Do a deal with yourself – practice 1 thing you are uncomfortable with on every dive (yes, even mask clearing or removal!) until it becomes second nature. After that, don’t stop – do it because you enjoy it!
Friday, 23 March 2007
Part 2: A discussion on diving and air consumption: Comfort / skills
This is a fairly obvious place to start. Unless you are comfortable in the water and confident of your diving skills can you ever be relaxed enough to achieve optimum air consumption? Being relaxed (or able to be relaxed) is the key to everything I discuss below – the more relaxed and natural you are underwater the easier diving will become - it is a self fulfilling prophesy.
Do a deal with yourself – practice 1 thing you are uncomfortable with on every dive (yes, even mask clearing or removal!) until it becomes second nature. After that, don’t stop – do it because you enjoy it!
Do a deal with yourself – practice 1 thing you are uncomfortable with on every dive (yes, even mask clearing or removal!) until it becomes second nature. After that, don’t stop – do it because you enjoy it!
Increase your Dive Time on Fiji’s Stunning Reefs: a discussion on diving and air consumption: Part 1
Fiji’s reefs are known worldwide as being some of the richest in the world teeming with life and colour. For the purposes of this discussion, the key elements of this ‘life and colour’ are that they occur in tropical waters – generally warm and clear - and also at relatively shallow depths.
Yes, of course, Fiji has abyssal walls and drop offs and pelagic action to suit anyone’s taste but the fact of the matter is the most abundant life on coral reefs is at less than 20 metres. This is great news for those wishing to spend their time under water rather than sitting on the dive boat. We do not have the extreme physiological impact of cold water and rarely are dives limited by no-decompression times but rather by air consumption. Therefore there is a real opportunity to max out on your underwater time.
For many, however, short dives are the reality and there is the frustration of having to do your safety stop and end the dive whilst other divers are still enjoying being underwater with plenty of air still in the tank. Inevitably, when those other divers return to the boat they are asked ‘how do you do that – what is your secret’. This always prompts the macho ‘how much air do you have left’ discussion between everyone on the dive boat – (there obviously has to be some competitiveness to diving!) – But what are the underlying reasons for the disparities.
It is well documented that there are physiological differences between men and women! In terms of diving, women statistically fare better than men with regards to air consumption. Lung capacity is generally smaller as is muscle mass – both are air consumption relevant. It’s not a golden rule, but you can assume that someone 5 ft tall and 110 lbs will consume less air at rest than someone 6 foot 4 inches and weighing 200 lbs.
So, can we do something about our own air consumption underwater or do we have to put up with what we are given by nature? As a dive resort owner who has completed over 1500 dives in the last 5 years in Fiji (mostly as a guide or instructor) I have some personal opinions and observations on this subject. Some you may agree with – others not – let me know. Before I continue, let me state the obvious. All of us learned on our first ever dive course (whichever agency sanctioned) that it is essential we breathe continuously underwater. That is not to say that we might not pause now and again however breath holding, withholding breathing, skip breathing or whatever you want to call it can lead to serious problems.
See what you think of my 13 Part suggestions , try them out and then see if your breathing is even the real issue at stake.
Yes, of course, Fiji has abyssal walls and drop offs and pelagic action to suit anyone’s taste but the fact of the matter is the most abundant life on coral reefs is at less than 20 metres. This is great news for those wishing to spend their time under water rather than sitting on the dive boat. We do not have the extreme physiological impact of cold water and rarely are dives limited by no-decompression times but rather by air consumption. Therefore there is a real opportunity to max out on your underwater time.
For many, however, short dives are the reality and there is the frustration of having to do your safety stop and end the dive whilst other divers are still enjoying being underwater with plenty of air still in the tank. Inevitably, when those other divers return to the boat they are asked ‘how do you do that – what is your secret’. This always prompts the macho ‘how much air do you have left’ discussion between everyone on the dive boat – (there obviously has to be some competitiveness to diving!) – But what are the underlying reasons for the disparities.
It is well documented that there are physiological differences between men and women! In terms of diving, women statistically fare better than men with regards to air consumption. Lung capacity is generally smaller as is muscle mass – both are air consumption relevant. It’s not a golden rule, but you can assume that someone 5 ft tall and 110 lbs will consume less air at rest than someone 6 foot 4 inches and weighing 200 lbs.
So, can we do something about our own air consumption underwater or do we have to put up with what we are given by nature? As a dive resort owner who has completed over 1500 dives in the last 5 years in Fiji (mostly as a guide or instructor) I have some personal opinions and observations on this subject. Some you may agree with – others not – let me know. Before I continue, let me state the obvious. All of us learned on our first ever dive course (whichever agency sanctioned) that it is essential we breathe continuously underwater. That is not to say that we might not pause now and again however breath holding, withholding breathing, skip breathing or whatever you want to call it can lead to serious problems.
