Scuba Diving and You

Millions of people around the world use oceans, pools, and lakes for all sorts of recreational activities. There are many activities that are fun for individuals and families. Because of the wide range of options, water activities are a pastime that shows no signs of declining in the future.

The following is a list of the water activities enjoyed by many throughout the world:

Swimming: Whether it is a pool, lake, or ocean, swimming is a past time enjoyed by many people.

Water Polo: This water sport consists of two teams and a ball. It is often described as a combination of swimming, football (soccer), basketball, and wrestling. A team consists of six field players and one goalie. The purpose of the game is to score as many goals as possible.

Snorkeling: This activity consists of swimming at the surface of the water and using a mask and a small tube called a snorkel.

Water Aerobics: This form of aerobics is performed in the water.

Water Slide: Fun for all ages, a water slide is a slide with water flowing down it.

Scuba Diving: consists of is swimming under water using a (self contained) breathing apparatus and scuba mask.

Underwater Photography: This activity involves taking pictures under water. There are many contests involved with Underwater Photography.

Boating: This is the use of boats on the water. This can include rowboats, motor boats, canoes, kayaks, sailboats, luxury cruise ships, fishing boats, yachts, speed boats, hydroplane racingetc.

Fishing: This recreational or business activity involves catching fish.

Kite Surfing: This sport involves traveling on water using a kite for propulsion.

Water Skiing: This water sport involves using skis to glide over the water while being pulled by a motor boat.

Wakeboarding: This sport is much like water skiing, but involves using only one board attached to the feet.

Wakeskating: This activity is much like wakeboarding, but the board is not attached to the feet

Windsurfing: This involves traveling on a board that uses wind to propel sails.

Synchronized swimming: This involves a combination of swimming, gymnastics, and ballet.

Free-Diving: The goal of this activity is to dive as deep as you can without using a breathing apparatus.

Bodyboarding: This sport is similar to surfing, but the board is smaller and the person lies down on the board.

Dragon Boat Racing: This sport involves teams paddling on water, using painted boats which are attached to decorative dragon heads and tails. The length of the race can be 500 meters and the normal crew number is 22, including 20 paddlers, 1 steer person and 1 drummer.

Fin swimming: This is swimming with fins

Water Aerobics: This exercise is aerobics in the water

Water Tubing: This fun pastime involves sitting in a water tube and being pulled by a motor boat.

Rafting: This involves traveling on a raft down a river.

White Water Rafting: This type of rafting involves traveling in a boat like a kayak through rough river waters.

Jet Ski: A jet ski is a mechanical device used to travel on the water.

Because there are so many activities that involve the use of water, there is usually an activity for everyone to enjoy.

Diving in Santo offers you access to some of the world’s finest reefs and underwater caves, plus two of the world’s most accessible shipwrecks.

Dive operators tend to stick to the south-east coast, where you will find the wrecks of the SS President Coolige and the USS Tucker and an area known as ‘Million Dollar Point’. However, great reef dives can be found all along the coastline. Most of the wreck and reef diving is suitable for divers of any ability, provided you have completed basic training.

The USS President Coolidge and the SS Tucker wreck dives lie just meters from the Vanuatu coastline, both highly accessible to anyone diving on the island of Santo. Both wrecks are American ships that during World War II.

The SS President Coolidge is a American luxury liner converted to a US troop ship during the second world war. It sank just meters from the shore and is generally considered the largest accessible wreck dive in the world, and the best dive in Santo. Novices can dive the main bulk of the ship, whereas more experienced divers can go deeper into the wreck to look at life on the inside.

The second wreck is the SS Tucker, an American destroyer that was stationed in Vanuatu during the second world war. Unfortunately it was accidently sunk by one of the USA’s own mines, and now it too lies just offshore, close enough to be accessible to those diving in Santo.

When diving the relatively shallow Million Dollar Point, divers can see vaste areas of military war surplus that was simply dumped into the ocean when the Americans left Vanuatu at the end of the war. This Santo dive includes military vehicles and even the odd bulldozer - making it one the most popular Santo diving sites.

Wetsuits are indeed very important protective gears in the world of water sports. Without the suits, water sports could not be enjoyed at any time of day and any season time of year. The risk of hypothermia is high especially when you are submerged in water, thus without wetsuits, you can never enjoy your favorite scuba diving adventures for long.

