Snorkels

So two years ago during our dive master program we have to swim a really long way (800 yards? I don't remember) with nothing but mask, fins, and snorkel (face in the water the whole time). My snorkel has been crappy ever since a piece of sand damaged the bottom flow out valve (a little plastic disk) and it breathes very wet if you can breathe at all. You suck in for air very mindful to check if it really is air or you are filled up with water. Obviously, not the kind of snorkel you want to have to depend on for a very long, exhausting, timed swim.

Well, snorkels are not cheap. And I had just learned all about dead air. So I, trying to be smart, head to Dollar General and buy myself a dollar snorkel. It didn't stop there. I then CUT the snorkel down even further to reduce the dead air space.

The day came and I was ready for the swim. Hubby and I set off and I got about 20 yards and had to stop because I COULD NOT BREATHE AT ALL!!! I told him to go on and he did. I swam back and cheered him on. In the meantime, I'm searching for a snorkel to borrow so I can complete this "event."

So he finishes and I, with my borrowed snorkel and amid jeers and howls of laughter from others at my original makeshift snorkel, begin again, because I finally was able to catch my breath.

So a couple weeks ago, my students had given me a gift certificate for a local scuba store. I bought myself a real snorkel and I have to tell you, I like it. I can breathe :)

Geez have I died????

Nothing much new to post on the the scuba blog. Not sure what happened to my excitement. Lack of owning an island maybe?

Video of my Very First Scuba Dive (Discovery Dive)

This video was shot on my first ever Discovery Dive (before I had even thought of becoming certified.) You can tell I am not certified as I am diving- I was pretty nervous. I'm the one in the yellow headband holding on to the divemaster for dear life. Nowadays, the roles are reversed! :)

This dive was on the north shore of Jamaica in 1999, near Runaway Bay.

Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbPHAJfapQ4

Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOJP0qe4K5Q

Shore Duty

The large rock you see in the pic is the place where I spent most of my shore duty. It offers an excellent vantage point to see all the groups of bubbles.


As we went through the majority of our divemaster training last year, there was a nice group of us that got along very well. We rode together, chatted, shared the work and struggles.

Often when we arrived at the dive site, there were three or four of us, which was way more than needed for the actual classes, so we would switch off and rotate. Which meant someone was always pulling "shore duty."

Most of the people I dove with weren't crazy about shore duty, but I have to tell you, it has it's own responsibilities and perks.

Perk #1 - you can listen to music and be in the sun getting a tan


Perk #2 - you can get a drink, go to the bathroom, etc. (VERY quickly)





NOT a perk #1 - you better be keeping an eye on all sets of bubbles to make sure no one gets separated


NOT a perk #2 - you gotta watch the sky and be ready to head out with rocks to bang if a storm is coming/lightning, etc.


NOT a perk #3 - you better know your first aid/CPR/rescue stuff really well because YOU are gonna be the one in charge if there is a problem


NOT a perk #4 - if someone is shaky underwater and they come out, you need to know how to talk to them and help them through whatever it was that they couldn't work out the first time


NOT a perk #5 - it gets awfully hot when you are out of the water


NOT a perk #6 - know gear - how to adjust it, fix it, replace it, or find another one so whoever came out can finish up with an enjoyable dive


NOT a perk #7 - help the instructor, help your other dive buddies, and help the students get in and out of the water, take gear off and on, etc.

So while no really likes to go diving without ending up in the water, shore duty is pretty important. So the new term for shore duty? Land diving.

Jellyfish

Let's talk about that dreaded animal that all midwesterners fear and know of. The jellyfish.
I think it's so high on everyone's list because EVERYONE knows about them. Swimmers, little children, old people, etc. And everyone knows someone who got stung by one on a vacation.

So my very first experience with jellyfish happened when I was NOT swimming or scuba diving. I was, well, trying to relieve myself. Here's the whole story.

We were in Jamaica, staying at an all inclusive, which among other things that they tell you are included, a nightly drunkeness is included. We were walking on the beach, far from the hotel and really anyone. Of course, I had to go to the bathroom.

Being kinda a country girl and used to going into the river on float trips, I waded out into the ocean just over knee high. Hubby followed to relieve himself too.

No problems. Until we got back to the shore and headed off walking again.

We both felt like our legs were on fire. We hadn't seen a thing. I itched so bad and nothing would relieve it. I rubbed sand on my legs to get it scratched really well. (Realize we had no idea why we were itching so bad - we suspected sand fleas or something like that) Nothing worked.

