Scuba diving is one the most interesting and popular activities nowadays. People all over the world are eager to scuba dive to admire the mysterious world that is hidden under the water, untouched by humans.

Like all extreme activities, scuba diving also has its difficulties and dangers. So, I think that before diving into the deep mysterious waters, you should learn what dangers you may run into and how you can avoid and overcome them.

It is worth stressing, that scuba diving today has become much safer than it was a dozen years ago. Both the diving equipments and conditions have greatly improved, making your dive much more enjoyable and secure. However you still may come across dangers while diving. I want to point out some of them.

Let me firstly speak about the dangers that are connected with the marine world. Some people think that sharks are the main danger of all scuba divers. However, this point of view is not right. Shark attacks on scuba divers are extremely rare. If the divers dive in the safe areas no shark attacks will take place.

While diving, avoid touching walls and coral reefs. You may get poisoned by unknown water-plants and animals. In case you get scratched or stung by some fish or animal, stop diving and ascend to the surface, even in case of a slight pain. Turn to the doctor’s help to prevent further problems.

If you are a starter, take an experienced buddy with you for the first several times. They are already familiar with the aggressive animals and poisonous plants and will protect you from such dangers.

Most part of the accidents while diving is connected with the diver and the changes that occur in his organism. Barotrauma is perhaps the most common injury the divers have. Barotrauma is the injury caused to the tissues (that have air spaces between them) because of the pressure changes. So what exactly happens to a diver?

Now look. You have probably climbed up a mountain, haven’t you? You have perhaps felt that while climbing up the hill it becomes more and more difficult to breathe, because the air is denser up there. Or why do the astronauts wear their special equipments? Because there is absolutely no pressure in space and people can’t breathe at all.

Now the same is with the underwater. As the water is denser than the air, the deeper you go into it, the more pressure you experience. This very thing causes barotrauma. Barotrauma under the water may lead to crucial consequences. Your ears, lungs, chest cavity, stomach and other organs that contain air may be affected by barotrauma.

Before descending, the most experienced divers pop and clear their ears, thus equalizing the inside and outside pressures of the middle ear.

The speed of descending and ascending should be taken into serious consideration. If you descend and ascend too fast, your lungs may get over-expanded, which will lead to serious health problems, disabilities, even to death. Because of a fluid build-up in the lungs, you may suffer from pneumonia. Consider these things, before diving into the water.

Decompression sickness is also a common thing among divers. This is again connected with the descending and ascending speed. If you descend and ascend too quickly, bubbles will be formed in your blood, which will lead you to decompression sickness. The middle-aged divers come across this problem this problem more often than the young ones. The young organisms easily adapt to these changes.

Have you ever heard about “Martini’s Law” in scuba diving? The law says that every 50 feet dived in the water is equal to a bottle of Martini on an empty stomach. This, of course, means that deep diving can be very dangerous. Imagine how intoxicated a 200-250 feet dived human may become.

This type of injury is called nitrogen narcosis. The most dangerous thing in nitrogen narcosis is that you often do not feel that you are being intoxicated. You feel very well: not a single sign of weakness. Everything happens within a second, and the diver becomes incapable of doing anything.

Fortunately, nitrogen narcosis is not as common as barotrauma or decompression sickness, as not many divers decide on such a deep dive.

There are also many other dangers you may come across in course of your dive. Before starting to scuba dive, I advise you to learn as much about the underwater life as you can. Your knowledge will help you greatly find solutions in difficult situations.

As you see, the dangers of scuba diving are mostly controllable. As I have already mentioned, it has never been safer to scuba dive than it is today. The only thing you should do is to be a responsible diver, by staying healthy, wearing a safe equipment and reacting quickly in unpredictable situations.

All these underwater dangers demand prudence, caution and watchfulness, but as for me, no dangers are worth giving up scuba diving.

Join our facebook fan page and be part of our scuba community if you like our articles. Our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DailyScubaDiving

A well-prepared diver, who hasn’t once been in tropical seas, starts to search for new sensations. For completing the picture, you need several visits to northern seas. They have absolutely different underwater, other nature. These specific dives there are not less entertaining.

The sea waters, washing Norway are stretched on many thousand kilometers, and the Gulf Stream’s warm current constantly keeps them unfrozen. In the warm water of the northern seas a diver can find a variety of flora and fauna, as well as sea-crafts, fuselage planes and other objects wreck diving is based on.

Norway may become a magnificent starting point for interesting adventures under the water. Places for diving include northern islands Lofoten and archipelago Spitsbergen, with rather deep coastal lines. At these coasts depth can reach more than 100 meters. In autumn, especially during the herring spawning time, whales come to this area.

The visibility depends on the depth and on the season. It fluctuates from 10 to 30 meters. Water temperature reaches +15, +16 at most, depending on the season.

Thanks to Gulf Stream, the underwater life in fjords and islets is very rich.  Here you’ll see big herds of pollacks and cods. At the bottom, you’ll witness sea lines and catfish. Crabs hide in the thickets of seaweed, lobsters are hidden in the stone taluses. Bed combs densely lie on the sandy bottoms. After diving in these areas you may have royal dinner from sea gifts. After all, underwater hunting in Norway is not forbidden.

