Beginner’s Guide to Google Analytics – Part 1

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by James Councill

What is Google Analytics?
Google Analytics (GA) is a free resource that every dive shop website (or app) should be using. It not only tracks how many people visit your website, but it can track so much more than you probably ever want to know. GA can tell you where your traffic is coming from, what actions users are taking on your website, high and low traffic pages. It can also tell you immense amounts of information about the users coming to your website, for example: geographic location, age, gender, language, as well as what device and browser they are using.

Getting Started with Google Analytics
For the purposes of this article we are going to assume that you have access to a GA account that is tracking your website’s statistics correctly, but if you do not have GA installed on your website, you can ask your webmaster to install or you can follow this step by step guide provided by the Google Analytics Help Center.

time dropdownWhen you first access your GA account, you will be directed to a reporting dashboard with some general metrics for a given time period. This time period is generally set to the previous month, but can be changed to any time period you wish via the dropdown menu, located on the top right of the dashboard. Let’s review some of these key metrics that you should be monitoring from this dashboard.

Basic Metrics
Sessions are a key metric because they measure when someone visits your website. GA defines a session as a group of interactions that take place on your website within a given time frame. For example a single session can contain multiple screen or page views, events, social interactions, and ecommerce transactions. A Session is not to be confused with a hit. A hit is the most granular piece of data in analytics. Hits are triggered by page views, clicks, and just about any activity a user can do on your website or app. Now to complicate things further, let’s introduce the term user. A user is GA’s account of a person that visits your website or app. When someone comes to your site, GA gives them a unique identifier, and tracks them as they navigate throughout your site. This illustration demonstrates the hierarchy of the terms discussed. Tracking sessions is most common, but whatever you decide to track, just do it consistently.
users sessions hits

Your dashboard will also show you other helpful metrics such as, pageviews, bounce rate, new vs. returning visitors, along with some other demographic information. You can find more detailed information under the Audience tab, but let’s stick to the basics for now.

Acquisitions
Now that you are tracking visitors to your website, it is key to understand where this traffic is coming from. For this, let’s move to the Acquisitions Overview tab. Here we can see the top channels that all your sessions are arriving through, and what percentage of all sessions come from each channel. Google has defined a preset system of channels to group your website’s traffic into. These channels are: direct, organic search, referral, email, paid search, other advertising, social, and display. Most of these channels are self-explanatory, however, you can find definitions for each here.

channels

This information can be very useful, but with just a few extra clicks, you can drill down this information to get even more details. To do this, you want to change your primary dimension to Top Sources/Mediums, using the dropdown menu on the top left of your screen. See below.

sources mediums

This will then break down these channels into more specific traffic sources and mediums. For example, it will break down your social channel into specific social networks. There are ways to break down this information even further, as well as add secondary dimensions, but as stated earlier, we are just reviewing some of the basics for now.

Once you are familiar with the above metrics, and navigating through them in GA, that is when you can start studying the behavior of your website visitors. What pages are they entering and leaving your website through? Which pages are performing well? How long users are staying? What links, ads, or images are being clicked on? We will also need a basic understanding of engagement, affinity categories, and market segmentation. We will dive into some these concepts in the next article of this series.

Are there other GA concepts that you would like help understanding? Are there questions about the concepts addressed or not addressed in this article? Please leave your comments below, and we will do our best to answer them.

Huge Webinar Turnout Sets the Tone for VIP

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International Training has completely reworked and updated its cylinder Visual Inspection Program (VIP). Because of this major update, many issues have developed, and questions are being asked. Questions like:

  • What are the changes in the new program?
  • I’m currently a SDI/TDI VIP Instructor. Am I eligible to continue teaching or do I need to take the new instructor course?
  • Is the program fully compliant with CGA, NFPA, OSHA and HSE?
  • Is there an eLearning version?
  • What about insurance?
  • What are the Diver and Instructor prerequisites?

Last week, International Training sponsored a webinar to update facilities, inspectors, instructors, and instructor trainers on this new program, it’s implementation, and to answer any questions. The turnout was HUGE. A total of 120 attendees were present for the 40 minute presentation, followed by a very engaging 30 minute Q&A session. The webinar was hosted by Senior Vice President Sean Harrison and the program developer, Don Kinney. If you were unable to attend this highly anticipated webinar, you can see the recorded version here.

If you are you interested in taking the VIP Course, check out our upcoming dates and times to get updated or certified:

Student Class
When: February 27, 2015
Time: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Where: Embassy Suites O’Hare Rosemont (The instructor course will be held at the same place on Saturday from 8am-12pm.)

