Dive Against Debris at the Port Aransas Jetties

When shore diving in the Corpus Christi, Texas area, you will encounter dead or dying fish, turtles and other marine animals at local jetties. Bring multiple cutting tools and help animals if it safe to do so. Report the trapped animals and spread the word so that others will know the impact of ghost fishing gear. Learn to dive against debris.



FMI https://transformationscuba.com/dive-against-debris

Advanced Open Water Diver Certification at Stetson Bank, Gulf of Mexico,...

Open water certification was never intended to be the last scuba course you take. Strangely some folks stop at open water, resulting in poor dive skills and lack of confidence. To make scuba training more accessible and fun, it is broken up into 3 main chunks. Open water, advanced open water, and rescue diver. Usually enriched air nitrox is thrown in to extend bottom time. Non-medical professionals often need first aid and emergency oxygen provider when completing rescue diver. When you take your advanced course, it is simply a matter of doing five more dives with an instructor, reading the corresponding book chapters and answering some review questions. It is all about gaining experience and confidence. A good course will include a deep dive, navigation dive,  night dive, boat dive, and another dive of interest. Maybe you did open water dives in a lake and have no boat or ocean experience or maybe you want to experience drift diving. Maybe you want to learn why your underwater digital images look dark and blah while your instructor's videos look amazing. Take the underwater digital photography. maybe you want to start identifying reef inhabitants so you opt to take underwater naturalist. Choose the dives for your course that will enhance your skills. If your budget allows, choose an advanced course that will truly advance your skills and expose you to new environments and techniques. Don't stop at basic! Gain more confidence and skills. Most importantly, aim to achieve at least the rescue diver level of training so you can help yourself and others in the event of a problem. Above all have fun and go diving to keep your skills fresh!

Behind the scenes of your open water scuba course

New scuba students sometimes balk at the price of scuba lessons. Perhaps this is because they don't yet realize the expenses involved in running a dive business and the hard work of providing an open water scuba course.

The most costly item is a scuba compressor. Students are often shocked to find out that compressing a  closet full of air at 14.7 pounds per square inch into a tiny cylinder at a pressure of 3000 pounds per square inch, requires a multi-stage compressor and accessories costing as much as a family car!

Maintenance of the compressor is costly as well. Special breathing air filters costing hundreds of dollars must be replaced regularly to keep you safe. Air must be collected and sent to a lab for detailed analysis to ensure safety.

Gear must be washed after every dive and regulators sanitized which is wet messy work. Gear must be serviced annually, tanks hydrostatic tested every five years and visually inspected annually.

Liability insurance is extremely costly. Certification agency annual dues, class materials and certification fees are a significant portion of your class tuition.

Travel costs, pool fees, it all adds up.

If you think your scuba course is costly- please think again. 

Chances are your instructor truly loves to introduce students to the underwater world and is working very hard for very little, sometimes zero money.

The Save-A-Dive Kit

 The Save-A-Dive Kit

A save-a-dive kit is just a collection of tools, spare parts and other supplies that prevent you or your buddy from traveling all the way to the dive site and not being able to dive because of broken or missing part/s.  Scuba diving is a gear intensive sport. Something as simple as a missing tank valve o-ring can prevent you from diving after a long boat ride. A save-a-dive kit can save you hundreds of dollars in travel expenses. So what do you put in it? Items in a save-a-dive kit can range from a few spare tank valve o-rings all the way to the hundreds of parts and tools along with a complete spare scuba system carried by your scuba instructor during training sessions. Instructors would literally go broke if we had to cancel a training session every time an o-ring blew, or a dry rotted fin strap broke, or a mask cracked. Here is a list of potential items. Every save-a-dive kit is different depending on the gear you have and your skill level with repairs. Never attempt a repair you are not qualified to do. Some suggestions below are intended for divers with advanced repair skills or for use with assistance of a qualified professional. Get a quality Pelican Dry box to hold your stuff and prevent it from corroding. Throw some spare desiccants from a shoe box inside to keep things dry. Ask your instructor what they have in their kit and for help purchasing the right stuff.  Avoid pre-made generic kits. These are usually poor quality and often won't fit the equipment you have.

Full Redundant Scuba System

The fastest and easiest way to handle problems is to have a complete spare system including personal gear. If a mask gets broken, just put on your spare and keep going. If a regulator acts up, switch to a spare. Not everybody has this luxury, but on long expensive remote expeditions this is a must.

 

Spare Parts

Fin Straps- get the right kind for your fins, see instructor.

Mask Strap- not all are the same size, see instructor.

Mouthpiece- correct size.

Zip Ties- Lots of these, I buy them by the hundreds!

Fin Strap Buckle- These break too.

Watch Band

Tank Cam Strap

Snorkel Keeper- simple figure 8 can save the day.