The next morning we talked to the dive shop guys about it and they laughed (of course). They explained that it was more than likely we had been in a group of tiny baby jellyfish, which are attracted to the shore lights at night. We should NOT have rubbed sand on our legs, as that probably just made it worse.

So the best bet for jellyfish that they suggested? Douse the area in fresh cool water. And of course if you don't have that, try rum. It seems rum is a cure all in Jamaica. Cure's a hangover, cure's an ailment, and I'll bet if you had enough it would cure a broken arm - or at least make you forget you had one :))

Another night (different vacation) we went on a night dive. We had extremely strict instructions to not turn our lights on within 15 feet of the surface (we didn't need to anyway because it was so bright out). They explained that we would attract jellyfish when we surfaced. They also explained that the boat lights would attract jellyfish too, so we needed to be on the lookout as we surfaced.

This, folks, is one of the best reasons to always wear a full wetsuit, or at least a dive skin, even in warm water. It just saves your skin.

Anyway, of course someone, despite the warnings, ended up getting stung by a jellyfish as we were waiting to get back onto the boat after the dive. The person followed all the directions. Even had on a full dive suit. But didn't really pay attention when surfacing and ended up getting stung on the neck and face.

It turned red and blotchy but they were fine the next day.

Another hint I read about said to apply meat tenderizer to the stung area. I don't know if this actually works but I do take some with us every time we visit the ocean. (Yeah right, like there won't be any rum around!)

The Weather

The good thing about diving is that you can do it in the rain. You can do it when the weather stinks and you can't lay in the pool and sunbathe. Unless of course, it is a thunderstorm and there is lightning. That's a whole separate ball game. GET OUT!

But anyway, the problem is, we have had SO MUCH rain that the sun hasn't had a chance to shine. Therefore, here it is in June, and the water temp is still COLD!

I heard that the last weekend in May the one spot we went to a lot last year (Rolla Quarry) was 59*. Sorry folks. I don't find that enjoyable.

So until we start getting some sun and warmer weather, I'm a landloving mermaid.

Oh, and if it sounds like I am whining, moaning, and complaining, you're right. I am!

Not Really About Diving

So I posted a while back about being in the dunk tank. Here it is - my maiden foray, pre-wetness.

I took a while to curl my hair that day and then walked around telling my students I spent 5 hours doing it to entice them to come try and dunk me.

One little "darling" who wasn't my student, was first up. She got mad that she didn't hit it and ran and pushed the lever. My students were SOOO mad! And I didn't blame them.

Anyway, it ended up I didn't need the wetsuit - one of the parents had used the school's hot water heater and tapped into that water. It was like a sauna. But what else was I gonna wear???

But at least I dug it out, along with the boots - it hurts to fall into that thing with bare feet!

I can officially now call myself a "dunkee."

My First Aid Kit List for Diving

Geez - has it been that long???

Ah, well. I'm just going to ease back in here.

Let's talk about one of my favorite things - safety and first aid. (No, really, it is.)

I thought I would share what I take on a fresh water (not overnight) dive in the first aid kit. (Yes, there's more for salt water and overnights)

1. tweezers

2. Benadryl or some form of it.

3. eye drops

4. ear drops

5. q tips

6. neosporin

7. bactine (gotta love that stuff)

8. liquid bandaid (comes in a bottle like nailpolish and is great for in the water)

9. regular bandaids in assorted sizes

10. roll of gauze

11. a bandage wrap (like for sprained ankles)

12. scissors

13. needle (for splinters - no I am not about to sew anyone up)

14. ibuprofen, tylenol, and regular aspirin

15. antidiarhea pills and or gas ex

16. something to soothe the stomach, like pepto or tums

17. oragel swabs

18. something for bee and wasp stings

19. cotton balls

20. baby wipes

21. rescue mask!!!

22. plastic gloves

Most of these are self-explanatory. A lot of goofy stuff can happen when you are on land, or in the water for that matter. I personally would rather be prepared for the small stuff than have to cut diving short because you have to drive to the nearest drug store for something. Do I think I am a bit overprepared? Yes. But I don't mind and it's there if I ever need it. And it's not like it takes up that much space. Besides, when you prepare for it, it usually doesn't happen.

As a side note, we always pack a roll of toilet paper too. You never know - where you're going might be out (or completely water logged).

