donna d asked:


have no instruction booklet and cant find manufacturers or suppliers for these cameras but they were cheap second hand. they are silver and blue with underwater housing and have mayhem outdoor written on the front. they bear a striking resemblance to ones selling on ebay called Jazz cameras.

Gene asked:


Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) and National association of underwater Instructors (NAUI) are two associations that certify you to open water dive. What are the names of the other associations?

laura asked:


i went to barbados and expecting really colourful coral and fish, there was some but mainly everything was beige coloured.

preferably somewhere nearest europe but please just tell me the best anyway

also where you can snorkel on a beach because my family members are afraid of going out too deep..

Jonathan T asked:


and what is a safe ascent rate?

Ian Scott asked:


Don’t leave the dock without it
When you pack your gear bag, your checklist probably includes the usual gear and emergency equipment, mask, fins, regulator and one of those kits with a few extra o-rings, neoprene patches and regulator mouthpieces. Here are a few extra things that you can throw into your gear bag that will make your dive more comfortable, confident, and safe.
Citrus beverages
When I surface, the first thing I want to do is get the taste of ocean out of my mouth. As much as I appreciate the smell of the sea and the salty air, I’m not so enthusiastic about having it on my tongue. Water is refreshing, but I find that I can drink a few liters of bottled water and still taste the remnants of the sea in my mouth.
After experimenting with dozens of beverage candidates, I find that Five Alive is hands-down the best cure for oceanmouth. Other citrus juices are good, but none are quite as effective as Five Alive. The better ones were those that contain acidic juices like pineapple and grapefruit.
The juice serves another purpose: rehydration. It seems counterintuitive that spending an hour submerged in water can cause dehydration, but it’s true. The air in your tanks is very dry - necessarily so, since moisture in a tank will rust it from the inside. Just breathing in that dry air for an hour will silently dehydrate you. Drink something when you get back to the boat and you can avoid the symptoms of dehydration such as headache, nausea and dizziness.
Long-sleeved rashgard or cotton shirt
Did you know that the chemicals in sunscreen are poisonous to reef-dwelling marine life? You need to protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV radiation, but you don’t want to slather on the SPF lotion before your dive. Cover up the old fashioned way with a cotton shirt or a long-sleeved rashguard.
Laminated Dive Table Chart
Are you dependent on your computer? Go back and review your certification training and learn how to calculate your residual nitrogen using tables. Computers are great tools, but it behooves every diver to remember how to manage their nitrogen levels without gadgetry.
A “dry bag”
A dry bag needn’t be anything fancy - inexpensive bags with resealable flaps are available at most camping or marine supply stores. They don’t need to be watertight to 100 ft - since you leave them on the boat in your gear bag. My favorite is a bright yellow, rubber bag with a top that folds over three times and tucks into itself for an easy watertight seal. Many divers on a budget will use a variety of disposable resealable freezer bags.
In my dry bag, I keep:
Tissues - a necessity. After purging my mask a few times, my sinuses get rebellious.
Cotton Swabs - some gentle attention to get the water out of my ears.
A photocopy of my identification & passport - just in case
Band-aids - because I stub my toes on boats
Everything that was in my pockets - Before donning my wetsuit, my dry bag (by virtue of its sealability) is a good place to keep a cell phone, camera, wallet, jewelery, car keys, etc.
Tell someone where you are going and who you’re with.
Make this a habit, so you don’t need to be concerned when an emergency arises.
First, make sure the dive operator knows who you are, where you are staying, and who to contact in case of an emergency. If you are injured during a dive, the dive operators might whisk you directly to the nearest hospital, medical clinic or decompression chamber. If the medical staff can’t determine your identity, it can complicate your medical attention.
Second, tell someone who isn’t diving with you where you are going. That could be others in your party, the hotel concierge, or a phone call to a relative back home. Tell them the name of the dive shop, your destination, the departure time and estimated return time for your dive excursion. If you know it, include the names of the boat, its captain, and divemaster. If you are traveling alone or diving in a group, write the information down and leave it with the hotel office. If your hotel is near a popular diving spot, they will be used to that sort of thing.

Richard Runion asked:


If you’re looking to buy a waterproof camera I suggest you don’t look beyond the Pentax Waterproof Camera.

