Marine Environment

What kind of things can I expect to see underwater? What are the dangers to encounter from marine life? In short, what is this underwater world like? These are some of the questions that have undoubtedly come to your mind as you have thought about diving in "live water" in the very near future. We will answer as many as we are able.

First, remember, that a man is an alien creature in the underwater world. He, not the fish and animals he encounters there, is the intruder. Therefore, the novice diver should not be too surprised to find himself the object of much curiosity on the part of the natural denizens of the underwater world. Many of these fish and animals are so equipped as to be a danger to the diver, but most of them are not considered as such. Surprisingly enough, the top threats to the diver in salt water areas, particularly the Keys or Caribbean, are sun, jellyfish, and sea urchins.

The sun, because of its terrific brightness and because of the divers lack of shelter from it, poses many problems to the diver, as you can well understand if you'll imagine putting a lung on over very tender shoulders. Add to this matter of discomfort the very real possibility of receiving first or second degree burns, and you can. readily see the problem that the sun poses. The usual means of prevention used are . the wearing of a tee shirt or similar garment to protect the diver from the sun.

Jellyfish are something else again. There are many varieties of jellyfish, all of them unpleasant. The diver may submerge in water relatively free of them, only to return to the area of his boat a short time later to find the surface virtually covered by them. The only easy way out is to wait them out until they drift away. If it is necessary to surface while they are still present, clear your path with your hands to avoid stings on the face or, body. A pair of canvas work gloves come in handy here, as well as in many other instances.

While ordinary jellyfish are painful, there is one variety which is actually a major menace to the diver. I refer to the Portuguese Man of War. This Variety of jellyfish, much larger than most other varieties, inflicts a venom which may be fatal, and usually hospitalizes its victims. The best advice if jellyfish wounds are inflicted, see a doctor.

Sea urchins are animals who live in the sea, who appear very innocuous, and are, except by their omnipresence. They are ball shaped, with innumerable brittle quills protruding from their surface. These quills penetrate readily and break off flush with the skin, where they then fasten. They are extremely painful, uncomfortable, and a thorough nuisance. Because of their omnipresence, the diver should look well before he grabs, rests, sits, or leans on anything underwater.

There are certain types of coral, too, which make salt water a little hazardous. For that matter, any scratch from any coral is almost certain to become infected, therefore canvas gloves are almost a must for the salt water diver. In addition to this type of infection, the novice salt water diver must be careful not to come in contact with fire coral, which when touched by the bare skin imparts a searing pain, leaving welts, and infects.

Some of the most often heard of fish for a diver to be concerned with are sharks, barracudas, morays, and octopus. There is no safe rule of the thumb for dealing with sharks. They are predators, almost invulnerable, of a very uncertain disposition. Probably the safest kind of rule to make concerning sharks, is to leave the water when they are in the area. Most certainly do not try to outrun them or create a commotion at the surface, as this seems to excite them and to provoke attack. If possible, get near the bottom, put your back against something to protect you from attack from the rear, and keep your eye on them. If you are skin diving, make as little commotion at the surface as possible, but work your way back toward your boat, keeping your eye on the shark at all times. When you reach your boat, leave the water as rapidly and with as little commotion as possible.

Barracuda are one of the varieties about which much has been written, both pro and con as a hazard to a diver. It is the general consensus however, that the "Cuda" is not greatly to be feared by the diver, provided he does not have any speared fish on his person. While many Cuda seem to delight in the sudden frontal attack, only to veer off at the last possible minute, not many have been known to actually molest the diver, except in cases where the diver had his speared fish on a stringer at his belt, or on his spear. They have also been known to attack divers wearing bright jewelry. It is generally thought that the barracuda is not a serious threat to divers. However, whenever they are encountered, divers keep an eye on them and do not turn their backs.

The moray eel, is one of the few creatures in nature to have a disposition to match his appearance. In appearance he is a snakelike creature with a rather elongated head and a mouth fairly bristling with teeth. He inhabits almost any nook, crevices, or cave he can find. By nature he prefers ambuscade to procure his meals, so therefore finds reefs and rock outcroppings perfectly suited to his needs. He will snap at and hang onto almost anything that comes within his range. His bite, while not in itself poisonous, is a very painful, ragged wound, which is almost guaranteed to infect badly. The wise diver is careful not to put himself in a position where he is apt to come into contact with the moray eel. The moray is the primary reason divers do not reach into places they cannot examine minutely before doing so.

