The Reason To Scuba Dive: Animal life!

Top 5 Places To Dive

1- Hawaii


As we all know Hawaii has a year round warm weather. Most people prefer warm water diving. Also there is Hawaii’s geographical isolation and an abundance of endemic marine life some of them are just ideal for the test. Oahu  offers an excellent blend of diving  sites  ranging  from offshore lava formations and grottoes to plane and shipwrecks, many with large schools of colorful fish and green sea turtles. Most of Maui’s dive sites are located around  the west coast and are just  excellent diving spots  for all levels of divers.
Kauai is known for its rugged and pristine diving. The best time to visit here will be summer as  during the winter months  large swells make the north shore generally inaccessible for diving but rather for a visit , but during summer months the north shore has some excellent locations. Ni’ihau – located 17-miles off the southwestern coast of Kauai, is  the home for  sea arches,  monk seals, large pelagic fish and other rare species of fish. Ni’ihau has some amazing dive locations but is generally recommended for intermediate to advanced divers.

2- The Carribean

Diving in the Carribean, you will be able to see such  rare creatures as sea horses, clown fish and sharks nesting on the reefs. Unique combinations of the majestic coral formations  will also stun you with their beauty. The emphasize of the wonderland is not only made for the experienced divers, the Carribean offers plenty of opportunities to divers of all abilities.One of the best things about scuba diving in the Carribean is that the water here  is very clear and warm, so swimming is not tiring at all, and you can clearly see the things that you want. With good visibility, you may see more animals beneath the waves than almost anywhere else in the world.

3-The Philippines 

Philippines has more or less everything, and it’s all in warm waters. There are over 7,100 islands surrounded by clear seas and they have hundreds of coral species and even more species of fish. Not to mention that it is set in a tropical bliss with warm seas, sandy beaches, green palm trees, fantastic food and drink and friendly people. One of the number one chosen by those who have traveled the distance to dive there. 

4- Bali 

The best thing about scuba diving in Bali is the feature of  rich and varied sites: deep drop-offs and steep banks,  coral ridges and bommies, one of the most famous wrecks in the world, volcanic outcrops and seagrass beds.  The colorful and diverse marine life are worth of your repeated visits as most of the time  there’s not  enough time to keep you come back. Another feature will be considered to be the  strong currents  which  clean the water and create fantastic visibility. 

5- Catalina Island- California

This is one of my favorites not only for the different marine life but the experience of being on a dive boat for a few days. The summer months see the most activity for Catalina Island diving, but the winter months can actually provide the clearest waters. During the summer, diving temperatures can get as high as 76 degrees during August and September. Because of these warm temps, the crowds tend to be larger. For many divers, this is preferred as many people feel more comfortable in numbers. For the divers that don't mind the colder temps, the winter months can see water temps as low as 52 degrees. The benefit of this colder water is that visibility is increased quite substantially. During summer, visibility is typically between 30 - 60 feet. Winter water visibility can be as good as 30 - 80 feet. With favorable water temps, Catalina Island diving has become a very attractive local location for divers up and down the California coast

Flat Head Lake Montana

A customer of mine suggested I tell you about the amazing lake located in Montana Called Flat Head Lake. Its known for its size and the amount of activities located there.

Just a little about the lake: 
The Flathead and Swan rivers supply clean, fresh water to Flathead Lake year-round. Created by Ice Age glaciers, almost thirty miles long and fifteen miles across at it's widest point, Flathead Lake is the largest natural lake in western U.S. The lake has a 160 mile shoreline and its waters cover nearly two-hundred square miles of Montana! Its large and chilly. The lake is populated by native Bull and Cutthroat trout, and huge Lake trout (Mackinaw), along with perch and whitefish.

This lake reaches depths of 369 feet. Flathead Lake is the land locked divers escape. Though the clarity of Flathead Lake is sometimes a bit suspect, this glacier carved lake has impressive underwater cliffs and rock formations. In addition to the natural wonders, there are plenty of ship wrecks to explore. For snorkeling, you should be checking out the southern tip of Cedar Island, where just off-shore you'll find great snorkeling and Yellow Bay for a bit of scuba diving.
If any of you have been there and would like to add pictures or stories feel free to comment! :)

Museum of Underwater Art

Want a bit of culture on your next dive? Then try the tropical blue waters of Cancun, Mexico where you will find the Museum of Underwater Modern Art.Consisting of more than 403 permanent life-sized sculptures, the art-filled sea-bed is one of the largest artificial reef attractions in the world. The work of British sculptor and scuba diver Jason deCaires Taylor, each sculpture is individually cast and made using a special cement mix to encourage coral growth. "It's incredibly interesting working underwater," said deCaires Taylor. "The colors are different, the light patterns are very different, the atmosphere and mood is otherworldly.

