editorial
By Alex Brylske Photo by Lynn Laymon
USE IT OR LOSE IT
 Coincidences
are sometimes downright scary. Just a few weeks ago, I was at a major
Caribbean diving destination, and at a restaurant one evening, I overheard a
group of divemasters lamenting the problems they encounter with their
guests. There were the usual time-worn complaints about rudeness,
unreasonable requests and bad tips. But one issue arose that was especially
disconcerting: How some guests resented being asked to undergo a simple
skills assessment and yet turned out to be the ones who had the weakest
skills.
The very day that I arrived home, I received a copy of Linda Lee Walden's
feature from this issue, "Back in the Game." In it, she addresses what I
believe is the very core of the concerns I heard that evening at the
restaurant. It was almost as if Linda had been there with me, listening to
that group of frustrated dive professionals.
Anytime you get more than two diving instructors in a room, you can almost
bet that the conversation will eventually turn to how divers "ain't what
they used to be." Of course, some of that is just blowing off steam, but, in
a very real sense, it's true - though not for the reasons often assumed.
In my view, it has nothing to do with any deteriorating quality of training,
computer-based learning or even a general societywide decline in standards
of all sorts. It's because divers and diving are entirely different animals
than they once were.
In case you haven't noticed, gray hair and pot bellies are more common than
ever in the diving community. As a group, we're getting older. Some of us
who started in our youth are still quite active, and many newbies entering
the sport aren't what you'd call spring chickens (a euphemism some of you
younger readers might not be familiar with). Still, age alone isn't the
reason why a lot of seasoned instructors think divers' skills are going to
hell in a handbasket.
The real reason is not only clear, it's to be expected: Divers simply don't
dive as regularly as they once did. I remember a time when you weren't even
considered a diver unless you made, at the very least, a dozen dives a year
in your local area. (Trips to exotic locations alone didn't seem to count.)
Today, in many northern regions, you'd be hard-pressed to find more than a
handful of die-hards who regularly frequent chilly local waters. But diving
skills are like all skills. If they're not used, they decay. "Use it or lose
it" is an apt expression.
This is where refresher training becomes such an important factor in keeping
the occasional diver from becoming an accident statistic. It's a no-brainer;
either dive often enough to keep your skills and knowledge intact or take
the appropriate steps - a refresher course - to get back up to speed before
putting your life, and possibly someone else's, on the line.
Furthermore, in consideration of those who will have to bear the
responsibility for dealing with your mistakes or ineptitude, don't complain
when a conscientious dive operator asks you to confirm your competence
through a simple skills assessment or asks that you dive under staff
supervision when you admit that you haven't been in the water since Jimmy
Carter was in the White House. It's only reasonable, and it is, after all,
for your own good.
Better yet, don't let your skills and experience degrade to the point at
which it becomes an issue. To paraphrase the advice someone once gave to the
voters of Chicago, dive early and dive often. If you don't, there's a lot
more to lose than you think.
buddy lines
PROTECT THE MASK STRAP
Protect the Mask Strap
Lynn Laymon did an excellent job describing the various techniques for water
entry/exit from a variety of watercraft ("Ins & Outs of Boat Diving:
Mastering Entries and Exits," Dive Training, September 2008). My only
concern is with the method described for boats without platforms.
The article and the accompanying photo depict a diver using his right hand
to protect the regulator and mask from being dislodged. During this type of
entry, the initial force of the water is exerted on the back of the head and
the mask strap. I can recount numerous occasions when I have witnessed
divers perform this type of entry and remove their right hand as soon as
they hit the water, unaware that the force of the water has pushed their
mask strap up and over the top of their heads. As soon as they achieved
proper orientation, they unhappily watched their masks slowly sink out of
sight to the depths below.
During performance of the backroll entry, very little, if any, force is
exerted on the regulator or the front of the mask. I believe it is
preferable to place the right hand on the back of the head to protect the
mask strap from being dislodged. This is the technique I have always
encouraged in my students, and, up to this point, we have not had any
unpleasant experiences.
Jerry Effenberger
Lake Forest Park, Washington
Travel Tips Helpful
The article in the September issue about how to avoid looking like a tourist
helped me out recently ("Local Motions: How to Avoid Looking Like a Tourist
on Your Dive Vacation").
I was in Washington, D.C., for a dive show, and, as there was no show on
Sunday, I joined a trolley tour. I remembered the part of the article about
how to get directions discreetly, so I put away my map so as not to look
like a real tourist, and while off course from the tour did not say anything
- to hide my accent.
So you see, the articles in Dive Training also help longtime divers who are
in a strange area (like any land area). You see, good divers are always
learning.
Anne-Marie Vermeer
Habitat Resort Curaao
Coral and Dive Wear Observations
I stand on coral quite a bit. Not that kind - the type I am talking about is
at 7,000 to 10,000 feet above sea level.
Back in the late 1990s, I helped a National Geographic writer with an
article on endangered coral around the world. I showed him some of the coral
formations in the limestone dolomite caves in Northern Wyoming and Southern
Montana. He told me of scuba diving in Tahiti and seeing the coral mating,
and he related many stories of exotic spots in the world and the diving and
coral reefs that were there. Since then, I have obtained my C-card and dived
popular destinations in the Caribbean. Everything that he was telling me was
so true.