Spare Batteries for computer, lights, cameras, marker lights, AI transmitter etc.- Critical item!!

Weight Belt Buckle

Stainless Bolt Snaps

Stainless Swivel Bolt Snaps

Stainless Quick Links

Stainless Steel Split Rings

Wrist Lanyards

Coil Lanyard so you don’t drop your GoPro or light

#24 Cave Line and Lighter or butane torch- to attach swivels to your gear, such as SPG.

Fastex Buckles

LP Hose

HP Hose and Spare Spool

Spare BCD Corrugated Hose

Spare BCD Inflator Mechanism

Spare BCD Dump Valve

Tank Valve Parts

Spare Tank Valve Burst Disk Assembly

Octo Holder

Triglides- Stainless or plastic webbing buckles

Regulator Service Kits

Regulator Specialty Repair Tools

O-rings

Tank O-rings- See instructor for sizes. Choose oxygen compatible Viton.

Hose End O-rings

Dive Light O-rings

Camera O-rings

HP Spool O-rings

Tools

Scuba Multi-tool- equivalent individual tools are often better especially for pros!

Mini-tank Valve Tool- This mini tool is a must.

Swiss Army Knife or Leatherman- Stainless steel and a lot of tools in a small package.

Utility Knife

Butane Torch or Lighter- Use constantly for sealing ends of cave line, etc.

LP Air Gun- Fill dive and swim floats easily from you LP inflator!

LP Tire Inflator- Fill inner dive tube floats and car tires in an emergency!

IP Gauge- Easily check a first stage for proper intermediate pressure.

Hex Wrenches SAE and Metric- Critical for changing hose configuration.

Adjustable Wrenches Slip-Joint Pliers- When all else fails.

Wire cutter for zip ties- Critical item.

Products

Dessicants

Silicone Lube- For dive lights, etc. Not Oxygen Compatible Not for use on regulators and tanks.

Oxygen Compatible Lube- Can be used on regulators and tank valves (expensive).

Mask Conditioner- Conditions new masks.

Magic Eraser- Cleans Slates

Wetsuit Repair Adhesive- Aquaseal

Mask Defog- Critical item.

Zipper Glide

BCD and Wetsuit Wash- Antibacterial wash keeps everything smelling good and clean.

Other

Sharpie Marker

Paint Marker

DIN to Yoke Converter

DIN to Yoke Valve Inserts

Port Plugs

Marker Lights

Spare Computer or Watch and Tables

Duct Tape- When all else fails.

Spare Weights

Pencil

Wet Notes

Towel

Wipes

Surgical Tubing

Pelican Case- Large enough to hold all your stuff.

Marine First Aid Kit- You will learn about this in the PADI Rescue Diver Course

DAN Oxygen Kit- You will learn about this in the PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider Course

What items do you keep in your save-a-dive kit or use most often?

Avoiding Jaw Fatigue While Scuba Diving

A basic scuba mouthpiece.

Some people during training complain about jaw fatigue, so I wanted to address it.

First, check the mouthpiece carefully for damage. Often divers bite through the bite tabs making it very hard to hold in the mouth. Check that the bite tabs are not partially or completely bitten through or perhaps ripped off entirely! If there is damage, replace the mouthpiece. Always carry extras along with zip ties in your save a dive kit!

In my experience jaw fatigue is most often simply because the diver is new and clinches the mouthpiece too tightly. If this is the case, keep practicing regulator recovery with an instructor until you are not fearful. With experience this issue may disappear after you have many dives under your weight belt.

Another reason for this problem could be hoses that are too short or too stiff. I prefer braided flex hoses to stiff rubber hoses because they are more flexible and you experience less "hose pull". They are also lighter in weight and pack more easily for travel. Flex hoses are perhaps slightly less durable so expect to replace them a little more often.

Some divers feel that a ball swivel next to the second stage can be more comfortable. Some regulators come with these already attached or it can be added. Similarly, some divers prefer a first stage with a swivel turret, which can make diving more comfortable when moving the head from side to side. Turret first stages may also offer better hose routing and  can be more comfortable as the hoses make a more natural arc. Consider a slightly longer flex hose if you still have problems with comfort. Remember that every time you add a moving component, you add complexity and a possible failure point!

Another issue causing jaw fatigue could be the second stage itself. Some really high end second stages are heavy. Size and weight of the second stage could be a factor. I once sold an incredibly nice all chrome second stage that was very expensive and a "prestigious" brand, because it felt like a ten pound lead weight in my mouth. Sometimes manufacturers give in to fads or trends and create something just for looks that really is not practical. Modern second stages are made of thermoplastic, because it is light corrosion resistant and durable.