Check It Out

I found this cute little place for animated gif's of scuba stuff and thought I would share it for those who are interested!

http://www.rufer.net/Divers.htm

A Good Use for the Wetsuit

I did it. I am now officially one of the dunkees at the school carnival.

I have never done this dunking booth thing. I'm actually quite excited to see what it is like. But I told them I would be wearing a wetsuit. The thought of wearing anything else in front of all the parents and my young students would be extremely frightening.

And speaking of frightening, I don't want to scare the kiddies either, so plan to get a tan on my face and dig out the waterproof mascara. I think the hair is a total wash since NO ONE has come up with some cute diving thing for hair. Maybe I should borrow a wig too!

I can only hope they fill it with warm water, but I think that is an awful lot to expect. The weather prediction isn't great either, so I am hoping I can get by with the 3mil. I might be layering a shorty over it if necessary. I guess I'll wear the boots and take the gloves, just in case. I wonder, would it be worker's comp if I got frostbite and lost a finger? Ha.

Just an FYI

I'm still here. Haven't drowned. At least not in water.

Scuba Storage

All righty then. You got the gear? And of course, then you got more gear. Then you bought some goodies that you didn't need but really wanted. Then you bought some duplicates incase something went bad, you wanted to be prepared. And of course, there are TWO divers in the house, not just one.

So then what? Build on an extra room for storage???

In the beginning, storage was a MAJOR problem for us so we had to limit what we bought. Then we got a bigger apartment and had a two car garage, so we felt unlimited.

Despite finally having a place to put everything, we struggled as we would pack to leave for diving. What to do with it all? We didn't need something so fancy as a nice big piece of luggage because we weren't flying and the stuff would sit wet in it.

So we opted for a PERFECT solution. We went and got a rubbermaid tote. The biggest they make. It has wheels on one end. And it holds EVERYTHING but our tanks - for two people! We can even throw our wet suits and wet swimming suits and towels in it and drive home in comfy dry warm clothes.

What's in our tote?

2 bc's

2 weight belts with weights

2 sets of fins (and of course he wears xl so they are super long)

2 regulators with octos

2 3mm wetsuits

2 pair of boots

2 pairs of gloves

2 sets of slates

2 inflatables (orange ones)

1 flashlight (long story - don't ask)

2 knives

1 repair kit (extra straps, flaps, velcro, tools, etc)

bag of ziploc baggies

1 spare air

1 tarp

Yep. It all fits. And while it is heavy when you have to lift it into the truck/car (like I do that, yeah right) I can easily roll it on the ground AND carry a lounge chair :)

It was one of the best things we ever bought for diving. And in the off season, it is sealed and stored in the garage all nice and neat, out of the way. So if you are having problems with storage, check into it.

Scuba Diving Clothing

I'm having trouble getting started with this blog. I want it to be about scuba diving and clothing but I don't want it to sound weird, risque, or anything else that might cause PADI to want to revoke my scuba license :)

On vacation in the warm waters, the thought has crossed my mind about scuba diving nude. Not for any sexual reason, just to see what it is like. To be more like the fish and such. To be more natural in the underwater environment.

Then there are times when I just want to wear a swimsuit and look cute, without all the wetsuit bulk. I hate wearing t-shirts while diving - it just kinda ruins the whole look, even though this is very popular resort dive wear.

I once heard it was a custom/tradition to dive naked on your 100th dive. Any one else heard this? I think I am getting close to 100 (or I might be a bit over) but the water around here just wouldn't allow that. I'd get really cold, even in the heat of the summer.

Ahh, warm waters to dive in. You just can't beat it.

Washing the Wetsuit; Getting Rid of the Funk

Sometimes just the rinse with the hose isn't enough. Maybe I didn't let it dry completely. Maybe it sat partially damp in the dive trunk. Maybe the water was unusually foul. Maybe they just got really muddy and mucky.

And then there are those stinky boots. WHO KNOWS what might be lingering in those!

But sometimes, these things (all this neoprene stuff) gets to stinkin'. Funky ick.

They make special rinse agents you can buy at the dive shop. But I am not into that kinda specialized stuff - I like things to be all purpose.

Here's what I do: (and of course, it is in the form of a list - would you expect anything else??)

1. Load up ALL the neoprene stuff (wetsuits, boots, gloves, hoods, etc) and fasten every zipper and piece of velcro perfectly secure.