Why? Because this camera satisfies on all the counts I consider crucial to making a buying decision.

For starters, it helps to know that Pentax is the world leader in the manufacture of waterproof cameras.

Pentax does not restrict itself to waterproff cameras, and also has a DSLR series. This is targeted at those who are not newcomers to photography. The K110D model among Pentax DSLR cameras is worth looking at. Similar to the Optio M20, this also has a 2.5 inch LCD screen. Contrastingly, this is a 6.1 mega pixel camera. The Optio M20 needs two AA size batteries, while the K110D needs four. Alternatively, it also works on two CR-V3 lithium batteries. This is recommended for people keen on action photography, as it can capture 2.8 frames a second.

The K110D is a sleek and light model, and with its steel-and-black profile, it’s a good lifestyle product for those who like adventure vacations.

In this article we will concentrate on the Optio W30, the latest waterproof camera launched by the company.

Japanese Industry Standard (JIS) Waterproof Standard 8 and JIS Dustproof Standard 5: these are two international quality standards that the Optio W30 complies. The camera can be used continuously for up to 2 hours, at up to 10 feet of depth.

The camera has a rugged look about it, with its aluminum alloy body. The design is sleek, with the camera shaped like a soap-box. The silver, grey, and chrome profile is pleasing to the eye.

This camera is very portable and fits snugly in an adult hand. It weighs only 5.6 ounces. The sealing is excellent, with covers for the DC and the USB/AV jacks at the bottom. Rubber gaskets protect the battery and storage card compartment.

Though a digicam with a waterproof casing allows you to go to greater depths, it has its disadvantages. Usually, such a camera is much heavier, thanks to the casing, which makes it harder to handle. There is less fear of the Optio W30 or any other Pentax Waterproof Camera slipping from your hands, as it comes with a wrist strap.

Great image quality is assured as this 7.1 MP camera has an internalized optical 3X zoom lens. Also, it has a Digital Shake Reduction mode that enables it to take blur-free photos at high ISO of 3200. Underwater movie quality is good, too.

Some great features of this camera include a large 2.5-inch LCD display, Auto Mode, Movie Mode, Synchro Sound Record Mode, 22 MB memory, Digital Shake Reduction, Movie Shake Reduction, Drive/ Burst Mode, Playback Mode, Manual Control options, protective covers and doors with spring-loaded latches that secure automatically etc. It also has good shutter speed. In the movie mode, the internal memory size allows continuous shooting up to 20 seconds.

My only complaint: the aperture range is narrow, reducing one’s options for landscape photos. But the moderate price combined with large number of positives make this camera a winner.

whateverkimme asked:


I am looking to buy a digital camera, but the underwater one is another $150 (compared to the other cameras I was looking at). Do you think it’s worth it?

I also found this accessory, which I could buy later as an add on.
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/oima_underwaterStylus.asp

At the moment, I probably buy an underwater disposable camera about once a year. However, if I had one, I would probably use it more often. I’m not a diver or anything, but we do spend a bit of time in the pool and on the beach (two places I worry about my camera).

What are your thoughts?

Dianne Rein asked:


Scuba diving vacations are a great escape from the everyday world. However, there are lots of options to choose from and they can get very expensive.

You can book each portion of the trip separately, you can purchase a vacation package, you can stay on a liveaboard, stay at an all inclusive or any variation of these options.

However, there are ways to reduce the cost of that long-awaited vacation. In this article we are going to explore a stay at an all inclusive resort in the Caribbean that includes scuba diving.

They can be a great money saver but there are some pros and cons to consider with this option.

Pros

* Don’t have to worry about money while you are there

* Usually cheaper than purchasing everything separately

* Stress free: No decisions to make about where to go for drinks, dinner or diving

* Usually a party atmosphere (can be a con too)

* Security

* Activities and entertainment are included (sometimes diving is included also)

Cons

* Usually big resorts; grounds and dive boats can be crowded (ever have to go out at 6 am to reserve a lounge on the beach?)

* No incentive to leave the resort and experience the local culture

* Have unexpected expense of going out if you don’t like the food and/or drink

* Service is sometimes lacking since tips are already included (we always tip anyway, even if the policy is supposedly not to

* Not all islands have all inclusives, so island choice is limited

You just have to decide what is most important for you. For instance, if you like smaller resorts and small dive groups, than an all inclusive resort may not be for you.