If none of these things seem to help, then consider changing the mouthpiece. It is a simple process to clip the old mouthpiece zip tie and replace the mouthpiece with a new, proper fitting one of a different style using a new zip tie. Some people swear by the "Aqualung" style, others have a different preference. Try different ones, long tabs, short tabs, etc. until you find one you like.

If you still can't get comfortable, then perhaps a custom moldable mouthpiece is the key. These are placed in boiling water for a short time, then placed in the mouth (according to manufacturers instructions for safety) and then the diver bites down gently to mold the mouthpiece to her/his own teeth. Once this is done properly the mouthpiece will "stick" to your teeth which may reduce jaw fatigue. These can be a bit of a hassle to get just right and you may mess one up, so buy two. They also can be costly and seem to easily get damaged by heat, so keep them cool. They also look kind of creepy once molded to your bite and if you practice an air sharing technique that requires you to donate your own regulator to the out of air diver these won't fit the diver you are donating to. The diver will still be able to breathe from it, of course. This may slightly complicate an out of air emergency. For these reasons, I would use the moldable custom mouthpiece as a last resort.

See me or other dive professional to order a custom moldable mouthpiece.

What do you do to avoid jaw fatigue?

Diving With Long Hair

Divers with long hair often ask me what to do about their hair while taking the open water scuba class. The open water class requires taking your mask off numerous times with wet, tangly hair sticking to the mask strap and getting caught in the strap and snorkel keeper.

In the past, I would just "mansplain" to them that they should cut it all off, but that didn't go over too well for some reason... So as a short haired male dive instructor I had to change my approach. So I watched my divers, asked questions, and did some research.

Here are the tips we came up with aside from cutting it all off:

Gear-

First of all, use a neoprene mask strap cover. I suggest and sell for a nominal fee, the kind that go over your existing silicone mask strap. These slide over twisted hair much more easily and don't stick to wet hair like glue. There are other types (slap straps), but these have straps with plastic buckles or Velcro which are real hassle to adjust. Divers, especially new ones, need to have the well designed quick release buckles of the original mask strap, so it can be easily loosened or tightened with just two fingers.

Just remember if you get a neoprene mask strap cover, always check that the mask strap doesn't come off when doing a giant stride or seated backroll entry. Just check it as you give your OK sign after the entry. For short-haired folks I do not suggest a neoprene cover unless you are a divemaster or instructor who takes the mask on and off very frequently for demonstrations. The silicone strap is actually more secure.

Another option, especially if it is going to be cold where you dive, is to wear a dive hood. This solves the problem entirely, but won't work in the tropics.

Sometimes, I see ladies with biker-style doo rags, but really? The only time I suggest these is for bald folks in the tropics that won't use sun screen for fear of harming coral. Otherwise, these are not the best fashion statement in my humble opinion, but the fish don't judge. 

Hair Style- 

I have seen all sorts of hair style. Some prefer a single ponytail or topknot, but just remember the mask strap goes on the widest part of the back of your head, so be sure the ponytail/s don't interfere with the strap.  Others find a French braid or two side braids work better for them. Do me and other instructors a favor and try this in a pool before your scuba class! We don't do underwater hair styling lessons... and your fellow students don't want to wait for you to fix your floating hair.

Hair Care-

Be sure to protect your hair and the environment by using good, biodegradable, reef safe moisturizing shampoo, conditioner and/ or leave-in conditioner to prevent your hair from drying out with all the chlorine and salt. Rinse, wash, and condition your hair quickly after you dive. I recommend and sell Gnarly Head ™ aquatic hair care products. 

If you have other tips, I would love to learn more so I can pass it on to my long haired students. Please share your tips in the comments.

Say No to the BFK- The Big Freaking Leg Knife.

When I was a little boy, I would sneak into my dad's sporting goods closet. Dad, was recently discharged from two tours in the Vietnam War and he loved collecting manly things. Dad was like James Bond and the closet was like Agent Q's secret lab. Seriously, it had enough weapons, explosives (long gone), rations, and cool stuff to guard against numerous zombie apocalypses, even an Indiana Jones style bullwhip, which Dad would pull out and crack on occasion! Like all early 1970's Man Cave closets, it had a set of scuba gear for underwater zombies. I remember staring at that old double hose regulator and tank all set up and ready to go in the event of an underwater zombie attack. Most of all, I remember the gigantic knife pictured above, one of the few surviving objects from this bygone era. It even outlasted Dad, who thought Marlboros were good for the lungs, but I digress...

Now the knife is a collector's item of sorts and a reminder to my students that these BFK giant leg knives are no longer used and certainly never strapped to your leg!

Nothing says newbie diver more than a BFK attached to your leg! Don't do it!

But why is the once revered BFK leg knife now frowned upon in scuba diving circles (except vintage dive gear fans)?

