Scuba Diving Equipment - the Scuba Mask

For most of us the first piece of scuba equipment that we purchase is the Scuba Mask.  Most of the major pieces of Scuba Dive  Equipment like the scuba regulator, buoyancy control device or BCD, scuba cylinder and the scuba diving wet suit are loaned to you when you are taking your initial scuba lessons.  The personal items, your scuba mask, your snorkel, scuba boots and scuba fins are not.  You are expected to purchase these items.  At Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy, my Dive Center in Northern Virginia, this is exactly what we do in our Open Water Scuba Course, which is the beginner scuba course.

Why Do You Need A Scuba Mask?

Your eyes require an air space in front of them so that your eyes can focus properly.   When we swim or are in the water we no longer have that air space.  Therefore while you can still see, your eyes cannot focus properly and everything is blurry.  Your scuba mask creates this air space in front of your eyes and thus you are able to see while in the water whether your are snorkeling or scuba diving.  It is an essential piece of Scuba diving equipment.

How to fit a Scuba Mask?

Scuba diving masks do not come in sizes like other pieces of diving equipment.  Scuba Masks, do however, come in a variety of different shapes and colors.  It is essential to find a scuba mask that fits properly to prevent water leakage or rubbing.  The trick is to simply try the scuba mask on without the strap.  While it is in place inhale.  While inhaling the scuba mask should stay in place properly without leaking air.  If it does fit properly the next step is to check and make sure that it does not rub on any place on your face that has a bony prominence, like your nose, eye brows or checks.

If it passes these two tests then you can narrow your search by taking into consideration any special features that the ask might offer.

What Features to Look For in a Scuba Mask?

Two Lenses or One Lens?

There are a wide variety of features available in scuba masks.  Some masks have two separate lenses some only on large lens.  Many of the scuba masks with two lenses, but not all, accept prescription lenses.    If you wear glasses a Prescription Mask is a very nice option.  The single lens scuba mask does let in more light.  Many scuba divers feel the extra light lessons any feeling of claustrophobia.  The single lens scuba mask has a lower volume so it is somewhat easier to clear when you flood it with water.

Side Windows or No Side Window?

Some scuba masks offer side windows.  These side windows allow a degree of peripheral vision.  Many divers like this option and many do not care.  Side windows on a scuba mask do tend to increase the price of the mask by about $10.00.  The side windows also increase the volume of the scuba mask and thus it is somewhat harder to clear when flooded.

Swivel Buckles

Another option that is available on a scuba mask is swivel buckles.  The swivel buckles allow the scuba diver to more easily tilt the mask away from your face when you are letting water in the mask to help defog it.  The swivels are nice but not essential.

Comfort and Fit

The single most important feature of a scuba mask is comfort and fit.  If your scuba mask is not comfortable you will find yourself purchasing a new scuba mask far earlier then you might need to do so.  Always try on several scuba masks and when you narrow down the scuba masks according to the available options let comfort and fit be the tie breaker to help you decide.

How to Care For Your Scuba Mask?

When a scuba mask is manufactured the entire mask is sprayed with silicone spray to coat the mask frame and to make it shiny.  This silicone spray also gets on the glass lenses and should be removed.  The best way is to use either some toothpaste or a product called Sea Buff.  Put a little on your finger tips and rub it onto the scuba mask lenses inside and out.  Rinse it off and you are good to go.

Every time you scuba dive or snorkel you need to rinse the mask prior to putting it away.  Be sure and dry the mask and then store it in the hard plastic box that came with the scuba mask.  If you put it in the box without drying it first the scuba mask will mildew.

There are many very good manufacturers of quality scuba masks.  Scuba Pro Diving Equipment, Sub Gear Diving Equipment, Mares, Sherwood Diving Equipment and Aeris Diving Equipment are only a few.

Scuba Dive Equipment in Northern Virginia or anyplace else is expensive but with a little extra care it will last many years.   Equipment care should be a part of any Scuba Classes Northern Virginia or Scuba Classes anywhere for that matter.

WINTER SCUBA DIVE TRAINING IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA

Learning to Scuba Dive:

Learning to Scuba Dive involves taking the Open Water Dive Course, which consists of two parts.  The first part is the Class and Pool sessions where you learn the basic theory of scuba diving and the necessary dive skills needed to scuba dive safely.  Once  that is completed the diver has to complete four Open Water Dives prior to certification.  This is an opportunity to practice these skills in an actual dive environment and show that they are ready to dive without supervision.