A wetsuit is specifically designed to protect the body when exposed to low temperatures especially when submerged in waters. Body heat tends to drain faster when in water thus the risk of hypothermia is also high. To prevent this, it is advisable to wear your wetsuit when you are doing your favorite water sports - may it be surfing, wakeboarding or even recreational swimming. Wetsuits are even more recommended when doing activities submerged in water like snorkeling and scuba diving.

A wetsuit is a tight-fitting garment that is worn to keep your body warm when you are in the waters. It comes in different styles and designs such as one that covers the torso or a full body suit that covers the body except the head or some other styles like the vest.

Wetsuits are made of synthetic material that is flexible and waterproofed. However, the suit is not waterproofed as it protects your body by letting a small amount of water into the suit. Although minimal water enters into its openings, other parts of the suit should not allow water getting into and out of the suit. This is also why wetsuit seams should be checked and secured wisely.

When the body eventually heats this trapped water inside the wetsuit, it will then maintain and keep the body warm. This is how wetsuits do their work in preserving warmth when you do surfing or scuba diving. With this process, it is very important to pick a wetsuit that fits the curves of your body very well, but not too tight that makes breathing uncomfortable.

Aside from the warmth, wetsuits also tend to add buoyancy when you are in the water. This allows you to easily float in water and, of course, swim faster.

For those interested in good diving, you should consider the south pacific. With ten of thousands of luscious tropical islands, there are many different locations where you can find a coral reef. These tropical reefs have a great diversity of life in them from small clownfish to large whale sharks. You can swim with turtles and see Nemo.

Diving in the south pacific is also a good way to learn about the area. The reef systems here are very well preserved and by coming here you can learn about how they work and they dangers they face elsewhere in the world. Diving in the south pacific is more than just fun- it’s also educational. In many parts of the world, reef systems are dying but here they are still vibrant.

One of the best places to go diving in the south pacific is in Fiji. Fiji boasts thousands of islands where people can dive. There are many good dives sites. The main dive sites are over near the big island of Nadi. These islands and the nearby Yasawa islands are the most popular for tourists. However, if you are looking for pristine places to dive, the best places are in the underpopulated east. Here youll find lots of diving away from the crowds. With other 1200 species of fish, Fiji is a great place to dive.

Tonga scuba diving holidays are good for beginners. There aren’t many great dive sites but there island is known for its caves, drop-offs and pinnacles, as well as the opportunity of diving near humpback whales. Diving here is easy and the resorts offer a wide range of classes. There is not really any difficult diving here which makes it great for beginners, though serious divers might want to look elsewhere.

If you are a beginner, you can choose the Cook Islands as all the dive sites are just off the coastline of Rarotonga. You will hardly need any time to reach your diving destination. The Cook Islands have great diving because the dive areas here are relatively overlooked. The diving is easy and it’s cheap to learn but most people head to more popular destinations like Fiji or French Polynesia. It’s close proximity to New Zealand means that lots of Kiwis go here to learn how to dive.

With so many islands in the South Pacific, the sheer number of dive sites makes it a forgone conclusion that you will always have somewhere to go. It’s impossible to see all of these places in one lifetime. However, it’s a noble goal to try. Diving in the south pacific means you will be able to see all types of sea animals and get away from the crowds- it’s truly a diving paradise.

There are so many dive watches being sold in both online and offline markets that it is often hard to decide which one sports the true quality and more importantly if the diver needs both a dive watch and a regular watch for sea and land. There are some really high-tech looking watches that are excellent for diving, but do not have the face value for walking around with them. The IWC Aquatimer dive watch manages to solve this problem by sporting an elegant look with the features that every diver needs to survive during long underwater sessions.

This review will explain why the IWC Aquatimer 2000 is the watch of choice for those serious divers. Its features are simple with a lot of emphasis on the design and construction. That is the reason the IWC Aquatimer 2000 is a lot different than the other dive watches out there.

Style

The style is the primary selling point of the IWC Aquatimer dive watch so if you are looking for a nice non-digital watch for fashionable purposes, this watch is definitely the one to get. The case alone defines quality with its stainless steel makeup that has a brushed finish unlike the other watches that solely focus on the crown and bezel. An anti-reflective coating found on both sides of the thick sapphire crystal serve as the front of the watch where the back has a nice engraved Alcyone-logo just to show the real value of the watch.

