Scuba Diving Heallth Assessment

Here are some simple assessment questions that you may answer in order to determine if you’re fit for scuba diving

In scuba diving, it is not necessary to be in the “gym-level” kind of fitness in order to qualify for it. But, being sufficiently fit in some certain aspects is needed for scuba diving. In many jurisdictions, it’s necessary to have a medical test before scuba diving and it’s probably a good idea to have one even if you don’t need to. You’ll definitely need to be able to swim and float to the minimum standard required in the open water swimming tests.

Listed below are some health assessment questions you can take before signing up for a course. If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you should, at least, check with a doctor before starting a course. Depending on what you answer yes to, it may not be a problem at all and the doctor may give you the thumbs up, but it is always better to be safe.

Basic Dive Health Assessment

• Could you be pregnant, or are you attempting to become pregnant?
• Are you presently taking prescription medications? (with the exception of birth control or anti-malarial)
• Are you over 45 years of age and can answer YES to one or more of the following?
  • currently smoke a pipe, cigars or cigarettes
  • have a high cholesterol level
  • have a family history of heart attack or stroke
  • are currently receiving medical care
  • high blood pressure
  • diabetes mellitus, even if controlled by diet alone

Have you ever had, or do you currently have…

• Asthma, or wheezing with breathing, or wheezing with exercise?
• Frequent or severe attacks of hayfever or allergy?
• Frequent colds, sinusitis or bronchitis?
• Any form of lung disease?
• Pneumothorax (collapsed lung)?
• Other chest disease or chest surgery?
• Behavioral health, mental or psychological problems (Panic attack, fear of closed or open spaces)?
• Epilepsy, seizures, convulsions or take medications to prevent them?
• Recurring complicated migraine headaches or take medications to prevent them?
• Blackouts or fainting (full/partial loss of consciousness)?
• Frequent or severe suffering from motion sickness (seasick, carsick, etc.)?
• Dysentery or dehydration requiring medical intervention?
• Any dive accidents or decompression sickness?
• Inability to perform moderate exercise (example: walk 1.6 km/one mile within 12 mins.)?
• Head injury with loss of consciousness in the past five years?
• Recurrent back problems?
• Back or spinal surgery?
• Diabetes?
• Back, arm or leg problems following surgery, injury or fracture?
• High blood pressure or take medicine to control blood pressure?
• Heart disease?
• Heart attack?
• Angina, heart surgery or blood vessel surgery?
• Sinus surgery?
• Ear disease or surgery, hearing loss or problems with balance?
• Recurrent ear problems?
• Bleeding or other blood disorders?
• Hernia?
• Ulcers or ulcer surgery ?
• A colostomy or ileostomy?
• Recreational drug use or treatment for, or alcoholism in the past five years?

For scuba diving holidays and for reservations, visit MaldivesDiveTravel.com now!!

Scuba Diving Masks

The mask is the most essential equipment needed for diving; without the mask, it is obviously impossible for you to see underwater. Choosing your masks carefully would help you maximize your underwater experience as well as your money’s worth.

The mask is mostly an underestimated piece of equipment. You could just imagine how much fun you could have with the mask alone or when paired with a snorkel. Alternatively, every scuba equipment wouldn’t mean anything without your mask.

Important features of a mask include a watertight seal with a strap to keep it in position. Plastic or low quality glasses are not recommended for anything other than casual snorkeling. You could test your mask’s fit by pressing it towards your face without strapping it. Check the seal by inhaling through your nose. If the mask sticks and no air gets in, it can be considered a comfortable fit.

While there are masks fitted with purge valves they are a risk to use while diving under one or two meters as it is not possible to clear them if the necessity arises. Mask clearing will be practiced during your basic skills open water training and you will learn how to hold the mask in such a way that exhaling through the nose will purge the inside of water. It is advised that a diver holds the mask firm while entering the water in order to prevent unnecessary water entering in the initial stages of the dive.

Advanced design masks can be fitted with glass that acts in the same way prescription spectacles do in order to assure optimal visibility. This can be of great assistance due to the fact that light refraction underwater makes everything appear 25 percent closer and just over 30 percent larger.

For scuba diving holidays, visit MaldivesDiveTravel.com!!

Scuba Diving Regulators

If you’re looking for nitrox compatibility, comfort, and effortless breathing underwater, then the Apeks XTX 50 must be the one that you’re  looking for

The Apeks XTX  50 is an excellent regulator that only ranges at about 500 to 650 dollars and you could sure get what you have paid for; you could get quality performance with lesser damage to your pockets. The Apeks XTX 50 contains an adjustable second stage and 4 low pressure ports and 2 high pressure ports. This is another dry regulator that eliminates the use of lubricants- making general maintenance a breeze. The Apeks XTX 50 regulator contains an easy changeable exhaust system which allows the diver to switch between small or large exhaust tee’s before diving. The Apeks XTX 50 is also subject to great regulator reviews by users of this gear item.

For liveaboard and scuba diving holidays, visit MaldivesDiveTravel.com now!!