The underwater reeves, and sometimes even severe weather, became the reason of some ship-wrecks. 30 years ago in the sea, at the western coast of Norway, a gold treasure has been found. The Dutch vessel, with cargo of gold coins onboard, was wrecked at coast of Norway almost 300 years ago. Till now, diver-amateurs search for vessels of the Spanish armada, which have disappeared at coasts of Norway in 1588.

Dramatic shipwrecks also occurred during the Norway occupation of WWII. The combination of fascinating dives to the shipwrecks and dramatic military history, leaves strong and unforgettable impression.

Both Gjulen and Stavang in the west of Norway, with a considerable quantity of cast-away courts at the bottom of the sea, together with the fine nature, and Saltstraumen in Northern Norway, with the most powerful in the world whirlpool, can become a magnificent starting point for fascinating holiday under the water.

Diving in the strongest whirlpool in the world can seem too much extreme and a dangerous occupation for some people, but when the activity is made in controllable conditions, under the direction of skilled guides and according to the table of inflows and outflows, Saltstraumen can appear quiet and silent.

Saltstraumen is considered to be a paradise for divers all over the world. The combination of a current, effective stony formations and sea animals, creates great conditions for fascinating pastime. The people, who are eager to have a bunch of adventures, can visit the pure waters of Saltstraumen, admire the incredible flora and fauna and “dance” with a striped catfish, which is the most terrible and dear inhabitant of Saltstraumen waters.

In addition to the variety of fish here, it is also possible to find some remains of the shipwrecks. On board of one of these crafts, 3000 tones of copper still exist. However, the craft is still inaccessible to humans.

For diving in Norway, it is necessary to observe the strict rules, established by the legislation of the country. Diving in the areas of military bases, fishing zones and habitats are forbidden.

The divers should expose a Norwegian three-colored flag over water, which will mean presence of divers under the water, so that the passing boats could be guided.

There is an interdiction on illegal crab and fish hunting. In case of illegal hunt, the police will confiscate the hunt and the equipment. Instead of hunting illegally, you can get permission and hunt legally in limited quantities.

Using underwater weapon is strictly forbidden.

Watch but never touch! This is the strict rule of diving in Norway.

While plunging on the sunk objects, it is strictly forbidden to lift any parts from the surface or harm any object. Remember that all the underwater objects are historical value and are under state protection. So while diving in the Norway waters remember, “Watch but do not touch!”

In case of detecting an unrevealed underwater object, it is necessary to inform the nearest police station or the diving center about the find.

Not all divers are allowed to dive in Norway. The diver should necessarily be certificated to be allowed to dive. Take this into consideration before getting ready for your Norway dive.

If you have already had some interesting dives in the tropical waters, you now probably need some new adventures. Believe me, all your diving wishes can be realized in the underwater world of Norway.

Join our facebook fan page and be part of our scuba community if you like our articles. Our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DailyScubaDiving

The most part of our planet consists of water and only some part of earth. So it is pointless to say which world of these two is richer and worth exploring.  If you are tired of being an earth dweller and want to be a water inhabitant, then scuba diving career is the right way to go and the right means to explore the untouched and see the unseen.

Scuba diving is not just about swimming. It is a real art, a lifestyle, sport with its rules and guidelines. In case you doubt the importance of scuba diving, I will just make your doubts vanish by pointing out several world known organizations that are qualified in scuba diving. They will also help you to become qualified.

Scuba diving has become the favorite pastime of adventure seeking individuals, who want to widen their horizons and be close to nature.

In case you decide to turn from an amateur into a professional scuba diver, that is, a full right citizen of the marine world, then you have to know about the organizations that promote scuba diving and make it accessible for thousands of water enthusiasts.

Let us start with PADI:  Professional Association of Diving Instructors. It is an organization that enjoys respect and fame all over the world. This organization has brought up many generations of certified scuba divers who continue preaching the philosophy and the techniques of PADI all over the world. If you want to be a certified scuba diver, then PADI can fully be your solution.

The rich history and an experience of forty years of this organization guarantees its successors’ brilliant future and promising career. PADI comes along with an international chain of dive shops. PADI training courses will let you practice scuba diving in almost any spot of the world. With a PADI certification, which is valid and accepted in a number of countries, many doors and job possibilities will sprang before you. Accordingly, if you want to consider yourself a professional scuba diver, then take PADI Scuba diving certification courses. Courses are available for all levels: from beginner to certified dive master and instructor level.  All the programs correspond to the international educational standards and will meet your expectations.  Move a ladder up in your scuba career with PADI.

The NAUI: National Association of Underwater Instructors is another diver training world-known organization, that has a great contribution in scuba diving progress. It is home for a number of qualified scuba divers. So feel free to join in. NAUI offers a full array of training programs and courses. NAUI puts safety front and center. Leave it all to this organizations, and it will turn any amateur into a professional scuba diver.