Learning to Scuba Dive in Northern Virginia

Learning to scuba dive in Northern Virginia is different then learning to scuba dive elsewhere.  Since the winters are quite cold in Northern Virginia, that really precludes any local open water training options.

Most any Dive Center in Northern Virginia will offer the Open Water Scuba course year round but will only include the Open Water Dive portion part of the year.  In the late fall to early spring it is far too cold to dive locally.  Thus they offer the class and pool sessions year round.  Divers taking the Open Water Diver Course in the winter will either wait until spring to complete the dives or perhaps take what is known as a Letter of Referral and complete their dives elsewhere.

Dive Center Sponsored Scuba Trips

Many Dive Centers, like Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy in Alexandria, Virginia offer a full array of Dive Travel, that is  Scuba Trips to the Caribbean and other exotic scuba diving destinations.  These trips are perfect venues for completing the Open Water portion of your Open Water Scuba Course.  Best of all these trips are run by Certified Instructors so in addition to the Open Water Course dives many other continuing scuba education courses can be taken.

The Advanced Open Water Course is a natural but so are many Scuba  Specialty Diver Courses.  Underwater Digital Photography, Fish Identification, Night Diver, Deep Diver, Boat Diver and depending on your scuba vacation trip destination Drift Diver may also be an option.

Scuba Courses Without Dives: Perfect for the Winter

There are a number of scuba diving courses that do not include scuba dives as part of the course.   Since we cannot do local divers during the winter these are a great way of staying active in scuba diving and still continuing your scuba diving education.

The most popular is Enriched Air Nitrox Diver.   Nitrox allows the diver to stay on the dive longer then one could while breathing air.  Equipment Specialist where you learn about the scuba diving equipment and how to care for it is also a popular winter scuba diving course.

Winter is no excuse to not dive.  Aquatic Adventures offers scuba diving travel through out the year and our winter scuba dive trips are among the most popular.  Courses with dives as part of the program can be taken and the dives completed on one of our dive trips or in the spring.  Many scuba diving courses do not include dives and these are perfect for winter.  All in all, winter is a great time to learn to dive.

Learn to Scuba Dive the Right Way

When you decide to Learn to Scuba Dive in Northern Virginia or anywhere else  it involves much more then just learning the basic scuba diving skills and theory.  It involves understanding them and putting them to practice the proper way.  At Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy in Alexandria Northern Virginia, a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Dive Center, we pride ourselves on not only teaching scuba diving but making our graduates safe divers that actively dive and enjoy the sport.  Just what is involved in becoming a safe and active scuba diver?

Learn to Scuba Dive the Right Way

Learning to Scuba Dive the right way involves taking classes at a Northern Virginia Dive Center or a Dive Center located elsewhere that is dedicated to teaching the proper techniques and safety protocols rather then just turning out divers.  Today many dive centers skip the basics like dive tables.  Yes, most of us dive with Dive Computers today but we still need to follow the basic principles of safe scuba diving and the best way to learn those is to learn how to use the Dive Tables and follow those principles whether we are using the tables or a scuba diving computer.  A simple analogy of this is almost all of us use a calculator but we could not use it properly if we did not learn the basics of math (times tables, etc) as a child.  The same is true for Scuba Diving Computers.  If we do not follow the basic rules we learned as a new diver, do your deeper dive first regardless of whether we are using a dive computer or not we are putting ourselves at greater risk of problems by ignoring these rules.

The Proper Scuba Diving Equipment is Essential: Know How to Use It and Care for It

A Dive Center that truly specializes in Scuba Dive Equipment in Northern Virginia or anywhere else that people dive will make sure that their patrons understand and properly use the equipment that they sell.  At Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy we instruct all purchasers of equipment on how to safely use the equipment and how to take care of it.  If a diver purchases a package (Scuba regulator, buoyancy control device and computer gauges) we even give them the PADI Equipment Specialist Course at no charge to make sure the they get the most out of their new equipment.  Proper instruction on scuba equipment use and safety is paramount and it is also something that is not received by those who buy equipment on line.

Always follow the manufacturers recommendations as to routine maintenance and care.  Annual Scuba Diving Equipment Service is essential for not only safety but to maintain the warranty that came with the scuba diving equipment.

