Learn to Scuba Dive in Virginia: Boat Diving Tips

Scuba Diving from a boat is very popular.  A boat will put the scuba diver right on top of the reef or ship wreck making diving far easier.  It also enables the scuba diver to get to areas that that are located beyond swimming or shore scuba diving distance.  Scuba diving from a boat is fun and very easy to accomplish.  Today, we will list a few common sense suggestions or tips that I am sure you will find helpful when diving from a boat.

Purchase a Good Dive Bag. Boats most often have very limited deck space.  By packing your scuba diving equipment in a good Dive Bag it will not only make it easy to transport but will help you keep your equipment contained into a very small area.  Another nice thing about a Dive Bag is that even though it might be quite roomy, its space is limited.  That means unless you are sure that you will need an item, then leave it ashore.

Select a Dive Set Up Area. A typical dive boat has space for several divers.  Once on board, select a spot.  I personally prefer a spot under any awning to minimize my exposure to the sun.  Others prefer to sit in the sun.  Many often like to be away from the boat motors to minimize noise or diesel fumes.  Which ever you select, put your scuba equipment in that area and then stay there to minimize any confusion or loss of equipment.

Listen to the Boat & Dive Briefing. Coast Guard regulations require that a boat briefing be given prior to a boat dive.  In addition a dive briefing is usually given prior to the dive.  The boat briefing will include important information the location and use of life jackets, first aid and oxygen equipment.  The Dive Briefing will include information on the dive, which includes depth, length of the dive and other important parameters.  Pay attention to the briefings and be sure to follow the instructions of the Divemaster.

Know Your Boat. Instructions on how to get into the water and how to exit the water when getting back into the boat are usually given as part of the Dive Boat or Dive Briefing.  Pay attention and follow the instructions carefully.  This is important to avoid injury or confusion.  In addition, make sure that you know what your boat looks like, particularly underwater.  At the end of the dive there may be more then one Dive Boat tied to a mooring.  You should be able to identify your dive boat from the bottom during your dive.  Details, like the number of engines, the type of ladder, etc will enable you to easily recognize your dive boat.

Boat Diving is fun.  It will allow you to dive in areas that you would not be able to reach otherwise.  Make sure that you keep it fun and safe by following these simple common sense rules.

Scuba Certifications in Northern Virginia: ScubaEarth Dive Community

One of the great joys of scuba diving is that it is a very social sport.  The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) has introduced a new social website called ScubaEarth.  This is a Facebook type of site dedicated entirely to scuba divers.

PADI says that ScubaEarth™ is an online scuba resource and social community for divers and other water lovers. It’s a robust, one-stop site to research, plan and share dive experiences. ScubaEarth hosts everything from current weather and dive conditions to photos and videos for those constantly craving scuba snacks.

There are thousands of travel websites, but few dedicated to divers looking for their next vacation, virtually anywhere in the world. ScubaEarth can help you answer questions like:

• Where should I go on my next dive trip?
• What will I see?
• What should I pack?
• When is the best time to go?
• What kind of local flavor is there?
• How can I keep a digital logbook of all my dives & share them with my buddies?
• How can I browse other logged dives to see recent dive conditions at a dive site?
• Where can I keep a digital record of all my PADI certifications?
• How can I find a PADI Dive Center or Resort to dive with and take my next PADI course?
• And much more.

PADI Dive Center in Northern Virginia: PADI Scuba Courses & Dive Travel

As a premier Dive Center in Northern Virginia, Aquatic Adventures recognizes the value of offering both Scuba Classes and Courses and the opportunity to try these on a dive vacation by sponsoring Dive Trips throughout the year.  This is all part of the same social aspect of scuba diving that we referred to in the beginning of this article.

Learning to Scuba Dive is the first step.  Having safe scuba equipment makes scuba diving more fun and more enjoyable and having the opportunity to dive in several exotic locations with friends who you met while learning to scuba dive just makes it that much better.

Scuba Diving Certification in Northern Virginia: Underwater Navigation

When driving your car you can find your way with a map or if you are really into the modern world a GPS navigation system in your car.  When Scuba Diving, however, the same luxuries are not available.  Finding your way when scuba diving is not a matter of luck but of a good sense of direction, knowing how to use an underwater compass and a knowledge of the environment allowing you to use what is known as natural navigation as well.

Learn to Scuba Dive in Northern Virginia: PADI Underwater Navigation Specialty Course

In the PADI Underwater Navigator Specialty course, you learn to master the challenge of navigating underwater.  You learn the tools of the trade, including navigation via natural clues and by compass.

