Alluvia,” sculptures of two female figures anchored to the river bed, seemingly swimming toward the Westgate Bridge.

Works of art in Cancun include “The Silent Evolution”, clusters of statues standing in various poses, and “The Garden of Hope,” portraying a girl lying on a patio floor, surrounded by planters. Holes were drilled in these planters to encourage growth and her garden is now flourishing.

The classic Jules Verne novel, “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, has been filmed and retold numerous times. The 1916 silent version features the first underwater footage ever filmed. The 1954 Disney version starring Kirk Douglas is perhaps the most famous.

If you’re looking for something funny, albeit strange, you might want to check out “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.” Bill Murray stars as oceanographer on a mission to find the elusive (and unreal) Jaguar shark, accompanied by an offbeat cast of characters that include his ex-wife and long-lost son. Even if you don’t like the dark humor, you might appreciate the dive scenes.

Action fans may enjoy watching the James Bond movie, “Thunderball”, starring Sean Connery, for the diving scenes, underwater fights and cool, 1960s diving gear.

If you’re in the mood for cautionary tales, you might want to consider “Open Water” and “Open Water 2: Adrift.” “Open Water” tells the true and tragic story of a couple left adrift during a dive. Their battle for survival in the ocean is chilling and realistic. “Open Water 2: Adrift” tells of a party cruise gone wrong. The passengers dive into the ocean and realize, too late, no one has lowered a ladder. Trapped, they desperately try to climb the boat’s slick surface.

Those who prefer something more realistic might want to consider a documentary such as Oscar-nominated “The Living Sea.” Narrated by Meryl Streep, this movie will take you into the waters surrounding locations such as Hawaii, Nova Scotia and the Red Sea.

All of these movies are available on Netflix.

This popular location for divers is also one of the most difficult. The currents are strong and unexpected surges can make for a challenging dive. Despite being on the equator, the temperature of the water can be cold due to the Humboldt Current, especially during the colder months between July and December. A 7mm wet suit is recommended for diving year round. Deep dives are usually wall dives and definitely not for beginners.

Due to these factors, diving in the Galapagos Islands is usually recommended for mid-level to experienced divers. The website, Galapagos Islands.com, advises that divers going on live aboard dive tours have “Minimum Advanced Open Water, 30 logged dives, and experience in cold water and currents.”

For the inexperienced who wish dive in these waters, PADI training and certification are offered at scuba shops on the islands. The Galapagos Guide website offers training courses that last from one to ten days. International PADI certification takes four to seven days and includes both confined water sessions and open water dives.

CEDAM International named the Galapagos Islands one of the Seven Underwater Wonders of the World and for good reason. Those ready to take the plunge will be diving into a diverse ecosystem with plenty to explore including coral reefs and variety of exotic fish. While diving, you may find yourself swimming among penguins, dolphins, sea lions and hammerhead sharks. Several types of whales pass through these waters, including Bride’s Whale, Orcas and Sperm Whales. Always be cautious and respectful when approaching marine wildlife.

An aquanaut is one who remains in an underwater habitat on the ocean floor for 24 or more hours without returning to the surface.

One of the most famous aquanauts happens to be one of the most famous US astronauts. That man, one of NASA’s original seven astronauts is Scott Carpenter. In the late 1950′s, Carpenter went through an extensive course of tests, both physical and psychological, as part of his astronaut training program. Many of these tests NASA scientists performed are similar to tests conducted underwater.

NASA also trained candidates for the US Space Program in water survival and scuba diving.

After Carpenter’s Mercury spaceflight in April of 1959, he took a leave from NASA to participate in the Navy’s Man-in-the-Sea Project. During the 45-day experiment with the Sealab II Program, Carpenter spent a month living and working on the ocean floor. He led teams of civilian and navy divers that conducted deep-sea diving activities. They conducted these activities at a depth of 205 feet, in a seafloor habitat.

In 1967, Carpenter became the CEO of Sear Sciences, Inc., a corporation involved in developing programs to enhance the utilization of ocean resources. He worked alongside the French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau and members of the Calypso team. Carpenter has dived in nearly all the world’s oceans, including the Arctic Ocean, under ice.

Scott Carpenter helped make improvements to underwater devices such as breathing apparatus and diving instruments. He served as a consultant to the film industry on space flight and oceanography.

Scott Carpenter combined his skills as an astronaut and an aquanaut to explore the far-reaches of the unknown.

If you’re looking for a charter to take you out for a dive, you might want to consider Ventura Dive & Sport. This dive shop is located right on the harbor in Ventura, California. The boat ride to the Channel Islands takes about 40 minutes.

This is an all-purpose diving shop. You can buy or rent almost any kind of dive equipment you need. They also offer training courses and PADI certification at their on-site 10 foot deep dive pool.

