Many scuba divers enjoy cave diving. This specialized form of scuba diving involves exploring natural or created caves that have water inside. Some are completely submerged in water and others are partially filled with water. While exploring caves through scuba diving is thrilling and exciting, the wise scuba diver understands there are risks involved and respects the potential of them.

One of the most enjoyable things about exploring caves through cave diving is the ability to see nature in a way it simply hasn’t been seen by many. Getting into the cave often presents divers with a challenge – but the pleasure of seeing sea creatures and natural plants and minerals inside can be unlike any other experience. Many cave diving jaunts let scuba divers enjoy seeing stalactites and stalagmites, something you simply won’t see during many scuba diving experiences. So it is easy to understand why so many scuba divers long to do cave diving – even though it does have its risks and the scuba diver must be quite skilled.

A great challenge with cave diving is that during an emergency the scuba diver can not rise to the cave’s ceiling to find a clear surface – they simply find the ceiling of the cave. Getting in and out of the cave may take considerable time and in an emergency situation this can be troublesome and quite stressful. Every scuba diver must be sure their equipment is working properly before undergoing cave diving. Especially their oxygen tank. Otherwise they are taking on additional risks doing a cave diving that they simply shouldn’t have to. Only experienced scuba divers should do cave diving.

Some caves also have minimal or no light in parts of them or the entire cave. For a diver this can be a potential hazard. The scuba diver must be well skilled and very aware of their surroundings. Caves often have natural plants and minerals growing in them, so the scuba diver must also be aware of where these things are as they make their way through the cave.

The wise scuba diver always knows the limits of their abilities. Especially while undergoing cave diving, this is a critical skill. While it can be a pleasure to explore a cave, you don’t want to go too deep or too far before you a ready. Or perhaps you want to improve your scuba diving skills before you enter the cave this very first time.

Guide lines are used with teams who enter caves. Especially when a certified diver is leading non certified divers into a cave for exploration. By using a guide line in the cave, the line is tied at a second point inside the cave. Should the group separate somehow, the lost scuba diver can use the guide line to leave the cave.

Cave diving can be pleasurable and fun. It is important to be safe and practical while cave diving. The smart scuba diver is cautious so they can continue to enjoy scuba diving again and again.

Scuba diving is a fun and exciting sport. But the smart scuba diver is a safe one. There are some hazards related even to simple scuba diving. Breathing underwater is not something humans do naturally and breathing out of a tank needs to be done properly. One of the top risks scuba divers need to look for is oxygen toxicity.

Oxygen toxicity happens when the oxygen in the body is higher than a safe “partial pressure.” In a serious case it affects the central nervous system and can cause a seizure. When this happens, the scuba diver often has a seizure underwater and drowns unless they are rescued somehow. Scuba divers must understand that oxygen toxicity is often preventable as long as you don’t exceed the established maximum depth of a breathing gas. When scuba divers do deep dives of over 180 feet, they use “hypoxic blends” that actually have less oxygen than atmospheric air. Taking these precautions can keep a scuba diver from getting oxygen toxicity.

The most important thing for a scuba diver to know are their abilities and limitations. It can be very exciting to go out scuba diving and anyone can be tempted to do more than they intended on doing. But your equipment and skills are only prepared for certain purposes and you must be patient and respect where you are right now. In the future you could be a skilled deep diver but don’t risk making that deep dive before you are ready. Learn the skills you need so you don’t risk oxygen toxicity.

Taking scuba classes and private lessons can help to improve your skills. Getting certified in your skills is also important. It means that you know how to do certain things and it permits you to do different types of scuba, dives and have fun adventures. But remember that it also means that people expect you to know to recognize the signs for oxygen toxicity. As you develop your skills you still must look out for the early signs of oxygen toxicity and other precautions or hazards that can affect a scuba diver as they dive.

Many scuba divers dive regularly with no worry of oxygen toxicity or other hazards. But often this is because they are cautious and understand that these hazards do exist. They keep their eyes out for any signs of trouble, always knowing that they could occur. The scuba diver who thinks that oxygen toxicity would never occur for them is the one who may be more at risk – for they probably don’t know their limitations and true abilities. Enjoy the sport of scuba and be safe during every scuba dive.

Many scuba divers want to have the excitement and thrill of scuba diving with sharks. There’s nothing like the experience of scuba diving with sharks. To watch that large shark calmly glide on by you as you stand on the ocean’s floor. Or to watch the sharks from the safety of a shark cage – knowing that only a few bars of metal stand between you and those enormous sharks.

