Scuba Influencers to Follow on Instagram

Scuba diving is a sport that many people admire. Millions of people every year are taking up the sport. For those who love exploring the underwater seas, scuba diving is a great way to do it. The SCUBA of scuba diving stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. With this apparatus, a person can breathe underwater. The proper way to learn how to scuba dive is to take a course and get certified. Beginners dive between 100 to 133 feet. More experienced divers go deeper. Following scuba divers on Instagram is a fun thing to do. Here are five of the top scuba influencers to follow on Instagram.

Nadia Aly

Nadia is a resident of Northern California and a skilled scuba diver, content creator, influencer, and expedition leader. Nadia, who won Ocean Photographer of The Year for 2020, has over 300,000 followers on Instagram. On her account, you will find up-close-and-personal pics of sharks, whales, penguins, and crabs. These are photos that would look great in your home and office, and Nadia sells her pictures on her website.

Sean Havas

The scuba diver, photographer, and videographer Sean Havas displays interesting photographic angles of the bridges over ocean waters and sharks that he shoots. Havas runs his site Pirates and Palm that features videos and other information about sea life.

Alicia

Alicia Ward, a Mexican American raised in Hawaii, is a scuba diver, photographer, and cinematographer with 125,000 followers on her Instagram, Alicia Underwater. The photos she posts are colorful, bright images of dolphins and stingrays. She has a website with her scuba-diving husband, Jim.

Enric Sala

Scientist Enric Sala is a National Geographic and Explorer-in-Residence. Scuba diver Dr. Sala’s Instagram feed displays lovely, bright underwater pics of various aquatic sea life, such as sharks, stingrays, fish, and turtles. Sala has a website, and he is the author of Pristine Seas: Journeys to the Ocean’s Last Wild Places (forward by actor Leonardo DiCaprio) and The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild.

Brian Skerry

Award-winning wildlife photographer Brian Skerry is a scuba diver and wildlife photojournalist for National Geographic Magazine. His photographs have been exhibited in such countries as France and Spain. Skerry, who has a website, also has over 900,000 followers on Instagram. His pictures often focus on one subject, such as the face of a seal or a dolphin.

This article was originally published on KurtKucera.net

Preventing Vertigo While Diving

Diving can be a fun and rewarding experience. It gives you the opportunity to overcome challenges and experience the world around you in a different way. However, it also presents a certain set of dangers, one of which includes experiencing vertigo while diving. While most divers have experienced vertigo at one time or another, there are certain things that you can do to limit its severity. In some cases, you might be able to prevent yourself from experiencing it all together. This is imperative in order to dive safely, as complications from vertigo can have severe consequences.

What Is Vertigo?
Vertigo is a sensation that the entire world is moving or spinning, even when you are completely stationary. You might think of it as a severe case of dizziness that becomes worse whenever you move your head. Some people experience vertigo on a routine basis because of chronic disorders. For most divers, it has a lot more to do with the pressure inside the inner ear. There is a delicate balance of pressure that is regulated by your inner ear. It is essentially what allows you to turn your head or be in any moving vehicle and still maintain your sense of balance. When this pressure is no longer equalized, you start to feel dizzy.

Potential Complications of Vertigo While Diving
Obviously, this can present a certain amount of danger while you’re driving, especially if the vertigo becomes severe. The condition can range from a bit of lightheadedness to severe dizziness, nausea and vomiting which essentially prevent you from functioning normally. If you are underwater and you can no longer disseminate which direction you need to go in order to ascend safely, you could find yourself in real trouble very quickly. In addition, severe cases of vertigo can cause you to lose consciousness. Clearly, this is not something that you want to experience while you’re diving. Fortunately, you can take some control of the situation by making small changes to your diving routine.

What Can You Do?
Your first step is to realize that there are a lot of pressure changes when you are diving, thanks to the changes in pressure underwater. You don’t have to go very far underwater to experience these changes. This is where most drivers get in trouble. They have a tendency to underestimate how quickly the pressure can change as they dive down. It’s usually far less than most drivers initially calculate. The key is to dive down slowly and give yourself a few breaks where you are simply maintaining your position in order to give your middle ear a chance to adjust. If you start to feel dizzy, stop where you are and give it a few minutes. This is even more important when you ascend. It’s imperative that you ascend slowly and that you give yourself time to adjust whenever you start to feel like something isn’t quite right.

By simply descending and ascending at a slower rate, you can dramatically reduce your chances of experiencing vertigo while diving. Remember, it’s important to stop where you are and give yourself a chance to adjust to the pressure if you start feeling unwell. This will allow you to dive in a safe manner. In addition, it gives you the chance to enjoy your adventures to the fullest.

How to Travel and Dive Responsibly During the Pandemic

A year into the Covid pandemic, many people are eager to get back out to travel. Preparing in advance is essential at this time. Anyone can have a wonderful and safe trip, full of great experiences and memories, but only by putting in the effort. 

Travel Planning

Before booking a trip, be sure to check into the travel restrictions based on location and type of transportation. Whether it is a country, U.S. state, or city, many places have their own rules. Venues may also have travel restrictions based on the location. For example, Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California are in two states and must comply with their respective state’s rules. For other countries, check the embassy website, which should provide covid guidelines. While it is rare to find travel insurance for Covid, carrying some travel insurance is a matter of good practice. Also, plan to bring along any documents, such as medical insurance cards, that could be useful in an emergency.

