Located in the South Pacific, just south of the equator and to the northeast of the continent of Australia, Papua New Guinea is a vastly diverse country. Believed to have been populated for 45,000 years, PNG offers the best of all worlds with dense tropical rain forests, rugged mountains, low lying swamps, pristine coral atolls, and steaming volcanoes. Papua New Guinea is located in the coral triangle of marine biodiversity with the highest diversity of tropical fish and coral in the world.

PNG is a divers paradise but even more so…an underwater photographers paradise!! There are twice as many marine species as are in the famous Red Sea and you will see 10 times what you see in the Caribbean. If you are looking for that award winning shot my friends…this is the place you want to be.

The coolest thing about this location is the 17,000 km of coastline and 45,000 sq km of reef systems giving divers very little contact with other divers while visiting the diverse barrier reefs, coral walls, coral gardens, patch reefs, fringing reefs, sea grass beds, coral atolls and wrecks. It is possible that you could be diving where NO diver has dove before!!! How cool is that?

There are many unexplored areas on the south coast. Considered ‘virgin territory’ by divers who are continuously finding and establishing new dive sites…an explorers paradise! There are also more known dive sites such as the Blue Hole which is the source of the Isis River in Waterfall Bay. It takes 2 hours to go up river to get to the site traveling deep into the rain forest passing through small villages on the banks of the river. This is just a sampling of what you can get on PNG as a diver…there is an endless supply of dive sites!

You can dive PNG all year round. The best seasons are April-June and September-December when the viz is 50-150 feet! OMG we sure don’t get anything like that here is SoCal!!! Plus for all my risk mitigating girls, PNG has its own hyperbaric recompression facility located in Port Moresby.Don’t miss out on visiting this amazing dive location! Maybe we will see you there!

Check out this amazing video that I found on Youtube by cairnsdiver

Do you want to go to Papua New Guinea? Our friends at East Coast Divers are heading there in the beginning of September! It sounds like an amazing trip! SDG’s and East Coast Divers are looking to fill a couple more spots on this trip. Call Today if you are interested because the spots are almost gone! And when you call mention that you heard about it through Scuba Diver Girls, we will include  a cool Scuba Diver Girls New Guinea t-shirt! So don’t forget to tell them your size and where to send it

For more details on this specific trip click below:

Contact:

Gary Smith

Phone: 301-401-5125

Email: eastcoastdiver@myactv.net

Hugs and Happy Diving,

The Scuba Diver Girls

Article from Scuba-doc.com

by Steve Halls, MD

As your diving season arrives, it might be a good time to remind everyone about eating for diving. Over my many years of diving, I have had the occasion to learn through trial and (mostly) error, as well as watching others, what it takes to have a pleasant day of diving. What you eat just might make the difference between a good, safe dive and what might be a ‘bummer’, a trip to the chamber. What follows is my  ‘fool-proof’ list of things to eat or drink in preparation for your long-awaited dive trip.

Six to three days before

This is the time to build your water and carbohydrate stores. Note the order of importance. It is a must to drink enough water so that your urine is ‘copious and clear’ the last few days before a dive. Being well-hydrated is thought by many to be vital to the prevention of decompression sickness. Excessive alcohol intake or a bout of local “Montezuma’s Revenge” will dehydrate one rapidly, and it might take a day or two to recover from becoming dehydrated.

Be sure to choose a good portion of your foods from the bread/starch and fruit categories. Roughly one-half to two-thirds of your calories should be from complex carbohydrates (whole grains, pasta, veggies, fruit, etc.) depending on the intensity of your diving. If you’re doing a full week of repetitive dives, stay closer to the  two-thirds calories from carbs and eat plenty of calories. Also, make sure you get enough protein by taking in low-fat dairy products, beans, nuts (use for salads and cooking) soy products, and lean  meat and fish.

Two days before

This is the day to be sure you have plenty of water in your system and plenty of calories. It’s here that some people get into trouble on long airplane trips by ingesting too much alcohol containing beverages. The alcohol acts as a diuretic, directly causing dehydration. In addition, the dry atmosphere of the airplane cabin can cause significant fluid loss.

Most  people do well to eat a little more than usual on this day, sticking to high carbohydrate foods and evenly spaced meals. Some people prefer to get the extra calories from food while others like sports drinks or milk. Also, work on getting a few good nights sleep here, because it can be difficult to sleep restfully on a plane trip to the dive site.