Well first of all we now realize that we don't need a giant knife to fight zombies or zombie sharks or to cut the hoses of imaginary Bond villains. Alas, scuba diving is pretty tame stuff. What we really need is a razor sharp knife that can cut through fishing line like butter.

The problems with the BFK leg knife are many. It adds well over a pound to your kit! Imagine adding a pound and a half to only one of your legs! No wonder those guys swim so funny in Sea Hunt.

The typical BFK is 1/4 inch thick and therefore hard to put a sharp edge on, so it is more of a tank banger really. A darn good one in fact!

The leg sheath, its buckles and the big honking knife handle are all monofilament fishing line magnets and a serious entanglement hazard. Never put a gigantic, heavy, entanglement hazard on your leg.

In an emergency when trying to drop a weight belt in a vertical position there is a good chance the belt will become trapped between the knife handle and divers leg and lead to further panic and possible death.

Aside from safety issues, there are practical issues, like it takes forever to attach a big knife to your leg.

But, most of all you just don't want to look like Mike Nelson from Sea Hunt.

What do you do instead?

Get a reasonably sized (small) knife with a well designed one hand only quick release sheath and attach it to your BCD such that it can be easily reached with either hand. In addition get a line cutter such as Eezycut Trilobyte and also attach it to your BCD so it can be easily reached and accessed with one hand.

If using high grade stainless cutting tools, always put a thin coat of silicone grease on them to prevent rust and remove them from the sheath to air dry after diving.

Move into the modern era and ditch the BFK on your leg! You will be glad you did.

Sink the Stink!

People ask me how I clean my wetsuits and BCDs. I use 500 PSI Wetsuit & BCD wash. It is antibacterial, low foaming, works well in cold water, has a nice mild clean scent and a little goes a long way. Just add to cold water, let soak a while then agitate and rinse with freshwater. Rinse the inside of the BCD as you learned in OW, by running some water into the deflator while pressing the deflate button. A drop of 500 psi helps keep the inside clean as well. Inflate the BCD and squish the water around to clean every inch of the inside. Turn it upside down and squeeze the water out by squeezing the BCD between your legs and letting the water run out the inflator hose. This cleans the inflator mechanism. Let water run out of all the dump valves. Repeat this process with freshwater to rinse out the Wetsuit/BCD wash. 

Hang your equipment out of direct sun to dry. Drain all the water out, and leave it hanging on  BCD hanger with a small amount of air inside. I only sell and recommend stuff I personally believe in and feel is a good value. I have used this stuff for 3 years now and my equipment always smells fresh and clean. If you need some, I have it in stock. I also sell 500 psi defog, silicone lube and other items.

Divers Don't Breathe Oxygen, Wear Flippers or Goggles

A Labeled Enriched Air Nitrox Cylinder

When I first got scuba certified, I was a little put off by the instructors always correcting my terminology. "It is called a mask not goggles" he would say or "it is an air tank, not an oxygen tank" she might tell me or "fins are for people, flippers are for dolphins." Why be so picky? It wasn't until I became a dive professional that I understood why these seemingly minor issues are important for safety of the diver and others. 

Take the googles issue for example. The reason we must refer to it as a mask and not goggles is one of safety. Swim googles are often worn while swimming, but only a scuba mask is suitable for diving to depths beyond a swimming pool. A scuba mask covers both the the eyes and nose, which allows the diver to equalize the air space in the mask to ambient pressure. If a diver were to dive with swim goggles s/he could do some serious damage to his/her eyes as the pressure increases to 2-5 times the pressure experienced at the surface. If the googles were to flood with water it could lead to panic situation and possibly a fatality because there is no way to clear the water from goggles. It must be be made clear to a beginning diver that goggles and dive masks are different, and goggles can never be substituted for a proper mask.

As for calling your dive cylinder an "oxygen tank", this is to prevent another potentially fatal mistake among new recreational divers. You see, recreational divers often do have oxygen cylinders around for emergency first aid use since the primary first aid treatment for injured divers is 100% oxygen. Technical divers sometimes use 100% oxygen as a decompression gas. The problem is that 100% oxygen has a maximum operating depth of just 20 feet. So if a recreational diver, new to the sport were to go diving with an "oxygen tank" and exceed 20 feet of depth that person could succumb to oxygen toxicity, suffer convulsions, and drown. For this reason it is important to call the cylinder an air cylinder which it usually is. One might also call it a breathing gas cylinder if diving an enriched air nitrox mix (air enriched with additional oxygen). By using proper terminology, the rare possibility of a fatal mistake is minimized.

As for fins vs. flippers, that one is just semantics, but I still prefer fins to flippers.

Can you think of other scuba terms that people get bent out of shape about? Share in the comments.

