Saturday 28 September 2013

The Blue Hole of Cyprus- Scuba Diving with Scuba Tech


Tuesday 24 September 2013

Clean Up on Aisle 2 please!!- Let's clean our seas

So, we are fast approaching the International Beach and Ocean Clean up event being organise by GUWWA. This will be the second of its kind in the world.


The idea of this event is to attempt to break the World record for the most number of individuals involved in an underwater clean up attempt and the GUWWA are looking for participants in over 80 countries.

As a general rule of thumb, we at Scuba Tech don't organise these local beach clean ups.

Underwater litter isn't a problem just once or twice a year and rather than cleaning our oceans on specific dates, we prefer to take down a mesh bag and lift rubbish out of our seas on most dives we do. This way we keep on top of the garbage accumulation underwater and we can clean multiple sites, not just the one.

Octopus beneath a bit of glass garbage
The biggest problem we have here in Cyprus, I think, is the garbage that comes off the party boats. I am not saying it is always intentional but there are some who think it is acceptable to throw empty beer or coffee cans and cigarette butts off the side of the boat into the sea.

Some just blow off the deck with the wind but these beer and coffee cans make up the biggest part of the garbage we find underwater.



However, they aren't the only rubbish we find. I dived to the "Blue Hole" here in Protaras a couple days ago and found a rug underwater and we have previously found t-shirts, towels and cardboard boxes.

 

Scuba Tech Diving Centre will be taking part in the GUWWA ocean clean-up, as we hope it will help to raise awareness among others of the need to keep our oceans clean. Not just for us and the tourists that visit us here in Cyprus but for the thousands of marine species that call our oceans and seas their homes.

We will be combining forces with Windmills Divers and concentration our efforts on the Dive Site used most by Divers here in Cyprus: Green Bay starting on Sunday the 29th September 2013 at 10am.

If you want to join us, get in touch at info@scubatechdivers.com or by telephone on 00357 99 18 4002 and book your place. We are offering free air fills (or tanks of air) for qualified scuba divers. You can either come to the shop for 9.30am or meet us down at Green Bay at 10am. If we know you are coming, we can bring you a cylinder.

Even if you cannot dive and would like to help, you can help clean the shore line and the shallows

Every little helps.


Saturday 21 September 2013

A Scuba Tech Jolly Dive to the Chapel Dive Site in Protaras, Cyprus

A lovely scuba dive with the Scuba Tech, Cyprus diving team.

Even on our days off, we cannot resist the lure of the ocean


Wednesday 18 September 2013

A view to a Dive....

Diving equipment is all important but a mask helps us all see the underwater world Many times I am asked by Divers what the most important piece of equipment is that they buy themselves.


Of course, all kit is important in its own rights. Your regulators are life support equipment and it is essential you have well serviced working regs. Wetsuits must fit well to keep you warm and it isn't nice to rent a wetsuit knowing what many other divers have done to keep themselves warm... you know what I am talking about....

But for me, the most important piece of equipment for a Diver is a good MASK!!!

 
Masks are extremely personal pieces of equipment and a good mask can be the difference between an uncomfortable dive and an amazing one. If you try scuba with an ill fitting mask that constantly leaks (or worse a mask that constantly fogs up on the dive so you can't see), it can ruin your dive.

When shopping for masks, there are so many different styles now to choose from. High Volume and Low Volume masks and full face designs. The skirts that used to be pretty rigid and standard are now available in clear or black skirts and are becoming more supple and soft and easily mould around the contours of your own face.

That's the other thing about a mask, it is so personal because a mask tends to mould to your face and no two faces are perfectly alike. Even when you gain or lose weight, it can change the shape of your face and cause your mask to leak a bit.



My advice, if you are learning to dive with a Dive Centre or a Dive Club, make use of the supplies they have at their disposal and try a few different models while you are diving to see which fits you better. Just because a mask fits your instructor or your friend doesn't mean it is ideal for you.

When you try a mask on, put it against your face and suck in through your nose, making sure all your hair etc is out of the skirt so it can seal. If the mask sticks to your face, it has formed a seal, which is a good first step.



Make sure the mask feels comfortable and isn't pushing against any part of your face, particularly your nose and the point between your eyebrows. If you can feel it above water, you can pretty much guarantee under pressure underwater it will be much worse.


When you find one you like, toothpaste it. You will need an abrasive toothpaste, so the gels are no good for this. Put a good dollop on each lens and rub it around. This is to take off the silicon layer that causes the mask to fog up in the water. Rinse it off and repeat a couple times.



Finally, when you dive in your mask, do not be tempted to pull the straps too tight, as this distorts the face and creates little wrinkles in the skin that are like channels for the water to pass through, breaking the mask's seal. The water pressure will keep the mask on your face without being too tight plus you shouldn't have that lovely red ring around your face when you pop out later that tells everyone where you have been.


So, the secret to a good mask... try as many as you can to find the best fit for you and see where Scuba Diving can take you.

Saturday 14 September 2013

Night Diving in Cyprus with Scuba Tech Diving Centre

Diving in Cyprus with Scuba Tech Diving Centre.

This is a night dive in Cyprus. See al the critters that come out at night when all else is asleep.

Keep your eyes open for the cheeky gnome?


Saturday 7 September 2013

Scuba Diving Jubilee Shoals in Cyprus

The Scuba Tech Diving Team headed across Cyprus to Pissouri to dive the infamous Jubilee Shoals Dive Site.

A wicked day of diving had by all and if you want a sneaky peak of what we did, check out this little video that we made.

Wednesday 4 September 2013

To touch or not to touch... that is the Question

Errrm, no. I am pretty sure if that is the Question, when it comes to Scuba Diving, the answer is  definitely  a big resounding NO!!!

I was out diving a couple days ago and I saw a beautiful sight. A turtle was swimming side by side with a Diver. I watched them swim together for about 5 minutes, neither bothering the other just enjoying company on their journey!

Let the turtle swim... dont touch

Another Diver soon entered the scene with a camera and even having this one sticking a flashy thing in the turtle's face didn't seem to bother hime too much. If he got too close to the diver with the camera, the turtle would gently turn to move around him.

Then I saw something which boiled my blood.

Said Diver decided to show off to the novices he was with and decided to grab hold of the turtle and try to ride on him.

You could see the turtle was petrified now, as an army of other divers moved in to help the distressed turtle and make the idiot release him and as soon as he was free, the turtle swam away as fast as his fins would take him, never to trust another human being as long as lived.

When we Scuba Dive, we enter the home of the aquatic life that is native to that area. We should respect their homes and not intrude on their existence.
 

undersea creatures in your house

How would we feel if a big, water chuffing creature came into our living rooms and started prodding at us, trying to pick us up or sitting on our laps, while we try to go about our daily routine (...watching coronation street).

When we are diving, we are there to observe, not to intrude so spare a thought for the poor creatures whose lives we impact on every day and erspect the life under the sea.

So the moral of the story... be a considerate diver, don't disturb the fish life any more than you have to and DO NOT TOUCH!!

What's the old adage?

Take only memories and pictures, leave only bubbles.