Buying Dive Watches And Dive Computers

When buying a scuba diving watch, there are a few things that should be taken into consideration in order to get what you really need

Dive computers already contain the features that all dive watches have to offer, so nowadays, critical choices are made when choosing between a dive watch and a dive computer – both of which could easily be worn on the wrist. There are scuba dive watches available with several different features and functions, such as depth gauges, alarms or ascent warnings, and of which, perhaps only one of these functions is necessary for your type of dive. If you opt for buying a dive timer or a dive computer, you should also consider buying a watch in order to use it as a back up system in case you have a problem with the timer while you’re under water.

And also, when choosing among hundreds of scuba dive watches, you should make sure that they can resist pressure of over 200 meters. Some watches are only resistant up to 50 meters and are considered useless for deeper diving activities. A dive watch should also rotate anti-clockwise and should have legible hands and a clear display. You must check that the dive watch you chose has an expandable strap that can fit a suit cuff seal or in case it doesn’t, better choose a reputable store that allows exchanges.

All in all, when buying a scuba dive watch or a dive computer, one should look for function and simplicity, rather than the unnecessary features and expensive brands, since you could eventually break any dive watch and dive computer when practicing the sport. The best dive watches and computers are the ones that remain functional and secure as much as possible and remain in your wrist in working order no matter how deep you want to go.

For scuba dive holidays and bookings, visit MaldivesDiveTravel.com!!

Nitrox Diving in the Maldives

The underwater beauty of Maldives‘ marine life would just want you to last longer hours diving

Nitrox would extend your underwater hours and allow you to discover more of Maldives beneath the surface

Nitrox is another method of scuba diving among those divers who would want to dive for longer periods of time. And at the same time, Nitrox also reduces the chances of having the common diver’s complication, decompression sickness.

NItrox is a portmanteau of  the words “Nitrogen” and “Oxygen”, which literally mixes the two gases to form a compound of enhanced air that could last divers underwater for longer periods of time. The air on the Earth’s surface is composed of 78% Nitrogen and 21% Oxygen, which could also be considered Nitrox. However, the Nitrox used for diving contains more Oxygen than that on the Earth’s surface.

So basically, the difference between regular scuba diving tanks and Nitrox tanks is the type of air mixtures in their cylinders. Regular scuba diving tanks have a specific ratio of Oxygen to Nitrogen that tries to replicate the actual air found on the Earth’s surface as close as possible, or simply, the air that we breathe. While in Nitrox tanks, modifications in air mixtures are done in order to maximize “bottom time” or the diver’s time spent underwater and minimize surface intervals, which are the time durations that a diver must spend above the surface before diving again.

For more information and for bookings in the Maldives, visit MaldivesDiveTravel.com

Scuba Gear Checklists

A well prepared scuba dive would ensure maximum safety and enjoyment

A checklist for your scuba gear would be very helpful in planning and preparing your dive

Most avid scuba divers have a bag of the basic scuba diving items called the “save-a-dive” kit. The kit contains the basic and necessary items for back-ups or emergencies. Since dive gear requires regular and articulate care, a checklist would be very helpful in providing the proper care for your valuable dive equipments.

The Save-a-Dive Kit

The save-a-dive kit can be purchased in most dive shops. Its function is to meet the individual needs of a diver who’s equipped with it. These components are compiled in a small, waterproof toolbox, or what they call the “dry box”. The dry box would contain items such as: O-rings, spare mask and fin straps, dive tool with adjustable wrench, batteries, flashlight bulbs, high-pressure and low-pressure plugs, neoprene sealer or glue, hair bands, lanyards and cords or clips, cable ties, alcohol wipes, bandages and duct tape. Additional supplies include dry suit powder, zipper wax, ginger tablets or Dramamine for nausea, analgesics and silicone grease.

The Basic Gear Checklist

The basic gear checklist would, of course, include your certification card, dive log and tables, mask, snorkel, regulator setup, computer/gauge and fins. A buoyancy compensator device or your “BCD” with appropriate lift rating that should be used according to the water conditions. Cold water diving may require a dry suit with undergarments, shoes, hood and gloves. Warmer or temperate water conditions may require a bathing suit, wetsuit or exposure suit and booties, along with gloves and hood if appropriate.

It is best to enjoy scuba diving with the proper training and certification. With these, you would get to learn all the essentials and even additional information about scuba diving.

For more scuba diving info and bookings, check out MaldivesDiveTravel.com

Underwater Visibility in the Maldives

Maldives is considered a diver’s paradise, considering its myriad of unspoiled dive sites and its glorious marine life

Along with diving equipments, the underwater visibility should also be given preference when scuba diving in the Maldives

The underwater visibility of the Maldives is mostly affected by the flow of the tides, so one thing that an experienced diver should know is the direction of the tidal flow. Planktons and sediments always occupy the the falling tide, and the incoming tides make the visibility clearer with its crystalline water. The underwater visibility is a very important factor in scuba diving, in order to experience the Maldives‘ marine beauty at its best. Ample lighting is also important even more so in night diving. Nobody would want to annoy big fishes in a night dive safari when you bump into their heads.