2. Add to that the weekend's swimsuits, towels, etc.

3. Put it all in the washer on gentle with Woolite and lots of the nice smelling fabric softener.

4. When it is done, we hang it outside to dry in the shade.

Hubby is currently planning his thoughts on building a specialized rack for drying our scuba gear. We really could use one. If anyone has plans they could share, that would be great.

Anyway, this REALLY keeps the suits and such nice and sweet smelling and I haven't noticed any terrible wear and tear from the washings. Yes, the process is quite drippy and heavy, but it is so worth it being the one who smells GOOD in my wetsuit.

St. Patrick's Day Hair in the Summer

I just got some interesting news. I don't know why I didn't know this before, and it makes complete sense like I should have figured this out on my own or something, but ahh well.

I have to be so careful with my hair in the summer. I bleach my hair blonde. I've been doing it so long that no one can even remember my real hair color - except hubby from that one time when I tried to dye my hair red and it didn't work but that is a whole other story.

Aside from bleaching/dying it, it goes through the wringer everyday. The wringer being "blow dryer and curling iron." Although, in the summer, these don't get done near as much.

I'll never forget the first summer my hair turned green from the chlorine in the pool. I thought maybe it was just a reflection from the walls in the bathroom when I discovered it. I was wrong. It was BAD. I went into extreme panic mode and yelled for hubby. I spent the next day with it up under a baseball hat frantically scouring Walgreens to find something to help and praying it wasn't going to cost and arm and a leg and half my hair.

I actually found a good shampoo. The unfortunate part is that it is a seasonal product and therefore, once it was no longer summer, they didn't carry it. So I had thrown out the bottle without remembering the name. In subsequent years, I have used a kid's shampoo by L'Oreal called Swim and Sport Shampoo - but the orange smell is really not my kind of thing and I don't think it lathers well. And honestly, I am not a 100% sure as to how well it works because after that first year, I avoid getting my hair wet so much in the pool if at all possible.

But I met up with a lady who does hair. She offered two suggestions. Cleansing Cream Shampoo by Redkin. The other was to GET MY HAIR WET WITH TAP WATER BEFORE I GET IN THE POOL. Giant DUH for me. This makes so much sense. She explained that by getting your hair wet first, the hairs have already absorbed water so they don't absorb the chlorine water!

So with all the pool sessions and swimming I do, this is my new plan of attack - so I don't look like a leprechaun or witch in the middle of summer!

Scuba Diving Music

Has anyone seen these? Or used one?

http://www.scuba.com/shop/productlist.asp?category=246&rf=9&PKeyword=Buy%20Underwater%20MP3%20Player&gclid=

The price does NOT, I repeat DOES NOT include the mp3/ipod. That price is for the housing and the earphones only!!! How crazy is that??

Anyway, it would be nice to listen to peaceful music underwater. It would be funny to loan it to someone and have the "Jaws" soundtrack on it :) You could have a whole playlist of "ocean/diving" music!

Here is a possible song list.

Under the Sea (from the Little Mermaid)

Yellow Submarine by the Beatles

Bent (hehe) by Matchbox 20

and here is a link to a post from Scuba Board about just this subject - they came up with some good ones too :)

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/scuba-poetry/109154-scuba-music-songs-artists-albums-embody-diving-diving-culture.html

But really, it is like music listening to the bubbles and the steady rhythmic breathing. I need THAT on my mp3 player! Does anyone know if that is available anywhere for free?

Dive Planning - Did I Miss It?

As usual, I came without a plan to post. I guess I will just write and see what ideas pop up.

Okay. Lets talk about planning! A dive!

Face it. Students are taught about dive planning. "Plan your dive and dive your plan." But in reality, they don't plan ANY dives. It's the instructor who does all the planning.

After your certified, if you go out with a group, someone with more experience or the divemaster of the resort plans your dive.

This leads to a very "fuzzy" understanding of what dive planning really is and why you do it.

Trust me. I've been there. In the beginning I thought Plan Your Dive meant, yes, I plan to go dive in that body of water there.

There's more to it than that.

But I think somewhere along the way we are doing a disservice to dive students. Mostly it's "This is where we are going. This is how long we will be down. This is how deep we will go." But WHY? We have to let them know why we plan the way we do, and they have to see that modeled. So they can do it for themselves in the future. So they can question a dive profile that seems a bit, well, off the chart.

Ahhh. Diving "off" the table. There's another post for me to share another time :)

I Forgot One

Oh dear. I forgot a type of diver. This would be me today if I had to go diving cause I am so tired.

