Persia Learns to Dive
    Tracking the happy scuba journey of a child

My youngest daughter, Persia, first expressed an interest in learning to dive while we were on holiday at Taba in Egypt. She was then only nine-years-old. Notwithstanding that, I entrusted my old friend Mohammed Ali, the manager of the AquaSport dive centre, with looking after the well-being of our little girl. He is a highly … Read more

Chest compressions — The first-line response

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a lifesaving skill, helpful in many situations including:•  Cardiac arrest•  Drowning•  Trauma•  Electrical shockThe American Heart Association recommends that everyone — untrained bystanders and medical personnel alike — begin CPR with chest compression. CPR uses chest compression to imitate how the heart transports blood to the whole body. These compressions help keep oxygenated blood flowing … Read more

Dear Undercurrent: We have a problem

I am the Head Diver for the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Dive Unit, south of San Francisco. We are losing folks; they are aging out and retiring. We are not tough guys, but many recreational divers don’t want to do this type of dirty water diving. We need volunteers and a few paid divers. … Read more

An Unlikely DCS Hit and Lessons to Learn

A funny thing happened on the way to Tubbataha. On May 6, I landed in Manila, Philippines, to join a dozen diving friends for five days of land-based diving at Crystal Blue dive resort; then we were to move on to Puerto Princessa to spend a week on the liveaboard Solitude One, diving one of … Read more