SCUBA Diving - The coolest underwater experience ever - General

[release] [h2] SCUBA Diving [/h2] [b]Scuba[/b] diving is swimming underwater using SCUBA - Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Using a cylinder of compressed gas to breathe (usually air, but sometimes other gases), scuba divers can stay underwater much longer than would be possible by just holding their breath - for hours or even days! With the assistance of equipment such as scuba masks, breathing regulators, buoyancy devices, fins, and gauges scuba divers can explore the underwater world. Modern scuba diving is very safe and easy to learn. All basic skills can be learned in as little as three days. Scuba diving is a sport that is practiced recreationally all around the world and can even be a profession. There are many diving jobs such as recreational divemaster and instructor, commercial diver, police diver, scientific diver, and military diver. Why do people scuba dive? For some it's the beauty of the reef and the marine life that inhabits it, for others it's the thrill of discovery deep inside a wreck or cave - everyone has a different reason for scuba diving, but most would agree that it's for the sheer enjoyment of experiencing the underwater world, a world so far removed from ours that it will truly amaze you. Whether you want to relax while photographing brightly colored tropical fish, be thrilled by the power and grace of a school of sharks, or make a living working underwater, scuba diving has it all. Who can scuba dive? The simple answer is - almost anyone. Scuba divers are aged from 8 years and over and come from all walks of life. Here are some basic considerations: Age Children as young at 8 years old can start diving with programs taught in the safety of shallow water and aimed specifically at young children. From the age of 10 years old children can be certified as Junior Open Water Divers and those 15 years and older can be certified as Open Water Divers. There are no upper age limits. Health You need to be in a state of good health. This doesn't mean you need to be super-fit, but you have to be free of any serious medical problems. You'll answer a medical questionnaire when you sign up for a course and if you or your instructor have any concerns you will be referred to a medical doctor for assessment. You will also need to be able to swim and float or tread water. Disabilities Scuba diving is accessible to people with physical disabilities. Many instructors are trained to provide courses tailored to physically challenged divers and there are diving societies whose primary goal is to facilitate and promote diving for physically challenged people. What types of scuba diving are there? There are many types of scuba diving which means there's always something new to do and see. Here are the most popular types: Recreational Most divers are recreational divers and this is the form of diving that is devoted to having fun. Some divers love looking at fish and coral, but there are also many specialized areas of scuba diving. After Open Water certification you can complete courses in all sorts of specialties including, but not limited to: night diving, wreck diving, deep diving, navigation, fish identification, underwater naturalism, photography, videography, cave diving, ice diving, altitude diving, and rescue diving. Technical Some recreational divers want to explore the marine world even further than recreational diving equipment and training allows. Technical diving encompasses areas such as extreme deep diving, advanced wreck diving, and advanced cave diving. Technical diving is for very experienced recreational divers and requires specialised training and equipment. Commercial Commercial divers scuba dive for a living. They build underwater structures such as oil platforms, carry out underwater maintenance, conduct surveys, create maps, participate in salvage operations, and work in many other diving related occupations. Military Military diving is similar to commercial diving but also involves such tasks as underwater surveillance, mine clearing, and military research. Military divers and scientists have historically been responsible for most advances in dive equipment and dive medicine. Where do people scuba dive? You can scuba dive anywhere you can find water. Over two-thirds of the planet is covered by water, so you can dive almost anywhere. Tropical coral reefs tend to be most popular amongst recreational divers but there are also many wonderful things to be found in cold water environments such as lakes, rivers, and quarries. Divers can be found in all corners of the globe from the tropical reefs of the Caribbean and the Great Barrier Reef, to the world's biggest lake in Siberia - even under the ice of Antarctica. While most dive shops and resorts operate in warm tropical environments it's also common to find local dive centers and dive clubs in most cities around the world - even inland cities with no water. [/release] [release] [h2]The Equipment[/h2] [img]http://www.rosewing.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Scuba-Diving-Equipment.jpg[/img] Basically the most important parts are the cylinder and the regulator. The regulator is the thing that delivers air to your mouth and the cylinder obviously stores the air. Masks and fins are also important if you want to see underwater and swim effectively underwater. In my opinion the coolest piece of equipment is the Buoyancy Control Device, it can blow up like a balloon to help you float on the surface and then you can sink like a pro by deflating it. [img]http://www.destination-scuba.com/images/bcd.jpg[/img] [/release] [release] [h2]SSI and PADI[/h2] These are the main certificate issues in the SCUBA universe, if you want to learn scuba diving you should speak to these guys. [b]LINKS[/b] [url]www.divessi.com[/url] [url]www.padi.com[/url] [/release] [release] [h2]Images[/h2] [img]http://www.badassoftheweek.com/akaiwa1.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.nomadicmatt.com/images/scuba9.jpg[/img] [/release] I will gladly answer any questions. And yes I am a certified Open Water Diver.

I've always wanted to Scuba Dive. it seems really relaxing.