If you’re already certified and ready to dive, you can book a trip aboard their state-of-the-art dive boat, the Raptor. The boat’s amenities are suited to the comfort and convenience of the diver passengers. There is a heated indoor cabin area where the snacks and meals included in the cost are served. Also included are storage for dry items, an open air upper deck with seating and an eight speaker sound system. No need to haul your own tanks aboard. The Raptor has a supply of 10 and 15-liter steel tanks.

Once on board you’ll head out to Anacapa and Santa Cruz islands, which are part of the Channel Islands chain. You’ll want to bring a camera for the ride. Photo opportunities include the rugged, wild beauty of the approaching islands, the California coast, and possible encounters with wildlife, including dolphins, pelicans and migrating whales.

The Raptor offers two tank and three tank dives. Night dives are available on request. Private guides can be provided for additional cost.

• Mask

Light refracts by a different angle underwater, and causes blurred vision. A mask provides a space of air in front of the eyes, so that divers can clearly see in the water.

To ensure a properly fitted mask, place the mask on your face without fastening the strap. Softly breathe through your nose. If the mask stays in place, this means that air is getting in, and the mask is a good fit.

• Snorkel

Used for breathing air above the surface of the water, a snorkel is either a J-or L-shaped tube fitting with a mouthpiece at the bottom. The snorkel attaches to the outer strap of the mask with a piece of rubber. Snorkels are made of plastic or rubber.

• Fins (flippers or swim fins)

Swimmers and divers wear fins to provide ease of movement, for various types of water sports and activities. Fins, made of rubber or plastic are especially helpful when a diver carries equipment heavy enough to restrict movement underwater.

Long fins provide underwater momentum not requiring high frequency leg movements.

• Wetsuit and Buoyancy Compensator

Wetsuits, made of synthetic rubbers, provide thermal insulation, abrasion resistance, and buoyancy.

Buoyancy compensators are life-jackets or vests, built around a diver’s wetsuit, or into its harness. Divers control the buoyancy volumes of the vest. Buoyancy compensators provide life saving emergency buoyancy, on or under the water.

They provide scuba divers with the ability to control or adjust their buoyancy and the buoyancy of their heavy equipment. Divers can ascend or descend, or maintain neutral buoyancy to remain at a constant depth, on the surface of the water or underwater.

• Diving regulator,  diving computer/watch; weights

Regulators give divers the power to breathe air from a scuba tank. Diving computers measure the depth and length of time of a dive. Weights counteract buoyancy of diving equipment.

Archaeologists study the history of human civilizations through science and humanity. They analyze data collected from the recovery of physical objects such as artifacts and landscapes. While most humans are curious about the people and places that came before them, archaeologists have a special interest. Underwater archaeologists’ interests, however, lie below the surface.

Underwater archaeologists study sites of human occupation that are now underwater that were once on dry land. These sites include the remains of bridges and docks built in water, and structures now underwater due to rising sea levels, such as aircraft or shipwreck sites, or wells and sinkholes.

Paparazzo collects information about famous people. Underwater archaeologists collect information about past civilizations in several ways; studying seaport sites where people disposed of waste or garbage, in the water. Sunken items such as machinery, tools, or weapons, provide a wealth of information for underwater archaeologists as well.

Dry land and underwater archaeology complement one another in a number of areas including economically, geographically, politically, and socially.

Underwater archaeology encompasses many areas of studies including:

1. Anthropology - study of humanity

Clues left behind by previous civilizations can tell us about the history of humanity. Many clues to the origin of man lie beneath the water.

1. Historical Archaeology - study of the material remains of past societies that also left behind

Underwater archaeologists get technological and scientific information from shipwrecks and other wrecks at the bottom of the ocean floor

1. Maritime Archaeology - study of human interaction with lakes, rivers, and seas

Maritime archaeologists collect information from cargo or vessels, and from human remains

Scuba divers can be professional or recreational underwater archaeologists. Whether it is for work or pleasure, underwater archaeology is a fascinating way to combine scuba diving skills with curious nature and employment.

In 1999, one scuba diving team recovered a spacecraft that was on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean for nearly 40 years. The Mercury 4 spacecraft sank in 1961, when its hatch blew prematurely and instantly filled with water. A scuba diving team recovered the spacecraft southeast of Cape Canaveral, FL, at a depth of 300 nautical miles.

Salvage diving is full of excitement and danger. Looking for the sunken object can be both exhilarating and frustrating. The anticipation of finding something that is lost combined with the time it could take to find it means that salvage divers must have patience. They also need to prepare to spend hours underwater.

The dangers posed to salvage divers include the unpredictability of the conditions in the far depths of the ocean, and water currents. Water temperatures factor in when you consider how much time salvage divers spend beneath the surface, as in the case of colder and darker mountain lakes. The murkiness of the water poses its own danger.

If you are willing to accept the challenges that salvage diving brings, and you enjoy finding items you may not have expected when recovering a sunken craft, working as a salvage diver could be just the thing.

Imagine the thrill of finding a priceless possession of a passenger on one of the wreckages. If the sinking occurred recently, you have the joy of knowing you returned a sentimental keepsake to its rightful owner.

