Scuba Diving Blog & Forum
Scuba diving questions and answers that are commonly asked by non-divers and beginner scuba divers. These include questions like: is it hard to learn to scuba dive; can a non-swimmer go scuba diving; can you scuba dive without being certified; howto get certified…and more.
What are common depths for experienced scuba divers is a question often asked. It’s not as deep as some might think and is somewhere between 20-25 metres on average. Diving isn’t just about how deep you can dive, but is instead about what the dive is about. If the dive is to go to a particular wreck and it just so happens the wreck is at 40 metres (131 feet), that will be the dive depth. This is of course subject to certification level and experience.
The most important rule in scuba diving is to never hold your breath. If you were to hold your breath, and in particular if you ascend whilst holding your breath, you will rupture your lungs. The worst case scenario for scuba divers to ignore this rule is death! Never hold your breath and you’ll be okay.
To answer the question ‘do you wear anything under a wetsuit‘ depends on your personal preference. You can choose to go commando and wear absolutely nothing under your wetsuit. Or if you are a male diver you can wear either board-shorts or speedos. But if you are a female diver you can choose to wear a bikini or a one-piece swimsuit. The choice is yours.
Top sharks of the Red Sea include reef sharks, hammerhead sharks and oceanic whitetip sharks, with lucky sightings of tiger sharks, whale sharks, leopard sharks and thresher sharks when you dive the right location at the right time of year. The Red Sea is a great place to dive with sharks and cheap.
Not all the dive sites at Raja Ampat are suitable for scuba diver beginners. This is due to the strong currents in the region. To enjoy the bio diversity of Indonesia’s Raja Ampat, you need to be a more advanced scuba diver with plenty of diving experience. You should be adept at drift diving before you go.
Can you die from the bends or can decompression sickness kill you? Yes in extreme cases of the bends or decompression sickness it can kill you. As explained below when a National Geographic diver lost his life diving to a depth of 122 metres (400 feet), whilst filming the wreck HMHS Britannic in Greece.
The jury is out as to whether or not vaping as a scuba diver is good or bad. But when you read that one of the ingredients of e-liquid, which is propylene glycol, can cause central nervous depression, seizures, laboured deep breathing, coma and suppressed brain activity, I wonder whether vaping and scuba diving perhaps is a bad thing.
Your question ‘can you scuba dive if you smoke cigarettes,’ I would argue no you shouldn’t. But if you choose to mix scuba diving and smoking, then you ought to be aware of the added risks of being a ‘scuba diver that smokes.’ If you’re finding it hard to quit smoking. Is your urge to experience ‘being underwater and breathing’ outweighing your need for nicotine, but you’re still struggling to make that step. Or if you’re thinking about curbing your habit down or switching to vaping and scuba diving, please read on.
Can you survive 47 metres underwater?’ The simple answer is yes. But there’s a catch. The catch is you must have the necessary training and experience as a scuba diver to dive to 47 metres (154 feet) deep.
14 decompression sickness risk factors in scuba diving include: Number and depth of previous dives, age, fitness, exertion, obesity, smoking and other drugs, alcohol consumption, fatigue, dehydration, injuries or birth defects, flying too soon being female and the menstrual cycle. When planning your next scuba dive, be aware of your own personal circumstances before simply relying on decompression tables or your dive computer.
Scuba diving with a disability has been transformed by Sue Austin with the world’s first self-propelled underwater wheelchair. Whilst there may be additional considerations for diving for the disabled, this doesn’t mean scuba diving can’t be done. Because it can – see video below. There are organisations and charities to help. The main diving organisations have courses to learn how to dive with people with disabilities too.
