News

By: Mark Powell In the last article I looked at some of the reasons why we have myths in general and also at some of the broad myths relating to decompression. In this second article I am going to be much more specific and focus on one particular area. I am going to consider two common myths about safety stops. MYTH – It doesn’t matter if you miss a safety stop The first myth is that safety stops don’t really matter. I’m sure you have all heard divers on the boat saying that they missed their safety stop but it doesn’t matter...

DECOMPRESSION MYTHS: PART 1 By: Mark Powell In 2012 the US Government  published a statement that there was no evidence that mermaids exist. This isn’t a joke; the story was widely reported and is still available online. This wasn’t sensational news coverage or ‘fake news’ – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a branch of the US Government, really did make that announcement and a version of the original page is still available on the NOAA website. The article was prompted by the fact that NOAA was regularly being asked whether these creatures were real. These inquiries may have been caused by references in...

GETTING BACK TO DIVING: KNOWING YOUR HEALTH BASELINE By Sean Harrison As we navigate through these crazy times and try to figure out what we can and cannot do, I figured I would write down some things I have learned. For what is most likely at the forefront of many divers’ minds, these recommendations will help to address the concerns related to COVID-19. I also think they will address those other unfortunate times when we find ourselves not being able to get our gills wet. I live in the northern climate and know that it takes a lot of motivation and...

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “THEN AND NOW” IN TECHNICAL DIVING By Michael Thomas “Have you got a light, guys?” Many years ago, surfacing from a cave or sump dive and hearing the cry “have you got a light, guys?” was not uncommon. Diving light failure happened a fair bit, as lighting was not as reliable or bright as we have now. A team member’s light was either out or producing lumens not much better than a glow worm in a jam jar! Not really a problem if you are back at the entrance to the cave, but more of a problem if...