Student Class
When: March 27, 2015
Time: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Where: Meadowlands Room, Courtyard Marriott (Address: The Plaza at Harmon Meadow, 455 Harmon Meadow Blvd, Secaucus, NJ 07094)

Student Class
When: April 23, 2015
Time: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Where: Homewood Suites Indianapolis Northwest

Student Class
When: June 5, 2015
Time: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Where: TBD

Student Class
When: TBD
Time: TBD
Where: TBD

ERDI Public Safety Diving Health Project

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by Sean Harrison:
ERDI Divers
ERDI was invited, along with several other industry professionals, to attend a workshop that focused on the health and well being of public safety divers and their support teams. The workshop was hosted by UC San Diego Health Sciences, Center of Excellence in Diving; and sponsored by: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, OxyHeal Health Group, Divers Alert Network (DAN), ScubaPro, and Diving Unlimited International (DUI). Just by looking over the host and the list of sponsors, you can tell that this was not your average workshop.

The stated goal was, “To create knowledge and competencies in recreational, scientific, commercial, military and public safety through diving research, education, and ocean conservation.” One might wonder how do all these very different sectors of diving relate? Well, there is one common denominator… the water. From the brand new open water diver to the best trained combat diver, every one of us is subjected to the same environmental factors, we may have different reasons for being in that environment but nevertheless, we are being exposed to the same things.

ERDI began its quest to educate the public safety diver of the hazards, concerns, potential exposures and mitigation strategies to protect against these contaminates in 2010 by publishing the Contaminated Water Diving Operations manual. ERDI welcomed the invitation to contribute to the health of the divers and to the environment.

A lot of topics and ground were covered during this workshop. There were some reoccurring topics that need to be addressed and some new ones. With the wide range of experience that was in the room, there was a flurry of conversation and some very sensitive topics exposed. The end goal was always the safety and well being of the divers, no matter what the reason was the diver was in the water.

Since this was the first meeting, everyone involved was sent home with one goal… go on a fact-finding mission, and learn what the divers in our respective communities are feeling. For the public safety diver this could mean some self reflection – how did I feel before and after that dive, how did I feel two days after that dive?

Every new venture takes a while to mature and public safety diving is no different. While divers have been going in the water for many years to recover objects and bodies, public safety diving is really only now coming to the forefront and gaining enough attention as a service that is desperately needed by the community it serves. The end result is: with enough awareness and research data, teams that need funding to obtain necessary training and equipment, will have the documentation they need to support their requests. For the teams that are already well funded, they will benefit by continuing to do their job with the most current equipment and training and… maybe even an “I told you so.”

ERDI will continue to assist with this important mission in any way we can. We will also keep you up-to-date on any progress that is made. For more information or to see how you can be involved visit the UC San Diego Health Sciences website or keep checking back to ERDI News for updates.

4 Tips to Help You Prepare to Testify in Court

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by Dr. Thomas Powell:
courtroom gavelWithin the public safety community the court room is a place to which individuals may be called at any time. Legal proceedings surrounding injuries, recoveries, operations, and activities may require individuals, groups, or even whole teams to bring insight before jurors or a judge. For this reason, public safety dive teams must be prepared to explain their actions and findings involving any operational activity. Though being called to court is not a common occurrence for public safety divers, training must be put into place to prepare for what MAY happen. A lack of preparation could bring harm to the stability of a dive team or even allow a law-breaking individual to go free because of a lack of information, evidence, or observable competency from the dive team. A dive team member who performs perfectly underwater, but who cannot face an attorney may present what appears to be incompetence to a judging group of jurors.

Emergency Response Diving International (ERDI) has developed a course program designed to help dive team members be mentally prepared to face the courtroom. This program, Testifying in Court, discusses topics from proper wear and appearance for courtroom proceedings to preparation prior to court. Being prepared is the most efficient manner in which a diver can comfortably face questions from attorneys and provide truthful and quality data as needed.

Four tips that can help any public safety diver prepare for court:

Review the subpoena

A subpoena is a legal document issued by a governmental body (most often the court) to an individual or group requiring that person or body to present information. If that person or body does not follow through with the presentation of evidence or information, the person or group will be penalized. If a dive team or dive team member is presented with a subpoena, the document should be reviewed for information. A subpoena will often provide information regarding the evidence or testimony desired by the court system as well as the names and actions related to that evidence or testimony. The date, type of court, time, and location of the required presentation will also be listed along with the attorney who issued the subpoena through the court system.

