| No doubt you've seen Hollywood movies that | | | | The typical set-up is the one you see in most |
| showed scuba divers swimming in a beautiful | | | | photographs. Must haves are: a mask, mouthpiece, |
| underwater scene. Scuba diving is an easy and fun | | | | fins, and an air tank. A wetsuit is optional although |
| outdoor recreation. Colorful fish, exotic plants, unusual | | | | most people do prefer to use them. A dive computer |
| coral and crystal blue water are fascinating. No | | | | and a compass are nice to have, but a knife certainly |
| wonder more and more people are drawn to give | | | | comes in handy if you find entangling items like old |
| scuba diving a try. | | | | fishing line. Some divers use a DPV (diver propulsion |
| Breath-hold diving can be used to collect pearls, | | | | vehicle), also known as a "scooter," but they really |
| sponges and valuable trinkets from the sea but | | | | aren't practical for ordinary diving. They now have |
| swimming underwater for long periods of time | | | | BCDs (Buoyancy Compensator Devices) specifically |
| requires some type of underwater breathing | | | | cut for women. That's the vest that the air tank |
| apparatus. Tanks of compressed air allow a scuba | | | | fastens to. The hose that attaches to the regulator |
| diver to stay underwater longer than breath-holding | | | | (mouthpiece) goes over your shoulder to the air tank. |
| techniques used in snorkeling and free-diving. | | | | If you don't want to purchase your own equipment, |
| The term SCUBA is an acronym for "Self-Contained | | | | you can rent the necessary gear at a dive shop. |
| Underwater Breathing Apparatus." It originally referred | | | | Many shops offer a guided dive with a master diver. |
| to USA combat frogmen's oxygen re-breathers, | | | | Just strap on the tanks and swim from the shore or |
| developed for underwater warfare. You've probably | | | | the back of a chartered boat. |
| seen photos of an old-fashioned heavy-weight | | | | Author Charlie Hudson started diving in 1994 when |
| canvas diving suit, but you may not have known it | | | | she and her husband were stationed in Hawaii. Since |
| was called a "diving bell." The suit used by divers | | | | then, they have gone scuba diving in the Bahamas, |
| several centuries ago held the diver underwater with | | | | Puerto Rico, the Graveyard of the Atlantic (in North |
| lead weights in the boots. Air was pumped from the | | | | Carolina), and St. Thomas. They recently moved to |
| surface through a hose to the back of the round, | | | | South Florida specifically because of Florida Keys |
| metal helmet. Air bubbles were constantly in the | | | | diving. They've been diving with manta rays, reef |
| diver's face inhibiting visibility. Back then, not | | | | sharks and on some interesting shipwrecks including a |
| everyone could participate in underwater exploration. | | | | German U-boat from World War II. |
| Thanks to recent advances in technology and | | | | Charlie enjoys diving for pleasure, but her husband |
| mechanics, people can safely explore the ocean using | | | | took his love of scuba diving to the next level. He is |
| a comfortable, light-weight wet-suit with a | | | | now a scuba diving instructor. That is one of the |
| self-contained air delivery system containing | | | | things that inspired Charlie to incorporate scuba diving |
| compressed gas. The diver inhales the air from a | | | | into the story of her latest murder/mystery book |
| tank he or she carries on their back and then exhales | | | | SHADES OF GOLD. Chris Green is one of the main |
| into the water. Much easier! And, there's no worry | | | | characters in the novel. Chris is a scuba diving |
| about disconnecting from the surface air and not | | | | instructor and owner of a local dive shop. She has |
| being able to rise. Fins worn on the feet allow a diver | | | | been hired to give scuba lessons to the handsome |
| to move smoothly through the water much like a | | | | lead actor and other members of the Hollywood film |
| fish. | | | | cast. The dive shop is also the scene of a crime, and |
| Recreational scuba diving is available to the average | | | | that means an investigation is called for. |
| person for only a modest investment in equipment. | | | | |