You learn

• Navigation patterns
• Natural navigation (without a compass)
• Compass navigation
• How to “mark” or relocate a submerged object or position from the surface
• Underwater map making
• How to follow irregular courses with the Nav-Finder
• Dive site relocation
• How to estimate distance underwater

PADI Dive Training: Prerequisites for the PADI Underwater Navigation Specialty Course

To enroll in the PADI Underwater Navigation Specialty Course a diver must be certified as an Open Water Diver or higher.  The minimum age to take the course is 10 years old.  The course has a student kit which includes an Underwater Navigation Manual and a corresponding DVD.  The course includes both classroom and three open water dives.  Once the materials have been completed the course can easily be completed in one weekend.

Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy: PADI Dive Center in Northern Virginia

Scuba diving in the mid Atlantic region is very different from diving in the Caribbean.  Since the water is not as clear locally in Northern Virginia, underwater navigation is used much more often.  Being able to scuba dive in fresh water lakes and the Atlantic Ocean increases your scuba diving skills and makes you a more accomplished scuba diver.

The Importance of Underwater Navigation

Underwater navigation is an important skill no matter what type of scuba diving you’re doing.  It is especially useful when night diving, wreck diving or when you’re searching to recover a lost item underwater.  Being adept at navigating while scuba diving makes your diving more fun, relaxing and needless to say, safer.

Scuba Courses in Northern Virginia: PADI Multi Level or Computer Diver

The amount of time that a scuba diver can spend underwater is called bottom time and is determined by how deep he/she is diving and how long he/she stays down.  This resulted because scuba divers absorb more nitrogen the deeper they scuba dive.   In the early stages of scuba diving your bottom time was set by the maximum depth of your scuba dive, whether or not the diver stayed at that depth the entire dive.  That was because there was no reliable way of calculating how long you were at each depth.  Now with the advent of scuba diving computers, bottom time can be lengthened if a diver spend part of the dive at shallower depths.

Scuba Continuing Education: Multi Level Diver

The Multi Level Diver Course teaches divers how to plan dives that extend your bottom time by crediting you for slower nitrogen absorption when you ascend to a shallower depth.

You learn how to:

• Plan and execute multilevel dives (different depths on the same dive)
• Back up your dive computer and plan multilevel dives
• Maximize your no stop time

Scuba Diving Equipment: Dive Computers

Dive computers have made scuba diving not only more convenient but safer as well.  The accuracy of the depth gauge component and the ability to calculate the exact time at each depth adds to the accuracy of the calculations making scuba diving safer then ever before.  Since diving at multiple depths, beginning from the deepest depth and working to the shallowest, the scuba diver using a computer can be credited with the time at the shallower depths resulting in longer bottom times.  This adds to the lure of computer diving and makes it a great value as well.  Longer bottom times and thus more enjoyment for each scuba dive made using the computer.

In addition to the three course objectives listed above the course participant will learn about different styles of dive computers and desirable features of each.  The course consists of a classroom session and two open water dives using a dive computer.

At Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy, a PADI 5 Star Dive Center in Northern Virginia, we value the importance of multi-level diving and we offer a multi-level dive as part  of our Open Water Course, the Advanced Open Water Course and as a Specialty Diver Course as well.

Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy - Learn to Scuba Dive in Northern Virginia: Dry Suit Diving

When people think of scuba diving they most often think about warm tropical exotic locations.  While this offers great scuba diving many other colder regions have a lot to offer in quality scuba diving.  In addition even more temperate areas are cooler in the winter.  In order to scuba dive in many of these areas, or to scuba dive year round a Dry Suit is very helpful.

Scuba Diving Equipment: Why Scuba Dive with a Dry Suit?

A scuba diving wet suit helps you stay warm by allowing small amounts of water to enter the suit and become trapped.  The trapped water is then heated by body temperature, thus helping to maintain body heat.  A Scuba Diving Dry Suit keeps water out.  Since you loose body heat in water 20-25 times faster in water then air, just being dry helps maintain body temperature.  In addition to keeping you dry, a Dry Suit is often accessorized with special insulated under garments to provide more warmth.  Consequently, a Dry Suit can be warm in much colder climates and conditions.