A subpoena must be reviewed to make sure that a dive team or team member understands why they are being called to appear, what items must be taken to present to the court, and when and where the person or group must be available to sit before the court. Understanding this information will also help establish a timeframe for preparation and presentation practice.

Review the dive reports

Once a subpoena has been reviewed, all information regarding the associated dive operation must be pulled and reviewed and by all available parties who partook in the operation. Team members must work together to develop a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of what actions were performed, what items were found, and how that information was documented. This may also involve photographs, sketches, or other forms of documentation that must be compiled and copied for the court.

A diver should never enter the courtroom without understanding what took place and his or her actions in a clear fashion. For this reason, team members should rely on each other and documented information to ensure that a clear memory is recalled. A lack of memory regarding an old operation will not be viewed as acceptable or competent within a courtroom setting.

Meet with the attorney or solicitor

Next, a team must take the time to meet with the attorney or solicitor who generated the subpoena. A meeting of this type will help establish what information must be presented and in what manner. Essentially, the person or persons presenting information will be better able to prepare and present relevant information and avoid unforeseen questioning. This meeting will also give both parties the opportunity to plan out pertinent questions and responses associated with case-based information.

Know where to go

Finally, the diver or team members required to appear before the court must know where to go and when. If an individual fails to appear in court in response to a subpoena, that person can be held in contempt of court and face legal consequences. Similarly, the individual being asked to testify may be viewed as incompetent, and therefore critical case-related data may be eliminated from court proceedings. A situation such as this may even cause a case to be dropped and a potentially guilty defendant to go free.

When the court system calls upon a diver, that diver must be prepared to present knowledgeable and quality data in a competent fashion. To accomplish this goal, dive teams must be prepared for the potential need to present information in court through the development of both education and mission records. ERDI has developed an educational program to help any team achieve this objective. Through competent action and the ability to record and recall information, teams can both justify actions and verify operational credibility.

– Dr. Thomas Powell
Owner/Instructor Trainer – Air Hogs Scuba, Garner, NC

Rebreathers and Recreational Diving

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by John E. Lewis, Ph.D.1:
rebreather diversThis article could have dealt with Boyle’s law, partial pressures, oxygen toxicity, and how rebreathers work. Unfortunately, it would be three times as long and could (probably would) prove to be boring. Therefore, I chose a more direct approach. I have designed a single day of recreational diving and compared the experience of three divers equipped with different scuba devices ranging from a common open circuit aluminum 80 ft3 tank using air, an identical tank but one equipped with 32% nitrox, and finally the recently introduced Hollis Explorer semi-closed rebreather.

The Dive Scenario

The day’s diving takes place from a boat that is positioned in an area with a wide variety of depths ranging from walls with maximum depths over 30 metres / 100 feet to reefs as shallow as 18 metres / 60 feet. The Captain of the boat has decided there are to be three no-decompression (NoD) dives separated by two hour surface intervals and are to include a mandatory safety stop of five minutes at 3 metres / 10 feet. He also insists that the divers surface with no less than 35 BAR / 500PSI in their tanks.

This boat does not have a compressor, and it follows that all of divers must bring the tanks necessary for the three dives. The first dive is a multi-level dive beginning at 30 metres / 100 feet followed by a 15 metres / 50 feet second depth option. The second dive is also a multi-level dive to a maximum depth of 24 metres / 80 feet with a 12 metres / 40 feet second depth option. The third dive is to be at a single depth of 18 metres / 60 feet. In order to be able to visit the three sites that the Captain has chosen in the time allotted, he insists that for the first two dives the divers not exceed a 60 minute bottom time.

The Divers and their Equipment

Bob, by far the oldest of the three, carries on board three aluminum 80 ft3 tanks filled with air (21% oxygen). He has been diving for over 40 years, and he has developed the particularly low value of air consumption (SAC of 0.5 cu ft/min)2. Mike has three new aluminum 80 ft3 tanks that are prefilled with 32% enriched air mix and sport Nitrox labels. Ordinarily he has a considerably higher SAC, but for this exercise we have made his the same as Bob in order that we can see what Nitrox brings to the table. Nick, by far the youngest, has a brand new Hollis Explorer semi-closed rebreather that is equipped with a steel 28 ft3 tank filled with a 40% nitrox mix, and he too has two backup tanks similarly filled with 40% nitrox. Nick has a SAC of 0.75 cu ft/min, which represents a more common value among recreational divers.

