Project Yukon » dive sites http://www.hmcs-yukon.org Everything You Need to Know about Scuba Diving in the Web Wed, 28 Jul 2010 04:43:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 5 Skills You Should Be Taught When You Learn to Dive http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/5-skills-you-should-be-taught-when-you-learn-to-dive.htm http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/5-skills-you-should-be-taught-when-you-learn-to-dive.htm#comments Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:34:42 +0000 admin http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/?p=100 It is now possible to learn to dive almost anywhere in the world. You can join a club, learn at a local dive centre, do a course on holiday, the possibilities for learning to dive are endless.

If you are considering learning to dive you may be wondering what it entails and what sort of skills you will have to learn, here are 5 of the skills that you will learn and that are essential to your safe diving future.

Skill number 1 Mask Clearing

Your mask is there to provide an air space for your eyes to work properly. If your mask fills up with water, or even if it comes off altogether, this should not be more than a minor inconvenience. During your course you will be shown how to quickly and easily clear water from your mask even it is completely flooded. You will also be taught how to remove and replace your mask underwater and even how to surface safely without a mask.

Skill number 2 Regulator Retrieval

Your regulator provides you with the air that you breath underwater. It is possible for your regulator to become dislodged, perhaps by a careless fin kick from another diver, and knowing how to easily retrieve it, no matter where it ends up, is simply a matter of the correct techniques that will be covered during your course.

Skill number 3 Out Of Air

Running out of air is not something that should ever need to happen barring equipment failures. Nevertheless you still need to know how to deal with an out of air situation should one arise. You will be taught skills including how to share air with another diver and also how to make a controlled emergency swimming ascent.

Skill number 4 Buoyancy Control

Diving should be effortless. A sense of weightlessness should enable you to position yourself wherever you want to be in the water column. In order to achieve this you will need to understand how to control your buoyancy. This will start with how to weight yourself properly and go on to cover how to use your Buoyancy Compensator (BC or BCD) and your own breathing to change you buoyancy underwater.

Skill number 5 Keep Breathing

OK, this one is more of a rule than a skill and it is one of the most important rules in SCUBA diving. You should keep breathing all of the time. Holding your breath while diving is dangerous as, if you should ascend while holding your breath, the expanding air in your lungs can cause injury. As it is possible to ascend without always being aware of it the rule of never hold your breath is a wise one.

There are other skills that you will learn including things about your equipment, how to ascend safely, how to calculate how much time you can spend underwater, how to navigate and more.

Visit us at http://www.infoSCUBA.com

If you are interested in SCUBA diving, want to know more about the basics, want to read equipment reviews or find out more about some of the greatest dive sites in the world.

Come to http://www.infoSCUBA.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ralph_Goldsmith

]]> http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/5-skills-you-should-be-taught-when-you-learn-to-dive.htm/feed 0 5 Places in the World to See Sharks http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/5-places-in-the-world-to-see-sharks.htm http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/5-places-in-the-world-to-see-sharks.htm#comments Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:32:58 +0000 admin http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/?p=97 If you love sharks, perhaps have a fascination with these fantastic predators, then one of the most remarkable things you can do is to actually interact with them in the wild. If you are a SCUBA diver there are lots of places in the world where it is possible to get up close and personal with sharks in their natural habitat – the ocean.

Here, in no particular order, are 5 places where this is possible and some of the highlights you can expect.

Number 1 the Bahamas

The shark highlight here has to be one of the organised shark feeds that allow you to have a remarkable encounter with a number of sharks all in one place. Caribbean reef sharks are the usual fish to be found in these shark encounters. Not the biggest or most aggressive by any means but when you have 20 or 30 of them swimming around you… Wow!

Number 2 the Maldives

There are some dives in the Maldives where sharks are just about guaranteed. White Tip and Black Tip Reef Sharks, Grey Reef and Silvertip sharks are all pretty easy to spot while diving in the Maldives. Some of the islands in the Maldives even have shallow lagoons that are used as nurseries by some of the local reef shark population. You may be able to snorkel with baby Black Tip Reef Sharks in less than a metre of water. How cool is that?