As for the readability, the IWC Aquatimer turns out to be one of the easiest watches to read even when under dark seas. This is because the dial has a dark blue color with nice sunburst highlights and is complemented with an orange minute hand that is made of luminous material so that it shines yellow underwater. Divers will absolutely have no trouble in reading the numbers on the watch.

Its Features

For underwater safety, the features of the IWC 2000 are just about right with all the necessary components that divers need. Solely powered by mechanical movement and is self-winding, the IWC Aquatimer obviously has no digital elements. To avoid other distractions when checking the time and bezel, the date is also displayed serving as the only face feature.

The IWC 2000 can withstand 200 bars of pressure which is equivalent to 2000 meters underwater making this dive watch the real choice for divers. The crown is triple sealed with one of them being conus-shaped so that the crown can push itself in when water pressure increases. The cases quality materials serve as the strong protection point which is combined with the crown.

The Overall Value

For any serious diver that wants to go deep and keep the same watch when going to formal events, the IWC Aquatimer is definitely the best choice. The simple design and excellent choice of materials makes this one of the best designed watches that has graced the marketplace, but not everyone may appreciate the external rotating bezel. Concerned with safety you can trust, while successfully combining eye-candy with true craftsmanship.

Even when the water starts to cool down and temperatures start to go down, you don’t have to worry about not being able to have fun in your favorite wakeboarding hangout. Getting the best wakeboarding wetsuit will indeed allow you to enjoy the sport still.

The challenge starts in finding the best wakeboarding wetsuit in the market. If you are looking for the top of the line wakeboarding wetsuit, make sure you know what makes a good wakeboarding wetsuit.

Flexibility is a major concern when it comes to water sports like wakeboarding or surfing, thus a wakeboarding wetsuit that allows maximum flexibility is one good indicator. To make the suit warmer, it should also have very secured seams and zippers that do not allow entry of water when you are enjoying the sport. Comfort is also a consideration.

There are indeed many wetsuit brands in the market and when choosing for the best wakeboarding wetsuit, it would be wise to check for the brands hat makes wetsuits specially designed for the sport. This way, you will be assured that they have focused their innovation and technology in making a wetsuit that suits the demand of the sport.

One of the wetsuit brands that specialize on wakeboarding wetsuits is Jet Pilot. Jet Pilot wetsuits are made from superstretch neoprene and you can choose from wetsuits having 60% superstretch up to a 100% superstretch neoprene. They also feature taped seams and a neoprene barrier in the zippers to make sure the suit gives utmost protection. Jet Pilot’s 100% superstretch wetsuits also features water repellant neoprene.

Quicksilver is also another brand that is popular and bestselling when it comes to wakeboarding wetsuits. Their latest wetsuit model named Synchro features the Spanflex panels that give their Quicksilver wetsuits superior flexibility, especially in the arms and shoulder portion. Their wetsuits also boast of being so flexible that it can be put on easily.

Rip Curl wetsuits are also among the best brands in the market that provide technologically advanced wetsuits for wakeboarding. They introduce the batwing system in their line of wetsuits which protects the wearer from cold water flushes. They also incorporated the SlickSkin technology that makes the surface of the suit to dry easily, thus reducing wind chills.

So, knowing all these popular wakeboarding wetsuit brands, you can check them and see for yourself which of them suits your preference.

These protective garments may be common to you but when do we usually use a wetsuit and when are drysuits worn?

Wetsuits

Wetsuits may be a triathlon wetsuit or a surfing wetsuit or one that is fit for scuba diving. A wetsuit can also be made of 60% superstretch neoprene to the most flexible 100% superstretch neoprene wetsuit. These wetsuits also have different features that is specifically suits a particular activity. However, whatever is the design and style of the suit, wetsuits are worn to protect the body from the risk of hypothermia.

Wetsuits keep the body warm by allowing just a small quantity of water inside the wetsuit. The water trapped inside the wetsuit serves as your protector from the cold. Of course, the materials that made up the wetsuit also keep your body warm because of its tiny air pockets that preserve your body heat in water.