Scuba Dive Travel: The Best Scuba Divers are Active Scuba Divers

First you Learn to Scuba Dive, then you obtain good quality Scuba Diving Equipment.  The next step is to go scuba diving.  The more that you scuba dive the better the scuba diver that you become.  Practice makes perfect and do not forget that all important Scuba Continuing Education class.  PADI Specialty Diver Courses such as the PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Course are great for honing skills and becoming a safer scuba diver.  Courses like the PADI Aware Fish Identification course are great for learning more about what you are looking at and enjoying your scuba dives more.    When you are on that next great Aquatic Adventure you will appreciate the time you spent learning to scuba dive, getting the proper scuba diving equipment and learning how to use and just plain getting out and scuba diving.

Why You Should Learn to Scuba Dive in Northern Virginia

OK, you have decided to learn to scuba dive.  Great decision, it will be one of the most exciting things that you have ever done.  But now the question is where do you learn to scuba dive?  You can learn to dive locally, here in Northern Virginia.  You can learn to scuba dive while on vacation in the Caribbean or you can do the class and pool here and the open water dives while on vacation.  Which is the best for you?

Many of us decide to learn to scuba dive because we have a vacation scheduled at some exotic tropical location, and the thought of scuba diving there is irresistible.  Learning to scuba dive involves taking the Open Water Dive Course, which is the entry level full certification.  This course has two parts: the Class & Pool, where you really learn the skills and theory.  And the Open Water Dives, where you cement those skills and get to practice them in an actual diving environment.  This course is offered locally at your Dive Center in Northern Virginia, it is also offered at many resorts throughout the world.  Which to choose?

Take the Open Water Class & Pool Locally in Northern Virginia

Many prospective scuba divers decide to take the class and pool sessions locally and then complete the dives while on vacation.  This is a very viable option.  Taking the class & pool locally means that you do not waste valuable vacation time sitting in a classroom or practicing in the pool.  You do this at home well prior to your trip, at your local Dive Center in Northern Virginia.  In addition by completing the Open Water Course class and pool at home well prior to your vacation you have extra time to work on things should problems arise. like getting a cold or just needing extra practice time to perfect those skills.  Locally you are not rushed like you are while on a vacation with limited time available.  Your local PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Dive Center, like Aquatic Adventures has the PADI Open Water Course scheduled on a regular basis and can easily provide one that fits your busy schedule.   Taking your Scuba Classes  Northern Virginia also give you the advantage of selecting just the right Dive Center for you.  If you wait until you are on vacation you are limited to what is offered at your resort and the schedule may not fit your needs.

Lastly, and just as important when your start your Open Water Course locally you will select various items of personal scuba diving equipment, like your scuba mask, snorkel and scuba fins.  Selecting these at your local PADI Dive Center in Northern Virginia means that you have a far greater selection then at a dive resort and down the line should you need service your local PADI Dive Center can provide that for you.  Your resort is not readily accessible and cannot match the service of your local PADI Dive Center.

Once you finish your Open Water Class & Pool your local Dive Center will provide you with a Letter of Referral allowing you to complete your Open Water Dives at any PADI Dive Center or PADI Resort around the world within 12 months.

Take the entire Open Water Course in Northern Virginia

While taking the entire Open Water Course in Northern Virginia does not sound as exotic as learning to dive in the Caribbean there are many practical advantages to learning to dive in Northern Virginia.  We have already looked at the advantages of taking the Open Water Course class & pool locally now lets look at why we would want to complete the Open Water Course dives locally.

When you complete your Open Water Course dives while on vacation, granted the dive sites are often nicer but you are spending much of your vacation time doing skills rather then exploring the reef.  When you complete your Open Water Course dives locally your are already certified when you go on vacation and can spend all of your dive time exploring and enjoying the reefs.

A second advantage to taking your entire PADI Open Water Course in Northern Virginia is that when you do your dives you are completing them with the same Instructors that you had in the class & pool, so they know you and your strengths and weaknesses and you know them so you will be more comfortable during your dives.  In addition Scuba Diving in Northern Virginia involves using  scuba diving wetsuits and learning better buoyancy skills then in the warm water locations of the Caribbean.

Scuba Lessons in Northern Virginia

Scuba Lessons and Scuba Diving Training involve more then just learning to scuba dive.  Many scuba divers who are already certified will take Scuba Continuing Education Courses prior to their planned vacation.  A good example is the PADI Enriched Air – Nitrox course.  Diving with enriched air allows the diver longer bottom times – that is more time to enjoy exploring the reef.

