Scuba
Diving
Exploring the Underwater Paradise
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Scuba Diving
opens up an underwater paradise. Nothing compares to going down on
reef!
Scuba diving requires specialized training by
professionals. However, in a single morning, a reasonably fit person can
take a resort
course and get a taste of scuba diving.
Equipment.
Scuba divers use the basic snorkeling equipment,
such as mask and snorkel, fins, boots and tropical dive clothing. In
addition, the scuba diver has the scuba (Self Contained
Underwater Breathing Apparatus) apparatus, including
the BCD, regulator and tank, that is put on as the one piece scuba unit.
The BCD (Buoyancy
Control Device) is basically a flotation jacket, usually with
a built in backpack to hold the compressed air tank (with its air value
and knob at the top) and a large diameter hose that goes from the
jacket's top down toward the left hand where its inflation-deflation
controls can be reached.
To descend, the hose is held up by the left hand and the
deflation control pressed, letting air escape from the jacket's top. To
inflate the jacket the inflation control is pressed and air via an
attached low pressure hose from the regulator supplies air to control
the diver's buoyancy.
The Regulator basically
consists of a "first stage" cylinder/clamp/knob mechanism that attaches
to the tank via an o-ring and a "second stage" breathing
mouthpiece/diaphragm that attaches to the first stage by a hose. Also
encompassed by the term regulator is a pinwheel shaped collection of
hoses (usually four) that come off the "first stage" cylinder.
Two of these, on the right side, are the aforementioned
breathing regulator and a second, redundant regulator called an octopus. The other
two, on the left side, are the low pressure hose leading to the BCD's
inflation/deflation controls and a hose leading to the pressure, depth
and other gauges.
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