Water Sports: Scuba Diving
The Scuba Diving Resource Guide
Scuba diving is a fascinating sport with an incredible number of facets to it. While most people do it for recreation, it can also be used for scientific, military, and recovery purposes. Although scuba diving looks fairly simple, it involves a good deal of training due to the nature of this sport. Diving underwater for extended periods of time can be rather risky. However, safety features in the equipment coupled with thorough training, preparation, and preventative techniques help to minimize the risks.
There are several highly reputable organizations worldwide that offer training and certification for all levels of scuba divers. Apart from simply teaching divers how to operate the equipment, they also teach safety procedures, and show divers how to plan a dive to ensure the safest underwater conditions. Scuba diving is an extremely fun and rewarding sport when it is carried out carefully and meticulously. The following resources will help introduce you to this wonderful sport, along with more information on how to choose and buy equipment, follow safety procedures, and become certified.
Scuba Diving Basics
General Scuba Tips (PDF) – Read up on different entry and exit methods, as well as planning tips for shore dives, night diving, and kelp diving.
Scuba Signals – Brush up on common scuba hand signals and their meanings.
Scuba Videos – View a series of video presentations detailing basic elements of scuba diving.
An Introduction to Scuba – Learn about scuba diving in general, basic equipment, certification, and other information.
Scuba Tutorials – Watch a few quick tutorials on basic scuba techniques, such as mask clearing and boat entries.
Recreational Diving – Read an overview of what scuba diving entails.
Scuba Glossary (PDF) – Look up any scuba terms you don’t understand in this printable, illustrated glossary.
Scuba for Beginners (PPT) – Watch a slideshow presentation on the basics of scuba diving, training, certification and costs.
Types of Scuba – See why people go scuba diving and read about different types of diving.
Equipment Information
Open and Closed Rigs – Learn about the different forms of scuba gear that allow divers to breathe new or recycled air.
Selecting Scuba Gear – See what each piece of diving equipment does and how to find the best one for you.
Choosing and Setting Up Equipment (DOC) – This in-depth guide covers all of the main pieces of scuba equipment and explains how to use them.
Regulators (PDF) – Find out how regulators work, how to use them, and what to look for when buying one of your own.
Scuba Diving Safety
Health Conditions – There are several potential health threats to be aware of before scuba diving.
In Case of Accidents – Find out how to evaluate and treat someone if they have succumbed to any type of injury or illness due to scuba diving.
Safety and Rescue – Watch a series of informative videos to learn about rescue techniques used in scuba diving.
General Scuba Safety Tips – Review several important safety tips that can be life-saving while diving.
Scuba Clubs
Worldwide Diving Clubs – Browse through a comprehensive list of diving clubs in several countries.
Emerald Sea Dive Club – This diving club primarily operates in the Pacific Northwest region, including Seattle.
Great Lakes Aquanauts – The Aquanauts are based in Michigan and organize diving trips for all levels of divers.
MisFit Divers of America – Based in Ohio, this club focuses on freshwater dives by the north coast.
Alacosta Divers – This non-profit club has been around for over fifty years, and usually organize group trips in the north of California as well as abroad.
Scuba Diver Training and Certification Agencies
PADI – The Professional Association of Diving Instructors is the world’s largest organization for scuba diver training, with several certification levels.
NAUI – The non-profit group, National Association of Underwater Instructors, teachers divers as well as instructors.
PDIC – The Professional Diving Instructors Corporation operates worldwide and offers several specialty diving courses.
SDI – Scuba Diving International, another certification and training organization, boasts the biggest technical diving course in the world.
IAHD – The International Association for Handicapped Divers helps people with disabilities to learn how to scuba dive safely.