...to figure out what's going on, you have to watch the video till the end...Very creative !
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Showing posts with label Scuba Diving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scuba Diving. Show all posts
To Touch or Not To Touch A Tiger Shark ?
Personally I wouldn't. But that's probably because I'm just a big wuss.
During my encounter with sand tiger sharks I didn't feel any desire to "interact" with them.
They are unique and amazing animals...that are best to be admired from the distance...
During my encounter with sand tiger sharks I didn't feel any desire to "interact" with them.
They are unique and amazing animals...that are best to be admired from the distance...
Would You Dive With Sharks ?
Apparently lots of people are fascinated by sharks. Shark Week on Discovery Channel has been a great success for the past 24 years. Last year’s Shark Week brought in 30.8 million viewers. A Discovery rep says that the channel is stepping things up this year because “Shark Week” was frequently a trending topic on Twitter when it aired.
After watching sharks on television all week, if you should happen to find yourself inspired to see them in person, Discovery will give you the opportunity to have a shark experience of your own.
The network's adventure travel company Discovery Adventures
offers four unique itineraries to the Galapagos Islands, where travelers will have the opportunity to see a variety of shark species –including Reef Sharks, Whale Sharks, and Hammerheads– in their natural environments.
I had my own up close and personal encounter with sand tiger sharks at The Florida Aquarium in Tampa Bay, but it was nothing comparing to diving in the Galapagos Islands.
A world class dive destination, Galapagos is listed as one of the seven underwater wonders of the world! With 27 species including hammerheads and the enormous whale shark diving with sharks is why people come to dive in the Galapagos Islands.
I put "Visiting/Diving the Galapagos " on my Bucket List. Have you ever wanted to dive with sharks ?
After watching sharks on television all week, if you should happen to find yourself inspired to see them in person, Discovery will give you the opportunity to have a shark experience of your own.
The network's adventure travel company Discovery Adventures
offers four unique itineraries to the Galapagos Islands, where travelers will have the opportunity to see a variety of shark species –including Reef Sharks, Whale Sharks, and Hammerheads– in their natural environments.I had my own up close and personal encounter with sand tiger sharks at The Florida Aquarium in Tampa Bay, but it was nothing comparing to diving in the Galapagos Islands.
A world class dive destination, Galapagos is listed as one of the seven underwater wonders of the world! With 27 species including hammerheads and the enormous whale shark diving with sharks is why people come to dive in the Galapagos Islands.I put "Visiting/Diving the Galapagos " on my Bucket List. Have you ever wanted to dive with sharks ?
Sharks are not pets
As part of my Advanced Open Water certificate, was Underwater Naturalist course, which is an introduction to the underwater aquatic environment, and is designed to help develop safe and responsible aquatic life interaction techniques.One of the main topics of this course is "Human Perception of Aquatic Life", or to be more exact - human misconceptions about " dangerous " aquatic animals which are:
aquatic animals are dangerous and harmful
aquatic animals are harmless like domestic/friendly animals
aquatic animals are nonliving, inanimate objects
aquatic animals have human characteristics
In the video below, a Florida diver Dave Marcel forgets a few of those misconceptions when he tries to give a nurse shark...a kiss.
Thinking that a wild animal is harmless and friendly, and has human characteristics ? I have a feeling that Dave skipped Underwater Naturalist course.
Another feeling I have is that I've seen something like this before ? Oh, that's right - Grizzly Man ( Timothy Treadwell ) and Steve Irwin, aka The Crocodile Hunter.
What do you think ? Brave, "smart " or plain stupid ?
Advanced Open Water with Underwater Sports
After getting my Open Water Scuba Diving certificate last year, I couldn't wait to gain more knowledge and skills, and build my confidence to become more comfortable in the water with PADI Advanced Open Water course. Greatly satisfied with the level of service and personal attention, I decided to continue my scuba diving education with Underwater Sports, this time closer to home in Federal Way.
The PADI Advanced Open Water course is designed so you can go straight into it after Open Water certificate. That's what many people do, and I highly recommend you do the same. Here is why...
After taking my Open Water class, just like most people I wanted to " take it slow ", and decided to put it off till next year, hoping to get more dives before going into AOW.
As days, weeks and months flew by, I just "couldn't find time" to go diving even once for the past year. When the first day of diving arrived, I'd realized that I completely forgot all the basics: how to set up my BC, read air pressure regulator ( and pay attention to it), maintain proper buoyancy, defog my mask, and even to adjust my fin straps before going into water.
Needless to say that the first "few" dives were a disaster.
On the flip side, AOW classes are all about having fun ! There is no class or pool time, the small amount of book work is done through self study (it is reviewed at the dive shop with the instructor prior to the dive) and the dives take place at different dive spots.
