Extreme Sports

While on vacation in Mexico, many people think that in order to participate in activities such as scuba diving, you must be an experienced diver in order to scuba dive.  This is simply not the case. It is advised that you have some basic knowledge of diving and also be a strong and somewhat experienced swimmer. What is intriguing about scuba diving in Mexico is that you do not have to be an experienced diver. In Mexico, there are many people who go diving for the very first time.
The general idea of scuba diving in most areas is the same. However, with scuba diving in Mexico, what you will see underwater can be quite different and alluring by the prevalence of underwater animals and plants that can only be seen in the Mexico area. Below is a list of the top 3 reasons why you should consider your first diving adventure by scuba diving in Mexico:

(1) The Yucatan Peninsula: ‘Cenote Dive’
A ‘cenote’ is vast system of underground rivers, pools, and caverns. Many of these ‘cenotes’ can be found in Tulum in the Yucatan Peninsula. With an experienced guide, these ‘cenotes’ are open for swimming and cave diving. The Yucatan Peninsula is world renowned for its network of underground caverns. Diving in a ‘cenote’ is unlike cave diving and requires no certification beyond OpenWater. The reasoning that no certification is required is because you are never more than 30 feet (50 meters) from an opening.  Imagine diving into a lagoon, with sunlight and trees sparkling through the clear blue water.  These ‘cenote’ dives also offer snorkeling as well.  These ‘cenotes’ make scuba diving in Mexico the ideal place to enjoy your first scuba experience.  Read more...

Scuba diving is about a lot more than looking at fish. It can also involve treasure hunting and fossil finding, for example. Wreck diving is a specialized type of scuba diving that involves diving on shipwrecks and (sometimes) looking for sunken treasure.

New scuba divers often find it gross that spitting into your mask is the accepted way of stopping it fogging up at depth. You can buy expensive de-fogging sprays which professionals often refer to as spit-in-a-can (it stopped me buying it!).

Objects appear significantly larger underwater – so yes, you do look fat in that wetsuit.

There’s something called the 60 foot club, which is the scuba diving equivalent of the mile high club. (This is more of a rumor than a fact, if I’m honest, but it sounds fun to me!)

If you hear about full penetration diving, it’s nothing to do with the 60 foot club! Full penetration is a wreck diving term that involves diving deep into the wreck, beyond the ‘light zone’. Most recreational wreck diving is non-penetration, or light penetration. You need advanced training and special equipment for full penetration wreck diving.

Sharks don’t like the taste of rubber, so always wear a wetsuit.

Most sharks are more scared of you than you are of them, so don’t panic if you see one.

Sharks don’t fill out questionnaires on their tastes and fears so both of the above facts could be wrong – proceed with caution!

It’s possible to get married underwater, but don’t expect all those embarrassing great-aunts on your Dad’s side of the family to come to the wedding (actually, that could be a big advantage).  Read more...

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.  Read more...

Man has always held the fascination of the underwater world. The wish to spend some time in the depths of the seas and oceans had captured man’s attention. This inspired him to come up with ways and means which will enable him to explore the marine world.

Many inventors were keen to develop equipment assisting underwater exploration. Ideas and equipment developed during the 1500′s leaned towards a diving bell. This equipment was basically a bell-shaped apparatus with the bottom open to the sea. The first diving bells were large and heavy weighted to sink in a vertical position, therefore trapping enough air to allow a diver to breathe.

So let us start with the chronological events on the history of scuba diving.

The first recorded reference to an actual practical diving bell was made in 1531. However, it was within the late 1600′s that great strides were made in this technology. This meant that now divers were able to spend hours underwater.

In 1690, an English astronomer named Edmund Halley developed a diving bell in which replenished air was sent to the divers by sending weighted barrels of air down from the surface.
The next evolution in the history of scuba diving was the deep sea diving suits, which at that time were referred to as the diving dress.

In 1715, an Englishman by the name of John Lethbridge developed what was to be the first diving dress. This was basically a barrel covered in leather equipped with two arm holes with water tight sleeves and a glass porthole enabling the diver to view underwater. This apparatus was lowered from a ship just the same as a diving bell.

Although several designs were used in later years, this gear still had the same limitations as the diving bell because the diver was restricted in his movements.  Read more...

This article explains a few things about scuba diving in st. thomas, and if you’re interested, then this is worth reading, because you can never tell what you don’t know.

If your scuba diving in st. thomas facts are out-of-date, how will that affect your actions and decisions? Make certain you don’t let important information slip by you.

Each year, a large number of vacationers make the decision to vacation in St. Thomas, located in the Virgin Islands. This Caribbean island is one of the most popular summer vacation destinations in the world. If you are interested in vacationing in St. Thomas, you may be wondering what fun and exciting activities await you.

In St. Thomas, as well as most other popular vacation destinations, you will likely find an unlined number of activities that will peak your interests. If you are looking for something that is exotic and educational all at the same time, you may want to consider scuba diving in St. Thomas.

Due to its clear waters, corral reefs, and amazing sea life, St. Thomas is one of the best places in the world to go on a scuba diving adventure. St. Thomas is well-known for its seclusion and beautiful beaches, but scuba diving is a popular underwater activity that brings in tourists from all around the world.

If you are interested in scuba diving in St. Thomas, but you have never been before, you do not have to worry. Scuba lessons are obtainable for individuals who want to scuba, but do not know how to. After a couple of lessons, you could easily be able to enjoying diving in the clear waters.  Read more...