When I began diving I quickly learned not to touch the coral, and still the
only time I stand on coral is when I am caving at home, as I don't think I
can damage that.
On another note, while wearing a ballcap and shirt with dive logos, I was
approached recently by an older man, probably in his early 70s. He asked
about diving and told me that he had been a Navy diver in the early '60s
when he was called to go to work for a friend of his, Andre Galerne, for
International Underwater Contractors. He worked with Galerne and Jacques
Cousteau for about 10 years then returned to Washington, his home state. I
didn't think too much of this until I saw the notice of memoriam about
Galerne in the July issue of Dive Training. I learn a lot by wearing
clothing with dive logos, because I often meet people who share my interest.
You never know; they just may turn out to be a new dive buddy.
Keep up the good work.
Don Minchow
Via e-mail
Superior Publication
Your publication is the best available. So many of the dive magazines I
receive in the mail are nothing more than a tabloid full of fancy and
glamorous international dive sites and glossy advertisements - none of which
is of any practical use to me. I won't be renewing my subscription to them;
it'll be money better spent on air fills.
Dive Training, on the other hand, is chock-full of relevant and
comprehensive information on diving. In a few words, it's useful and
informative - superior to all the others. I also appreciate its emphasis on
personal responsibility for our own safety and that of others, and its
respect for the marine life that we've all come to love and enjoy.
Thanks for everything.
Tony Discoe
San Clemente, California
Photo Question
In the "No Dumb Questions" column of the June 2008 issue, there was a
question about the use of nitrox. The columnist stated that "Nitrox divers
must be careful not to exceed the 'maximum operating depth' for the mixture
used" and that "inattentiveness can put the user at real risk of oxygen
toxicity." All this advice is very true, but the accompanying picture shows
the blend at 36.2 percent, which works out to a maximum operating depth of
94 feet, not 110 feet as filled out by the diver on the cylinder's contents
sticker. [The amount] 110 feet equals 1.6 ATA (atmospheres absolute) pp
(partial pressure) and, as I was taught, is for contingency planning only.
It just goes to show that you should check and recheck your math to avoid a
potentially dangerous mistake.
Ramie Reeds
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Bubbling Diagnosis
In your May 2008 issue, a reader asked the question about a bubbling sound
she heard that seemed to be coming from her buoyancy compensator (BC).
She mentioned that she was wearing a bit too much lead. Quite likely, she
was hearing the air in her BC shifting as she rolled or pitched; this was
more pronounced because of the extra air she needed to become neutrally
buoyant. I have noticed this when I do deeper dives in cold water. Since the
pressure of the water column has significantly reduced the buoyancy of the
double-layered 7-mm wet suit, I need to inflate the BC more; a little pitch
and a little roll is all that is needed to make a rather loud gurgling
sound.
Jim Bromell
Via e-mail
[Correction]
In "As Young as You Feel? Diving and the Effects of Aging," published in the
September 2008 issue of Dive Training, the first name of Olympic swimmer
Dara Torres was spelled incorrectly. We regret the error.
dive observer
By Gene Gentrup
PHOTO BY CHIP CLARK, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
Photo caption:
The Sant Ocean Hall's combination of 674 marine specimens and models,
high-definition video experiences, one-of-a kind exhibits and the newest
technology allows visitors to explore the ocean's past, present and future
as never before.
SMITHSONIAN LOOKS
TO WOW VISITORS WITH
'SANT OCEAN HALL'
Permanent marine exhibit is largest ever
produced by National Museum of Natural History
Divers have reason to be excited about the recent opening of The Sant Ocean
Hall at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington,
D.C. It is the largest permanent exhibit ever produced by the National
Museum of Natural History, created in partnership with the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to show the ocean's history and its
importance in contemporary society. It is also the only exhibit in the
country devoted exclusively to a global view of the ocean.
Seven-foot-tall (2-m) prehistoric shark jaws, a 24-foot-long (7-m) giant
squid and a model of a 45-foot-long (14-m) North Atlantic right whale are
all some of the things visitors will see as they enter the
23,000-square-foot (2,070-sq-m) hall. Visitors will also be virtually
immersed in an underwater experience with "Ocean Odyssey," a high-definition
film of the underwater world, which will be shown on the walls above the
exhibit space. And like the real ocean, the deeper visitors explore, the
more they will discover - from the sunlit surface to the darkest depths,
from the smallest micro-organisms to the biggest animals ever known, and
from the perspective of an astronaut hovering 22,000 miles (35,200 km) above
the planet to that of a seal diving deep below the surface.
Star Attraction
The North Atlantic right whale model hanging from the hall's ceiling is a
replica of "Phoenix," an actual female whale. Phoenix was an ideal candidate
for the model; she has been tracked throughout her life, and scientists know
much about her. The Phoenix model, a signature piece of the Sant Ocean Hall,
is accompanied by an exhibit about the evolution of whales and their deep
open-ocean habitat, as well as their centuries-long connection to humans.