Wetsuits are made up of a waterproofed material called Neoprene, but because wetsuits work by using a thin layer of water to protect your body warmth, wetsuits do not keep you dry.

A wetsuit is very flexible, as it is made up of a very flexible rubber called neoprene. This protective garment is designed to snugly fit every curve of your body so that it can work properly in protecting you from the cold. Some people may wear clothes underneath a wetsuit but most often, wetsuits are not worn with clothes underneath.

Drysuits

Drysuits on the other hand are also protective garments worn to preserve body heat but unlike wetsuits, drysuits are loose fitting and waterproofed. Drysuits keep you warm by keeping you dry when you are in the water. The openings in the neck, the wrist and the and ankles are sealed so that no water can enter the suit. This is how drysuits work in protecting you from the cold.

A drysuit is designed to be baggy to allow movement through the space underneath your suit because a drysuit is not flexible as a wetsuit. It also allows you to wear more warm garments inside for longer warmth.

Drysuits and wetsuits have the same purpose, and that is protecting you from the cold by preserving your body heat. However, they also differ largely on their flexibility and their fit. With these differences, you may be able to know which of the two best fit to your needs.

Water sports involve a lot of movements and speed. Knowing the differences between a wetsuit and a drysuit for sure will help you identify which one is for what. Especially if you are engaged in a competitive water sport like triathlon, you may find drysuits not suitable as they are baggy and not flexible. In activities like scuba diving, especially when water temperatures are below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, you may however find drysuits suitable.

So what exactly makes the difference between a wetsuit and a drysuit, and when should one be worn?

Wetsuits

Wetsuits are usually classified according to what water sports they are for. For example, a wetsuit intended for triathlon may have some slight differences on a wetsuit made for scuba diving. They may also be classified according to their level of flexibility, but wetsuits are protective garments that have one sole function - to protect you from the cold.

Wetsuits keep the body warm by allowing just a small quantity of water inside the wetsuit. The water trapped inside the wetsuit serves as your protector from the cold. Of course, the materials that made up the wetsuit also keep your body warm because of its tiny air pockets that preserve your body heat in water.

Wetsuits are made up of a waterproofed material called Neoprene, but because wetsuits work by using a thin layer of water to protect your body warmth, wetsuits do not keep you dry.

A wetsuit is very flexible, as it is made up of a very flexible rubber called neoprene. This protective garment is designed to snugly fit every curve of your body so that it can work properly in protecting you from the cold. Some people may wear clothes underneath a wetsuit but most often, wetsuits are not worn with clothes underneath.

Drysuits

A drysuit is also protective garment that is worn to protect the body from the cold or from suffering hypothermia, especially when you are submerged in water, as body heat tends to lose faster in water than when you are in land. Unlike wetsuits, drysuits are baggy and loose. As the name suggests, drysuits keep you dry even if you are submerged in water. This is how it works in keeping you warm.

A drysuit is designed to be baggy to allow movement through the space underneath your suit because a drysuit is not flexible as a wetsuit. It also allows you to wear more warm garments inside for longer warmth.

Both wetsuits and drysuits preserve body heat but they differ largely on their flexibility and of course, in keeping you dry. Having known their differences, it may be simpler to determine why wetsuits are preferred over drysuits.

Water sports require great flexibility, which a drysuit cannot give. Especially that a drysuit is loose fitting and baggy, it would be cumbersome to put on a drysuit when surfing or engaging into triathlon. For sure, it will not give you the speed required for the sport. Drysuits may however be helpful when snorkeling or scuba diving especially when a wetsuit is not giving you enough warmth, or if you plan to stay underwater for long or if temperature is lower than 60 degrees.

Wetsuits are designed to protect your body from cold and other hostile water or weather conditions. They are widely used for many different water related activities such as scuba diving, surfing, wakeboarding, windsurfing, triathlon, open water swimming, snorkeling, jet skiing, and others.

What are wetsuits made of? They are made of neoprene, a stretchy synthetic rubber material with good thermal properties. Some wetsuits also include other materials like Lycra or Merino wool to add extra stretch or insulation.

How exactly does a neoprene wetsuit work? It works by capturing a thin layer of water between the suit and the body. This water is then warmed by the body to the body temperature while the neoprene insulates you from the outside cold.

