THE COVERS Articles & Editorials AUGUST 1999 • Volume 9 Number 8 

 

Photos by Wayne Hasson

 This month's cover photos tell the story of Supplied Air Snorkeling, a brand new product category developed for the scuba industry. The product was invented by Wayne Hasson, a dive industry professional who wanted to introduce his young children to scuba over his wife's initial objections. The idea will become much more than a new product as it funds marine education and awareness efforts for kids on a different level.
FEATURES
22 From Innovation to Invention: Supplied Air Snorkeling Debuts
Most great inventions aren't cooked up in scientific think tanks; they often evolve out of a need to solve a problem or resolve a conflict. Wayne Hasson is the father of a family that includes two young children, so he knows all about problem solving and conflict resolution. What he didn't fully understand until recently is that one of his "keep the family happy" ideas - a new type of gear he invented for his kids - may turn out to be much more than that. 		By Cathryn Castle
38 Keep a Good Dive From Going Bad: Ways to Avoid Being a "Same-Ocean Buddy"
One of the basic tenets of safe recreational diving is observance of the buddy system. What we often forget is that buddies are a team. Regardless of how good a diver each of you is, your safety and performance as a team will require you both to focus on being good buddies. If one of you isn't "into" being a buddy, you'll be little more than SOBs (Same-Ocean Buddies). 		By Robert N. Rossier
COMMENTARY
8 Editorial By E. Mark Young
10 Buddy Lines: Fin Flap
16 Diving Notes and News: "Mysteries of the Deep" Premieres in Monterey and other news from the diving industry. By Linda Lee Walden
88 No Dumb Questions: Coral Slime: The "slime" you feel when you touch a coral reef isn't just mucus produced by the colony; it's also delicate tissue that is very sensitive to damage. By Alex Brylske
DIVE EXPLORATION
55 Training Site: South Padre Island, Texas: Rigs, wrecks and reefs - and tropical waters - make for a Texas-sized diving and training location. By Jesse Cancelmo
80 Dive Traveler: U.S. Embassies: A Friend When You're Afar. Most dive travelers will enjoy trips without any need of outside assistance. But if you need help, a U.S. embassy can be a real friend when you're far from home. By W. Lynn Seldon Jr.
83 Passport: Dive travel incentives around the globe
Compiled by Cathryn Castle
EVERY MONTH
45 Scuba Skills: Where Is Your Safe Second? The Answer May Lie With Your Buoyancy Compensator. An integrated alternate air source is a useful piece of equipment, but it requires a change in the way you prepare for and execute out-of-air situations. By Lynn Laymon
49 Always Learning: Weather-Guessing. When Dark Skies Threaten Your Dive Plan. A change in the weather can cause a change in your dive plan; that decision is not always easily made. By Mark Twombly
53 What About: Bubble Trouble: Common equipment problems and how to detect them. By Jan Neal
59 Dive Instructor Tips: Underwater Photography. A Key to Keeping Divers Interested. How to help divers get "hooked" on underwater photography. By Jack and Sue Drafahl
63 Weather and Waves: When Lightning Strikes: Lightning's danger to divers - and ways to avoid a strike. By Jack Williams
68 Diving Through the Decades: The 1950s. In this ongoing series, we recall a decade every month - the events, personalities, inventions, and trends that made diving what it is today. By Eric Hanauer
72 Dive Medicine: Heat Exhaustion and Heatstroke: A "hot time" can become a bad time when a diver gets overheated. This article covers the symptoms and treatment for heat-related illnesses. By Paul S. Auerbach, M.D.
78 Smithsonian Reports: Smithsonian scientists report on the Ocean Planet Exhibition. By Michael Lang, edited by Alex Brylske
86 Dive Shop: New Scuba Selections
Compiled by Cathryn Castle
93 What's That?: Those Wrascally Wrasses. Understanding these underwater quick-change artists. By Dee Scarr
99 International Classifieds
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 Your Exchange Is Effortless: Switching from snorkel to regulator without getting a mouthful. By Lynn Laymon