wildheart asked:


My husband and I are interested in scuba diving during a trip to Jamaica this summer. Is it better to get certified before we go there or to do it when we are there? If we do it while we are there how long does it take and how expensive is it usually? Is it even necessary to have a certification?

itsdes asked:

Some great underwater pictures and video of our SCUBA diving trip to the Philippines- where the coral reefs and shipwrecks were teeming with marine life. We even ventured into the shark cave and found an 8 foot white-tip hanging out inside.

Joel Bleasedale asked:


A gap year, also known as a year out, is that year taken between high school and university, or after university and before getting a job, to travel and explore the world. It is that year that you set aside to become an adventurer and have fantastic experiences doing things you have never done before. It is that gap in your life when you break your routine and do something completely different!

There are so many ways to spend your gap year, from volunteering on a wildlife reserve in Africa, to learning Spanish and kitesurfing in Ecuador! For those who are on a tight budget, working abroad can pay for itself. If you’re more career minded, there are thousands of International Internships which will give you hands on experience in your field of study, look great on your resume, and give you a great excuse to travel. You can also spend a year studying abroad at a foreign university and earn credits towards your degree at the same time. Or maybe you’d prefer to spend you time learning to scuba dive in Fiji while working on an environmental conservation project.

The options are endless, but below is a little taste of some of the more popular ways to spend a fantastic gap year:

Volunteer Abroad

There are literally hundreds of organizations and charities out there that place volunteers on projects around the world during their gap year. The two main categories of volunteer projects are community projects and environmental projects. Community projects include teaching English and other subjects in local schools, building projects like building houses or wells in small communities with sparse resources, or working in health care facilities among other things. Environmental projects on the other hand focus on being immersed in nature, perhaps researching wildlife which is becoming extinct, or working to protect forests which are in jeopardy. Volunteer organizations tend to send volunteers in groups, so that you can get to know the people you are working with. Accommodation and food are generally provided as part of the package, and there are often side trips and excursions planned for the group. Volunteering can be an immensely rewarding experience, and a great way to really get involved in the culture you are staying in. Not only will you do a good thing for others, but you will have amazing stories to tell when you get home.

Adventure Travel

Adventure travel is a relatively ambiguous title, but this category includes the sort of gap year travel that gives you an adrenaline rush! Have you ever wanted to try scuba diving? Sky diving? Kiteboarding? Surfing? Skiing or snowboarding? How about going to mountaineering school in Patagonia? Well this is your chance! If you’re passionate about scuba diving, why not do it at the great barrier reef in Australia? Spend a few months and become an expert, get your PADI certificates and improve your skills. Or maybe you’re a surfer at heart but born in New York, why not learn from the best surfers in Costa Rica, and pick up a little Spanish along the way. Or for those that like the cold, you can spend a while in Switzerland learning to be a ski instructor on the great Alps! Adventure travel lets you really test your strengths and weaknesses, and gives you the opportunity to learn something profound about yourself and the world. Many Adventure Travel companies will offer packages including room, board, and training and equipment needed for your adventures.

Internships and Work Experience Programs

So you finished school, and now it’s time to get a job, but you have no experience to show on your resume! A gap year internship is such a great way to gain experience which will prepare you for the work force, and why not enhance your experience by doing it abroad! Europe is a particularly popular place for doing internships these days, but its best to go where your industry shines, for example an interest in Fashion can be nurtured with a fashion internship in Italy, home of the great designers. Or a business internship can be conducted in China, what a great asset to have behind you when you later apply for a corporate executive position. From engineering to graphic design, there are all sorts of great companies out there looking for eager young people wanting to get their feet wet. Internship programs usually include room and board, and often include language lessons to help you get by in your new culture.

Study Abroad

If you’re intent on finishing your career studies without taking a break from your schooling, then study abroad during your gap year! Speak to your own school or university and ask for the guidelines regarding transferring your credits, educational institutions tend to respect the value of travel and almost always grant credit for such programs. Imagine spending a semester in Spain or Italy! Learn a bit of the language, live with the people, enjoy the cuisine and continue your studies, it will only enhance your employability later. There are lots of study abroad programs to choose from, some are focused on a certain area of study while others are focused on relationships with particular institutions. Consult your own school for credit information.

Work Abroad

A lack of money is a poor excuse not to travel and take a gap year. If you can do it at home you can do it abroad. No matter where you go in the world every restaurant needs waiters, and every office needs someone to answer the phone. And what better way to see how the average person lives in a foreign country than by joining them for the 9 to 5! Find a job that is similar to what you might do at home, this will help you to surround yourself with people you would normally hang out with. But don’t work too hard! Make sure you find some time to spend that money on sights and side trips. There are lots of jobs available to travelers, you can easily apply before you go and secure your position before you get there. Jobs may or may not include your room and board, and weather they do or not will be reflected in your salary earned.

