Diving – important safety measures

AHLA Diving Center attracts the attention of all the people who is keen on scuba diving to the importance of the preparatory step before actual diving. Professional diving training courses offer beginners a chance to learn the information about peculiarities of equipment usage to prevent injuries and spine strains.
We advise you to get acquainted with recommendations of experienced gurus of our diving club.

1. Ascending to the surface from the deep sea layers should be done slowly (do not exceed the speed of ascending bubbles or 9 meters a minute, or else there is a risk of getting decompression sickness)
2. Do not neglect the diving hand signals (a system of communication using gestures and signs in diving) with the help of which diving group can communicate. You will always be able to signalize a change in your state of health by the means of special signs.
3. For each type of diving there are individual restrictions of time spent on specific depths, estimated and planned before the dive. Not only beginners but also experienced divers should mind these restrictions in order for diving to bring only positive emotions.

It is very important for each diver to follow the safety measures not only under water but also on land at the time of equipment transportation. If you attend professional diving courses than you will definitely learn from our experienced diving masters the basic methods to lighten pressure on spine while carrying the diving cylinders, tools and equipment. Same principles and rules exist here as in safe transportation of any heavy loads.
Keep to safety measures and your diving and snorkeling passion will bring you joy and health benefits. Our experienced instructors will create ideal conditions for you to fulfill your dreams of underwater journeys, photo shoots and night diving.

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Discover the incredible underwater world with multilevel diving from “Ahla Diving Center”

Every year more and more people prefer diving as their hobby. This activity can bring a person lots of positive emotions with a huge helping of drive and adrenaline. “AHLA” diving center that is situated in Israel on the shore of the Red sea in the Gulf of Aqaba offers everybody diving courses with professional instructors of the highest category.

Search and Recovery, drift diving, multilevel diving with a dive computer, equipment, training of experienced divers and beginners – all this is available at our diving center. We cooperate with PADI association, that is why we are the best at what we do. This article is about multilevel diving with a dive computer, which is gaining more and more popularity.

Peculiarities of multilevel diving with a dive computer

Previously there was an unspoken rule in amateur diving – the max time for a person spent under water equals the non decompression limit of a certain depth. This fact set a certain bans, with which a diver could not enjoy the underwater seneries long. His time spent under water was limited. But with the development of new technologies this have changed and now multilevel diving has become available to poeple, What is multilevel diving?

The technique of multilevel diving is based on the fact that at the time of surfacing the speed of oxygen saturation of a body decreses. This means that a diver has to make stops on certain depths stay there for a small period of time. This is required to a gradual nitrogen exiting from a body and decompression sickness prevention.

On diving courses for amateurs this practice has become habitual and allowed people to stay under water longer, and it is now restricted only by the oxygen supply and warmth. This diving technique has become possible due to the employment of underwater computer "Wheel" that calculates the needed stages and intervals.

What miltilevel diving offers a diver?

Multilevel diving offers a diver something what he came into diving for – the maximal time of being under water. In any body of water where bottom relief allows a diver to use this technique, dive computers can be used. This can be coral reefs, deep freshwater lakes, sunken ships and many more.

You start the surfacing with a maximal depth and gradually accend to the surface, making stops at control points. With the help of a dive computer this practice has become habitual. While you are on a certain depths you can explore a reef or enjoy the senery. It is not surprising that many divers consider a dive computer as irreplacable as a mask or fins,

Instructors of "AHLA" diving school will carry out training of multilevel diving with a dive computer, which will allow you to stay under water longer. We are waiting for you to go through our courses in our diving center in Eilat, Israel.  

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Efficient means against seasickness

Seasickness – is one of the main enemies of every person who sets off on trips to conquer seas or oceans. The reason for this usually lies on a genetic level. However in most cases seasickness is caused by a dissonance of information that is received by the brain from various sensory organs and the middle ear.

There are different ways to lessen or completely eliminate the symptoms of seasickness. If you want to enjoy diving in the Red sea with “AHLA-DIVE” but can barely endure waves – use the advice below.

Brain training

Receiving contradictory signals, the brain causes dizziness and nausea. It can be tricked and calmed by different methods.

The easiest and safest recommendations exclude the necessity of using medication:

• look into the distance. Put away your laptop or book. Focusing your eyes on stationary objects that are close to your eyes, you increase the difference of perceptions that come from the middle ear. It is better to look at the horizon. It is the most stable object.
• divert yourself to a pleasant conversation. Divert your attention. Find an interesting person to talk to. Dizziness and nausea will soon recede.
• take a stable position. The center of the ship at the top deck is swaying the least. Find yourself a comfortable place. Lean back on a wall and relax.
• avoid enclosed spaces. Fresh air helps to get rid of nausea. Do not lock yourself in the cabin.
• постарайтесь уснуть. Первый симптом морской болезни – сонливость. Если вам хочется спасть, и для этого есть удобное место, то воспользуйтесь данной возможностью.
• Try to fall asleep. The first symptom of seasickness is drowsiness. If you want to sleep and you have a comfortable place, go for it. 