Number 3 Elphinstone Reef (Red Sea)

Elhinstone is best known for the opportunity to dive with the Oceanic White Tip Shark. The Oceanic White Tip is a large and powerful predator. All sharks need to be treated with respect but the Oceanic White Tip is justifiably considered one of the more dangerous sharks to be in the water with. Use common sense and obey some simple rules and you will be in for the experience of a lifetime.

Number 4 South Africa

Here you have the opportunity to experience the shark of most peoples’ nightmares. The Great White shark. This magnificent animal was the start of the film Jaws (sorry to all the human actors but it’s true) and in South Africa you can cage dive with these big powerful fish. Who remembers the line from the film? “you go in the cage, cage goes in the water, shark’s in the water.”

Number 5 Djibouti

Djibouti is a country on the Horn of Africa and here there is one of the best places in the world to encounter Whale Sharks. These gentle giants are the largest living fish in the oceans today and they can be seen year round in Djibouti, although they are more prevalent from October to February.

So, if you love sharks, if you want to get up close and personal, there a 5 places where you can.

If you are interested in SCUBA diving, want to know more about the basics, want to read equipment reviews or find out more about some of the greatest dive sites in the world then visit us at http://www.infoSCUBA.com.

If you love sharks, or you know someone who loves sharks, then come and look at what’s on offer at http://www.giftsforsharklovers.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ralph_Goldsmith

]]> http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/5-places-in-the-world-to-see-sharks.htm/feed 0 5 Things You Can Do to Be a Better Diver http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/5-things-you-can-do-to-be-a-better-diver.htm http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/5-things-you-can-do-to-be-a-better-diver.htm#comments Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:31:36 +0000 admin http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/?p=94 Divers who are new to the sport have only been taught the basics of diving. Just like learning to drive a car, it is when you start doing it on a regular basis that you start to really learn the skills that separate a novice diver from a great diver. Here are 5 areas to work on in your diving that will help you be a better diver. Number 1 Perfect Buoyancy Control The experienced diver can control their buoyancy effortlessly. They can hover in one place, sometimes only inches away from the bottom, without moving their fins or hands. Great buoyancy control comes with practice. Before you move on to more challenging dives, or take up underwater photography, take the time to really learn how to control your buoyancy. Number 2 Proper Weighting This one is critical for getting your buoyancy sorted out. You should always be properly weighted for each dive, which means you should be able to float with the waters surface at eye level, with no air in your BC or drysuit. Exhaling should enable you to gently sink. Number 3 Proper Trim The most efficient swimming position underwater is one that is completely horizontal. Not only is this more streamlined for less water resistance, but it also makes it much less likely that you will kick anything beneath you which could damage coral reefs and ruin visibility. Number 4 Different Fin Kicks We are normally taught to fin with a flutter kick. This involves moving the fins up and down in the water to provide thrust. It is worth learning a few more kicks such as the frog kick, the modified frog kick, the modified flutter kick and the backward kick which can all be valuable alternatives in different conditions Number 5 Keep It All Tidy So often we see divers that look like underwater Christmas Trees with bits of equipment dangling down all over the place. Make sure that everything is tucked away close to your body. Your gauges and secondary regulators, cutting tools, SMBs reels and anything else you carry should be tucked in to provide maximum streamlining and the minimise the chance of damaging coral, breaking equipment or even getting entangled Visit us at http://www.infoSCUBA.com If you are interested in SCUBA diving, want to know more about the basics, want to read equipment reviews or find out more about some of the greatest dive sites in the world. Come to http://www.infoSCUBA.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ralph_Goldsmith

]]> http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/5-things-you-can-do-to-be-a-better-diver.htm/feed 0 Scuba Diving Equipment For Beginners http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/scuba-diving-equipment-for-beginners.htm http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/scuba-diving-equipment-for-beginners.htm#comments Tue, 29 Jun 2010 22:07:23 +0000 admin http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/?p=90 You are all set to go undersea diving and experience the wonders of the deep blue ocean among sea turtles, whale sharks, manta rays, coral reefs and different types of fish. But before you finally decide to take that plunge, it is important to make sure that you have all the necessary equipment for scuba diving. When you hear the word ’scuba’, the most apparent things that may come to your mind are diving masks, snorkels and flippers, but there are more important things included in the list. In this article, we will learn more about the basics of scuba diving gear. Read on to make sure you have the proper scuba gear that you will need before you go on your undersea diving adventure.