Reminds me of the Planet Earth episode where some divers went through a deep underwater cavern with their "life-line" some string which they carried with them to mark the route back. They went through some choke-points and it looked like you could easily panic with all the sand whirling.. it could become your deep underwater tomb. Shit can be dangerous. Advanced cave diving it is I guess.

what if you really need to take a shit but you're on the bottom of the ocean

I probably would love to SCUBA dive but It's hella expensive to get the gear and It is the second most dangerous sport/recreational hobby. Not trying to give it a bad name, those are just, like, my facts, man.

that would be the least of your concerns. @ Arma-Zake [QUOTE=rivershark;30484592]I probably would love to SCUBA dive but It's hella expensive to get the gear and It is the second most dangerous sport/recreational hobby. Not trying to give it a bad name, those are just, like, my facts, man.[/QUOTE] It IS dangerous. It CAN be dangerous I mean.

I'd like to go scuba diving if I had a real water-proof camera. All I really have now is a kodak disposable camera I keep in a plastic bag.

[QUOTE=Ama-zake;30484578]what if you really need to take a shit but you're on the bottom of the ocean[/QUOTE] This, what happens if you have to drop a log?

can you hunt sharks with a crossbow? [editline]15th June 2011[/editline] if not, that's not the sport i'd do with my family.

I love scuba diving. And snorkeling. I did it in the ocean for the first time a few weeks ago

Im a certified nitrox diver bro!

[QUOTE=MenteR;30485144]can you hunt sharks with a crossbow? [editline]15th June 2011[/editline] if not, that's not the sport i'd do with my family.[/QUOTE] This too, I want to go shark crossbow hunting while pausing at the bottom of the ocean to take a crap.

[QUOTE=Raptor;30485159]I love scuba diving. And snorkeling. I did it in the ocean for the first time a few weeks ago[/QUOTE] I don't really like snorkeling. Never done it for real, just like snorkeling in a pool or something, but I always end up going under and choking and I feel I would rather just wear goggles and hold my breath. [editline]15th June 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=MenteR;30485144]can you hunt sharks with a crossbow? [editline]15th June 2011[/editline] if not, that's not the sport i'd do with my family.[/QUOTE] You mean harpoon gun?

Yea I tend to go diving every year. pretty boss

This Summer when I go to Hawaii again, I plan to go SCUBA diving. I'll there for at least 2 weeks, plenty of time to learn how and do it :smile: But for now, any advice? What is it like?

Why the fuck does it cost a 1000 dollars to become certified...

I've been scuba diving in Cuba, I'm not certified but they took me out I just needed to stay with 3 feet of an instructor. But when you go under water, doesn't need to be deep, it's so amazing, just floating around, looking at all the colourful fish and coral. Truly a breathtaking sight. My first time Scuba dive, FYI

[QUOTE=ElChrisman99;30485453]This Summer when I go to Hawaii again, I plan to go SCUBA diving. I'll there for at least 2 weeks, plenty of time to learn how and do it :smile: But for now, any advice? What is it like?[/QUOTE] if you breath in you go up if you breath out you go down it's a new experience to have to control your breathing to control your vertical height

When I went to Cozumel, Mexico I went "tourist" scuba diving. that was probably the coolest thing I have ever experienced. I went down about 60ft (18m). Man it may have been just me, but my ears have never been the same since that time I went diving. felt like needles were being jammed into my ears.

Can't wait to go scuba diving. No shark fishing for me though.

I did this in florida. Probably the most fun 2 hours of my life (2 dives). It was only shallow water because I'm not technically certified, but it's so fucking cool. I also kicked a nurse shark on accident.

[url=http://www.floridastateparks.org/bluespring/]I've SCUBA'd here.[/url] If you have the opportunity, go there. Fucking awesome place.

Don't forget to bring a towel!

I did this once at space camp as neutral buoyancy training, I ended up having a small panic attack and going for the surface. It didn't help that I wasn't actually neutrally buoyant, so I was bobbing to the surface while needing to be on the floor of the pool, or that I didn't know it was a panic attack at the time, so I couldn't really explain to the instructor why I just quit.

I am a certified open water diver and I love it! I did my pool dive at home and then we finished the rest of the course in Ambergris Caye, Belize. It was amazing, going under much deeper, you get to see much more than on the surface, we even saw a fish take a shit and other fish pushed it around into a cloud of shit, it was awesome. I think the hardest mental part of the training was the whole filling your mask up with water and taking it off or when recovering your regulator but now it all seems natural. The only time I sorta freaked out was when I had about 300 psi left and the guy did the OK sign, we went up and did a short decompression stop but it was all good. I have done a total of 7 dives counting the course and I can't wait to dive some more in the future.

Just got certified last summer, and did my first dive in Kauai over spring break. Two words: [b]Fucking Awesome[/b]

I got certified the previous 6 days. It was a really fun week, and I recommend it if you can. I was down in the Florida Keys. Visibility was ~30 feet the last few days.

[QUOTE=Saza;30488962]I got certified the previous 6 days. It was a really fun week, and I recommend it if you can. I was down in the Florida Keys. Visibility was ~30 feet the last few days.[/QUOTE] Go to hawaii. Visibility there is like ~300 ft on a good day, no joke.

i probably won't do this not after seeing an ichthyosaur

ive always wanted to do this but i have asthma and i was told i wont be able to take the oxygen in because of it. if its true it really sucks :( ive always wanted to explore the world under the sea.