Learn the basics of scuba diving with NAUI Scuba Diver course. This course will teach you the fundamentals of scuba diving, about the dive equipment and safety rules. In the end, you will be given the opportunity to put in practice your gained skills with at least five open water dives. Or maybe you are already a certified diver and want to advance your training. NAUI has something to offer with an Advanced Scuba Diver or Rescue Scuba Diver course. You may realise all your wishes by becoming a certified dive instructor.

Experienced Scuba Diver course is also a good option for those individuals who have experience but no certification.

Diving industry prospers, attracting more and more newcomers on its way. Be ready to explore the wonders of the world waters and get certified to guide the others into this world with true and loyal friend like Scuba Schools International is. The SSI Total Teaching System is one of the most famous training systems on the market. The teaching system does its best to make responsible scuba divers and advanced adventurers. This program is meant for the students who are eager to become certified, but can’t afford completing the Open Water Diver program, and also for those who already have experience and want to have permission for adventurous diving trips.

The SSI’s Dive Professional Training Programs will teach you everything you need to know about scuba diving and scuba diving career. SSI has already produced numerous responsible divers, who not only master the diving rules and tricks, but also comprehend the ins and outs of the whole diving industry.

Among other organizations, that can be taken as an option, are PDIC, YMCA, HSA, MDEA,CMAS, BSAC and several others. No matter which one you’ll choose. Be sure that you’ll become a real diver and will get the knowledge you’ll later need during your underwater trips.

Get the ticket to the underwater world with scuba diver certification card in any part of the world. Turn your hobby into profession. Be the first to step into the untouched and the one to leave your trace in the infinite.

Join our facebook fan page and be part of our scuba community if you like our articles. Our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DailyScubaDiving

Are you looking for some interesting and unique diving destination to spend your summer vacations at? If you are still searching for an appropriate place, then I suppose you haven’t considered Cuba.

With 110,861 square kilometers, Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean. It is located in the northern Caribbean, to the south of the Bahamas, east of Mexico, west of the Haiti and north of the Jamaica.

Cuba’s nature is incredible. The island is decorated with unique plants and trees. No other place in the world is gifted with such splendid nature.

The main island of Cuba, with set of coral reeves and tiny islets, possesses unbelievable flora and fauna. These islets, surrounded with coral thickets, represent huge interest for fans of scuba diving due to excellent conditions. There are no strong sea currents here. The quiet and warm water is so transparent, that it is possible to see everything on the distance of 30 meters. Great visibility and favorable weather are your constant companions in almost all the diving areas.

As the island shelf is rather close to the surface, and the climate of Cuba is almost tropical, the water temperature is 75,2-83,3 degrees by Farenheit (24-28,5 degrees on Celsius) all year round. The waters, surrounding the island, are ideal for any type of scuba diving – researches of reeves, day and night dives on depth of 130 foots (40 metres) in coral gardens, where you can find a set of attractive places: caves, vertical walls, tunnels, underwater slopes, narrow channels, remains of the ships, etc.

Contrasting colors cause invariable delight, abounding with coral formations, which are a habitat of 500 kinds of fishes, 200 kinds of sea sponges, a big variety of molluscs and Crustacea, jellyfishes and seaweed.

Scuba diving in Cuba will be one of your best deeds in life. Cuba offers you a wide variety of diving destinations with amazing underwater views.

The Gardens of the Queen with 33 diving destinations: The chain of the islands at the southern coast of the province of Sego de Avila is surrounded with sea currents and a rich coral reef – home for numerous claw-shaped ones. This is the only place in the western part of the Caribbean sea, where turtles still come to postpone eggs. Flower and brain-shaped corals can be observed much in this place. They involve a considerable quantity of bright coral fish, such as fiber-fish, soldier-fish with black strips, grumblers, shafts. In deeper waters it is possible to find turtles, sharks, blue marlins, tunas and sword-fish.

Kayo Koko with 20 diving sites: Kayo Koko is often named a huge natural aquarium or a natural paradise. Many visitors claim, that it is difficult to find other place in the Caribbean Sea where they can see so many beautiful species of fish. While diving in Kayo Koko you’ll come across red fish-parrots, grumblers and amber fish, royal and other kinds of angel-fishes, anemones and prickly lobsters.

Maria La Gorda with 39 diving places: The remote enclave, located in the western part of the island, on the peninsula of Guanaakabibes, is world-famous reserve of biosphere. This district is known for its legends about pirates, the truthfulness of which proves to be true anchors, old guns and other treasures lying at the bottom of the sea.

Santa Lucia with 35 diving destinations: Santa Lucia is one of the best and longest beaches on Cuba. It is located at the northern coast of the province of Kamaguej, where numerous coral formations closely approach the coast. The territory intended for scuba diving, lasts from cape Maternillos to Kajo Sabinal, and includes remains of old shipwrecks. You need some 5,6 minutes to reach the nearest coral belt. It contains crests in the height of 33 foots divided by lower sandy sites.

Trinidad with 21 diving places: Trinidad beaches are the best ones at the southern coast of Cuba. The underwater world in this area is gorgeous: colonies of corals, sandy crests to 16 foots in height, tunnels and a sandy bottom. Here, it is possible to find congestions of the Black coral, a big variety of sea sponges, branchy and plumose jellyfishes, simple fanlike and tropical fishes.

