Encouraging beginner scuba divers (and any scuba divers) to drag their masks under their chins when they surface is patently dangerous. In that mode, surfaced divers cannot use their snorkels or their regulators very comfortably for their swim to shore or the boat.

Question: Do you agree or disagree? And Why?

In our last newsletter, we wrote about how to store your drysuit for the winter, but one of the advantages of owning a drysuit is that it allows you to extend your diving season.

For drysuit divers and hardy wetsuit divers, this is a really good time to dive the local lakes. The water is still reasonable warm, certainly warmer than it will be in the spring. The air temperature is cool, but if your drysuit keeps you dry, it is tolerable. The boat traffic is greatly decreased, so the visibility is good, and you don’t have to contend with crazy jet skiers.
Continuing to dive helps you keep your skills sharp, and it can be a fun social event. Check our web site (www.aquaticadventuresofmi.com) for times and locations of local dives. For those who are especially hardy, there is also ice diving. Some of us will be cutting a hole in the ice, and diving all winter.

Safe Diving to All

Tom Rhoad
Service Manager

Now that we are coming to the end of the diving season for all but those few hardy souls who will be diving under the ice, it is time to think about proper storage of your dive gear. Since your drysuit is probably the most expensive single piece of gear you own, it deserves some special treatment.
Before you store it away, make sure that it is completely dry inside and out. If the zipper looks dirty, you may wash it with mild soapy water and a soft toothbrush. After it is dry, wax it with paraffin wax. To help preserve your latex seals, dust them with unscented talcum powder. Most manufacturers recommend against using silicone sprays or oils, because the silicone is absorbed into the fabric, making it virtually impossible to get adhesives to hold when you have to replace your seals.
After your seals are dusted with talc, tuck them into the suit, and then roll it up loosely. Store it in a cool, dry place, away from heat, oil, and chemicals. In other words, don’t store it near your water heater, furnace, electric motors, or where it will be exposed to automobile exhaust, i.e., not in your furnace room or your garage. With a little care, it will be looking good and ready to go in the spring.
Thomas Rhoad
Service Manager

In what year did this SCUBA manufacturer make a wetsuit for a penguin? What was the manufacturer?

Answer: Oceanic ~ 2008

For a change of pace, I thought we could have some fun with scuba trivia. Each day, I will post a question relating to the sport we love. I look forward to seeing your answers.


Friday's question is:


Soaking a wound from a venomous sea creature in white vinegar is the correct procedure for:

A. Bristleworm stings
B. Pufferfish bite
C. Jellyfish stings
D. Fire coral stings
E. Sea cucumber irritation