6Mistake Number Three
258About GUE
7Mistake Number Four
259Selecting The Right Dive Gear For You
8The Purpose of This Guidebook & Its Value To You
260Dive Gear Color
9A Note to Scuba Diving Instructors
261Your Mask, Defog & Mask Preparation
10Scuba Diving: What is it, really?
262Nose Pocket
11Is scuba diving a sport?
263Mask: Proper Fit
12Scuba Diving: Why?
264The Arch Over The Nose
13Marine Life, Corals & Other Treasures
265Mask Purge & Low Volume
14Conservation & Eco-Tourism
266Lenses & Prescription Lenses
15Travel+
267Mask Skirt
16A Social Community
268Issues With Cheap Masks
17Exploration & Unique Adventures
269Mask Fogging
18Photography & Videography
270Preparing a New Mask for First Use
19An Astronaut & A Bird
271Mask Defog Before Each Dive
20Underwater Meditation & Yoga
272After-Dive Mask Maintenance
21Rehabilitation
273About Full-Face Masks
22Awe Therapy
274Mask: Final Verdict
23A Blue Mind
275Mask Skills
24Learning To Dive: Reality Check
276Your Snorkel & Snorkel Attachment
25Navigational Hazards on Your Journey
277Snorkel or No Snorkel?
26Time & Commitment
278Snorkel Selection
27Finding “Professional” Professionals
279How To Wear A Snorkel
28The Safety-Performance-Fun (SPF) Framework to Learn to Dive
280Diving Skills With a Snorkel
29Safety First
281Your Fins, Booties & Socks
30Performance & Value
282Socks & Booties
31Fun
283Fin Types
32A.S.K. Quality
284Fin Propulsion
33Is scuba diving for me?
285About Split Fins
34Alternatives To Scuba Diving That Are Also Good Preparatory Steps
286Other Fin Selection Criteria
35Swimming
287Your Exposure Protection & Wetsuits
36Snorkeling
288Abrasion Protection
37Surface-Supplied Air (Tankless) Diving
289Types of Exposure Suits
38How To Use This Guidebook
290Models of Exposure Suits
39Survey Says
291Wetsuit Sizing
40Additional References
292Scuba Diving Wetsuits
41Limitations of This Book
293Thickness of Wetsuits
42Units of Measure
294What is cold or warm water?
43Support & Feedback
295Wetsuit Diving Tricks
442. Setting The Stage To Learn To Dive
296Your Extremities
45Certifications vs. Licenses
297Maintenance
46What is a certification card?
298Your Regulator
47Do I need a certification to go scuba diving?
299Rental Regulators
48A Scuba Certification Card (C-Card) is Not a License
300Regulator Purchasing Criteria
49Myth-Busting
301Diving Skills Related To Your Regulator
50“Sharks are dangerous!”
302Your Alternate/Redundant Air Source
51“Scuba diving is for everybody. It’s easy!” vs. “Scuba diving is not for everybody. It’s hard!”
303Redundant Air Sources
52“Scuba diving was for my grandfather!”
304Your Instruments
53“I need to be a good swimmer” vs. “I don’t need to know how to swim”
305Skills Related to Using Your Dive Instruments
54“Scuba is expensive!”
306Your Dive Computer
55“Scuba divers use oxygen tanks.”
307Apple: A Game Changer?
565 Types of Scuba Diving
308Your BCD: Buoyancy Compensator
57The Scuba Diving Community & Finding Your Tribe
309Jacket vs. Back-Inflate
58Three Core Ingredients: Gear, Training & Water
310A 3rd Choice: Sidemount
59Depth, Time, No-Decompression Limits & Surface Intervals
311Purchase, Rental & Fit
60Altitude Diving
312Other BCD Considerations
61The Depth Limits
313Skills Related to Using The BCD
62The Depth Confusion For Entry-Level Divers
314Your Weights
63The Levels of Certification: Which Ones Matter?
