We started diving a while back. The word diving is related to swimming underwater, and the word scuba is a short form for "self-contained underwater breathing apparatus" and it is satisfactory to refer to scuba diving equipment as "equipment", rig, or "apparatus".

So, we understand the word Scuba Diving as swimming underwater with special hardware.

When selecting a scuba mask it is important that it fits your face well to guarantee that it is both cosy and leak free. Without a good seal against the face you will spend much of your time clearing the mask of water, while a discomforting mask detracts from your diving experience ? Both lead to enjoying your dives less but because they distract you from your environment they are also probably dangerous.

When it comes to selecting scuba diving wetsuits, the thickness of the neoprene material, which is measured in millimeters, makes a difference in getting too hot or too cold, as well as durability. Short wetsuits that cover the torso have short sleeves and leggings and are way more cosy in hotter and more shallow water.

Other terms to realise are that "steamer" wetsuits are full suits that cover all but your head, feet and hands, while a "farmer John" suit has no sleeves and regularly is worn with a jacket. Dry suits have attached booties and watertight seals round the wrists and neck so you can wear thermal underclothes with them for heat.

Most scuba diving regulators are acceptable for roughly 40% nitrox without any alteration.

If you would like a higher o2 content then you want to go for a nitrox diving regulator - these are typically green to distinguish them and have been correctly cleaned. One other consideration is that you cannot use Nitrox with titanium diving regulators. So, the gas divers use from the tank is compressed standard air. Air is made of 78.084% of nitrogen, 20.946% of oxygen and 1% of other gases that have nearly no effect when respiring compressed air. Nitrogen under high pressure can temporally effect our frightened system and meddle with signal transmissions, causing at bigger depths ( thirty to forty meters / a hundred to 133 feet or more ) the condition known as nitrogen narcosis, that has similar effects as being under the influence of alcohol ( loss of decision making capacity, loss of focus, reduced judgment, multi tasking and coordination ). The only way to avoid nitrogen narcosis is for a diver to manipulate the depth of dives. If narcosis does occur, the effects vanish virtually instantly on rising to a more shallow depth.

Under stress nitrogen softens into body tissues and starts to collect. To by-pass the bends divers must minimize the water pressure slowly on the body at the end of the each dive. This will permit the gases surrounded in the bloodstream to gradually break solution and leave the body.

This is done by rising slowly and making safety stops or decompression stops using dive Computers or decompression tables for guidance. As you can see while scuba diving, divers are limited in time and depth thanks to the nitrogen in the air. For those divers that transcend 40 meters / 133 feet and for divers who require to spend lots of time under water, a different mixture of gases, training and equipment are required. The depth limit for recreational diving is between 30 to 40 meters / one hundred to 133 feet, but it also depends on the training and the gases used while underwater. Nuno Gomes ( S. A. ) now holds the world record for the deepest dive using scuba diving equipment.

The dive of 318 meters / 1044 feet beat the previous record set by the late John Bennet of 308 meters / 1016 feet ( confirmed ). The above records were set using ‘recreational’ SCUBA. What’s critical to remember that being underwater has bounds and dangers that pro divers are prepared to take. Dives between 5 to twenty meters / sixteen to 66 feet can show you the amazing world that was once explored by Cousteau. These depths have the advantage of that provides divers with better light, colours and sea life. Also in shallow dives you can breathe less air from the tank, making your dive longer and safer.

Dive Safe out there, will you?

Tell me what you think of this article by commenting below. I will be tickled to answer any questions that you may have!