Learn to Scuba Dive: Diving with a Dry Suit

When you first start scuba diving with a dry suit it is a very good idea to obtain  instruction.  The PADI Dry Suit Specialty course is an excellent way in learning how to scuba dive with a Dry Suit.  This course is designed to safely introduce the scuba diver into the proper way to scuba dive with a Dry Suit.  The main focus is on safety and buoyancy control.  It also covers the different types of Dry Suits and Dry Suit liners and how to properly care for them.   A Dry Suit is a major investment and you definitely want to get the most of your Dry Suit.  In addition, scuba diving with a Dry Suit requires special buoyancy skills, not usually needed with a Wet Suit.  The PADI Dry Suit Diver Course is one of the very best ways of covering all of these bases.

Learn To Scuba Dive: What Skills Does the Dry Suit Specialty Course Cover?

The following skills are covered during the Dry Suit Specialty Diver Course:

• Dry Suit Familiarization
• Safety Checks
• Entry Techniques
• Bubble Check
• Buoyancy Check
• Descent techniques
• Fin Pivot
• Hover
• Excess gas in feet emergency roll drill
• Stuck inflator emergency drill
• Stuck exhaust valve emergency drill
• Ascent procedure·
• Remove and replace scuba unit and weight belt on the surface
• Exit techniques
• Removal of dry suit, storage and maintenance

The Dry Suit Diver Course includes both classroom, a confined water or pool session and two open water dives.  It is a fun course and will not only improve your scuba diving skills but will enable you to dive in more areas and at different times of the year.

Where To Learn To Scuba Dive in Northern Virginia

Once you decide that you want to be a Scuba Diver you then have to decide where you want to complete your Scuba diving certification? There are many places to Learn to Scuba Dive Northern Virginia and like anything else some often many advantages that others do not.

There are three things that are necessary to become a Certified Scuba Diver.  These are known in the industry as the 3 E’s.  The first is Education, a place to learn to scuba dive.  The second is Scuba Equipment, the necessary scuba gear needed to safely scuba dive.  Last and just as important is the Environment or place to go Scuba Diving.

Which Scuba Certification Agency Should I Select To Earn My Scuba Diving Certification?

There are many very good Scuba Certification Agencies.  The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) is the largest in the world and offers world wide course credibility.  PADI has by far the finest support materials, books, manuals, DVDs,  Videos and course variety than any other Scuba Certification Agency.

There are many others that are also worthwhile.  Scuba Diving International is fast becoming one of the more popular Scuba Agencies.  SDI, like PADI offer an assortment of both recreational and technical scuba courses that are very informative and well put together.  In addition there are other worthwhile organizations like the National Association of Underwater Instructors and Scuba Schools International.  In addition to Scuba Certification Agencies, the Diver’s Alert Network or DAN offers courses in First Aid and Scuba Diver Safety.  The finest of the Dive Centers that offer DAN Training are the DAN Training Centers, which offer the largest variety of DAN courses for both the scuba diver and the Scuba Instructor.

However, PADI followed by SDI are by far the more popular and more widely recognized Agencies.

In What Scuba Equipment Should I Invest?

The second necessary E of Learning to Scuba Dive is Scuba Dive Equipment.  Scuba Equipment ranges from simple masks and snorkels to the more complex Scuba equipment like the wet suit, buoyancy control device and scuba regulator.  Most scuba divers start with the personal equipment (mask, snorkel, boots and fins).  Once they learn to scuba dive they invest in the more traditional scuba equipment: scuba regulator, buoyancy control device (BCD) and computer gauge console.  These items not only make scuba diving easier but safer and in the long run they are very cost effective.

There are some very good brands of scuba diving equipment.  The most popular and most highly rated is Scuba Pro Dive Equipment.  Sherwood Dive Equipment, Zeagle BCD and Aeris Dive Computers are also very well regarded in the dive industry.

Where Should I Go On My Scuba Diving Vacation?

There are literally hundreds of locations that offer very good scuba diving vacations.  Knowing the best of these destinations and what resorts at these locations are the best is also very important.  It takes a specialist to know this and to know the best time of year at each of these destinations.  At Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy a Dive Center in Northern Virginia we specialize in Scuba Trips and Travel throughout the year.  Aquatic Adventures routinely offers scuba travel trips year round to many exotic destinations around the world.

At Which Dive Center Should I Learn To Scuba Dive?

Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy is a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Dive Center, which means that they train not only scuba divers but divers in how to be Scuba Instructors as well.  In addition Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy is a DAN Training Center, making Aquatic Adventures a Dive Industry Leader in Scuba Training, Certification and the important E of Education.

Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy is an authorized Scuba Dealer for Aeris, Dacor, Genesis, Mares, Sherwood, Scuba Pro and Zeagle Diving Equipment and Henderson Wet Suits and DUI Dry Suits.  Aquatic Adventures has a very extensive inventory of quality Scuba Equipment (the second E) and just as important: knowledgeable personnel to assist you in your selection and post purchase servicing.

Aquatic Adventures Award winning scuba travel program is second to none in quality and variety of scuba diving trips or Environment, the last E.  These trips are also lead by a very experienced Scuba Instructor to assist you while on that ever important dive vacation.

Whether you are new to the sport of scuba diving or a veteran with years of experience.  Aquatic Adventures can assist you in all of your scuba diving needs.

Learn to Scuba Dive in Northern Virginia – The PADI Wreck Diver Specialty Course

When most people Learn to Scuba Dive Northern Virginia they think that once they take the initial Open Water Certification Course that they are ready to dive anywhere.  This is probably the same in most any location.  However, Scuba Diving in Northern Virginia has many benefits that other areas do not.  One of the most popular is Wreck Diving.  The entire east coast of the United States is littered with ship wrecks.  Many were sunk as part of the reef preservation program but many were sunk during World War I or World War II.  Scuba diving on these ship wrecks is diving on a piece of history and is very exciting.

Wreck Diving Specialty Course

The PADI Wreck Diver Specialty Course is one of the most popular PADI Specialty Diver Courses offered by PADI or any other scuba certification agency.  Whether sunk on purpose as an artificial reef or the result of mishap, wrecks open fascinating windows to the past. Most divers find wrecked ships, airplanes and even automobiles nearly irresistible because they’re intriguing to explore, exciting avenues of discovery, and usually teeming with aquatic life. The PADI Wreck Diver course teaches you the ins and outs of rewarding, responsible wreck diving.

PADI Wreck Diver Course Training

During the PADI Wreck Diver Specialty Course you will learn:

• Techniques for diving exploring shipwrecks, and how to avoid common hazards
• How to research and learn the background of your favorite wrecks
• Wreck scuba diving equipment considerations
• Considerations and techniques for entering intact wrecks
• Experience in planning, organizing and making at least four wreck dives under the supervision of your PADI Instructor

PADI Wreck Diver Course Schedule

The PADI Wreck Diver Course includes both classroom and practical dives.  To supplement the course is a student kit which includes a DVD showing wreck diving techniques and a manual describing wreck diving techniques and safety.  The Wreck Diving Student completes both of these and the knowledge review questions in the manual, and goes over them during the classroom portion with the PADI Wreck Diver Instructor.

Four open water wreck dives will also be included in the PADI Wreck Diver Specialty Course.  During these dives the student wreck diver will learn the techniques listed above.  Important  Scuba Diving Equipment, like wreck diving reels, wreck diving slates, and submersible marker buoys will also be included in the course presentations and dives.

Wreck Diving Trips

At Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy we offer Dive Travel throughout the year.  In the summer we offer trips to Morehead City, N.C. to go wreck diving.  These are a few of our most popular dive trips.  Since many ship wrecks are located in deeper depths many graduates of the wreck diver course take the PADI Deep Diver Course upon completion.

SCUBA DIVING LESSONS IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA – TECHNICAL DIVING – PADI SELF RELIANT DIVER – SDI SOLO DIVER

Recreational Scuba Diving traditionally calls for all scuba divers to dive in buddy teams.  This practice has historically been used and has its roots in diver safety.  With the popularity of Technical Diving in the past few years the concept of scuba diving in buddy teams has lessened.   While most scuba divers today still scuba dive in buddy teams, there are times when that is just not practical.   As a result Scuba Diving International or SDI came out with a scuba training course called Solo Diver, and the Professional Association of Scuba Instructors or PADI followed with a course called Self Reliant Diver.

At Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy, a PADI 5 Star Dive Center in Northern Virginia, we teach primarily recreational scuba diving.  However, there are a number of scuba divers who want to Learn to Scuba Dive Northern Virginia who also want to learn Technical Diving.  Consequently, we teach both recreational scuba diving and technical scuba diving.

Recreational Scuba Diving – The Buddy System

As we stated earlier, recreational scuba divers always dive with a buddy or in buddy teams.  This is a safety issue.  In the event of something out of the ordinary happening a second or even a third scuba diver is present to assist with what ever problem may occur.  Another reason for the Buddy System in scuba diving you use a lot of scuba equipment and  it is simply easier to get into or out of your scuba diving equipment when another scuba diver is present to assist you.