Aside from the beauty of artificial habitats of marine life that sunken ships form, you may dabble in a little detective work once your scuba diving salvage expedition concludes.

Salvage diving combines the thrill of diving and the satisfaction of recovering long lost treasures, a perfect combination.

Once you put on your wetsuit and dive in, you’ll be delighted by terrain that can include barrier reef, canyons and giant kelp forests. A wide variety of aquatic creatures live or migrate through these waters, including sea otters, sea lions, abalone, jellyfish, crabs and whales. Depending on the water, visibility can be from 10 to 30 feet.

Monterey, along with nearby Carmel, Big Sur and Pacific Grove, has a number of recommended diving spots, including Point Lobos, Lovers Point and Jade Cove. There are plenty of dive shops in the area for you to pick up equipment and information. First timers might want to consider going on a guided dive. Monterey Bay Dive Charters and Aquarius Dive Shop offer lessons, equipment rental, area recommendations and guided tours.

If you’re planning to make a weekend of it, there’s plenty to see in Monterey. Fisherman’s Wharf and Cannery Row are famous tourist attractions that offer shopping and dining. The area has a variety of hotels with a range of prices. The Lone Oak Lodge is a diver-friendly hotel with rinse facilities, drying hooks and air tank refill service. You can find more information about attractions, dining and hotels at See Monterey.

A major attraction for those who dive or just love the ocean would be the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Exhibits such the Monterey Bay Habitats will teach you more about wildlife and ecosystem of the waters you explore. The aquarium is also a place for research and conservation, including rehabilitation and release of injured animals. Tickets cost $29.95 for adults, $19.95 for children and $27.95 for students and seniors.

When you dive into a body of water, you will observe extraordinarily stunning wildlife that you will never see on land. It has the calming effect of watching fish swimming in your aquarium at home, on a colossal scale. So, what might you see while scuba diving?

• Marine Mammals

Cetaceans, Greek for large sea animals, include dolphins, porpoises, and whales. These beautiful, majestic animals resemble large fishes. Dolphins have flippers and a snout that resembles a beak. Porpoises have rounded heads and a short snout. Whales have small flippers and are the largest animals on the planet.

• Sharks

There are only a few species of sharks dangerous to humans. Sharks have been around for nearly 400 million years, with 440 species. The great white, the tiger, and the hammerhead sharks are at the top of the underwater food chain.

• Crustaceans

Crustaceans’ bodies consist of three body sections, the head, thorax, and abdomen. Protected by an exoskeleton, that molts to allow them to grow, some familiar crustaceans are crabs, lobsters, and shrimp. Also in the crustacean group are barnacles. Barnacles are arthropods, or small saltwater shellfish. Barnacles attach themselves to objects in the water such as rocks, ship bottoms, or animals.

• Sponges

Sponges live in all types of water, from polar to tropical regions. Most sponges feed on bacteria. Some sponges in poor food environments have become carnivores, preying mostly on small crustaceans.

These are only a few of the life forms you will see while scuba diving or snorkeling. Exploring the depths of the oceans or seas is exhilarating and educational all at once.

Ocean First Divers operates as a dive shop, a training facility and a travel agency. The retail store, located in Boulder at 3015 Bluff Street, offers a range of diving equipment and accessories, including masks, fins, snorkels, tanks, cameras and wetsuits. Equipment and accessories are also available for rent.

The training facility has a 50 foot by 25 foot dive pool heated to 87 degrees Fahrenheit. The dimensions of the pool include both shallow (four-foot) and deep water (12 foot) training areas. Courses are taught by master scuba dive trainers and PADI certification is offered. The courses offered range from a two-hour “get your feet wet” introduction to professional-level training and instructor certification. You can receive PADI certification after either a two-or-three day weekend course or a four-day weeknight course.

Locals eager to finish their certification with an open water dive can complete their training at the Aurora Reservoir in Aurora, Colorado, about 60 miles southeast of Boulder. Ocean Divers First accompanies divers and includes “tanks, weights, OFD instructor and 4 training dives.”

After receiving your certification, you may want to dive into an ocean adventure. Ocean Divers First offers guided group vacations to a number of national and international popular dive spots. New divers can accomplish their open water dive for their PADI certification on these trips. Destinations include Key Largo, Florida, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Mexico and the Red Sea, Egypt.

If you’re not interested in a group vacation experience, Ocean Divers First can help you plan an individual diving vacation to locations worldwide including the Galapagos Islands, the Caribbean islands and Australia.

Diving is an underwater activity that is performed for any number of reasons: from recreation to professional occupation to sports and competition. Though each reason requires its own set of rules and practices, diving has a general set of equipment that most participants use.

To view an underwater environment, a mask is a useful piece of equipment to have when diving. There are two parts to a mask: a glass plate and a “cuff,” a rubber material that fits the contours of the face and keeps water from coming into the mask.
Fins, also known as flippers or swimfins, help divers navigate through water easily. Depending on the type of fin used, a diver can swim faster, gain better control his/her water surroundings, or conserve energy. Fins are made of various materials ranging from rubber to plastic to composite. Some fins can be worn over water booties, socks or shoes and fastened by straps or springs. Other fins are worn completely over the human foot.