There are a few popular places you can swim with the sharks. If you want to do this controversial scuba diving activity, it is best to go with a specific lead group that takes you to swim with the sharks. They will take you to a location they have been before where the sharks have been calm and they feel it is safe to take you. Remember to follow all of the group’s rules as sharks are predatory creatures. While sharks don’t immediately attack humans, we all know that sharks have certainly done so. You don’t want to do something to encourage a shark attack – on yourself or the entire group.

Good scuba skills are important if you want to swim with the sharks. This is an exciting experience but also can be considered dangerous. You don’t want to be swimming with the sharks if you are still getting used to your equipment or don’t know how deep you can dive. A scuba diver should feel confident in their diving skills and abilities before adding something as intimidating as live sharks into a scuba diving experience.

Research any group you want to dive with carefully. Many groups will have websites and/or brochures so you can learn about their shark scuba dives. Ask them how long they have done this. How many shark dives they do a day or a week? If they have had any sharks get too close and what they do about it. Ask what they do in the case of a shark attack. Feel comfortable with their questions and then decide if you want to do the shark scuba dive.

Here are some of the most popular places to scuba dive with sharks. As you’ll see, there are locations all over the world. So there is certain to be one near you – waiting for you to enjoy that shark scuba dive!
South Africa. In South Africa you’ll find many great white sharks, especially in their Shark Alley. It is thought there are more sharks there than anywhere else in the world.

Galapagos Islands. Many different sharks here, from Hammerheads, Silky sharks and Whale sharks.

The Bahamas
There are many sharks here in the Bahamas. Find Tiger sharks, Hammerhead sharks and Lemon sharks to name a few.

Guadalupe Island (Mexico). Scuba dive with the sharks here and you’ll find many great white sharks.

A popular activity for scuba divers is taking underwater photography. What could be more enjoyable than taking underwater photographs – so you could relive your favorite dives again and again? Capturing fish, sea creatures and the beauty of the ocean with your camera! Whether you are new to scuba diving or an experienced scuba diver, underwater photography can be an ideal hobby.

Many consider underwater photography a bit challenging as you have to use very specific equipment. You can’t just take your everyday camera down on your next scuba dive and have successful results! The scuba diver who wants to do underwater photography must have an underwater camera and accessories for their underwater camera. But with your underwater camera you can take beautiful underwater photography for your friends and family to enjoy.

The depth of the water can at times cause a challenge with contrasting colors. Colors can appear quite similar – especially if you don’t have the proper underwater camera and equipment. Today’s underwater cameras are far better than yesterday’s. Camera technology keeps improving and scuba divers can enjoy these great benefits. But the scuba diver who wants to do underwater photography will want to be sure the underwater camera can handle going to the depths they expect to go. Or even a little farther, as that scuba diver’s skills may develop farther and they’ll certainly want to take pictures as they go.

Every photographer knows that to get a good photograph, you need to be close enough to your subject. But in the underwater environment, sometimes this is not a safe choice. The smart scuba diver must understand that sometimes not getting the photograph is the best decision. It would be nice to have that photograph of something you see in the deep of the ocean but if it is a predator like a shark – it may not react well when your camera flash goes off. The scuba diver must always keep in mind their environment as well as their equipment.

The scuba diver must also be aware of their environment and equipment while taking photographs. Don’t let yourself get so caught up in taking photographs that you don’t realize the depth you have ascended to or the time that has passed. A scuba diver must always be aware. They also must be aware of the sea creatures that are around you. No scuba diver needs a predator like a shark to notice them when they are taking photographs of coral and haven’t realized they have been noticed. Taking photographs quickly and moving on is an important skill. The wise scuba diver learns to develop their photography skills on land so they are even more successful with underwater photography.

If you are a scuba diver you may enjoy night diving. Night diving is a unique skill for recreational divers. You dive at night when it is dark. Although it is dark, divers often say they see more and have a great experience because many sea creatures are nocturnal and only come out at night. Because it is night time, the scuba diver must be very aware of their surroundings and pay attention to even smaller things they might otherwise easily see during daytime hours.

Night diving is popular for its unique perspective. To see sea life during its natural habitat and especially to see many creatures a scuba diver wouldn’t otherwise see is very tempting for many divers. But the scuba diver must be skilled to manage night dives. A beginning scuba diver is probably not quite ready to manage a night dive. Safety during night diving is very important, as not having light makes many things a potential hazard that otherwise wouldn’t be troublesome.

