Tips for Night Scuba Diving

By Dianne Rein

Are you thinking of trying a night dive? It can be a little scary at first but once you try it, you'll be hooked. It's a whole new world down there. Here are some tips to make that first night dive go smoothly:

Keep it Shallow

A night dive is typically a shallow dive. I would say 60 feet is probably max with 30-40 feet more the norm. On our night dives we typically had a maximum depth of 35-40 feet.

Dive a Familiar Site

If this is your first time scuba diving at night, try and go to a site you are familiar with. In the Caribbean, many dive operators will do a night dive at a dive site that they went to during the day.

If you are thinking of doing the night dive, sign up to do a dive at the night dive site during the day. This way you will have some idea of what the area is like and may feel less apprehensive.

Get Some Light

You obviously need some dive lights when you are doing a night dive. It's best to have a primary light and a backup light in case the first light fails. The secondary light can be small and could fit into your pocket.

You don't need the biggest and brightest light you can find. In fact, it is fun, once you get accustomed to diving at night, to turn your light off and let your eyes adjust to the dark. You'll be amazed at what you can see. Of course, it is up to you and get the light you would feel comfortable with while diving at night.

If you don't want to turn your light off underwater (I've never had a problem turning it back on but you never know) you can always face it into your BC so you get the same effect.

Many dive operators will also attach a glo-stick or something similar to your tank. This makes it easier to spot someone underwater. One dive group may have one color, another group a different color or the divemaster will have a different color so it is easier to tell who is who underwater.

Please note that some areas do not allow the use of glo-sticks due to their chemicals. In this case, another device, such as a light, can be put on the tank.

Get Familiar With the Hand Signals

When you are night scuba diving, you need to discuss the hand signals before you begin your dive. Since it is dark down there, your buddy won't be able to see your hands.

If you are on a dive boat, the divemaster will probably tell you what signals to use. If they don't, just ask. There is nothing wrong with that.

A typical way to use hand signals is to shine your light on your hand so your buddy can see them. Another common night diving signal is to move your dive light in a circle to signify "OK." Moving it up and down or back and forth can signify yes or no. Whatever you choose to use, just make sure you clarify before you begin the dive.

Take it Slow

There is alot to see at night. You will see a whole different world underneath at night than during a day. Take your time and look in those nooks and crannies.

The reef also looks brilliant and colorful in the beam of your light. Much different than during the day when you are diving deeper and the colors are absorbed.

Watch Where You Aim That Light

Be aware of where you aim your dive light. If you put the full force of that light beam into somebody's eyes, you can momentarily blind them. It will take a little while for that diver to adjust his night vision again. So be careful.

I hope these tips will help make your first night dive a comfortable experience.

Have a great dive, Dianne Rein from www.scuba-diving-smiles.com.

Dianne Rein runs an online scuba diving guide. You can read her complete list of night scuba diving tips on her website. You will also be able to find boat scuba diving tips and air consumption scuba diving tips to help improve your scuba diving experience.

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The Importance of Dive Insurance

By Michael James Smith

So, you have finally made it. You mastered your Open Water SCUBA skills and finally received your C-card. Congrats! Welcome to the new and exciting world of SCUBA diving! Now, before you begin looking for that world class vacation, there's one other important thing to consider. You don't want to forget (or ignore) the purchase of dive insurance.

Diving is one of the most exhilarating ways to spend a vacation. As your Open Water textbooks explained, however, there are many inherent risks involved with the sport. Although the risk is generally very low if you follow all the rules for bottom times, ascent rates, safety stops, etc., things can still happen. Even if you follow all the rules to a "T", no one, even in the best of condition, can be completely guaranteed against the bends or any other accident.

Also, as we've been witnessing more and more lately, mother nature can rear her ugly head at very unexpected times. What if a big wave sweeps all your gear into the deep dark depths of the ocean? Dive equipment is far from cheap. Without an insurance policy which covers such things, it might not be so easy for the average person to go out and purchase another complete set of gear. You might think your items were covered by your home insurance, but this is rarely the case. The safest bet is to purchase a specific policy which caters to the diver's need. There are many choices when it comes to purchasing dive insurance. Which one you should choose depends on a variety of factors.First, you should check with your own primary insurance company to investigate your coverage in the event of a dive related accident. In particular, inquire as to what coverage is provided for hyperbaric treatment and emergency air evacuation in case of decompression illness. An uninsured ride to the chamber can cost you $10,000-$20,000. The hyperbaric treatments are thousands more than that. Equipment losses are another consideration. After you're familiar with what you already have, then comb through the benefits provided by the various insurance companies that have policies specifically for divers.

