Articles
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Scuba diving tanks come in a variety of capacities, styles and contents. The standard mixture is nothing more than ordinary compressed air, containing 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen just as exists in the atmosphere near sea level. Deep dives and other specialty applications may use a higher concentration of oxygen, add helium or have other exotic mixtures.
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It's well known that scuba diving tanks are the canisters that supply air to the diver underwater. But beyond performing that seemingly simple, singular function there is much variety. For a plain metal cylinder, scuba tanks have a surprising number of differences. With the exception of certain unique designs, all tanks are made either of a steel alloy or aluminum. Technical diving, specialized sport diving and military applications will sometimes use a chrome-molybdenum alloy. Each type has its pros and cons.
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Regulators and tanks are critical to scuba diving, that's obvious. But if you want to get any enjoyment out of the adventure, a good face mask is essential. What makes one good? Item number one on the list is fit. A diving mask has to fit well the face of the individual diver. Otherwise, all sorts of problems occur. Ill-fitting masks irritate the skin, make seeing difficult, have the potential for leakage, fog and other negatives.
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The computer revolution of the 1980s that led to ever smaller PCs wasn't a boon only to business. Scuba divers, too, have benefited enormously from the electronics and miniaturization advances. The prime example of this is the dive computer. A dive computer is a wristwatch-like device that measures time and ambient pressure, temperature and sometimes other variables. Its primary purpose is to make measurements and calculations that provide the diver with recommendations for safe ascent.
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It's ironic in the extreme that even though a diver may be surrounded by millions of gallons of water, dehydration can be a serious problem. Dehydration occurs when a diver has inadequate water throughout the body. But why is this a problem? Because, as every Freshman biology major learns, water is essential to a dozen critical biochemical processes and biophysical systems. At the most basic level, water is needed in order for cells to carry out chemical reactions.
Headlines
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Correspondent roll call: Synergy writers chime in - Carroll County Online
Greetings all, my name is Caroline Bliss and I am so thrilled to be writing for all of you readers. To introduce myself a bit, I'm a junior at Westminster High School and a resident of Westminster. I like long walks on the beach, candlelit dinners
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One Perfect Day: A sibling quintet heads for Grand Cayman's azure - Inside Bay Area
Another finalist in the One Perfect Day contest. The travelers: Tifany Lee, senior business analyst from Berkeley, and her siblings: Austin, optometry school student, from Puerto Rico; Derron and Leanne, optometrists, from Stockton; and Justin
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Key West boaters plan to ride out Ike - Miami Herald
To secure their home for Hurricane Ike, the Metcalf family in Key West didn't put up storm shutters. They secured three anchors to the sea bottom. Their home is a 41-foot Morgan sailboat called Banana Wind, one of about 200 live-aboard vessels
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Ray Twomey, a contemporary classical music composer whose CDs are available in various countries, was born in England in 1938. He moved to New Zealand after the war where he completed his schooling. He received his musical education at Victoria
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Sanjay Dutt and friends party in the middle of sea - Apun Ka Choice
Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt is mixing fun with work while shooting action adventure movie Blue in Bangkok. The movie is mostly set underwater and is being shot on and inside the sea. Dutt, who was initially advised by doctors not to do SCUBA diving