ADU

I’d like to make you aware of a brilliant Scuba based charity that is doing some wonderful things for injured soldiers and dive enthusiasts. It’s called ‘Dive Pirates‘ and its ethos is to help injured soldiers with different levels of disability to achieve diving qualifications and fall in love with the diving experience with the hope to both aiding recovery and improving support both within the community and between them and their families.

The course starts with some basic training and ends with an all-paid trip to the Caribbean to receive the open water certification. The benefit of this are incredible for the injured soldier and their families. The idea is based on the buddy system because the participants require a varied amount of support underwater depending on the limitations of their disability. These buddies will include an instructor but also usually the families or friends of the soldiers and this in particular makes for a wonderfully rich experience for everyone involved as they all get to enjoy the exciting adventure together.

As this video shows, the organisation has been committed and fortunate enough to be able to help many veterans and their families since it started in 2005. They are slowly gaining more and more recognition for their incredible work, with chapters of the organisation now featured all over the US. One of their goals it to integrate adaptive divers (divers with special requirements) into the mainstream diving community. This makes training buddies just as important as training the divers themselves. The more people that know how to support an adaptive diver, the more accessible the sport becomes fro them. So if you are a diver interested in that type of training, contact dive pirates for more information.

The charity is run by a team of highly enthusiastic divers and a dedicated workforce who have seen remarkable success in recent years as the funds they have raised and the recognition they are finally receiving has allowed them to train and help veterans and their buddies. Sophie Wimberly, Vice President of Dive Pirates loves training new recruits and is constantly astonished at the number of people willing to give their time and money in donation to this worthy cause. One  of her main aims is to ensure that she is using this money responsibly and so the site features a full financial breakdown of how the charity spends its donations.

For more information about dive pirates check out their website www.divepirates.org, and if you want to help, they are always looking for volunteers and donations so be sure to get in contact. For a more detailed write up, check out this story of two soldiers engaged in the program and if you have your own blog or even just twitter and facebook, you can use them to raise awareness about this wonderful program!

A Scuba diving club in North Yorkshire have started an exciting new project to map over 150 ship-wrecks off the coast off the North East. They are looking forward to exploring the wrecks themselves and plan to enjoy the diving involved for the sport of it, but are keen to let people know that the goal of the project is to produce some serious and never before documented research into the history of these many wrecks in the North Sea. Members of Scuba association BSAC, the team involved are all highly trained and experienced divers, but according to the club’s training officer, Howard Rawson, they would welcome the involvement of anyone who had a passion for the project regardless of Scuba ability or proficiency.

Once they have conducted their research including mapping, photography and a detailed look at the history of each wreck, their findings will be made available to the public or any number of academics that may be interested in using the information collected. One of the first wrecks that they are going to explore is the sunken German U-boat, UC-39 which was depth charged and sunk in 1917 in Bridlington Bay. Seven of the crew members died on the submarine and it is now a war grave which the scuba team are committed to treating with the utmost respect.

The team are a small and dedicated scuba club based in North Yorkshire and they are keen to carry on with exciting projects like these. They have struggled as a club recently when the Abbey Leisure Centre in Selby, where their training pool was, was damaged in a fire and is now in the process of extensive renovation and repair. According to Howard, they are currently looking for a new location that they can use to teach new members the joys and the proper procedures of recreation scuba diving. Small clubs like these making a very positive difference in the community and even in academia are part of what keeps the sport of Scuba diving relevant, useful and exciting to a whole host of new members as well as the public. The club could very well be the start of a trend of detailed research for recreational diving in the UK.

The lion-fish population has recently exploded in size in the gulf of Mexico and off the coast of Florida, this has resulted in a higher number of attacks and injury for both recreational and professional divers alike. As a result two major diving organisations, DEMA and DAN have joined forces to get the message out about the proper way to behave around a lion-fish and the best immediate fist aid techniques and equipment to treat a lion fish sting. DEMA ‘The Divers Equipment and Marketing Association’. and DAN the Divers Alert Network have released this PSA they they hope to reach a wide audience and educate people about the dangers of lion-fish and getting near them.

The increased number of lionfish has caused an increase in the number of attacks, not just on other animals, but on humans too. It is important that any diver who thinks that they may be likely to go to certain lionfish areas, to educate yourself thoroughly with all of the information that you will need should you or anyone who may be diving and needs you precise in treating the lionfish stings immediate fist aid techniques and equipment to treat a lion fish sting. DEMA the, the divers equipment and marketing association.  and DAN the Divers Alert Network have released this PSA they they hope to reach a wide audience and educate people about the dangers of lion-fish and getting near them. If you know of anyone diving in the regions that might be at risk, send them the information about the PSA so that they can reduce their level of risk.

The diving industry seems to have been in something of a territory war in recent years as different qualifications are taught and accepted in different places. The two main warring schools were BSAC and PADI, both of which were competing to be recognised as the universal qualification for divers all over the world. However, PADI is just slightly ahead when it comes to diving across the world.