All of the divers are equipped with dive computers, and with one exception, all have been programmed to reflect a predetermined value of oxygen content. The exception is Nick’s Explorer that has been designed to optimize the dive time by choosing a value of the oxygen fraction in the breathing gas such that the no-decompression limit (NDL) equals the capacity of the device. This of course is subject to the maximum operating depth (MOD) dictated by an accepted value of PO2 = 1.4 atm. In addition, the dive time based on the canister life of the Explorer is limited to 120 min.

The First Dive

The results of the first dive are shown in Table 1, where TBT refers to the total bottom time. The dive times that were controlled by NoD limits are labeled as ND, by scuba capacity as CAP, and 60 for the Captain maximum specified bottom time.

Table 1

Depth (fsw) Bob (OC air) Mike (OC Nitrox 32) Nick (Explorer)
100 18 ND 30 ND 37 ND
50 22 CAP 12 CAP 18 (60)
10 5 5 5
TBT 45 min 47 min 60 min

##
As can be seen, Bob, the traditional open circuit air diver, was seriously disadvantaged at the first depth of 30 metres / 100 feet where the other two divers have significantly greater bottom times. Note that if Nick with a more common SAC had been using the open circuit rig, his TBT would have been less than 30 min.

The Second Dive

After a 120 minute surface interval, the Captain has moved the boat to a new dive site where the maximum depth is 24 metres / 80 feet. Again Bob is at a disadvantage at the first stop. However, it is interesting to note that Mike who gained eight minutes over Bob at the greatest depth, lost five minutes in total bottom time. Nick with the Explorer greatly surpasses both Bob and Mike at the first depth even with the imposed 60 minute TBT.

Table 2

Depth (msw) Depth (fsw) Bob (OC air) Mike (OC Nitrox 32) Nick (Explorer)
24 80 30 ND 38 CAP 55 (60)
12 40 12 CAP 0 0
3 10 5 5 5
TBT TBT 47 min 42 min 60 min

##

The Third Dive

Finally the boat is anchored above a reef that has a constant 18 metres / 60 feet depth, and the Captain has told the divers that they no longer need to adhere to the maximum 60 min bottom time. All of our divers have switched to their clean tanks, and Nick has renewed the Explorer’s canister absorbent. The result is that with no constraint on bottom time, as can be seen in Table 3, Nick has more than twice the bottom time with the Explorer over the open circuit divers.

Table 3

Depth (msw) Depth (fsw) Bob (OC air) Mike (OC Nitrox 32) Nick (Explorer)
18 60 46 CAP 46 CAP 112 (IDEAL)
3 10 5 5 5
TBT TBT 51 min 51 min 117 min

Days End

We don’t see dramatic differences during the first two dives largely because of the boats 60 min bottom time limit. However, Mike by using Nitrox has had more time at the greatest depth as well as Nick using the Explorer. It is worth remembering that Nick has an average diver’s SAC of 0.75 cu ft/min whereas Bob, the elder, and Mike by caveat was granted the same low SAC rate of 0.5 cu ft/min. Finally, on the third dive where the Captain removed the 60 min bottom time cap, the Explorer had more than twice the bottom time as the open circuit divers. It is worth noting that while the Hollis Explorer is semi-closed, during the entirety of these dives the exhaled gas never reached 10% of that of the open circuit divers.

Summary

Based on this example, the Hollis Explorer rebreather has a significant advantage over open circuit divers even those with exceptional breathing control that is 2/3 the SAC of the average diver such as Nick. The Hollis Explorer is not accurately characterized as “no bubbles.” However, the undeniably aesthetic appeal of quiet that is less than 10% of open circuit divers is of considerable potential value to any diver in addition to the increased ability to interact with wild live.

In 1989, the term “dive computers” was first coined to describe expensive and exotic devices that were known by no less than 27 different names. Less than ten years later, the term was common place and the majority of divers dove with one. I will be surprised if another ten years go by before the same cannot be said of the expensive and exotic devices known as … rebreathers, and for recreational divers, rebreathers similar to the Hollis Explorer have the potential to be the standard for the future.

1This article is an updated version of an original article by the author that appeared in the magazine Discover Diving in February 1997.
2Surface Air Consumption

4 Tech Diving Questions You Should Ask, But Never Do

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by: Dr. Thomas Powell
tech diver with doubles
Scuba diving is a sport that a person can enjoy for an entire lifetime and never truly reach the end of training or educational opportunities. As the scuba community has expanded, many sport divers have started asking more and more about the world of technical diving and the opportunities that it has to offer. Technical diving is a realm that many new or long-standing sport divers often look at with awe, excitement, and desire. As technical instructors make educational opportunities available to a larger group of potential students, many unique and interesting questions often get asked. These questions are often critical to aid in the education of newly-minted technical students. When questions do not get asked, a student or a new technical diver may choose to test certain ideas that may lead to problematic situations or even injury. The desire to go deeper, see new things, and venture where few have gone before can cause individuals to become complacent about sensible actions. For that reason, the technical community has been a tight-knit and supportive group for many years. Understanding why answers to certain questions are important to know, but not to “test,” can go a long way toward helping a student become a more competent diver who builds a trusting relationship with his or her educator.