Regardless of which option you choose the important thing is to get out and learn to scuba dive.  Then you are ready for your next great Aquatic Adventures.

The Best Scuba Diving Equipment in Northern Virginia – Buying a Buoyancy Control Device or BCD

Why Should I purchase a BCD and not rent one?

Deciding to purchase Scuba diving equipment rather then renting it is a big decision and on of the best ones that you as a Scuba Diver will ever make.  And of all of the major pieces of Scuba Equipment in Northern Virginia the first to purchase is your Buoyancy Control Device or BCD.   Why is the BCD even more important to purchase then a regulator?  The answer is that your BCD comes in sizes and regulators do not.  Since we are all built differently and no two of us are exactly alike finding a good buoyancy control device that fits properly is hard to do and almost all of us would be better off with our own.  One that fits us properly rather then just wearing a rental BCD that probably does not fit exactly as it should.  Another reason is that men and women are obviously built differently.  Most resorts have generic BCD’s available for rent.  When on vacation you use what they have on hand whether it fits perfectly or not.  Consequently, rental BCD’s do not give you the control that your own Buoyancy Control Device would.

Selecting Scuba Diving Equipment Northern Virginia – What Buoyancy Control Device should I purchase?

This is an important question because Scuba Diving Northern Virginia is different then scuba diving elsewhere.  Why?  For one thing the water locally in Northern Virginia is colder then elsewhere so Scuba Diving Northern Virginia requires a heavier wetsuit then elsewhere.  A heavier wetsuit means that the Scuba Diver needs more weight to counter the thicker wetsuit.  Consequently, since the diver is using more weight the Buoyancy Control Device in Northern Virginia needs more lift then a BCD used in warmer waters like the Caribbean.

The trained staff at a Northern Virginia Dive Center like Aquatic Adventures will know this and help you select a BCD that can be used locally as well as on a Scuba diving vacation or trip to places like the Caribbean.

What Type of Buoyancy Control Device Should I Purchase?

There are several types of Buoyancy Control Devices and selecting the proper one for yourself is not overly difficult.  Start by selecting a local dive center that has a good assortment of quality brands of Scuba Equipment.  Scuba Pro Dive Equipment and Zeagle Diving Equipment are two of the finer lines of Buoyancy Control Devices available.  Zeagle Diving Equipment specializes in rear inflation BCD”s while SCUBA PRO has both jacket style BCD’s and rear inflation BCD’s.

Jacket Style BCD’s are the most popular and part of the reason for that is they have been around longer.  Another reason is that most dive centers and resorts use less expensive jacket style BCD’s in their rental line and people very often tend to purchase what they are most familiar with.

Jacket style BCD’s tend to be less expensive then the rear inflation BCD’s.  Since the jacket style BCD has a bladder that wraps completely around the diver it sometimes squeezes the diver when inflated and creates more drag when diving.  The rear inflation BCD has a bladder behind the diver so it is more comfortable and has less drag and resistance in the water.

Both styles are acceptable.  If you want a more traditional BCD, are not concerned with drag and resistance, and like feeling the squeeze so you know how much air you are putting into the BCD and want something a little less expensive then the jacket style BCD is perfect for you.  If you want less drag and resistance, to be more horizontal at depth and desire a more streamlined BCD for both diving and for packing then the rear inflation BCD is the way to go.

What is the Most Important Feature of a Buoyancy Control Device?

The single most important feature is how well it fits followed closely by does it have enough lift?  You will spend a considerable amount of time in your BCD so it should fit very comfortably.  Women especially have problems with fit and unless they are close in size to a man they should look for a BCD specifically built for a women.  If the BCD is uncomfortable it will effect your diving.  If you are concentrating on the discomfort  you will not be concentrating on diving (time, depth, etc) and you will also not be enjoying yourself as much.  The issue of lift we spoke about earlier.  Since most of us scuba dive in many different areas we often have different exposure protection for different areas and that changes the amount of weight that we might wear on a dive.  Our Buoyancy Control Device must be able to accommodate all of these.  It is far better to have more lift then you need rather then too little.

What Are Some of the Best Buoyancy Control Devices Available Today?

In the jacket style BCD the Pro Glide BCD by Scuba Pro Dive Equipment is perhaps the finest on the market.  The Avid BCD by Sherwood Diving Equipment is also an excellent jacket style BCD.  In the rear inflation Buoyancy Control Devices the Knight Hawk is an excellent BCD designed for men.  The Lady Hawk is the women’s version and both are made by Scuba Pro Dive Equipment.  Zeagle Diving Equipment makes the Stiletto for men and the Zena for women.  Both of these are excellent BCD’s and are modular so they can be custom fitted by the Dive Center.

