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Introduction to Scuba Diving and Equipment
What is scuba diving
Why it is becoming so popular
How to be part of it.
Today I want to speak about what is scuba diving and why it is becoming popular and so many are getting involved and how to be part of it. There are many different ways and purposes of diving under water. Such as commercial diving, technical diving, free diving and scuba diving. In this topic I’m focusing on recreational scuba diving as hobby and sport.
There are two ways to dive under water. Firs is free diving and it is similar to snorkeling, but we hold our breath and dive under water using basic equipment like fins and mask. Free diving requires a special training and fit body with a special techniques to be able to hold our breath for longer time. Second and more popular is Scuba Diving which it is going under water using special breathing equipment.
The word SCUBA stands for “Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus“. There are many ways people are describing it. Some they see it as sport and cool hobby. That they go under water diving with beautiful marine life and various and colorful scenery of corals and creatures. Plus big number of calories are burnt while we are under water diving. Some they look at it as relaxation and meditation activity to feel the disconnection from the world and enjoying the silence of underwater out of the noisy and crowded daily life and routines.
In my opinion scuba diving is one of the most extreme sports that it happens in the most silent environment. The moment we go below sea level we live the disconnection from outer world. Under water is the place that we hear our breathing sound and we see the air we are exhaling.
If we look at under water scuba diving as sport point of view, we are doing a great workout. In one session of scuba diving we consume big amount of calories. Most muscles engaged in scuba diving are leg muscles. Which are biggest muscles in our body and they are consuming more calories than others. Under water body movement is heavier on muscles. Because of water resistance muscles will consume more calories to move. While scuba diving we are mostly using our legs to move around, so we are burning a lot of calories while we are scuba diving even without feeling that. The moment we exit we feel so fresh and exited that without noticing how much we have burned.
Scuba diving is considered one of the healthiest activities for body and soul. The air we are breathing from scuba diving tanks are normal air, which it is filtered and purified from articles. Try Scuba diving mostly is happening in open beaches or shallow water areas. this areas are usually away from the crowd and air quality is more clean and pure. So the oxygen observed is more and we feel more fresh and energized.
In my opinion scuba diving is one of the most extreme sports that it happens in the most silent environment. The moment we go below sea level we live the disconnection from outer world. Under water is the place that we hear our breathing sound and we see the air we are exhaling.
If we look at under water scuba diving as sport point of view, we are doing a great workout. In one session of scuba diving we consume big amount of calories. Most muscles engaged in scuba diving are leg muscles. Which are biggest muscles in our body and they are consuming more calories than others. Under water body movement is heavier on muscles. Because of water resistance muscles will consume more calories to move. While scuba diving we are mostly using our legs to move around, so we are burning a lot of calories while we are scuba diving even without feeling that. The moment we exit we feel so fresh and exited that without noticing how much we have burned.
Scuba diving is considered one of the healthiest activities for body and soul. The air we are breathing from scuba diving tanks are normal air, which it is filtered and purified from articles. Try Scuba diving mostly is happening in open beaches or shallow water areas. this areas are usually away from the crowd and air quality is more clean and pure. So the oxygen observed is more and we feel more fresh and energized.
Now we might have a question that how to try scuba diving and what are the steps.
I remember myself how I started and enrolled in it. Many years back I registered for a try scuba diving in Dubai. Try Scuba diving in Dubai was one of coolest activities that I have done ever. I was introduced to my instructor who started the session with a brief about what are the scuba diving equipment and how to use them. Equipment we used were; Diving mask, tank, BCD, regulator, weight belt and fins.
He explained each equipment started with mask. Scuba diving mask allows us to see underwater. It is made from silicon rubber and tempered glass to make an air isolation for our eyes, so we can view under water.
Regulator, BCD and tank are main important equipment for scuba diving.
Scuba tanks are air containers, stores breathing air. Under water we are breathing same normal air which we are breathing on land. Just it is filtered and compressed in a 12 cubic aluminum tank with a pressure reaches 3000 PSI. car tire pressure is only 33 psi just to get an idea of how much pressure is there in a tank. Amount of air in the tank is an average of 2,400 liters of air. To use and breath this air we need a device to reduce the pressure from high to lower to be breathable. This device is called regulator.
Scuba Diving Regulator is a small mechanical device placed on tank valve and receives high pressure air flow. Air goes in different stage and chambers. Starting from first chamber which called First Stage. Then passes to different springs and O-rings and exists to breathing and controlling pipes which are called second stage. Each regulator contains of minimum four pipes. Usually two on the right and two on left side. Right side pipes are breathing pipes, and they are called in different names. Main one is primary breathing pipe and second one is secondary or octopus pipe. Other left side pipes are high pressure and low pressure hoses. Thigh pressure hose is connected to water proof gauge. Basic gauge shows remaining pressure in the tank. Some gauges have more features like water depth gauge and compass for under water navigation.
Other important component is BCD or Buoyancy Control Device. It’s inflatable jacket style device holds the thank and regulator. And a low pressure hose of regulator is connected to inflating and deflating bottoms, to add or remove air in the BCD. BCDs main function is to adjust the buoyancy of the diver underwater, by having the required amount of air added and removed to reach peak level of buoyancy. Some BCDs are made to keep weights inside and they are called weight integrated BCDs. There are different style and models of BCDs like standard, wing and side mounted BCDs.
Under water we are using our legs for movement and direction. Scuba Diving Fins and Leg muscles are big and strong enough to posh us while we are scuba diving. Fins are made in different style and structures depends on use and requirement of each diver and his style.
Under water we are using our legs for movement and direction. Fins and Leg muscles are big and strong enough to posh us while we are scuba diving. Fins are made in different style and structures depends on use and requirement of each diver and his style.
Under water we are using our legs for movement and direction. Fins and Leg muscles are big and strong enough to posh us while we are scuba diving. Fins are made in different style and structures depends on use and requirement of each diver and his style.
Ali Askari