While Phoenix holds the central spot in the hall's "Open Ocean" section,
there are 10 other sections in the hall that address a variety of
ocean-related topics, including the deep ocean, coral reefs, the North and
South Poles and current ocean research. The Coral Reef section has a
1,500-gallon (5,700-liter) tank featuring an Indo-Pacific reef with about 74
live specimens. The hall's "Journey through Time" section looks into the
past with fossils of a large number of ancient animals - some are more than
500 million years old - and the "Ocean Explorer Theater" takes visitors on a
10-minute, virtual manned-submersible dive with scientists as they uncover
some of the planet's deepest mysteries.
There are many strange and wonderful animals in the Sant Ocean Hall, but
perhaps none as mysterious as the giant squid, an animal no one had ever
seen alive until a few years ago. The museum now has two giant squids
displayed in the new hall; the larger of the two is a 24-foot-long female
specimen suspended in 1,800 gallons (6,840 liters) of a special, nontoxic,
clear fluid developed by 3M Corporation. The hall also is the only place in
the world to exhibit both an adult coelacanth (SEE-la-kanth) and its pup.
This prehistoric fish was thought to have gone extinct 65 million years ago,
until a fisherman caught one off the coast of South Africa in 1938.
The Ocean and Humans
The Sant Ocean Hall, unlike many traditional exhibition halls, is not just
about looking at objects and reading signs. Visitors will play an active
role as they walk through it.
The hall's "Living on an Ocean Planet" gallery will inspire visitors to make
the connection between the ocean and their daily lives. There are more than
30 "Human Connection" stories told throughout the hall, highlighting the
intricate and sometimes delicate interrelationship between humans and the
ocean. Visitors will learn this firsthand by putting themselves in the place
of an industrial fisherman, a lawmaker or a scientist in interactive
exhibits, making important decisions and seeing the ramifications of those
choices.
One of the highlighted ocean-and-human relationships is that of American
Indians - symbolized by a 26-foot (8-m) carved canoe given to the hall by
the Tlingit (KLING-ket) Nation. The northwest Pacific Coast became the most
heavily populated American Indian region because of the reliable bounty of
the ocean resources. Exhibits enable visitors to learn about the canoe's
construction and its significance, as well as many ocean-related crafts and
ceremonies.
Telling the Story
With Technology
The Sant Ocean Hall also is greatly enhanced by technological components,
information and images. "Science on a Sphere" is a room-sized, 360-degree
global display system created by researchers at NOAA using computers and
projectors to display information on a 6-foot-wide (2-m) sphere. Animated
images and narration explain many of the complex aspects of the ocean, such
as what the ocean produces, how it changes and how it interacts and
influences the atmosphere.
The Smithsonian has partnered with The History Channel to tell the story of
"Where in the World Do We Do Science?" There are seven audio-visual stories
introducing the work of marine scientists around the world. A large map and
photo essays supplement the video stories with additional stories on
cutting-edge marine science.
Visitors to the hall will not only learn hundreds of new things about the
ocean and its inhabitants, but also get the back story to these facts at the
"How Do We Know What We Know" stations that are placed throughout the
exhibit. These interpretive areas will help people see that our
understanding and appreciation of the ocean is due to science and research.
The hall is named for Roger and Vicki Sant, Washington philanthropists and
Smithsonian supporters, who donated $15 million to support the new hall and
related programs and outreach activities. They donated an additional $10
million in 2005 to establish the Sant Chair for Marine Science - the
museum's first endowed chair in ocean research. The Sants are the largest
donors to the museum.
The museum is open every day of the year except December 25. Regular hours
are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information, call (202) 633-1000.
DNN
CAYMAN ISLANDS PLANS TO SINK U.S. NAVY SHIP
The Cayman Islands has announced plans to scuttle a decommissioned U.S. Navy
ship to create an underwater attraction for divers and snorkelers.
The USS Kittiwake, a 2,290-ton (2,077-metric ton) submarine-rescue ship,
comes from the U.S. Maritime Administration. Toxic materials must first be
removed from the vessel, built in 1945, before the ship is sunk next year in
the Caribbean Sea. It has been anchored for years in the James River Reserve
Fleet, commonly known as the "Ghost Fleet," in St. Eustis, Virginia.
The 251-foot (76-m) Kittiwake should attract large schools of fish to its
deserted cabins and halls, according to Charles Clifford, the islands'
tourism minister. He said the site will provide artificial habitats for fish
and relieve other areas that divers routinely explore.
Project coordinators hope to sink the ship in June 2009 on a big sand patch
in the northern end of Seven Mile Beach. Some expect the Kittiwake to do for
Cayman Islands diving what Stingray City did for its snorkeling. "It will be
the biggest thing that's happened in the dive industry in the last 10
years," said Steve Broadbelt, president of the Cayman Islands Tourism
Association.
Built in 1945, the Kittiwake made numerous voyages between the United
States' east coast, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean in support of
submarines and to conduct rescue missions for the U.S. Navy. The sinking
will not be the first time the Cayman Islands has purposely sunk a military
ship. In 1996, the Caribbean territory sunk a 330-foot (100-m) Russian
destroyer, the Capt. Keith Tibbetts, in 60 feet (18 m) of water off Cayman
Brac. The wreck, now decorated with a thick coating of sponges and corals,
has attracted an assortment of tourists and fish.