See what you think of my 13 Part suggestions , try them out and then see if your breathing is even the real issue at stake.
Thursday, 22 March 2007
Rains helping cool Barrier Reef
Recent torrential rain and monsoons in northern Queensland have provided some rare relief for the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
The poor conditions have significantly reduced ocean temperatures, making them the coolest for up to five years.
It has been a blessing for the corals - usually in the summer they are at risk of serious scorching and bleaching.
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest living organism, stretching over more than 345,000 sq km.
It is also the world's most protected marine area and has been under threat from a combination of global warming, pollution and over-fishing.
Tuesday, 13 March 2007
Tips for photographing Manta Rays
The Manta Ray dive site dive site visited from Matava Resort continues to amaze divers from novices to seasoned world travellers. Many have seen their first Manta's here and still have had their closest encounters. Despite having a 'dive of a lifetime' few however manage to come away with the 'shot of a lifetime'. Despite (or because of) their size, Mantas are a difficult subject - here are some tips to help capture that memorable image:-
1. You are going to need to be close. Mantas feed in plankton rich waters and cutting down the distance to you and your subject is essential. To achieve this you need to remain calm and still, perfect your buoyancy and certainly not chase your subject.
3. Practice composing your shots with a fixed subject before entering the water - also practice framing without the camera to your eye. Just reaching in front of you with your camera allows you to get a little closer without moving your bubbles closer. The aim is to fill the frame without cropping later on so you can maximise your image quality.
4. Consider shooting in natural light. Strobes often produce a 'stung' look from the Manta as they often flinch when a strobe fires. Our Mantas are generally at a depth of about 15 metres (45 - 50 feet). This is ideal for using something like a 'Magic Filter' which allows you to restore the natural colour balance of your photograph later on. You will of course also need to learn 'Photoshop' or equivalent as the filters work in conjunction with these programmes.
5. Take plenty of shots but don't forget to take in the Mantas beauty with your own eyes as well !
Friday, 9 March 2007
Fiji Travel Guide - Scuba Diving Magazine
Fiji Travel Guide - Scuba Diving Magazine
The airport resonated with a serenade, strummed by Fijians with ukuleles and guitars, with the verse "bula, ni sa bula," which means "good morning and good health." Bula is the universal Fijian greeting. After a few days diving in this tropical land, I found myself saying it to everyone from divemasters and fellow travelers to village children.
"Bula," the children would say shyly and then gawk.
"Booolah," I'd reply and they'd erupt in laughter.
It's the sort of phrase that lets you know, from the minute you step into the humid airport to claim your dive gear, that you are among the friendliest people in the Pacific, if not the world.
3) GREAT ASTROLABE REEF AT KADAVU. Along Kadavu's northern rim, the Astrolabe barrier reef has several sites. Reefs, large walls and ravines, are populated with tiera batfish, Maori wrasse, flame hawkfish, citrus gobies, canary blennies and the occasional rainbow runner, yellowfin tuna and wahoo.
DEPTH: 30 to 90 feet.
CURRENT: Light.
SKILL: Novice to intermediate.
Read full Guide here: Fiji Travel Guide - Scuba Diving Magazine
November 2002
By J.C. Gamble
There's more to diving here than soft coral, white sand and a bilo shell filled to high tide.
There's more to diving here than soft coral, white sand and a bilo shell filled to high tide.
The airport resonated with a serenade, strummed by Fijians with ukuleles and guitars, with the verse "bula, ni sa bula," which means "good morning and good health." Bula is the universal Fijian greeting. After a few days diving in this tropical land, I found myself saying it to everyone from divemasters and fellow travelers to village children.
"Bula," the children would say shyly and then gawk.
"Booolah," I'd reply and they'd erupt in laughter.
It's the sort of phrase that lets you know, from the minute you step into the humid airport to claim your dive gear, that you are among the friendliest people in the Pacific, if not the world.
3) GREAT ASTROLABE REEF AT KADAVU. Along Kadavu's northern rim, the Astrolabe barrier reef has several sites. Reefs, large walls and ravines, are populated with tiera batfish, Maori wrasse, flame hawkfish, citrus gobies, canary blennies and the occasional rainbow runner, yellowfin tuna and wahoo.
DEPTH: 30 to 90 feet.
CURRENT: Light.
SKILL: Novice to intermediate.
Read full Guide here: Fiji Travel Guide - Scuba Diving Magazine
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