As the summer rolls to an end around the country, the Phoenix area is still scoring 100 degree days. Unlike most cities around the United States, summer doesn’t come to an end on Labor Day weekend. In fact, it is common to have 100 degree days well into the month of October. And, when those cool days come, it is a welcome relief to most residents in the valley of the sun.
However, for us Scuba divers, Labor Day is a signal to start thinking about the cooler water that will soon follow. Diving in the Phoenix area is a year round activity. In fact, most divers prefer the winter months as the water is clearer, more dive sites are available (due to lake conditions) and there are less boaters on the water. The trade-off: water temperatures get significantly cooler in the winter months.
While the west coast water temperatures may be pushing low 50s and even high 40s in the winter time, the lakes around Phoenix Arizona range in the mid 50s to low 60s. This leaves a lot of Phoenix divers shivering for warmer waters. However, for many hearty divers, they are suiting up in a heavy 7mm wet suit with hood and gloves or, some divers, desiring to stay longer and head to deeper colder realms of the local lakes may be in a dry suit.
Jeff Varner, owner of AZ Divers on 40th Street and Bell, says “many of his divers have switched over to diving dry, because it’s simply more comfortable in cold water“. Varner continued to say, “that this is the time of year, before the water gets cold, when divers come in and start asking about dry suit classes and purchases“.
Dry suits work on the premise of sealing off your body from the cold water, using an air tight suit. Neoprene or latex seals on a diver’s neck and wrist, keep water out of the suit. Underneath the suit, a diver wears thermal protection to keep him or her warm. Of course, this air space must be managed. When a diver gets in the water, pressure is applied to the outside of the suit and starts to collapse on the diver. At some depth, this can be a crippling squeeze. Divers have a valve on their suit, usually mounted on the chest, which has a low pressure inflator hose attached to it from his or her Scuba tank. To keep the squeeze to a minimum, a diver can add air to (1) reduce the suit’s squeeze, and (2) the air acts as an insulating source.
Air is a much better insulator than water. A body in a wetsuit conducts heat 20 times faster that a body in a dry suit. This type of heat loss can cause diver discomfort causing a premature end to a dive or, worse, can be a cause of hypothermia. Of course, like your lungs, mask, ears and BCD, a dry suit becomes an additional air space to manage.
As a diver, managing air spaces is vitally important. Managing your ear and mask air space is as easy as blowing into your mask or equalizing your ears. Managing the air space in your lungs is done by following the number one rule of scuba diving -- never hold your breath. Managing your BCD and a dry suit is key to proper buoyancy. Proper buoyancy means that you are in complete control of yourself underwater. You, generally, remain neutrally buoyant preventing uncontrolled ascents and bouncing off the bottom which can cause impaired visibility or damage aquatic life.
“Simply put, the biggest benefit for dry suit divers is staying warmer longer underwater“, says Tim Moore, a local Phoenix instructor. “While the benefits are significant and obvious, you have to weigh those advantages with the cost and training issues“, Moore continued.
There are two types of dry suits. The most common dry suit is a tri-laminate shell with latex seals. Known as “tri lam”, this type of dry suit has incredible flexibility and uses ranging from tropical caves to ice diving. The tri laminate shell has little insulation to it. However, it comfortably allows you to put an insulating barrier underneath it. The thicknesses vary depending on water temperature. The other dry suit type is neoprene dry suits. The sizes range from 1mm to 7mm. These tend to be less flexible. However, neoprene acts as the insulator. Thus, multiple barriers are not necessary. In some cases, such as with a 7mm dry suit, a bathing suit and tee-shirt is all that is needed underneath. Costs can vary wildly on a dry suit. A low end neoprene dry suit can cost as little as a high end wet suit. However, a high end tri laminate dry suit can run a couple of thousand of dollars.
While materials are the predominant factor in determining price, dry suit options can certainly spike the cost of new suit. Options for dry suits include a variety of accessories include zip seals, zipper location, valve location, thigh pockets, built in shoes, suspenders, and of course, the suit’s colors. Options, at the time of ordering, seem expensive. However, dry suits tend to last a lot longer than wet suits. So, you options aren’t the place to skimp. Buy what you want, as you should only have to buy a dry suit once.
Off the Rack or Custom Fit?