Before you purchase any scuba diving gear and equipment, it is important that you make sure everything fits properly and comfortable. A wetsuit is that is too small or too big, or a diving mask that does not fit snugly can definitely make your dive less than pleasant. So when choosing your diving mask, you have to make sure it stays properly in place and you can see effectively behind the mask. Your snorkel should appropriately fit with the diving mask on, and it should be on your left side.

Next up, we will know more about the fins and the diving suit. Keep in mind that some fins require you to wear booties. Now you will want to look for either a drysuit or a wetsuit. A good diving suit should allow you to move freely, but at the same time should fit snugly against your body.

These are a few essential scuba diving gear. Next up, let us learn more about more complex scuba equipment. Along with your scuba diving gear, you will want to have a buoyancy control device or BCD. You will be needing this device as well as the regulator, air cylinder and weight system. The regulator is vital to your gear as this is the device that makes it possible for you to breathe underwater.

Each diving regulator should come equipped with a spare oxygen valve, commonly known as the octopus. When choosing scuba gear, you will want to look for a reliable brand, as your gear determines the safety and quality of your diving experience.

Last is the diving cylinder. You will want to get familiar with the cylinders weight and breathing capacity. You may also want to consider including a dive flag and float to your list of scuba gear, as some dive sites require these. After choosing the appropriate scuba gear, you can now start your undersea adventures and explore wonders beneath the oceans surface.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_Hemmings

]]> http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/scuba-diving-equipment-for-beginners.htm/feed 0 Naked Diving – Who’s Done it and Will Admit to It? http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/naked-diving-whos-done-it-and-will-admit-to-it.htm http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/naked-diving-whos-done-it-and-will-admit-to-it.htm#comments Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:39:46 +0000 admin http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/?p=55 The subject of diving naked often comes up in casual conversation. People generally scoff or find the idea funny – the sort of thing that can happen on an uninhibited last day of a liveaboard. We know the 100th dive tradition/ritual – diving buff. But how many people have actually done this (while they are constantly pestering others to do it)?

This is also found often as a pornographic niche – the cheap movies with the stories taking place in supposed exotic locations (but are actually filmed in someone’s back yard). Take the pretend-plot and token prop, the soundtrack with thumping dance music and the sexual orgy. But that’s not what we’re talking about here.

We’re not talking about a bunch of people larking about but about the serious pursuit of naked diving. Is this an activity common amongst divers? Is it growing in popularity? Some of us were dying to find out. We’re enlightened adults and support all activities that enhance life – without embarrassing others, right?

Naturism/nudism/clothing optional

Naturism is the celebration of living without the hindrance and inconvenience of clothing. Sure that sounds good. How does it work in scuba diving?

What’s good about nude diving?

Imagine, no neoprene rash, no fussing and struggling to squeeze into that old wetsuit that you bought before that weight gain.

But seriously, diving naked has some real virtues. For one thing, because there is no exposure suit between the elements and your skin, you must be extra cautious and practice good buoyancy control. If you are careless, you WILL feel that brush with fire coral or bump with the sea anemone. Too many divers use the wetsuit as their armour against their surroundings. Many dive sites ban the wearing of gloves because divers become more careless and too tactile with gloves. If wetsuits were banned, the diver-made damage to reefs will probably become a rarity.

Careful where you dive naked

Don’t do it where it’s physically dangerous or where local customs don’t take too kindly to these sorts of transgressions from the dress code.

In order to stay adequately warm for a typical dive – lets say 40 minutes – the water temperature would have to be 34C/F equivalent. Cold can be a hazard so beware of the signs of hypothermia.

Try it

There are resorts and dive operators who cater to this niche. A search online should yield up a list of choices for your next holiday if you’re feeling clothing optional.

Here is a quote from a Spanish naturist site, a warning about some hazards associated with nude diving:

“It is men who risk the only hazards unique to nude diving. Feeding fish is not recommended by male divers. More than one has reported being bitten on the male appendage by some fish that perceived it as a meal. Men are advised to protect themselves if surrounded by fish large enough to bite.”/blockquote>

Hmm. Makes sense. But surely, they’re being overly cautious? A male member isn’t unique in protruding. What about fingers or the nose?