A snorkel is a breathing apparatus that a diver uses when he or she is near the surface. This piece of equipment is essentially plastic tube and rubber mouthpiece. The tube extends upwards while the mouthpiece curves in, giving the equipment a hook-like shape. A proper snorkel should have a brightly colored upper end that pops out above the water; this helps identify a diver’s location to fellow snorkelers or passing boats. A snorkel’s tube diameter should be big enough to allow easy breathing, but narrow enough to help divers blow away water once s/he is submerged. Lastly, a snorkel should be able to attach to a mask.

SCUBA, or self-contained breathing apparatus, allows individuals to bring breathing equipment underwater without any assistance from the surface. Scuba comes in three main types: open-circuit, closed-circuit, and semi-closed-circuit mixed gas scuba.

When a diver raises his/her hand with fingers pointed up and palm facing the receiver, it is a signal to stop. When a diver’s fist is clenched with an extended thumb pointing upwards, that means a diver is going up. A thumb pointing downwards with a clenched fist means that a diver is going down.

To ask if or respond that things are “OK,” a diver can shape a circle with their thumb and forefinger while the three remaining fingers extend. A diver can also extend two arms overhead with fingertips above the head, creating a large “O” shape.
To ask if or signal that something is wrong (but does not indicate an emergency), a diver signals with a flat hand. Fingers are together while the palm is face down and the thumb is sticking out. The hand should rock back and forth on the axis of the forearm. This signal is the opposite of “OK.”

When immediate attention is required, a diver’s distress signal is to wave a hand over one’s head. When air supply is reduced, a diver signals to others by pounding a fist on his/her chest. When a diver is out of air and cannot breathe, hand slashing or chopping at the throat is the proper hand signal. To signal danger, divers clench a fist or extend their arm in the direction of danger.

Decompression sickness, also known as DCS, divers’ disease, caisson disease, or simply “the bends,” is a condition that occurs when dissolved gases form bubbles within tissues of the body. Water pressure on the body must be released slowly during a diving ascent. This allows trapped gases in the bloodstream to break solution and leave the body. To treat decompression sickness, divers are typically put in a recompression chamber.

Oxygen toxicity, known also as oxygen poisoning, occurs after breathing too much molecular oxygen at an elevated partial pressure. Affecting the central nervous system, oxygen toxicity can cause a diver to have a seizure and potentially drown by spitting out his/her regulator. To avoid oxygen poisoning, a diver should never exceed a breathing gas’s standard maximum depth or the body’s established safe “partial pressure.”

Nitrogen narcosis, or inert gas narcosis, is a perception-altering effect of breathing high pressure gas. Its effects are similar to “laughing gas” that’s administered as anesthesia. Manifesting itself first as slight giddiness, the effects of nitrogen narcosis can lead to anxiety, lack of concentration and loss of coordination. At extreme water depths, tunnel vision and hallucinogenic reactions may also occur. The condition usually reverses itself as a diver makes their ascent to the surface. Nitrogen narcosis was famously coined as the “rapture of the deep” by Jacques Cousteau.

Caves are unique landforms that have their own geologic make-up, physical properties, life forms and structures. Cave divers may encounter one-of-a-kind plant life in an underwater location, or find stalactites (a type of dripstone that hangs from the ceiling of a cave) and stalagmites (the formation of minerals rising from the floor of a cave).

Training is required for cave diving, covering topics of safety and cave conservation. Instruction on selecting and configuring equipment is necessary. Lessons on gas management and emergency protocol are essential as well as communication techniques. Education on physical and psychological effects of diving should also be taught to cave divers.

Cavern training is typically the start of any cave diving program. Such training explains the basics of entering an overhead environment. From gas planning and management to propulsion skills to reeling and handling to basic communication, cavern training prepares a diver to deal with a cave’s silty and enclosed environment.

After cavern training, a diver usually graduates to the next level of training. At this point, a diver learns how to navigate beyond the cavern zone and penetrate further into the cave. The following stage of training is apprenticeship. Divers learn about complex diving techniques and decompression procedures for longer dives.

Full cave training concludes basic training. Divers are taught to penetrate deeper into the cave and complete technical and longer dives into a system using decompression.

The first rule of safety is training. Certification is typically taught in segments, with each stage of training focusing on increasingly complex aspects of cave diving. Concurrently with training, divers must complete stages of training in the real world before advancing to the next level of certification.

Another rule of safety is to use the guide line. The guide line is a continuous line that is maintained between a fixed point outside of the cave (in open water) and the leader of the dive time. It is important that the dive leader lay the line with sufficient tension. Should visibility in a cave be diminished, often caused by “silt out,” the dive team can search for the taut line and follow it back cave’s entrance.
Depth rules is also something that divers should acknowledge. By respecting the established dive plan or maximum operating depth (MOD) of breathing gas mixtures, divers can avoid conditions such as nitrogen narcosis and oxygen toxicity.