While many shops around town have “off the rack” dry suits available for sale. Fit is the absolutely most important factor to buying a dry suit. A poorly fitting dry suit can cause a loss of flexibility, air management issues, and discomfort. Not many of us are a perfect off the rack fit. A little to tight in one area and a little too loose in another is very significant while diving.
I strongly advise to choose a custom fit option for your dry suit. Your local dive shop can measure you and determine exactly what you need to order your dry suit.
Training Considerations
Unlike a wet suit, you can’t just jump in the lake and dive a dry suit. Even a seasoned diver will find his or her first several dives clumsy and uncomfortable. It is imperative at this early stage that new dry suit divers get properly trained. Most dive shops, in Phoenix, offer dry suit classes. Prices range from $100 to $150 including a certification card upon successful completion. A dry suit class usually has a little self study and classroom work. This is where you will learn the characteristics of a dry suit. Classroom lecture is followed by a 1 to 2 hour pool session or shallow water session so you can ‘dial in’ in the mechanics and special skills necessary to dive a dry suit. After a pool session, dry suit divers are taken out into the open water and complete two training dives with an a qualified specialty instructor.
Once you are certified as a dry suit specialty diver, practice is essential. It is generally recommended that new dry suit divers spend a significant time, with a qualified buddy, practicing the skills learned in their dry suit course. Special attention should be placed on slow ascents and safety stops. After a couple of dozen dives, it is common for to hear divers say they prefer diving dry. It’s also common to hear new dry suit divers question why they did this in the first place. When you find yourself in that position, keep practicing.
Diving dry is a financial, time consuming, and educational commitment. This commitment offer numerous rewards and allows divers to maximize their dive season. No longer is a diver restricted to warm waters or being cold and uncomfortable in cold water. Whether it’s a deep wreck, a long cave penetration or that mid winter need for blowing bubbles, dry suit diving is a safe way to keep warm.
Visit the author at http:///www.academyofscuba.com
(ArticlesBase ID #1207770)
John C. Flanders, Jr., a seasoned and well traveled diver for over 20 years, is a recognized leader in both the dive and business communities.
Mr. Flanders is an SDI/TDI Instructor Trainer, NAUI Instructor Trainer and a PADI Master Instructor. Mr. Flanders is a SeaSigns Instructor Examiner and the Director of International Training. Mr. Flanders is also trains divers in over 50 different specialties, technical diving and public safety diving. As an Instructor Trainer for both Emergency First Response and Divers Alert Network Courses, he assists in training instructors to teach these valuable safety courses.
John has published numerous articles and manuals for the dive industry and is a frequent contributor to Diverwire, an industry leading portal for Scuba Divers.
In over 20 years of diving John has explored almost every ocean and/or sea in the world off the coasts of 6 continents. He is an avid cave and wreck diver. He also enjoys hiking, kayaking, rock climbing,camping, golfing, sky diving, reading and writing.
Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/scuba-diving-articles/scuba-diving-dry-in-arizona-its-a-dry-heat-1207770.html
Scuba diving is a wonderful sport and with the right equipment it can prove to be one of the most fulfilling experiences. Here is what you need to know about your scuba equipment.
What gear will you need when diving?
When you first start out there are five items you will need for basic scuba diving and training.
Scuba Mask: Perhaps this is the most important of them all. This is the mask that will let you see the wonders of the under water world. When buying a scuba mask it is very important to try a wide variety on. Try different makes, different shapes and sizes, not every mask will fit every person so it's important to find the one that will fit you best as the mask also provides a seal against water entering your eyes.
Scuba Booties: These boot like shoes will be your best friend when walking along rough surfaces or slippery rocks. These boots are designed to protect the feet from rough surfaces. They have a non-slip grip on the bottom to assist with walking on slippery surfaces such as rocks.
Swim Fins: These shoes allow you to experience the water as other water creatures do. Fins allow you to propel yourself through the water in fluid movements with less effort. Scuba equipment can be heavy and awkward at times so having the fins allows you to move easier and more efficiently in that water. There are a variety of swim fins to choose from. There are fins that are webbed like a ducks' feet, there are fins that are shaped more like the fin of a dolphin. Make sure to try on a variety of fins to choose one that fits well and will suit your needs.
