Victoria & Area Favorite Dive Spots

Good day to you all. Todays topic ..... Diving. It's always diving. I would like to share with you my favorite local dive spots: shore and boat dives. I have been asked by several visitors from abroad to name just a few that I like. Lets start off by just naming the sites as my web site will give you more detailed information on the sites themselves. In Sidney, we have the awesome beginner dive spot being Glass Beach /ReefBalls. Located just 150' from the back door of Liquid Heaven. We have approx. 750 reefBalls out front that have been placed in 10' to 35' of water over the last several years by many volunteers. Liquid Heavens' volunteers are today still placing the reefBalls one by one in exactly the location we desire them to go. We now have a ReefBall highway from the Bevan Peir to the 35' wreck and then to the Sidney Wharf. The marine life that it has attracted is very exciting as we see more life by the week. Ling Cod, perch, shrimp, eels, crabs of all sorts and sizes and many beautiful anenomeos. I dived here 25 years ago and have never seen it so wonderful. After you do your dive, enjoy the 3 headed shower in the parking area near the dive site to rinse off your dive gear. And hey, air fills for $5.

Just a hop skip and jump from Sidney we have the protected Saanich Inlet that offer many many dive sites within a few minutes walk from the parking areas. The sites that are most commonly used by divers are Moses Point, Deep Cove, Warrier point, Braemar, Dyer rocks (near Coles Bay), Henderson Point, Willis Point, Mackenzie Bight, The Lord Jim in Mill Bay just to name the most popular sites within 5 to 40 minutes a way from the store. These are all great beginner dive sites except maybe Willis point which drops off sharply into the depths and advanced experience is needed. Of course, anywhere you should dive, it should be with a buddy.

As far as boat dives, wow there are so many. First lets talk about the protected area of the Saanich Inlet. Some dive locations are Christmas point, the White Lady, McCurdy Point, the Cement plant, Marauders Wall, Senanus North, Senanus South, Sponges at Senanus, Dyer Rocks, Tozier, Patey Rock, Quibley Rock, Mackenzie Bight #3 and Whatcom Ledge.

As you move out of the Saanich Inlet you have Sansum Narrows, Cheery Point, Octopus Point, Burial Inlet and areas around Maple Bay are fantastic. If you head over towards Swartz Bay you have Arbutus Island, some nice diving around Peirs Island (which for your information use to be a type of prison/ concentration camp years ago).

Most dive stores can be of great importance to you for compass coordinates to areas of interest such as octopus dens or wolf eel caves. Most seasoned instructors from any store are always willing to share their special locations to all student divers that show an interest in diving new areas. As an instructor since 1989, I am still so excited to teach and dive in any chance I get. Liquid Heaven has a group every sunday that go out to new locations to scope out new areas of interest. The group is called sunday divers and they meet at Liquid Heaven every sunday at 9 am and depart for 2 to 3 dives. This group gets larger by the week and now has become quite a topic to write about. You can find them on facebook, like everything else. You should try make it one weekend and see for yourself if this is a group that would interest you. There are many groups throughout the Victoria area some through dive stores, some not. Their all good because they promote diving to the seasoned and beginners divers. I thank all the groups that are in existance in the Victoria region. As a diver, you want to find a store, a group or network of people that you will fit into to. Some like to wreck dive, some deep dive and some just like to explore different areas. Most people in the Victoria, Sidney area do not know that we have two world war 2 planes in our waters in close proximity to our store, a munitions dump as well and a few large natural wrecks that are rarely dived on. There is so much to explore here in Sidney, come on in and sign up for a course or weekend excursion..
More to come in the next few blogs...


"Dream Deep, Dive Inspired"
Padi Grandadi

Winter diving in Victoria BC

Hello divers and wanna be divers. This little blog is going to be a bit more directed to fair weather divers and wanna be divers so don't take offence to the comments given below. People, do you realize that the West Coast of British Columbia has the most awesome diving anywhere? We have more life per square inch than anywhere in the world and YES, we do have the colours. This is one of the most exciting places to dive anywhere. We have wall dives, natuaral wrecks, artificial wrecks and some very rare things only found here in the Sannich Inlet and certain parts of the BC West Coast: like giant sponges. The sponges for your information are unknown anywhere in the world. Sponges are fused strands of glass. They shatter like glass when touched, so don't touch. Theses giants are up to 12 feet across and are decades old. The ones at the Queen Charlottes are up to 9000 years old.

