Become a Diver - Divemed.com

Mankind has always been keen to explore further; human ingenuity has driven us to overcome environmental adversity and physiological barriers. The intrigue, for venturing the depths has been motivated by our curiosity to explore the vast, deep, blue sea, and all that lies within. Retrieving items from sunken shipwrecks, salvaging remains and oyster diving has been one of the primary reasons mankind needed and wanted, to dive further, for longer.

Our lungs have outgrown our desire to discover more. Mankind’s necessity to dive deeper has pushed us to develop technologies that enabled us more bottom time (time underwater). An air reservoir bag depicted in Phoenician drawings was one of the first underwater breathing apparatus known to men. In the notebook of famous Renaissance polymath Leonardo Da Vinci, a depiction of one of the first air supplied, buoyancy suit with an integrated facemask was sketched. Although never built, this 16th-century idea was envisioned as a military technology to resist the Ottoman Empire. It is known that necessity is the mother of invention; the need to have longer underwater access drove us to invent the technology, yet the drive for exploration made diving more accessible to humans. Mankind’s bewildering curiosity is manifested in the minds of the great inventors and engineers, who pushed the boundaries of human limitation, by inventing better equipment and breathing apparatus.

The diving bell, the hard helmet and the closed dress were the first technological concepts that allowed humans to venture underwater.

During these years, diving was accessible for the privileged few. August Siebe engineered ‘deep-sea diving helmets’ based on the improved design of the Dean Brothers, through his company ‘Siebe & Gorman’ the helmet design evolved to include the 12 bolt design and oval windows. This made the suit water-tight, so some might credit Siebe for coming up with the first drysuit. The porthole to the ‘Silent World’ was opened to the public eye, by the world-renowned French, explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau. As an inventor, he developed the first regulator with on-demand air, at ambient pressure. Together with Gagnam, a friend & engineer, they designed and manufactured the ‘Aqualung’, a design that has changed very little throughout the years. Cousteau’s name is synonymous with diving not as an inventor but due to the simple fact that he kept on dreaming, he kept on exploring further and deeper in the undersea world. An ever-increasing public interest in recreational diving was generated with Cousteau’s films & documentaries that depicted never-seen footage of marine life, shipwrecks and tropical destinations.

He travelled the world with his underwater camera & his crew aboard the Calypso (a vessel he bought from Malta). They conducted oceanographic research and filmed several movies that even won them an Oscar. Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s capacity for curiosity explains the most bewildering aspects of the drive to exploration, a drive-in which he manifested in others.

Self, Contained, Underwater, Breathing, Apparatus, has provided us with the opportunity to marvel at the beauty of the ocean…throughout the years, diving has become safer and more accessible worldwide. The equipment used has changed and has changed the way we dive. Looking back at the roots of the sport, one can appreciate the advances made that facilitated the way dive. The future looks bright and promising with more equipment & technologies coming our way.

NOTE:
Visit our mini-dive museum available at Divemed. We have collected(/owned) several vintage equipments throughout the years, mainly a WWII rebreather, a Siebe Gorman Helmet, Decabrain(first dive computer) and several models of antique regulators and masks.

Diving during that time of the month?! … As an avid female diver, this is a frequently asked question. Some ladies get concerned & wonder whether diving with their period is recommended. As females, life imposes several limitations; don’t let your period get in the way of anything else.

Women surf the crimson tide in different ways. Diving with your period is possible – please don’t let it stop you. As when swimming with your period, it is necessary to make use of tampons or else a menstrual cup. The moon cup/ diva cup /organic cup, as it is often referred to, is safe, easy to use, sustainable method. Once getting the hang of how it works, the moon cup is so liberating. As a by-product each month, females produce tones of sanitary waste that go in our landfills, this can be eliminated with the use of a silicone cup. Moreover, if you’re a travelling scuba girl, the moon cup avoids stocking up on tampons or other sanitary products in your luggage.

Keeping Hydrated. When diving during your monthly cycle, be extra cautious to avoid dehydration. Compensate by keeping hydrated and try to stay in the shade to minimize fatigue. It’s important to keep your body healthy and safe under and above the water.

PMS. Most scuba girls find that water pressure decreases the menstrual flow, this also results in reduced cramping, bloating & stomach pain when scuba diving. However, if moderate exercise increases your menstrual symptoms, consider seeking medical advice from your doctor. There is no standard rule, on how you should feel & behave during your cycle, it is really up to you, to decide whether you’re up for a little adventure or not, but remember that a dose of seawater always heals the period blues.

Menstruation & Decompression Sickness Risks. According to a DAN publication (an international diving research body of knowledge), women who take oral contraceptives better known as the pill and are diving during their period should dive more conservatively, due to fluid retention. While in theory, women are less likely to dissolve nitrogen as efficiently during their period, evidence suggests that increased decompression sickness risks are present when taking oral contraceptives.

Monthly Cycle & Shark Diving. There is no data to support the hypothesis that women are at an increased risk of shark attacks during their monthly cycle. During heavy bleeding a female loses around 80 ml of blood per month, this is considered as a small amount. Moreover, there is evidence to suggest that blood flow is reduced or halted by water pressure, therefore the odds that blood is released in the water is furthermore reduced.

Committed to our seas. As a dive school out mission is not simply to teach PADI courses and show our guests beautiful dive spot. Our responsibility is to instil in those who dive with us, awakening and appreciation towards the sea. As we learn to love, we automatically learn to respect.

How it came about. Local fishing enthusiasts often repurpose everyday items to be used as sinkers. Spark plugs commonly found in most machinery, end up as an alternative to fishing weights. As a result, several of these weights end up stuck around the coastal reefs.

Recycled art is not a new concept… but what is it? Discarded materials and trash that once had another purpose, are brought together in a way to make up something new, fresh and inviting.
As they say, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. This project took some time to materialize, our bucket of metals found in the sea kept on growing in size and weight.

With some time, creativity and a lot of silicone, we came up with Sparky the seahorse – made solely from reused, recycled materials found underwater. What was once a pile of items that belong in a scrap yard or landfill, have now become a presentation and a conversation starter. We hope that with this piece of regenerated art, we spark a trail of thought to its viewers that….

The sea is our home, and we are duty-bound to love and protect its wellbeing. As people of the sea, we should be the ambassadors of change, the leaders by example and the voice of the creatures that dwell in it. We guarantee that we will be protagonists of this shift in mentality during our dives and while talking with our guests. May Sparky help us in this green evolution.