Planning an exotic diving trip

If you and your family are interested in traveling to a tropical paradise for world-class diving, begin your dream vacation with a search on the Internet. Enter a phrase like “scuba diving vacations” and you're off, with a wealth of information on lodges, float trips, seaside resorts and special scuba diving packages. In just a short time you can find diving adventures on every continent, in dozens of countries.

Once you've narrowed down your choices, talk to a travel agent who specializes in dive vacations. Your agent can fill you in on special deals and seasonal conditions. Travel companies that work with divers understand what you're looking for: the breathtaking offshore reef, the white sand beaches and tropical blue waters, the thrilling sights of the world below. Let your agent book your flights, arrange to transport diving gear and find good accommodations.

With your itinerary set, ask your agent to arrange for a guide boat, and find out what other services are available. Some islands and coastal areas make a point of catering to visiting divers. They're eager to help you have the diving getaway of your dreams. You can also visit the SCUBAPRO®-UWATEC® website and look for partner links to dive trip planning.

Introducing your kids to diving

Many diving enthusiasts started as youngsters on the local beach with a pair of flippers, a mask and a snorkel, all from the local discount store. The flippers fell off, the mask leaked and the snorkel led to a lot of sputtering—but they discovered the magic of the underwater world.

Snorkeling is still the best way to introduce children to diving. And with today's snorkeling gear options, your kids can have a better experience the first time out.

Start in a swimming pool, where the clear water and familiar surroundings ease your child comfortably into the sport. Practice mask floods and snorkel floods, helping kids discover they can quickly recover from a mouthful of water.

Then head to an inland beach, where a properly fitted mask, quality fins and a better snorkel encourage your budding diver. Scooting along in shallow water, kids learn valuable diving skills—like the way water changes perspective. They'll learn especially fast and with a lot of enthusiasm if you swim along in snorkeling gear of your own.

SCUBAPRO® offers a starter Kid's Cruiser Combo with a clear silicone mask skirt and vented snorkel. Add quality fins, and your fledgling diver will soon be reaching new depths.

How to plan a family diving trip

Diving as a family brings parents and kids together in a whole new world. Make sure everyone in the family has had professional diving instruction. Kid-friendly diving classes, generally for ages 10 and up, ensure your children have the basic skills.

Resorts all over the world offer family-friendly diving adventures. Many include classes for children, or activities to entertain the kids while the parents enjoy a more advanced dive. Visit online divers' forums for destination tips and suggestions. If you're traveling abroad, apply for passports well in advance of your trip.

Involve the whole family in planning the trip. Join your kids in searching the Internet for information. Pick up guidebooks and have kids make lists of what they'd like to do. Give each child a waterproof log to record details of their diving adventure.

Be sure to check equipment fit before you go. Avoid the temptation to buy wetsuits or fins for children to “grow into”. A wetsuit that's too big lets in water, leaving your child chilled. Fins that flop can cause blisters and make it harder to move through the water, draining your child's energy.

Wherever you take the family, look for locations with good visibility and without strong currents. Keep all dives within the least experienced family member's comfort zone. Remember, parents enter the water first.

Taking underwater photography/video

An underwater camera or video recorder will quickly become one of your favorite pieces of scuba diving equipment. It's never been easier to find excellent quality video recorders and cameras designed for use in the depths.

Beginners can buy a disposable underwater camera for less than $10. The camera range is only a few feet, and it's generally effective only in shallow water, but it opens your imagination to the possibilities. In no time you'll be ready to step up your scuba diving equipment inventory with more advanced photographic equipment. Online diving forums offer plenty of suggestions for different budgets and interests. The web also has great resources for underwater photography classes, check out Scuba Schools International at http://www.dive-ssi.com/sc-dup.

Look for an underwater camera with both automatic and manual settings. As you grow more adept at underwater photography, you'll want to control the shutter, aperture and white balancing. Consider an optional external flash that you can position to minimize the appearance of floating particles. Remember that the deeper you go, the less light you'll have, and the closer you'll need to get to your subject.

Video recorders may cost more but can also deliver more impressive results, giving viewers the sense of being right alongside you on your dive. The recorder focuses and adjusts for low light levels, enabling you to capture the color and excitement of your diving excursion. Housings that turn “dry land” camcorders into underwater are also available. And, as with cameras, you can buy extra lights for deep-water use.

Online diving forums offer plenty of suggestions for different budgets and interests. The web also has great resources for underwater photography classes, check out Scuba Schools International at http://www.dive-ssi.com/sc-dup

Being an eco-friendly diver

Environmentally conscious diving starts with education. Learn proper diving techniques so you can experience the thrills of exploring a new world without damaging coral reefs and other sea life.

Streamline and secure your diving equipment so it doesn't drag along the site. Watch your feet—tread carefully on shore, and in the water try not to disturb sea life with fin turbulence. Maintain neutral buoyancy to minimize your impact on your surroundings.

Look, but don't touch—or pry or poke or pluck or feed. Leave coral and sponge in the deep. Keep a respectful distance from marine animals, who may be trying to eat or mate. Avoid grabbing underwater objects to pull yourself forward or to stop drifting.

Plan your dive trips through companies that promote eco-friendly diving, through practices such as keeping groups small to minimize the impact on underwater habitat.

Above all, get involved! Volunteer for a fish count, collect dolphin behavioral information or join in an underwater cleanup. Search the Internet for “eco-friendly scuba vacations” and find amazing opportunities to make a difference.