We have bragging rights to the biggest giant octopus of the world. We have six gill sharks, wolf eels, and huge array of fish species and anenomeos galore. It is an absolute paradise for photographers or vidiographers. I am quite amazed that the West Coast does not get its right to more coverage on TV and dive magazines. I guess for national photographers they like to see the ladies in bikinis in warm bathtub water versus Canadian divers all dressed up in drysuits. Diving here is not really a fashion statement, well maybe a little. Canadians are proud to be the best taught in the world, and we also love the better equipment that you can purchase her for extreme climate diving. Warm water divers have no advantage to us cold water divers. Their skills for the most part are not as polished as ours. Most Canadian divers have mastered skills like buoyancy and communication. I have dived since 1977 and I have been most places around the world and have yet to see a more beautiful place to dive than our West Coast. The waters of Victoria and surrounding Gulf Islands, the Barkely Sound, the northern tip of Vancouver Island offer every type of desired diving to the most experienced diver and novice diver in the world. We not only offer world class - diving but you can experience whale watching, eco- touring, lounge around some world class hotel and motels and of course, eat fanatastic food in some quaint little restaurants in these areas. The Victoria area is known as the most desired place to live in Canada with the most mildest climate in the country. We don't have the cold weather like Alberta or the Yukon so the diving here is not as cold as you think it might be. If you have a desire to learn to dive, come see us at Liquid Heaven. We have top quality gear and top quality instruction that is tailored to each persons ability to learn at his/her time. You will be looked after like your my own child in the lessons. We have special winter rates for beginner scuba courses and a special for Valentines this week for rental gear. Come on in for a coffee and discuss your future in diving with us. Don't save all your money to be taught in warm water destinations, you will be unhappy with those results as I hear it all the time from customers. I look forward in seeing you soon.

"Dream Deep, Dive Inspired"

Padi Grandadi

Darryll

Seasons Greetings

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our customers. I hope all the best health and wealth for the upcoming year of 2008. Please drop in for refreshments and snacks during the day of the 24 Christmas Eve 9 am till 4 pm. We also will be doing a Christmas Day dive 11 am followed by a small party (yea, right small party) at my residence for those customers that do not family or friends or a place to go. Merry Christmas to all.I thank you all so much for supporting me for the last incredible year.


"Dream Deep, Dive Inspired"
Padi Grandadi
Darryll

Liquid Heaven is Honored to Receive a PADI 5 Star Rating

The PADI 5 Star Dive Center membership level is awarded to progressive PADI Dive Centers that excel in providing dive consumers with a full range of diver education programs, equipment selection, and experience opportunities and that actively promote aquatic environmental awareness. A PADI 5 Star Dive Center is active in its community presenting a professional image consistent with, or better than, the norm of the marketplace. These dive centers embrace the PADI System of diver education and are committed to providing customers with quality products, services and experiences.

Incorporated in Aug 15, 2005 Liquid Heaven Diving Experience Inc. is a PADI 5-Star Training Center. Liquid Heaven Diving Experience Inc. was awarded this prestigious award only after 1 1/2 years in business. PADI is the world's largest and most recognized scuba diver certification agency. A 5-Star rating means that you are taking advantage of our ability to issue the exclusive PADI 5-Star Certification Card. The PADI 5 Star Training Center membership level is awarded to progressive PADI Dive Centers that excel in providing dive consumers with a full range of diver education programs through the professional instructor level courses, equipment selection, and experience opportunities and that actively promote aquatic environmental awareness.

A PADI 5 Star Training Center is active in its community presenting a professional image consistent with, or better than, the norm of the marketplace. These dive centers embrace the PADI System of diver education and are committed to providing customers with quality products, services and experiences. The greatest benefit you receive, though, is service --- the kind of high quality and personalized attention to detail that we enjoy and keep in order to maintain our PADI 5-Star Training Center rating. Here are just a few specialty services we have to offer: Full technical bench with Flow Analyser for regulator service, On-site oxygen aroma therapy bar, full clothing line, video library of world dive sites, sunglasses and many warm water selections for snorkellers.

