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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Scuba safety questioned: Tuesday diving incident raises qualification - Guam Pacific Daily News
Small scuba diving companies may be putting tourists underwater without the proper training or certified instructors, said members of Guam's experienced scuba diving community and the Guam Visitors Bureau. Yesterday, Micronesian Divers Association
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Battle for Boracay turns ugly - Manila Times
Boracay, with its crystal-clear water, white powder sand and constant sunshine, presents itself as a slice of paradise. But scratch the surface and the island is seething with unrest. The bone-shaped, 1,000-hectare island in central Philippines has
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The Great Wall (Dive) Of Andros - Jaunted.com
Since my seven-day scuba package at the Small Hope Bay Lodge was just about up, I decided it was time to take the ultimate plunge. Earlier in the week, Iâd broken my standing depth record of a pitiful 65 feet by upping it to 90. And then came 110
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Madagascar fishermen trying to cope, finding ways to protect their - Business World
"I started when I was young... on the back of my mother," she told Reuters, dodging the treacherous spines of sea urchins. For Tolineâs fishing community on the southwest coast of Madagascar, octopus is of critical economic importance, prompting
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Diver missing in Forty Fathom Grotto - Star-Banner
EMATHLA - An all-day search for a missing 25-year-old scuba diving instructor at the Forty Fathom Grotto in northwest Marion County ended without success late Saturday. After more than 12 hours of searching by about a dozen divers, including members