As for me, I’ll stick to my wetsuit. I tend to get cold quickly and besides, there are plenty of opportunities to take it all off after the dives. Hail the hot tub and the apre dive activities.

If anybody out there’s a seasoned naturist diver or has tried it – as a sport and not in a pornographic video – please let us know.

If you found this useful, please see Sea Forever, a website dedicated to oceans and green living at http://www.sustainablewaters.com

Lou Kawakami is a consultant with a keen interest in the oceans and environmentally-friendly living. She has an extensive background in marketing, education and social policy. In addition, she is a scuba diving instructor who has travelled a bit.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lou_Kawakami

]]> http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/naked-diving-whos-done-it-and-will-admit-to-it.htm/feed 0 Safety Guidelines For Recreational Scuba Diving http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/safety-guidelines-for-recreational-scuba-diving.htm http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/safety-guidelines-for-recreational-scuba-diving.htm#comments Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:16:54 +0000 admin http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/?p=45 Scuba diving is a fascinating and thrilling recreational activity. The beauty of the underwater world can be explored in a safe way if you stick to some safe diving practices. The following list gives an overview about some of the most important rules.

1.) Be mentally and physically prepared for diving. This does not mean you need to be an Olympic athlete but general in good health. Don’t dive under the influence of drugs or medications and avoid alcohol before and between diving.

2.) Dive with appropriate equipment. Do not modify your BCD and Regulator and service them according to the manufacturer’s recommendation. Get familiar with your equipment and check it before each dive. This is even more important when using new or rental equipment.

3.) Wear an appropriate exposure suit for scuba diving. Getting cold while diving is not only inconvenient, it can be dangerous. When you are getting cold, signal your dive-buddy, aboard the dive, get out or your suit and seek warmth. Don’t get too early into your suit when diving in tropical regions. This can cause hyperthermia and worse a heat-stroke.

4.) Be familiar with the dive sites or get a formal die orientation conducted by a diver familiar with the dive-site. Listen carefully to the briefing of the dive guide when diving with a resort.

5.) Maintain the buddy system throughout your dive. Plan your dive together and dive your plan. Communicate with each other before and during the dive and reinforce the used underwater signals prior of diving.

6.) Check your air-gauge frequently and start a slow ascend (not faster than 18meter/60feet per minute) when reaching the agreed pressure.

7.) Do not exceed the limit of recreational diving. Use dive-tables or computer to plan your dive accordingly. Stay well within the limit and make a 5 minute safety stop on 5 meters/15 feet at the end of each dive.

8.) Dive within your limits, avoid overexertion and skip or abort the dive if necessary to avoid dangerous situations.

Maria has been writing articles for nearly 2 years. Her interests are outdoor activities. So come visit her latest website about wetsuits for kids that informs about styles and sizes to keep your kids safe and warm during wet outdoor activities.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maria_Santiago

]]> http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/safety-guidelines-for-recreational-scuba-diving.htm/feed 0 Wreck Diving in the Caribbean http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/wreck-diving-in-the-caribbean.htm http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/wreck-diving-in-the-caribbean.htm#comments Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:27:10 +0000 admin http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/?p=29

One of the best Caribbean wreck dives is the wreck of the C/S Charlie Brown on the island of Statia (St. Eustatius). Statia is only a quick 10 minute plane ride from Saba. I truly love vacationing on Saba. It is well away from the crowded reefs like Bloody Bay Wall on the Cayman islands or Palancar reef on Cozumel.

In its hay-day the C/S Charlie Brown spent almost 50 years lying fiber optic cable around the world. She was built in 1950 and is 327 feet long with a beam of about 41.4 feet.

The wreck of the Charlie Brown lies in 98 feet in water lying peacefully on its side. This wreck offers advanced divers, wreck divers, and underwater photographers the opportunity of a life time to watch everything from sea turtles to nudibranchs on the outside of the wreck.

For those of us who are more advanced, exploring the lone hallway that runs down the middle of the wreck is truly breathtaking. This hallway is wide open and runs about 120 feet through the wreck. Once inside you must visit the cable tanks and galley or move all the way forward to explore the reel room.