Air management or gas management is another safety rule for divers. Typically adhering to the “rule of thirds,” divers should dedicate a third of their gas supply to start the expedition, a third for egress, and the last third as back up should a diving teammate need it in an emergency.

Having light is also a cave diving safety rule. Divers should have three independent sources of illumination: one primary light and two backups. If any of the three lights fail for a diver, the dive is called off for the whole team.

The “search” portion of underwater search and discovery are designed around particular search patterns. Patterns are usually conducted in teams below water, though one person (a tender) a snorkeler, an individual on a towing boat, or someone at shore may also be involved in the process. Two common patterns are circular search and jackstay search. Circular search is performed with a diver swimming around a fixed point while a jackstay search is conducted by two divers swimming along an established search line.

Searching is done on a visual level or by use of underwater magnetometers or hand held sonar. Searches are usually categorized as specific and non-specific. A specific search attempts to locate a specific object in a declared area. Search ends when the object is found. A non-specific search involves looking for an object or something of value in a diving location. Search is not terminated until the location has been completely covered, or other issues occur (air supply, etc.).

Depending on the size and type of object, the recovery portion of underwater search and recovery offers several techniques. Small objects can be carried up by the diver, usually capping at about 15 pounds. Anything heavier may affect the diver’s buoyancy control and his or her safety during the diving ascent. Medium sized objects are recovered by placing the object in a lifting bag. Using a lift bag has its own set of techniques and typically carries up to 200 pounds. Large objects usually require commercial lifting equipment, either attached to a boat or platform, or to seal and inflate such massive items.

Wreck diving is a popular form of recreational diving. Like many forms of diving, wreck diving activities are categorized according to the level of experience and certification a diver has. Wreck diving has three main categories, inspired by Gary Gentile’s “The Advanced Wreck Diving Handbook”: non-penetration diving, limited penetration diving, and full penetration diving.

Considered the least dangerous form of wreck diving, non-penetration diving does not require divers to into a wreck. Instead, divers explore the area by swimming over or around the wreck. However, there are certain risks that divers should be aware of including but not limited to: entanglement with fishing nets, lines or random ropes; and underlying wreck terrain that may not easily expose sharp or rough edges.

Limited penetration diving is diving within the light zone. Divers may enter a wreck site but remain in an area that still receives some measure of external light. Dangers of limited penetration diving usually involves a wreck’s overhead, a “silt out” (the loss of underwater visibility due to silt), and/or entanglement in lines, ropes or nets. Divers may also find limited penetration diving to be a challenge because one may need to move laterally through a site before reaching a site’s exit point.

Full penetration diving requires that divers go beyond the light zone. Risks associated with this high level of wreck diving include getting lost within the wreckage, complete darkness and light malfunctions, and the inability to exit the wreck site unassisted in the event of an emergency.

These three types of wreck diving are taught in “recreational” wreck diving courses (for example, recreational lessons leading up to light zone diving) and “technical” wreck diving courses (standalone high-level programs from a technical training agency). Diver training organizations include the SDI (or Scuba Diving International) and PADI (or Professional Association of Diving Instructors).

Using a decompression table or dive computers to establish if decompression stops are needed (and if so, when and for how long), a diver must calculate his or her diver profile and breathing gas. A dive that does not require a decompression stop during ascent is called a “no-stop” dive. For shallower and shorter dives, decompression stops may only be needed once on an ascent. For longer dives, a diver may need to stop several times with each stop being longer in duration but closer to the surface than the previous stop.

Divers may also add an additional stop to their ascent’s decompression stop schedule. This precaution is often taken to avoid any miscalculations from a dive computer, from reading a table incorrectly, or if the diver has a predisposition for decompression sickness. Divers that elect to take this extra stop call it a “safety stop.” Safety stops can also be done on technically “no-stop” dives.

Equipment associated with decompression stops a diving shot, a decompression buoy or surface marker buoy, and a decompression trapeze. To avoid decompression sickness or general problems with a dive’s ascent, divers must also adhere to a safe ascent rate when returning to the surface. Both tables and dive computers can calculate such measurements.

Diving through a shipwreck can be a fun and exciting experience for a diver. Because large submerged vessels act as an artificial reef, a habitat of marine plant and animals is created. Additionally, shipwrecks can expose interesting ship machinery. Viewing a unique underwater environment can be a strong incentive for wreck diving. Additionally, shipwrecks (and submerged aircrafts) are a physical part of maritime history and may serve as an underwater archeological resource. Navigating through a shipwreck may also present fun and technical challenges for scuba divers.

There are three types of wreck diving: non-penetration diving (swimming above the wreckage), limited penetration diving (considered within the “light zone”), and full penetration diving (considered going beyond the “light zone”). Naturally, the deeper a diver wants to go into a wreck site, the more training and equipment is required to dive.

