Infolific » Scuba Diving

Villa Safir Bed and Breakfast Review

Douglas Bigler — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:44:50 +0000

For my trip to Bonaire, I looked into a number of accommodations. There were quite a few options and they all had divers in mind to some degree. However, the usual suspects such as Captain Don's, Divi Flamingo, and Buddy Dive all seemed to be suffering from their own success [...]

Can You Dive With Chronic Sinus and Ear Problems?

Douglas Bigler — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 21:49:21 +0000

One exercise that's required for scuba training is an emergency swimming ascent. I don't think that I'll be able to do that and here's why: My entire life, I've suffered with ear problems (infections as a kid and as an adult difficulty in equalizing during airline flights and driving in [...]

St. Croix Scuba Diving

Douglas Bigler — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 05:32:38 +0000

I recently added St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands to my list of diving locations. I spent about 4 days diving with St. Croix Ultimate Bluewater Adventures (notice the clever alternate for the SCUBA acronym) based out of Christiansted. My hotel (Hotel Caravelle) was less than 50 feet from [...]

Technical Divers Can Teach Us About Nitrogen Narcosis

Douglas Bigler — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 17:13:26 +0000

While scientists remain divided on the issue, experienced technical divers are adamant that divers can stave off some of the effects of narcosis by continued and frequent deep diving. This is probably due to both physiological adaptation, and because the seasoned diver develops coping skills, such as concentrating more intently [...]

Your Scuba Tank Comes Loose Underwater... Now What?

Douglas Bigler — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:57:15 +0000

Has your tank strap ever worked loose during a dive and allowed the scuba cylinder to move, or even slip completely out of the buoyancy compensator (BC) backpack? If not, you must be doing a good job of cinching the tank strap when mounting the BC. Mounting the BC so [...]

Bonaire Shore Dives (South End)

Douglas Bigler — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:22:05 +0000

In Bonaire, shore dives are the norm. In fact, it's the shore dives that is the big attraction as it allows people to dive where they want and when they want. The shore dives can be roughly categorized as those on the north end of the island and, the topic [...]

Belize Dive Operators

Douglas Bigler — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:31:05 +0000

I've been researching Belize quite a bit recently. That's because I'm going to be spending almost 2 weeks there. And, of course, and self-respecting scuba diver is going to check out what many consider to be some of the best diving spots in the world. As part of that research, [...]

50+ Things to Do In Bonaire

Douglas Bigler — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:29:23 +0000

Picnic on a deserted island! Relax and soak up the sun on beautiful No Name Beach on Klein Bonaire (Little Bonaire), located just 1/2 mile off Bonaire's western coast. Various trips are available via watertaxi and sailboat. Windsurf at Sorobon Beach, Lac Bay, on the windward side of the island. [...]

Bonaire Restaurants and Food

Douglas Bigler — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:25:26 +0000

Bonaire wasn't a big food destination for me -- I went for the diving. Breakfasts were covered by the B&B I stayed at and I was typically happy with a sandwich for lunch and dinner. Toss in a dessert from Cultimara (see below) and I was pretty much all set. [...]

The Cost of Scuba Diving (Beginner)

Douglas Bigler — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 10:36:22 +0000

If you haven't bought any scuba gear yet, you may be in for a surprise. And if you have bought gear, you've likely already realized that it is an expensive sport. In fact, I don't know any other popular activity that costs as much. And it's not just a one [...]

Open Water Dive Training - Day 1

Douglas Bigler — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:29:08 +0000

I'm back from the first of two days of the open water dive training. I'm doing these dive's at Dutch Springs, an old quarry turned into a scuba diver's mecca (well, close enough). The weather was pretty miserable -- rain, light winds, and initial air temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit. [...]

Lost Buddies and Safe Ascent Procedures

Douglas Bigler — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 09:56:10 +0000

We are usually instructed to look high and low for your buddy, spin in a 360-degree pattern and make absolutely sure they are nowhere in sight. Then, as a last result, return to the surface and hopefully you'll reunite. However, articles and the textbook instructions keep telling us to make [...]

Roatan and Utila (Bay of Islands, Honduras) Dive Operators

Douglas Bigler — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:23:24 +0000

The island of Roatan is part of the archipelago of the Bay Islands of Honduras. Honduras is in Central America, bordered by Guatemala, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. The Bay Islands consist of three large islands -- Roatan, Utila, and Guanaja; three small islands -- Morat, Barbareta, and St. Elena; and [...]

Weedy Sea Dragon

Douglas Bigler — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:21:16 +0000

photo credit: doug.deep

The Importance of a Good Scuba Dive Buddy

Douglas Bigler — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:22:23 +0000

Choosing the right buddy for a dive can be an important aspect to the enjoyment and safety of diving. By choosing a buddy who shares our ideals, goals and values, we are more likely to have a truly compatible buddy, and more likely to enjoy sharing a dive together. Pairing [...]

Weight Distribution For Wreck Diving

Douglas Bigler — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 02:01:01 +0000

When using a BC [buoyancy compensator] with an integrated weight system, is it better to put more weight in the upper back weight pockets? Especially for wreck diving where losing a front weight pouch that could cause a rapid ascent. There are actually two different questions here, so let's address [...]

Scuba Diving Cartoons

Douglas Bigler — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:29:30 +0000

Divers are a fun lot by nature. Sure some take things a little too seriously so you'll want to avoid those types. But the rest of us dive because it's fun and for those us I offer up these cartoons. Enjoy!

Seeing Flamingos in Bonaire

Douglas Bigler — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 03:29:58 +0000

Even if you're not a birder, you'll want to keep your eyes open for Flamingos when visiting Bonaire. They're numerous and after several days you might even think they're everywhere. But seeing them close up or in-flight is another matter entirely. I checked out a number of locations and here [...]

Free Scuba Dive Logs

Douglas Bigler — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 22:58:10 +0000

If you're like me, you bought a dive log when you took your open and confined water dive training. This dive log is one of the things that really drove home just how easy it is to spend money when learning to scuba dive. And while much of the equipment [...]

Signs and Symptoms of Nitrogen Narcosis

Douglas Bigler — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 01:43:24 +0000

The following lists the signs and symptoms of nitrogen narcosis at various depths. Depth: 33-100 feet Mild impairment of performance of unpracticed tasks. Mildly impaired reasoning. Mild euphoria possible. Depth: 100-165 feet Delayed response to visual and auditory stimuli. Reasoning and immediate memory affected more than motor coordination. Calculation errors [...]