Varadero with 32 diving destinations: Varadero is the best-known resort in Cuba. It is stretched along the northern coast of the Peninsula de Icacos, in the northern part of the province of Matanzas. The diving territory lasts from the Matanzas bay to the western edge of the archipelago of the Gardens of the Queen. The territory is rich in coral formations and wide variety of fishes. The two most popular places on this resort are the Blue Chasm; an underwater cave of 230 foots in diameter, located among reeves of the Cadiz bay and the sea park, which occupies a territory of 2 square miles and exhibits a motor boat, a frigate with guns, a transport plane and several shipwrecks.

Havana with 72 diving sites: Havana is the capital of Cuba, a beautiful coastal city. There are four international centers of scuba diving in Havana, occupying territory in 62 miles at length and almost in 2 miles at width. It is possible to find remains of the shipwrecks here. Some of these sunk ships have been declared to be a part of the national historical heritage.

Ale of Koloni with 56 diving destinations: This destination is known for its bewitching legends about the buried treasure. The waters are rich in unique fish and sea-plant species. Ale of Koloni is a great diving spot not only for professional divers but for beginners as well. You shouldn’t dive too deep in the waters of Ale of Koloni to admire “the buried treasure”. The shallow places are not less entertaining and gorgeous.

There are numerous scuba diving classes held at almost all Cuba diving spots. With the help of experienced and watchful divers you’ll learn the tricks of scuba diving in a rather short period of time. Later on, you’ll be given a certificate of diver, which means that you will be able to dive at any of the above mentioned places.

As you see, there is a great deal of hidden sights in Cuba’s waters. Each of you is gifted with a chance to dive in the wealthy waters of the island and admire the treasures of this huge natural aquarium.

Join our facebook fan page and be part of our scuba community if you like our articles. Our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DailyScubaDiving

Are you one of those who are afraid of scuba diving? Or perhaps you know someone who is feared of it? Then this article is meant especially for you.

The entry may be useful not only for those who are afraid of diving but also for those who want to help such people.

No matter what other people say, and no matter what kind of professionals may surround you while diving, it takes good courage for someone to do something he is really afraid of. That means that first of all you have to find courage in yourself to make the step. In order to have the desire to dive, you should first of all understand the joy of scuba diving. If you realize that you really want to dive to enjoy yourself fully and not just join your friends in their dive, you’ll more easily find courage in yourself. As you know, a strong internal wish can overcome any phobia.

If you feel that you really have that internal wish of diving, start looking for a good instructor. The role of the instructor is very important in learning to dive. The instructor should be caring and understanding. Tell your instructor everything about your fears so that he knows how to treat you.

Always avoid proud and conceited instructors. They will never be able to help you. So, before starting, get sure that the instructor believes in you and is aware of your fears.

Many male students prefer female teachers and vice versa. Some people say that this helps students become more purposeful. However, that doesn’t at all mean that you should overstrain yourself. Never be ashamed to ask the instructor to go slower or to stop, so that you can have some rest.

If you see that other students are more apt, you may take private lessons not to get depressed from their presence. The instructor will give lessons to you individually according to your capabilities. A good instructor will always let you bring out your abilities and potential. You yourself should decide how much and how fast to dive.

If you feel uncomfortable to learn diving with an instructor, you may turn to your friend who is a diver. No one will understand you better than a friend of yours. Besides, you will never be ashamed of your failures and momentous weaknesses. He will willingly share all the diving secrets and tricks with you. So if you have a friend who is a diver, don’t look around for some other instructor.

If you have already learned diving, that doesn’t mean that you may start diving in the open waters straight away. I am sorry to remind you that you can’t be compared with the starter who has no fears of diving. Besides learning to dive, you should also learn to control your fears. Dive in shallow areas for the first three or four times. Your buddy is still of great importance for you. Stay close to him while diving.

Elaborate gestures with your buddy to stay in constant contact with each other. After two or three dives, you’ll start enjoying the whole thing. The moment you start getting pleasure from diving, all your fears will disappear.

Now, please, imagine another case. You are a great diver, and the underwater life means everything to you. However, your spouse or friend, with whom you’d really like to scuba dive, is extremely afraid of the whole diving process. What can you do in this case?

In my opinion, you can do a great deal. A lot depends on you in this case. Always treat him/her with understanding and never stress on him/her.

If you are not the one to give diving lessons, then do not interfere with the process. Try to stay away from your friend, while he’s taking diving lessons. Just constantly ask him how he is doing. In case of a slight success applaud him, encourage him, ignoring all kinds of failures. Do not constantly remind him that he can do it. It’ll be a great pressure on him. If you see that your friend is not fond of the whole thing, ask him to quit the lessons. That’ll deprive him of the sense of duty in front of you. Most fearful students reach success after they feel free from the sense of duty.

If you notice that your friend becomes engaged in scuba diving process, offer him to take extra lessons with you. This way, you’ll help him get used to his diver-buddy.

