Today’s photo of the day come from the far south. Waaaaay down south. In Antarctica. I’ve posted about
Norbert Wu’s amazing photos before, but another
photographer that has done great work in Antarctica is
Jim Mastro. The work is
unreal…the blues, the vividness, the desolation….really killer stuff.
Carbon Dioxide and Diving
It’s rare, but it’s happened to me on occasion. Sometimes, after a dive I will experience a
horrific migraine, followed by unbelievable sleepiness. The urge is so strong – I once fell asleep on a pier with
my BC still on. After about five minutes sleep, I feel perfect. I’ve always suspected a CO2 buildup due to
overexertion, but never was really sure as to the cause. If you’ve ever experienced anything like this,
this discussion on CO2 buildup will
probably be interesting for you.
Roatan: Dive Video
As promised, here is the first Roatan Dive Video piece. It’s part of a longer video cut in half
(rather abruptly so that you want to see the second half next week!). If anyone wants a higher resolution clip of a
specific section, let me know and I’ll see if I can keep it to a manageable size. If you don’t have it, go
download Quicktime – you will need it to watch the video. I suggest
you “save as” on the link below rather than open in a new window to stream. File size is about 6 mb. Enjoy the
video.
EPIRB Scuba Devices? Why not?
Stories like this one remind
me why I want lots and lots of ways to attract a boat’s attention. I’ve always wondered why no one has made an
EPIRB type device for scuba divers. Obviously, they
couldn’t be water activated (as most are on boats) but I’d happily strap one to the back of tank on each dive in case I
got left behind. Seems obvious to me. Two problems – (1) You need an FCC license and (2) None seem to be enclosed in
cases capable of being at depth. If anyone knows of one that is waterproof at depth, please let me know.
Times on the Turks and Caicos
I was
there at EXACTLY this time last year, and it was awesome.
At the time, I didn’t notice that it was over-crowded or infested with tourists, but
this Times piece suggests that this wonderful little island chain in the Caribbean is headed into
Cancun-land but quick. Which, if true, is sad, obscene almost. But given the fact that there really wasn’t much
infrastructure on the main island to speak of – hardly any good restaurants, nary a grocery store – and that it’s more
of a desert than a lush tropical paradise, I’m not too worried.
There’s not much to do on the Turks and Cacos other than dive. That said, the diving is spectacular, so perhaps the
article is right. What is happening, it says, is large resorts are now building on the island…building and growing.
There are over 20 sprawling resorts there now, many of them of the all-inclusive type that attract people who want
their every whim taken care of. So, I guess the lesson is this: go there now, check it out and experience some of the
best diving in the world before it’s too late. That’s how I read it, anyway.