Basic Facts About Scuba Diving

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Scuba diving is a very popular water sport. Scuba is the acronym for self contained underwater breathing apparatus. Specialized scuba equipment allows the diver to breathe underwater for long periods of time. Snorkeling is different because the swimmer breathes directly from the atmosphere through a mouth tube. During scuba diving, the swimmer carries a supply of air underwater, and there is no need to surface until the air tank is empty. The scuba diver does exhale the breathed air through a snorkel like tube into the water. Both activities require the diver to wear special eye masks to enhance underwater vision.

Scuba diving is normally associated with ocean and salt water diving. This does not always have to be the case. Divers can use scuba equipment in any water situation requiring a long time underwater. Law enforcement officers frequently utilize scuba diving gear to search ponds and lakes for evidence. Military divers wear scuba diving equipment to examine ship bottoms, remove mines, or sneak ashore from ships at sea. Large industrial tanks, pools, or ponds that cannot be drained are often inspected by scuba diving experts.

Compressed air in a small metal tank is carried on the diver's back. The air in this tank is compressed to 3000 psi, allowing a great deal of air to be stored in the scuba diving tank. However, humans can only breathe air at 14.7 psi, so the tank pressure must be reduced to avoid harming the lungs. The scuba diving regulator decreases the tank pressure to breathable levels. High pressure tanks can be considered dangerous, but if properly maintained and treated well, the hazard is very small.

Scuba diving enthusiasts also wear flippers to enhance their underwater movement. These foot flippers mimic those of fish or dolphins, allowing divers to move much faster and easier. The scuba diving air tank only holds a limited amount of air, so flippers allow the divers to cover more distance while underwater. Besides the masks already mentioned, scuba divers may also wear weight belts to provide the proper buoyancy. Pressure gauges and depth gauges may also be worn to make the dive safer.

Most scuba diving is done for recreational purposes. People have an intense desire to view the great, beautiful coral reefs of the world up close. They can view sea life from a distance of feet or even inches. Scuba diving allows an educational experience not available from a nature show on television. There is training involved in learning to use the equipment, but a novice can learn the basics of scuba diving in only a few hours. Some scuba diving professionals endure extensive training to obtain advanced scuba diving certifications.

If you plan to take a scuba diving vacation, consider taking your diving lessons before you travel. Then you can spend more time scuba diving underwater, instead of practicing in the hotel pool.

Copyright 2007-2008 Jim Sterling - All Rights Reserved

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