Covid Testing

Some countries and places require Covid testing before a flight. Check if rapid Covid testing is available while you wait, like at the Denver International Airport, or the requirement is to have a negative test three days in advance, which is the rule in the United Kingdom.

Covid Gear

There are several items every traveler should take to protect themselves from Covid. First, bring several masks. It may be easier to use disposable masks and throw them away after each use. However, if a cloth mask is more comfortable, be sure to bring enough for each day. Next, pack hand sanitizer as it may not be readily available. Finally, if possible, bring a forehead thermometer for venues that take body temperature before entry to any venue. Some businesses have the right to refuse access to their locations if customers do not meet body temperature requirements. 

Social Distancing

During travel and while at any venue, try to maintain social distancing. Some places have markers for social distancing or guides to remind visitors of the rules. While social distancing is not possible in every situation, it is best to observe the six-foot rule when appropriate.

Finally, enjoy the trip! Preparing in advance can give travelers the peace of mind they need to enjoy the sights and activities that drove them to travel in the first place.

The Best Diving Spots in Belize

Belize is an under the radar diving spot, home to the largest barrier reef on that side of the world, and with more islands to explore than one person could ever get to. Because it is only opening up to tourism, there is plenty of untouched sand, little known dive spots, and plenty of wildlife to discover.

These are the best diving spots in Belize and should be added to your list when you travel to the country.

The Barrier Reef

As one of the longest and best-preserved reefs in the world, The Barrier Reef has plenty of space to explore. There are several unique species to be seen, and sea turtles use this reef as a safe hunting ground because it is so pristine.

Ambergris Caye

The word is out now in regards to Ambergris Caye and it is easily one of the most popular cayes and diving spots in Belize. From here you can arrange transportation and a guide to just about anywhere in the region, and the local guides will have their favorite spots they are eager to take tourists to.

The Blue Hole

The Blue Hole of Belize should be considered one of the natural wonders of the world. If there is one dive you should make the time to do in Belize, this is it. Normally the dive will take you 40 meters deep to explore the stalactites that hang from an underwater cavern.

Shark Ray Alley

Shark Ray Alley is a great and easy dive spot that you can actually snorkel. This sandbar is a favorite spot for nurse sharks and marine species come for an easy meal because they know that the locals like to stop here to clean their catch.

Hol Chan Marine Reserve

Reserves are great spots to see a diverse amount of marine life, and Hol Chan Marine Reserve is no different. The location is what makes this spot so special and unique, as a channel or crack in the Barrier Reef that sits along the coast of Belize, there is a strong current to feed the area moving through here. The reserve status also means that the reef is intact here because it is protected.

This article was originally published on KurtKucera.net

The Best Diving Spots In Thailand

The best diving spots in Thailand can be hard to pick out for first-time visitors, which makes local guides your best resource. Thailand is rich in marine life and home to over more than three hundred named spots. With so much coastline and so many different areas to dive in, there is a dive spot for divers of every skill level.

These are the best diving spots in Thailand.

Hin Muang

Dive spots in the Andaman Sea are among the favorites for local guides and the type of dive spots worth traveling around the world for. Beautiful corals, rare marine life, and several species of sharks and other large fish that you only see when deep diving are all within easy diving range.

Koh Kradan Wreck

Wrecks make incredible dive sites and the Koh Kradan Wreck is definitely one of the better spots. The Japanese destroyer is entirely covered by corals, sea fans, and other underwater growth where marine life is bountiful throughout the entire year.

Hin Nok

The beauty of diving in Thailand is that the environment in each dive site is so unique that you can dive for days and see something different every time. Hin Nok features a large plateau and gullies that you can spend days exploring. Sea turtles are commonly found in this area and the elusive and strange Ghost Pipefish.

Shark Point

Named for the sharks that frequent this dive spot, leopard sharks are able to be seen here year-round. Other interesting species that can be seen here include the cute cuttlefish and seahorses. The gullies here protect divers from the strong currents making this a great dive for newer divers.

Koh Dok Mai

Koh Dok Mai is a great cave dive and night dive spot, but it is a spot for strong divers and swimmers. The cave you dive into leads to a cavern that is filled with sea snakes, leopard sharks, and eels.

While there are plenty of dive options in Thailand it is best to pick the spot that matches your dive abilities and offers you a unique experience among the many different types of dives that are offered.

This article was originally published on KurtKucera.net

Best Diving Spots In Hawaii

If you have a passion for scuba diving, look no further than the Big Island of Hawaii. The island has plenty of stellar diving spots that anyone would love, and has had the admiration of scuba diver’s around the world. Check out these great diving spots for the next time you plan to go to Hawaii!

Golden Arches

If you’re looking for a great photo opportunity, be sure to check out Golden Arches. This diving spot is known for the colorful fish who live on the reef, moray eels, whitetip reef sharks and like many other Hawaiian diving sites, you may see a group of spinner dolphins!

Naia

Speaking of dolphins, be sure to check out Naia the next time you want to go diving in Hawaii! Naia means Dolphin in Hawaii, it’s likely you’ll run into a few when you take your dive. What you’re even more likely to see are rare fish like stonefish and frogfish who live at this spectacular dive site.

Au Au Crater

If you’re looking for something a little more interesting, check out Au Au Crater. If you hadn’t guessed it by the name, Au Au Crater is a submerged volcano crater that is one of the best when it comes to showing off the unique underwater topography of the various Hawaiian islands. Be wary though, as you’re likely to spot larger ocean dwellers such as white tip and hammerhead sharks.

This article was originally published on KurtKucera.net