THE COVERS Articles & Editorials APRIL 1999 • Volume 9 Number 4 
  
By Steve Simonsen		 In this month's issue, we examine the cliché "The family that plays together, stays together." In our Family column, author/dive instructor/mom Jan Neal considers the (yet to be identified) diving gene, and offers practical advice on how to make diving fun for the whole family. Cover photographer Steve Simonsen illustrates that whether on the surface or below, the water is a great place for families to play together.
FEATURES
24 Kelp - Forests in the Sea: We often hear of kelp beds referred to as "forests" - and the forest analogy is valid for many reasons. Giant kelp plants typically grow in close proximity to one another, and because the towering "tree-like" plants often grow in large patches which cover up to 10 square miles, the term forest seems apropos. Though stunning, it is not merely the foliage alone that divers find so alluring. The author looks at "life among the trees" - the more than 800 species of marine animals that can be found in a healthy kelp forest ecosystem. By Marty Snyderman
34 Plight of the Navigator: A Matter of Time: Time management isn't just a modern turn-of-the-millennium problem. For eighteenth-century sailors, time - or more precisely, the exact measurement of time - was the missing link in an equation that would allow mariners to plot their course safely when sailing from sea to sea. Find out what it took for early inventors to get a handle on time, and how today's atomic timepieces allow navigators to pinpoint a tiny dive spot in the ocean. By Robert N. Rossier
42 Waiting to Exhale - Diving's Golden Rule Explained: If you had but 30 seconds to teach someone to scuba dive, what would you tell them? The Golden Rule of scuba diving - breathe normally; never hold your breath. The rest, in most cases, is pretty much secondary. This article reviews the basics of lung anatomy and examines many interesting contrasts between lung expansion injuries and decompression illness (DCI). It also reminds us why scuba's Golden Rule is so important. By Alex Brylske
COMMENTARY
8 Editorial: The Big Show By Alex Brylske
10 Buddy Lines: Not Dead Yet
16 Diving Notes and News: Shark Research Institute Tags Whale Sharks Off Utila and other news from the diving industry By Alison Courtney
87 No Dumb Questions: Eco-Nazis: Does wearing gloves make divers "touchy" and are hot dogs fit for fish? By Alex Brylske
DIVE EXPLORATION
74 Dive Geo: Belize: Ruins, Reefs and Rain Forests. In addition to world-class diving, Belize has been endowed with a wealth of natural attractions which lure eco-tourists. In fact, this area has been referred to as "the world's largest natural theme park." By Linda Lee Walden
82 Dive Traveler: Tourism Offices Your Link to Easy Dive Travel Planning Whom to call - and where to look - to "know before you go" By W. Lynn Seldon Jr.
84 Passport: Dive travel incentives around the globe
Compiled by Cathryn Castle
EVERY MONTH
51 Scuba Skills: Buoyancy III: Hovering: The Art of Diving Neutrally Buoyant The final article in a three-part series on achieving better buoyancy By Lynn Laymon
55 Always Learning: Get-wet-it is: Combating the Drive to Dive. Why informed dive/no dive decisions are always the best By Mark Twombly
59 Dive Instructor Tips: Learning Curves: Teaching Students to Use
Downloadable Dive Computers. Complex dive profiles become powerful learning curves when you teach your students how - and why - to download their dive computers. 		By Robert N. Rossier
63 Eco-seas: Iron Islands: Man-Made Reefs in the Gulf of Mexico Their main purpose is producing energy, yet below the waterline these structures foster thriving communities of fish and invertebrate sea life. By Jesse Cancelmo
69 Family Diving: The "Diving Gene": Do Your Kids Have It? The author realizes that a passion for diving can be passed on from parent to child - but it's not always inherited. By Jan Neal
80 Smithsonian Reports: Smithsonian scientists report on Florida's Link Port Station By Michael Lang, edited by Alex Brylske
92 Dive Shop: Fresh Ideas in Dive Gear
Compiled by Cathryn Castle
94 What's That: Octopus: Squishy Body, Sophisticated Brain. They may be soft, but they're not stupid. The author shares her experiences with octopus intelligence. By Dee Scarr
101 Classifieds
105 Dive Training Quiz
Test your knowledge of the information in this month's issue
106 Final Check: What It Looks Like...When You Handle Your Regulator With Care. How not to get kinked up By Linda Lee Walden