315Skills Related To Weights
64Entry-Level Open Water Diver
316Emergency & Safety Tools
65Core Levels of Recreational Scuba Diving Training Beyond Entry-Level
317Knife & Shears
66Specialty Training in Recreational Diving
318Noise Maker
67Buoyancy: Descending & Inflating, Ascending & Deflating
319Underwater Light
68Decompression Sickness (DCS or The Bends) & Barotrauma
320SMB & DSMB
69Decompression Sickness (DCS)
321DSMB Skills
70Decompression Illnesses (DCI)
322Save-a-Dive Kit
71Arterial Gas Embolism (AGE)
323Rinsing, Disinfecting & Drying Gear After a Dive
72Barotrauma
324Repair & Maintenance
73Lung Over-Expansion Injury
325Where To Find a Good Service Technician
74Pressure & Equalizing
326Self-Identification of Problems
75Middle-Ear Barotrauma
327Warranty & Recalls
76Sinus Squeeze
328Service Around The World
77Mask Squeeze
329What To Buy & What To Rent
78Other Dangers Inherent to Scuba Diving
330Gear Cost & Travel Cost Considerations
79Nitrogen Narcosis
331What if I don’t like scuba, and I bought all this gear?
80Oxygen Toxicity
332Should I buy second-hand?
81Contaminated Breathing Gas: The Silent Killer (part 1)
333Should I buy online or in person?
82Over-exertion & Hyperventilation
334Sizing & Availability
83Immersion Pulmonary Edema (IPE)
335Product & Brand Selection
84Marine Life Injuries
336Pricing
85Even More Dangers…
3378. (Additional) Scuba Diving Skills
86You Can Deal With Dangers
338Breathing Underwater
87Next Steps
339"Just Breathe Normally" – Not
883. The Dive Professionals & Organizations
340Slow, Deep Breathing
89Dive Training Agencies: What are they?
341Air Consumption
90Which dive training agency is best for me?
342Returning Pressure
91An Internationally Recognized C-Card
343Out-of-Air Drills
92The Best Dive Training Agency For You
344Out-of-Air Certification Skills
93The Cost of Online Learning (part 1)
345The CESA & Gaining Confidence in Shallow Water
94A Review of Dive Training Agencies: Survey Results
346Long Hose Configuration
95PADI: The Professional Association of Diving Instructors
347The Mammalian Reflex & Diving With A Mask
96Other Dive Training Agencies
348Mask Skills
97Ranking of Dive Training Agencies
349Getting Comfortable With Your Face In The Water & Knowing It
98Dive Industry Standards
350Other Mask Tricks
99Cylinders & Compressed Gas Standards
351Propulsion: Finning
100Dive Gear Standards
352The Bicycle Kick Reality
101Dive Training Standards
353The Flutter Kick
102ISO Standards
354The Frog Kick
103The Dive Professionals
355The Helicopter Turn
104Divemasters
356The Reverse or Back Kick
105Dive Instructors
357The Dolphin Kick
106Other Dive Instructor Ratings
358Snorkeling Skills
107The Dive Centers
359Fin Kicks For Snorkeling
108The 6 Businesses Inside a Dive Center
360Snorkeling Skills in The PADI Open Water Diver Course
109Dive Destinations, Dive Resorts & Destination Dive Centers
361Duck Diving
110Origin Markets, Origin Dive Centers & Local Dive Shops
362One Up, One Down
111Dive Center Ratings: Should I Care?
363How much weight do I need?
112The Traps & Pitfalls In The Dive Industry & What They Mean For You
364The Floating at Eye Level Test
113Close Calls
365Rule of Thumb: How Much Weight?
114Cheap Scuba Courses
366Buoyancy & Trim
115Starving Dive Instructors
367Weight Distribution & Trim
116The Overnight Dive Instructor
368A Fish in the Current
117The Most Difficult Course Is Given To The Least Experienced Instructor
369Fine-Tuning With Breathing
118Rushed Dive Instructors
370Skills Related to Buoyancy & Trim
119The Out-of-Practice Dive Instructor
371The Infamous Fin Pivot Skill
120A Lack of Operating Standards
372Doing Skills While Neutrally Buoyant
121Incompetent & Unaware
373The Over-Weighted Student
122Peddling Courses & Chasing Certs
374Learning To Dive While Neutrally Buoyant
123Pressure To Buy Dive Gear
375The Learning Wheels
124Questionable Dive Travel Practices
376Pre-Dive Safety Check
125The Lack of Quality Assurance
377Skills Related To Pre-Dive Safety Check
126Can I Trust Online Reviews?
378What is part of a predive safety (or buddy) check?