Warmth of the wetsuit is decided by the thickness of the neoprene. It’s very important to choose a suit that is thick enough to provide the necessary amount of insulation. Different thickensses for different conditions. Naturally, the thicker the neoprene, the warmer it will be. Common neoprene thicknesses range from 1mm to 7mm. In a water warmer than 80 degrees, you’ll probably be fine with 1mm. Water below 50 degrees requires a 7 mm wetsuit.

There are many different types of wetsuits. The three primary types are full body suits, spring suits, and long johns. A full body suit will protect the arms, legs, and torso. Sometimes it will also come with a hood. Full body suits are ideal for cold water. Spring suits have short legs and either short or long sleeves. They are designed for warmer climate. Long johns are sleeveless with long legs. Suitable for for spring or summer.

For optimal performance a wetsuit needs to fit closely against your body. The process of warming up the water that enters the suit will work much better that way.

Today, wetsuits are relatively inexpensive and come in many types and sizes. They have vastly improved over the last years, becoming warmer, more flexible, and more long-lasting. Just remember, when choosing one, go for function.

The Suunto D9 is an invaluable diving aid to all kinds of recreational, professional, military divers, or even competitive freedivers who take the quality, material and functionality of their diving computer very seriously. The Suunto D9 diving computer promotes diving safety with all its state of the art features; this is what distinguishes the Suunto D9 from other dive computers.

When you are diving in a place that you are totally unfamiliar with, then features of the Suunto D9 diving computer such as the depth, time and decompression data, along with air integration and compass will prove more than useful. You will be able to know exactly how much time you can spend underwater, when you have to surface and how fast you can ascend, and you will also be able to know how deep you are when underwater. These features in the dive computers alone will cover your diving safety while maximizing your performance at the same time.

Features

The features of the Suunto D9 diving computer will not only amaze the most professional divers but it will also amaze novice divers and people who have never been diving or seen dive computers before. Its well known features are:

Its Digital Compass

Suunto D9 was the first dive computer to integrate a digital compass. This digital compass contains a graphical compass rose which shows the general direction. It also shows the exact bearing in a numerical display and the headings can be stored in the Suunto D9s memory for later use. Most people assume this compass to be superior to the traditional compass as it can be used on land as well.

Optional Wireless Transmitter (Air Integration)

This feature allows the diver to monitor vital information like air consumption data and tank pressure from the dive computer. The remaining tank pressure is displayed both numerically and graphically, and an estimation of the remaining air supply throughout the entire dive is given by this dive computer which is useful as it gives divers a good idea of how much time they have left to stay underwater. It is a very handy feature, particularly for technical divers and dive instructors. The real time for air supply can be stored in the memory as well.

Deep Stop Option and Multiple Gas Mixes

This feature enables the Suunto D9 diving computer to use up to three different gas mixes containing 21-100% oxygen and allows the diver to switch gases during the dive. The Suunto Deep Stop RGBM (Reduced Gradient Bubble Model) is where the decompression calculations are based on and it provides iterative deep stops as an alternative to safety stops which can be used as well which adds extra safety. Deep and technical divers may suit this feature well as it also has a maximum depth display set to about 660 ft. (200m).

Dive Logbook

Real time water temperature and tank pressure data can be analyzed on the dive computer through the graphical data profile provided in the integrated dive logbook. Extra information about the dive site, conditions, equipment, notes, and even photos from the dive can also be stored in this dive log since the Suunto D9 is USB compatible and comes with its own PC software.

Weaknesses

The air integration wireless transmitter can be a problem only if you forget to activate it before the dive, according to some reviews on Suunto D9 dive computers. If you forget to take a spare SPG when this happens then you will have to resurface in order activate it. Something else to take note of is that the PC software for the Suunto D9 is not available for Mac.

Conclusion

Without a doubt, the Suunto D9 diving computer is the golden standard for all dive computers and is the forerunner dive computers in the future. It is jam packed with everything needed in a dive computer from its digital compass that can be used anywhere to its stylish appearance suitable for any occasion. Containing air, nitrox, and gauge modes, along with its black elomaster and luxury titanium straps and Suunto Dive 2.0 software, you will not be disappointed in this range of dive computers.