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Almost every time I do a pre-dive safety check with my divers, I am shocked. When I tell them to check to make sure their tanks are open, many do so incorrectly. Some divers take a few breaths from the regulator; others press the regulator purge button and listen for a release of air. A few look at the pressure gauge; to check for a full reading. None of these actions alone is sufficient to confirm that a tank valve is open. Read more...

Is Your Tank Open? Are You Sure? originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 23:17:45.

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"I've got it!" the divemaster said, ripping my scuba diving gear out of my hands. "It's my job to set up your gear."  I replied, "No thanks."

 I find others setting up my equipment annoying, and so should you.

Many divers think setting up clients' gear for them is good customer service. I say, think again.  When a dive professional or buddy takes away the responsibility of setting up and checking gear from a diver, the diver develops an attitude of complacency and dependence about his gear. This is a dangerous attitude to have in an equipment-dependent sport.

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Full Service or Disservice? originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Friday, March 5th, 2010 at 21:11:32.

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Have you ever felt pressured to make a dive you were not 100% sure about, a dive that was beyond your personal limitations (meaning your training, experience, or comfort zone)? Every diver will be faced with this potentially dangerous situation at some point, be prepared.

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Dive Within Your Limits originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Saturday, February 27th, 2010 at 21:13:55.

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I know of a PADI dive center breaking PADI standards. They are allowing PADI Divemasters (certified guides) to teach student divers confined water skills and take students diving in the ocean for their first diving experience without an instructor present. PADI regulations specifically state that only an instructor (a higher rating than divemaster) may do this. I do not want to start to debate whether the PADI Divemasters in question are good divers, good teachers, or are doing a good job. What annoys me is this:

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Who Is Leading Your Dive? originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Sunday, February 21st, 2010 at 00:36:09.

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I had a frightening experience last week, and I am not easily scared.  While I was guiding one of my favorite dives, I saw normally calm and graceful bull sharks radically change their behavior. During my dive, another group of divers began to feed the bull sharks by hand.  The sharks became agitated, circling all the divers, thrashing their tails and aggressively approaching within 10 feet of my group.  I understand the term "feeding frenzy" now, because I was in the center of one.

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Shark Feeding: A Really Bad Idea originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Sunday, January 10th, 2010 at 19:25:04.

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I fondly refer to my wetsuits as my "stinkys." You can probably imagine why! If, like me, you have tried everything you can think of to get the stench out of your neoprene items and nothing has worked, there is hope.

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Eliminate Wetsuit Smells originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Sunday, January 10th, 2010 at 18:51:00.

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The Atlantic Lionfish invasion is no longer breaking news. Most ecologically-minded divers know that the common lionfish, an invasive species from the Indo-pacific region, is decimating reefs across the western Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico. Many dive destinations, such as the Bahamas, Cozumel, and Florida are implementing lionfish control programs with some success. What is most likely news to everyone is that on the mainland east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, almost nothing has been done to control this destructive species.

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Lionfish in Mexico Have Free Reign originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Sunday, January 10th, 2010 at 01:48:59.

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Wordless Wednesday: Arrow Crab in Anenome originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Wednesday, September 10th, 2008 at 06:05:23.

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Wordless Wednesday: Anenomefish originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 at 05:35:29.

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Wordless Wednesday: New Species of Jelly Fish? originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Wednesday, August 20th, 2008 at 03:35:08.

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