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Learning to Scuba Dive: Questions to Ask Before Hiring Any Scuba Instructor
Scuba instructors come in all stripes and sizes. When the lovely and talented Kathy and I were learning to scuba dive, we did the worst thing possible, absolutely no research. As it turned out, we got lucky and got a good – and patient – instructor who taught in a way that we could easily learn. I do not suggest you rely on the kindness of the Universe to pick your instructor like we did. If the instructor you are considering works in a local dive center, call and talk to them. If you’ve already...
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Keep Your Skills Up To Date With A Diving Refresher
Keep Up To Date With Refresher For Your Diving SkillsA diving refresher or a PADI Reactivate programme is something all divers should consider if they haven’t had the opportunity to dive for extended periods. We’re not all fortunate enough to be able to dive when and where we want. Logistics, finances, health can all make getting a dive in a bit of a struggle. The recent pandemic kept the majority of divers away from the hobby they love for years. Diving refreshers were in high deman...
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Crown of Thorns Starfish
The crown of thorns starfish is beautiful to look at but definitely don’t touchFortunately Phuket hasn’t got a huge population of crown of thorns starfish. They’re strange appearance and beautiful colours make them great to look at but high numbers can cause immense damage. Their diet of healthy corals and venomous spines don’t place them high on the welcome visitors list which is incredibly unfair. The venomous spines is all on them but destroying coral reefs? Place Your...
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Your First Scuba Dive From a Boat
Your first scuba dive from a boat can be a very challenging dive. Many times it happens while still learning to become a scuba diver. In this case, it rapidly becomes something you are accustomed to. However, if you learned to dive at a location that has great shore diving or are diving at a quarry or small lake, you may have many dives before having your first scuba dive from a boat. Your first scuba dive from a boat can be a challenge for a new diver. You will need to follow safety protocols. ...
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Blacktip Reef Sharks
Blacktip Reef Sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus)Blacktip reef sharks are a very frequent sighting on our Phi Phi diving tour, often with many sharks in your field of vision. We get all different sizes from the almost 2m adult females to the tiny pups. We generally schedule Koh Bida Nok for our first dive on the trip so blacktip reef sharks are one of the first animals you’ll see. A great start to your days diving. They’re not a guaranteed sighting by any means but it’s very unu...
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Cressi A1 No Fog Diving Mask
The No Fog Diving Mask That Actually WorksThere’s nothing worse in diving than a foggy mask, well maybe running out of air, triggerfish, getting stung, putting on a cold wet wetsuit, DCS etc. After all we go diving to look at and explore the incredibly beautiful underwater world. Not many masks come out of the box completely fog free but the Cressi A1 does. You don’t have to treat the mask at all. If you do, you may well damage the coating. Not only is it a no fog diving mask but it&...
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The Best Phuket Diving Package
A Great Phuket Diving Package With Local Dive ThailandOur 3 day Phuket diving package will cover all of the best local dive sites. The 3 different dive days all have their own unique qualities and offer divers a range of different dive environments. From the clear, calm waters of Racha Noi to the more challenging King Cruiser Wreck, there’s something for everyone. Consecutive Days? No the Phuket diving package doesn’t have to be on consecutive days. It’s not recommended that be...
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Dive Computer Settings
Get Your Dive Computer Settings Right!Getting your dive computer settings right may sound obvious but on a few occasions we’ve had to stop guests from diving. We really, really don’t like to do this but if during or after a dive your dive computer goes into error mode then we have no choice. It’s simply not safe. On most of the rare occasions that this has happened, it’s a simple matter of guests having their dive computer set up incorrectly. We often get asked by guests ...
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Will Scuba Diving Hurt My Ears?
Pressure Will Affect Your Ears When Scuba DivingWill scuba diving hurt my ears? is a question we frequently get asked. Anybody who’s tried diving down when snorkeling will have felt the effect of pressure on their ears. So it’s natural to assume it will only get worse when going deeper. That assumption would be 100% correct so that’s why you’re taught simple techniques to prevent pain or damage as part of the PADI Open Water Course. The techniques will quickly become habi...
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Test Diving the LEFEET S1 Pro DPV
LEFEET S1 Pro Test Dive by the Scuba Diving Nomad I recently had the opportunity to test dive the new LEFEET S1 Pro on a recent scuba diving/ snorkeling vacation. I was very impressed with this lightweight Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV), and plan on making the scooter a standard accessory on future trips. General Summary Over the years I have used a number of different DPV. I had used the LEFEET S1 for a number of years and like it very much. The LEFEET S1 Pro has many of the same features that ...