Day before

Here is where most divers get into trouble–overeating during the trip to the dive site. Avoid bad eating habits you may slip into if you have to travel to the dive. Eating a little less than usual today will make you a little lighter tomorrow on your dive day, so drop your intake by about 500 calories. One of the worst things you can do is raid the pre-dive pasta bash. Lots of oil-laced pasta, buttered bread, and high-fat salad dressing will only give you plenty of “ammo” for the boat head in  the morning. At this point, it’s too late to make up for poor eating earlier in the week. Diarrhea on a diveboat is not a good thing! Stick with broth-based soup, Jello, cereal, low-fat pudding, fruit, vegetables, carnation instant breakfast, and sports drinks on this day. Be sure to drink a little extra water.

Dive day

Stay away from unusual foods. Eat a small breakfast if you suffer from heartburn (gastroesophageal reflux). Be sure to eat at least two hours before the dive and avoid high-fat muffins, doughnuts, and honey buns. If the dive is in the afternoon, keep the portions small and choose high-carbohydrate foods and sports drinks or water for lunch. You should be drinking water up to one-half hour before the dive. About 10 or 15 minutes before the  have a water bottle handy and take in two-four ounces of water. Water consumed this close to the dive start will help counteract the obligatory diuresis of your initial water immersion.

During the dive

Depending on the number of dives, drinking water is usually best. Most dive boats have a supply of cold water available with plenty of cups. If it’s a long way to and from dive sites with a long off-gassing between dive period, consider a sports drink or try easy to eat, high-carbohydrate foods (fig bars, bananas, sports bars/gels, low-fat cookies, etc.) and plenty of liquids. Most divers bring their own sources of energy (lemon drops, hard candy, oranges). I’ve not seen any divers using any of the ‘sports gels’ that runners use. One word of caution–on some dive sites in distant, ethnic spots, the food served for the between dive lunches is indigestible if not inedible.

After the dive

Scarf down high-carbohydrate foods after a dive as soon as possible (this doesn’t include beer if you’re diving the next day). Try to eat something every couple of hours all day long if you’re diving again and at least for four-six hours after short dives. Avoid alcohol as long as possible the few hours after a dive as it will dehydrate you as well as slow the restoration process of your liver and exercising muscles.

While following these tips may not allow you to dive any deeper or use less air, it can make a big difference how you feel during and after the dives.  It is just possible that you might ward off getting bent and ruining a good vacation or even having  permanent neurological damage. In addition, your slim physique also might also save a few bucks by you being able to get into last years wet suit and BC.

I hope you enjoyed the article and learned a thing or two! I personally came across a product I just love to use while diving… Divers D/Lyte.

The unique and proprietary formulation is based on supplementing the essential and semi-essential needs of the divers most important piece of equipment, the human body. Read more about how this product was formulated specifically for divers to keep in optimal shape during and after their dives as well as providing them with lasting energy!

Happy and Healthy Diving!

Scuba Diver Girl Margo

The other great service they offer is for you to get free brochures sent to you! I liked that you can get brochures about just about anything. Go ahead and try this one:

After you click on the banner you will come to a page that will let you select the brochure you may want! This gets you directly to the provider of the service instead of through a middleman.

Hope you enjoy using this site as much as I did before my recent trip to the Florida Keys! If nothing else, it gives you ideas for things to do while visiting any area!

Happy Travels!

The first thing that ran through my mind was how I could get out of diving, what excuse I could tell my instructor so that I didn’t have to take that 80 foot plunge. My stomach was in knots, my hands were shaking and getting my vest on was harder than I imagined. My fins were on, mask in place and I was on the ledge of the boat, all I needed was that one step; the one step that would take me right into the deep blue. Took in three deep breaths and while holding my mask in place, I took that first big step; which as soon as I took, I knew it wouldn’t be the last.

Completely surrounded by warm blue water, I knew there was no going back. Getting used to all the equipment on while in the water was easier than I thought and before I knew it, I was swimming towards the rope that would take me down to the wreck. Following my instructor I knew that I was safe, so with full force I swam down. Carefully inspecting all of the different things going on around me and also, looking out for anything interesting. The deeper we went the deeper blue the water got and the more excited I got. Slowly but surely, I began to see fish; a few angelfish here and a few snappers there, all equally beautiful.

