Journalist Kate Rew gives an interesting account of trying free diving for the first time, deep within the glamourous confines of the 30 metres deep submarine escape tank in Gosport, England. The tank training is part of a comprehensive free diving course run by a company called Deeper Blue, who also organise trips for free divers to Egypt.
Free Diving: A Beginner’s Guide - divehappy.com: Scuba Diving In Thailand and South East Asia
I wrote a while ago about wanting to visit the town of Donsol in the Philippines, which has become famous in the last 10 years due to the annual migration of whale sharks there every April. South Africa’s Mail & Guardian Online has an excellent article about how the whale sharks have changed the fortunes of the town by bringing thousands of tourists to the area who want to see these amazing creatures - and also preserved the lives of the sharks themselves as fisherman realised they have more value alive as a tourist attraction.
However, the town’s new found prosperity brings growing pains with it
A shark was waiting for unwitting divers as they entered the scuba pool during the Keizer Iris Festival.
Fortunately, it was plastic.
If they could overcome their fears of rubberized carnivores, the divers got to face the real hurdle: breathing under water.
A 2003 study, led by Heather Frederick, showed that even a gradual decline in lung function due to advanced age cannot be bad enough for elderly divers to take the plunge into the waters.
In the study, the researchers used hyperbaric (high-pressured) chambers to simulate the effects of diving at a depth of 60 feet underwater as tools to measure lung performance of elder divers as against young divers. The responses of a group of 10 healthy people, ranging in age from 19 to 39, was compared to another group of healthy older adults aged 58 to 74. None of the divers had a history of lung or heart disease.
Scuba Solitaire jumps to the front of the download queue with a solid selection of solitaire variations and a winning theme that is implemented with confidence. The underwater setting is omnipresent in all modes, with pleasing-to-the-eye backdrops floating behind very readable cards. Players can choose from a small variety of watery locations, each with their own aquatic wildlife. For example, if you opt for the arctic sea, you’ll see a polar bear. Coral reefs bring colorful tropical fish to the fore.