Many of us who are fond of diving think from time to time what could happen if this was our job, if we got paid for what we love to do, and this seems like a dream. Yet there are enthusiasts who undergo special training programs to come closer to their goal. At the end the job does not look like a job, and you could have a lot of fun if you really love diving.

There are many specialized diving jobs like police or military divers, shipwreck divers or rescue divers. For a recreational diver the first position to start with is divemaster (guide) who assists more experienced instructors with classes, leads review courses and makes guided tours. There are varied procedures necessary to qualify for a divemaster, but in PADI certified divers take some advanced courses for a rescue diver, and then as soon as they have at least twenty logged dives they can sign up for a divemaster.

Scuba diving instructor is a higher level for a divemaster who should have at least sixty logged dives before enrolling in Instructor development training with PADI. He should have at least six month of diver certification. At first one gets a position of assistant instructor, then open water scuba instructor. By that time he already has more than 100 dives. This job allows to teach divers and certify newcomers. You can also go on with your diver education in a few different directions in specialized courses of wreck diving, search and rescue diving, instructor training or underwater naturalism.

Underwater photographer or filmmaker is a creative profession that is popular as many people are delighted by nice underwater imaginary. It is a complicated task to capture images in these conditions, so you could become famous by filming ship wrecks or beautiful corals. There is a special PADI Underwater Photographer course.
Oceanographer or marine biologist is a scientist who studies habits, breeding, migrations of marine wildlife. He also records all kinds of fluctuations of coral growth and observes changes in underwater world. It is a desired career for people with scientific background, and you should have proper degree to start this.

There are also ancillary jobs connected with different types of diving. You can be office worker in a diving center or a janitor, working at sales department or on live aboard ships and enjoy discounts and free dives. Never forget your diving equipment such as a diving knife, to take with you on your dives. Titanium dive knife is yet another great option.

Recently we spoke elaborately on diving knives and especially titanium diving knives that excel in many situations. Today I want to recommend you a beautiful tool for your diving experience that is quite multifunctional and handy.It is a perfect accessory for any kind of underwater sea emergency situation.

This knife has a full length of 9.5 inches, with a 5-inch, 1-piece blade that is made from titanium, and a sturdy and sleek tang. With its nice serrated top surface you can cut through many tough materials. The bottom part has a main blade with straight edge along with a decent line cutter.

One of the most important characteristics is that you do not need to wonder how to wipe the scum from the junction between handle and blade that is usually difficult to reach. This knife you can disassembly completely with no extra efforts.

Quick-release sheath and straps allow to fit it perfectly on your body, without contact with regulator or tank.

As an experienced diver, I would love to take my dive gear and scuba to the fresh water lakes that are full of wonderful aquatic life. Here I get access to a whole new range of opportunities, of new worlds of underwater beauty. Yet there should be certain precaution of altitude diving as it is quite a different atmosphere for a human being, the way we breath and the air pressure is different.

Usually we refer to certain decompression tables for our diving. Yet they may become highly inaccurate in terms of altitude diving. The tables deal with controlling release of nitrogen absorbed at the time of dive, yet at the condition that you dive at the sea level, at normal atmospheric pressure.

As soon as you climb at about one thousand feet above the sea level, the pressure goes down, so the conditions are significantly different for your human organism, so you need to account for them. Altitude diving is basically any diving that is done at the height of one thousand feet above the sea level or higher. If you do not follow specialized procedures, you fall at risk of decompression sickness.

Actually the data for altitude diving is relatively scarce, so the attitude should be more conservative. You should follow the procedures with utter attention.

Sometimes two different situations of altitude diving and flying after diving are confused. As far as flying after diving is concerned, we speak of either single dives (requiring  minimum preflight surface interval of twelve hours), repetitive or multiday dive (minimum eighteen hours of surface interval), or those requiring decompression stops (more than eighteen hours). So at flying after diving your exposure to lower pressure actually follows diving, but at altitude diving this exposure precedes diving. So you should never apply the same procedures at these situations.

Also be careful when diving at one altitude and then diving at yet higher altitude. There should be different procedures for both kinds of diving. We will dive into altitude diving more elaboratively soon. Stay tuned with us, and do not forget you diving knife or titanium diving knife with you.

When you have a mask, a snorkel, and a pair of fins, you bet you can engage in snorkeling. Even though price ranges for these can vary a lot, the most valuable advice you get is keep it fit and comfortable, that is all. If your mask does not fit, it will perpetually leak, and that is annoying indeed for your otherwise enjoyable dive. The same applies to fins that can rub ray spots on your feet. Expensive equipment does not necessarily mean more comfortable, so take your time and shop around until you find your best gear (and diving knife).

Many certifying agencies offer classes that you can buy through your diving shop. The matter is of course you can learn snorkeling yourself; yet taking classes shortens learning time and increases your self-confidence.

Your eyes are made for the air, so they just do not operate so well in their unnatural underwater environment. Things look blurry in the water. The solution is a diving mask that creates special space of air before your eyes, and also keeps water out of your nose. At the time of diving water pressure outside increases as you go deeper, and your diving mask is pushed toward your face. It is known as mask squeeze. To equalize the pressure and get rid of uncomfortable mask squeeze you must be able to breathe air into your mask with your nose. Independent of mask style and brand, make sure it protects your nose as opposed to swimming goggles.

A snorkel is a hollow tube which allows to breathe when your head is under the water surface. Modern snorkel includes nice materials, wrap-around design, comfortable mouthpiece and sometimes a splash guard and a purge valve. Every year you find more and more sophisticated models of this simple device. The most important thing about a snorkel is its comfort for your breathing.

