Scuba Diving and On-line Piracy

1. Scuba Diving and On-line Piracy The Common Link in a Web of Conspiracy Casey Nelson & Caryl Gonzalez

2. SCUBA • Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus • Compressed air tank • Buoyancy compensator (BC) • Regulator • Weight belt • Mask, snorkel • fins

3. Scuba Diving • A brief history… • Young skin divers in search of seafood • Breath holders • Greeks to early 1900s • 19th century: effects of water pressure on body, safe limits of compressed diving • 1948 Rene Bussoz of Rene’s Sporting Goods in Westwood, California • Imported Aqua-Lung

4. Scuba Diving • 1960s • Equipment improves to similar to what we use today • 1983 • Dive computer introduced • 1990s • Advances in technology of mixed gases, full face masks, underwater voice communication

5. Training standards • Aqua-Lung (Depression Era) • Sold to anyone • Formal training programs • Military, scientific institutions, dive clubs • Neal Hess certifies divers (1950s) • Instructors • National Diving Patrol • Al Tillman (1953) • Sports director for LA county • World’s first public dive training agency • World’s first civilian Underwater Instructor Certification course

6. Training standards • 1960s • Accident rates for scuba divers increase • NAUI (National Assoc of Underwater Instructors) • Formed in 1960 • More rigorous • PADI (Professional Assoc of Diving Instructors) • Formed in 1966

7. Basic Concepts • You are under pressure while diving • The deeper you go, the more water pressure you experience • Air tank supplies you with air at pressures equal to the surrounding water • Air-filled spaces-you must breathe! • Lungs, sinuses, middle ear • All these spaces must be filled with air equal to surrounding pressure • No diving with cold, sinus congestion or anything that restricts movement of air between these spaces

8. Basic Concepts • You must breathe all the time while diving • NEVER hold your breath while breathing compressed air • As you ascend, the surrounding water pressure decreases • Air expands as you ascend • Breathe naturally to vent this air • Learning to control your buoyancy

9. Basic Concepts • What if I run out of air? • Guage, extra regulator • What if I get too excited? • What if something goes wrong? • Why you get certified… • What if I see a shark? • Most experienced divers have never seen a shark

10. Decompression sickness • Air= Oxygen + Nitrogen • Oxygen • At the surface • Balance of Nitrogen consumed and eliminated • Under increased pressure • Concentration of Nitrogen is increased • Balance is upset • After spending time under pressure, quantity of Nitrogen increases in your tissues • Idea is to control amount absorbed and rate it is eliminated

11. Decompression sickness • As you ascend, “outgassing” occurs • Excess nitrogen passes from the body tissues to blood to lungs and is expired • If change in pressure is sudden • Nitrogen comes out of solution suddenly • Bubbles form in body tissues • The “bends”

12. Scuba Diver • Scuba Diver or Open Water Certification • PADI • Scuba Diver is pre-entry level • For vacation diving • Subprogram of Open Water Certification • Open Water Certification is basis of all certifications

13. Open Water Certification • Learn fundamental knowledge and skills to dive • When finished, competent to dive in open water without supervision • Provided diving activities and areas dived are similar to those in training • Minimum age is 15yrs • Includes classroom sessions, pool sessions and open water dives • 3 for PADI, 5 for NAUI

14. Open Water Certification • Can dive to 60 ft • Daytime diving • Equipment: • Mask, snorkel, fins, booties • Weight belt • BC, regulator • Book packet with dive charts

15. Open Water Certification • Can complete over weekend plus 2 days for open water dive • Or…can complete over several weeks, meeting 1-2 times per week plus open water dive • Not cheap • Class: $175.00 • Books: $50.00 • Equipment: anywhere from $50-200 depending on quality and what you buy • Open water dive: Hotel plus fee for dive ($10-15)

16. Other Certifications • Adventure Scuba Diver • Boat Diver, Underwater Naturalist, Fish Identification • Advanced Scuba Diver • 5 Adventure Dives • Master Scuba Diver • Highest recreational diver level • Significant training and experience in wide variety of environments

17. Other Certifications • Rescue Diver, Advanced Rescue Diver • Night Diver • Search and Recovery Diver • Underwater Ecologist • Wreck Diver • Ice Diver • Deep Diver • Cave Diver, Cavern Diver • And on and on and on……

18. http://rbdg.com/reb/dive/Cozumel2003/index.php

19. VERY(!) approximate trip costs: • Flower Garden Banks Nat’l Marine Sanctuary 2-3 night live-aboards… $325-400 all inclusive except for tips (10-15%) Trips scheduled thru local dive shops w/ any of 3 charter operators <http://flowergarden.noaa.gov> • Cozumel 7 nights w/ Buena Ventura Diving & hotel accommodations … $425 - $700 + travel, meals! • Little Cayman @ Pirates Point Resort weekly dive pkg … $1,495 + travel! • Galapagos 7 night live-aboard (Sky Dancer) … $2,695 + travel!

20. Local Dive Shops • Texas A & M Galveston • Diver’s Paradise • 20801 Gulf Fwy, Webster, TX • 281-332-9982 • Sport Divers of Houston • www.sport-divers.com • 20710 Gulf Fwy, Webster, TX • 281-338-1611

21. Local Dive Shops • Budget Scuba • 5103 East Wallisville Rd, Baytown, TX • 281-421-2018 • $259.00 for class, books, certification fees, rental gear for open water, pool time • Extra for equipment you buy

22. Local Dive Shops • Gigglin’ Marlin Divers • 2211 Richmond, Houston • 281-445-3483 • Sea Sports Scuba • 7543 Westheimer, Houston • 713-977-0028

23. Remember… • When you go diving, you are usually the most dangerous animal in the water!