Code of Ethics

Liquid Heaven provides our customers with well maintained, new, state-of-the-art rental and instructional equipment. We ensure that our staff members provide you with honest, in-depth advice on the equipment we sell. Scuba Service Center - "Liquid Heaven Services What We Sell" means what it says: you'll be able to get fast, convenient, local service by manufacturer-qualified in-house service specialist on all the breathing equipment you buy from our dive center. We also maintain many other manufacturers’ equipment.

Pure Air Station

We have our air analyzed by an independent testing agency (twice as often as needed to provide the best air anywhere), a minimum of once every three months. In order to achieve and maintain this award, our air supply must always meet or exceed the CGA Type E regulations for sport diving standards. We have a 21cfm. Bauer compressor with an 18 horse motor capable of pumping 5500 psi. with 8 air storage cylinders.

Community Involvement

Maintaining a positive image for diving among the people in our community goes a long way toward assuring continuous community support for you and your diving activities. A positive image for diving also helps bring more people into the sport, which in turn helps create more diving opportunities for all divers -- including you. We publish newsletters, sponsor public diving events, promote diving education and activities, and offer Emergency First Response courses to the general public. Liquid Heaven is currently working directly with the founder of Canadian Reef structures placing cement reefballs on the ocean floor at the Sidney Waterfront, building it to be a world class playground for all level of divers. Darryll W. Harasemow also is a director of the Dive Industry of British Columbia working diligently in the marketing, web site data collection and sponsorship committees to assist in bringing people from all over the world to our west coast for the best diving in the world.

Educational Proficiency

This is your assurance that whenever you take a course from us, you can expect to be taught by highly qualified PADI Professional Instructor with many years of experience and receive a PADI certification. We teach our scuba classes using a multi-media classroom. We have a huge 44 inch plasma TV for your viewing enjoyment. Your Safety and Enjoyment is Our Job number One.

Classroom Time

Unlike many other PADI training centers which are only open during office hours, our classroom is open until late. You can also use this opportunity to watch all training videos and read some useful PADI manuals in your free time to familiarize yourself with all of it. Your Instructor Darryll Harasemow and PADI staff are always available for assistance after classroom time to guide you and help with whatever questions you might have.

Team-work

You will not be alone! In our PADI facility, you are not just another customer; you are part of the Liquid Heaven team, for the same reason and with the same goals! You will have the chance to make new life long friends or find a diving partners!

Complete and up to date PADI Library

We have them all ! All the manuals, all the videos and all the digital products, for Discover Scuba Diving right up to PADI Instructor Development Course! You are encouraged to use them to make your PADI training more meaningful, and to familiarize yourself with all the available PADI materials for learning or teaching PADI courses in the future.

Courses for Scuba

Good day to you all. Today's topic, Scuba Courses in beautiful Sidney BC.

We have people come into Liquid Heaven dive store everyday to shop for scuba courses. Everyone today that is interested in scuba lessons might think all courses are equal in all stores. This is absolutely incorrect. Each stores course prices are different, course materials vary and schedules are different. Just remember, you get what you pay for! Courses are not equal in all dive stores. You might have 2 or more Padi facilities in the same city that offer Padi beginner scuba courses, but they are indeed different. Padi (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) is the worlds largest scuba diver certifier. All the Padi facilities must adhere to strict Padi guidelines and standards to keep divers well taught and safe. The guidelines keep the dive store honest and reputable in the industry. Eg. Dive store instructors must have personal liability insurance. When conducting ocean dives, the instructor must have a dive flag in the water letting boaters know that there are divers in the water. The instructor must have oxygen and first aid supplies at the dive site, just to name a few things.

When students sign on the dotted line to enroll in a scuba course, they should be anticipating the following: An explanation on the course, academic, confined pool and ocean dives requirements, what equipment is provided, what equipment must be purchased prior to the course, and of course, an explanation and briefing on what is entailed in the ocean dives portion of the course. Liquid Heavens scuba beginner course consists of 5 to 7 classroom sessions, 5 to 7 pool sessions and and a minimum of 5 open water ocean dives. All of our courses are 100% guaranteed. Liquid Heaven believes in building great divers. So that's what we do: build great divers.