Fins help you to propel in the water, and are divided into two categories: full-foot and adjustable. Full-foot ones unclose the hill about the same way as a pair of shoes does, and many people choose this type for snorkeling. These fins are quite flexible as opposed to adjustable fins, and easy to use for swimming on the surface.

Adjustable fins are used often in scuba diving. They have open hill and an adjustable strap. They are great when the water is cold, because you wear a bootie for your feet protection. But many divers prefer this type for warm water as well.

Diving knife is yet another not necessary but sometimes very useful type of gear meant mostly for diving, but at times for snorkeling too!

For a safe and pleasurable dive you need appropriate diving gear, it will be necessary for any of your underwater experience, be it ocean or sea, lake or river. The gear includes many items, some of them being simple ones, and others are required only by seasoned professionals who spend whole bunch of days a month under the water.

Where do you look for you scuba equipment? There are online stores and local diving shops, as well as specialty stores, local retail stores and boutiques. You can either buy or rent the necessary items. The range of available gear is great, and if you are a novice, you would rather consult an expert to make the right choice.

If you dive from time to time, renting your gear can be a wise decision. Many diving shops offer their equipment for rent as they understand that not everybody will buy it from them. Also for spa and sea locations there are plenty of places that earn good money by renting scuba diving gear out to enthusiastic and ready to spend some money to entertain themselves tourists.

When you decide to buy your own gear, there is no lack of places to offer you their products. Well, many experienced divers recommend buying main items of equipment so that no hygiene issues of transporting gems are possible.  It is always better to have personalized diving gear.

So let us list a few basic items that every scuba divers need. Of course you need booties, fins, a suit (that can be either dry or wet), and a snorkel. You should ensure that they are of the proper size to perfectly fit your body; otherwise you will feel very uncomfortable underwater. And additional pieces that you are needed for a good dive are a buoyancy control device, a compass, a depth gauge, a compass, a diving knife, a regulator, weight system, and probably diving computer.

It is very important to maintain your diving equipment and clean it carefully. Well, that is not the issue with rented gear; of course that is not your headache. Do not doubt, usually they clean their equipment daily, and it is a good idea to ask them if you are going to use their services. When you own the equipment, you should have basic knowledge and skills in proper cleaning and maintenance methods. It can be either a quick splash with warm water or careful cleaning with water and mild detergent. Do not forget to make sure your diving knife is sharp and on its place waiting to be used when you need it the most.

Spyderco SALT Dive Knife

Once you have your decision about size, general style and cost of a knife for scuba diving, you need to consider other important factors. As far as cost is concerned, you choose between expensive titanium diving knife and its steel cousin which is half the price of former. The titanium one does not rust, and steel has this unhappy tendency. Titanium diving knife is also lighter and stronger, even though that is not necessarily important for a diver.

Well, if you are a seasoned diving fan or plan to practice this kind of sport for years to come, then your choice number one is a titanium knife, an investment that is well worth your money and a source of your pride when other scuba divers in your boat have measly old rusty steel dive knives. Of course, for once in a year occasion the material of your knife is not much of an importance.

Consider choosing a good sheath for your knife, otherwise it will fall out during your first or second dive. Even if you had a gold one with gems, if you lose it, there is no use, whatsoever. Make sure there is no way your knife slips out of the sheath. It is great if it clips in flush, and you also need a simple way to put it back when you are unable to see well underwater.
Then what edges does a good diving knife have? Usually it is a standard smooth blade, a serrated blade that is able to cut through things without applying much downward pressure, and a net cutter. If you have to cut strong materials, consider buying some trauma shears.
There are different kinds of attachments for knives, some have only straps, and others have everything imaginable. If you are not sure what you need, get a knife with many options like a T-Rex knife from Lumb Brothers.
Always check whether it is comfortable for you to reach your diving knife without straining yourself. Some difficult zones include your leg and one of your arms that could be snagged with no way to get the knife when you utterly need it. So one of the best places to put your dive knife is on your BCD.
So if you need a great knife for your scuba diving needs, go get a titanium one that has good accessories and is reachable on your body.

Many nondivers believe that diving is only for tough men, barnacle-backed mariners. But it is not true. Actually diving is more of a pastime than even a sport. Usually it is not more strenous than taking a walk or driving a car to the convenience store.

We do not intend to persuade you that diving is lacking risk. It is a visit to another world that could be really dangerous at times, even to the extent of being fatal if you do not respect its natural laws. But generally statistics tell that driving is more dangerous than diving.

This undersea world functions according to some definite, predictable physical laws. They are not too complicated to comprehend, and realizing them, knowing them thoroughly helps you to function in the watery world, and helps you get rid of ungrounded fears.

Diving is divided into two somewhat similar activities: scuba diving and snorkelling. Snorkel is a plastic tube that extends along the side of your head and above the water, to provide you with fresh air while you float with your face under the water. You also wear a diving mask, a watertight airspace in front of your eyes, with a window for observing the beautiful underwater world. You also propel yourself forward by kicking a pair of fins that are attached to your feet. You do not need much gear, to name diving knife as one of the accessories.

Free diving means filling your lungs with air and dive below the surface holding your breath and looking for underworld mysteries until you need more fresh air, and you return to the surface.

Many people start snorkelling by going to Caribbean or Hawaii on vacation, they rent the gear and wade out in clear water. Snorkeling does not require a lot of training, and it is a good way to find out whether this kind of pastime is right for you, before you spend a fortune on scuba lessons and equipment.

There is a natural development from snorkeling to scuba diving, and many divers started with snorkel and diving mask. Scuba is an acronym for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. You basically wear the same gear as snorkelers do, but take along a bottle of compressed air and a few mechanical devices that facilitate breathing from the bottle, a vest can be inflated with air or purged to adjust your buoyancy, and gauges to monitor air supply. As you stay underwater for a long time, you need some more extra gear, like a diving knife, for example.