The Advanced Open Water course consists of five adventure dives: two mandatory dives ( Deep and Underwater Navigation ) and three adventure dives of your choice. There are many choices to choose from : digital underwater photography, wreck diving, night diving, diving with underwater scooters, peak performance buoyancy, dry suit... , and it will be up to you which one you'd want to try.
So, my advice to you, if it's been a while since your OW class/last dive, take a refresher course, which is a quick and great way to refresh your diving knowledge and skills ( and cheap too !).
If you are still thinking about getting certified as a scuba diver, I'd strongly recommend to go with PADI.
Unlike Scuba Schools International ( SSI), where you'd have to complete four specialty courses and minimum of 24 logged dives prior to taking your AOWD cert, PADI does not require a minimum number of dives for certification.
The most beautiful freediving video
Wiki:
Freediving is any of various aquatic activities that share the practice of breath-hold underwater diving.You needn’t be an athlete to enjoy freediving because the sport is more about mind-set, technique and correct weighting than strength. Your goal is to join the water, rolling with the gentle sea surface, never fighting it.
While recreational freediving is very exciting, it can also be a dangerous sport if one does not have proper training.
An interesting fact that I found out about training:
An important part of the training is in invoking the mammalian dive reflex, one that every human inherited from their evolutionary ancestors. This reflex allows one to significantly lower their heart rate (bradycardia), shift their blood flow to the core (blood shunt) and even reduce lung compression effects at great depths (thoracic filling). In addition, the training emphasizes significant physical, physiological and psychological tolerance as well as physical conditioning.The video below literally put my breath on hold. To read more about it, please visit ExtremeSports4u.com
But for now, please enjoy this beautiful video:
Learn scuba diving right now !
I know you've dreamed about it before : diving with sharks, exploring shipwrecks, diving for sunken treasure, or just learning how to dive for your next trip to Hawaii or Australia.
If you've been on the fence about scuba diving, and the only thing that stops you from your lifelong dream is your finances, don't wait any longer !
Every year Underwater Sports hosts the largest consumer dive sale in the United States - Diver's Fair.
That's where I got my Open Water certificate last year.
During Diver's Fair days, class tuition is only.... $99 ! Though, you'll also need to buy a book ( I think, it's about $35), and will get your own ( rented or borrowed) snorkeling gear (fins, mask and snorkel ), you are still saving a lot of money !
Before the classes start, you'll need to read your book and fill out the "tests/quizzes" ( don't worry, you'll go over it again during your first class).
After spending a few hours in the classroom....you go straight to a swimming pool ( confined dives ). That's where the fun begins !
Here you’ll learn everything from setting up your scuba gear to how to easily get water out of your scuba mask without surfacing. You’ll also practice some emergency skills, like sharing air or replacing your scuba mask.
After your confined water dives, you continue learning during two ( Sat/Sun) open water dives with your PADI Instructor at a dive site.
Our dive site was at Les Davis fishing pier in Tacoma. It’s a very popular site, and has many of the scrapped pieces from the old Tacoma narrows bridge dumped there creating a nice artificial reef. The site provides abundant and diverse marine life in relatively shallow depths of 20-35 fsw. You'll see lots of sea stars, crabs and perch !
I really hoped that I would be able to get a discount for Advanced Open Water class during the Fair, but I guess, it's only for beginners.
So, don't miss your chance to get into this wonderful outdoor activity ( and save some money )!
If you've been on the fence about scuba diving, and the only thing that stops you from your lifelong dream is your finances, don't wait any longer !
Every year Underwater Sports hosts the largest consumer dive sale in the United States - Diver's Fair.
That's where I got my Open Water certificate last year.
During Diver's Fair days, class tuition is only.... $99 ! Though, you'll also need to buy a book ( I think, it's about $35), and will get your own ( rented or borrowed) snorkeling gear (fins, mask and snorkel ), you are still saving a lot of money !
Before the classes start, you'll need to read your book and fill out the "tests/quizzes" ( don't worry, you'll go over it again during your first class).
After spending a few hours in the classroom....you go straight to a swimming pool ( confined dives ). That's where the fun begins !
Here you’ll learn everything from setting up your scuba gear to how to easily get water out of your scuba mask without surfacing. You’ll also practice some emergency skills, like sharing air or replacing your scuba mask.
After your confined water dives, you continue learning during two ( Sat/Sun) open water dives with your PADI Instructor at a dive site.
Our dive site was at Les Davis fishing pier in Tacoma. It’s a very popular site, and has many of the scrapped pieces from the old Tacoma narrows bridge dumped there creating a nice artificial reef. The site provides abundant and diverse marine life in relatively shallow depths of 20-35 fsw. You'll see lots of sea stars, crabs and perch !
I really hoped that I would be able to get a discount for Advanced Open Water class during the Fair, but I guess, it's only for beginners.
So, don't miss your chance to get into this wonderful outdoor activity ( and save some money )!
Dream jobs : Scuba diving instructor
How many of us have dreamed of doing what we love most and making that occupation ?