There are many companies which offer this type of insurance. Some of the biggest are Diver's Alert Network (DAN), Dive Assure, and Dive Safe, to name just a few. Each of these has its own caveats, so you must look through the policies thoroughly. Some are primary insurances, while others are secondary. Some have depth limit or technical diver restrictions. Some cover you at home, while others cover you after you've left the country. Some offer trip cancellation insurance in case of illness or inclement weather. In addition to providing insurance, DAN is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to research, and the wellness of divers. They provide a 24 hour hotline, staffed by medical personnel who are able to answer your dive related medical questions, in both emergency or non emergency situations. All are important considerations as you make your decision.The most important thing, though, is to make the decision. Getting caught abroad in a medical situation is scary enough. Getting caught without the appropriate insurance could be a life altering event. The financial ramifications could last long beyond the physical ones.

Are you a new or seasoned Scuba Diver looking for great deals on Scuba Equipment? Check out our Scuba Auction Store to find the lowest prices on Scuba Equipment.

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Scuba Class 6/28/08-6/29/08

Saturday

The pool at Shawnee Mission North was one busy place this weekend!  There were 3 different classes being held simultaneously!  Fortunately for us, the pool there is a big one, and there was plenty of room for all.  We didn't even bump into each other!   Mike and I assisted one of my favorite instructors,  Beau, with the biggest class.

The class consisted of 10 eager students who all did a great job.  Saturday we covered the usual...   appropriate gear assembly, entries, gear donning,  purging the regulator (2 methods), retrieving the regulator (2 methods), mask clearing, and buoyancy skills.  Most got to work on ear clearing and proceeded to the deep end to practice their skills in the deeper water.  One remained behind, as 'in the mouth -  out the nose' breathing was quite the challenge for her.  Mike went with Beau and the class, while I stayed behind with the one student to let her get used to the idea of breathing under the water.

For my student, as with many students, anxiety was playing the largest part of the problem.   Sometimes it takes a little longer for people to get comfortable with the procedures, or just to get comfortable with the idea that they're depending on equipment to breathe underwater.  Clearing the water out of one's mask always proves to be the biggest challenge.  That's usually where I come in.   I always hang back with the students having a little more of a problem mastering their skills or relaxing in the water.  I generally try to provide a 'no pressure' experience, because pushing a student too fast can lead to even more anxiety, which only worsens their problems.  It's very important that the first experience with SCUBA, even in the pool is a good one.  Without a lot of patience, and letting people get used to the idea at their own pace, you can push students away from what I consider to be one of the most awesome experiences in  life.   Proceeding at their pace, even if it takes more than a weekend to complete it, in my opinion, is the best way to introduce someone to the sport.  Honestly, I much prefer to work with the more challenging students, as I get a great sense of accomplishment helping people relax, and being around during their "ta-dah" moment, when everything falls into place, and they're finally relaxing and 'getting it'.

My student ended Saturday on a great note.  She finally made it through her skills in the shallow end, and came down to play with us in the deep end.  She learned lots, and was obviously feeling more comfortable by the end of class.  We still had a ways to go to get there, but she had made giant strides from the beginning to the end of class.  The rest of the class was a group of fish and made Beau look smart, as usual   Everyone had smiles on their faces when leaving which was a very good sign that they would return the next day, and complete the confined portion of their SCUBA training.

Sunday

Didn't know if my 1:1 student would feel more comfortable entering the pool on the second day, or be just as nervous the first.  She came into class with a smile on her face, but still had some trouble getting started with flooding and clearing her mask.  After much practice she was finally able to pull the mask completely off and place back on her head to clear it.  YEAH!!!  Suddenly there was a change in her demeanor.  We proceded toward the deep end and she performed every skill I asked her without hesitation!  She whizzed through the air sharing, the emergency ascent and even donned and doffed her gear underwater.  Even though it took her awhile to get her gear back on, there was never any panic, she just calmly worked it out, which was where I wanted her to be.  For starting the weekend taking 2 hours to master regulator purge and retrieval, she finished with a bang!!  I was so proud of her!   She overcame her fears, and actually finished her skills with enough confidence to head to her open water class in 2 weeks.  She had a trip to Costa Rica planned, and I think she might make it in fine form!  One other student spent some time with me just on mask clearing, but after adding a mask strap to her gear, her task became so much easier, and felt much more comfortable with the idea.  Funny how just a little tweak here or there makes a big difference.  Everyone else in the class passed with flying color with Beau and Mike's assist.  Our class did so well, that Michael actually ended up helping a young boy in another class that was in the pool, also.

All in all fears were conquered, skills were mastered, and there was a lot of fun had by all.  They all planned to complete the open water portion of their training either down at Beaver Lake in Arkansas, or on their upcoming vacations.  They were 1/2 way to becoming certified divers, all with great potential to do so.

Mike and I are looking forward to our next class.  Will keep you posted on the details!

Ciao for now!

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