Getting started
The underwater world
Try it first
Training agencies
Some equivalent diving grades
The marine environment
The science of diving
Buoyancy
Air
The gas laws
Other factors that affect diving
Systems of measurement
The physiology of diving
The cardiovascular system
Diving and the body
Decompression sickness (DCS) and Decompression illness
Treatment of decompression illness
Response to pressure changes in body air spaces
Hyperthermia
Hypothermia
Near-drowning
Cramps
Equipment
Properties of a good mask
Weight belts, weights and integrated weight systems
Buoyancy compensator devices
Exposure suits
Wet and semidry suits
Dry suits
The main scuba cylinder
Regulators (demand valves)
Instrumentation and accessories
Cutting instruments
Underwater lights and batteries
Attention-gaining devices
Jon line
Electronic shark repellent
Dive flags
Diving compressors
Enriched Air Nitrox fills and DNAx
Equipment care
Basic training
Which training agency?
Basic scuba equipment
Filling the BCD emergency cylinder
Fitting the BCD and regulator to the scuba cylinder
Pool training
Hand signals
Training in deeper water
Mobility and buoyancy
Ditch and retrieve
The buddy system
Preparing for open water diving
Underwater navigation
Planning
Plan the dive and dive the plan
Dive planners and decompression tables
Sawtooth diving
Repetitive dives
Decompression dives
Finishing a dive
The RGMB Bubble Model theory
Altitude and flying after diving
Diving computers
Understanding the sea
Charts and pilots
Navigation on the surface
Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
Types of diving
Temperate vs tropical waters
Boat diving
Reef diving, drop-offs and walls
Muck diving
Drift diving
Diving in strong currents
Night diving
Deep diving on normal air
Diving in enclosed overhead environments
Freshwater diving
Extended range (technical diving)
Enriched Air Nitrox
Breathing gases for deep diving
Heliox and Trimix
Rebreathers
Diving with a purpose
Marine biology
Archaeological diving
Underwater still photography
Underwater videography
Safety and first aid
Basic rescue techniques
Rough-and-ready non-specialist tests for decompression illness (DCI)
Condensed first-aid kit
Oxygen administration
Dangerous underwater organisms and pollutants
Sun
Insects
Swimmer’s Ear
Harbours
Fish that bite
Venomous sea creatures
Electric (torpedo) rays
Poisonous to eat
Fish poisoning in general
Fish that cut
Diving in freshwater
Traveling to dive
Before you depart
Spares kit
Traveling diver’s medics
Training agencies
Glossary
Index
Photographic acknowledgements
