Scubaism

Thrill-seekers in search of the ocean’s legendary apex predator typically flock to three noted great white hunting areas, say shark experts.

Forbes Traveller compiled their list from people like Jean-Michel Cousteau, Caterina Gennaro of Discovery Channel, David Doubilet of National Geographic, Dr. Samuel H. Gruber of Bahmas’ Sharklab, Dr. Robert Heuter of Mote Shark Research Center, Mark Addison of South Africa’s Blue Wilderness tours, Erich Ritter of the Shark Research Institute’s Global Shark Attack File and underwater photographer Matthew Potenski.

First and most notoriously named is a place called Dangerous Reef in the Neptune Islands off the southern coast of Australia, where famed shark-attack survivor Rodney Fox has been leading cage-diving expeditions for more than three decades.

Second is so-called Shark Alley near the Dyer Islands off the southern coast of South Africa, where boatloads of shark seekers from neighboring Gansbaai come to get chummy with the native great whites.

Third and by far tops in the Western Hemisphere is Guadelupe Island off the coast of Mexico.

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Researchers at the Hyperbaric Medicine Department, San Diego, have developed a three-point scale to diagnose decompression sickness.

There are currently no universally accepted diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of decompression sickness. The new SANDHOG (SAN Diego Diving and Hyperbaric Organizations) criteria uses a point scale and entrance level for the diagnosis of decompression sickness. Once the entrance criterion has been met, points are awarded based upon the diver’s symptoms and their time of onset.

The point system and time limits were determined based upon US Navy and Royal Canadian diving reports.

On validating the SANDHOG criteria against a database of diving related injuries, the researchers found that the specificity of the SANDHOG criteria to be good, and concluded that the SANDHOG criteria are a useful tool for the diagnosis of decompression sicknes.

Journal Reference: Undersea Hyperb Med. 2007 May-Jun;34(3):199-210.

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Seawater can be murder on hair and skin. So mycosmeticsurgeryblog published some handy beauty tips for scuba divers to deal with constant salt water exposure.

• Stay Hydrated: If you aren’t properly hydrated, your body can’t do its job.

• Sunscreen: You are on a boat surrounded by reflective water in direct sun. WEAR A HIGH SPF SUNSCREEN like Anthelios.

• Lip Balm: Make sure it has at least a SPF 15 sunscreen!

• Mirror: A small compact is a good idea. As always, use it to check your nose because you will have boogies.

• Paper Towels: Kleenex will usually not be tough enough so bring a few paper towels that you have folded and stored into a Ziploc bag instead.

• Make-up: I use a foundation and some Bare Escentuals mineral powder and I only apply it once in the morning.

• Hair: I suggest you also apply something like PHYTO PLAGE Protective Sun Veil to help protect your hair. You can wear a non-rubber, breatheable skull cap if you want. Under Armour makes a good one but don’t think it will offer you protection like a neoprene hood will.

• Nails: I personally like to dive with short nails. I can rip a nail off in less than 5 minutes of walking on a boat.

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Continue the adventure with the PADI National Geographic Diver Specialty course. During the course, you join an elite group of divers who are more than tourists, but explorers, adventurers and conservationists.

As part of the National Geographic Diver Specialty course, you fine-tune your buoyancy, then set off on your exploration project. Whether it’s a survey of plant life or a study of water temperature variation, this project is your chance to think, observe and document like those who dive for science and discovery. On your next dive you’ll hone your navigation skills, then you’ll dive into an aquatic life exercise – which may also be part of your exploration project.

• Must be a PADI Open Water Diver or Junior Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification from another training organization) and be at least 10 years old.
• Number of Dives: Two
• Knowledge Development: Complete the National Geographic Knowledge Review based on information from the National Geographic Diver Almanac and DVD.
• Materials You’ll Need: National Geographic Diver Specialty course materials including the National Geographic Diver Almanac and National Geographic Diver DVD.
• Certification counts toward the PADI Master Scuba Diver rating.

To start your National Geographic adventure, visit a PADI National Geographic Dive Center near you. Or visit the PADI National Geographic portal.

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Breast implants do not pose a problem to diving from the standpoint of gas absorption or changes in size and are not a contraindication for participation in recreational scuba diving. In one study, by Dr. Richard Vann, Vice President of Research at DAN, mammary (breast) implants were placed in the Duke University Medical Center hyperbaric chamber.