127A Word About Yelp
379Entries & Exits
128How To Select The Right Dive Instructor For You (Preliminary)
380Donning Fins
129Trust But Verify
381Giant Stride Entry
130Evaluating More Than One Dive Instructor
382Back Roll Entry
131A Learning Agreement
383Exits - Dive Boats
132Are They Even Dive Instructors?
384Exits - Shore Diving
133Trust & Delegate
385Entry & Exit Skills
134How To Select The Right Dive Center For You (Preliminary)
386Descents, Ascents & Safety Stops
135Next Steps
387Certification Skills Related to Descents, Ascents & Safety Stops
1364. Scuba Certification & You
388Safety Stops
137Learning With a Coach vs. Buying a C-Card
389Navigation
138The Four Stages of Your Open Water Diver Course
390Navigation Skills for Certification
139Preparation
391Proper Navigation
140Academics (Theory)
392Debriefings
141Pool Dives
393The Missing Skills
142Open Water Dives
3949. Safety Skills & Culture
143Referrals
395A Culture of Safety
144Mastery & Performance-Based Learning
396A Culture of Silence
145How long will it take?
397Impossible Standards
146The Way It Is Typically Done
398Scuba Accidents & Statistics
147How much will it cost?
399Murphy’s Law & The Train Wreck
148The Cost of Online Learning (part 2)
400Don’t Ask For Troubles
149A Private Course
401Stick To Your Guns
150Entry-Level Prerequisites
402Calling A Dive
151Swimming, Watermanship & Diving
403Peer Pressure & Self-Imposed Stress
152Liability & Liability Releases
404Pressure From Family, Friends & Dive Buddies
153Women & Diving
405Pressure From Dive Professionals
154Women’s Health & Diving
406Pressure From Oneself
155Dive Gear for Women
407Task Loading
156Sexism & Harassment
408Plan Your Dive & Dive Your Plan
157Children & Diving
409Diving Skills Related to Dive Planning
158Disabled & Diving
410Emergency Action Plan (EAP)
1595. Learn to Dive for Safety, Performance & Fun
411Where is the O2? And the first aid kit?
160The Magic Math Behind the SPF Way of Diving
412First Aid Skills & Marine Life Injuries
1611. The Baseline: Knowledge (K) and Skills (S)
413Recall System
1622. The Multiplier: Attitude (A)
414Roster Management: Will I be left behind?
1633. The "Results": Safety, Performance, and Fun
415Surface Safety, Identification, Dive Flags & Boat Traffic
164Attitude, Attitude, Attitude
416The Dive Flag
165Learn From Your Mistakes
417Currents
166Arrive Early
418Rip Currents
167Ask!
419Situational Awareness
168Listen
420Dealing With Decompression Sickness (DCS)
169The SPF Way To Understand the Theory of Diving
421What is the treatment for DCS?
170The SPF Way To Master the Pool Skills
422Flying After Diving
171The SPF Way To Do The Open Water Certification Dives
42310. Cylinders, Fill Stations & Quality of Air
172How Many Dives?
424Cylinders (Tanks)
173What About Local Dives?
425Cylinder Sizes
174Boat Dives or Shore Dives?
426Cylinder Valves & Threads
175Group Dive Trips
427Hydro Tests & Cylinder Inspection
176You Did a Crash Course. Now What?
428Cylinder Handling
177The Buddy System, Friends & Spouses
429The Silent Killer (part 2)
178Buddy Diving in Your Open Water Diver Course
430Where is the air from?
179How To Dive With a Buddy
431Analyzers: Nitrox & CO
180Your Dive Buddy's Gear
432Cylinder Fills
181Skills Related To Diving With a Buddy
433Filling in Water
182Your Responsibility as a Dive Buddy
434Public Access
183Who is the best dive buddy for me?
435The Bad Alloy
184A Self-Reliant Approach
43611. The Environment & You
185Air or Nitrox?
437The Underwater World & You
186Preventing Problems Associated With Nitrogen
438Do Not Make Things Worse
187Enriched-Air vs. Nitrox
439On-Site Behavior
188Problems Associated With O2
440Sunscreen
189MOD of Various Nitrox Mixes
441Gloves
190Is Nitrox Safer?
442Packaging
191A Nitrox Diver C-Card
443Wetsuits
192Nitrox & Your Open Water Diver Course
444Underwater Photography & Flashes
193Nitrox vs. Dive Equipment
445Ecotourism & Local Communities
194Dive Tables or Dive Computers?
