WaterLog
May/June 2005
15 Year Anniversary Sale and Celebration
Mark your calendars! June 26, 2005 we will have the sale of the year. EVERYTHING in the store will be on sale. Dacor, Mares and Oceanic Computers. Aqualung, Apex and Oceanic Regulators. Dacor and Seaquest BC's. Gear bags, wet suits, dry suits, boots, fins, masks, snorkels and much, much more! Factory reps will be on hand to answer any questions about gear you might have.
Our staff, including instructors and Dive Masters will be on hand, so you can get information about upcoming trips and classes straight from the instructor or trip leader!
There will be hourly drawings for free prizes and a grand prize drawing at 5:00pm. The grand prize give-aways are excellent. So don't forget to sign in and get your coupon so you can have a chance to win something. (You must be 12 or older to enter into the drawing)
While you are shopping you can enjoy free hotdogs and Pepsi products and chat with old dive buddies or meet new ones. There is no better day to meet new local divers!
The local dive club, the Atomics Ducks will be on hand to give you info on why you should be a member, as well as signing new members up.
If you have some old gear laying around not doing any good, then bring it down to the scuba swap. It is easy to sell your stuff. Just check it in with the swap supervisor, set an asking price as well as a “will sell for if I have to” price. Your asking price will be marked on your gear and you can set it on one of the many tables.
Atomic Ducks
The Atomic Ducks and UnderSea Adventures have put together a way for newer divers to get together and enjoy the great weather by diving. On the third Saturday of every month beginning in May, if you have less than 10 dives logged, UnderSea Adventures will rent gear to you at 50% off normal rental prices and the Atomic Ducks will buddy you up with an experienced diver in the Columbia River! Be sure to call and reserve your gear early to ensure the availability. Bring in your log book to get your discount.
Store Hours
We will be closed July 4th in celebration of Independence Day. Our normal hours are Monday through Friday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Beginning July 9, we will be open through the summer on Saturdays from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm. This is a trial period to see if it helps our customers that can't make it during the week.
Congratulations New Divers
Open Water Scuba Diver:
Josh Cadwell
Charles Haberle Jr.
Jeanine Martin
Christopher Melberg
Jenna Osheim
Use Less Air
There are many reasons why Whales can hold their breath for a very long period of time and utilize all the oxygen-rich air in their lungs. While it is not a fair comparison to humans, we can certainly learn from the techniques the Whales use.
It's probably not obvious why taking deep breaths should make your limited air supply last longer. After all, Whales take their deep breaths directly from the atmosphere. If 80 cubic feet is all you have to draw on, won't it last longer if you just sip it?
Some divers try to save air by deliberately taking short, shallow breaths, breathing from the top half of their lungs, But they end up wasting air, not saving it. The reason is that they're retaining and building up carbon dioxide, and it's too much carbon dioxide that triggers the urge to take the next breath.
Dr. Richard Van, vice president for research at Divers Alert Network, says “When you're breathing at a higher lung volume and taking a fairly shallow breath, you retain more carbon dioxide, which gives you more of a ventilatory drive. You'd be better off ventilating a higher tidal volume and exhaling closer to your residual volume. In other words, blow out the carbon dioxide.”
Short shallow breaths leave more than 85 to 90 percent of your lungs filled with carbon dioxide-rich “dead air”. All that carbon dioxide wants to get out, so you're forced to take a breath before you actually need the oxygen. Therefore, short, shallow breaths don't save air and you can almost certainly stretch that 80 cubic feet by inhaling deeply, holding that air in your lungs briefly (for a maximum air exchange) and then exhaling completely so you exhale as much carbon dioxide as possible.
Two warnings, however. There is such a thing as too little carbon dioxide, so don't exaggerate the slow, deep breaths. And slow, deep inhales followed by slow, complete exhales may cause you to rise and fall a few feet. When pinpoint depth control is important, (hovering over coral, underwater photography, etc.) you'll have to take shorter breaths not to disturb your buoyancy. The basic thing to remember is you are exhaling fully so not to retain the carbon dioxide.