After your friend gets certified, do not get relieved. Realize that now he needs you more than ever. While diving, do not show him how attentive you are towards him. Let him feel equal to you and responsible for himself. However, don’t forget to show him that he’ll get your help and support whenever he needs. If you manage to do all this, you’ll greatly help your friend in overcoming his fears and becoming a good scuba diver.

Scuba diving is something really worth trying. Then why let any phobia deprive you of the opportunity to admire the underwater wonders?

Join our facebook fan page and be part of our scuba community if you like our articles. Our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DailyScubaDiving

Solomon Islands is a group of small islands in the Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea, south of Equator. It is a country consisting of about one thousand islands that cover a territory of 28.400 square kilometers.

Solomon Islands is often called “natural paradise” because of their splendid nature. These islands is like a fairy-tale: silent, colorful and kind.

Like other Pacific islands, Solomon Islands attract tourists’ attention with their great diving spots. The tropical walls and coral reefs together with WWII wrecks make Solomon Islands an incredible scuba diving destination.

The water temperature in Solomon Islands is perfect throughout the year, let alone the visibility,  that’s up to 30 meters.

The warm, transparent, sparkling waters are a home for various marine treasures: wrecks, enormous fish, colorful corals, mantas, a great number of fish species, like anemone fish, angel fish, butterfly fish, humphead parrot fish, barracuda, big-eye traveler and so on and so forth.

There are a number of wonderful scuba diving destinations in Solomon Islands: Tulagi, which is said to be the “wreck capital of the Solomon’s”, Maravagi Resort, Guadalcanal, Uepi Island, Munda and Gizo.

Gizo and Uepi are the most famous and popular diving destinations among the scuba divers all over the world.

While diving in Gizo you’ll witness not only wonders of marine flora and fauna but also historical wrecks.

Scuba Diving in Gizo is a real pleasure. You do not need even wear a wetsuit, as the water is very warm. You just need something to protect you from wall, reef and animal stings. What refers to the visibility, it rarely reduces from 30 meters.

The coral reefs are inhabited by unique marine animals and plants. The colorful coral reefs and golden sandy bottom, decorated with starfish, won’t let you stay indifferent.

Gizo is surrounded by a network of coral reefs. There is a great deal of unexplored reefs and walls, caverns and wrecks. Some of them are still inaccessible to humans. Well, you can be the first to dive into these sites and reveal the unrevealed.

Now, let’s speak about the wreck diving in Gizo. Your Gizo dive may become an unforgettable excursion as throughout the history, and especially during WWII many planes and ships have sunk in this area.

Toa Maru is the most famous wreck diving site in Gizo. It is a huge Japanese freighter that lies in Kololuka Bay. The freighter’s length is almost 100 meters, so a single dive is not enough for a detailed examination of the wreck. The bow of the freighter is at 12 meters depth, while the stern is at about 37 meters’.

This wreck is very often compared with the wreck of the President Coolidge in Vanuatu because of its approachability and numerous equipments that are still present onboard: tanks, cement bags and jeeps.

If you are an experienced diver, you can penetrate into the wreck and dive into the engine room. However, bear in mind that the dive won’t be easy and you’ll have to put much efforts for safely to dive through the impassable holes.

There are also two sunk planes in the waters of Gizo, that are worth diving. One of the planes, the Japanese Zero fighter, is rather close to the shore and accessible to most divers.

There are many diving centers in Gizo, that can support you in your dive. If you are a certificated diver, you’ll easily get the allowance of diving the wrecks of Gizo waters. The starters have to “bear” the presence of the instructor.

I’d also like to speak about Uepi, which is another great diving site in the Solomon Islands. Uepi stands out for reef diving. The reefs are densely inhabited by different fish species and other marine animals. Within your dive you’ll come across turtles, Uepi hammerheads, eagle rays and mantas. Uepi is also rich in marine flora. The walls and reefs are decorated with showy sea-plants and stones.

Uepi has three prominent wrecks that lie in Wickam Harbor. These are the Japanese freighters that were sunk by the USA during WWII. Marine plants and animals have already found their places on the wrecks, thus beautifully decorating the latters.

Uepi dives are, as a rule, long-lasting, as the divers always find numerous things to entertain themselves. Water temperature is about 28−30 °C.

If you still doubt whether to visit Solomon Islands or not, I assure you to do that. You’ll  enjoy yourself fully not only in the warm waters of the Islands, but will also find a lot of joy on the beaches and in friendly villages. After diving the opulent waters of Solomon Islands, you can continue your vacation on the sunny beaches of the islands.

In short, if you’d like to have an unforgettable active pastime, Solomon Islands can and should be your choice.

Join our facebook fan page and be part of our scuba community if you like our articles. Our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DailyScubaDiving

When speaking about France, one immediately imagines Paris and the Eifel Tower, Notre Dame de Paris and Champs Elysees.

Scuba diving is perhaps the last thing to associate with France. However, surprising it may seem, France has great scuba diving destinations.

Scuba diving has recently gained popularity in France, but has already become one of the most favorite hobbies of the French people. The Mediterranean waters are of great interest to all people. They are home for various fish and sea plants, coral reefs and walls, caverns and wrecks.