446Standards on Environmentally Sustainable Practices in Recreational Diving
195Why learn with a dive computer?
447Green Fins
196Checklists, Slates & Routines
448Shark-Feeding Dives
197Slates & Wet Notes
449Educating Yourself About The Underwater World
198Logbooks
450How To Select a Green (Blue) Dive Operator
199But what about today?
451The Danger of Greenwashing
200The Value of a Paper Logbook
452How can I select a green dive operator?
201The Ultimate Value of a Logbook
45312. Going Diving
202Visualization & Mental Rehearsal
454Local Diving
2036. Your Health & Fitness To Dive
455How to Pick a Dive Destination
204DAN: Divers Alert Network
456How To Pick a Dive Site
205DAN & Your Dive Instructor
457How To Pack & Travel With Dive Gear
206The DAN Student Program
458Dive Trips With Your Local Dive Center
207The Medical Questionnaire
459Liveaboard vs. Land-based Resorts vs. Cruise Ships
208Honesty In Filling Up The Medical Questionnaire
460“Check Dives”
209Which Doctor To See
461Picking or Being Assigned a Dive Buddy
210Yes/No & Privacy of Information
462Pre-Dive Briefings & Signals
211Your Ears & Equalizing
463Diving Skills Related to Pre-Dive Briefings & Signals
212What about swimmer earplugs?
464The Three Speeds in Scuba Diving
213The Valsalva Method
465The Dive Leader’s Role & How To See More
214Swallowing: The Toynbee Maneuver
466Diving With Sharks & Shark Attack Prevention
215The Frenzel Maneuver
467Tipping or No Tipping?
216Diving While Being Congested
46813. What’s Next?
217Diving Skills Related to Equalizing
469Stay The Course: Master The Fun
218Seasickness
470Do Not Copy The Pros
219Puking Underwater
471Learn From Your Mistakes
220Motion Sickness Medication
472“Advanced” (Additional) Open Water Diving Skills
221Seasickness Prevention
473The Skills in The Advanced Open Water Diver Course
222But what if I still end up vomiting?
474The Next-Levels of Training: The Skills That Matter
223Plan To Mitigate Risks of Seasickness
475A Career in Diving
224Nutrition & Seasickness Prevention
476A Final Word
225Dehydration
477Appendices
226Peeing. How do you pee when underwater?
478I – Criteria To Use & Questions To Ask
227Nutrition To Dive
479It’s About More Than Just The Answers
228Hydration
480It's a Tool
229Nutrition & Seasickness
481II – Selecting a Dive Training Agency
230Nutrition & Congestion
482III – Selecting an Open Water Diver Certification Course
231Sample Scuba Diver Diet
483IV – Evaluating The Real Costs of Your Open-Water Diver Course
232Fitness To Dive
484V – Selecting a Dive Instructor
233Scuba & Smoking
485VI – Selecting a Dive Center
234Fitness Training
486General Evaluation of a Dive Center
235Stress, Anxiety & Panic
487Evaluating The Training Department of a Dive Center
236Red Flags in the Open Water Diver Course
488Evaluating Rental Gear
237Additional Tips
489Checking The Fill Station
238What To Do After a Panic?
490Deciding If You Should Buy Equipment At That Dive Center
239Adrenaline Rush & Stop-Think-Act
491VII – Selecting a Dive Boat Operator
240Hygiene & Dive Gear
492VIII – Selecting a Dive Destination
241Skills Related to Post-Dive Gear Care
493IX – Selecting a Group to Travel With
242Diving After an Infection
494X – Selecting a “Green” Operator
2437. Gear Choices for SPF Diving
495XI – Planning & Keeping Track of Your Dive Gear
244General Dive Gear-Related Diving Skills
496XII – Self-Evaluating Your Open-Water Diver Skills For Mastery
245Getting Familiar With Your Equipment
497Skills To Master in The Pool (Confined Water)
246Exposure Suit & Pool Dives
498Skills To Demonstrate in Open Water
247What My Instructor Is Wearing
499XIII – My New Diver Creed
248The Store Uniform
500XIV – Additional Resources
249Dive Gear Brands
501Also By Darcy Kieran
250What brand is the best?
502Your Feedback, Please!
251Recalls
503About Us
252Gear Configuration & Streamlining
504Connect With Us