Article from SCUBA Diving Magazine, written by John Francis.
SCUBA Diver Class :
This is an entry level certification course in scuba diving. It includes academic study in the areas of diving physics, physiology, medicine, environment and dive safety. In-pool training hours and 5 open water dives are required with emphasis placed on water skill, diving hazards, personal limitations and the behavior needed to function enjoyably and safely as a diver. Next class June 1. See calendar.
Advanced SCUBA Class:
This course is a continuing education certification course for certified divers. It is an enjoyable program of continued supervised experience designed to introduce divers to a variety of diving activities and to be taught entirely in an open water setting. Upon successful completion of this course, graduates are considered competent to engage in open water diving activities without supervision, provided the diving activities and the areas dived approximate those of training. Next class June 13. See Calendar.
Master Diver Class:
This course is a continuing education certification course for divers who wish to increase their understanding and enjoyment of diving. Emphasis is on student participation and practical application of knowledge in open water after a classroom discussion of subjects. First briefing will be June 1 at 12:00pm in the classroom at UnderSea Adventures. Cost of course is $350. Checkout Dives will be in August. There are only a few spots, so call to reserve yours
BOAT DIVING
Hopefully every diver will sometime enjoy the experience of boat diving. Here at UnderSea Adventures we are committed to making that happen.
Before you set off for your first boat dive, however, there are a few things you should be aware of. Not to worry...you don't need to take a "boat diving" class or anything like that. Just go along with someone you know and trust who has been on boat dives before, follow the captain's instructions once onboard, don't be afraid to ask questions and keep reading to get an idea of what to expect.
The dive boat provides a base of operations where you can rest, change gear, eat, get warm and visit. This adds to the safety, security, ease and comfort of diving. Boat diving lets you dive in areas where it wouldn't otherwise be possible. In some areas boats are the only way to dive in water that is calm, clear and deep. Boats also provide a social aspect to diving...an opportunity to interact with others who share this common interest. Besides divers are just a lot of fun to be around.
Diving from a boat also increases the range of possible diving activities, improves your ability to deal with diving conditions and makes it possible to come back and regroup if problems arise. Using the boat as a surface support station makes the diving much easier.
Boat diving, more than any other kind of diving, brings people into close contact and your behavior affects other divers, just as their behavior affects you. Divers tend to be an independent and self-sufficient bunch.
Still, you can place some reliance on (and expect some help from) your buddy, other divers and the crew. They, in turn, should be able to expect this form you.Because dive boats are often crowded, it's a courteous gesture to help someone else don a tank, adjust a strap, find a hose, etc. You should keep your gear together and work out of your gear bag. It's a good idea to have all your gear marked because it's very easy to get gear mixed up on a boat.
Remember to have your equipment checked or serviced before your trip and take your "spare parts" kit along in case you break a mask or fin strap, rip your mouth piece or lose an o-ring. Be sure to have extra batteries for your computer and camera. Once the boat has left the dock there is no running back to the dive shop.
UnderSea Adventures has dive boats chartered every month this summer and into the fall. These are excellent opportunities for first time boat divers as well as the veterans. One big perk on USA trips is that you are meeting and diving with local divers who will become your friends and dive buddies. Give us a call or go online to get our trip schedule. Happy Diving!
Calendar
Master Diver Briefing......................................... Jun 1
Scuba Diver Class begins................................... Jun 1
Advanced Class ............................................. Jun 13
Anniversary Sale & Celebration ........................ Jun 26
Makinze Wreck Dive ................................ Jun 11 & 12
Scuba Diver Check-outs ........................... Jun 25 & 26
Scuba Diver Class begins ................................... Jul 6
Scuba Diver Check-outs ............................ Jul 30 & 31
San Juan Island .............................................. Jul 16
Scuba Diver Class begins ................................. Aug 1
San Juan Islands ........................................... Aug 13
Makinze Wreck Dive ................................ Sep 10 & 11
San Juan Islands ............................................. Oct 8
Australia & Truk Lagoon ............................. Oct 8—24
San Juan Islands ....................................... Nov 5 & 6