Technical Diving – Self Reliant Diver and Solo Diver

While most of us prefer to dive with a buddy there are times when it might be impractical to dive with a buddy.  Training to dive without a buddy actually goes a long way to making you a better dive buddy.  You learn how to deal with problems on your own, which adds to your ability to help other scuba divers.   A good examples of this is if a buddy gets separated from his dive buddy being self reliant will allow him or her to safely find the missing buddy or safely terminate the scuba dive.  Another example is underwater photography often requires the scuba diver to be separated from his or her buddy in order to be able to photography the fish without scaring them off.  Wreck Divers also need to be self reliant since they are often separated from each other when exploring narrow passages of a ship wreck.

Technical Scuba Diving Equipment

In order to scuba dive without a buddy you need to have redundant scuba equipment and be self reliant.  To do this you must scuba dive with some Technical Scuba Diving Equipment.  In addition to the primary scuba cylinder the diver would carry a redundant second air supply like a pony bottle and second scuba regulator.   The list of back up scuba equipment is very extensive and we will cover this in a future segment.

What is Technical Diving or Solo Diving Like – Discover Tec

If you think that you might be interested in trying either technical scuba diving or the SDI Solo Diver or PADI Self Reliant Diver courses but are not sure then you might want to try the Discover Tec Course.   The Discover Tec course is a pool experience under the direction of a Technical Diving Instructor who will show you the appropriate technical diving equipment and even allow you to test it in a swimming pool.

Discover Tec, SDI Solo Diver and the PADI Self Reliant Diver courses are interesting and lead you into a whole new realm of underwater adventure.  Whether or not you decide to continue your scuba diving training you will appreciate the things you learn in the courses and they will also make you a better recreational scuba diver.

Learn to Scuba Dive in Northern Virginia – The PADI Divemaser

When you decide to Learn to Scuba Dive Northern Virginia you start your Dive Training by finding a local Dive Center in Northern Virginia.  There you take the Open Water Course.  If you are like me you will become “hooked” on scuba diving and will want to continue your scuba diving education.

If there is any one scuba diving certification level that has a magic ring to it, that would be the Divemaster Certification.  This is true where ever you scuba dive, not just in Northern Virginia.  The Divemaster is regarded at the epitome of scuba diving skill, knowledge and perfection.   The PADI Divemaster is the first rank of  scuba diving professional in the PADI system of scuba diving education.

Completing PADI Divemaster Training

Prior to starting your scuba training for PADI Divemaster you will have needed to have completed the PADI Rescue Diver course and have logged at minimum of 40 dives.  When you are ready to begin your Divemaster Training you start by selecting a Dive Center.  Any PADI Dive Center can train a PADI Divemaster but only a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Dive Center, like Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy, in Alexandria, Virginia can also train Assistant Instructors and PADI Instructors as well.

Once you begin the PADI Divmaster course you will be working closely with a PADI Instructor.   In the Divemaster  program you expand your dive knowledge and hone your skills to the professional level.  PADI Divemaster training develops your leadership abilities, qualifying you to supervise dive activities and assist instructors with student divers.  PADI Divemaster is the prerequisite certification for both the PADI Assistant Instructor and PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor certifications.

During the PADI Divemaster program, you learn dive leadership skills through both classroom and independent study. You complete water skills and stamina exercises, as well as training exercises that stretch your ability to organize and solve problems as well as help others improve their scuba. You put this knowledge into action through a structured internship or series of practical training exercises.  Practical training exercises include assisting in teaching both entry level and continuing education level, supervising certified divers, and experience in both search & recovery and deep diving.

The Training is very thorough and is an enjoyable learning experience.

Duties of a PADI Divemaster

After becoming certified as a PADI Divemaster you will be authorized to:

• Supervise both training and non-training-related activities by planning, organizing and directing dives
• Assist a PADI Instructor during the training sessions for any PADI Diver course
• Conduct the PADI Skin Diver course and PADI Discover Snorkeling program
• Conduct the PADI Discover Local Diving experience
• Conduct the PADI Scuba Review program
• If qualified as a Discover Scuba Diving Leader, independently conduct the PADI Discover Scuba Diving program.
• Earn the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Specialty Instructor rating to be able to teach the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer specialty.
• Independently guide Open Water Diver course students on the tour portion of Open Water Diver course Training Dives 2, 3 and 4 at a ratio of two student divers per certified Divemaster.
• Accompany Open Water Diver students under the indirect supervision of a PADI Instructor during:
  • surface swims to and from the entry/exit point and during navigational exercises
  • when the instructor conducts a skill, such as an ascent or descent, a Divemaster can remain with other student divers (with an individual student or buddy team)
• Accompany student divers during Adventure Dives or Specialty training dives under the indirect supervision of a PADI Instructor.
• Conduct the PADI Seal Team Aqua-Missions.
• Conduct subsequent dives under an instructor’s indirect supervision for Discover Scuba Diving participants after participants have satisfactorily completed the first dive with a PADI Instructor.
• Teach Emergency First Response courses after successfully completing an Emergency First Response Instructor course

PADI Divemaster is only the first step into what can be a fun and very rewarding way to spend countless hours of scuba diving enjoyment.