OPEN WATER BEGINNER COURSE

Confined Water Dives:

Confined water training serves two purposes. First, it establishes the basic skills that all divers need (or may need in the unlikely event of a problem)in a relatively low stress environment. Second, it reinforces and supplements Knowledge Development training by having student divers practice and apply what they learn from reading the manual and watching the videos. There are five confined water dives that correspond to the five knowledge development sections.

Knowledge Development:

The Knowledge Development portion establishes a foundation of principles, procedures and general information fivers need. There are five sections, each of which is normally accomplished through independent study with the PADI Open Water Manual and Open Water Diver Video, or with the Open Water Diver Multimedia. Liquid Heaven students answer exercise questions within reading, and complete a Knowledge Review for each section that you check for completeness and understanding. Students demonstrate mastery by completing the appropriate PADI Quiz, or, following the fifth section, a comprehensive (but easy) Final Exam, then they receive a brief elaboration during which you answer questions and apply the material to specific student needs and local environments.

Open Water Dives:

The Open Water Dives complete the integration of the principles learned in Knowledge Development and the skills learned in the Confined Water Dives by having student divers apply both in the open water dive environment. By practicing skills mastered in the Confined Water Dives, students continue to learn as they use these skills in the open water.

Scuba Equipment (NEW) is provided for Liquid Heaven students except for mask, fins and snorkel as this is considered personal gear and must be purchased and professionally fit for the utmost comfort and enjoyment prior to the course start up. We have the largest selection of masks on Vancouver Island and Liquid Heaven professionals will spend much time individually with you to get the best fitting mask for comfort. Please stay away from cheap knock off masks that appear to look the same as a name brand mask. They are not, they usually are made of inferior products that give a very short life span and usually leak. Stick with reputable name brands that have been in the dive industry for a long time. These name brands have exceptional warranties and life spans. You get what you pay for!

Accommodating Motor Skill Development Abilities and People with Disabilities:

To earn the PADI Open Water Diver or Scuba Diver certification, student divers must demonstrate mastery of each performance requirement. As in the confined water dives, we have the latitude to accommodate individual needs by modifying techniques to meet requirements. In the open water environment, we may need to assist individuals with physical challenges to accommodate access to boats, shore and other facilities.

PADI Open Water Divers are qualified to:
Dive with a buddy independent of supervision while applying the knowledge and skills they learn in this course, within the limits of their training and experience.
Obtain air fills, scuba equipment and other services.


Plan, conduct and log open water no stop (no decompression) dives when properly equipped and when accompanied by a buddy in conditions with which they have training and/or experience.
Continue their dive training with a specialty dive (Adventure Dive), in the PADI Adventures in diving program or in PADI Specialty courses.

Part of the Liquid Heaven PADI Open Water Diver course includes informing student divers that they are responsible for diving within limits of their training and experience. Students read and sign the relevant PADI Safe Diving Practices Statement of Understanding and by explaining to Scuba Divers the limitations of their certification. The minimum age for Open Water Diver or Scuba Diver Certification is 15, which must be reached by the end of the course. We also train individuals under the age of 15 according to the Junior Open Water Diver and Junior Scuba standards given by Padi. Student divers in the Junior Open Water Diver and Junior Scuba Diver courses must be 10 years old prior to the start date of the course.

Performance Based Training.

The PADI Open Water Diver course builds upon the concept of performance-based learning. This means student divers progress through the course demonstrating that they meet measurable learning objectives. The courses instructional design sequences these objectives from simple to complex, so students built upon previous learning as they progress. Attempting to learn something without mastering prerequisite objectives can complicate and interfere with development and development and learning. For this reason, students must satisfactory demonstrate meeting knowledge development and water skills performance requirements (objectives) in their required sequences. Satisfactory demonstration is called “mastery”.