Shallow Dives Are NOT Safer

Ascend slowly from every dive, especially the last 15 feet.

Recently, I have heard a few folks make comments like, "The water isn't that deep, so the diver will be fine" or maybe you have heard a diver say, "It is only a swimming pool, what could happen?"

These comments are frightening because they show a serious misunderstanding of the most basic concept of scuba diving safety. This is a failure of the diver the understand the risks in diving!

Let's go back to your beginning scuba course. Recall it starts with a lesson on Boyle's Law and lung over-expansion injuries. You must learn and prove mastery of this concept with a quiz before you can ever get into a pool. Often the analogy of a balloon popping as air expands on ascent is used to explain what happens inside the lungs if you hold your breath or if mucous or lung tissue traps air in the lung while ascending. Unfortunately delicate lung tissue is not as strong as a balloon and alveoli can be torn in as little as 3 feet of water. Rupture of lung tissue can allow air to enter the blood stream, which is potentially fatal! The greatest changes in volume occur at the top of the water column in the few feet near the surface so this is where most lung over expansion injuries actually occur. You are told to never hold your breath, never dive with a cold or congested lungs, and always ascend slowly from every dive, but there is always some risk of lung over-expansion. Shallow water in no way lowers the risk. Shallow water such as a pool does lower the risk of decompression sickness, which is why some divers mistakenly think shallow water is safer. It simply is not. I have seen many new divers, dutifully complete their safety stop and then bolt from 15 feet to the surface. This is a risk both for decompression sickness and gas embolism!

Over time some divers get complacent and forget this basic information. Don't let this happen to you. Continue your education. Keep learning beyond the basic scuba course, which is meant to inform you, but not overwhelm you. Be an active Divers Alert Network member and read the great dive safety information the organization provides. Learn beyond the basics. Seek out books on diving. Entry level courses are entry level. There is much more to learn. Treat every dive seriously, regardless of the depth. Ascend slowly from every dive, especially the last 15 feet. Breathe continuously and don't dive if you have congested lungs.

Transform Yourself- Transform Your Ocean!

Do you really need to rinse out your BCD? Yes or BS?

Salt crystals inside a neglected BCD Bladder.

As you can see the answer to this is one is definite yes! Salt does build up inside BCDs and forms sharp "blades".  Over time these can cut the bladder.  For the same reason always leave some air in the BCD and never stack stuff on top of a BCD.

Salt crystals from a neglected BCD.

To rinse a BCD properly you press the deflate button while filling the BCD partially with freshwater from a hose or spigot. Then inflate the BCD manually. Next you swish the BCD around vigorously making sure water reaches every part of the bladder. Next you must dump water through the dump valves including the inflator mechanism itself. To rinse the inflator hose, turn the BCD upside down and squeeze it between your legs to force water out the inflator hose. Repeat this several times.

To make things a little easier there are special hoses with an inflator hose fitting on one end and a garden hose fitting on the other. Just connect to a garden hose and to the inflator. Press the inflate button water while running water into the BCD. The fitting is designed for air, so it takes several minutes this way, but water does not go all over you. Once the BCD has water in it, rinse it as described above.

What do you think?

Does it pay well to be a scuba instructor?

People sometimes ask, "Does it pay well to be a scuba instructor?"

Being a scuba instructor means constantly learning new things, working with all kinds of different people, watching as the "light bulbs" suddenly come on, being underwater with amazing animals, helping people understand how fragile the aquatic world is and inspiring them to protect it, and so much more. 

It can mean a life of extreme fulfillment and adventure, but like all teaching careers, it is one of difficulty, complexity, and financial poverty.

So if by "pay well", you mean money, then the answer is most often NO, but if you measure life by a different measuring stick and know exactly what you are getting yourself into then it pays immeasurably!

*Caution- for some people being an instructor pays absolutely no money at all! Some dive shops will not pay instructors any cold hard cash, instead giving them more scuba certifications, paying their liability insurance, offering free or discounted gear, discounted travel in exchange for leading dive excursions, and sometimes even "free" air! Basically the instructor becomes a pawn in doing the work of the shop in a sort of pyramid scheme, bringing in his/her friends to the "club". They eagerly represent the shop and bring in new customers until eventually they realize they are putting in far more than they get out. Watch out for this arrangement. Be sure you actually get paid a real living wage with benefits for your hard work or at least understand the game in advance.

Don't feed the sharks!

Excuse me you forgot the mouthpiece on my regulator?

The Humble Scuba Mouthpiece.

It has come to my attention that some dive stores are selling mouthpieces every time a diver borrows or rents a regulator! They cite "health and safety" reasons, "ick factor", or some other scare tactic to sell a new mouthpiece perhaps even upsell you to a special $30 moldable mouthpiece. 