Divers from all over the world come to these areas to dive the historical wrecks of WWII. In Southern France the diving area stretches from St Tropez to the Poqurelles. This area is rich in shipwrecks. The latters make this place a real diving destination for an adventure-seeker.

Western France is not rich in historical wrecks but has an abundant marine life instead. It can be a great diving spot for those who want to enjoy their dive in the transparent cold waters, admiring the marine wealth of the area.

This area is a habitat for tunas, Pollack and mackerel. The reefs are beautifully decorated with sea stars and soft coral, thus making incredible scenery for divers.

If you are a certificated diver you can dive Antibes and Juan Les Pins. The latters have much to share with you. The depth of diving ranges from 6 to 60 meters. It is a stunning diving spot with coral reefs and colorful rocks, canyons and small caverns, pinnacles and drop-offs. Octopi, Lobsters, Barracuda, Sunfish, Cuttlefish and Gorgonian Fans are your friendly buddies while diving.

There, you’ll see the statue of Commandant Yves Le Prieur. Yves Le Prieur was the inventor of the first self-governing breathing apparatus. Diving Antibes and Juan Les Pins you’ll also see the vertical walls of L’Enfer de Dante. Just imagine what an interesting excursion you may have in here. The colorful rocks and sponges will make everything appear even brighter.

Visibility often changes here. It ranges from 10 to 30. The same refers to water temperature. The best time for diving is from May to November, when the water temperature rises to 20 degrees.

Diving Antibes is not an easy thing. Those with little diving experience are often deprived of the right to dive here.

La Londe Les Maures has a lot of interesting things to show the divers. The flora and fauna in this area is indeed very rich. The divergence of fish species together with world-famous wrecks, the Donator and the Grec, make this place a desired scuba diving spot in France.

The visibility and water temperature here are the same as in Antibes and Juan Les Pins. No sharp differences. Nudibranches, Dentex, Conger and Moray Eels, Barracuda and Sunfish are the constant inhabitants of this area.

Port Cros Marine Reserve, that starts in La Londe Les Maures, is Europe’s first wildlife reserve. It has been established in 1963, and has been protecting and caring for the marine plants and animals so far.

You should necessarily be a certificated professional diver to be allowed to dive in Port Cros. The authorities and diving organizations do their best to keep the area untouched. The beginners and amateurs are rarely allowed to dive in this area, as they might hurt the treasures of the reserve. Reefs and walls mustn’t be touched, animals mustn’t be hunted. In short, it is a real museum under the water.

Nice, Antibes, Saint Raphael, Sainte Maxime and La Londe are the best diving destinations in the South of France. These destinations stand out for good visibility and warm weather. Here competitions of underwater photography and videography are often being held. Besides, there is a festival of underwater photography and videography in Antibes at the end of October each year.

There are scuba diving organizations in France that organize scuba diving trainings for beginners and adventurous underwater trips for certificated divers. There are also diving centers that organize underwater excursions for those, who don’t even know swimming.

As you see, France is not simply a land full of monuments and Gothic architecture. It is also a place, where one can spend a very interesting and joyful active vacation. Scuba diving, the sport of the mad, has attracted the aristocratic nation too.

Whenever you get tired of warm tropical waters and sandy bottoms, go to France and scuba dive in the waters of the Mediterranean.

Join our facebook fan page and be part of our scuba community if you like our articles. Our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DailyScubaDiving

As you know there are different types of scuba diving. Each one has its own characteristic features and peculiarities. Each type is full of unforgettable moments and impressions. However, nothing can be compared with a night dive ( just my opinion , feel free to disagree   ) .

Scuba diving at night is something different, something unbelievable and indescribable. But I promise to do my best to tell you what a night dive is.

Night dive may sound some kind of scary to people who haven’t dived in the dark, but it is much more interesting and enjoyable than any other type of diving. The underwater life thoroughly changes at night. There are very many things you’ll see only at night, things you can’t witness during the daytime. Those who once dived at night want to return to it again and again.

The reefs awaken with new species of plants and animals. Crabs and lobsters are especially active at night. Everything around is glowing in the silence of the night.

Diving at night is a real adventure, and I advise every diver to try it. Bear in mind that you should be well-prepared for the night dive. Let me give you some valuable advice on diving at night.

First of all remember that you shouldn’t dive too deep at night. A night dive is a shallow dive as a rule. Do not get too much engaged in the activity. Always keep shallow.

If you are diving for the first time take an experienced diver with you. Do not dive alone at night,  never. Better to dive in the area that is more or less familiar to you. This has two advantages. You’ll feel more comfortable and you’ll see how the same place becomes a completely different thing at night.

Check the equipment fully before diving and take several dive lights with you. You just can’t do without them, especially if there is no moon that night. Get a primary and a secondary light with you. You never know what may happen, so it’ll be safer to have at least two dive lights with you. If you are a professional diver and it’s not your first night dive, it’ll be great to turn off the light for some time and enjoy the darkness of the underwater world.