This is done by building good safety practices as there are no short cuts in diving safety. If you do not like the way your taught in the course you will receive 100% refund on the course as mentioned earlier. Just because a person pays for the course and goes through 1 week of lessons doesn't mean they will get certified if they know they have struggled with skills in the pool or ocean. Liquid Heaven will allow that student to re-enroll in scuba lessons for FREE to continue to develop diving skills and good habits building confidence in the diver. We are so confident about the way we teach. We are the only dive store that offers this guarantee to assure customers that were here to educate with no short cuts. Dive stores we feel put to much emphasise on selling not educating. It is true that buying customers are very important to the dive store for survival. How a dive store gets rewarded with selling scuba gear is to build consistency with their patrons, is to offer more than gear sales. Offering International dive trips, daily local dives, diving projects and events, selling quality name brand scuba gear, quality instruction and honesty. Go visit all the dive shops in your area and you be the judge. Liquid Heaven could be your second home as it is for many. Come on in and have a coffee on us and talk to us about your passion of diving.

Liquid Heaven offers so much more than just gear sales. Were committed to excellence in education. Get to heaven while you're still around to enjoy it.

"Dream Deep, Dive Inspired"

Darryll

Padi GranDadi

Quality gear (name brand) VS Garbage gear (no name brand)

I was asked by students as of late to do a short talk on scuba gear. As a professional, it is easy to determine if a mask, regulator or snorkel are of high quality or a cheap copycat. Canada,USA, Japan and certain parts of Europe have always been known to make quality dive gear. Due to the fact that we live and dive in colder more demanding conditions than anywhere in the world, we need top quality dive gear to keep us safe. It is very evident that our store Liquid Heaven carries top of the line gear manufactured in Canada, USA and Japan. We will never sell a low end, copycat masks that are made in certain parts of ASIA, bought wholesale (by the dive store or big box store) for $3.99 Canadian and resold as a bargain at $79.99. Liquid Heaven sells professional gear that is warrantied and has a name reputable in the dive industry.

As a dive professional leader, it is up to us to educate students (future divers), that Big Box store masks, snorkels and fins won't cut it in our diving conditions or any conditions for that matter. These are the stores that sell look alike copies of quality masks and flood the market with garbage, leaving many enthused future divers with a very bad experience and no longer wanting to try scuba diving because they think back to an experience of the constant flooding of the mask.

Ask yourself when you took your first snorkeling or diving vacation down in Australia, Mexico or the Caribbean and rented gear. Was it great gear? Did it fit well? Did the mask have mold in it and looked like a half chewed piece of rubber, the snorkel smelling like fish and fins that hurt you feet causing blisters? Most people that try snorkeling or diving in exotic destinations are really put off and have no desire to try scuba on the beautiful West Coast of Canada because the gear they used was inferior. Even some dive stores sell garbage because the price points are greater, they make money but in the end have disappointed customers. Liquid Heaven says "NO" to selling garbage. Liquid Heaven would be doing a disservice to you, our customer. We educate our customer on making the right decision on dive gear. It is a big investment to make and you should trust your dive instructors experience for showing you options on your scuba purchases.

No one cares about the customers scuba purchases, more than your personal instructor. He should educate you on what the difference is between a good regulator and a great regulator. The answer: breathing of course and accessibilty (by the technician) to parts in a timely service fashion. A diver does not have to buy the best gear but do if you want to. Support your local dive store so they can be of service to you and your dive buddies needs. If you get educated and taught locally how to scuba dive, spend your money with them, not EBay and the Internet. If you buy on-line you get NO warranties or guarantees, and if arrives damaged, tough luck. I'm sure you know people that have been cheated on the Internet, I have. Be wise with your purchases as they are costly investment into the greatest experience you'll ever participate in, SCUBA DIVING. Buoyancy compensator devices known as BCD's are also a a very important purchase. I'm surprised at the number of divers that buy warm water BCD's to dive here locally on the West Coast. Warm water BCD's don't have the lift capacity, nor enough support straps to keep you safe and give you the ability to clip on accessory equipment like lights, signal tubes etc. There is so much to discuss on these topics of scuba gear equipment.

Our equipment course dated October 19Th, 2007 at the Liquid Heaven, we will discuss in detail all equipment topics. I look forward to seeing you all there. Bring your simple questions & concerns and technical questions to this course to be answered.

"Dream Deep, Dive Inspired"
Darryll
Padi GranDadi

Decompression sickness ( DCI )

Decompression Illness:

What is it and what is the treatment?

Decompression Illness or DCI is a term used to describe illness that results from a reduction in the ambient pressure surrounding a body. A good example of that is what happens when you're surfacing after a dive.