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Diver training requires following the rules

Текст статьи:
Diving to great depths may bring unforeseeable situations. Divers should descend with one partner at least in order to react to equipment faulty, injuries and so on, belay one another or provide first aid in the situation becomes serious. Air supply must not stop and you need to get to the surface as quickly as possible following all the rules of a safe and appropriate surfacing. It is required to go through a diver training with experienced instructors on dry land, only then should you carry on to practical lessons in water.
Situation 1: second stage regulator failure
An emergency usually occurs at the time of diving into caves with narrow entries. Sloppy movements may lead to equipment hitting the stone surface. If one of the divers has a regulator failure he should use the octopus and compensator of his partner. When the diving equipment was not that perfect divers had to breathe in the breathing gas in turns, until they reached the surface. They even managed to surface from great depths.
Situation 2: intake valve on compensator is not working
This problem is not as difficult to solve as it seems. Such situations were successfully resolved two decades ago. What do you need to do? You should detach and reattach the feeding hose a few times. If this doesn’t help to fix the failure, you can try to inflate the compensator with your mouth.
Situation 3: inflation hose is not connected to the device
The hose needs to be back in place. But it sometimes happens that the valve at the end of the hose is jammed and the air is streaming out of the cylinder with sound. This may occur when there were repeated attempts to reattach the feeding hose to the intake valve.
Situation 4: cylinders slipped out the clip
Many divers fasten the cylinders to compensators with the help of plastic clips. They are very convenient to use, but plastic has its disadvantages. Cylinders may slip out the clip while plunging into the water as well as at the time of surfacing or getting in the boat. In order to prevent this one needs to check that the clip is ok from time to time.
If everything is developing in an unpleasant scenario, you can try and take off the compensator and properly install the cylinders. But if you have a partner with you, than he should deal with this responsible task. Your partner is will have to catch the slipping cylinders with his knees. He will use his hands to fasten the straps.
But it is important to inform you partner in trouble about your helping intentions. Your unexpected actions behind your partner’s back may cause confusion and sometimes even panic.
Coherent performance requires practice. It is important to not only have all the skills and knowledge, but also know your partner’s character peculiarities and foresee all his possible intentions. Otherwise there is a chance of misunderstanding when you all do different things at the same time. When you have only got seconds the right actions is what makes the difference between the life and death.

Diving center in Eilat invites everybody to enjoy the beauty of the Red sea. Our instructors will help you master the wisdom of underwater diving. Do not miss out on a unique chance to visit the unforgettable attractions and get tons of emotions that will be with you for the rest of your life.

Diver’s note: to drink or not to drink?

People see drinking alcohol as an ancient national tradition. Can you still follow it when you dive 30 meters deep and even deeper?  This very question causes much controversy among those who are really keen on diving.

Is it possible to combine diving and alcohol without any risk of damaging health? The answer seems obvious. What is more, recommendation to restrain from alcohol before and after diving was not just made up. Alcohol is forbidden by the PADI standards.

Does the amount of alcohol matter at the time of diving? It definitely does. When a person drinks a bottle of vodka, he loses his coordination and ability to think rationally on dry land to say nothing of the depths of the Red sea. The situation with such high dose is quite clear.

What if we consider just a can of beer or a shot of vodka? Such a dose does not cloud reason, the reaction remains adequate, a person is still able to put on the equipment and pay attention to what instructor says. Everything seems normal but unfortunately it is so only on the outside. The body is already experiencing an insignificant degree of dehydration. This very physiological state is very dangerous for a diver. One of the dangers is decompression sickness that is familiar to many diving beginners. To be safe one needs to pay close attention to his or her health and listen to the advice and directions of instructors at the time of diving training.

It is no coincidence that a person feels harrowing thirst during a hang-over, because any kind of alcohol dehydrates the body. When it happens of dry land, it is noting critical. When it happens under water different rules apply. A dehydrated body under water has a strong chance of developing a decompression sickness.

Experienced diving instructors always recommend drinking a lot of liquids at the time of training. Water thins the blood and provides its normal circulation. Intensive drinking regimen – is a golden rule of a safe diver. It needs to be mentioned that for a person who drank alcohol recently or in the very day of diving this is less effective. The risk of having a decompression sickness after drinking alcohol for a diver increases drastically, even if all the safety norms and surfacing rules are precisely observed.

One more question that is really important to divers is whether it is acceptable to drink alcohol after diving and if so, how much is allowed? You shouldn’t grab a beer to celebrate a successful dive having just stepped out of the water. At that moment the process of retaining B.U.N from the body is not yet finished. That is why any factors that cause blood thickening (alcohol) may provoke decompression sickness. If it is impossible to completely avoid having a drink at the day of diving than is should be put off. The first safe drink of alcohol a diver can have only 4-5 hours after the surfacing. 

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In case of a technical problem act according to the instruction!

