Saturday, February 5, 2011

Overcoming the Fear of Diving Easy!


PADI Scuba Diving and Boy Scouts!





------>   Tank HA dive center in Mexico   <------







Dive Videos--Tank HA

A Bull Shark Dive with Tank-HA in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

Cenote* Dive with Tank-HA in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico


*Cenote- a sinkhole, cave like area, very clear vision

Scuba Saftey

On a dive in Costa Rica, I had a heart stopping experience during a dive. The water had a green hue-- due to the thick algae coming to the surface during the summer months—and made it difficult to see. As I was descending with my dive group, I was not looking where I was going, and realized that a Spotted Eagle Ray had scurried below me. I quickly reacted—physically and mentally—to the movement and started panicking. My heart started beating quickly and I was in a state of mental panic.
                That is the first part to Scuba Diving that is very important no matter what the situation—to stay calm. Remaining calm and having a conscious mind can help out in situations that are between life and death. While remaining calm can help, it will only be beneficial if one knows the technicalities and other safety procedures of Scuba Diving. Obviously, First Aid training is extremely beneficial, but any extreme cases should be handled by trained professionals. While this background information is necessary, one important rule of diving is “never dive alone”. Obviously as Boy Scouts, we use the buddy system around camp and even when at Aquatic Centers. The buddy system can be extremely important in a situation where you run out of oxygen in the tank. If that were to happen—due to a malfunction of equipment or lack of training—then a buddy could use his spare respirator to help you to the surface safely.
                As far as breathing is concerned, your breath should never be held. If there is extra oxygen in the blood during a change in pressure, while ascending or descending, then one can develop Decompression Sickness. Along with air consumption, you and your group must be conscious of everyone’s air levels. The average tank of oxygen can hold almost 4,500 psi. Usually the guide will be aware of air levels, but when you are approaching 1,000 psi, you should begin your ascension. You will need the left over 1,000 psi to engage in safety stops, which help your body adjust to surface pressure levels.
                Equipment is another aspect that needs to be treated with utmost awareness. You should never dive with ant equipment that malfunctions or is nearing its end of time.  Properly functioning equipment is crucial and can be the difference between life and death.  Being aware of equipment should happen before, during, and after the dive. Before the dive, make sure everything is functioning correctly. During the dive be aware of your tank, BC, fins, and spare regulators. The environment should be preserved and not damaged due to lose equipment. Lastly, cleaning equipment is important to help preserve them. If diving in salty waters, equipment should always be cleaned off and rinsed. Make sure that when storing equipment you are aware of surroundings so that it will not be damaged.