There are many questions that show an eagerness to learn but deviate from the tried-and-true standardized educational path. Of those questions, here are four examples with illustrations as to why knowledge is essential when partaking in the “advanced” levels of scuba diving:

How many dives do I need at the bare minimum to jump to the next course and training level?

We all want to learn more, grow as divers, and push some sort of limit in our individual sports, hobbies, and activities. Otherwise we would not grow at doing what we love. The problem is that becoming a better diver is not about the card, what course you have jumped into, or how high you can go within a hierarchy. Instead, scuba education is about getting more proficient, learning tricks that make diving easier and more enjoyable, and more than anything, PRACTICE. The point behind taking a training course is to learn how to perform certain skills and how to do new things (or become more skilled at certain things). The job of an instructor is to ensure that a student can safely complete tasks and perform as a competent diver. This does not mean that every diver who completes a new course is the best diver in the world at that particular training level. The education provides a diver the means and knowledge he or she needs to – go out and safely continue working to become better. Some divers may be ready to jump to the next level of training, while others may desire, need, or even be encouraged to continue diving and practicing. Similarly, participating in too many courses in a row may create an overload of information for a student. One of the best practices out there for any student is to partake in a class, and then GO DIVE! Once the student feels like he or she is ready, the next educational step should then be taken. Training should never be based on a baseline minimum number of dives, but instead on the readiness and preparation for a new program. A diver who looks at scuba education as a race to the finish may not take the time to learn the things he or she needs to know to stay safe and efficient in the water. The best way to make the determination regarding a person’s readiness for the next step in education is to ask the instructor and follow his or her guidance. The goal of any instructor from Technical Diving International (TDI) is to train and prepare divers to be competent enough to dive and be partners with his or her own loved ones. For this reason, a good instructor can help a diver make quality decisions about what steps to take and when, in regard to scuba education. Once a diver knows in his or her own mind that he or she is ready, and the associated instructor agrees, then it is time to safely take that next step.

Can I get by with my current equipment? Do I really need to spend money on something so similar to what I already have? I can cut some of this cost out, right? Why does my computer have to be replaced? Those things are expensive.

Technical scuba diving can be an equipment-intensive world within the overall realm of scuba diving. Many divers get into diving with fun new equipment geared toward sport activities. Depending on the type of diving a person is learning, new equipment may be needed. The best way to view equipment in scuba is to relate it to something else. If you were running a marathon would you rather wear your dress shoes in the closet at home, or would you rather wear a fitted set of stable and comfortable running shoes that would not blister your feet? Or, if you had a loved one who was in a medical emergency, would you want the ambulance coming to get that person to have quality modern life-support equipment or hand-me-down equipment from twenty years ago? Sometimes “it might work” is not the way to approach gear needs, especially involving life support equipment. A technical diver does not necessarily need the most expensive and newest top-of-the-line equipment, but he or she does need quality life support equipment that is both dependable and reliable. A technical student must remember that he or she may be venturing into colder waters, darker waters, soft ceiling scenarios, or even hard ceiling overhead environments. These situations call for redundant gear items and equipment designed for that type of diving. Similarly, many sport computers do not have the capability to plan for the use of mixed gas or decompression needs. Again, the job of an instructor, following the standards of TDI is to ensure that during training, a technical student learns about what equipment a diver at each training level needs in order to dive at that level in the safest way possible. Sometimes gear can be recycled for technical diving use, but money should not be the determining factor behind diving in a safe or unsafe manner. Instead, quality equipment should be obtained when possible, and learned (in regard to use) prior to partaking in advanced and potentially more complex diving activities.

Is my depth limit associated with the course a requirement or is it just a suggestion? I can go deeper if I feel prepared right?

Depth limits have been established by TDI with safety in mind. Instructors have been trained to show students why depth limits are important, and often depth limits are associated with gas, physiological reactions, and physiological needs. For instance, why would a person go to a certain depth if they could stay twice as long and dive more safely on a gas mixture different from air or nitrox? The person who wishes to push that limit without knowing a good answer to that question is not taking his or her time to either answer the question in an effective fashion, or is only entertaining technical scuba for the thrill of the moment rather than the love of the sport and the desire to do more. Similarly, TDI Instructors are required to take advanced students to specific depth ranges to complete many of the courses within the technical program. Technical students will get the chance to go “deeper” during training and not just simulate depth as an exercise. Pushing depth limits without knowing how to be safe, monitor physiology, or be prepared for problems can lead once again to injury or even death.

