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I've made it a point to discuss the issue of ROPE and its signs and symptoms with snorkel students. I also discuss IPE with divers. While overall risk is probably low for the majority of people, I believe that incidents of ROPE/IPE/SIPE might be more prevalent than we originally thought. At...

Good question. I'd never heard of ACUC and just looked it up. But OP said they went out to a "deep reef." Even leaving some wiggle room for a new diver's definition of "deep," I doubt anyone would confuse a confined water session (even in the ocean) for an open water session. ACUC standards...

A couple of things: 1) By Dive 2 of OWD certification, you should definitely know how to assemble your gear. By that point you have done it, what, 6 or 7 times already (including your confined water sessions)? However, forgetting how to do so doesn't excuse your instructor being rude about...

This is the way. You can walk it, as @undrwatr wrote. But I don't fancy getting all sweaty before boarding a plane for a day of travel.

Leaving aside the reasons to or not to become a DM, which has been covered in this thread as well as many others, your statement above signals to me that you aren’t ready yet. “Adequate” is not a ringing endorsement for a dive pro. And DM training is not intended to make a person a great diver...

For me, it depends on the case size. For 42mm cases I prefer the crown at 4:00. But for classic “skin diver” cases that are usually around 39-40mm with short lugs, a 3:00 crown is fine and is more in keeping with the historic look.

The easiest solution to all this testing is to convince family members that they shouldn't attempt to sue everyone in a 10 mi radius if you kick the bucket while diving. Suing for true negligence or gross negligence is one thing. Getting an ambulance chasing attorney to file suits against...

What exposure protection you use is completely dependent on your cold tolerance. For 80-ish degree water, as an example (typical of what you will find for most of the year throughout most of the Caribbean), some people will wear a rashgard and shorts. Others will use a 3mm shorty or a full...

I think the Hydros is rated for 5 lbs. per trim pocket. So technically that would cover your weight needs. However, putting all of that weight in trim will likely make you feel pretty rolly, even if your trim is still okay. The Hydros Pro trim pockets are on the back of the wing. My Aqualung...

I have a Hydros Pro and really like it. I use it for local diving these days and use a different BCD for travel. The Hydros is on the heavier side, but it does roll up fairly compactly. For a do-everything BCD it is a good choice. But if you are only going to be using it for warm-water dive...

Oh no! Whatever will they do without you and your camo-wearing gaggle gracing their island with your presence? If ammo & camo is your prerequisite for travel, may you enjoy a lifetime of trips to the Ozarks.

We get it - you get up each morning and belt out a verse of “‘Merica, F**k Yeah!” Feel free to stay in the paradise known as Greater Flyover Ohio.

Reminds me of a news story I read, perhaps a few months ago, about some Americans getting into legal trouble for wearing camo shorts while their cruise ship was in port. I think it was in the Bahamas. There, as well as in a few other places, camo can only be worn by the military. It was a...

Agreed, generally speaking. These boards get a fair number of posts from new-ish divers asking whether becoming a DM is a good path towards becoming a better diver. The real answer, in my humble opinion, is mostly no, but with a qualified yes. But only in a specific way. First, overall, this...

I agree that you should try to find another brand hood that fits both your neck as well as your head. Another solution is to use a hood that has zipper at the back of the neck. These will typically be bibless hoods, but there are some (I know Aqualung makes one) that still has a bib long...

How deep do you want to go? White Star is shallower than Gilboa, and so it is generally warmer (as the season progresses). It gets to about 46 degrees or so down at the tubes in Gilboa, even in the late summer. At the platforms and shallower section, it will be in the upper-60s to low-70s by...

The last question is the most important one. That answer is no, it is not worth it unless you intend to work (full-time or part-time) as a dive pro. Even then, DM is generally used as a step towards instructor. As for how many dives you’ll do, it depends on the op. But you can generally expect...

According to the CDC, Roatan is considered to be a malaria transmission zone, and anti-malarial prophylaxis is recommended. (Atovaquone-proguanil, chloroquine, doxycycline, mefloquine, tafenoquine)

Glad you got a local to respond. I was going to say the same thing. Luquillo is a great area to stay in, with some really fantastic food options. Try La Parrilla if you get the chance.

Are you talking about going overseas to work at a shop as an instructor, or are you talking about leading dive trips to overseas locations and perhaps teaching (finishing up student certs, doing an AOW or other continuing ed cert, etc.) while there? If the latter, do you have a current group of...