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Scuba Diving Facts

Scuba Diving Facts
Scuba diving is an underwater activity that involves using an underwater breathing apparatus to enable the diver to breathe. Scuba divers carry a source of compressed air to enable them to breathe while being able to freely swim about. This is different than divers that use an air line or hold their breath for an extended period. Scuba diving is done as both a recreational activity or for professional uses such as in the military, scientific, public safety, and commercial sectors. A scuba diver wears fins on their feet which enable them to swim about, as well as a diving mask which makes it easier to see. They usually wear a protective diving suit and equipment that helps them control their buoyancy.
Interesting Scuba Diving Facts:
Scuba stands for 'self-contained underwater breathing apparatus'. This term was originally used to describe the rebreathers used by U.S. combat frogmen. They were used in World War II for underwater warfare.
Open-circuit scuba involves directly venting exhaled breaths into the water.
Closed-circuit scuba involves a system that removes the carbon dioxide from the exhaled breath, adds oxygen, and recirculates.
Closed-circuit scuba was invented for rescue and escape. The military became fond of it because it produced few bubbles and allowed for less detection.
The first successful closed-circuit scuba was designed in 1878 by Henry Fleuss.
The first successful open-circuit scuba was designed in 1943 by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Emile Gagnan.
Recreational scuba divers participate in exploring underwater caves, shipwrecks, and coral reefs. They also participate in ice diving and deep diving, which require technical skills.
Professional scuba divers work as diving instructors, divemasters, and diving guides.
There are diving specialists in the military who perform tasks such as placing underwater mines, manning torpedoes, disposing of bombs, sneaking behind enemy lines, and direct combat.
Other professional scuba divers use their skills to allow them to perform underwater photography, videography, scientific research, marine biology, oceanography, hydrology and even archaeology underwater.
Most scuba diving for recreational purposes is kept to 100 feet or less.
Safety risks during scuba diving include decompression sickness. When decompression sickness occurs, as a result of a build-up of gases in the bloodstream and the pressure is reduced too quickly. Avoiding decompression sickness is achieved by ensuring the ascent is not done too quickly. If decompression sickness occurs and first aid is not successful, there is serious risk of death or permanent disability.
Other possible safety issues associated with scuba diving includes nitrogen narcosis, oxygen toxicity, and diving equipment failure or malfunction.
Marine mammals that can pose a risk to scuba divers include stinging jellyfish, stingrays, sharks, crocodiles, venomous sea snakes, groupers, electric rays, and sea urchins, among many others.
The main rules for scuba diving include getting sufficient training, never diving solo, being in good shape, ascending slowly and with control, not holding your breath, checking equipment, relaxing, and planning the dive and sticking to the plan.
Some of the most popular diving destinations include Australia, Micronesia, Egyptian Red Sea, Hawaii, Thailand, Belize, and Palau.


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