If this happens to you run! What they are doing is ripping you off. The regulator mouthpiece is just one component of the regulator. The regulator itself is an empty container that the diver breathes in and out of, coughs into, spits into, perhaps even vomits into that chamber. So if you are renting or borrowing gear, it all needs to be cleaned and sanitized, not just the mouthpiece. Do you eat with forks from a restaurant? Do you trust that they have been sanitized or do you demand a brand new fork every time you eat?

Now I am happy to sell a new $5.00 mouthpiece to anybody that wants one and I will pocket a few dollars for my trouble, but if I nickel and dime people, eventually they will no longer trust me. 

Remember, the recreational dive industry is a slick business and the sales tactics can be subtle. Watch out for scare tactics and don't feed the sharks! 

Where to Log Dives

A dive log is useful for "proving" your diving skill and experience.  It might be the difference between going to a stellar dive site a mediocre dive site.  Logging dives is also important if you are pursuing advanced certification or professional ratings. 

I was shocked when nobody looked at my logbook, when I became a scuba instructor. Probably a 

standards violation, but it got me wondering how often anybody ever really looked at my logbook?  The answer- almost never.  Usually people just go on your word.

I remember being a new diver and writing page after page in my logbook, I would connect my Citizen Aqualand dive watch to my computer, download my dive profile, print it out, and add it to my paper logbook. I bought special "adventure log" pages, which gave me more room to write stuff. I wrote every fish, coral and invertebrate I saw. When I started doing scientific dives, I wrote extensively in a separate Wetnotes journal.  Often my logs said "see pics." Over time I slowly began to write less and then most often I skipped logging dives at all.

Nowadays logging dives is a complicated problem. There are so many different choices for logging dives.  There are websites, digital logs, apps, apps that connect to your dive computer, apps the connect to your phone, old fashioned paper logs of all kinds, and free log pages you print out online.  Trouble is none of these integrate and none has emerged as a leader, which means I have dives logged on my computer, on paper, on ScubaEarth and the back of napkins.  While I expect the need to prove one's dive experience will not go away, I am not so sure what will happen to the dive log. As an instructor I can't ask a student diver to pay an extra $20 for a paper dive log that required the killing of trees to produce, was trucked across country, and can be ruined as soon as water, the stuff we dive in, touches it, but I sure wish there was another universal viable solution.

How will this play out?

Which Scuba Weights Are Best?

Not all scuba weights are created equally.

Scuba weights have evolved over the years, but like all scuba equipment, there are gimmicks to avoid.

There are soft bean bag weights which constantly form lead dust which then leaches toxic lead all over your boat and equipment.  These can never be threaded onto a standard weight belt.  Lead shot weights are difficult to get in and out when used with most weight integrated BCD pouches or cartridges because they bunch up.  Some pools will not allow lead shot weights at all because of the potential for lead contamination and lead shot ending up in the pool drains. For these reasons I avoid soft bean bag weights of any kind. Sell them on eBay right away in a well taped USPS flat rate box. 

Uncoated block weights are the way to go in my opinion, because they take up less space than rubber coated weights, work well in weight integrated BCDs, but also can be threaded onto a weight belt or harness whenever needed. If you need to do a quick free dive to clear a boat prop or swim with a whale shark, you don't want to waste time finding the right weights or belt. You may have noticed these are what you find in professional dive operations the world over.

Not all block weights are created equally, however. None of the weights on the bottom row (above) can be threaded onto a weight belt.  They have been dropped so the slot is too narrow, or were molded poorly to begin with.  You don't have to spend a lot, but do yourself a favor and buy the nicely molded weights in the middle, they have nice big wide slots to accomodate even an old frayed weight belt, are nicely moulded on both sides, have comfortable rounded edges, are well marked on both sides, and are usually made from sturdy modern alloys.  

I do not recommend molding your own weights even if you get the lead for free. You will work hard, sweat a lot, expose yourself to toxic lead solid and fumes, and after your hard work, the product will be inferior.  It is tough to remove all the slag that forms even with the proper flux, and getting the weight correct can be difficult.

What's your opinion on weights? 

Sanitizing Regulators

Having two degrees in biology, I am perhaps too aware of microbes that can be passed from diver to diver via alternate air source regulators.  This is one reason I advocate alternate air source drills that do not require "trading spit" to perform them.  I advocate, in most training situations, especially recreational diving, using a separate alternate air source regulator with recreational length hose and utilizing your buddy to test the alternate air source to avoid spreading germs from one diver to another via saliva and mucous.  Of course, in a true out of air emergency safely securing air to breath is of primary concern and worrying about germs is far down the list.  Technical diving has different procedures, for different reasons, but even in this realm, I have to wonder whether sharing germs during training is wise.