Can I use my shiny new gear to go straight into tech? I bought this yesterday and I am ready to roll!

Many new technical students do make the decision to purchase new equipment to support the needs and activities related to technical diving. These purchases may include new regulator sets, buoyancy compensation systems, dry suits, wet suits, masks, lights, and even fins. The problem is that many new students may be jumping into gear that they are not yet able to use in a confident manner. Once again, if you pay for one hour of training time at the gym, do you want forty-five of those minutes to be spent learning how to use the equipment? When a diver buys new equipment at any training level, that gear needs to get wet. The diver needs to strap it on in a safe and controlled environment and work out the bugs. Not knowing how to use or configure new equipment may lead to problems, a lack of focus, or a dislike of diving activities. For this reason, prior to starting any technical program, a diver should go to the water with his or her gear and do some sport dives to make sure he or she is ready to learn and enjoy a future class. The only time this type of situation does not come into play is during a program such as TDI’s Intro to Tech Course during which a diver may be trying new equipment and diving methods for the first time, and a lack of preparation may be considered part of the educational environment surrounding the course.

One other question that is often asked by new technical students revolves around training. New students, old divers, and anyone getting wet should remember that skill practice has a purpose.

I was doing these things long before this class. I already know this stuff so can we skip these steps and move on?

Many individuals have partaken in “technical” scuba activities over lifetimes of underwater adventures. Every dive shop knows old salty divers who went deep long before technical scuba was organized under TDI and other agencies. Similarly, many technical classes require that basic tasks be performed that sport divers have learned over time. These tasks may include the deployment of a lift bag, buoyancy skills, or basic physiological reaction tests underwater. Students may consider repeating old skill sets redundant and desire to move forward at a faster pace (eliminating skill steps). The problem with this request is that basic skills may not be the same in the technical realm of scuba. For instance, the diver may know how to deploy a lift bag, but can he or she deploy that lift bag while hovering in a neutral fashion next to a vertical wall at depth with gloves on? Technical instructors are often looking for more than basic single-skill competency. Instead, they are looking at how the diver handles his or herself while enduring various complicating factors. What was once a simple skill in warm Caribbean waters during an SDI Advanced Adventure Course may not be so easy in deeper and colder waters while wearing a redundant equipment load. Technical students must trust that skill sets have a purpose, and once again practice is a good thing. Working through skills and trying to become more competent at what someone may consider a basic task is what makes a diver “better.” So while a diver has the attention and time of an instructor, the best value is to do everything he or she can, new and old, in the hopes of establishing a better understanding or receiving possible advice from someone who has done it countless times.

No question is a bad one. Education and understanding is essential to safe diving practices and learning programs. Instructors should be ready to answer questions or at least find information for students as knowledge is requested. It is always better to ask and learn rather than push the unknown within a community that may have sensible answers already developed based on experience and knowledge. Technical diving is about learning the complex nature behind advanced scuba diving activities while developing independent proficiencies; so ask questions and then take the time to enjoy and use what you learn.

– Dr. Thomas Powell
Owner/Instructor Trainer – Air Hogs Scuba, Garner, NC

Technical Diving Resources

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by Jon Kieren:
tdi divers researching

Books – The texts listed are all excellent resources for any active technical diver, or anyone who is interested in beginning their technical diver training. Some of the titles are instructional manuals, while others are non-fiction stories of exploration.