Scuba weights and belt: This is essential as the weights and belt are what allows you to stay underwater. These come in a variety of makes so trying a few out to get the one that feels best for you would be idea.
Snorkel: This will allow you to enjoy the view from the surface of the water without using your regulator. Using the snorkel while on the surface either before or after a dive will help to conserve the air in the tank and also as a safety mechanism. The rule of thumb is to always have one of the two in your mouth at all times. Either the snorkel or the regulator will help should be caught up in a wave. Either of these devices will allow you to breath.
Always remember when looking to buy your very first scuba equipment, this is one sport that buying second hand is not a good idea and can actually pose to be dangerous. Scuba diving is not cheap but the reward you will get on your first dive will make it worth every penny. The key to a successful dive is successful equipment. Shop at reputable stores where the owner or employees have a strong knowledge in scuba diving. Bring along a friend who may be a seasoned scuba diver or an instructor who may be willing to assist you in your shopping endeavour.
Never buy scuba equipment online as most of the equipment requires you to try ti on. It is essential that you feel completely comfortable in your gear as you will be descending many feet underwater and that is not the time to be uncomfortable.
Remember as you shop for your scuba equipment to be cautious and know what you need before you go. Having a clear understanding of the sport and what is needed will ensure that you have the best experience possible.
Matrix Mask
The smaller the dot pitch, the sharper the screen?
Quote Yeah. The smaller the dot pitch, the sharper the screen. Correct. That's how close phosphor dots of a particular color (red, green, or blue) are to each other on the shadow mask of a CRT monitor.
LCD monitors use individual pixels on a grid matrix. As such, dot pitch is not an applicable specification. Quote
What is he trying to say?
On CRT monitors, if you look really close, you can see the color dots and the black in between. The smaller dot pitch means there is less black between the dots and therefor a better picture. On LCD monitors, there is no black between dots...
BUT, 'pitch' can be used to give a resolution vs screen size value. It just really isn't.
check out the Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dot_pitch
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Unilever explores vegetarian iron for fortification
Iron deficiency remains the leading nutrient deficiency in both developed as well as developing countries. It affects around one in five women in the UK.
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Scuba Dive Snorkel
Tortola, fantasy island
Whatever you wish, it supplies More than being home to the capital of the British Virgin Islands, Tortola is entertainment central for enjoying the Caribbean. The island serves as a popular base for chartering sailboats, lures scuba divers to its pristine reefs and draws surfers from all over the world to ride the perfect waves on its north shore.
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A short cruise is the best way of visiting the islands of the Maldives. Several islands can be visited in the course of a week. Many are uninhabited and unspoiled by humans.
While cruising to the Baa Atoll we visited the uninhabited island of Milaidhoo - declared to be the very best for snorkeling and diving. It was the opportunity for an introductory one-day scuba diving trip for $96. Instruction was given on the essential theory in the morning and then over the reef to share the waters with a multitude of fish at a depth of 30 to 40 feet.
We were weighted to give us neutral buoyancy and make it easier to stay submerged. It was remarkable how much our buoyancy changed as I breathed in and out. A full breath would make me less dense so that I ascended to the surface. Beyond the reef the sea was hundreds of feet deep, a point to bear in mind when breathing out and descending to a greater depth. I was careful to keep at the same depth as the instructor.
Shoals of brightly colored fish swam by within inches of me as though I were a piece of coral, which happened to be shaped like a human being with a mask on. A turtle came by; I followed, moving my flippers in time with his legs as he lazily swam along the reef. A stone fish lay in a recess in the coral and nearby a sea cucumber resembling a giant millipede in green.
Others in on our cruise had donned mask and snorkel to view the fish in the shallow waters. It made the Stingrays more visible so there was less chance of stepping on them. It could make them very annoyed. When scuba diving it is not necessary to be so wary of the sun, but it is unwise to swim on the surface for more than 20 minutes.
Once back on shore we would take shelter amongst the trees where barbecued fish were sizzling ready for lunch. Further tables were loaded with a variety of fruit and vegetables. We sat at trestle tables in the shade of the trees.
Derrick Grover has travelled extensively. In addition to his various published articles. He is also an experienced photographer and supplies high quality images to support his writing. He has had 39 photographs published to date. More information on The Maldives cruise at http://www.travoto.com/maldives
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