AQUARIUM UNVEILS
UNUSUAL GUEST
A New Jersey aquarium has become only the second aquarium in the United
States to display a great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran), the largest
of all hammerhead species.
The great hammerhead arrived at Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey, on
August 29 and was placed in a special observation area while it acclimated
to its new surroundings. A few weeks later, the shark was released into the
aquarium's Ocean Realm Exhibit, a 760,000-gallon (2.8 million-liter) exhibit
that's home to more than 3,000 sea creatures, including shark rays, a zebra
shark, roughtail stingrays and sea turtles. Since its release into Ocean
Realm, the great hammerhead has been eating and adapting to its new home.
The shark is a juvenile male; biologists estimate it to be about 2 to 3
years old. It weighs 80 pounds (36 kg) and measures nearly 6 feet (2 m).
Although great hammerheads typically grow to about 12 feet (2.3 m), they
have been recorded to grow to almost 20 feet (6 m).
The only other place in the United States known to house a great hammerhead
is the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. For more information, call (856)
365-3300 or visit www.adventureaquarium.com.
DIVE MUSEUM
OPENS IN ILLINOIS
The Lockwood Pioneers Scuba Diving Museum has opened to visitors in Loves
Park, Illinois, northwest of Chicago.
Items on display include a 68-year-old rebreather scuba device developed by
Rockford native James Lockwood, for whom the museum was named. Museum
president Dan Johnson said he also has remnants of two century-old
shipwrecks from Lake Michigan and a two-person submarine used in the 1965
James Bond movie "Thunderball."
Johnson opened the museum to educate the public about the evolution of
diving and the importance of protecting the aquatic environment. He plans to
have regular speakers and events at the museum.
Lockwood built scuba equipment in Rockford starting in the late 1930s. He
founded Lockwood Oil Co. service stations in Rockford but sold the company
to pursue diving. He died in 2003 at age 92.
The museum will be free to the public and open whenever the adjacent dive
shop is open. For more information, call (815) 633-6969, e-mail info@lockwoodmuseum.com
or visit www.lockwoodmuseum.com.
'DIVE WITH A
RESEARCHER'
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Divers are being recruited for the Central Caribbean Marine Institute's (CCMI)
"Dive With A Researcher" program. Participating divers will gather data,
photograph and archive data to help scientists gather information on their
research topic, while diving in the waters off Little Cayman.
The program was developed to give divers a resource to learn more about what
they love, while helping support ongoing research. One of CCMI's goals is to
gain a better understanding of what is causing the decline in health of
coral reefs and what could contribute to a more resilient reef.
Participating divers will have the opportunity to assist with surveys of
bottom-dwelling organisms using transects to detect long-term changes in
community structure and the effects of no-take marine parks, as well as
surveys to document the diversity, abundance and habitat preferences of
benthic species. The project is directed by Dr. Carrie Manfrino, president
and founder of the CCMI.
Interested divers should be "advanced open water" with at least 50 logged
dives, and participants in the program will stay at The Little Cayman
Research Center. The station affords dormitory-style sleeping
accommodations, a screened-in dining area, an off-the-grid
sustainable-development bathhouse, laboratories, library, boats and a
multimedia classroom. For more information, visit www.reefresearch.org or
e-mail coppage@reefresearch.org.
BOSTON CLUB
TO HONOR
PHOTOGRAPHER
North Atlantic underwater photographer Andrew Martinez has been named the
next recipient of the Underwater Club of Boston's Paul Revere Spike Award.
He will be honored during the 58th Boston Scuba Show, scheduled for February
28, 2009, at the Marlboro Holiday Inn and Resort in Boston.
Martinez's work appears regularly in magazines and in ecological wildlife
and naturalist periodicals. His field guide, "Marine Life of the North
Atlantic," is popular among divers of the Northeast, and he is a past winner
in the underwater division of the National Wildlife magazine photography
contest.
[EVENTS]
SECONN DIVERS
TO MAKE ANNUAL
DIVE JANUARY 1
SECONN Divers' 45th Annual "Frozen Fin Dive" is scheduled for January 1,
2009. The event will be held at Green Harbor Beach in New London,
Connecticut. Registration starts at 10 a.m., and the dive takes place at
noon. Prizes are awarded for the number of colored shells collected. After
the dive, "medicinal" hot-buttered rum will be available, along with an
all-you-can-eat lunch featuring clam chowder, chili and cornbread. To find
out more about the event, go to www.seconndivers.org.
OUR WORLD-
UNDERWATER
FEBRUARY 20-22
The 39th annual Our World-Underwater dive and travel exposition is scheduled
for February 20-22 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont,
Illinois. Workshops covering everything from equipment repair to treasure
hunting are scheduled, and a film festival also will be staged.
An early-bird weekend pass is available for $65 and includes admission to
exhibits, the Friday and Saturday film festivals, seminars and a show
T-shirt. Admission to workshops is not included. For more information, call
(800) 778-3483 or visit www.ourworldunderwater.com.