  1. Advanced Wreck Diving Guide – Gary Gentile
  2. Basic Decompression Theory and Application 3rd Edition – Bruce R. Wienke
  3. Basics of Rebreather Diving, The – Jill Heinerth
  4. Beyond the Deep: Deadly Descent into the World’s Most Treacherous Cave – William Stone, Barbara A.M. Ende, Monte Paulsen
  5. Blueprint For Survival – Sheck Exley
  6. Cave Divers, The – Robert Burgess
  7. Caverns Measureless to Man – Sheck Exley
  8. CCR Cave “Almost Simplified” – Dr. Mel Clark
  9. CCR Trimix Simplified – Dr. Mel Clark
  10. Deco for Divers – Mark Powell
  11. Deep Descent: Adventure and Death Diving the Andrea Doria – Kevin F. McMurray
  12. Deeper into Diving, 2nd Edition – John Lippmann and Dr. Simon Mitchell
  13. Diving in Darkness: Beneath Rock, Under Ice, Into Wrecks – Martyn Farr
  14. Diving into Darkness: A True Story of Death and Survival – Phillip Finch
  15. Diving Physics with Bubble Mechanics and Decompression Theory in Depth – Bruce R. Weinke
  16. Diving Physiology in Plain English – Jolie Bookspan
  17. Essentials of Cave Diving – Jill Heinerth
  18. Fatally Flawed – The Quest to be Deepest – Verna an Schaik
  19. Introduction to Technical Diving – Rob Palmer
  20. Last Dive: A Father and Son’s Fatal Descent into the Ocean’s Depths, The – Bernie Chowhury
  21. Mastering Rebreathers – Jeffrey E. Bozanic
  22. Mixed Gas Diving: The Ultimate Challenge for Technical Diving – Tom Mount and Brett Gilliam
  23. Physiology and Medicine of Diving, 5th Edition – Alf Brubakk and Tom Neuman
  24. Rebreathers Simplified – Dr. Mel Clark
  25. Shadow Divers – Robert Kurson
  26. Shipwreck Hunter: Deep, Dark & Deadly in the Great Lakes – Gerry Volgenau
  27. Sidemount Profiles – Brian Kakuk and Jill Heinerth
  28. Six Skills and Other Discussions: Creative Solutions for Technical Divers, The – Steve Lewis
  29. Staying Alive: Risk Management Techniques for Advanced Scuba Diving – Steve Lewis
  30. Technical Diving from the Bottom Up – Kevin Gurr
  31. Technical Diving in Depth – Bruce R. Wienke
  32. Technical Diving Handbook – Gary Gentile
  33. US NAVY Diving Manual
  34. Wookey Hole: 75 Years of Cave Diving & Exploration – Jim Hanwell, Duncan Price, Richard Witcombe

Websites

  1. TDISDI.com
    • The SDI/TDI/ERDI website provides student divers direct contact with their local TDI facilities and Instructors via the Dive Center/Instructor Search Tool. You can also search hundreds of articles about technical diving on the TDI Blog. The Course Description Page gives potential students access to complete descriptions as well as the Standards and Procedures of almost all TDI courses offered.
  2. Rubicon Foundation: http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/
    • The Rubicon Foundation Research Repository is a free digital archive of over 8500 searchable references on topics ranging from Diving Accidents and Fatalities, Decompression Sickness, Hyperbaric Drug Interactions, In-water Recompression, Oxygen Toxicity, and much more! This is by far the largest collection of diving references, and the foundation actively undertakes projects that:
      • Contribute to the interdependent dynamic between research, exploration, science and education;
      • Improve the available resources for students, professionals and the general public; and
      • Preserve the valuable natural resources that are vital to future endeavors.
    • The Rubicon Foundation is a non-profit organization, they accept donations to help support their projects HERE.

Forums – Forums and discussion boards can be an excellent source of information from active technical divers and instructors. It is important to use caution whenever you are taking advice from someone on the internet, however.

  1. www.CCRexplorers.com
  2. www.Rebreatherworld.com
  3. www.thedecostop.com
  4. www.cavediver.net
  5. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/technical-diving-specialties/
  6. http://www.thediveforum.com/forumdisplay.php?36-Technical-Diving

A Local’s Advice on Diving the Blue Heron Bridge

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What’s the best way to dive the Blue Heron Bridge? Here we outline a few suggestions to ensure an enjoyable dive adventure.

Continua a leggere

Want to see your photo on the cover of our new SDI Dry Suit Diver Manual?

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PRIZES: SDI Dry Suit Diver Cover Winner Will Receive:

  • Photo on the cover of the new SDI Dry Suit Diver Manual
  • The newest manual hot off the press from the first print run
  • Choice of any SDI Deluxe Diver Kit
  • Advanced Diver 1st Aid Kit
  • SDI/TDI/ERDI Backpack

Cover winner, runners up, and honorable mentions’ images will all be included in the manual!

Photo Contest

SDI Dry Suit Diver Course
The SDI Dry Suit Diver Course will open up a whole new world of diving to you. Many of the diving environments around the world are better experienced in a dry suit. Why? These areas have an abundance of marine life waiting to be seen and photographed – they just happen to be a little colder! Dry suits are also used in tropical water during the cooler months. This course allows the student to develop the knowledge and skills to properly use a dry suit. It will discuss the types of dry suits, accessories, maintenance and how to make basic repairs.