Unlike most wrecks the Charlie Brown was purposefully sank to form an artificial reef. But, she was not completely salvaged before the sinking. This now provides a look and feel of a real ship wreck.
Now, a little about how to get to Saba to start this dream vacation; Saba is what is called the Dutch Caribbean. The best way is to book your airfare to the island of St. Maarten. (SXM). Once you are on St. Maarten you will have two choices on getting to Saba:

* Take the Winair flight to Saba
* Take the 2 hour ferry to Saba.

Everything is really close. Saba is only 5 square miles while Statia is 8 square miles. You can get to most dive sites within 15 minutes. Saba is a volcanic island with spectacular lava tubes underwater. The best way to truly explore these Dutch islands is to start at Statia for a couple of days, then move on to Saba and end up at St. Maarten. St. Maartin has a great rain forest and this makes a great day to decompress after all of the diving.

For more information on scuba vacations, visit our website – http://www.scuba-info.com/Scuba-diving-vacation.html

Greg Deskin has been a PADI Course Director for over 12 years. With thousands of certified students, he has been asked many questions about scuba and scuba equipment. You can visit his scuba website at http://www.scuba-info.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Deskin

]]> http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/wreck-diving-in-the-caribbean.htm/feed 0 Aruba Scuba Diving – Wrecks for Your Dive Vacation http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/aruba-scuba-diving-wrecks-for-your-dive-vacation.htm http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/aruba-scuba-diving-wrecks-for-your-dive-vacation.htm#comments Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:23:58 +0000 admin http://www.hmcs-yukon.org/?p=24

While Aruba may be better known for its beaches and casinos, it is also a good destination for the scuba diver. In fact, Aruba was voted the second best wreck diving in the Caribbean by Rodale’s Scuba Diving Magazine in 2006. So if you like wrecks, you may want to consider a trip to Aruba. Plus, you can always check out those casinos and beaches in-between dives!

Location

Aruba is situated 15 miles off the coast of Venezuela and is about a 2 1/2 hour flight from Miami. Given its popularity with tourists, this is an easy island to get to with many direct flights from the US.

Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, all located off the coast of Venezuela, form the ABC islands. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and is now a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Geography

Aruba is easy to explore at just 20 miles long and 6 miles wide. Like it’s sister island, Curacao, its landscape is dotted with divi divi trees and cacti.

The highest elevation on the island is Yamanota Hill at just 617 feet. It’s located near the center of the island and you can visit it by car. The northeast coast is rugged with cliffs and pounding surf.

The real draw here is the southwest coast and its beautiful beaches. Of the 3 ABC islands, Aruba has the best beaches. The most famous is arguably Palm Beach and Eagle Beach, which together stretch for seven miles. It’s home to the majority of hotels on the island. When you see its beautiful powdery white sand, you’ll know why. It’s also where you’ll leave from for most of your Aruba diving.

Reefs and Rides

Most of the dive sites in Aruba are best accessed by boat. The vast majority of Aruba scuba diving sites are along the southwest coast of the island. The reef is located on the south end with many of the wrecks on the north end. Boat rides from shore to the sites are normally less than 15 minutes.

If you are staying toward the middle of the island and want to dive the north end, you may want to (have to) take a short van ride to the boat. This is what we did when we were staying at the Tarmarijn and dove the Antilla and Pedernales wrecks.

Diving

The best Aruba diving is wreck diving. While there are walls and reefs, they are generally not as good as those on its sister islands. On many of the dives you can check out both a wreck and a reef for the best of both worlds.

Aruba is currently working to preserve its reefs and to maintain the quality of Aruba diving. Preservation and educational programs have been started, including a reef clean-up program. Dozens of mooring buoys have been installed to protect the reefs and a marine park has also been established.

If you go to Aruba, I hope you have fun exploring the wrecks galore. I know many people that have fallen in love with Aruba and, who knows, you just may be the next.

Dianne Rein is an avid scuba diver and runs a scuba diving website at http://www.scuba-diving-smiles.com You can read her article on Aruba scuba diving on her website as well as reviews of Aruba dive sites

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dianne_Rein

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