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Where does the word Scuba come from? Actually the word is an acronym for Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. The development of modern masks, fins & snorkels was mainly due to breath hold underwater fishermen in the south of France during the 1920's & 1930's. In 1942 however, a French Navy Officer, Jacques-Yves Cousteau. He combined with engineer Emile Gagnan to produce a regulator with an inlet and exhaust tube that was fully automatic and, the modern aqualung was born! This single piece of equipment forms the hub of the modern scuba unit. (The marine conservation work of 'JYC' lives on with The Cousteau Society). Let's examine the majority of the component parts of a divers equipment in a little more detail... |
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DIVING GEAR:- |
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Mask & Snorkel:To be able to see clearly underwater, as our eyes were not designed to focus in water, a diver needs a mask. One of the first things that a new diver will learn are how to correctly fit and clear a diving mask. The snorkel allows a diver to breath on the surface whilst still being able to observe the underwater view and conserve air in the tank. |
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Fins:Fins are worn to allow divers to propel themselves through the water by leg action alone, this leaves the hands free for other tasks. Fins come in two basic configurations, either full foot fitting or open backed as in the picture. |
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Exposure Suits:Water conducts heat 25 times more effectively and can hold 3,000 times more heat than air, so some form of thermal protection for the diver is obvious. Exposure suits fall into the two basic categories of wetsuits (as used at DST) & drysuits (commonly used in colder waters & requiring specialist training). A wetsuit provides thermal protection by providing a thin layer of water between the divers skin and the suit material where as a drysuit works by totally excluding water and using air and extra layers of clothing as a thermal barrier. The need for a thermal protective layer is important in some areas of the world, like the seas around Great Britain which can get very cold however, here in the warm Mediterranean sea off Kalkan this consideration is slightly less important. |
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Weight Systems:When you start diving you will come to understand the importance of buoyancy control and in particular, why a diver seeks to maintain neutral buoyancy. The increased positive buoyancy created by an exposure suit requires a diver to be weighted to achieve the above aim. |
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Regulators or Demand Valves:As previously mentioned, the regulator is the hub of the scuba system, the part that allows you to breath under water. The modern rig generally comprises of four component parts, the 1st stage (cylinder valve), the 2nd stage (demand valve or mouthpiece), an alternative air source (referred to as the 'octopus' 2nd stage) and a submersible pressure gauge (SPG) which monitors and supplies details of air pressure within the dive tank. |
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Buoyancy Compensating Device (BCD):The Buoyancy Compensating Device or BCD, is typically shaped like a waistcoat and performs several functions. It acts firstly as a backpack and provides support for the dive tank and other equipment you might carry and secondly, but more importantly, the BCD supports you on the surface whilst swimming and also provides you with the means to compensate for changes in volume and pressure when you ascend and descend in the water. This single aspect of the BCD is the means by which you remain neutrally buoyant during a dive. |
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SPG or Console:The SPG or Submersible Pressure Gauge, is sometimes also referred to, somewhat incorrectly, as the contents gauge. The SPG allows you to monitor the air pressure within your tank and gauge the quantity of air remaining. The SPG is often combined within a housing including other gauges like depth, temperature and a compass and the complete unit is referred to as a console. |
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Air Tanks:Air tanks or cylinders are constructed from either steel or aluminium alloy. As a full tank contains air at a pressure of 200-300 bar, air tanks have to be made by specialist manufacturers and are subject to regular and mandatory safety checks and examinations. Diving air tanks are used either as a single unit which is most common in sport diving, or as two tanks braced together. The common tank capacities are 10, 12 & 15 litres. |
Ancillary Equipment:- |
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Divers Knife:In general all divers should carry a knife, this is used as a tool mainly for safety purposes. You can never be sure when the ability to cut through tangled rope or a net might become a matter of life or death. |
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Torch:The requirment to carry an underwater torch when conditions of visibility are poor or, during a night dive would appear to be obvious however, the reasons for carrying one at other times are not so obvious. Colours that are filtered out by the water as a diver descends can once again be seen when illuminated in torch light! |
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Compass:A tool that once mastered can be an essential aid to a divers safety. Who wants to get lost underwater and then surface to find the dive boat is no where to be seen??? |
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Watch:Obviously the watch worn by a diver must be waterproof at least to the maximum depth of any intended dive. A divers watch can be either digital or analogue and must have some means of measuring elapsed time. Many dive watches today incorporate all of the above plus some features found in modern and more expensive dive computers (see below). |
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Slate:The slate (actually a sheet of metal or plastic) & a pencil can prove to be a useful tool for communicating between divers, making notes of items seen and/or their location and to sketch underwater maps and diagrams etc. |
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Dive Computer:Due in many ways to the wonders of modern day electronics, the dive computer of today is much more than a timer device. All dive computers measure depth & time however, many other features are also commonplace. Dive computers are used to measure and make calculations upon, dive time, bottom time, actual depth, maximum depth, ascent rates, safety stops and surface intervals, logging all this information for future reference or planning. And all this is from the more simple ones! |
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Camera Equipment:One of the largest attractions to the sport of diving is, the ability to see and be part of the underwater world and to enjoy the visual delight of the marine wildlife and the underwater terrain. Many divers progress to underwater photography both to preserve the memories of what they have seen and also, to show friends and relatives who have not been able to witness the wonders of the sea at first hand. |
EQUIPMENT AT DOLPHIN SCUBA TEAM:- |
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From the details above you will have seen that a complete scuba unit comprises several component parts. Here at Dolphin Scuba Team you will find that all the equipment provided is obtained from reputable diving manufacturers, is well cared for, serviced and tested in line with current regulations. Our equipment standards ensure your enjoyment of a safe dive... You will see from our prices that diving with DST is inclusive of equipment hire charges however, there is also a reduction for qualified divers who use their own personal gear, please enquire when booking your diving. NB. It should be noted that all the equipment shown above and the images presented on this page are for illustration purposes only. Some of the equipment is NOT available for hire from The Dolphin Scuba Team. |
Scuba diving, like any other adventure
sport, requires sound reliable equipment. At Dolphin Scuba Team
all our equipment is up to date, regularly serviced and well
maintained and is supplied by reputable and well known diving
equipment manufacturers. For those who are just venturing into
the sport and perhaps thinking of doing a 'try dive' or their
first PADI certification course with us, perhaps some information
by way of a small introduction to the equipment used by a diver
will not go amiss for the first timers!