Because wrecks pose various safety hazards, deep diving precautions must be taken when wreck diving. Divers should carry at least one device for cutting in the event that someone gets tangled in fishing lines or ropes. Additionally, a spare light should also be carried on a dive. Furthermore, divers should complete specialist diver training courses progressing in certification if they want to perform full penetration diving.

Popular wreck sites for divers can be found around the globe. Florida’s “USS Oriskany” and Grenada’s “Bianca C” are artificial wreck sites or ships sunk deliberately (to attract diving enthusiasts). Other wrecks that were actually a result of disaster or war include the “Zenobia” in Cyprus and the “SS Thistlegorm” in the Red Sea.

When a diver is not descending along an anchor line or shot line, divers navigate towards the descent location to meet up with a “buddy” (or companion diver). “OK” hand signals are exchanged to begin the descent. If not already done, a snorkel is replaced by the second stage of the regulator (placed in the mouth). Once the diving target is established and signals are given to descend, the inflator hose is held out of the water. A deflation button is pressed and the buoyancy compensator device deflatesthis starts the sinking process. Every so often, divers will try to equalize the pressure in the middle ears (known as “clearing their ears”). At a predetermined point of the dive, divers will check their equipment for any air leaks. Once this “bubble check” is complete, controlled descent continues.

When a diver is not ascending along an anchor line or a shot line, several steps need to be taken into consideration in a controlled ascent. Before starting an ascent, a signal buoy must be released to notify other divers and vessels of an ascending diver’s location. The “buddy” or accompanying diver gives a hand signal (thumb up) that ascension begins. Setting a buoyancy compensator device (BCD) to neutral, both divers start their ascent slowly being sure to take decompression stops as recommended by a decompression table or dive computer. Safety stop(s) are taken as divers slowly approach the surface–watching for oncoming vessels or other divers.

Invented by Jean-Baptiste de La Chappelle, a diving suit is a garment worn by a diver to protect his/her body from underwater elements. Diving suits today are categorized as hard suits (or atmospheric pressure diving suits) and soft suits (or ambient pressure suits). Soft diving suits come in five major types: wet suits, semi-dry suits, drysuits, hot water suits, and dive skins.

Wetsuits are affordable pieces made from Neoprene, a heavy-duty material made from rubber or PVC. The foamed portion of the suit helps to thermally insulate the diver. Though water can enter the suit, a properly form-fitted suit will not allow excessive heat loss. A loose body suit will let too much water to touch the diver’s skin, stealing body heat. Too tight of a suit and a diver may experience a cut in circulation.

Semi-dry suits are relatively thicker than a wet suit and have better seals at the wearer’s wrist, neck and ankles. Again, water may enter the suit. However, because the suit consists of strong seals, any trapped water soon warms up and allows the diver to remain warm. Semi-dry suits are available as a one-piece or two (long johns and a jacket).

Drysuits have strong waterproof material and strong seals at the neck and wrist. A drysuit helps divers stay warm in one of two ways: by keeping pockets of air between the wearer and the cold water or by having the diver wear an additional foamed Neoprene fabric. This material has insulated air and can be used outside of the drysuit.

Hot water suits are used in commercial surface supplied diving. A diver controls temperature using an insulated pipe that carries hot water from the surface down to the suit. Special clothing and footwear are required for hot water suits.
Dive skins are worn to protect wearers from abrasion, sunburn or jellyfish stings, but do not provide ample thermal protection. They may be worn under wetsuits for added comfort.

Though Mexico boasts many areas for cave diving, the Yucatan Peninsula is a popular destination for divers to explore. The sub-horizontal flooded caves that are most frequented are limited to a strip of the Caribbean coastline to Tulum and Sian K’an Biosphere Reserve area. This network of caves is located in the state of Quintana Roo and south from Cancun. Quintanan Roo caves are especially fragile as pathways between passages have many offshoots and junctions. Careful diving technique is essential to preserve the caves’ most natural states. The Yucatan Peninsula boasts the longest running cave system, Ox Bel Ha (Mayan for “Three Paths of Water”), measured at a length of 113.2 miles of underwater passages.

The United States’ Central and Northern Florida are is home to the largest and most active community of cave divers in the country. Within the United States, the Leon Sinks cave system is considered the longest known cave system located near Tallahassee. The deepest known underwater cave in America is Weeki Wachee Spring, with depths of 400 feet (surveyed in 2007). Most Florida caves are formed from limestone that is moderately porous.

Grand Bahama Island is home to many caves and caverns. The origins of these geological structures were formed during the last ice age. The island and surrounding sea bed is honeycombed by a maze of submerged tunnels and flooded passageways.

Underwater sports are a collection of sports that occur in a water-centered environment. Most commonly, underwater sports use equipment such as swimfins and elements of snorkeling, scuba and/or breath-hold. On a whole, underwater sports are minority activities and some sports are not even practiced on a global level. A few examples of underwater sports include scuba, underwater hockey, underwater ice hockey, underwater rugby, and underwater football.