Scuba Diving Equipment in Northern Virginia: Scuba Fins

When you first learn to scuba dive in Northern Virginia or anywhere else for that matter most scuba equipment is provided for you during your scuba certification classes.  Your personal scuba equipment: scuba mask, snorkel, boots and scuba fins are not.  You are expected to purchase these items from your Dive Center in Northern Virginia at which you are taking your scuba classes.  Today we want to look at the different types of scuba fins and their differences.

Full Foot and Open Heel Fins

Scuba fins can be broken into many different types: Full Foot Fins and Open Heel Fins.  The full foot fins come with their own foot pocket or shoe.  They usually have a smaller fin blade, which means that you have to work harder.  Full foot fins can only be used in very warm areas and are known as snorkeling fins.

The Open Heel Fins are by far the more popular scuba fin.  Since they have an open heel or open fin pocket scuba divers wear scuba boots or booties with them.  This has several advantages.  First the fin fits more snugly giving the scuba diver more control over the fin.  Second, the boot is a safety item.  It provides warmth and since scuba divers lose body heat 20-25 times faster in the water then on land this is a very big advantage.

It also is a safety factor.  Scuba divers do not walk with scuba fins.  If scuba diving from shore the diver would walk into the water bare footed until it was deep enough to don the fins and swim.  Sea urchins and sharp coral can easily harm the bare foot so the boot is much safer.  Those scuba divers who dive from a boat have to hand  up their fins before climbing a ladder.  Those in full footed fins then have to climb a wet and often slippery ladder in bare feet, which is uncomfortable and possibly dangerous.  The diver wearing the open heel scuba fin has a boot with a non skid sole for safety and comfort when climbing the ladder.  Thus the open heel scuba fin is by far the most popular and safest of the two.  At Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy, Northern Virginia’s Premier PADI 5 Star Dive Center, we only carry open heeled fins.

Full Bladed Scuba Fin or a Split Scuba Fin?

Scuba Diving Fins come in two  blade styles:  Full Bladed Scuba Fins and the Split Fin.   The split bladed scuba fin is know for its propulsion.  It is perhaps the fasted type of scuba fin.  It does not, however, corner or maneuver very well.  The full bladed scuba fin, in contrast may not be as fast but it does maneuver very well.

Snorkelers who tend to snorkel in a straight line very often prefer a split fin.  Many scuba divers do as well.  They tend to the be scuba divers that like to cover large areas of the reef.  An excellent fin in this category is the Twin Jet Max Pro by Scuba Pro.  It is fast, made of very good quality materials and has a spring steel heel strap for durability.

Those scuba divers who like to explore the reef or wreck in depth (no pun intended) prefer a scuba fin that maneuvers well, thus the full bladed fin.  There are several excellent fins in this category.  The Jet Sport Fin by Scuba Pro is a moderately priced full bladed fin that has an excellent reputation.  The Volo Power  Fin by Mares is known not only for its great maneuverability but for being the fastest of the full bladed scuba fins.

Wreck or Cave Diving Fins

Scuba divers who enter ship wrecks or underwater caves and caverns are concerned with silting or stirring up the bottom silt in these enclosed environments.  They will usually use a very stiff bladed fin and an altered fin kick to control this.  A frog kick instead of a flutter kick is a very common technique when diving in an enclosed environment.  The Bat Fins by Hollis are very popular with this type of scuba diver.

Care of Your Scuba Equipment – Fins

Which ever scuba fin you select you need to maintain it by taking proper care of them.  The fins come with a pocket protector in each pocket.  You remove these when you are scuba diving but should put them back in when not scuba diving.  It is also important to rinse your scuba fins with fresh water after scuba diving.  Inspect the fin straps periodically and always keep a spare fin strap assembly on hand for emergencies.  With a little extra effort your scuba fins will become your best friends and give you many years of devoted service.