The night diver must bring light with them, most carry a diving torch. There have been situations where the diving torch has failed during a night dive, causing the scuba diver to be in darkness. Diving as a team or in a group is most useful especially when diving at night.

Some night divers have had trouble reading their instruments, an important factor for any scuba diver. Having enough light on the boat and during your dive is critical to a successful and safe night dive experience.

The scuba diver at night in the dark can also become confused about which direction is up. If they are in complete darkness, they can head down while thinking they are rising to the surface. This can cause to be troublesome. This is one of the practical hazards of night diving for the scuba diver.

While there are hazards and challenges with night diving, many do enjoy night dives. They say it is a unique way to see the ocean and see life you simply wouldn’t see otherwise. When taking practical safety precautions you can have a good night dive experience.

Being a skilled scuba diver is best for the night dive. Imagine doing anything in the dark – it becomes more difficult, doesn’t it? Especially if that skill involves being able to read instruments and has hazards that can put you in life threatening situations. The confident and skilled scuba diver will be far more comfortable with night diving than the one new to scuba diving.

Commercial diving is a specific skill a scuba diver can achieve. This is when a diver becomes a professional diver, doing scuba diving for a company. The scuba diver who is doing commercial diving uses specialized equipment and follows specific regulations for commercial divers!

If you are passionate about scuba diving, it is natural to think about wanting to be a commercial diver. You are probably very good at scuba diving and enjoy doing this more than anything in the world. It makes perfect sense you would want to make a career out of commercial diving. There are companies that use commercial divers for all sorts of purposes. This very well may be your chosen career. If you have a love of scuba diving and the ability to develop your technical skills, this is an ideal choice for many.

There are a variety of fields that use commercial divers regularly. Offshore diving is a place where many new commercial divers begin. This helps to maintain the oil platforms and underwater structures that are built for offshore rigs. Expect to work long hours with few days off and to often live on the actual platform during the time you are working for the company. Inland and onshore diving is used to inspect structures like bridges and dams. Commercial divers may dive very deep to do these inspections. But these divers often work more typical hours and can commute from their homes. HAZMAT diving is commercial diving into raw sewage or chemicals. It is for very experienced divers. Nuclear diving is commercial diving where the scuba diver must learn precautions about the exposure of radiation. Commercial divers are also used by the media for television and movies. The military uses commercial divers.

It is easy to see that commercial diving is a hard working, high stress field. But it is certainly a fast paced and interesting type of work. Especially if you enjoy diving, the choice to be a commercial diver can be one for many scuba divers. There are a variety of fields the commercial diver can work in. The scuba diver who enjoys underwater photography may hope to become a commercial diver for the movies or television. Your passions, interests and specialties can lead you to the best industry for you to be a commercial diver.

As more concern for our environment grows, the need for commercial divers may also grow. Recent oil spills and other environmental concerns can cause an awareness of the commercial diver and what they do. This is an important job that helps many. The commercial diver often can be where others simply cannot. They are doing something that many also can’t.

Decompression sickness is a common concern for every scuba diver. Otherwise known as “the bends,” the scuba diver has decompression sickness when dissolved gasses come out of a solution into bubbles inside the body on depressurization. Decompression sickness can have very mild symptoms at first but can be very serious and can cause death if not addressed properly. Knowing how to handle decompression sickness is simply part of being a scuba diver. If you want to be a scuba diver, whether for recreation or commercial purposes – you need to understand that decompression sickness exists and to protect yourself from getting it.

Decompression sickness is treated by a hyperbaric oxygen therapy in a re compression chamber. When it is treated quickly, there is a better chance of a good recovery.

These bubbles can occur anywhere in the body. The most popular places are in the shoulders, elbows, knees and ankles. Often scuba divers will experience joint pain or shoulder pain. It is often a deep pain, sometimes it is mild and other times it is more severe. At other times it is a dull ache.

The beginning scuba diver must be made aware that decompression sickness exists and to be on the lookout for any aches or pains. If they feel differently or at all unusual as they are scuba diving, they should know how to handle the situation. Decompression sickness at times can be mild and other times can be serious. But each time it is best if it is treated quickly for best results.