Most all inclusives include non-motorized water sports in the package. However, while most resorts offer scuba diving, you usually have to pay extra for it. If the resort does offer scuba diving in the price, you can save a significant amount of money.

If you pay for your diving at the resort, my experience has been that prices are pretty much market prices. If you do multiple dives you can usually get a discount, but that is typically the case for non-resort dive shops too.

If there are a few divers, you can usually negotiate a better price. Many places we have been allow you to purchase a dive package (say 15 dives) and split the dives among the different divers. It has always worked out well and we saved a fair amount of money.

Popular All Inclusive Destinations

Probably the most popular places (or at least those with the most resort choices) for an all inclusive Caribbean scuba diving vacation are the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, including the ever popular Cozumel. In my opinion, Cozumel is the hands down winner as far as diving.

High End/Low End

There is an all inclusive resort to fit every budget. You just have to decide what you want. What’s more important to you? Would you rather have gourmet food and premium drinks or would you be happy with lower end offerings and more money in your wallet? The answer can be different for each trip.

No matter where you go and which level of service you choose, it is hard not to have a good time. So pick a place, pack your scuba gear and get going!

Ali asked:


I’m going on holiday to Orlando in September and am interested in buying a dive/underwater camera when I’m there (as they’re much cheaper in America than in the UK). I’ll be staying in International Drive in a hotel, so preferably somewhere as close to that as possible.

Anyone know where I could get one that’s within travelling distance from my area? (Don’t have a car, would need toget there by taxi/bus)

Groshan Fabiola asked:


At the summertime when everything around you seems to be melting down, there’s nothing more appropriate than bathing. But wouldn’t you like to try something different this year? How about scuba diving?

Scuba diving refers to swimming underwater while using breathing equipment which is self-contained. Other swimming underwater activities such as free-diving or snorkeling use breath-holding techniques. Scuba diving implies having a compressed air source, which means that the scuba diver can remain submerged for a longer period of time and he/she is not hindered to a remote air source. Scuba diving is swimming underwater with fins which are attached to the diver’s feet. However, there are other options for scuba divers to move around, such as the diver propulsion vehicle or sleds pulled by a boat. The latter are surface tethered devices.

The term ‘SCUBA’ is the acronym for “self contained underwater breathing apparatus”. However, the term now refers to ‘scuba apparatus’ or ‘scuba equipment’. The term goes back to World War II when it arose to refer to the oxygen rebreathers used by US combat frogman in underwater warfare.

It’s worth mentioning that there are persons who confuse scuba diving for an extreme sport, and this false impression will be changed as soon as get to actually practice scuba diving. The divers wears a diving suit at all times, in addition to his/her breathing apparatus. This diver suit helps avoid skin cuts that could be caused corals, marine animals or underwater objects. They also prevent the loss of body heat. Scuba diving doesn’t require a substantial physical effort on the part of the diver. Therefore, we could say that anyone who can walk a few miles can successfully complete a scuba diving session. Although it’s underwater, scuba diving does not require swimming abilities, but some certified scuba divers may be asked to have swimming skills, just to check the extent to which candidates can adapt to water.

There are many reasons why number of people engrossed in this sport is constantly increasing. Here are some of the reasons why people go scuba diving. First of all, those interested in marine life can be close to it. The variety of underwater wildlife, coral reefs and the numerous species of colorful fish leave the scuba diver with a wonderful experience. Secondly, there’s something different and unusual about each dive because of the numerous diving variations and the variety of marine life. Then, studies, researches and investigations are truly feasible with scuba diving. Marine biology, for instance, has experienced great improvement with the help of scuba diving. Not to mention that scuba diving is a relaxing activity, as it shows a soothing environment. This outdoor activity is also very educational, as the scuba diver combines fun with learning about marine life during a dive.

The terms scuba diving refer to various diving activities, such as recreational diving, technical diving, public safety diving, commercial diving, military diving and scientific diving. Technical diving includes cave and cavern diving, wreck diving, deep diving and ice diving. However, these are not the only categories that scuba diving is limited to, because it is still evolving.

For more resources about scuba or even about diving please review the following page http://forum.scubish.com