While working as a dive professional, I always carried a cutting device, which I rarely used. Although required by standards, it seemed like a “nice to have” rather than “need to have” piece of equipment. My experience off Mexico’s Pacific coastline taught me that cutting devices have a place on every dive trip. In a sea fraught with dangers, carrying a cutting device is just as much about rescuing corals from ghost-fishing nets or animals from discarded rope and plastic as it is about saving yourself or your buddy.
The Red Sea is a great diving destination with blue waters, pristine coral reefs and diverse ship wrecks. Learn more about diving the Red Sea in this photo safari.
Although the water is often murky, the variety of life in Dublin Bay is always a revelation. Every bit of rock is covered in invertebrate life, with filter feeders of all shapes and colors.
Marine protected areas (MPAs) safeguard marine environments and conserve these resources. Diving is typically allowed in MPAs, and these areas abound in the United States.
While there are not sufficient studies on diving while under the influence of cannabis, the psychoactive effects of THC from using cannabis or impure CBD oil can affect your performance and increase your risk while underwater.
Combat divers must successfully navigate in cold, dark water to secretly arrive at a target. This skill requires progressing from basic dive skills to navigating over long distances in difficult conditions.
Do you know free-flow procedures should an emergency situation arise? A diver calmly provided assistance to a diver who may have suffered a arterial gas embolism.
Divers who are new to drysuits need to take time to get comfortable with their gear in a safe environment. Accidents are unintentional and unplanned, but proper diligence can help increase the likelihood of a safe and successful dive.