The barnacle on the rope was a reminder that I was getting deeper. Finally, there she was; Spiegel Grove. It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen, and I wasn’t even near her yet. We finally got low enough to let go of the rope and we began swimming around her. I stared in amazement. The ship was completely covered in the most beautiful things ever. We swam under what seemed like some kind of connection between the large ship, and that’s where I saw the bigger fish. Barracudas, Groupers, enormous Snappers, they were all so calm and beautiful. We swam some more and soon reached the front of the ship; there were a few air pockets but the cold water didn’t affect me one bit. The fact that I was the only one not wearing a wetsuit didn’t strike me as odd. I was home, I was in my element and I was the happiest I had ever been.We swam through what once used to be windows, in and out of the ship. Exploring all around me, up and down left and right; it was all so marvelous. I felt like what a mermaid would feel like; I didn’t want it to end. Swimming past all of the coral and anemones was a spectacular sight. I slowed down when I saw a school of snappers swimming by and I decided to observe them. I had always seen schools of fish swimming 100ft below, but never was I next to them. I was lost in their movements, their shapes and colors and before I knew it, it was time to ascend. As we began swimming towards the rope I took one look back and knew that it would not be my last. I would be back because you see, the Spiegel Grove was my first open water dive and it is where I left my heart.

Ascending was a bitter sweet feeling. Knowing I had to go up for fresh air but also knowing I was leaving the most magical thing I had ever seen in my entire life behind. The colors, the shapes and the sizes of all of the animals were something I would never forget and it was something I knew I would see again. The lack of the barnacle on the rope reminded me that we were getting near the surface and this experience would soon be over. I took another look down, and saw nothing but blue; an abyss of deep blue water. I would be back to experience this world…it’s what I was meant to do.

The Author: Scuba Diver Girl Susana

360 B.C.

Aristoteles writes his Problemata about divers using containers filled with air to stay under water. In the same text he describes a diving bell which was supposedly used by Alexander the Great during the siege of Tyrus (in present day Lebanon).

77
Leonardo da Vinci designs the first SCUBA (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus). There is no evidence that Da Vinci ever actually built this SCUBA. In the end, he seems to have concentrated on refining the diving bell.

1531

Guglielmo de Lorena is one of the first to use a diving bell to complete a one-hour dive.

1660

The English physicist Robert Boyle studies the physical properties of compressed air, resulting in Boyle’s Law. This law describes the influence of pressure variations on the volume and the density of gases. As pressure varies greatly under water, this law is very important for divers.

1679-1680

The Italian physicist Giovanni Borelli designs a rebreather, a system in which chemicals are used to convert the exhaled air into air that can be inhaled again.

1690
Edmund Haley (better known for Haley’s comet) designs a diving bell that is considered the predecessor of the modern diving bell. In this diving bell he remains under water for 90 minutes.

1715
John Lethbridge is one of the first successful salvage divers. Using a diving bell he salvages numerous treasures from ship wrecks off the coasts of Great Britain and South Africa.

1772

In France, Dr. Freminet completes a dive in a leather suit with a copper helmet. This “machine hydrostatergatique” further consists of an air container that is connected to the helmet via hoses.

1860-1865

Benoit Rouquayrol and Auguste Denayrouze design the first working breathing apparatus with demand system, the predecessor of the The system is also used by captain Nemo and the crew of the Nautilus in Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

1869-1883

In New York the Brooklyn Bridge is built. Many laborers get symptoms after spending a long time in high pressure caissons that are placed in the riverbed. Their disease is called “caisson disease”. In 1880, the French physicist Paul Bert determines the cause of caisson disease.

1893-1900
Louis Boutan takes the first underwater pictures in which he also uses artificial light. He publishes a handbook for underwater photography, La Photographie Sous-Marine.

1910

J.S. Haldane develops a procedure to prevent decompression illness (caisson disease) and publishes the first five dive tables.

1915

The Williamson brothers shoot the first underwater film, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It takes them 1,5 years to create this silent film. The film is shot on the Bahamas.

1930-1934
William Beebe and Otis Barton complete several dives in the Bathysphere. In 1930 they reach a depth of 427 meters near Bermuda, in 1932 they reach 661 meters, in 1934 925 meters.

1942-1945
Jacques Yves Cousteau shoots his first underwater film, Par Dix-Huit Metres De Fond. The film is shot using snorkeling equipment, without scuba gear. In 1943 Cousteau develops the “Aqualung”, a breathing apparatus with a demand system. The Aqualung is the basis of all modern diving equipment. From 1945 onwards, the Aqualung is taken into production in France.

1950

Jacques Yves Cousteau buys the research vessel Calypso. In 1951, he leaves on his first expedition, to the Red Sea.

1953

Dr. Hugh Bradner develops and introduces the so-called “wet suit” made of neoprene.

1954

Al Tillman and Bev Morgan develop the first official training program for recreational divers.