As you can see, the gap year opportunities are endless and there is definitely something for every type of person. A gap year provides a way to see the world, to experience other cultures, meet different people, and also to learn new skills. A gap year can be personally enriching, and at the same time gives you great experience to enhance your resume when you return home.

JoeTheNorwegian asked:

My underwater camera housing.

studentzki asked:

Short movie of videoshots made with an underwater camera during wakeboarding in Heede Germany at the Blue Bay… Not the final edit, just a rough version.

smeg asked:


I ive heard rumours and would like an answer from someone whos tried it or has seen it put it to practice, as to whether it works.

Martin Allen asked:


Whilst the mystical pyramids and Great Sphinx of Giza are undoubtedly the jewels in Egypt’s tourism crown, the country’s Red Sea Riviera resorts continue to gain popularity with holidaymakers. Five of those resorts – El Gouna, Hurghada, Marsa Alam, Sharm El Sheikh and Taba – are definitely worth a look.

El Gouna

Less than 20 years old, the man-made tourist resort of El Gouna is a complete holiday destination. Situated along a 10km shoreline, the resort is made up of islands, lagoons, gardens, luxury hotels and even boasts a USPGA rated golf course.

Catering for a wide variety of interests, El Gouna offers great shopping, restaurants, clubs, pubs and sailing. The resort also offers plenty for children with go-carting and pony rides amongst the organised activities available.

Hurghada

The Red Sea’s largest holiday resort, Hurghada has more than 20km of beach front hotel accommodation. Whilst a popular destination for scuba-diving holidays, Hurghada is also a highly regarded beach resort catering for traditional family vacations.

The resort has plenty to keep visitors entertained. Scuba-divers are keen to explore the clear waters and untouched reefs of the local Red Sea, whilst other holidaymakers can stay busy bowling, fishing, snorkelling and golfing. Other popular attractions include the nearby Roman remains, the imposing Red Sea Mountains and various shopping boutiques.

Marsa Alam

Although until recently a quiet fishing village, Marsa Alam is becoming an increasingly popular beach and dive holiday resort. Located to the south of the Eastern Desert, European tourists are drawn to the village by the tranquil beaches and exciting off shore coral reefs that host a spectacular variety of tropical sea life.

Whilst still a relatively new resort, Marsa Alam is developing rapidly and already boasts a variety of luxury accommodation and complexes. Served by its own International Airport, Marsa Alam has much to attract tourists, with restaurants, bars and shops located along the paradisiacal sea front. No trip would be complete however without experiencing the resort’s spectacular dive sites, offering an opportunity to swim with white-tip sharks at Elphinstone Reef and spinner dolphins at Shaab Samadai.

Sharm El Sheikh

With an impressive range of hotels and tourist facilities, Sharm El Sheikh is fast becoming Egypt’s most popular family beach resort. Tourists generally head to the region’s cosmopolitan Naama Bay area, populated with shops, restaurants, bars and ‘Sheesha’ cafes.

Amongst Sharm’s highlights are the area’s outstanding dive sites, the Ras Mohamed National Park and the Sharm El Maya Bay. The resort also offers a selection of nightclubs, discos, casinos, and golf courses, whilst water babies can take advantage of the snorkelling and windsurfing activities available. With camel riding, desert safaris and tours of ancient relics further on offer, Sharm El Sheikh is packed with enough attractions to provide an unforgettable Egyptian holiday.

Taba

One of the newest Red Sea resorts, Taba lies on the border of Israel, within view of the picturesque Sinai Mountains. Popular with tourists from Europe and Israel, holidaymakers are drawn to the region’s Taba Heights resort, a cosmopolitan development that includes a variety of top class hotels, bars, restaurants, a casino, an 18-hole golf course and a lively marina.

The waters off the coast of Taba are warm and calm, making the resort an ideal place in which to learn to dive. Offering a range of shallow reefs filled with hard and soft corals, and sea life that includes moray eels, seahorses, rays and snappers, Taba is also popular with more experienced and adventurous scuba-divers.

telmnstr asked:

I finally got around to compiling all the various video clips I had recorded during the summers of 2006 and 2007 at Lake Rawlings. The music (Fishtro) is from an artist that goes by Purple Motion from Finland, and is from a PC demo/invite from around 1992 era, much thanks to him for allowing me to use the tune (visit purplemotion.net for more info, and check demoscene on wikipedia if you are curious.) Dive buddies Patrick and Joe make appearances in the video. Confession - I almost didn’t have enough footage to cover the whole song. I plan to cut a shorter version for HamptonRoads.TV. The video was taken with a Canon ELPH SD-550, not a camcorder. Lake Rawlings is a granite quarry, and has good visibility and is used by many dive shops for training.

akunidive asked:

The first part shows me mucking around in murky coastal waters of Tairua. The second part is from my scuba dive at the Poor Knights the next day. Notice the difference in visibility? Better days will come…

John Kaduwanema asked:


Going on holiday gives everyone time to relax and let their hair down. Getting away from the stress of everyday life is great, but being off your guard can significantly increase the risk of having an accident.