UNDERWATER
INTERVENTION
MARCH 3-5
Underwater Intervention will be held March 3-5 at the Ernest N. Morial
Convention Center in New Orleans. Underwater Intervention is the combined
annual conference of the Association of Diving Contractors International and
the ROV Committee of the Marine Technology Society. Events include a job
fair, speakers, seminars, exhibits and an awards dinner. For additional
details, call (800) 316-2188 or visit www.underwaterintervention.com.
BOSTON DIVE SHOW
AND FILM FESTIVAL MARCH 6-8
The 2009 Boston Sea Rovers show will be held at the Fairmont Copley Plaza
Hotel in Boston March 6-8. The clinic will include more than 40 seminars
covering everything from the marine environment to advanced diving
techniques, an evening film festival and, with more than 60 booths, the
largest annual display of dive equipment and services in New England.
Tickets at the door for the evening show are $25 per person, and tickets for
the clinic Saturday, which includes exhibits and programs, are $25. On
Sunday, admission is $20, children under 12 are free, and admission for
students with valid ID and senior citizens is $15. The special pricing is
available only on Sunday.
Daily events run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Sunday. The Saturday film festival is scheduled from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
and will be held at the John Hancock Hall, two blocks from the hotel. For
more information, call (617) 424-9899 or visit www.boston searovers.com.
OHIO SCUBAFEST MARCH 20-22
Ohio ScubaFest 2009 and the 50th Annual OCSSDI Banquet Ball will be held at
the Crowne Plaza Hotel in North Columbus, Ohio, March 20-22,. ScubaFest is a
regional show created and staffed by volunteers and is associated with the
Ohio Council of Skin and Scuba Divers Inc. The weekend includes the
Underwater Photography & Video Competition, exhibits, presentations and a
Saturday night banquet with a keynote speaker. Check out www.scubafest.org
for more details.
BENEATH THE SEA MARCH 27-29
The 33rd Annual Undersea Dive & Travel Exposition is scheduled for March
27-29, at the New Jersey Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus, New Jersey.
The weekend consumer show will include more than 60 workshops and seminars
and nearly 400 exhibitors.
In addition, Ocean Pals, Beneath the Sea's environmental education program
for children, will honor the winners of its 2009 poster contest and host a
party for children on Sunday, March 29. For more information on Ocean Pals,
take a look at www.be neaththesea.org/v2006/ocean_pals.html. The weekend
will also include The Women Divers Hall of Fame induction ceremony, as well
as other events sponsored by that organization; visit www.wdhof.org for
additional details.
Need more information? Call (800) 536-EXPO or check out
www.beneaththesea.org.
KIDS SEA CAMP
DATES ANNOUNCED
Kids Sea Camp has announced its 2009 itinerary. The events will run July
4-11 and July 11-18 at Cobalt Coast Resort & Dive Tech in Grand Cayman; July
18-25, July 25 to August 1 and August 1-8 at Anthony's Key Resort in Roatan,
Honduras; June 13-20, June 20-27 and August 8-15 at Buddy Dive & Beach
Resort in Bonaire; June 27 to July 4 at Kontiki Beach & Ocean Encounters in
Curaao; August 15-22 at Pelican Bay-Unexso in Grand Bahama; June 18-25 on
the Galapagos Adventure Aggressor Fleet; and August 1-8 at the Ocotal Beach
Resort in Costa Rica. For details about each Kids Sea Camp, call (800)
934-3483 or visit www.kidsseacamp.com.
[BOOKS]
'FIFTY PLACES TO DIVE BEFORE YOU DIE'
Chris Santella takes readers around the world to destinations chosen by
"celebrated divers" such as Stan Waterman, Wayne Hasson, Dan Orr, Jim
Abernethy and Dive Training marine-life editor Marty Snyderman and
contributor Eric Hanauer, who share their personal stories and describe
their favorite diving spots. Their experiences, and Santella's commentary
and underwater photography, come with practical advice on how to get to each
destination, the best time of the year to visit, as well as information on
accommodations.
Santella is a freelance writer and marketing consultant based in Oregon. For
more information on "Fifty Places to Dive Before You Die," visit your local
dive center or call (212) 206-7115.
always learning
TAKING THE BAIT
The Real Value of Shark Dives
Story and photos by Marty Snyderman
A big shark - a large-bodied, toothy one - is coming directly toward you
from off in the distance. At first, all you can see is a blur in the haze,
but soon, the unmistakable snout and missilelike body come into view. You
stare in amazement at its massive size, and you contemplate its raw power.
The great white's big, black, soulless eyes stare straight ahead and, as it
nears, the animal opens its mouth a bit wider. Its eyes appear to roll
backward in their sockets, as its protrusible jaws jut forward and the teeth
snap into place onto the bait. Each serrated, triangular tooth is at least
two inches (5.1 cm) long, making the business end of this animal, which
weighs several thousand pounds (2.2 pounds per kg), all the more awesome.
Then you feel it. This animal has made an impression on you that you'll
never forget.