Some scuba divers wind up enjoying themselves and don’t notice how they feel or how deep they have dived to. This can have serious consequences when it comes to decompression sickness. The smart scuba diver understands they must always be aware of how they feel and to only dive to depths they know they can handle. A scuba diver is certified to dive to different depths. Read your instruments regularly and see how deep you are going so you are sure you don’t go too deeply.

Paying attention to safety precautions during scuba lessons or scuba excursions is important. If your instructor or leader advises you about something, pay attention because they are certainly more skilled than you are. You don’t want to get decompression sickness. Before you take scuba lessons or go on an excursion make sure they can handle someone who has decompression sickness. They should have a plan for someone with decompression sickness as handling this situation quickly will often have the best results.

Many scuba divers enjoy wreck diving. This is not a skill for beginning scuba divers. You must take specific courses to be certified in wreck diving. For those scuba divers, wreck diving is a unique opportunity to learn about history and to discover something on the ocean’s floor that many simply haven’t seen before. But it is a very specific skill and must be learned properly. Do not attempt a wreck dive without the necessary skills and training.

There are many temptations and excitements when the thought of exploring a wreck on the ocean’s floor comes to the mind of a scuba diver. Wrecks often draw marine life and this is an opportunity to see them in their naturally created habitat. The wreck diving is also very appealing to scuba divers who like underwater photography, as they can take pictures of the wreck. Some may long to take something from the wreck itself and to bring it up to remember their trip. Note: there are laws and regulations about this, please pay attention to them.

Wreck diving is a new and challenging skill for any scuba diver. Often this means achieving deep diving to a new level. It also means diving into an enclosed area. Scuba divers should be careful diving into a wreck, as they don’t know the environment and will want to take precautious about possible sea life that now live in there or objects they can come across and can knock into or the potential of doors that don’t open. It is the skilled diver who undertakes wreck diving.

Scuba divers should also be careful of the potential of getting lost in the wreck. Some wrecks are large. Remember to scuba with a group and to stay in touch with each other at all times. Be cautious and to stay safe. Parts of the wreck may have rusted out and are no longer stable and secure. There are quite a few practical hazards when it comes to wreck diving. That being said, wreck diving can still be a pleasurable and fun activity. It is important to take the proper precautions and to be a skilled scuba diver.

Taking a wreck diver course is an excellent step in your wreck diving scuba skills. Don’t attempt wreck diving without one of these courses, as you’ll learn many of the hazards and skills you’ll need to fully enjoy wreck diving. Some scuba divers may also need to learn to dive to deeper levels to do wreck diving, depending on where the wreck is.

Don’t take things from wreck diving experiences, in most countries these wrecks are protected from salvage. Simply enjoy your dive and take photographs if you want to remember your experience with a souvenir.

Drift diving is a popular form a scuba diving. During this type of scuba diving, the scuba diver is using the currents of the river or ocean to move. Scuba divers find drift diving a lot of fun because they can go long distances underwater. Sometimes the scuba diver can actually feel as if they are flying through the ocean or river. They have the ability to see more sea creatures or sea life than they would in a single location through drift diving. But this is not for the beginning scuba diver. This is an advanced scuba diving skill that takes practice and knowledge.

When drift diving, a scuba diver should always have a boat following them. It is also best to use a buoy on the surface to mark where they are. Drift diving is best as a team activity. To drift dive you’ll want to have experience scuba diving in open water and this is a specialized skill. A scuba school can train you to do drift diving and to learn open water skills, often at the same time. Don’t drift dive until you understand how to scuba dive in the open water – as this environment is unique. Many enjoy drift diving specifically for this open water experience and the ability to “fly” through it.

Drift diving is not for everyone. This will appeal to scuba divers who like unique and active sports. With drift diving you don’t have the ability to explore your environment underwater at your leisure, something many scuba divers prefer to do. This drift diving is more about seeing many more areas and flying through the water! It can be a fun experience but you won’t see lots of small details doing drift diving.

The scuba diver doing drift diving should also understand where the currents of water are, whether they are in an ocean or the river. You don’t want to wind up in slack water or in a tidal stream. Scuba divers especially want to avoid being pulled into heavy traffic areas like shipping lanes. The smart scuba diver carries both a compass and something to use to signal others with.

Understand the habitat you are drift diving into and the potential hazards that may exits. If there are sharks in the area or other predators, it is best to know about them or their favorite spots. If there is sharp coral or stinging jellyfish, it is ideal to know about this as well. The drift diver will come across their habit quickly and need to respond just as quickly. The more you know about the habitat you are entering, the better prepared you will be for what you come across as you drift dive.