Diving is one of the safest kinds of active rest if you follow the diving rules and make a timely maintenance of your diving equipment. However it is impossible to completely exclude the possibility of a technical faulty that is why a diver has to know how to act in case of emergency under water.

Failure of second stage of regulator being under water

Respiratory system of a person operates only when the pressure of the air delivered to the lungs is equal to the external pressure on the body. The difference between these pressures cannot be more than 14%. Second stage of regulator provides this equality when the air is supplied. In case of its failure you need to come to the surface using an alternative air source. Usually it is an octopus of a partner’s scuba. It is an additional second stage with a long hose. In case of emergency both divers can breathe in turn using one scuba on their way to the surface.

A breakdown of a regulator may occur due to its blow on underwater rocks. In such situations a diver has to be ready to solve the problem.

A jammed inlet valve of a buoyancy compensator

To try and unblock the inlet valve BCD, you should unplug and plug back in the feeding hose. If all the attempts of restoring the functionality of the valve that provides the air supply from the regulator are unsuccessful then a compensator can be inflated through mouth. Former generations of buoyancy compensator were design for this kind of usage.

Detached connecting pipe of a feeding hose from an inlet compensator valve

In such case connection of the details has to be restored. Sometimes in such case the valve is jammed in an open state, which is indicated by the sound of air leaking in the water. That is why it is important to stop the air feeding from the cylinder with the help of a stop-valve. Then you need to try and restore the functionality of the valve, attach the connecting pipe and open the air feeding.

The difficulty of the operation is connected to the uncomfortable location of the stop-valve behind the diver’s back. Only some divers with long arms and good mobility of joints can reach it. Diving partner can help block the stop-valve. If it needs to be done singlehandedly then you should loosen the waist strap and move the cylinders closer to the head. Not to face such problems some divers prefer to install them behind the back stop-valve facing down.

Dislocation of cylinders

Most divers attach their cylinders to the compensator using plastic clinches. If you haven’t checked the safety of the attachment then it may be loose and a cylinder may slip out. To try and put it in the right place you will have to take off the compensator. It is much more convenient to use the help of a partner. Holding the cylinder with his knees he will be able to fasten it tightly in the clinch using hands.

Being under water, pay close attention to your partner and follow instructions.

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Secrets of saving air – secrets for beginner diver!

Problem of air consumption is familiar to most divers. In the following material you will find tips of its effective saving – useful and practical. Important: this material is aimed at beginners.

15 main tips for proper breathing under water

Diving – is not a competition but still everyone wants to keep their face in front of other team members. The skill of saving air is of great importance, it is taught during diving training courses but the practical part has to be learned on one’s own. Don’t be nervous – Rome was not built in a day you will have time for practice.

In the course of the next dive try to use the following tips:

1. Trained breathing. Try to make pauses between inhaling and exhaling longer, but it doesn’t have to be too intense.
2. Breathe as deep as you can. Inhale as though you are doing yoga.
3. Become a mime. Move under water slowly, smooth as if on a slow motion video.
4. Помогать руками в ходе плавания не требуется, в противном случае, невесомости не достичь.
5. Don’t use hand while swimming, otherwise you won’t reach weightlessness.
6. Work on mastering neutral floatation. Absolute stability is your goal.
7. Keep horizontal position. Moving sideways leads to unproductive air usage.
8. Improve streamlining of your equipment.
9. The best diving is impossible without efficient pressure regulator.
10. Save the oxygen in the cylinder.
11. Don’t overload yourself
12. Don’t freeze yourself, or else you will use more oxygen.
13. Keep good physical form.
14. Always improve your level. Learning – is a key to success.
15. Use your fins properly. Less movements – more benefit.
16. Don’t compete. Process is more important than winning.

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Scuba Diving and healthy back – it’s real!

Diving can be traumatic, especially if  you do not follow the rules. You need to lift and carry heavy equipment all the time because it is impossible to dive without it. It can be dangerous for your back. You must protect your spine – firstly you have no additional one and secondly many injuries are insidious and appear only after years when it is almost impossible to cure them. In your power to take care of your back today – follow simple set of security measures and you will avoid many problems.

Healthy back is real for diver.

We should mention that it is not gonna be easy, but if you make enough effort you will be able to enjoy diving and maintain a healthy back.  In order to reduce the risk of injury to a minimum you need to do the following:

• enfold your equipment – the whole weight of equipment can be located on one side, which entails uneven load. Carry tanks and equipment holding them across the chest with both hands.
• Ask your colleagues to help you. Diving is a collective sport and it is more comfortable and safe not only to dive together but also to wear equipment. It is better to wear BCD when you are sitting and on two hands at once. So when you get up you carry the load on legs.
• Torsional loads are especially dangerous for the back.
• You should not dcarry heavy equipment on outstretched hands.
• Keep yourself in good shape.
• If you have to lift weights in spurts because of the great heft it is better to ask your buddy to help you.
• Climb on board fluently and holding the handrails.

And of course make a test dive under guidance of instructor in order to understand how to avoid mistakes.AHLA DIVE