Most of us will agree that we should not be cruel to animals but treat them nicely. We have animal welfare laws in place, for example, and pet owners will testify that their animals—often considered members of the family—have personalities and feelings. It is also widely accepted that a number of wild animals possess considerable intelligence and social skills, such as primates, marine animals, and some birds, to name a few.
Diving Talks is not your typical dive event; it goes beyond the surface, emphasizing camaraderie and social connections among attendees. The 2022 report on X-Ray Mag showcased the event's unique celebration of the wonders of the underwater realm while fostering lasting friendships.
People commonly say that experienced divers should guard against complacency, but what does that mean? Some associate the idea of complacency with arrogance, carelessness or negligence, and reassure themselves that if character traits such as these do not apply to them, then they do not have to worry about being complacent. Simon Pridmore offers insights into this phenomenon and how to prevent it.
I have done a fair deal of dive training over the years—mostly out of simple curiosity, professional interest, a desire to acquire more skills, and to be all the wiser.
Most of the acquired skills, I never or rarely use in regular diving, most of which is the plain vanilla variety anyway—that is, no-decompression, open circuit and no fancy gasses, except for the occasional use of nitrox. Keeping it simple has its virtues.
There are thousands of dive centres, resorts and liveaboards all over the world. Some are very good and provide excellent, safe and highly professional service. Others are not so good and are best avoided.
Diving is a relatively safe activity and pastime. At least, it ranks low in statistics regarding injuries compared to many other sport disciplines. Certainly, we would not have dive programmes and certifications for young kids under eight years old if it was unsafe or risky.
But low risk is not equal to no risk, and whatever is considered an acceptable level of risk under various circumstances can always be lowered further—perhaps just in small increments, but it all adds up over time.
Being able to hover, move smoothly and efficiently through the water, and streamline your equipment is not just a matter of style and elegance but one of safety and protecting the environment.
There is still a lot of confusion around nitrox these days. Simon Pridmore talks about what it does and does not do, the benefits of diving with nitrox, and why a nitrox course is a good idea.
Progressing age does not come with many positives except perhaps that one gains some perspective.
I live in the present and feel like the same usual me day to day, so I do not frequently think about the past. But, on occasion, something reminds me of how things used to be. Much to my own astonishment, it has already been 35 years since I started diving. When I look at old photographs, I usually have the same two initial reactions.
Is it possible to compete in underwater photography? I find that question difficult to answer! What is a good picture? Is it an image of an unusual animal? Nice colours on a nudibranch? Capturing the incredible light on a wreck? An image in which I can see that there has been a lot of planning and work behind it? Or just an image of a diver, on some interesting dive site, where I get the feeling that I also want to dive there?