You’ll be a very fortunate diver, if it happens to be bright moonlight the night you are diving. In this case you should switch off your light for at least several minutes and see how beautiful the reflection of the moon is in the waters.

Do not hurry while diving at night. As I’ve mentioned there’s a great deal to enjoy during a night dive, so take it slow. With the help of your flashlight you’ll certainly notice that the coral is even more colorful than it is during the day.

Before entering the water elaborate signals among the group members to better understand each other in the silence and darkness of the underwater. Be very careful and attentive towards your diver-buddies. Do not separate from each other. Keep close to one another. Besides, take care not to aim your lantern light directly to someone’s eyes. It’ll strongly bother your buddy and blind him for a short while.

Now two words concerning descending into the water and ascending back to the surface. While descending at night keep very close to your buddy or buddies, if you are diving with a group. Most dive masters would advise you to descend in vertical position. You’ll easily avoid obstacles in this way. Keep your flashlight brightly switched on and aimed downwards to see where you are diving. Be careful not to damage the coral.

The same I can say about ascending. Keep close to one another and keep your light upwards.

Before wishing you an interesting and enjoyable night dive I want to add several more things concerning your physical position. If you feel that something is wrong about you, sickness, tenseness or unassertiveness do not dive. No matter whether you have a very experienced and reliable comrade you shouldn’t dive.

I’d also advise you to pass a medical check-up before a night dive. Without hesitating I can say that you need to be in a perfect state to be allowed to go on a night dive.

Today there are numerous scuba diving services that organize night dives. They have night diving courses for divers of any degree. However, if you are a starter I’d not advise you to dive at night. It may scare you. Besides, night dive demands more carefulness, attention and, why not, experience of a scuba diver.

I see you have already made up your mind to have a night dive in your favorite area. Is your equipment in a good position? Do you feel comfortable in it? You haven’t forgotten about several lights, have you? Are your buddies reliable? Do you feel well? Then why are you still reading this? Hurry up for a real adventure!

Join our facebook fan page and be part of our scuba community if you like our articles. Our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DailyScubaDiving

Scuba diving is a real joy for the people who like to lead extreme and interesting lifestyle full of fearful and dangerous moments. However, the reality is that not every man can lead such a lifestyle and not every man can become a scuba diver.

In order to be a good scuba diver one should be very healthy. That is perhaps the main demand of scuba diving. Living under the water is more difficult than living on the Earth. The organisms of people who have health problems may not access that kind of living conditions.

People who have heart and breathing problems shouldn’t dive no matter what equipment they may wear. It can really be very dangerous.

However, if you think you can’t do without it, and are eager to witness the beauty of the other world, consult a doctor and dive only if you are allowed to.

Now I want to turn to young, healthy and energetic scuba divers. Are you eager to learn more scuba diving tricks? Do you think my tips can be valuable and useful while diving? Then go on reading this entry, the main purpose of which is to make your dive an easy and enjoyable thing.

Scuba diving has gained such a great popularity only in recent years, and that is why not many people are aware of the secrets of scuba diving.

Know that no matter whether you are an experienced diver or just a starter you should treat seriously every dive. No diver should feel casual about the diving activity. This can be named the golden rule of all the divers.

Each diver should himself make the activity safe and secure. The combination of fitness, serious attitude towards the procedure, self-reliance, diving tricks as well as experience and equipment will be the insurer of safe scuba diving.

Fitness: Fitness is the guarantee for a comfortable and enjoyable dive. Always take care to check yourself fully before diving. I mean checking not only your physical state but also your equipment. Many professionalized divers ignore this, but this check-up is really crucially important. Never overestimate your power. If you feel a little bit sick, do not dive. In case you feel some sickness when already in water stop diving and ascend to the surface. It’s not about being a hero; it’s about your health.

Always have some signal device with you, especially if you are diving in difficult areas. Many unexpected things may happen. You’ll need the device especially when you are far from your diver-friends.

It is a must for every diver to think quickly and wisely. Conditions under the water may change very quickly and you should know how to orientate yourself immediately. The truth is that only a healthy and fit diver can think and orient quickly.

Attitude: As I have already mentioned it doesn’t matter whether you are an experienced diver or just a beginner you should give great importance to the whole procedure. Such are scuba diving rules. Besides watchfulness and sense of responsibility towards oneself, a diver should elaborate the goals and motives of his diving. It’s very interesting and, why not, essential to set personal records and try to reach them.

A diver should not only physically but also psychologically be ready for the dive. If you have fears about underwater environment, do not dive alone. It’s much more interesting to dive with a group. You’ll more easily overcome your fears when there are people around you. Your unpleasant feelings will immediately disappear the moment you find fun in the dive. But if you feel pressured and uncomfortable under the water stop diving.

Self-reliance: As all divers assert, it’s a real pleasure to dive with a group. But remember, each one is responsible for oneself. You can rely on others’ help, but never fully. Do not dive, especially in dangerous and complicated areas, if you are not sure about your diving abilities. In order to be self-reliant you should thoroughly check your diving equipment before getting involved in the activity. Take care not to miss any element of the equipment. As you know there are different types of scuba diving. You should necessarily be geared up appropriate to the dive you are involved in.