Scuba encompasses a range of diving activities, practiced both on a recreational and professional level. There has been known controversy whether scuba is actually a sport, though communities exists across the world that practice sub-aqua diving.

Underwater hockey, commonly known as Octopush, is a sport played around the world. Enforcing a no-contact rule, the objective of underwater hockey is for two teams to score a point by moving a puck at the bottom of a swimming pool into goals.

Underwater rugby, originally practiced in German diving clubs’ training programs, is played in a pool and goals at the bottom of the pool. Two teams of six players try to score points by placing a negatively buoyant ball into the goa’s metal buckets. Contrary to popular belief, underwater rugby has little in common with the rules of rugby football.

Underwater ice hockey, also known as sub-aqua ice hockey, is a minority extreme sport. It is a variation of ice hockey, though in underwater hockey matches are played underneath frozen pools or ponds. Players wear wetsuits and flippers and use a floating puck to score goals.

Underwater football is similar to underwater hockey and underwater rugby. All three games are played in a swimming pool and use the same snorkeling equipment. The objective of the game is to carry or pass a negatively buoyant ball from one side of the pool to the other, scoring by placing the ball in a gutter.

Most underwater photographers find that the submerged environment has a loss of color and contrast at a significant measure of depth. Water quickly absorbs long wavelengths of sunlight, making most everything underwater appear blue or green in color. Additionally, loss of color is seen both vertically and horizontally through the water column (water from the surface to bottom sediments). Even in clear water, underwater environments may appear blurry and colorless regardless of how close a photographer is taking a picture of his/her subject(s).

Underwater photographers address this issue using a combination of two methods: 1.) by getting the camera as close as possible to the subject; and 2.) by using a flash setting during the shoot. The first method usually works best when a photographer is using a wide-angled lens or a macro lens. By getting as close to the subject (no further than 3 feet apart), the horizontal loss of color is decreased. The second underwater photography technique, fill-flash, amends vertical color loss in a water by offering full-spectrum visible light to photograph’s exposure.

Because underwater photography is usually performed while scuba diving, the individual participating in the activity should be well versed in both diving technique and photography skills. Proper scuba technique can be seen in underwater photography, as well-trained divers may know how to move through water easily and without upsetting marine plant life or animals. Trained scuba divers should be able to use all equipment correctly on the dive and adhere to any general rules of safety and precautions.

People use many kinds of cameras to photography underwater. Popular devices include analog cameras such as single lens reflex (SLRs) and digital cameras such “point and shoot” and compact devices with advanced exposure controls. Some photographers may also use a camera—waterproof (or weatherproof) digital camera—specifically designed to be used underwater. The advantage of using any type of digital camera underwater is that photographers may look at their shots instantly and retake photos as needed. Additionally, photographers may take a higher number of photos as opposed to its roll-film counterpart (which typcially hold about 24-36 frames).

For those that do not use waterproof or amphibious cameras, housing units are required to keep cameras safe from water damage. Housings range in material from plastic to aluminum cases and are designed with control knobs. These knobs allow the photographer to control settings that are on the camera inside the case.

The most popular lenses used by underwater photographers are wide-angled lenses and macro lenses. Both lenses allow for photographers to focus closely on the subject, eliminating excess water (and potential blurring) in front of the camera. To avoid refraction when using a wide-angled lens, photographers may use a dome-shaped or fish-eye port to reverse image distortion. For cameras that may not have sufficient wide lens abilities, underwater photographers may use housings that have built-in optics as well as the standard dome port. With the use of macro lenses, image distortion is usually not an issue; a simple flat glass port is used. Refraction actually increases the macro lens’s magnification, giving underwater photographers an advantage when taking pictures of small subjects.

Many underwater photographers believe that the biggest challenge of the medium is the loss of color and contrast that occurs under water surfaces. One method of correcting this issue is by using a flash component during the photographic process. Using a flash or strobe underwater may be a feat of its own. Though when done correctly, this technique provides opportunities for great underwater imagery.

One misconception about using flash underwater is that it serves as the primary source of light in an image. However, flash should only be supplemental source of illumination. Flash helps restore lost color and enhances the overall exposure of an image. A strobe may be used when photographing images, though the balance between artificial light and natural (sunlight) should be acknowledged. When used correctly, a strobe may replace lost color and also add texture and shadow to otherwise blurry and colorless images.

Another issue of when using flash underwater is the visual of backscatter, particles or plankton that float in the water. To avoid backscatter in images, a photographer should position the strobe light away from the camera lens axis. The light from the strobe will not illuminate the water in front of the lens, but strike the subject evenly.

Though using flash for underwater photography is an acceptable technique, some photographers may still attempt to take images without a solid source of light. This is best applied in shallow water when customizing white-balance controls. Others who do not use flash may color-correct their images by using a combination of filters and shooting photos in the “raw image format” (also referred to as digital negatives). After a photo shoot, an underwater photographer may edit their images using a graphics program. Underwater photographers may also opt to take images using only the available natural light. Individuals taking this approach may find success when shooting upward: silhouettes, beams of light and large subjects like whales, sharks and dolphins.