DCI encompasses 2 diseases, decompression sickness (DCS) and arterial gas embolism (AGE). DCS is thought to result from bubbles growing in tissue and causing local damage, while AGE results from bubbles entering the lung circulation, travelling through the arteries and causing tissue damage at a distance by blocking blood flow at the small vessel level.

Who Gets DCI? Decompression Illness affects scuba divers, aviators, astronauts and compressed air workers. It occurs in approximately 1,000 US divers each year. Moreover , DCI hits randomly. The main risk factor for DCI is a reduction in ambient pressure, but there are other risk factors that will increase the chance of DCI occurring. These known risk factors are deep / long dives, cold water, hard exercise at depth, rapid ascents and of course other contributors such as age, health, dehydration, lack of sleep and scar tissue past damage.

Rapid ascents are closely linked to the risk of AGE. Other factors thought to increase the risk of DCI for which evidence is not conclusive are obesity, major dehydration, hard exercise immediately after surfacing, and pulmonary disease. In addition, there seem to be individual risk factors that have not been yet identified. This is why some divers seem to get DCI more frequently than others although they are following the same dive profile.

Since DCI is a random event, almost any dive profile can result in DCI. no matter how safe it seems. The reason is that the risk factors, both known and unknown, can influence the probability of DCI in myriad ways. Because of this, evaluation of a diver for possible decompression illness must be made case-by-case basis by evaluating the diver's signs and symptoms and not just based on the dive profile.

Decompression Sickness (DCS)

Decompression sickness (DCS, also called the bendsor caisson disease) is the result of inadequate decompression following exposure to increased pressure. In some cases, the disease is mild and not an immediate threat. In other cases, the serious injury does occur: when this happens, the quicker the treatment begins, the better the chance for a full recovery.

During a dive, the body tissues absorb nitrogen from the breathing gas in proportion to the surrounding pressure. As long as the diver remains at pressure, the gas presents no problem. If the pressure is reduced too quickly, however, the nitrogen comes out of solution and forms bubbles in the tissues and bloodstream. This commonly occurs as a result of violating or approaching too closely the diving table limits, but it can also occur even when accepted guidelines have been followed.

Bubbles forming in or near joints are the presumed cause of the joint pain of a classical "bends." When high levels of bubbles occur, complex reactions can take place in the body, usually in the spinal cord or brain. Numbness, paralysis and disorders of higher cerebral function may result. If great amounts of decompression are missed and large numbers of bubbles enter the venous bloodstream, congestive symptoms in the lung and circulatory shock can then occur.

SYMPTOMS OF DCS

• Unusual fatigue


• Skin Itch


• Pain in joints and / or muscles of the arms, legs or torso


• Dizziness, vertigo, ringing in the ears


• Numbness, tingling and paralysis, shortness of breath

SIGNS OF DCS

• Skin may show a blotchy rash


• Paralysis, muscle weakness


• Difficulty urinating


• Confusion, personality changes, bizarre behavior.


• Amnesia, tremors


• Staggering


• Coughing up bloody, frothy sputum


• Collapse or unconsciousness

NOTE: Symptoms and signs usually appear within 15 minutes to 12 hours after surfacing: but in severe cases, symptoms may appear before surfacing or immediately afterwards. Delayed occurance of symptoms is rare, but it does occur, especially is air travel follows diving.

DENIAL AND RECOGNITION

The most common manifestations of DCS are joint pain and numbness or tingling Next most common are muscular weakness and inability to empty a full bladder. Severe DCS is easy to identify because the signs and syptoms are obvious. However, most DCS manifests or a paraethesia (and abnormal sensation like burning, tingling or tickling) in an extremity.

In many cases these symptoms are as described to another cause such as overexertion, heavy lifting or even a tight wetsuit. This delays seeking help and is why it is aften noted that the first symptom of DCS is denail. Sometimes these symptoms remain mild and go away by themselves, but mant times they increase in severity until it is obvious to you that something is wrong and that you need help.

What happens if you don't seek medical treatment in severe DCS, a permanent residual handicap may result: this can be a bladder dysfunction, sexual dysfunction or muscular weakness, to name a few.

In some cases of neurological DCS, there may be permanent damage to the spinal cord, which may or may not cause syptoms. However, this type of damage may decrease the likihood of recovery from a subsequent bout of DCS.