A Final Word About Buoyancy Control Devices:

Which ever Buoyancy Control Device that you select make sure that you have seen it, held it and tried it on before purchasing it.  Always buy from a Dive Center and not on-line, that way you know the people who are helping you are divers and know dive equipment and not telephone order takers, who probably are not.  Be sure that the Dive Center is an authorized dealer for the brand Buoyancy Control Device that you are buying, like Aquatic Adventures in No Va.  Last, but not least, make sure that the Dive Center fits and adjusts the BCD before you leave the Dive Center.

Now, go out and enjoy that next great Aquatic Adventure!

Selecting the Best SCUBA Dive Equipment – Northern Virginia

Most SCUBA Divers initially learn to scuba dive with rental equipment.  Once they start to become more experienced and more proficient the majority of them make the decision to invest in better quality SCUBA Equipment for themselves.   At this point they really become a SCUBA Diver and should be congratulated and welcomed to the SCUBA diving community.

The Best Scuba Dive Equipment – is found at the Best Dive Center

Since there are so many quality brands of SCUBA Equipment deciding what to choose can be a daunting task.  One of the best ways to start is to select a Dive Center that has quality SCUBA Diving Equipment and whose advice you can trust.  You can search for Dive Centers on line and you can ask your friends who dive, what Dive Center they recommend.  A Google search for Dive Center in Northern Virginia would be one such way.  When you located a few local Dive Centers look to see if they are highly rated.  One of the highest Dive Center ratings is the PADI 5 Star Instructor Development  Dive Center rating.  This signifies a Dive Center that not only teaches SCUBA diving but trains divers to be SCUBA Instructors as well putting them well ahead of the most dive centers.  The Instructor Training is done by a PADI Course Director, the highest rated SCUBA Instructor there is.  Ask if the Course Director on staff works there full time or part time.  A full time Course Director indicates that they are serious about Instructor Training and is very desirable.  Last ask your friends and look for reviews to see if the Northern Virginia Dive Center is highly rated.  Testimonials on their webpage can be an indication of the best Scuba Dive Center in Northern Virginia.

What Brands of Scuba Dive Equipment should you select?

There are a lot of very good brands of Scuba Dive Equipment available.  Which is the best one for you?  This is another area that the Dive Center that you select can be of great assistance.  They probably carry a few highly rated brands and can help you select which is best for you individually.  Scuba Pro Dive Equipment is the highest rated line available.  They make several different Scuba Regulators so which Scuba Regulator is the best one for you?  A knowledgeable sales person at the local Scuba Dive Center can assist you in making that decision based upon the type of diving you do and how often you will Scuba Dive.

Besides Scuba Pro Diving Equipment, some of the other better brands of Scuba Diving Equipment are Sherwood Diving Equipment and Zeagle Diving Equipment.

Most important is that quality Scuba Diving Equipment requires annual servicing and you want to make sure that they Dive Center that you selected is able to accommodate this for you.  Make sure that you have your Scuba Diving Equipment serviced annually.  At Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy-Northern Virginia, we even send out reminders to our customers when it is time to have their Scuba Diving Equipment serviced.  In addition we routinely teach our customers  Scuba Diving Equipment Care that they purchased from us.

Now that we have looked at how to get started the next step is selecting what items to purchase.  Scuba Diving Regulator, Scuba Buoyancy Control Device or BCD and Scuba Diving Gauge Console or Scuba Diving Computer are the three items that most divers will  start with.  We will look at how to select these in our next discussion.

The Best SCUBA Diving Equipment in Northern Virginia – Underwater Cameras

One of my favorite aspects of SCUBA diving is being able to take photographs underwater.  I love photography in general and Underwater Photography is just my favorite.  It allows me to relive my SCUBA diving vacations again and again.  In order to become an Underwater Photographer you first have to get certified as a SCUBA Diver.  In this area you would start by finding a Dive Center like Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy a Dive Center in Northern Virginia. Aquatic Adventures offers both Scuba Classes in Northern Virginia and Scuba Dive Equipment in Northern Virginia.
Once you are Certified as a SCUBA Diver you can start taking underwater photographs right away.  However, some additional Scuba Diving Skills will come in handy.  PADI Specialty Scuba Diver Courses like the PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy which will help improve you buoyancy in the water allowing you to take better photographs without stirring up the bottom.  Needless to say other courses like PADI Underwater Digital Photography will also allow you to learn to take underwater photographs safely and to prevent common underwater photography mistakes.