Do not compare yourself with your diver-buddies. Never follow anyone to the places you don’t want to dive. Make decisions yourself.

While diving make pauses to regain your energy. Don’t let yourself get tired. It spoils the whole diving impression. Try to stay as fresh and energetic as possible. Only in that case you’ll feel the real attraction of scuba diving.

If you feel comfortable, healthy and energetic while diving, you’ll also have time to shoot photos of your adventures, as making photos is one of the most interesting things in scuba diving.

A wise diver would never ignore the above mentioned. If you’d like to be a good diver try to follow these few and simple tips.

Now are you ready for the dive? Great! I wish you unforgettable and adventurous moments under the water.

Join our facebook fan page and be part of our scuba community if you like our articles. Our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DailyScubaDiving

Have you ever heard of Mauritius? Well, Mauritius is an incredible island in the Indian Ocean about 500 miles east of Madagascar with an area of 720 square miles.The island is rather mountainous. Almost 75% of the island is covered with mountains and hills. The area is rich in tropical forests. The tropical and subtropical vegetation is very wealthy. The nature is very beautiful full of rare plant species. However, nothing can be compared with the wonderful waters of the island.

The water area of Mauritius can be named a real museum. This museum is full of ancient ship wrecks, caverns, cliff faces and coral reefs. While diving in the waters of Mauritius you may run into sharks, whales, dolphins, barracuda, tuna, rays, eels, turtles, bass, red-snapper, lobsters, lionfish, parrotfish, sergeant-major fish, crabs and boxfish (remember our favorite hero in the cartoon “Finding Nemo”). The rich vegetation will make your dive a real adventure.

Mauritius is a great diving spot in the Indian Ocean. All divers all over the world come here for scuba diving. The main reason for this is that the weather is nice all year round, and you may dive whenever you want, no matter whether it’s winter or summer.

Divers themselves claim that the best season for scuba diving is from November to March. The temperature of the water as well as the visibility is what each diver would like to have. Summer is also a good time to enjoy scuba diving, but there’s one problem: cyclones are very frequent during summer months. Tropical storms may occur and last for days.

I’d not advise you to dive from January to April. The days are hot and damp, the water is rough. Cyclones are also frequent.

As I’ve already mentioned visibility in the underwater is about 20 – 25 meters. In a favorable weather it can become 40 meters. Water temperature ranges from 20°C to 30°C depending on the season.

The weather is more or less calmer in the west coast of the island. That is why the west coast is considered a better diving destination than the east one. The east coast is a colder and rougher area, which is caused by the Trade Winds. However, no one can ignore the picturesque and splendid diving sites of the east coast.

There’s a coral fringing reef system all around the island. The system breaks in several places. The largest break is between the Souillac and the Bouchon and Flic and Flac. Souillac and Bouchon are on the Southern coast, while the Flic and Flac is on the West coast. An unbelievable view opens within this break. However, only experienced and professional divers are advised to dive this reef.

Each geographical zone of the island has its own peculiarities and characteristic features.

The South-West coast is rich in dolphins. There are two famous diving sites to admire at Flic and Flac: the Cathedral and the Rempart Serpent. The Cathedral is a miraculous combination of cavities, caves and arches. Rempart Serpent is worth seeing for the diversity of its fauna: scorpionfishes, stonefishes, lionfishes, moray eels and so on and so forth. This area has also shipwrecks really worth diving: “Tug II“ and the “Kei Sei 113“. The two of them are located at Flic-en-Flac. Besides these two crafts there’s also “Hoi Siong”, which has recently sunk off the coast of Ile aux Bénitiers. These are wrecks that can be easily dived, but there are also several shipwrecks that are nearly impossible to dive, especially if you’re not an experienced diver: the “St-Gabriel”, the “Orient”, and the “Carp“. The three of them are too deep for diving.

The North Coast of Mauritius is also full of scuba diving sites, such as Peter Holt’s Rock, Stenopus Reef and Roches Baleines. Diving in these sites you’ll witness real wonders that are hidden under the water. The flora and fauna of the area is unique, let alone the shipwrecks that have become attractions for all the divers: “Hassen Mian”, “Stella Maru”, “Silver Star”, “Amar”, “Star Hope”, “Water Lily” and “Emily”.

The East coast is a real diving place for extreme diving. You should be a real professional to be allowed to dive in here. The reefs are difficult to dive, besides sharks and whales may accompany you during your underwater journey.

This is only a little part of all the diving sites you may come across in Mauritius. When in Mauritius you can contact a scuba diving center and get advice according to your physical state.

However, you shouldn’t worry if you don’t know how to dive as Mauritius offers numerous shallow diving sites for the beginners. Besides, the scuba diving centers provide groups of professional divers, who accompany you during the marine journey, supporting you every single second. There are also centers that organize scuba diving lessons for those who are eager to learn the tricks of diving.

In my opinion Mauritius scuba diving is a must for each and every diver. Half of the island’s beauty is sheltered under its waters. You do want to miss it, do you?

Join our facebook fan page and be part of our scuba community if you like our articles. Our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DailyScubaDiving