Practical Dive Care

by Mel McCombie We’re on a long dive trip and wondering about some everyday practical things—diving with contact lenses, sun protection—and wondered what others have to say? For example, I dive with soft contact lenses; I notice that during dives, when my eyes encounter sea water, they create mucus (which I delicately term “eye boogers”), … Read more

Underwater Photography: It’s Easier Than it Was But You Still Need Some Skills

At weekends, I work in a store that specializes in underwater photography equipment. We try to match products to each customer’s needs. Recently, a young woman came in to buy an underwater camera. She professed to be a professional writer intending to supply articles to diving magazines. She wanted a camera that was very straightforward … Read more

Rebreathers Offer Diving Advantages – At a Price

modern diving marvels are not for everyone Closed-circuit rebreathers have become very popular with technical divers since they offer the possibility to do extreme dives without the imposition of carrying an enormous amount of gas. I was at the forefront of promoting this new way of diving as far back as 1993. In those days … Read more

The Dangers of Social Media

Occasionally, a boat crew witnesses some diver doing so incredibly stupid that, rather than dismiss it as a one-off event, it’s simpler to write it into the boat’s policy or procedures. Like the liveaboard I worked on once; we had a rule that divers, equipped with tanks in place, should step down the ladder at … Read more

Alternative Protocol for In-Water Recompression by Dr Carl Edmonds

This is an alternative Protocol by Dr Carl Edmonds of the Australian Navy School of Underwater Medicine for treatment of DCS in water at a shallower depth, as suggested by John Lippmann. In-water Oxygen Treatment Procedures Oxygen should be supplied at maximum depth of 9 msw (30 fsw), from a surface supply system. The ascent … Read more