The Lazy Girly Diver - has to be a girl. "Honey, can you bring my tank over here?" "Darling, I am getting a lot of good sun right now. Can you set up my gear while I am laying here?" "Oh damn, I just broke a nail. I hate these stupid thick wetsuits. They really aren't very cute are they?" "You're ready to go in? You're hot? Is my gear ready?" "Yes, that's my gear down in the water. Can you bring it up here and take it apart? I have to go to the bathroom." "Oh yummy. Lunch time. What did you pack?" "All that diving wore me out. Can you drive home so I can take a smidge of a nap?"

I'm sure you've all seen this diver too. :) Just couldn't leave us girls out in the bashing hehe!

More Types of Divers

I'm tired tonight. It has been a long week. Parent teacher conferences are long, despite the fact that I enjoy them tremendously.

So tonight, I will post a twist on the last post, also entitled "Types of Divers."

The Cool Macho Guy - you have all met him. And yes, it has to be a guy. He dives because he thinks it is a great way to meet chicks and will impress them. He didn't realize that most people who dive are men. He wears his thick gold chains, takes an extra long time putting on his wetsuit so everyone can see the muscles, and , eh gad, wears those dog gone Speedos.

The Whiz without a Clue - This is the person (male or female) who can pass all the exams without ever opening a book because they know all about physics, half-lifes, and pressure. They could probably build their own gear. But you get ready to take a dive and they are like, "Uh, I gotta get in the water to dive?" Their physical skills are about nill and a newborn is way more coordinated and adept at moving in the water.

The Underwater Geek - This person has every single underwater gadget you have ever heard of and then some. He bumps into you the entire dive as he fiddles with this or that and when you get out, you ask him if he saw the giant shark in the cave that he passed and he asks, "What cave?" cause he was too busy playing with the gianormous arm of the light strobe for his ultra high power camera.

The Old Timer - This guy (and once again, it really does need to be a guy because there weren't many woman divers way back when) dives with gear that should be in a museum. Or he has put it together himself. He doesn't care about the safety rules as those are for "sissies." Diving buddy? Who needs that? Regulator? Oh, yeah, those are great but if it doesn't work, I can just do "this" (take off the tank valve) and I got a whole bunch of air.

The Vacationer - "I'm a diver. I just jumped off the boat and headed down and looked around." "Yeah, I didn't realize there was someone I was supposed to follow. Or someone in charge of the dive." "Oh, look, there's my gear all ready to go and set up. It must have been that fairy of scuba divers." "Watch this! Ahhhhhhhh"

The Rest of Us - "Dang that was fun. Let's have a beer now and do it again tomorrow."

I'd be happy if anyone added to this list :) Amuse me!

Types of Divers

photo by gracey on morguefile.com

I go by diver daisy in a lot of circles and places. Everywhere I am diver daisy, people always ask "What kind of diver?"

I have often been put off by this question because I don't always think they are being kind. Then I had someone ask "Are you a sky diver?" and I realized there were a lot of different kinds of divers.

On the way home tonight I thought what I might blog about. That question came back up in my mind. And away I went into a list of "divers." (For those of you who don't read my everything daisy blog, I'll clue you in a bit - I LOVE LISTS)

1. Of course, the scuba diver.

2. Those crazy people, the sky divers. I just really have no idea what would make them want to do that. I make myself go off the high dive, have jumped off a bridge underpinning (hope you don't read this mom) and have done the Dragon's Tail at Six Flags (kinda like a bungee jump but more like a sideways swoosh rather than an up/down rubberband kinda thing). That whole free fall feeling just tingles my nerves for those things, which I don't find a particularly pleasant feeling. Could I jump out of a plane if I had to? No doubt. But I wouldn't find it all that amusing.

3. The people who stand on diving boards, platforms, and cliffs and jump into water are also called divers. They don't seem to have a label in front of the word diver. At least not until they attempt something crazy, like "high platform diver", "cliff diver" or Olympic diver.

4. Then we get into more loose terms of a "diver" with the stage diver. Jumping into a sea of people just wouldn't be my thing. And besides, they would probably all move back and let me hit the floor. That's when you yell, "Diver down!"

5. The last type I was able to come up with is the dumpster diver. I'm not too keen on this either as dumpsters tend to smell terrible and look disgusting on the sides. Being a trash picker would be way better because it implies that the trash is strewn about in the open air and you are just using a stick to look through it.

Maybe in all those circles I should change my name to scuba diver daisy for clarification. I wouldn't want anyone to think I was crazy :)