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How to Treat Jellyfish And Coral Stings
Advice On How To Treat Jellyfish and Coral StingsJellyfish and coral stings are not a frequent occurrence in Phuket. The few cases we get are mild, only requiring some basic first aid immediately after the incident. Occasionally around the coast line, we sight box jellyfish and in low season we often have bluebottles wash up on the shore. However it’s incredibly rare to see either around our main Phuket dive sites. Still, the environment we choose to spend our spare time in is not risk fre...
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Jacques Cousteau, Scuba Diving and Me
I was five years old when my mum turned on our brand new state-of-the-art Magnavox color television, to watch the debut episode of the ABC documentary series, “The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau”. The episode took place on the expeditionary diving ship Calypso, in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Gulf of Aden, in order to study shark behavior and to test methods of protecting shipwreck and air crash victims from shark attacks. From the very first moment of narrated dialogue, I was comp...
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My Most Memorable Scuba Dives
I am sitting here thinking about some of my most memorable scuba dives. It has been a while since I have been diving, and it is frustrating. I had plans to spend a part of this winter in Mexico. However, the high COVID rates pushed those plans aside, just like they did last year. Hopefully, things will improve and I can take a late spring trip instead. Completing my rescue diver course this year and getting my Master Diver rating is goal for this year. I decided to finally do that 2 years ago, o...
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What Is A PADI Master Scuba Diver
Sounds Awesome but what is a PADI Master Scuba Diver?A PADI Master Scuba Diver is certainly someone who takes their diving seriously. To achieve this awesome sounding certification you have to put in a lot of time and effort and show exemplary dive skills. You’ll need five PADI specialties to begin. There’s a lot specialties to choose from and your selection will depend on your location and your favoured dive environments. For most we would suggest that Enriched Air Nitrox and Deep a...
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Ornate Ghost Pipefish
Where Do Ornate Ghost Pipefish Come From?Ornate Ghost pipefish seemingly appear from nowhere. After months of no sightings they suddenly show up, some years it’s just a few and some years it seems every crinoid has a pair. They spend the first part of their life as plankton, drifting along in ocean currents until the time is right to settle on one of our many reefs. How long they travel the ocean currents is not known but unlikely to be long. They disappear just as quickly as the appeared ...
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What Is The Best Dive Site In The Similan Islands?
Best Dive Site In The Similan IslandsThe Similan and Surin Islands offer many great dive sites and we’re fortunate to have dived at a vast majority of them. The best dive site in the Similan Islands is obviously very subjective but below is our top five and why. The liveaboard route around the Similan Island National Park will also include a fair percentage of dives inside the Surin Islands National Park so we have to include them. #5 – North Point So called because it’s the fu...
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Snorkeling vs. SCUBA Diving | Under Pressure Divecast | Episode 013
On the go? Check out the audio version! iTunes Spotify Google Play Amazon Music ...or your favorite podcatcher! Snorkeling vs. SCUBA Diving What if I told you that there is a way to enjoy the reef when SCUBA diving isn’t an option or if you’re a diver traveling with non-divers? Snorkeling is an underestimated […]...
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Avoid Running Out of Air SCUBA Diving | Under Pressure Divecast | Episode 012
On the go? Check out the audio version! iTunes Spotify Google Play Amazon Music ...or your favorite podcatcher! Avoid Running Out of Air SCUBA Diving One thing we can count on when we’re on land is that we don’t run out of air. When we’re diving though, this becomes a possibility with serious consequences. […]...
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How to Be a Great Dive Buddy! | Under Pressure Divecast | Episode 011
On the go? Check out the audio version! iTunes Spotify Google Play Amazon Music ...or your favorite podcatcher! What makes a Great Dive Buddy? If you’ve been diving for a while you’ve probably already been on a dive with a great dive buddy! You’ve also most likely been on a dive with a buddy that […]...
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SCUBA Diving and Managing Motion Sickness | Under Pressure Divecast | Episode 010
On the go? Check out the audio version! iTunes Spotify Google Play Amazon Music ...or your favorite podcatcher! SCUBA Diving and Managing Motion Sickness It’s definitely an ’uncomfortable’ topic but we’re going to talk about SCUBA diving and managing motion sickness. I started diving here in Colorado in 2002. I never had any trouble with […]...
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