Snorkeling is a swimming activity that requires participants to wear a diving mask, a snorkel and flippers. The equipment used in snorkeling is essential to the activity since snorkelers are intended to view underwater surroundings without any major breathing efforts. Snorkeling is popular at tropical locations or scuba diving sites. It is a great recreational activity that doesn’t require complicated equipment or training.

Snorkelers use a diving mask similar to those worn by scuba divers. The mask is worn over the face, allowing airspace between the snorkeler’s eyes and the surrounding watermaking for relatively clear underwater vision. Diving masks consist of a face plate, a rubber or silicone skirt that fits the contours of the face (including the nose), and a head strap.

A snorkel is a tube and attached mouthpiece as the base; the whole apparatus is formed in a hook-like shape. The upper end of the tube should be bright in color as a safety precaution; this lets water traffic (vessels and people) know that a snorkeler is at a particular location. Traditionally, a snorkel attaches to the diving mask. Ideally, a snorkel should be wide enough for the snorkeler to receive air, but narrow enough to control the amount of water that the tube captures.

Flippers or swimfins are another common piece of equipment for snorkelers. Swimfins are worn to help swim through water environments freely and with ease. Depending on the type of flipper used, snorkelers may navigate through waters quickly, with better control of the surroundings, or by conserving energy.

Additionally, a snorkeler may choose to wear a wet suit or dive skin while enjoying his/her underwater adventure. A proper wet suit will help regulate the thermal temperature of a diver in cold environments. A dive skin may not protect a snorkeler from colder water areas, but it will prevent sunburn, abrasion or stings from jellyfish.

Snorkeling is a recreational activity that allows individuals to swim through water while viewing underwater activity using snorkeling equipment. Though it can be done in any body of water, snorkeling is most popular at tropical locations or sites that also welcome scuba diving. Specific places that snorkelers may enjoy include a reef or a wreck site. Specific things that snorkelers may enjoy viewing include submerged objects and marine plant and animal life. It is a leisure sport that is non-competitive and may be done alone (though it is encouraged to snorkel with a companion, guide or group).

Unlike various types of diving such as cave diving or altitude diving, snorkeling does not any special training. However, it is important that the snorkeler be confident in their ability to swim and in using the breathing apparatus. It is recommended that snorkelers receive some kind of basic training to cover equipment configuration, safety precautions, and conservation techniques. Depending on the snorkeling location, some snorkelers may be required to wear an inflatable vest. This not only helps with visibility across the open waters, but it will help a snorkeler with their buoyancy.

Safety issues with snorkeling may involve watercrafts sharing the water environment, sunburn, dehydration, hyperventilation and abrasions. Smaller watercrafts such as jet skis may speed past a snorkeler that submerged in water or surfacing. A snorkeler should wear vibrant and reflective clothing in addition to using a brightly colored snorkel tube. A snorkeler should consider wearing protective clothing such as a wetsuit or board shorts and at-shirt to prevent burns from excessive sun exposure. Booties or water shoes may also be useful when snorkelers are swimming on or near coral reef locations. Such water mass may be sharp and abrasive to the skin. Drinking water during snorkeling sessions is highly advisable (as with any other sport). Having a buddy around when snorkeling is helpful in the event of an emergency.

Shallow water blackout is a term used to describe a loss of consciousness caused by reduced oxygen to the brain. A shallow water blackout may occur at the end of a breath-hold dive or if an individual starts to hyperventilate (for example, while snorkeling). Many times, victims may not notice having an immediate need to breathe. Because of this, it is recommended that any kind of diving activity be done with a “buddy” companion or with a group. This allows for each person to be monitored for medical issues or equipment malfunctions while still enjoying the water activity at hand.

Shallow water blackout is different than deep water blackout. The latter occurs usually during the ascent of a deep dive. The partial pressure of oxygen in a diver’s lungs drops at a dangerous pace. Shallow water blackout occurs only in dives that take place in shallow water. Depressurization is not a factor to the blackout. Hypocapnia, a low blood carbon dioxide condition, is the contributing factor (caused by hyperventilation).

Underwater diving enthusiasts may hyperventilate on a dive in order to extend the time they spend underwater. It is actually a myth that hyperventilating will increase oxygen saturation. By over-breathing, divers are prolonging their dive by shutting down the body’s natural way of breathing but not saving or increasing oxygen. Carbon dioxide levels collect in the bloodstream, reducing the respiratory drive and regular controlled breathing. Divers may experience loss of consciousness without any notice to the victim; no physical sensations warn an individual that he or she has blacked out. In a worst case scenario, a diver (especially one that dives alone) may drown without notice.

There are safety measures that can be taken to avoid shallow water blackout. Never dive alone, relax before a dive to allow the body to reach equilibrium, breathe normally during a dive, and seek air if the urge to breathe is immediate.