The Scuba Diving Handbook: The Complete Guide to Safe and Exciting Scuba Diving

by Bantin, John

• ISBN13: 9781554072804
• ISBN10: 1554072808
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-08-17
• Publisher: Firefly Books Ltd

Summary

From one of the world's leading underwater photographers comes The Scuba Diving Handbook, an indispensable guide for diving enthusiasts of all levels-from beginner to advanced underwater explorer. Comprehensive and accessible, with more than 350 full-color photographs and easy-to-understand diagrams, this essential guide combines step-by-step exercises with practice programs to explore all aspects of diving. Topics include: Choosing the right diving equipment, Finding your way underwater, Coping with currents and submerged hazards, Following emergency safety procedures, Finding the best dive sites around the world, Using diving etiquette. The Scuba Diving Handbook covers everything you need to get in touch with your inner Jacques Cousteau. Book jacket.

Author Biography

John Bantin is a diving journalist and professional underwater photographer.

Table of Contents

Why Go Diving?	p. 6
The History of Diving	p. 8
Getting Started
Snorkeling	p. 14
Taking Lessons	p. 16
Know Your Instructor	p. 18
Getting in the Water	p. 20
Basic Theory	p. 22
Equipment
Masks, Fins and Snorkels	p. 24
Wetsuits and Semi-Dry Suits	p. 26
Drysuits	p. 28
Hoods and Gloves	p. 30
Regulators and Pressure Gauges	p. 32
Buoyancy Control Devices	p. 34
Watches, Depth Gauges and Compasses	p. 35
Diving Computers	p. 37
Safety Equipment	p. 40
Diving Lights	p. 42
Weights and Weightbelts	p. 44
Cylinders, Tanks and Bottles	p. 46
Compressing Gases	p. 48
Other Gadgets	p. 50
The Science of Scuba
Gases and Pressure	p. 52
Breathing Compressed Gas	p. 54
Sound and Light Underwater	p. 56
Floating and Sinking	p. 58
Basic Techniques
Water and Weather	p. 60
Gaining Confidence	p. 62
Get Ready to Dive	p. 64
Look Before You Leap	p. 66
Get on Down	p. 68
Coming Up	p. 70
Buddy Diving	p. 72
Breathing	p. 74
Clearing Your Ears	p. 76
Clearing a Mask and Mouthpiece	p. 78
Finning Skills	p. 80
Buoyancy Control	p. 82
Equipment Failure	p. 84
Air-Sharing	p. 86
Signs and Signals	p. 88
Finding Your Way	p. 90
Practice Makes Perfect	p. 92
Advanced Techniques
Small-Boat Diving	p. 94
Big Boats	p. 96
Deep Diving	p. 98
Drift Diving	p. 100
Diving in Currents	p. 102
Wreck Diving	p. 104
Freshwater Diving	p. 106
Underwater Naturalist	p. 108
Recording the Scene	p. 110
Camera and Action	p. 112
Diving in the Dark	p. 114
Hitching a Ride	p. 116
Nitrox Diving	p. 118
Diving Under Ice	p. 120
Search and Recovery	p. 122
Raising Heavy Objects	p. 124
When Things Go Wrong	p. 126
Boat Handling for Divers	p. 128
Cavern and Cave Diving	p. 130
Technical Diving	p. 132
Rebreather Diving	p. 134
More Than Just a Sport
Conquering Your Fears	p. 136
Risk Management	p. 138
Hazardous Marine Life	p. 140
Conserving the Planet	p. 142
Careers in Diving	p. 144
Underwater Archaeology	p. 145
You and Your Body
Health and Nutrition	p. 148
Fit to Dive?	p. 150
Feeling Unwell?	p. 152
The Bends	p. 154
Where to Go Diving
Planning a Trip	p. 156
Maritime Laws and Regulations	p. 158
Temperate Waters	p. 160
The Caribbean	p. 162
The Red Sea	p. 164
The Indian Ocean	p. 166
The Pacific Region	p. 168
Diving with Big Animals	p. 170
Small is Beautiful	p. 172
Famous Wrecks	p. 174
Artificial Reefs	p. 176
Shark-Infested Waters	p. 178
Health Hazards	p. 180
Resources
Useful Addresses	p. 182
Glossary of Terms	p. 184
Index	p. 188
Acknowledgments	p. 192
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Why Go Diving? Watery worldAlthough we live on the parts of the Earth that protrude above the waves, nearly three-quarters of the planet is underwater. The world beneath the surface of the oceans is as varied as it is on land. The topography includes great mountain ranges, volcanoes and deep valleys. Yet the ocean floor is still largely unexplored and unmapped.Discovering a mysterious, underwater world should be enough to inspire you to dive, but there are a lot of other reasons to give it a try. How deep do you go?People almost always ask those who scuba dive how deep they descend below the surface. Relatively speaking, scuba divers don't go deep. In fact, they hardly penetrate to any depth at all, but they do get an insight into a world that most are unaware of. The majority of marine life congregates in and around the first 660 feet (200 m) of depth, close to the shore, and around both natural and human-made structures. Most of it can be found within the first 100-130 feet (30-40 m) from the surface.Coral reefs and rocks form natural habitats that give smaller animals protection from larger predators. Modern-day wrecks may be made of steel, but they perform the same sort of function as far as the marine animals are concerned. They, too, become a habitat for all manner of fish and other marine organisms. It is fascinating to explore these vibrant, underwater homes and learn about the creatures that live there. Underwater treasureAnother question that people often ask divers is if they have ever found any treasure. Only dreamers think the captain's safe will be full of gold bars, but divers may find objects of interest on wrecks. Older vessels-whether they became shipwrecks because of incompetent seafaring, bad weather or war-were often furnished with a lot of brass fixtures. Some divers have made a hobby of collecting items made of this nonferrous metal from wrecks.It is a wonderful experience to visit a ghostly ship lying in its watery grave. The coastlines of the world are littered with the battered wrecks of ships, many of them relics of the terrible devastation wrought by two world wars. Incredible creaturesThose who explore the underwater world discover the truth about the creatures that live there. Sharks and other large predators are often portrayed as voracious, undiscerning hunters that eat humans. Few of these much maligned and misrepresented bigger animals are a threat to divers. Most are wary of humans and are easily frightened.Many divers are willing to spend large amounts of money traveling to places where they can get close to the more spectacular animals, such as sharks and manta rays. Underwater freedomBeing underwater, weightless in a world where you can travel up or down at a whim, is simply a joyous experience. Many people with mobility disabilities have taken up scuba diving because it frees them from the constraints of gravity. Diving is probably the closest you will ever get to flying without wings!