Untreated joint pain that subside are thought to cause small areas of bone damage called osteonecrosis. Usually this will not cause sypmtoms unless there are many bouts of untreated DCS. If this happens, however, there may be bone to become brittle or for joints to collapse or become arthritic.

PREVENTION OF DCS

Recreational divers should know dive conservatively, whether they are using dive tables or computers. Experienced divers often select a table depth (versus actual depth) of 10 feet/ 3 meteres deeper than called for by standard procedure. This practice is highly recommended for all divers, especially when diving in cold waters or when diving under strenous conditions. Compiuter divers should be caustious in approaching no- decompression limits, especially when diving deeper thatn 100 feet/ 30 meters.

Avoiding the risk factors noted above (deep/ long dives, exercise at depth or after a dive) will decrease the chance of DCS occuring. Exposure to altitude or flying too soon after a dive can also increase the risk of decompression sickness.

ARTERIAL GAS EMBOLISM (AGE)

If a diver surfaces without exhaling, air trapped in the lungs expands with ascent and may rupture lung tissue - called pulmonary barotrauma - which releases gas bubbles into the arterial circulation. This distributes them to body tissues in proportion to the blood flow. Since the brain recieves the highest proportion of blood flow, it is the main target organ where bubbles may interupt circulation if they become lodged in small artieries.

This is arteriel gas embolism, or AGE, considered the more serious form of DCI. In some cases the diver may have made a panicked ascent, or he may have held his breath during ascent. However, AGE can occur even if ascent apperared completely normal, and pulmonary disease such as obstructive lung disease may increase the risk of AGE.

The most dramatic presentation of air embolism is the diver who surfaces unconcious and remains so, or the diver who loses concienceness within 10 minutes of surfacing. In these cases, a true medical emrgency exists, and rapid evacuation to a treatment facilty is paramount.

On the other hand, air embolism may cause less spectacular symptoms of neurological dysfunction, such as sensations of tingling or numbness, a sensation of weakness without obvious paralysis, or complaints of difficulty in thinking without obvious confusion in individuals who are awake and easily aroused. In these cases, there is time for a more thourough evaltuion by a diving medical specialist to rule out other causes of symptoms.

Like DCS, mild symptoms may be ascribed to causes other than the dive, which only delays treatment. Sometimes symptoms may resolve spontaneosly and the diver will not seek treatment.The consequecnces of this are similar to untreated DCS: residual damage to the brain may occur, making it more likely there will be residual symptoms after a future bout of AGE, even if the later bout is treated.

SYMPTOMS OF AGE

• Dizziness


• Visual bluring


• Areas of decreased sensation


• Chest pain


• Disorientation

SIGNS OF AGE

• Bloody froth from mouth or nose


• Paralysis or wekness


• Convulsions


• Unconsciousness


• Cessation of breathing


• Death

Currently cerebral gas embolism is repondsible for approximately 10 percent of all DCI cases annually. AGE has decreased significatly over the past decade, however, moving from 18 percent of all cases in the late 1980's and early 1990's to much lower numbers. By 1997, the fraction had fallen to 7-8 percent.

In 2001, AGE was still citied in 7-8 percent but by 2002 it had fallen to 6.6 percent of the total diving population reporting DCI. It has been speculated that one of the reasons for the decrease is the advent of dive computers, which help chart the rate of acesnt, thus reminding divers to slow down.

PREVENTION OF AGE

Always relax and breathe normally during ascent. Lung conditions such as asthma, infections, cysts, tumours, scar tissue from surgey or obstuctive lung disease may predipose a diver to air embolism. If you have any of these conditions, it warrants an evaluation by a physician knowledgeable in diving medicine.

TREATMENT - Call D.A.N. (Divers Alert Network)

The treatment for DCI is recompression. However, the early management of air embolkism and decompression sicknessis is the same. Although a diver with severe DCS or and air embolism requires urgent recompression for definative treatment, it is essential that he be stabilized at nearest facility before transporation to a chamber.

Early Oxygen first aid is important and may reduce symptoms substantaially, but this should not change the treatment plan. Symptoms of air embolism and serious decompression sickness often clear after initial oxygen breathing, but they may reappear later. Because of this, always contact D.A.N. (Divers Alert Network) or a dive physician in cases of suspected DCI- even if the symptoms and signs appear to have resolved.