1956

Jacques Yves Cousteau is awarded the Golden Palm at the Cannes film festival for his film Le Monde Du Silence (The Silent World).

1966
Ralph Erickson and John Cronin found the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, an organization that specializes in recreational dive training.

1975

After 15 years, the growth in the dive industry comes temporarily to a halt as a result of Steven Spielberg’s film Jaws. The film causes such a fear of sharks that a lot of people stay out of the water. The sequels, Jaws 2 in 1978 and Jaws 3 in 1983, also have a negative influence on the dive industry.

1983

Craig Barshinger, Karl Huggins and Jim Fulton introduce the first commercial dive computer. This computer makes registering depth, dive time and decompression time a lot easier.

1985

The dive industry is positively influenced by films such as Splash and Cocoon, which display a new, more positive image of the underwater world.

1989 and forward

The recreational dive industry continues to develop, with more and more emphasis on underwater photography and video. Dive trips become more and more popular. Equipment is developed and improved further with regards to comfort, durability and efficiency. In dive training, the emphasis is more and more on training, safety and protection of the underwater world.

2009

The Scuba Diver Girls start to encourage women to get out there and dive! With a slogan of Hugs and Happy Diving, the girls open clubs all over the world! (OK this wasn’t on the PADI CD but I thought it SHOULD be part of the history! LOL)

Via Scuba Women

Source: PADI Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving, multimedia version.

The girls dive La Jolla Shores and find a lot of friendly octopus! The waves were pretty large on entry and exit but overall the dive was amazing!

Aqualung SolAfx Wetsuit

Product Information

• Torso is made with 8mm 4 way stretch Aqua Flex neoprene
• Legs and arms are made with 7mm 4 way stretch Aqua Flex neoprene.
• The attached hood not only prevents cold water from entering the neck, it is also much more comfortable in the neck area compared to traditional jumpsuit + hooded vest combinations.
• Hood features “Vent G2″ technology that allows trapped air to exit while still keeping cold water out
• The Plasmaloc zipper has tighter tolerances eliminating gaps between the zipper teeth which reduces the amount of water that can flow through the zipper
• Water Dam covers the neck and shoulders adds another level of thermal protection against any water ingress through the zipper.
• Skin-In Gasket seals in forearms and calves minimize water entry through sleeves and legs while allowing for easy donning
• 10 Ladies sizes available including shorts and longs.
• MSRP $499.00

SDG Review

I was excited to try this product because I am always the one you see making the “I’m Cold” sign to my buddies halfway through the dive!  There is nothing more uncomfortable than being cold while diving. It distracts you from everything…yes…including that cute octopus SDG Karma is pointing at and even the Giant Sea Bass that SDG’s Stephanie and Occhi are jumping up and down about. Instead of enjoying the dive and the marine life, I was the one saying “yeah, yeah, yeah nice…now lets get out”.  I had been asking around a lot to find out how I can stay warm and still dive wet. I finally asked the right person and ended up with a beautiful Aqualung SolAfx wetsuit to take for a test drive.  During our trial period, both SDG Stephanie and myself were able to use it in pretty chilly temperatures (55-60 degrees) diving deep at the Yukon and La Jolla Shores canyon. Here is our opinion on this suit.

Overall fit

The overall fit of the wetsuit is great. I think if I would have went into the dive shop to try one on, I would have started with a bigger size based on the size chart attached to the suit. I was given an 8L and this seemed to be the right size for me. The arms felt a bit snug the first time I put it on but after I donned it a couple times I came to realize that this is probably more a factor of the design than the actual fit. Because this suit has an attached hood, slipping your arms in is a little different process and feeling than a suit without a hood. So once I got used to that…I didn’t feel the arms were too tight anymore.   The hood fit great and was very comfortable.

Putting it on

The wetsuit is stretchy and easy to get into with a skin. Steph tried it without a skin and found it difficult to get on…but that is pretty much the case with any wetsuit and she did say this one was a bit easier than typical! Remember girls…a skin is a girl’s best friend!  The suit zips across the front from the middle of your left arm to the middle of your right. You need a buddy to get into this suit as the zipper is not easy to do on your own. Also, there is a thin layer of neoprene that you pull over your head before pulling your hood on. If that is not laying flat across your shoulders when you zip up, it can feel a bit uncomfortable. Another job for the buddy! But once you are zipped in with the hood on…you are in a sweet cocoon.

