The Scuba Gear Guru

One of my favorite diving locations has to be Koh Tao Island in the Gulf of Thailand. The tourist-friendly resort is surrounded by colorful reefs. It is the only spot I’ve been to where I’ve been able to get up close to whale sharks and grey reef sharks.

In addition to the underwater beauty, the staff is incredibly accommodating. When I had issues with my scuba diving equipment, they immediately found me replacement gear. The only drawback to Koh Tao Island is that tourists are allowed to kill sharks, even if the species is endangered.

My diving hobby has taken me all over the world to some truly breathtaking exotic locales. Unfortunately, TSA restrictions have made it more difficult to travel with my diving equipment. I used to be able to just toss my diving knife into my carry-on bag, but since 2001, all knives have been banned from the cabins of airplanes (unless you can afford your own private plane, which I cannot).

Since I’m pretty particular about the equipment I use, I’ve found ways to ensure I take what I need. On some occasions, I’ve had my diving knife and other sharp equipment mailed to me. If I’m going on a longer trip, then I can pack my knife and other equipment in my checked bag- no questions asked.

To celebrate my parent’s golden anniversary, we booked a Caribbean cruise vacation for the whole family. It really was a treat for my parents to have their kids and grandkids surrounding them for a whole week. We all have a great love of the ocean, so we decided to take advantage of the incredible snorkeling in the clear blue waters of the Caribbean.

We brought our own snorkels and fins with us in our carry-on luggage because the cruises nickel and dime you at every opportunity. We saw so many amazing tropical fish that those of us who live up north only see in aquariums. My favorite part was taking a silly photo at the end of all three generations in our snorkeling masks – I think that’s going to make it onto our family reunion t-shirts this summer!

Proper fitting scuba fins maximize each kick underwater, thus cutting down on fatigue. Typically, fins are either open-heeled or closed-heeled and correspond to men’s and women’s shoe sizes. When shopping for new scuba fins, make sure that you actually try them on. Do not assume that the shoe size you wear on land will be as comfortable underwater. You may want to go up or down a size.

Divers who use an open heeled fin may also want to invest in a pair of dive boots or neoprene socks. These will protect your feet underwater. If you opt to go this route, make sure to have the socks or boots on while trying on fins to get a true fit.

Few places in the world rival the beauty and experience offered by the Caribbean. Composed of an astounding 7,000 islands and islets, the Caribbean is a unique place for its geographic layout and its laid-back mentality. Caribbean sailing is a particularly personal and interesting way to experience the various regions. Depending on the island where you dock, you will experience a range of geographic features. Some islands contain large mountain regions, while others remain basically flat.

Exploring the various islands is an essential component of any Caribbean vacation, but be sure you don’t neglect he aquatic wildlife. Strap on your snorkeling fins and mask and discover a new world under the sea, teeming with fascinating fish, crustaceans and underwater flora. If you are a certified diver, you can charter a boat to some of the best locations. And for those who aren’t ready to dive to the salty depths, snorkeling allows you to see the ocean up-close without venturing too far from the shore.

It’s no secret that you have to gear-up with lots of equipment when scuba diving. After squeezing into your wet/dry suit, you’ll equip yourself with fins, a diving mask and, of course, a proper breathing apparatus. The oxygen tank necessary to every dive is carried on your back, leaving no room for a backpack to carry other supplies for exploration such as an underwater camera or diving knife.

To experience the ultimate dive, you’ll want to be sure to carry a mesh dive bag. This lightweight storage bag allows divers to bring along supplies that cannot be individually carried or strapped onto your body. It’s important to minimize the equipment/supplies that are directly attached to your body to prevent the risk of entanglement. Therefore, a diving bag allows you to experience a safe, yet adventurous, dive.

I’ve been an avid scuba diver for several years, so when I went snorkeling with my kids during our vacation last month, I didn’t give it a second thought. As we were exploring a coral reef a hundred feet from the shore, I experience a searing pain in my left hamstring. Usually I don’t get cramps, and this one definitely snuck up on me.

Luckily, I had insisted that my son and daughter wear vests when we went out-although I had foolishly neglected to put on myself. My son quickly took off his snorkel vest and gave it to me until the spasm has subsided. Needless to say, we were all a bit startled by the situation, and I will certainly be wearing a life jacket even on leisurely snorkeling trips from now on.

Before my wife and I had kids, we used to travel around the world SCUBA diving in exotic locations-from Australia and Fiji to Jamaica and the Mediterranean. Once the kids came along, however, it became increasingly difficult to find time to pursue our passion for diving. Now that the kids are a little older we’ve begun to travel once again, but opportunities to venture out on deep-sea dives are still scarce.

Our kids have begun to show a fascination for aquatic wildlife as well, so we decided to purchase them some kids snorkeling gear. My wife and I were skeptical about finding anything too exciting close to the coastline, but we were amazed at everything we saw when we went snorkeling with the kids for the first time in Hawaii. Venturing just a hundred feet or so from the coast, we saw rays, eels and even a couple of sea turtles!

The holidays are here and with them come all the frustrations of completing our shopping list. If you’re anything like me then you have a long list of people to shop for and you’re probably not looking forward to it. Heavy traffic, huge crowds and absurdly long lines all contribute to the desire to procrastinate. And the procrastination only serves to make the problem worse. Luckily however, we can now complete most, if not all of our holiday shopping from the convenience of our home or office.
Dive equipment is no exception. You don’t have to pay exorbitant retail prices for quality gear when you can find hugely discounted products online. Some people might say that the shipping will make up the difference. That used to be the case, but lower shipping rates have made that claim a thing of the past. The amount you can save from shopping online frequently dwarfs even the highest shipping prices anyway. But now you can enjoy even bigger savings. Be a gifting superstar for the SCUBA lover on your list with the ease and convenience of online shopping.

Learning how to scuba dive has always been a goal for me, and last Christmas my wife helped to make that dream a reality by purchasing me some scuba lessons. After completing the course, I couldn’t wait to get out of the pool and begin exploring natural bodies of water. Before setting out on my own I would need some equipment, of course, but the stuff at the training facility had a tremendous markup.

I decided to try to find online scuba equipment and see if the prices were any better. Obviously they were-I don’t know why I just don’t do all of my shopping online. I was able to find all of the gear I needed for a fraction of the price and put the money I saved towards a diving trip to the Maldives.