Lucky me, I've seen this sight dozens of times. Of course, one of the main
reasons I consider myself so lucky is that when I saw a sight like this, I
was inside the protective confines of a shark cage. At least, that was
usually the case. Since the early 1980s, and in each of the last three
years, I've joined diving expeditions during which we tried to get up close
and personal with great whites. When the action is at its best and the
animal overcomes its sense of wariness about approaching the cage, the shark
will often swim so close that a diver inside can reach out and touch it. Not
that any reasonable, respectful person needs to do such a thing, but there
is no doubt that on good days, photographic opportunities abound.
I'm well aware that diving with sharks isn't every diver's cup of tea and
that baiting for sharks and other marine life is looked down upon by some,
divers and the nondiving public alike. Certainly, diving around baited
sharks isn't something I want to do every day, cage or no cage, but I'm
happy that I've done it many times in the past, and I look forward to doing
it again.
The reason I appreciate the experience is not just because of the
photographic opportunities. What I cherish the most about the experience is
being able to see animals as magnificent as a great white shark in the wild,
and I wish everyone had the opportunity. It's from personal connections like
these that we muster the motivation to protect a species, as well as the
ocean itself. And these days, they can use our help.
Nothing Like the Real Thing
There have been times in my life when I questioned the ethics of baited
dives, but having thought long and hard about the issue, I know where I
stand. I also know that my beliefs may come as a surprise and disappointment
to some.
I should note that in the late 1980s and early 1990s, I co-owned a business
with my partner, Bob Cranston, that took certified divers on shark-cage
dives off the coast of Southern California. The purpose of our expeditions
was to provide our clients with an opportunity to see and photograph blue
sharks and mako sharks. I believed I was doing a good thing then and, after
roughly 30 years of diving around sharks and other large animals in a
variety of settings, I am supportive of responsibly run shark-diving
expeditions that use bait to attract sharks.
Over the past 25 years, I've also given slide presentations and shared my
shark-diving experiences with a lot of groups. I'm passionate about sharks
and the experiences I've had, and I take a lot of pride in my presentations,
whether I'm giving them to the third grade at a local elementary school, an
audience of certified divers or a group at a natural history organization. I
want my audiences to fall in love with sharks just like I have.
That's because, while sharks are fascinating animals in their own right,
they are under siege by commercial fisheries around the world. For the most
part, sharks are getting clobbered. Specialists tell us that the total
numbers of many species are down as much as 90 percent worldwide from what
they were only a few decades ago. I think people from every walk of life
should be aware of their plight.
But no matter how passionate I am about sharks, how well my presentations
are received by audiences, or how much some scientist or other
conservationist tries to impress upon people just how fascinating sharks
are, how much trouble they are in, why they are vital to healthy marine
ecosystems and what we must do to save them, the feelings generated by words
and pictures are not nearly as intense as they are when divers come face to
face with these sharks in the wild.
There is something that happens deep down in our souls when we see animals
in this setting. It's different from the perspective we get from watching
television or attending a presentation, no matter who the speaker is. I
would love to think that my work could have the same influence on people as
an up-close-and-personal encounter, but I know better. The connection is so
much stronger when you see, smell, hear and taste it, and real life makes
the most enduring impression.
The Heroes of Future Generations
There is another, perhaps far more important value in shark dives. I'm 100
percent convinced that if there is any hope for the future of shark
populations around the world, a bunch of people who are much younger than me
(I'm 58) are going to have to carry the torch. We need, the oceans need and
sharks need people to fall in love with them the way that my generation has.
Clearly, those younger shark lovers already exist. I've met and dived with
some of them and corresponded with many more, but there can never be too
many. Our oceans can use all the champions and saviors that they can get.
Ultimately, the issue will boil down to money. No matter how passionate we
are, in today's world, it takes money to win environmental battles and to
fix environmental problems. But these are hardly ever the single most
important issue of the day. There always seems to be a military conflict,
taxes and a struggling economy to consider, and despite the lip service,
everything else, including environmental concerns, takes a back seat to
putting food on the table.
Yet, even though the plight of sharks makes good fodder for cocktail party
discussions, for hard-core scientific gatherings and for conservation-minded
environmental organizations, it takes the constant engagement of the public
to keep issues such as the plight of our oceans, and especially the plight
of noncuddly, nonfurry creatures like big, bad sharks, on our collective
mind. As the saying goes, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and in the
battle for the future of sharks we need to keep squeaking. Loudly. And so
will the next generation, and the one after that, and the one after that.
For that reason I think it's worthwhile to give young people who might turn
into the shark heroes of tomorrow the opportunity to fall in love with
sharks today. The variety of shark-diving expeditions - caged or uncaged,
baited or unbaited - that occurs in such places as California, the
Caribbean, Australia, Yap and Fiji provide that opportunity.
In recent years, some battles have been won. Shark finning is outlawed in
some areas, the demand for shark fin soup has been reduced in some areas and
some shark species are protected in some places. But "some" is not "all."
There are many more battles to be waged. In a more perfect world, one in
which sharks and all creatures thrive without the threat of extinction from
overfishing, perhaps I could be persuaded that baiting sharks is less
desirable. But that's not where we live, nor will it be in the foreseeable
future. Sharks are under siege, time is running out, and they need all the
help they can get.