Getting it wet

The absolute best part about this wetsuit is the moment you step into that chilly water and the water DOESN’T rush in!!! OMG I love it! This is the first wetsuit I have worn that let the water in super slow to the point that it did not feel like a cold shock. WONDERFUL! I have to attribute a lot of this to the attached hood. Now at first, I was apprehensive about the hood…I didn’t think I would like it…but now it is my selling point or should I say buying point…well whatever…it’s my favorite part.  The other important factor here is that it keeps you warm on your dive and even on multiple dives. I finally enjoyed a canyon dive recently. It was 102 feet and 55 degrees and I just wanted to keep diving…

Look and flexibility

The day Steph was wearing the SolAfx the other ladies diving with us made comments about how great it looks on! My husband saw me in it and gave me that ooo la la look…enough said. This is an extremely flattering wetsuit for all body types. The “skin-in” gasket seals are short and very comfortable with the gloves and computer at the wrists, and the booties fit well under the wetsuit, without trapping water in the booties at the end of the dive like wetsuits with long seals that go into the booties.  Even while doing the normal SDG diving….over, under, around, upside down, and twisting, not once did I have to pat my hood to remove air from the bubbles I collect from the regulator exhaust.

SDG Stephanie’s Insights on “Girls Buying Wetsuits”

This seemed an appropriate place to talk about the mindset of girls buying wetsuits. SDG Stephanie does a nice job of giving a little insight that some may find useful…and maybe come up with ideas to make it a better experience.

Trying on wetsuits for many women is intimidating in a shop for a few reasons:

• The salesman is usually a guy, maybe a young guy; this can put a women in a difficult spot if she need assistance getting in or out of wetsuit.
• Being in a dressing room in a wetsuit is a different mind set than being on a boat or shore in that same wetsuit.
• Ladies want to look good in the wetsuit and may for go comfort (and end up hating it later).
• The size charts on wetsuits put women in really big sizes (to my and Margo’s surprise our weight would put us in maybe a 12L-14, but this would be too big now that we have dove in the 8L).
• I usually grab 3 to 4 sizes to try on when buying a wetsuit, because I don’t follow the size charts and I don’t know my measurements off the top of my head, and I don’t expect a dive shop to have a fitting tape measure on hand nor would I want to be measured by the average dive shop owner or worker.
• Most women will shop on line for their dive gear (especially wetsuits) because dive shops are still so male dominated and not female friendly for trying on gear (I have talked with many girl divers that order gear or will purchase from a shop try it at home either keep it or send it back, but do not want to put it on in the shop).

I hope you all enjoyed our review. Please feel free to ask questions, give feedback, or just tell us about your experience with this product. If you have a product you would like us to review…let us know what it is and we will put it on our list to get into the blog!

Hugs and Happy Diving,

Scuba Diver Girls

Margo and Stephanie

Here is a video of us diving the Yukon. I am wearing the SolAfx!

**SOL AFX wetsuit provided to Scuba Diver Girls for product trial

Scuba diving is now a level playing field, the female populations of certified divers, Instructors and dive masters have been increasing for the past few years and so has the demand for scuba gear that fit our needs.  Our bodies shape and complexion demands different lines, adjustment and distribution on the scuba gear… it takes more than adding a pink line or “girlie” design on an already existent piece of equipment to target women.

Some manufactures (like Aqualung) are opening their mind and ears to welcome ideas in order to provide  better customer service;  try outs, critics, suggestions are being appreciated to improve the quality and the comfort of the ladies scuba gear. But on the other hand there are companies affected by the poor economy and declining sales and as a result the products with low demand are taken away from their production lines and yes, generally speaking that will be ours.

Women divers need to speak up! Manufacturers want to hear what you have to say!

Here are a few things you can do to help, guide, and orientate the manufactures:

• When purchasing new gear, ask a lot of questions and discuss concerns about the use, the fit, and pros and cons. Talk to that manufacturers sales rep about whether the product was designed for a unisex market or if they designed it specifically for women or men.
• When servicing your gear speak directly to the technician. They are normally the ones who assist with the manufactures seminars and voice your concerns to the managers.
• If there was a product (for women) that you liked and has been discontinued, ask for the reason, the sales rep at the shop usually has contact with the sales rep at the manufacturer.  If more women speak up when  good product is removed from production, the manufacturer may see that it was a mistake!
• Attend gear demo days such as DUI’s DOG (Drysuit Owners Group) Days. You can try out all their products and get amazing feedback directly from them.

There is no turning back girls we are only going to get bigger and stronger! Manufacturers are watching and listening! Its time to be vocal about what you use when you dive…what you like and dislike and why!  Feel free to leave us comments here or on our Facebook Fan Page or our Facebook Profile! We will happily pass your comments on to manufacturers.