The number of small shops and diving teams that will accept a PADI qualification is significantly greater than it is with BSAC or any other qualification. Usually these other organisations end up being talked about in terms of their PADI equivalent regardless of what level has been achieved within them. This often causes confusion and delays when preparing to go out with a team or in a location you have not been out with before; which is only made all the more difficult when there is a language barrier in foreign locations.

There is no bitterness towards people with different qualifications, but diving leaders are, very understandably, worried about their insurance and whether they are qualified to take this person out and how deep they are allowed to go. The most hassle free solution is just to take the PADI qualifications that are more widely accepted and most hobbyists that want to take a move into serious career diving will eventually take their PADI tests just for the sake of ease when it comes to new dives.

This is a phenomenon that is building momentum as more people have the qualification, more people recognise it as universal and vice versa. We are moving towards a time when PADI will be the only acceptable diving qualification in much the same way that their is only one qualified school for obtaining a driving license. This will be a benefit to many scuba divers and the sport itself as it will increase legitimacy and safety across the board for the great pastime that is becoming increasingly popular.

Secluded Bay at Algia Pelagia

Home to a whole host of indigenous flora and fauna, Crete is a perfect location for your diving holiday. Steeped in myth and tradition, this Grecian island, fabled home to Zeus – father of the Gods, is a little slice of paradise in the heart of the Mediterranean.

Crete is surrounded by beautiful coves and sandy beaches, all of which come with their own charm and character. Whether you want to be surrounded by people and a buzzing tourist trade or prefer seclusion and tranquillity, you are guaranteed to be blown away with all that Crete has to offer.

There are a number of established diving centres in Crete, particularly on the North coast of the island. If you are considering a diving holiday to this magnificent Greek isle, the coast of Agia Pelagia has some perfect diving sites:

El Greco Cave

Approximately 10m high and wide and 7m deep, this cave contains dazzling stalagmites and stalictites and has unique air-filled room at the top of a vertical siphon at the top.

Perfect for advanced divers who are looking for cave diving experience.

 Stavros Cape

Home to groupers, snappers, morays and blue fin trevally, Stavros Cape is a crystal clear dive at a depth of 35m. For experienced divers only.

 Mononaftis

Home to the widest variety of fish and plant life around Agia Pelagia, dives here can range from 18 to 30m and will give you the chance to see groupers, octopus, moray eels, stingrays, scorpion fish and bream.  Passing along this astonishing reef you will be able to find canyons, caves and cavities amongst the rocks. Night dives will allow you to see conger eels, squids, shrimps, snappers and nocturnal sea anemone.

Big Anchor

Diving at a depth of around 27m in crystal clear water you will find some of the most beautiful underwater scenery Greece has to offer. Featuring a wide range of sponges, broken amphorae, groupers and snappers, the Big Anchor lies just half a mile west of Agia Pelagia and is home to the ring of a large ancient anchor.

Messerschmitt Wreck

For a slightly different diving experience, this is your chance to see a German WWII Fighter lying around 800m offshore. The wreck, which is broken into a number of pieces still has in tact wings and fuselage and the interior of the cockpit is still visible. You can also see one of the ammunition belts.

These are just some of the fantastic diving locations available off the coast of Crete, and there are many, many more amazing locations for you to discover. Greek holiday villas provide great accommodation for you and your diving gear, or there are hundreds of hotels to choose from.

When you’re traveling abroad there is a lot to remember, before you set on for your trip make sure you’ve got everything you need, as there’s nothing worse than arriving at your destination only to find out you’ve left something behind! But sometimes it can be incredibly hard to know what you may need in an emergency, particularly when traveling somewhere that you have never been before or trying an activity you may not have much experience in. That is why, I intend to use this blog to display some of the essential products that can make the life of a diving tourist easier and more enjoyable.

There are plenty of different opinions about all of the small pieces of diving equipment or accessories and it is important to get experience with each of the different options and find your own personal preference. However, with so many products and reviews out there, I hope you can use some of these blog entries as small guides to help you to navigate all of these different available options.

One of the important things to remember is that all of the essential equipment can be provided by local hire shops which are often connected to the team or instructor that you go out with. This equipment will always do in a pinch, but it may not be as good as it could be when it comes to comfort or flexibility. Ill fitting or used diving equipment will never be as good as having your own, which will actually mold and change to the shape of your body over time as well as you getting more used to the familiar feel of it.
Purchasing a full itinerary of diving gear can be very expensive, as well as often impractical when it comes to transporting it to a  foreign location every time you want to go on a diving trip. However, starting slowly, and purchasing some of the small accessories such as goggles and wet suit hoods can be a great way to introduce yourself to the sport and to get some of the important bits right without spending too much money.

Being uncomfortable can thoroughly ruin a dive very quickly and make it very unpleasant; the ideal situation is to be able to dive without even thinking about all of the bits that you are wearing and when you buy your own gear, this process happens faster as you get used to some of them as if they were a second skin.  I’ll update soon with some product reviews and if you find any equipment that you think is particularly excellent in quality or value, let me know about it!