"The piece takes on a very different tone underwater -- it has a lost feel to it and brings up all these questions that you wouldn't have on land,"

Peeing In your Wetsuit

Why do you always feel like you have to pee in your wet suit!? Like me, most scuba divers feel the need to urinate in their wetsuits. What's wrong with us? Are we drinking too much water? Do we simply have no self control? No! One reason that divers feel the need to urinate in their wetsuits underwater is called cold water immersion diaresis.

Although the total volume of blood in the diver's body has not changed, the volume of blood in his body core (particularly his heart) has increased. This triggers the body's high blood volume management system, which mainly involves increasing the rate of urine production in the kidneys (diaresis) as discussed above. The end result is that the diver pees in his wetsuit. No Big Deal! :)

So don't be embarrassed by your urge to urinate while diving. What's my advice for comfortable diving? Buy your own wetsuit, hydrate yourself before diving so your urine doesn't smell bad, and pee as much as you like. Urine is sterile so you are not going to create a health hazard if you pee in your suit. Simply remember to wash your suit in fresh water after diving (and not in the same rinse tank as the regulators, please!) Everyone else is peeing in their suits, why should you miss out on all the fun?

Staying Warm Underwater

Water conducts heat from the diver 25 times better than air, which can lead to hypothermia even in mild water temperatures. Symptoms of hypothermia include impaired judgment and dexterity, which can quickly become deadly in an aquatic environment. In all but the warmest waters, divers need the thermal insulation provided by wetsuits or drysuits.

In the case of a wetsuit, the suit is designed to minimize heat loss. Wetsuits are generally made of neoprene that has small gas cells, generally nitrogen, trapped in it during the manufacturing process. The poor thermal conductivity of this expanded cell neoprene means that wetsuits reduce loss of body heat by conduction to the surrounding water. The neoprene in this case acts as an insulator.

The second way in which wetsuits reduce heat loss is to trap a thin layer of water between the diver's skin and the insulating suit itself. Body heat then heats the trapped water. Provided the wetsuit is reasonably well-sealed at all openings (neck, wrists, legs), this reduces water flow over the surface of the skin, reducing loss of body heat by convection, and therefore keeps the diver warm (this is the principle employed in the use of a "Semi-Dry")

Drysuits fall into two main categories neoprene and membrane; both systems have their good and bad points but its really personal preference. Like I have previously said, go into your local dive store and ask them a little about wet suits. Most places will rent wet suits for cheap and then you can get a feel for what you like. Depending on the amount of dives you do in colder water will determine the density. Check out your local dealers today! 

Underwater Communication

Table of Hand Signals

A diver cannot talk underwater unless he is wearing a full-face mask, but divers can communicate, using hand signals. It is said that if a diver "signals to his buddy regularly during a dive, this will ensure that they remain in close contact and that they can easily notify each other in case problems occur."; a diver should repeat any sign that is not clear to his buddy, and acknowledge every signal that he or she makes with an "OK" signal to show that he understands.

No.	Signal	Meaning	Comment
1.	Hand raised, fingers pointed up, palm to receiver.	STOP	Transmitted in the same way as a traffic police officer’s STOP
2.	Thumb extended downward from clenched fist.	GO DOWN or GOING DOWN
3.	Thumb extended upward from clenched fist.	GO UP or GOING UP
4.	Thumb and forefinger making a circle with three remaining fingers extended (if possible).	OK! or OK?	Divers wearing mittens may not be able to extend 3 remaining fingers distinctly.
5.	Two arms extended overhead with finger tips touching above head to make a large O shape.	OK! or OK?	A diver with only one free arm may make this signal by extending that arm overhead with finger tips touching top of head to make the O shape. Signal is for long-range use.
6.	Hand flat, fingers together, palm down, thumb sticking out, then hand rocking back and forth on axis of forearm.	SOMETHING IS WRONG	This is the opposite of OK! The signal does not indicate emergency.
7.	Hand waving over head (may also thrash hand on water).	DISTRESS	Indicates immediate aid required.
8.	Fist pounding on chest.	LOW ON AIR	indicates signaler's air supply is reduced.
9.	Hand slashing or chopping throat.	OUT OF AIR	Indicates that the signaler cannot breathe.
10.	Clenched fist on arm extended in direction of danger.	DANGER

Make sure that you review hand signals with your dive partner before your dive so there is no miscommunication underwater.