| As responsible divers, our first priority is to protect | | | | testing your buoyancy before starting the actual dive. |
| the beautiful underwater world that we all so deeply | | | | Remember, that your buoyancy can be refined from |
| love. With just a little care, coral reefs and fish can | | | | time to time during the dive; so do not simply get |
| easily be left unscathed. Here are some tips that | | | | stabilized at the start of the dive then forget about |
| might help SCUBA divers enjoy a safe and | | | | it. Use your BC as a tool to help take the burden and |
| responsible trip into the deep blue; | | | | stress off of using your arms and legs to move. |
| Fins are a primary cause of coral reef damage. The | | | | Underwater cameras offer great opportunities to |
| use of short strokes for propulsion instead of heavy | | | | record the incredible adventure of diving but also can |
| long strokes will cut down on the risk of damage | | | | be the source of two problems for the ocean |
| through impact as well as greatly reduce turbulence, | | | | environment. First, cameras can become underwater |
| which can break off delicate pieces like fan and | | | | "hammers" if allowed to become loose and dangle |
| tubular coral. | | | | while swimming. Make sure the camera is controlled |
| Loose equipment can cause major damage to coral. | | | | throughout the dive to insure it does not hit the coral. |
| One of the main problems, with wearing so much | | | | Second, the flash will cause a fish to become |
| gear underwater, is that there are so many pieces | | | | temporarily blind, which can also cause it to become a |
| that have to be monitored. Have a friend check all | | | | meal for the next predator it stumbles upon. Be |
| your equipment for loose or unattached parts before | | | | cognizant of the fact that you are directly creating a |
| and after entering the water. Equipment can easily | | | | vulnerable situation for any fish you capture on film |
| come loose with a high step entry or during | | | | with a flash. My only recommendation for the use of |
| underwater twists and turns, as might happen in | | | | a flash while shooting underwater is to not go around |
| wreck and cave diving. | | | | blazing away at everything you see; take a few |
| Buoyancy control is one of the easiest ways to stay | | | | pictures and only shoot when you think you have a |
| off of a reef. Novice divers and people that do not | | | | photo that you would be proud of framing and |
| dive very frequently are especially vulnerable to the | | | | placing on your wall at home. |
| sharp tongue lashing of a Dive Master or Instructor | | | | I honestly think that divers all respect and cherish the |
| for being unable to control buoyancy. The best | | | | ocean. With a little care, we can individually show our |
| advice is to relax, admit to the divers in charge that | | | | respect by lessening any damage to the coral reefs. |
| you are a little out of practice, and take your time | | | | Have fun and dive safe. |