Now that you have obtained your SCUBA Certification and have taken some PADI Specialty Diver Courses you are ready to start taking photographs underwater.  Good underwater photographs start with good underwater cameras.   Selecting your underwater camera or camera system is not overly difficult.  Locally you find a Dive Center in Northern Virginia like Aquatic Adventures that not only carries Dive Equipment but underwater cameras and underwater camera systems but understands them and can help you and answer you questions regarding both the cameras and underwater photography in general, and will be able to pass on some tips enabling you to take better underwater photographs.

You can start with a housed camera like the Sealife DC-1200 underwater camera and housing which will allow you to start taking underwater photographs almost immediately.   Later on you can add an underwater strobe light and or a wide angle lens to allow you to get closer and thus have more color in your underwater photographs.  You can also start off with a complete underwater camera system like the Sealife DC-1200 Elite Camera System, which contains the camera, housing, strobe and wide angle lens in a deluxe carry bag.

Which ever way you choose the next thing to do is go diving and start taking underwater photographs.  The more you take the better underwater photographer you will become.  Some of the best opportunities to take underwater photos is on one of Aquatic Adventures Scuba Diving Trips.  Remember your next Aquatic Adventure starts with Aquatic Adventures.

The Best SCUBA Diving Equipment in Alexandria Northern Virginia

If you are interested in obtaining the finest  SCUBA Diving Equipment in Northern Virginia a great place to start would be Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy located in Alexandria Northern Virginia.  Aquatic Adventures is a PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Center that offers SCUBA diving classes, all levels of SCUBA certification.  Besides SCUBA Lessons, Aquatic Adventures has a full line  of quality SCUBA Equipment,  second to none.

There are many good brands of SCUBA Diving Equipment.  However, a few brands stand out as being far better than others.  At Aquatic Adventures you will find Scuba Pro Diving Equipment and other fine brands such as Sherwood dive equipment.  Zeagle BCD’s and Aeris Dive Computers are also routinely in stock.  Dive Centers that offer only one or two quality brands will have good choices but Dive Centers that can carry many quality brands like Aquatic Adventures has the advantage of being able to offer the finest in each line of SCUBA regulator and SCUBA diving buoyancy control devices or BCD’s.

Quality Scuba diving equipment is just part of the equation, however.  In addition a high quality Dive Center will have staff that is very knowledgeable about the scuba equipment and can help you select what is best for your individual type of diving.  When you buy your SCUBA Equipment a quality dive center will also take the time to make sure that you understand your purchase and know how to get the most out of your gear and how to take care of it.  A quality Dive Center like Aquatic Adventures will also make sure that you do not make mistakes and misuse your equipment.

Last but not least a quality Dive Center will take care of you after the purchase.  They will be there to assist you should you have a problem or a question.  They are there to help you in the case of warranty repairs as well as normal routine service.  When you are in the market for quality SCUBA diving equipment stop by Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy.  You will be amazed at how much they have in stock, their reasonable prices and their knowledge and helpfulness.

The Best SCUBA Diving Lessons – Alexandria Northern Virginia

If you are interested in obtaining  SCUBA Diving Lessons in Northern Virginia a great place to start would be Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy located in Alexandria Virginia.  Aquatic Adventures is a PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Center that offers SCUBA diving lessons, all levels of SCUBA certification.  Aquatic Adventures has a staff of quality SCUBA Instructors second to none.  All levels of SCUBA classes and SCUBA courses from beginner through SCUBA Instructor level are offered year round.

Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy also offers SCUBA diving travel to many exciting locations in the Caribbean and Pacific throughout the year.  Our dive travel program is second to none and includes dive trips to locations for both long weekends and week long dive trips.  Fantastic dive locations are offer to such incredible SCUBA diving locations like Bonaire, Grand Cayman, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Cozumel and more.  If one of our group SCUBA Diving Trips does not fit your personal schedule Aquatic Adventures can arrange your own person dive trip.

Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy offers the finest SCUBA Dive Equipment of any Dive Center in Alexandria Virginia.  The best rated brands of SCUBA dive equipment are offered at fantastic prices.  Scuba Pro, Aeris, Sherwood, Mares, Sub Gear, and Zeagle Diving Equipment and Henderson Wetsuits along with DUI Dry Suits provides a selection of quality SCUBA diving equipment at Aquatic Adventures that is second to none.

Whether you are looking to learn to SCUBA dive, take that next SCUBA continuing education course, become a SCUBA Diving Professional by becoming a Divemaster or Scuba Instructor Aquatic Adventures has the appropriate SCUBA course for you.  Ready to go SCUBA diving?  Then Aquatic Adventures has a SCUBA diving travel program that will satisfy your SCUBA Diving dreams and the finest SCUBA diving equipment available.

Accessory Scuba Equipment in Northern Virginia

When diving locally the use of Accessory Scuba Equipment in Northern Virginia will make your Scuba Diving safer and more enjoyable.  There are many different pieces of accessory equipment available.  Today we will look at some of the more popular pieces and see why we might want to use them.  Most of these can be found at a quality Northern Virginia Dive Center like Aquatic Adventures.

Dive Lights in Northern Virginia

While scuba diving in local waters many divers will use Dive Lights in Northern Virginia lakes and quarries.  There are many types of dive lights available.  Most scuba divers will use three dive lights when scuba diving at night.  A primary dive light is what is used throughout the dive.  A back up dive light is also carried in case the primary light should fail.  Many scuba divers will carry their back up dive light during the day so that they can look inside nooks and crannies during the day to spot lobster, moray eels and shrimp that may be hiding.  In addition most divers will wear a marker light on their regulator.  This is to prevent buddy team separation.  There are many good manufacturers of scuba diving lights.  Hollis Dive Gear, Ikelite, and Princeton Tech are among the most popular at Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy in Northern Virginia.

Scuba Dive Gear Bags in Northern Virgnia

Scuba diving involves quite a lot of scuba equipment which needs to be transported, thus divers will have scuba dive gear bags in Northern Virginia since we often have to travel by air to get to where we are diving.  There are many types of dive gear bags.  The roller dive bags are used to carry gear that is usually part of your checked luggage when traveling by air.  A scuba regulator bag is used to carry your scuba regulator, which is usually carried on board with the diver as a carry on bag.  A mesh dive bag is what the diver uses to carry his or her gear from the hotel to the dive boat.  If comes in both a duffel and a backpack style.    Another type of scuba dive bag is the catch bag, which a diver uses to carry game, such as speared fish or lobsters caught on a scuba dive.  A dry bag is also a handy bag to have.  It allows you to carry items on board a boat that you want to be kept dry.  Akona, Mares, Scuba Pro, Sub Gear and Aeris all make good quality dive bags.

Underwater Compass in Northern Virginia

An underwater Compass is an essential piece of scuba diving equipment in Northern Virginia or anyplace else for that matter.  When scuba diving it is very important to be able to properly navigate your way around the dive and then back to the dive boat or shore.  An underwater compass is the most practical way to accomplish that.   The underwater compass can be part of your scuba gauge console, it can be a separate wrist compass or a clip on dive compass.  Some divers like a digital compass built into their dive computer but the standard underwater compass is far less expensive and very reliable.   Aeris, Sherwood, Scuba Pro, Sub Gear and Mares all make very good underwater compasses.

Dive Slates

Scuba divers often need to communicate while underwater and since they cannot talk while diving they will use either hand signals or they will often write notes on a dive slate.    Dive Slates can either be a flat piece of plastic that one writes on with a pencil or they can be a curved piece that straps to their arm.  Some have layers of plastic to allow multiple notes.  Trident Scuba and Innovative Scuba are two companies that provide underwater slates to Dive Centers.

Scuba Hoods, Scuba Dive Boots and Dive Gloves

Since it is colder diving in the Northern Virginia most scuba divers in this area will wear a Scuba Hood, Scuba Dive Boots and Dive Gloves when scuba diving.  These accessories all allow the diver to remain warmer and more comfortable when scuba diving.  They also provide extra safety from getting cut if the scuba diver were to rub up against a ship wreck or a coral head.  Henderson Aquatics,  Scuba Pro, Deep Sea, Aeris and Akona are all makers of quality dive boots, dive gloves and scuba hoods.

While there are literally dozens of additional pieces of accessory dive equipment in Northern Virginia, these are the most commonly used.    Each is designed with a specific purpose and will make your scuba diving easier and more enjoyable.