Three types were tested: silicone-, saline-, and silicone-saline-filled. In this experiment, the researchers simulated various depth/time profiles of recreational scuba diving.

Here’s what they found:

There was an insignificant increase in bubble size (one to four percent) in both saline and silicone gel implants, depending on the depth and duration of the dive. The least volume change occurred in the saline-filled implant, because nitrogen is less soluble in saline than silicone.

The silicone-saline-filled type showed the greatest volume change. Bubble formation in implants led to a small volume increase, which is not likely to damage the implants or surrounding tissue. If gas bubbles do form in the implant, they resolve over time.

Breast implants filled with saline are neutrally buoyant. Silicone implants are heavier than water, however, and they may alter buoyancy and attitude (trim) in the water, particularly if the implants are large. Appropriate training and appropriate adjustment of weights help overcome these difficulties.

DAN also dvises women with breast implants avoid buoyancy compensators with constrictive chest straps, which can put undue pressure on the seams and contribute to risk of rupture.

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The readers of Sydney Morning Herald were asked this question and the newspaper published some answers. Some were helpful. Some were just funny. Here are some of them.

1. Because they were pushed.
2. Because if they fell the other way they would fall into the boat.
3. Because it looks really funny when you reverse the footage.
4. Because if they get eaten by a shark they’ve already kissed their arse goodbye.

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Anyone can open a dive centre in Cyprus, with the government unwilling to enforce a minimum set of safety standards that would regulate the industry, professional divers said yesterday.

“A monkey can go and open [a dive centre] tomorrow unfortunately. There are people who teach and train who are not insured,” said Clive Martin, general secretary of the Cyprus Union of Dive Centres.

Martin said the union had been set up precisely because the island lacked regulations.
“We are working with the CTO [Cyprus Tourism Organisation] to implement these requirements… We can’t force people to join the union, but what we want is to force people who open dive centres to comply with basic minimum standards.”

Martin told the Cyprus Mail that although the government had recognised the union and its charter, it hadn’t enforced the minimum set of standards on non-union members.

“There are people who teach and train [diving] who are not insured. Who do we call? If I call the marine police and report someone, they might know the person and nothing happens. It’s a case of who you know, and it’s not worth it. If I see a PADI [Professional Association of Diving Instructors] school doing something irregular, I’ll refer it to PADI international in the UK. Here, I don’t know who to send it to. No one really bothers.”

He added: “We just look after our members and keeping sending emails to non union members to try to push for more people to join so that we increase safety levels and improve the levels of professionalism on the island. Once everything is standardised, at least tourists will be free to go wherever and will feel safe and secure with whichever dive centre they choose.”

John Irvine, a PADI staff instructor for the past 10 years and a partner in the Latsi Watersports and Diving Centre, agreed: He said no one inspected dive centres in Cyprus and that there was total self-regulation. “There are many dive centres not registered with PADI or another diving organisation because they don’t want to pay the fees.”

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Have a go at the quizzes at Scuba.com. There’s a basic quiz and an advanced quiz. And the basic one isn’t that easy!

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The FINS Blog recently interviewed David Cheung of Scubacam of his recent harrowing experience when all his prototype camera housings were confiscated at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok.

He’d taken them for a showing at a dive show but the customs officers had decided that they had commercial value and detained the lot for two months.

David’s advice for everyone carrying new-looking gear is this:

1. Do not travel with your goods. Just send them in advance and just pay the import duty.
2. Use ATA Carnet, the merchandise importing service. Although it’s burdensome and may take some time for the paperwork, it is by far the most guaranteed way of not getting into trouble.
3. Make your gear look less shiny and looked used.

Sounds like good travel advice.

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It’s a funny question, but I’ll bet everyone has asked themselves that. The surftravelcompany seems to think so. If that were true, I’d have a close encounter on every dive!

Pissing or urinating in your wetsuit, a favorite of many surfers especially in the cold climes may also attract sharks inquisitive nature. Obviously the wee in your wetsuit stays with you longer cause it doesn’t have ready escape. That nice warm feeling can come with a cost.

A lot of cases of surfers and divers that have been attacked by sharks have been preceeded by the need to relieve. If however you feel the need to pee in the ocean and are worried about shark attacks then do so in small amounts. This will allow the urine not to be so concentrated. Thereby escaping in smaller amounts to disapate in the water.

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