I am not a fan of the alternate air source regulator such as Air 2 and I am amazed these are so wide spread in use.  These not only require you to trade microbes while practicing out of air scenarios, but complicate them by requiring both donor and receiver to change regulators. The donor must breath and dump air from the same device which is in his/her mouth not overhead for dumping air. I used the Air 2 for a few decades but always switched to a standard octo when doing training.  Now I just see them as an unnecessary gimmick. While some would argue it streamlines the scuba kit, this isn't true because the device is bulky and the hoses longer and thicker. Often these cost extra to service so it costs you over time. 

But how can you be sure the regulators you are putting in your mouth during training or when renting are reasonably germ and virus free to begin with?  

Ask!

Ask the provider how the regulators are sanitized.  Your instructor or resort operator should be able to explain the sanitizing procedure which usually consists of soaking regulators in a commercial sanitizing solution and drying them thoroughly between uses.  The truth is that more often than not, this is not done at all.  Owning your own regulator is one solution to this problem, but even then it is a good idea to clean and sanitize your gear. Community rinse tanks are notoriously nasty, so use caution with these as well.

My Introduction to Scuba Diving

Over twenty years ago I decided to become a scuba instructor.  Like everything I end up loving, I was terrible at scuba diving at first.  I was so clueless.  There I was sitting at the bottom of a murky lake shivering and freezing my buns off in a 3mm wetsuit in April waiting for a herd of other students to complete the required  underwater skills.  The water was in the 50s and the dive shop owner was wearing a dry suit.  He was toasty warm and dry, while we open water diver candidates and his instructor pawns shivered in the frigid water.  The instructors wore special dive parkas and heated water on a propane stove to pour it into their wetsuits while we students just looked on.  We had no clue just how fast that water was going to strip us of our warmth because we were new to diving.  It was a miserable ordeal, but I still loved it.  It is a wonder that I still love diving so much after such a poor introduction to the sport.  Perhaps that is why I decided to finally fulfill my dream and become and independent instructor many years later.  I know that learning to scuba dive can and should be much better than that.  Now that I am teaching scuba and learning the secrets of the scuba business, I understand why the experience was so bad.  It came down to self-centered greed on the part of the dive shop owner (now long gone).  He knew the lake was too cold and that we would be down there a long time waiting for the herd of people to do their required skills.  Of course he knew, he brought a $2000 drysuit along!  What a jerk!  He made a business decision to take us to that miserably cold lake anyway, and laughed to himself that we were too "cheap" to fly to the Caribbean to do our open water dives. I have even heard of dive chop owners letting students choose inadequate exposure protection so they can later sell a wetsuit or dry suit to those customers.  Sadly, this is still happening and I hear about bad experiences all the time. Choose a real professional dive instructor that has a reputation to uphold, not a random person assigned to you by a dive store.  Ask the instructor directly, what the course will be like. Do consider paying extra to complete your dives in warm tropical waters, and be sure to ask how many students will be in the course, the conditions for the open water dives and much more.  Speak directly to your instructor, not a dive shop salesperson.

Don't Get Ripped Off On Scuba Equipment

Scuba equipment is shiny, cool looking, and alluring.  It is fun to buy, own and use, but remember to save some of your diving dollars for improving your skills, traveling to incredible dive destinations and of course your children's college, and your retirement!

Never pay full retail price for scuba stuff and use extreme caution when buying gear or you will pay too much. Don't be fooled into thinking your buddy at the dive shop or instructor in the pool knows nothing about slick marketing techniques. They are dive equipment marketing experts. Learning how to sell dive equipment is required training for dive professionals. Most likely the person behind the counter has been to dozens of Diving Equipment & Marketing Association (DEMA) trade shows and has been lobbied by every manufacturer of scuba gear and services on the planet to sell their stuff. Often these are held in Las Vegas, Orlando or other great destinations and are for the insiders only, not the general public. Equipment manufacturers hold after hour socials, raffle products, and find other ways to push their wares on equipment dealers at these trade shows. Your instructor/ salesperson has attended dozens or perhaps hundreds of sales seminars, meetings, webinars, both required and voluntary. Diving, like all business, is sophisticated and like a slot machine at a Las Vegas casino during a DEMA show, the odds are stacked against you.  Adding to complexity of the business are retail marketing associations, which basically exist to set standards to keep prices and profits high. Manufacturers themselves also keep prices and profits high "protecting the brand" by setting rules, requirements, and penalties for their dealers. Luckily for the consumer the internet has weakened the grip of retail marketing associations and the playing field is somewhat more level. 

The equipment dealer knows far more than you do- trust me. Diving can often feel like buying a new car from a veteran salesman or a multi-level marketing scam. There are gimmicks, packages, warnings, half truths, stories, kickbacks, incentives, middlemen, peer pressure, and “club meetings” specifically designed to sell products.