Treament involves compression to a treatment depth, usually 60 feet / 18 meteres and breathing oxygen fraction gases at an oxygen partial pressure of between 2.8 ata (atmospheres) and 3.0 ata. Delays in seeking treatment have a higher risk of residual symptoms: over time, the initially reversible damage may become permanent. After a delay of 24 hours or more, treatment may become inaffective and symptoms may not respondto treatment. Even if there has been a delay, however, consult a diving medical specialist before drawing any conclusions about possible treatment effectiveness.

In some cases, there may may be residual symptoms after treatment. Soreness in and around a joint that was affected by DCS is common and usually resolves in a few hours. If the DCI was severe, significant residual neurological dysfuction may be present, even after the most agressive treatment. In these cases, there may be follow-up treatments, along with phsical therapy. The good news is that the usual outcome is eventual complete releif from all symptoms, provided treatment was begun promply.

RETURNING TO DIVING AFTER DCI

The US navy has set down rules for returning to diving after treatment. For pain-only DCI where there are no neurological symptoms, divers may begin diving two to seven days after treatment, depending on the treatment table used.

If there are neurological symptoms, the diver may resume diving two to four weeks after treatment, depending on symptom severity. For very severe symptoms, the the diver must be reevaluated three months after treatment and cleared by a diving medical officer.

The Navy guidlelines are for professionals, where time off must be minimized so so operations are not comprimised.

GUIDLINES FOR SPORT DIVERS

For recreational divers, where diving is not a livlihood, a more conservative approoach is called for to further minimize the chance that a diving injury will recur

• After pain-only DCI where there are no neurological symptoms, a minimum of two weeks without diving is recomended.


• If there are minor neurological symptoms, six weeks without diving is recommended


• If there are are severe neurological symptoms or any residual symptoms, no furthere diving is recommended.

Even if symptoms were not severe and they resolved completely, a diver who has had multiple bouts of DCI must take special considerations. If DCI is occuring where other divers on the same profile are DCI free, the diver may have an increased susceptabilty to DCI. In these cases, a Diving Medical Specialist must be consulted to detemine if diving can be resumed safely. Remeber, your good health needs to lastas long as you do.

D.A.N. (Divers Alert Network)

Founded in 1980, DAN has served as a lifeline for the scuba industry by operating diving's only 24 hour emergency hotline, a lifesaving service for injured divers. Additionally, DAN operates a diving medical information line, conducts vital diving medical research, and developes and provides a number of educational programs for everyone from begining divers to medical professionals.

Divers Alert Network is supported by membership dues and doantions. In return, members recieve a number of importnat benifits including $100,000 emergency medical evacuation assistance, DAN educational publications, a subscription to Alert Diver magazine, and access to diving's first and foremost accident insurance coverage.

For 24 hour D.A.N. Emergency number is 1.919.684.8111

Hyperbaric Chambers

HOC Hyperbaric Care Center- Victoria 1.250.995.1811

Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific) Victoria, BC 24hr. 1.250.363.2379 Chamber 1.250.363.4981

Array of Life Hyperbaric Oxygen Unit, Burnaby 1.604.421.1951

Angel Hyperbaric Care center, Langley BC 1.888.357.9133 or 1.604.534.2155

Richmond Hyperbaric Health Centre, Richmond BC 1.888.373.0888 or 1.604.277.8608

Canadian Hyperbaric Institute, Vancouver BC 1.604.732.3422

Vital Path Health Centre, Vernon, BC 1.250.549.1400

Hyparbaric Care Centre, Coquitalm BC 1.604.520.6867

Baromedical Research Cener - Hyperbaric Oxygen Clinic and Wound Care Centre, Burnaby BC 1.604.777.7055

Enviromental Physiology Unit - Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby BC 1.604.291.3782

Vancouver Hospital & Health Science Centre Hyperbaric Unit, Vancouver BC, 1.604.875.4007

Diving Dynamics, Kelowna BC, 1.866.861.1848

Written By Dr. E.D.Thalmann, DAN Assistant Medical Director

and yours truly

Darryll W. Harasemow MSDT Instructor / Liquid Heaven