The visibility would also depend on how deep you are going. As you go deeper underwater, more light would be left behind and vibrant colors would come into sight. If you are 16 feet underwater, all red color is absorbed and red corals would seem to appear black. Within 32 feet, orange will lose its identity. Yellow would be refracted in 6 feet and by the time you descend 82 feet, green will appear to be black. And at last, blue will also cease to appear blue.

Underwater visibility in the Maldives is best down till 130 feet during the months of March to April. Sometimes, even if you descend 230 feet down, the visibility would not seem to be affected.

For more info and bookings, check out MaldivesDiveTravel.com

Maintaining Scuba Equipment

Scuba equipment should be properly maintained at all times

Proper maintenance would not just prolong the function of your equipment, it could also prevent underwater problems

Caring for your scuba gear should just be as articulate as the required training before you dive. Proper functioning of your equipment is very essential for your safety and your enjoyment underwater, that is why we are to give you tips on how to care for your equipment.

• The easiest part to maintain among all scuba gears is your mask. After each dive, you should always rinse your masks thoroughly with fresh water and toothpaste to get rid of the saltwater and to prevent your mask from fogging. The same is to be done with your scuba fins, sand and other objects may cause discomfort on your next dive. Store your equipment in a cool, dry place to prevent cracking and warping.
• Your Buoyancy Control Device or your “BCD” may tend to accumulate little salt crystals that can damage the fabric in time. Just pour a small amount of water into the bladder of the BCD and squeeze it out. You should also rinse the oral inflator with an antiseptic solution to kill off bacteria and germs that tend to congregate in your inflators. Also make sure to store your BCD’s partially inflated.

• Proper care for your scuba tank can prolong its life for decades. It is best to make sure that your tank is never left totally empty. Be sure to dip your tank into fresh water to rinse the cylinder and the valve. If you won’t be using your tank for a few months, make sure to drain the oxygen to about 1000 kPa to reduce potential for corrosion. And always store your tanks away from direct sunlight.
• Always rinse the scuba regulator while it is still attached to the tank and after every dive. Keep its dust cover ssecurely in place and rinse it with a strong stream of fresh water. Make sure not to press the purge button while rinsing the regulator. Scuba tanks and regulators have to be professionally serviced at least once a year.

Visit MaldivesDiveTravel.com for more scuba diving info and for bookings

Diving Tips For Beginners

Scuba diving would take you into depths of amazement and beauty

And every scuba endeavor would require the right preparation in order to maximize your enjoyment underwater

Before Diving

Before any dive, a beginner must be in a reasonably good shape and must be comfortable underwater. The last thing you would want in scuba diving is to panic underwater. Although scuba diving does not necessarily require rigorous swimming, it is best to feel comfortable underwater just as you are above surface. Beginners should always enroll in a certified dive school to get a genuine experience of diving in a safe and controlled environment. Aside from the basics taught by the qualified instructors, safety skills such as clearing your mask underwater, signaling, managing low air supply and reinserting oxygen regulators are also taught. The PADI is known to be the premiere diving certification in the world.

Gearing Up

All scuba diving activities should be done with the basic, appropriate gear, and these would be your mask, fins,  buoyancy-control devices or your “BCD’s”, and your wetsuits. Most dive shops would provide the necessary equipment, but would-be divers might to consider having their own masks and snorkels because those masks in the dive shop might not suit your face pretty well, which would make you clear your mask more often when underwater. New divers are always required to dive with guides or “buddies” who could check and help with the necessary equipment.

The First Dive

It is also important to choose a reputable guide for your first dive. Not only would they have the best experience underwater, they would also be prudent enough in dealing with any problems that may be encountered underwater. Being relaxed is the most important thing when scuba diving. Experienced guides are also the ones who would take you to the best dive spots and would make sure that your first dive would be a memorable one.

Check out MaldivesDive Travel.com for more scuba tips and bookings!

Scuba Diving for People with Disabilities

Scuba diving isn’t a sport limited only for those people without physical disabilities

Scuba diving is an open sport for everyone, even for the disabled – may it be physical or mental, as long as they get the proper instructions and certifications

Scuba diving is a sport that offers a unique glimpse of the underwater world to everyone. People with disabilities should never be discouraged since scuba diving lessons aren’t limited to the able-bodied only. It’s never too late for anyone to explore the underwater beauty through scuba diving. Here are the ways to get scuba certified even for the disabled.

• Train with a certified instructor/agency with a facility equipped to train disabled persons. You would be able to choose a program that would suit your promising scuba diving capabilities in accordance to the particular disability. This program would instruct potential scuba divers proper techniques and the necessary safety procedures.
• Scuba divers are categorized according to their diving capabilities. Level “A” divers must dive with at least 1 buddy. Level “B” divers are required to dive with at least 2 buddies. While the Level “C” divers must also dive with at least 2 buddies, with one of which must be a certified and trained CPR provider.
• After being certified in the open-water course, you could still achieve an advanced scuba diving certification. Scuba diving would never limit your capabilities for as long as you are willing to learn more and enhance your skills further.

Click here to access www.MaldivesDiveTravel.com and learn more about scuba diving!!

Next Page »