Examples to be aware of:

• “Do you want to skimp on life support equipment?”
• You must own your own equipment because…
• You can't buy used because...
• You can't buy online because...
• You won't be able to get service...
• You must train with the same training agency/shop.
• The other guy's brand is bad because...
• Buy this gear and training is “free” or reduced.
• “Free” parts for life if you buy this $2000 scuba system and pay $120 for annual service for the rest of your life.
• Diving as as multi-level marketing scheme- you unwittingly become the salesperson to your friends...
• “Club meetings” about fancy equipment, training and travel, held in a retail space surrounded by fancy equipment, dive trainers, and travel specialists!  

This last one really cracks me up.  If your "dive club" meets in a retail dive store, it is probably not yours nor is it a club.  It is a dive equipment, training, and dive travel marketing gimmick not a dive club!  Amazingly, some of these even require dues to be a member!  There will be shills in the audience ready to sell whatever the presenter is selling. Soon you may find out you become one of the shills.

Scuba diving is amazing and fun. Smart providers that are honest, work hard, and have a reasonable business plan should be able to earn a living, but please keep scuba instructors, shops, manufacturers, travel providers and resorts honest and reasonable.  Expect honesty, good products and services at fair prices.

The Right Fin Straps

One of these things is not like the others.  One of these things doesn't belong!

The best fin strap is a bungee or spring heel strap.  These go on and off with one quick and easy motion.   When you are hanging on a boat ladder bucking up and down in current and swells you do not want to be messing around with complicated buckles like the one on the right.  When you are getting pounded by surf during a beach exit you want to get your fins off ASAP.   Scuba diving is about streamlining and making your kit as simple and uncomplicated as possible with the fewest failure points.  I struggled with the ones on the right for 20 years before the company got smart and improved the design (at extra cost).  Do yourself a favor and don't wait 20 years to get fins with rubber bungee or spring heel straps!   Bungees are lightweight and great for travel. If you can tolerate the extra weight of a spring heel fin, they are incredibly rugged and a popular choice among technical divers, but the weight may upset your trim.  As always, carry spare parts in your save a dive kit.   I often have students struggling with equipment that may seem great in the store or online, but isn't really the best in the water and slows them down during training.  Some dive shops will sell you the buckles, knowing you will come back to buy bungees or spring heel straps later when you are more educated, this way they make extra money when you realize there are better straps out there.  Don't shop at these stores.  

Expensive Electronics in Underwater Housings- What you should know!

There is this strong desire to take our phones, tablets, and GoPros underwater, so underwater housings have been developed for these devices.  What most people new to diving do not realize is it takes just one sand grain, hair, or piece of heavy lint to compromise an o-ring housing seal. Salt water seeping into the housing will quickly destroy it permanently.  Salt water water is good conductor of electricity and highly corrosive to sensitive electronics.

So if you chose to house something in an underwater housing, understand that it may be destroyed and plan accordingly.

If you do choose to take your device underwater, make sure the housing is specifically designed for scuba diving, not just "waterproof" like a LifeProof phone case for example.  Cases designed to protect your device from water in an accident are not the same as one designed for continuous underwater use at 2-5 atmospheres of pressure.  Also understand that the deeper the depth rating the sturdier the device.  If it is rated to only 60 feet then it really isn't suitable for scuba diving, but perhaps will work for surface snorkeling just fine.  If you use a GoPro, purchase the "Dive Housing" not just the one that comes standard with the camera, and replace it regularly with a new one. The GoPro brand dive housing is rated to 60 meters/200feet for example, whereas the standard housing is only rated to 40 meters/130 feet.

Whatever you decide, carefully check the o-ring or other sealing surface for debris in bright light and with a pair of reading glasses or magnifier if needed.  Wipe the seal and mating surface every time with a clean lint free cloth, designed for camera lens cleaning. Use silicone lubricant on o-rings if recommended by the housing manufacturer, but also understand this can cause hair or sand to stick to the o-rings!  Read and follow all instructions given by the manufacturer. Check the seal again after clamping the housing if it is clear plastic.  Use desiccants inside the housing to avoid fogging and keep the device dry, but be sure you do not accidentally pinch the desiccant in the o-ring seal which is a common cause of housing failures.

Make sure you soak your housing thoroughly in fresh water after every use to prevent corrosion to the buttons and eventual leakage.  

Underwater photography/videography is easier than ever before, but take a speciality class, read books, and blogs, and consult a professional for best results. Use quality equipment and good lighting of 2000 lumens minimum even in daylight. Underwater photography is a dangerous distraction for new divers.  Be sure you have perfect buoyancy control, situational awareness, and trim before adding the additional task load of photography to your diving, or it could harm you and marine life!