One of the primary reasons that many people choose to get involved with Scuba Diving is so that they are able to take some underwater photographs. There is a lot to be said for the joyous experience of getting up close to marine life and it can be very pleasant to be able to leave with a permanent reminder of your dive. This is especially popular in locations where there is a variety of interesting marine wild life in popular and often iconic diving locations. For example, many of the people who go diving at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia will want to take photos of the unique wild life and coral formations to be seen there.

If you’re planning on taking some underwater photographs you will of course need a specialist camera, as standard cameras will be severely damaged by total submersion in water. There are different ways that you can help get around this, some models of camera offer fully waterproof cases or may be able to advise you on the best action short of buying a new camera. Also, because of the effect that water has on light you’ll also need to use specialist camera lenses in order to take a decent photo underwater. Artisan photographers will often use different lenses for different lighting conditions or seasons, so because the underwater world is so dramatically different from anything we have up here, it is important to research and test some different lenses until you find the effect you are happy with. – Here’s a great link to some information about photography and lenses.

Much of the life under the sea can genuinely appear to us to be like that of another world and this can result in some truly incredible photographs and images being taken. But when attempting to take photos of sea life it is important to be very patient, as fish and other aquatic life forms that are not used to the presence of humans will be easily scared by divers. It is important to be still and maintain a suitable distance from the subject of your photograph in order to take a natural looking image of these creatures in their natural habitat.

But once you have practiced and even developed your own style, you will find that you can start a wonderful collection of mementos of your favourite dives as displays or possibly even to sell. Underwater photography can be a fantastic way to enhance your enjoyment of this hobby. On this blog I hope to point you towards some of the leading industry professionals and interesting faces within underwater photography, in the meantime, here is a great gallery of underwater photos from the guardian.

Diving itself is just one water sport out of a whole host of different activities and sports that people partake in when out in the open sea. As a diver it can be important to have a great relationship with the other users of the area. As well as this, if you enjoy diving and love being in the ocean, you are very likely to enjoy a wide variety of different water sports that are available and there is no excuse not to try your hand at a few and see what you enjoy. That is why I will also be covering some of the events and announcements in various other water sports within this blog.

Surfing and wakeboarding in particular are quickly gaining a large commitment of followers amongst the younger generation in UK, many of whom will have experienced these activities and other water sports whilst holidaying overseas, (the climate in the UK doesn’t really lend itself to many activities that take place off the coast). Many of the more exciting and adventurous water sports such as surfing rose to prominence because of the trend for extreme sports that took place during the mid to late nineties. This is visible particularly in the rising popularity of surf clothes and brands such as O’neil that take their influence from surf culture.

Many extreme sports including some water sports such as surfing were made incredibly popular through the media and this popularity remains as strong today as it was then. However, there are many more relaxed water sports for people who aren’t seeking such an adrenaline rush. Sailing is a very popular water sport that can often be very relaxing and pleasant; however it is possible for sailing to become quite intense and strenuous depending upon the weather conditions.

A group known as paddle sports includes rafting, canoeing, kayaking and many other different boat based sports. This type of activity can be very versatile because often the participant chooses the level of intensity. It can be wonderfully relaxing to coast down a river in a canoe and paddle along enjoying the view, or you could try and get a good rhythm going and build up some serious speed.

With such a wide variety of different sports available, I won’t attempt to cover every aspect of water based sports. But I will return from them from time to time as I find some interesting little facts or aspects of the rich water environment. (Particularly seeing as we are just about to start the beginning of the exciting olympic season! The water sports events that are scheduled are sure to be exciting)

Hello and welcome to ADU, a blog I’ve started in the hopes of keeping up to date with all of the latest news and important announcements to do with the sport of scuba diving. On this blog, I hope to include some helpful tips, product reviews, opinion pieces and some general reading material for any new diver or someone who is looking to get into the sport.

Scuba diving is becoming increasingly popular as many more people get the chance to experience the wonders that it has to offer. It can be a relatively tricky sport to get into on a one-off basis because it requires a lot of training and correct use of expensive equipment in order to do it safely. Some people wrongly believe that it is the type of experience that you can just try once on holiday, but without the proper training you won’t be insured or authorised to go deep enough to where the diving really gets good. To properly give diving a go, and to see if it is for you, it is well worth taking a course to get the appropriate qualification.

A PADI open diver qualification is the basic certificate that is the most popular for beginner divers and is held by millions of divers across the world. This is also the qualification that will allow you to dive in most locations abroad to a reasonable depth with supervision. The course will not only instruct you on how to dive safely and correctly, but it will also be an excellent introduction into the sport itself. In my experience, taking the course was a very exciting experience as I learned plenty from several passionate expert instructors.

When most people think about scuba diving, they probably imagine tropical locations and stretches of glorious coral reefs. However, if you don’t take the time to earn the qualifications with some local practice dives, this world will be closed to you, so it is well worth taking this course, even if it means you have to take your first steps in the bitter waters of the British coastline.