Experience has taught me that adults have the most influence over who gets
the money - most of it, anyway - but it takes the enthusiasm and idealism of
youth to fight the best fight. I welcome the younger generations into the
fray, caged or uncaged, and I hope to see them on a shark dive.
The sooner the better.
no dumb questions
CARBON DIOXIDE, NITROGEN AND RESPIRATION
By Alex Brylske Photo by Joseph C. Dovala
Q: Fred Farmer had a question about a feature article I wrote a few months
back. "In the June 2008 issue, you wrote about the role of carbon dioxide. I
was wondering if there are any studies that can compare carbon dioxide
buildup in breathing air, nitrox and rebreathers? Also, at what depths
should divers be concerned with carbon dioxide buildup?"
A: Fred, remember first that carbon dioxide is a byproduct of metabolism;
the oxygen content of the breathing gas is of no consequence to the amount
of carbon dioxide produced by the body. So, all things being equal, there
would be no difference in carbon dioxide buildup between a diver breathing
air or nitrox. The purpose of breathing nitrox has nothing to do with oxygen
metabolism or carbon dioxide production. It's strictly a way to reduce the
level of nitrogen in the gas mixture, thereby reducing the amount absorbed
by the body.
Recall that a basic premise of my article was that, to avoid the buildup of
carbon dioxide, there must be a balance between its production and
elimination. The response to our body's increased production of carbon
dioxide is to increase ventilation by the lungs. The problem is that in
diving there are several factors, explained in the article, that conspire to
impair ventilation, including immersion effects, dead airspace, equipment
resistance, increased gas density and, to a lesser degree, the phenomenon I
addressed of effort-independent ventilation. All of these factors come into
play anytime we dive at any depth and, of course, the deeper we go (the
denser the air we breathe) the more effect they can have.
Another important part of the carbon dioxide question is that our tolerance
of the gas seems to vary from individual to individual. Several studies have
shown that some people simply do not increase their breathing rates enough
to rid their body of all the excess carbon dioxide created during an episode
of heavy exertion. These people, often termed "carbon dioxide retainers,"
are simply less sensitive to the stimulus that, in most of us at least,
causes us to breathe more as our carbon dioxide level increases. This has
not been studied extensively in recreational divers, but common sense leads
us to believe that the same phenomenon probably occurs regardless of the
type of diving done. There's also a question of whether reduced sensitivity
to carbon dioxide is an adaptive response to diving or if this condition
arises whether or not the individual is a diver.
While there's no quick way of identifying these unique individuals, some
researchers suspect that those who show low air consumption rates and
repeated post-dive headache to be good candidates as carbon dioxide
retainers. If you fall into this category, it may be wise to take the
warnings about carbon dioxide very seriously.
The take-home message of my article wasn't that there's some specific depth
limit at which we need to be concerned about carbon dioxide. Instead, we
should be aware of how lung ventilation and reduced respiratory efficiency
can occur under any circumstance while underwater. But clearly, the deeper
we go, and the more exercise we do, the more of a problem it can become.
Rebreathers are a different story, entirely. Because the breathing loop in
these devices is closed, the buildup of carbon dioxide is one of the two
major concerns in their use. (The other is the oxygen partial pressure.)
Carbon dioxide can build to levels that will quickly render a diver
unconscious for a variety of reasons related to the carbon dioxide scrubber,
such as the scrubber material being used beyond its effective time limit or
an improperly packed scrubber canister. In this case, the problem is
independent of depth. Hypercapnia (high carbon dioxide level) can and has
occurred at any depth - even in a swimming pool - and the diver can fall
unconscious with virtually no warning. This is one of many reasons why most
technical diving experts believe that anyone considering the purchase or use
of a rebreather should first be a highly experienced open-circuit diver. It
also explains, in part, why extensive, unit-specific training is required
for rebreather certification. Open-circuit and closed or semi-closed systems
are completely different animals.
Q: While on the subject of breathing gases, reader Jim Corbat sent in a
query about a "No Dumb Questions" response that I gave in the September 2008
issue regarding nitrogen. "I found a recent response that you gave to a
reader who asked a question about nitrogen elimination a bit confusing. You
stated that 'someone who isn't breathing will still off-gas nitrogen after a
dive; and the rate of off-gassing is unaffected by breathing.' How is this
possible? It is my understanding that breathing in (in-gassing) and
breathing out (off-gassing) is the only way a diver can eliminate the excess
nitrogen in the body. Also, someone who 'isn't breathing' is probably dead."
A: The reason for your confusion is understandable because the gases in our
breathing mixture, be they in the atmosphere or inside a scuba tank, are of
two types: those that enter into the metabolic process (oxygen and carbon
dioxide), and those that do not (nitrogen and, if you're a tech diver,
helium). Respiration rates are certainly tied to how our body processes
oxygen and carbon dioxide, but that's not the case with the physiologically
nonreactive gases, such as nitrogen. The only factors that control the
absorption and elimination here are time and depth (pressure). This is where
the concept of tissue or compartment half-times comes into play with respect
to decompression models. If our breathing rate had any effect on nitrogen
absorption and elimination, then that would have to be factored into
decompression models, which it is not. Thus, when it comes to nitrogen,
in-gassing is not synonymous with breathing in, and out-gassing is not
synonymous with breathing out.