The octopus is one of the most maligned of underwater creatures extant. Instead of being the evil pugnacious figure he is so often painted, in reality he is a very shy retiring type, whose only desire is to be left alone. There are no documented cases of divers being attacked by octopi.

Of the countless thousands of other denizens of the underwater world, only brief mention need to be made. The vast majority of these sea dwellers desire only to be allowed to enjoy their lives unmolested. Naturally, the individual reactions of large fish and animals when wounded cannot be predicted. However, most of the inhabitants of the sea are slightly curious about the intruder in their world, and nothing more. There is color, beauty, and life in the underwater world to enthrall you for life. Stay alert to the dangers the sea offers, and thereby enjoy its countless wonders.

In addition to the problems presented by the seas' inhabitants, very often the seashore itself presents the diver with a challenge. For instance, entry into a rocky, surf-ridden area presents special problems which require special techniques.

When entering surf, the main objective is to get out and away before the surf can hurl you against the shore. In order to accomplish this, the diver should watch the surf, and he will distinguish a pattern in its breaking. He should wait until just after the "large" breaker smashes, then get into the water and below the surface. The aim is to get as far under and as far out as possible before the next breaker. Leaving the water presents much the same problem, with the diver attempting to come in between breakers and get beyond reach of the next.

The best advice that can be offered to "traveling" divers is to contact local divers and, if possible, accompany them on their dives. If this doesn't prove practical, ask for and follow their advice as to where to dive, what to wear, etc.

In addition to the seas bordering our country, there are countless thousands of crystal clear lakes and quarries scattered throughout the country. While these fresh water diving sites may not present the bizarre, exotic beauty of the semi-tropic seas, they too have their charm. Fresh water diving might best be typified by the term "verdant serenity", and although it lacks the spectacular vividness of the seas, it too is very rewarding. The lakes of our country are teeming with life, and a study of this marine life is in itself a full-time profession. Although the clarity of the Caribbean has been much publicized, few are aware that its chrystalline visibility is often surpassed by Lake Superior, and other fresh water diving sites.

Be it fresh or salt, North or South, each area has its devotees and its individual problems. One of the universal problems, due to the density of water itself, is the problem of maintaining the diver's body heat while diving.

Since the water in which the diver enjoys his sport is below body temperature, it is only a matter of time until the diver will suffer from exposure, unless he takes steps to counted this loss of body heat. In order to slow down this body heat loss, the exposure suit has been designed, and generally falls into one or two categories, the wet or dry suit. Let us consider these in turn.

Wet Suit

The wet suit is made of foam neoprene, and is form fitting. It consists of jacket, hood, pants, and gloves. The principal of the wet suit is that it admits a thin film of moisture between the divers body and the wet suit itself. It admits this film at such a slow rate that the divers body heats it to body temperature as it enters, thus keeping an insulating layer of warm water between himself and the also insulating neoprene.

The wet suit is manufactured in 1/8, 3/16, and 1/4 inch thicknesses, depending upon the severity of the temperatures or duration of the dives. Today's wet suits are so well designed that the divers are using them in arctic waters with complete satisfaction.

Some of the advantages of the wet suit are its relatively low cost, its ease of repairabi-lity, and its simplicity.

Dry Suit

The dry suit, as the name implies, is designed to keep the wearer dry. Clothing is worn beneath the dry suit to afford warmth. The dry suit may be either two or one piece, depending upon the buyer's choice. It is made either of a latex rubber or a plastic, with water tight seals around the wrists, ankles, face, etc. Some of the advantages of the dry suit are that first, the diver does not, ideally, come in contact with the water. This can be important in contaminated or polluted waters. One of the main advantages claimed by the dry suit advocates is that warmth can be increased simply by adding clothes, and so when it is necessary for a long dive in extremely cold water, all the dry suited diver need do is dress heavier prior to the dive.

Whether the new diver chooses a wet or a dry suit, is primarily a matter of personal preference. He should acquaint himself with both types of suits and base his decision upon his own needs.

MOUTH TO MOUTH RESUSCITATION

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