Deadline for Photo Submissions: March 15, 2015

PRIZES: SDI Dry Suit Diver Cover Winner Will Receive:

  • Photo on the cover of the new SDI Dry Suit Diver Manual
  • The newest manual hot off the press from the first print run
  • Choice of any SDI Deluxe Diver Kit
  • Advanced Diver 1st Aid Kit
  • SDI/TDI/ERDI Backpack

How to Enter

  • Submit your photo in the upload tool form below to enter for the contest
  • Photos must be high resolution (at least 1500 pixels wide or tall)
  • Submit up to five images
  • If you have any questions, please email marketing@tdisdi.com

Contest Rules

  • Eligibility: Open to all recreational photographers (except contest judges and SDI employees). Grand Prize, first-place will have their photo featured on the cover of the SDI Dry Suit Diver Manual.
  • By entering a photo in the contest, you grant SDI/TDI/ERDI non-exclusive, royalty-free rights for unlimited reproduction in SDI/TDI/ERDI print and electronic publications and promotional materials for an unlimited period of time. We will provide photo credit when we publish your image.
  • You may submit up to five entries.
  • Be prepared to provide SDI with the written consent of anyone who appears in a photograph.
  • All entries will be displayed on SDI’s website once they have been reviewed and approved.
  • All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. (EST) on March 15, 2015.
  • Decisions of the judges are final. Winners will be notified by March 31, 2015.
  • The winning photos will be published in SDI Dry Suit Diver Manual.

Enter Your Photo to Win

[contact-form-7 id=”61862″ title=”Drysuit Cover Competition”]

 SDI Photo Contest for Dry Suit Diver

DISCLAIMER: I fully authorize International Training to use and commercially reproduce the images, photographs and, or illustrations supplied for this Drysuit Cover Competition. My submission also indicates that I am the sole photographer, developer and/or copyright owner of the supplied images, photographs and, or illustrations noted above, and I have full authority to give International Training reproduction rights via this form. I understand that International Training or any of its subsidiaries will not compensate me monetarily or in any other way for supplying the images, photographs and or illustrations noted above. Further, I agree that International Training may, at any time and indefinitely use the images, photographs and, or illustrations noted above for any purpose.


Share the Air!

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by Jordan Greene:
sdi diver sharing airAt one time or another, we have all been in the situation of being one of these two – the borrower or the lender.

“Hey pal, mind if I borrow your car?” Or the famous, “Could you lend me some money?”

Most prefer not to be on either side of this scenario, but especially the lender! These phrases, amongst friends, can bring that unsettling feeling we all know too well. Now, by all means, I enjoy helping a friend or even a stranger, but lending out something without certainty of it being returned (or returned in one piece) is always in the back of one’s mind. As for being the other, no one likes the feeling of being in need or having to ask to borrow something.

In the world of scuba diving, these terms are more welcome. These expressions are not only widely accepted, but encouraged, practiced and prepared for (regardless of diver level or course).

“Hey buddy, can I borrow some air?”

During your open water course, when learning basic scuba diving equipment and configuration, a standard piece of equipment is the typically brightly colored secondary regulator (alternate air source, octopus, safe second, back-up regulator, etc). This essential piece of equipment does not only act as a back up to your primary in the event your primary malfunctions, but also as a redundant source of gas for your dive buddy or fellow boat diver. It is not nearly enough to just carry this piece of equipment with you for peace of mind, you must utilize it and be well versed in being the donor and receiver. Beginning with your SDI Open Water Course, and continuing all the way through TDI’s assortment of tech courses, you will find buddy breathing a very common skill that is practiced. Forming a habitual ritual of starting every descent of a dive with a simple donor/receiver drill will strengthen your subconscious competency to loan out an air source without having to think about it, becoming practically instinctual. All levels of divers should become comfortable and capable with calmly removing an air source from his or her mouth and lending it to their buddy, and vice versa. The old adage “practice makes perfect” could not be more true, perform this skill every opportunity you have to dive. Now, I know in our own minds, we are all the greatest divers to have ever graced the waters with our presence; there is no need to practice such a simple skill so extensively. After all, it isn’t shooting an SMB (surface marker buoy) or navigating through low visibility waters, right? In the event you or another diver needs an alternate air source, panic can set in VERY quickly. Once panic has struck in that millionth of a second, heart beat and respiration rapidly speed up. This can be a slippery slope and can quickly lead to disaster. Developing the muscle memory and calm mental ability is what you really want to acquire rather than just the physical act of lending out that air source (or receiving it).

So the next time your buddy wants to borrow something, be happy to share the air!