I will take the blame for the confusion over a diver who is not breathing.
Indeed, if that happens long enough, death is the result. My meaning was to
consider that, even between breaths, a diver will in-gas or off-gas
depending on the direction of the pressure gradient. For example, on ascent,
while most of our tissues will be out-gassing nitrogen, depending on the
depth, some will still be in-gassing. Your safety stop is a good
illustration. The fast and medium half-time tissues are clearly ridding
themselves of nitrogen, but some slower tissues are still taking in
nitrogen. (The reason we can ignore this in-gassing is that such slow
tissues can never reach their critical threshold during a no-stop,
recreational dive.) So, as you see, even though the diver is breathing at
all times, in-gassing and out-gassing occur independently, controlled only
by time and depth, not the act of breathing.
Admittedly, it's difficult to address these issues in sufficient depth here
in the limited space of this column. If you're still a bit confused, as I
suggested to the reader in the response back in the September issue, you may
want to take a look at the four-part series on decompression that I wrote in
2004. Specifically, the article from our April 2004 issue, "How We Got Where
We Are: The Origins of DCS Theory," explains the in-/out-gassing and
half-time concepts in much greater detail.
Q: It seems that the question I addressed in the September issue was quite
intriguing to our readers because I got a second inquiry from reader Ron
Beauchemin, asking me to explain my rationale for nitrox use. "I have a
question relative to your answer to the nitrox question in the September
2008 issue. Effectively, you suggested that the questioner use nitrox for
the wall dive (first dive of the day) and use air for the second dive of the
day. During my NAUI nitrox training, I was told that subsequent dives during
a given dive day should be made using a mixture that is as rich (oxygen
content) or richer than the first dive, and to never dive on subsequent
dives of the same day with a leaner mixture. Also, it should be noted that
most dive computers will not let the user change from nitrox to air within
the same 24-hour period. Can you explain the inconsistency between what you
suggested to the questioner, the NAUI nitrox training I received and the
programming present within most nitrox-capable dive computers?"
A: The rationale for my recommendation was explained in the second
paragraph. I assumed that the divers were using nitrox with air tables to
decrease their risk of decompression illness, rather than to extend bottom
time. Second, I assumed that the deeper wall dive they were planning was to
be followed by a shallow reef dive. As I stated, my reasoning was that using
the nitrox gas on the first, deeper dive effectively reduced the nitrogen
loading in the fast-tissue compartments. This is important because, on
deeper dives, these are the "controlling" compartments and, therefore, are
of primary concern. In fact, some researchers even believe that DCI
resulting from off-gassing of these faster tissues is why recreational
divers seem to get more serious forms of bends than commercial and military
divers.
The guideline that you were taught in your training assumes, to the
contrary, that nitrox will or could have been used to extend bottom times
beyond those prescribed in air-based dive tables. Therefore, the only safe
practice is to use, as you indicate, a nitrox mixture on subsequent dives
that's as rich or richer (even less nitrogen) than the previous. The
computer issue is similar. It all comes back to the problem of mixing nitrox
and air tables/models. Aside from an increased safety factor, avoiding these
concerns is, in my opinion, yet another advantage of using only air tables
or computers with nitrox.
Quiz
Test your knowledge of the information featured
in this month's issue of Dive Training.
MARTY SNYDERMAN PHOTO
1. Divers enroll in refresher programs to:
A. Review skills, equipment and academics after a hiatus from scuba.
B. Re-establish proficiency before starting a continuing-education course.
C. Evaluate their readiness for new diving situations.
D. All of the above.
2. The human body's largest reservoir of water is located:
A. In our blood
B. Inside our cells
C. Between and outside our cells
D. All of the above
3. A system in fish that senses changes in the movement of water and helps
fish find food, avoid obstacles and stay in formation in schools is called
the:
A. Lateral line system
B. Noxious stimuli system
C. Dorsal inversion system
4. When entering water through rough surface conditions - breaking waves,
strong currents and so on - divers often don fins using which technique:
A. Figure 1
B. Figure 2
C. Figure 4
5. Sound travels how much faster underwater than above it?
A. Twice as fast
B. Three times as fast
C. Four times as fast
D. Nine times as fast
6. St. Kitts' original name, given to it by Columbus, was:
A. St. Kichikoo
B. St. Christopher
C. St. Cittikawa
D. St. Kitt
7. Examples of being a goodwill ambassador include:
A. Learning words like "hello" and "goodbye" in the local language.
B. Avoiding asking if a store takes "real" money.
C. Inquiring before the trip how people feel about being photographed.
D. All of the above.
8. Protogynous hermaphrodites are fish that:
A. Change colors.
B. Begin their lives as females.
C. Fertilize eggs.
D. Begin their lives as males.
9. Divers should keep their regulator or snorkel in their mouth until:
A. They reach the surface.
B. They begin climbing the dive ladder.
C. They are back on the boat.
D. They return to the dive shop.
Answers: 1. D 2. B 3. A 4. C 5. C 6. B 7. D 8. B 9. C
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