Diver Panic
October 25, 2008 by mj
Filed under Dive Safety, SCUBA Related Articles
What is the most serious condition a diver can experience underwater?
DCS (bends), narcosis...?
It's probably panic, for the simply reason that once a diver starts to panic he/she looses all rational thought processes. In most cases the irrational thinking renders the diver giving self-help almost impossible. The diver is not able to 'think there way out of a problem'; below is an example:
You are diving a famous wreck in local waters, the depth of the wreck is at 40m and the visibility is around 10m. The pre-dive excitement and anticipation are high as you enter the water, once you and your buddy reach the wreck you are overwhelmed by its size... You both spend the next few minutes swimming around the wreck until suddenly you look around and can't see your buddy. Then your dive computer starts to beep as you run out of bottom time, you realize your some distance from the ascent line; so you make a made swim for it. In your haste to get to the ascent line, you don't see the mass of fishing line and it gets entangled around one of your feet/fins. The more you struggle the more you get entangled, with no one to help, you start to panic. No bottom time, limited air supply (at that depth on a single tank)...
It's easy to say, but not so easy to practice; BUT if you stop for just a few seconds try to calm yourself before you hit the panic stage. You can think about your predicament more logically... Relax and slow your breathing (to conserve your air and reduce CO2 build-up), which will make you feel more relaxed and less stressed. Look down identify the problem, maybe removing your fin will make it easier to untangle! If you have a knife or EMT shear (which are highly recommended), take them out and start cutting.
Even if you exceed your bottom time by a minute or two, your diving computer will still prompt you as to what to do (safety stop, ceiling etc); and obviously in this kind of situation it would be advisable to stop diving for a 24hr period if your no decompression limits are been exceeded.
A simple trip to break the circle of panic in a diver is to get them to perform a very simple task for themselves. This shows them that they are in control, and help clam and reduce the level of panic.
By James Costello, SDI Intructor Trainer #13056; visit my website Dolphin Dive Adventures & Services for more information about scuba diving.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Costello
http://EzineArticles.com/?Diver-Panic&id=1602263
Diving in Strong Currents
October 25, 2008 by mj
Filed under SCUBA Related Articles
Fins - This may seem an odd thing to bring up, but it does have an affect. Soft/flexible fins may be comfortable to use where there is little or no current; however in strong current they aren't going to 'cut the mustard'! You need fins that can move a lot of water without bending... (Jet fins are great for this if you have powerful legs!)
Technique - About the best technique for fining in current, is the flutter kick. But there are also a few things you should take care of; firstly when you use a steady powerful kick, but make sure you don't open your legs too wide. As doing this will cause drag and reduce the effectiveness of your fining! Secondly, remember fining in current is a marathon not a sprint; pace yourself so that you can maintain the speed, and take advantage of the changes in current (currents will always vary as you swim through water) i.e. when the current reduces slightly take advantage and use it to relax your leg muscles a little.
Depth - the current will always be less close to the seabed, so where possible always descend to the bottom.
Cover - use the underwater landscape to shelter yourself from the current, such as large rocks/coral heads, etc. This allows you to rest, and relaxes for a few minutes before continuing on; or you may use it to decide on your plan...abort the dive being one option!
Hands - don't forget you can use your hands to pull yourself along, or a pointer/knife if you have one. The obviously isn't the most ideal situation, but if you really have to get to a point it maybe the only way!
Plan - last of all don`t forget to plan! If you don't like strong current, don't dive! Or plan a drift dive, so the boat will pick you up as you surface!
By James Costello, SDI Intructor Trainer #13056; visit my website Dolphin Dive Adventures & Services for more information about scuba diving.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Costello
http://EzineArticles.com/?Diving-in-Strong-Currents&id=1602286
Cold Water Diving in Alaska
October 25, 2008 by mj
Filed under SCUBA Related Articles, Travel
In the Alaskan winter the glacial runoff and plankton bloom is diminished along the shoreline. For this reason, our winter diving transitions from Resurrection Bay boat diving, to shore-based diving in Whittier at Smitty's cove. Winter conditions include water temps get as low as 38 degrees, but the visibility can improve up to nearly 100 feet. Smitty's cove has debris which was dumped into the water during WWII. This debris includes pipes, railroad tracks, pilings, an aircraft fusalage, a railcar tanker, and the parts of a crane which lie in water ranging from 30 to 100 feet.
The bottom composition is primarily gravel in the shallows, yielding to a deep "silt" arond 70 feet, There are sea pens and whips in the deep, and ling cod, octopus, rockfish and a whole variety of invertabrates and smaller fish. In the winter you'll find divers concentrated at Smitty's cove due to the lack of accessibility to other water front areas. Industrial developement such as a marine ferry terminal, railroad terminal, and marina occupy the majority of coastline. Smitty's cove has recently been designated by the city of Whittier as a marine sanctuary, but this status seems to remain somewhat tentative in nature and subject to political influences.
To dive Smitty's cove, there is a small fee, but the proprietor of the parking lot has provided a warm up shack for the divers to use before and after the dives. To get to Whittier, you'll drive south on the Seward Highway from Anchorage for about an hour to the Anton Memorial Tunnel. This is a unique one-way tunnel through the base of a mountain and allows traffic in and out of Whittier on an alternating schedule. Be prepared to pay about $12 for a round-trip ticket. Rental tanks and equipment is available in Anchorage, with no support and very little in the way of amenities in Whittier. The cove is protected against prevailing winds and waves most of the time, and represents a convenient dive site for winter time diving.
President of Dive Alaska, Scott has been a cold-water diver for 20 years. With extensive experience diving in south central Alaska, and operating the regions only full time professional dive charter boat, Scott has a vast knowledge of Alaskan waters. Scott is a scuba instructor for PADI, GUE, SDI, TDI, ERDI, and is experienced in cave and technical diving. For more information about cold water diving in Alaska, visit http://www.divealaska.net
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_C_Anderson
http://EzineArticles.com/?Cold-Water-Diving-in-Alaska&id=1602805