One of the challenging things to do when picking out equipment is to pick out the right mask. There are so many choices and so many brands. I’m going to try to break it down and help you pick out the right mask for you.  A scuba mask is a very important piece of equipment it lets you see the underworld of the water. Your eyes aren’t meant to see in water only in air. So you must bring the air with you so you will be able to see.

I wanted to give you a quick guide on different kinds of masks out there.

Shapes – There are so many different shapes of Mask out there. It all pretty much comes down to personal preference.

Single Lens Mask – They have one large piece of glass which offers a wider angle of view range compared to most mask. They have a better chance of breaking in gear bags. Because of the larger piece of unsupported  glass in the middle.

Double Lens Mask – With two separate pieces of glass to view out of. They have a slight loss of view in the middle. But it doesn’t make that much of a difference.  They are a bit stronger compared to the singles lens mask because they have more support around the lens.

Frame less Mask – It is a mask that is a fairly new design that takes the lens and makes it the structural body. You get a larger range of view. And also a lighter mask, but you have a higher chance of breaking the lens in storage because of the larger area of unsupported glass.

Low Profile -  Any of the above masks can be low profile. It is just a modern way to make the profile as low as possible. Having a low profile mask makes it easier to clear because there is less air inside of the mask.  When designers make the mask low profile they usually accomplish this by bringing the mask closer to the person’s face.

Materials – The material of a mask can be a very important factor in deciding which mask is for you. Some people are irritated by certain materials so you might want to avoid them if you are.

• Plastic - Used to be the standard in making masks. They would use plastic in the skit of the mask (the piece that comes in contact with your face). Plastic is really flexible and can be very uncomfortable. Only the cheapest masks are still made with plastic. Pick a mask with plastic with you don’t like comfort.
• Silicone – Is used on most modern masks. Silicone is soft, stretchy, cheap and durable. Silicone is used to make the skirt and the strap.
• Glass – Almost every single mask on the market is made with glass for the viewing window. Glass provides better visibility then plastics with maintaining its strengths. The glass used in masks is tempered so that is prevents shattering. If you have bad eye sight like me,  and you don’t want to wear contacts.  Then you can get prescription lenses put into your mask.

Straps – A good strap is key in having a great mask. The strap must be easy to adjust and comfortable.

• Silicone – Almost all the masks out there have silicone straps. And for good reason silicone is very stretchy and comfortable to wear. Most masks on the market have a ratcheting system. Which makes life a lot easier then it was before.

Covers – A cover on your mask to put on your mask is a personal preference. I love my cover on my mask, it makes the mask so much more comfortable. For me when I don’t have a cover on the strap sometimes my hair will be pulled by the silicone strap when I am taking the mask off.  Neoprene seems to be the material used in most covers. There are 100′s of different covers out there. They all pretty much do the same thing. So just pick one that you think looks good.

Fit – After you of chosen what type of mask you want. The most important thing is the fit of the mask. If your mask doesn’t fit your face right you will always flood your mask. You will not enjoy diving at all.

Fitting Your Mask – First thing you want to do is take your mask and move the mask to the front. Now tilt your head back and press the mask to your face. There should be a pretty good suction on your face. Now put your head back to where it was and see if it stays on. If it does then great you found the mask for you. If it doesn’t  it isn’t the mask for you or if you have facial hair that could be the reason for not getting a good seal. Make sure it is comfortable and your field of view is good.

Care – You are going to want to take care of your mask. To make it last as long as possible. Clean with clean water after your dives and clean off any debris that is left after the dive.

Defog Your Mask – When you first get a mask you are going to want to defog it. All masks fog up so your best bet to combat this is to get a solution that defogs it.  Get a defogging spray and spray some around then rinse it off. There you go no more fog, also you can also use your spit. Just spit into your mask and rub it around. Then rinse it off, your spit works and its free. But defogging solutions tend to last longer. Also when you first get your new mask you are going to want to do this. Get toothpaste and rub the inside and outside of the lens. Rub for about 5 minutes then rinse. Repeat this process 3 to 5 times. This process of rubbing toothpaste removes a protective film that the manufacture puts on to protect the lens.

Storing Your Mask – The single best place to store your mask is in the container that it came with. They usually come with a pretty solid plastic container. Make sure your mask is dry before you put it in there.