Basic Facts about Scuba Diving Brief History: The word S.C.U.B.A is an acronym for Self-Contained-Underwater-Breathing-Apparatus.

A scuba system allows autonomous diving (diving without an air line to the surface. The term scuba originated during WorldWarII. It was used to describe navy divers who used oxygen rebreathers to attack enemy ships from underwater. Today you can use the word scuba to refer to the sport of scuba diving or to the equipment used by those who participate in the sport. Modern scuba diving gear consists of one or more gas tanks strapped to the divers back, connected to an air hose and an invention called the demand regulator. The demand regulator controls the flow of air, so that the air pressure within the diver's lungs equals the pressure of the water Eligibility: Almost anyone can learn to scuba diving. There is a basic level of health and fitness that you need to have in order to be safe and to enjoy your time underwater. You will be required to fill out a medical form before starting a certification class. In some cases, you may have to see a doctor or medical screening before you begin training.There is also scuba classes for children under 14 years of age. Being a senior citizen is not a problem either, provided you have a fair level of fitness and approval from a doctor. Smokers can also go for scuba diving after through medical inspection. There are some places where you can find Scuba training programs for disabled so they too can enjoy the sport of scuba diving. Scuba Diving Safety: One major question raised in mind of almost every new beginner."Is scuba diving safe?" They hear about a diver who died while pursuing their hobby and they question the safety of scuba. It is true a small number of divers do die every year. Most of these deaths are not due to equipment failure as some people might suspect, but are due to inadequate or no training, diving in extreme conditions or diving beyond their personal diving limitations. The fact is diving is safer than it has ever been. If you have the correct training and follow some recommended safe diving practices , you will rarely have problems. Today scuba training is very thorough, with the focus being put on rescue skills and diving in buddy pairs. If you know swimming, you will easily train for scuba dive within short time. Scuba Equipment Needed to Dive: Because we are not born with gills and fins, we need scuba gear to breath underwater. For scuba you will need a tank filled with a compressed breathing gas, a scuba regulator, a scuba mask, snorkel and fins. This diving gear may be confusing to new divers. Lets know about different parts and mechanics of Scuba equipments. Because this equipment is our life-support system underwater, it is important to understand the how's and why's of your gear. Knowing the right scuba diving facts about your scuba gear can save your life. Mechanics of Equipment:Water normally contains the dissolved oxygen from which fish and other aquatic animals extract all their required oxygen as the water flows past their gills. Humans lack gills and do not otherwise have the capacity to breathe underwater unaided by external devices. Although the feasibility of filling and artificially ventilating the lungs with a dedicated liquid (liquid breathing) has been established for some time, the size and complexity of the equipment allows only for medical applications with current technology.Early diving experimenters quickly discovered it is not enough simply to supply air to breathe comfortably underwater. As one descends, in addition to the normal atmospheric pressure, water exerts increasing pressure on the chest and lungsapproximately 1 bar(14.7 pounds per square inch) for every 33 feet (10 m) of depthso the pressure of the inhaled breath must almost exactly counter the surrounding or ambient pressure to inflate the lungs. It becomes virtually impossible to breathe unpressurised air through a tube below three feet under the waterBecause the diver's nose and eyes are covered by a diving mask; the diver cannot breathe in through the nose, except when wearing a full face diving mask. However, inhaling from a regulator's mouthpiece becomes second nature very quickly Open Circuit Regulator: The most commonly used scuba set today is the "single-hose" open circuit 2stage diving regulator, connected to a single high pressure gas cylinder, with the first stage connected to

the cylinder valve and the second stage at the mouthpiece. In the "single-hose" two-stage design, the first stage regulator reduces the cylinder pressure of up to about 240 bar (3000 psi) to an intermediate level of about 10 bar (145 psi) above ambient pressure. The second stage demand valve regulator, supplied by a low pressure hose from the first stage, delivers the breathing gas at ambient pressure to the diver's mouth. The exhaled gases are exhausted directly to the environment as waste. The first stage typically has at least one outlet port delivering breathing gas at unreduced tank pressure. This is connected to the diver's submersible pressure gauge or dive computer, to show how much breathing gas remains in the cylinder. Gas Mixture:By always providing the appropriate breathing gas at ambient pressure, modern demand valve regulators ensure the diver can inhale and exhale naturally and without excessive effort, regardless of depth.For some diving, gas mixtures other than normal atmospheric air (21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen, 1% trace gases) can be used, so long as the diver is properly trained in their use. The most commonly used mixture is Nitrox also referred to as Enriched Air Nitrox (EAN), which is air with extra oxygen, often with 32% or 36% oxygen, and thus less nitrogen, reducing the likelihood of decompression sickness or allowing longer exposure to the same pressure for equal risk. Several other common gas mixtures are in use, and all need specialized training for safe use. Scuba Diving Certifications: Do you need to have a scuba certification before you go scuba diving? No, but you do need to have proper training before you attempt to breath underwater. This can be as simple as a Discover Scuba course. A resort course, as it is sometimes called, will let you experience diving before taking a certification course. This involves an introduction in the pool and a dive off the beach or in shallow water. A Discover Scuba course can count towards a scuba certification. Once you see how great scuba is, the next step is to complete an open water certification. As a certified diver, you can dive any where there is a dive shop. With 71 percent of the planet covered with water, there is an endless supply of dive destinations. Scuba Diving Cost: The cost of diving will vary from one dive shop to the next. Almost all dive shops will have equipment for rent. It is wise to try different styles of equipment before you buy your own. New scuba gear can be expensive so many divers will rent scuba gear or start with second hand equipment. It is best to have second hand equipment serviced before to take it in the water. Scuba certification can be a bit expensive. Taking a Discover Scuba course will help you decide if like the sport before shelling out the bucks for certification training. Scuba diving classes can be cheaper if you join a diving club. Experiencing the thrill and exhilaration of diving is well worth the money you spend. Scuba Divers limitations: Divers are limited by physical laws to a certain amount of time underwater and a maximum depth. The recreational (no-decompression) diving limit is 130 ft (40 meters). Recreational diving can be defined as diving to a certain depth for a certain amount of time and being able to make a slow, direct ascent to the surface without doing staged decompression stops and without sufficient risk of decompression sickness.To dive beyond the recreational limit, you need to have technical dive training and equipment. Technical training and procedures enable divers to dive deeper than ever before and experience a fantastic underwater odyssey. With the advancement of science and technology, who knows out deep divers will be able to go in the future. One of the most amazing facts about scuba diving is its thrilling. Once you have experienced this beautifully exhilarating sport, you will remember it whole life and always craving for next underwater dive. This is really awesome enjoyable sport ever, go for dive and experience it!! www.divein77.com http://aquaking007.blogspot.com/