How cool would it be to live at diving resort locations and spend your work days scuba diving and spending the rest of the time living the resort life ? It would be like being on vacation full time!
I came across a post on Vagabonding blog about how you can make that happen.
Many diving schools offer a 6-month-to-one-year internship where you can get training as a diving instructor, access to fancy equipment and a private boat, (usually) a place to live and some meals, and a ready-made community of divers.The post also provides a few links that might help you decide where to go, professional diving forums and message boards to check out, and how to apply.
Scuba instructors and dive leaders are in high demand at resorts all over the world. Diving has become a huge draw over the past decade, with vacationers seeking out new and more exotic dive sites.
Though, I am not quite sure if you can get into those internships with no experience at all. So, I would recommend to get at least PADI open water certificate.
Also, in my other post "The Most Adventurous Jobs", check out a site where you can find other cool jobs ( including scuba diving instructor positions).
Washington Adventures: Getting my PADI scuba diving certificate.
I've been dieing to try scuba diving for the past two years. You know this feeling- procrastination : too expensive, no time, where do I start, is it safe?
Finally, this summer , I had a great opportunity.
Underwater Sports, Washington's premiere scuba diving center, with eight stores conveniently located around beautiful Puget Sound, had its annual Divers Fair- the largest scuba sale in the country! They offered not only the lowest prices on equipment from top manufacturers, but also, the lowest prices for scuba classes ! You can do all "the shopping around" you want, but I can guarantee you, you won't find it anywhere cheaper ( I almost got myself in a bad "deal" offered by somebody on Craigslist).
So, how do you "get into scuba diving" ?
Before you book your next tropical vacation and start exploring the coral reefs of Bahamas, you will need to get your scuba diving certification such as PADI, NAUI or SSI to prove your qualifications when booking a dive trip, hiring scuba equipment or filling diving cylinders.
Underwater Sports has classes starting all the time at each of their eight locations, with time convenient for everybody: day, evenings ,weekends.
You will need to have your own personal snorkeling equipment ( fins, mask,snorkel,booties and gloves) and purchase academic materials ( which you will need to read prior to the beginning of the classes). On the first weekend, you'll cover the academic and pool portions of the course. And the second Saturday and Sunday are dedicated to your Open Water dives in Puget Sound.
Underwater Sports provides all the necessary equipment for your pool sessions and open dives: wet suit, BCD with octopus, weight belt, cylinder and ,of course, the most knowledgeable, helpful, supportive, patient instructors!
I would say that getting started in diving is not quite like going hiking ( it takes a bit more knowledge in areas like safety, equipment, the environment ), at the same time, it's not quite rocket science.With the right amount of support, knowledge and skills, you will feel like Jacques Cousteau ( well, may be not quite like Cousteau ) in no time !
Though, the Pacific Northwest has always been famous for its hikes and snow fun, the divers all over the world know that it is also the best place in the world to cold dive. The Puget Sound offers sea life that you won’t see as easily anywhere else in the world.
Finally, this summer , I had a great opportunity.
Underwater Sports, Washington's premiere scuba diving center, with eight stores conveniently located around beautiful Puget Sound, had its annual Divers Fair- the largest scuba sale in the country! They offered not only the lowest prices on equipment from top manufacturers, but also, the lowest prices for scuba classes ! You can do all "the shopping around" you want, but I can guarantee you, you won't find it anywhere cheaper ( I almost got myself in a bad "deal" offered by somebody on Craigslist).
So, how do you "get into scuba diving" ?
Before you book your next tropical vacation and start exploring the coral reefs of Bahamas, you will need to get your scuba diving certification such as PADI, NAUI or SSI to prove your qualifications when booking a dive trip, hiring scuba equipment or filling diving cylinders.
Underwater Sports has classes starting all the time at each of their eight locations, with time convenient for everybody: day, evenings ,weekends.
You will need to have your own personal snorkeling equipment ( fins, mask,snorkel,booties and gloves) and purchase academic materials ( which you will need to read prior to the beginning of the classes). On the first weekend, you'll cover the academic and pool portions of the course. And the second Saturday and Sunday are dedicated to your Open Water dives in Puget Sound.
Underwater Sports provides all the necessary equipment for your pool sessions and open dives: wet suit, BCD with octopus, weight belt, cylinder and ,of course, the most knowledgeable, helpful, supportive, patient instructors!
I would say that getting started in diving is not quite like going hiking ( it takes a bit more knowledge in areas like safety, equipment, the environment ), at the same time, it's not quite rocket science.With the right amount of support, knowledge and skills, you will feel like Jacques Cousteau ( well, may be not quite like Cousteau ) in no time !
Though, the Pacific Northwest has always been famous for its hikes and snow fun, the divers all over the world know that it is also the best place in the world to cold dive. The Puget Sound offers sea life that you won’t see as easily anywhere else in the world.
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