Most accidents on holiday occur within the first couple of days, and the most common types of injuries are fractures, cuts and sprains. These tend to occur early on in the holiday when you are unfamiliar with the new surroundings. You can reduce your chances of injury or illness by following these seven holiday steps.

1. Equip yourself with a travel first aid kit and medical pack

A travel first aid kit will need to include all the basic bandages and dressings necessary for your trip. A premium Medical Pack will include sterile syringes, needles and cannula sets. Having your own syringes and needles ensures that a high level of hygiene can be achieved if you are admitted to hospital in countries with a lower standard of hygiene than the UK . You could save yourself from a nasty infection.

2. Avoid getting bitten

In the UK , most bites and stings are painful but harmless and only affect the area around the sting. When abroad however, allergic reactions or infections from insect bites can become life-threatening. You should use a reliable insect repellent, and if you are heading for the tropics, check out the need for malaria tablets with your doctor. When abroad, be aware of other stinging and biting animals and insects, such as scorpions, snakes, spiders, and jellyfish. Vinegar is great for jellyfish stings. Carry some sachets (such as the ones in fast food outlets) in your first aid kit.

3. Don’t ignore earache

Ear infections are a really a common problem on holiday. Bacteria picked up while swimming or playing in water seems to be the main cause. They are unbearably painful and could prevent you from flying. The cabin pressure intensifies the pain and can burst an infected ear-drum. Antibiotics work quickly, so the advice is that if you have an earache, get to a doctor sooner rather than later.

4. Watch what you eat

An upset stomach can ruin your holiday. It could be caused by food poisoning or from consuming food and water that has been contaminated by bacteria, parasites or viruses. You could experience vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Reduce the risk of stomach upset by only drinking bottled (preferably carbonated) water, avoiding shellfish (particularly uncooked varieties such as oysters), avoiding ice cream and ice in drinks, and only eating food that is piping hot.

5. Beware of the sun

A Royal Mail survey found that 38 per cent of us have suffered from extreme sunburn at some time. Those traveling to hot climates from countries such as the UK increase their risk of sunburn because their skin is unused to the sun. Fair skins are also more prone to sunburn. Because sunburn changes the skin’s DNA, it has been linked to skin cancers.

Sun protection is getting more and more effective. The factor you use depends on your skin type (fair skin = higher factor) and also on the area you are visiting, and the altitude. If you are unsure, play it safe with a factor of 25 or over.

6. Drink up!

Not too much alcohol though! If you become dehydrated, you are more likely to become ill. People don’t realize how much water they lose through perspiration at high temperatures. Symptoms include feeling dizzy, light-headed, lethargic and thirsty, followed by rapid heart rate and visibly wrinkled, inelastic skin. Children and the elderly are most at risk.

7. Check out the swimming areas

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents advises not to swim anywhere without being sure in advance that it is safe. This includes lakes, rivers and seas and if nobody is swimming in a certain area, ask why. Do not dive or jump into water unless you are certain that it is deep enough.

Never leave children alone in or near water. Avoid scuba-diving within 24 hours of a flight, and learn the basics in the UK before you go. The British Sub-Aqua Club training is more comprehensive than the internationally recognized Padi course.

The First Aid Warehouse specializes in the supply of first aid equipment and diagnostic products to both the public and trade. They offer an extensive range of products including Travel first aid kits, first aid items, and clinically approved sun care products.

With a wealth of industry knowledge, their online e-commerce platform provides a safe and secure environment to purchase from. They accept all major credit and debit cards and welcome orders from members of the public and health organisations including Primary Care Trusts, Care Homes, Surgeries, schools etc. If you wish to set up a business account, you can contact them either via sales@firstaidwarehouse.co.uk or on 0845 6121217

RESOURCES:

This article was written by Sharon Mason and is brought to you by First Aid Warehouse, UK’s premier supplier of medical equipment, first aid kits , blood pressure monitors , medical plasters , medical furniture, burnshield dressings and stethoscopes . We supply equipment to medical professionals, the care industry and the general public