Night Diving Soon?

Night Diving soon? Hopefully you will find a few of these guys. For those of you who have taken the opportunity to night dive you know how incredible the creatures are that are out and about at night. You will find more activity and sometimes a few glowing friends! 

This is the Pelagic Octopus. It is also knon as the "Football Octopus"

Hydromedusa is usually found in Antarctica

Zooplankton- This is in the same family of Shrimps and Lobsters

Larval Leaf Scorpionfish- Located in Hawaii, their best defense is their transparency

Where is this!?

I found this picture online and would love to know where it is located. If anyone knows please contact me, I would love to dive here! 

Diving the Rift Between Tectonic Plates

One of the more popular dives in the word is located in the upper reaches of the Atlantic, in Iceland.  This dive is so popular because it is situated right on top of the rift between the North American and European Tectonic Plates. The area is filled with water that has come from melted glaciers and has been filtered through lava fields. They say that its the most clear water on the planet and tops at 300 feet of visibility. . The water is just above freezing which means you will be wearing a dry suit with down linings. The dive starts out on a platform in Thingvellir National Park. Most that dive here are not going for any wild life, and there are only a few trout but they usual make the dive for the experience of being between the two plates and viewing the cathedral-like formations. Not to mention watching a light show of sunbeams filtering through the rock formations. This is being added to my Dive list at the very top! 

Beginning to Spear Fish While Diving

Spear fishing is unlike anything you’ve experienced in scuba diving.  It offers excitement, challenges, and rewards in local lakes and rivers. If you enjoy scuba and fishing, then spear fishing is the logical progression.To start you need to know what is going on.  Spear fishing while scuba diving places different demands on the diver and is governed by its own rules. Classroom training includes reviewing spear fishing rules and regulations, discussing equipment types, styles, and alternatives, and discussing the dive. After completing the classroom training, the diver will be aware of taskrequirements and be prepared to practice with different types of equipment. Practice in the water involves loading and firing different types of spear guns while adjusting for task loading.  After completing these exercises you will be acquainted with gun types,be ready to make an informed purchasing decision, and will be trained to spear fish.

What do Scuba Divers do in the winter?!

A gentleman asked me the other day what I did in the wintertime. Here in Utah there are not many places you can dive because of the frozen lakes, So here comes the question: What do scuba divers do in the winter? For most people here in Utah there are always options. For one, you can dive in a pool.

Many this doesn't take care of their drive for diving. I might suggest to others that you take a road trip somewhere warmer. You will find there are many places in South America that you can dive for cheap, its just a matter of getting there. So skip the big presents during Christmas and save up for a warm February Dive! Or do what some people here in Utah do, Check out the hot springs. There are so many ways to get around the cold, just search and find what is best for you.

Cleaning Your Gear

Any time that you dive there are a few things that you want to be able to clean afterwards. One of the main things you should always have is fresh water. You can Purchase a large 30/40 gallon bucket/tub from Home Depot or Target. Fill it with fresh water and use this to soak and rinse all of your gear in. If you want to just complete this in a tub you can, but you will find that its usually not the best smell or gunk to leave in your tub. Nothing shortens the life of your scuba equipment more than salt water, where the majority of scuba diving is done. Also don’t dry your scuba equipment in direct sunlight; the sun’s rays also shorten the life of scuba gear.

When cleaning regulators: The number one rule when washing your regulator is ensuring that your dust cap is securely in place. This ensures that no water enters the first stage regulator which has internal components that are sensitive to moisture. Before attaching the dust cap it is best to dry the inside of it and of the opening in the first stage regulator. The most common method is to blow it out with air from the dive tank, although this may sometimes be discouraged on boats due to the noise it makes. Once the regulator is rinsed you can hang it up to dry.
After completely rinsing off the outside of BCD the bladder must washed out. This is very important and probably the most overlooked step in the preventive maintenance of your scuba gear. First drain out any salt water trapped in bladder. Then put some fresh water in bladder and shake vigorously letting water run out of deflate valve. Repeat this process or 3 times. Be sure all water is out of bladder.

Masks & Fins: After rinsing and letting your mask and fins dry, store them in a cool dry place out of direct sun light. Excess heat can warp fins and distort the silicone around the mask and mask strap. Storing fins on their tips can also warp them. Avoid contact with oil, aerosol, chemical solvents, etc. as coming in contact with any of these materials can cause these items to begin to erode or degrade

When cleaning your wetsuits use a disinfectant detergent, available at most dive supply stores. Wash the suit, booties, and gloves by submerging them in water and dunking them up and down, turning them inside out as well to ensure that both inside and outside are completely clean.

Dive Lights & Cameras: Lights and cameras are extremely sensitive to water, sand and salt. Work all moving parts while soaking to loosen any salt and sand deposits. Allow the unit to dry completely after soaking and before opening any compartments. Once dry, loosen all connectors so they do not freeze in place. Then remove batteries, film or storage disks. Clean and lubricate all o?rings thoroughly before next use. Store the components in a protective case to prevent any seals from exposure to dust and dirt.
Make sure to rinse tanks, rescue sausages, whistles, dive propulsion vehicles, weights, catch bags, and anything else that may have been in the water at some point or another. Remove any batteries or other items that may corrode overtime from your gear. Tanks should be stored with at least 100 psi of air in them to keep out any moisture. You may also want to lubricate any zippers to make them easier to open and close the next time you need them.
Make this process a habit. Once you have made this routine a habit, you will see how quickly and easy preventive maintenance on scuba gear really is. Save yourself money and aggravation when on your next vacation trying to relax and enjoy.

The Reason To Scuba Dive: Animal life!