Fresh News - Kos Divers - Kos DiversAt Kos Divers our philosophy is to always remember why we started diving, to maintain our enthusiasm for the underwater world and to offer a life changing experience.https://www.kosdivers.com/news2024-03-19T08:06:20+02:00We are hiring!2024-02-20T19:43:43+02:002024-02-20T19:43:43+02:00https://www.kosdivers.com/news/284-we-are-hiringKostas Marmarinosinfo@kosdivers.com<div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/d632334130a2b9d194362b7d857b88bf_M.jpg" alt="We are hiring!" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p>We are looking for a PADI Instructor to join our small and friendly dive team.<br />Mostly private diving, DSDs and Padi courses. <br />5-6 months work - May or June until the end of October 2024<br />EU passport only.<br />New Instructors and couples are welcome!</p>
<p>Please email us to info@kosdivers.com</p></div><div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/d632334130a2b9d194362b7d857b88bf_M.jpg" alt="We are hiring!" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p>We are looking for a PADI Instructor to join our small and friendly dive team.<br />Mostly private diving, DSDs and Padi courses. <br />5-6 months work - May or June until the end of October 2024<br />EU passport only.<br />New Instructors and couples are welcome!</p>
<p>Please email us to info@kosdivers.com</p></div>European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: Basic Life Support2023-11-25T15:42:48+02:002023-11-25T15:42:48+02:00https://www.kosdivers.com/news/283-european-resuscitation-councilKostas Marmarinosinfo@kosdivers.com<div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/d382bd8ae87d9139df6458192532657c_M.jpg" alt="European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: Basic Life Support" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p>Download the European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021:Basic Life Support</p></div><div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/d382bd8ae87d9139df6458192532657c_M.jpg" alt="European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: Basic Life Support" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p>Download the European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021:Basic Life Support</p></div>Diver Medical | Participant Questionnaire2023-05-27T14:11:11+03:002023-05-27T14:11:11+03:00https://www.kosdivers.com/news/280-diver-medical-questionnaireKostas Marmarinosinfo@kosdivers.com<div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p><strong>Please check the medical questionaire before any booking!</strong></p>
<p>Recreational scuba diving and freediving requires good physical and mental health. There are a few medical conditions which can be hazardous while diving, listed below. Those who have, or are predisposed to, any of these conditions, should be evaluated by a physician. This Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire provides a basis to determine if you should seek out that evaluation. If you have any concerns about your diving fitness not represented on this form, consult with your physician before diving. If you are feeling ill, avoid diving. If you think you may have a contagious disease, protect yourself and others by not participating in dive training and/or dive activities. References to “diving” on this form encompass both recreational scuba diving and freediving. This form is principally designed as an initial medical screen for new divers, but is also appropriate for divers taking continuing education. For your safety,and that of others who may dive with you, answer all questions honestly.</p></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p><strong>Please check the medical questionaire before any booking!</strong></p>
<p>Recreational scuba diving and freediving requires good physical and mental health. There are a few medical conditions which can be hazardous while diving, listed below. Those who have, or are predisposed to, any of these conditions, should be evaluated by a physician. This Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire provides a basis to determine if you should seek out that evaluation. If you have any concerns about your diving fitness not represented on this form, consult with your physician before diving. If you are feeling ill, avoid diving. If you think you may have a contagious disease, protect yourself and others by not participating in dive training and/or dive activities. References to “diving” on this form encompass both recreational scuba diving and freediving. This form is principally designed as an initial medical screen for new divers, but is also appropriate for divers taking continuing education. For your safety,and that of others who may dive with you, answer all questions honestly.</p></div>Equaleasy - equalisation techniques2022-11-22T19:31:40+02:002022-11-22T19:31:40+02:00https://www.kosdivers.com/news/276-equaleasyKostas Marmarinosinfo@kosdivers.com<div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/463052dad9377fe2445d3b1bfb5f62a3_M.jpg" alt="Equaleasy - equalisation techniques" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p><br />Divers know it all too well: barotrauma epidemics occurring on a liveaboard or on long dive trips<br />are not due to the interference of some supernatural entity, they are due to equalisation mistakes.<br />For all we know, the infamous Ghost of Dead Corals—the main suspect behind electrical<br />anomalies and mysterious boat sinking—does not mess with divers' ears.<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br />Unnatural condition</span><br />Equalising while the ambient pressure is rapidly increasing is not an ability required in the natural<br />environment of humans as land animals. We need to equalise mechanically only in particular<br />conditions, such as in the landing phase of an aircraft or during a descent down the water column.<br />Coming down a mountain on foot we don’t need to equalise. Jumping off the top Mt. Eiger’s north<br />face could possibly cause a need to equalise, but nature appears to have weeded out the genes of<br />those who might at one point or another in human evolution have consented to participate in such<br />an experiment. Undoubtedly some divers can equalise with ease, almost without realising it. Who<br />knows if they are descended from populations who ventured underwater, or the forgotten offspring<br />of those who headed down off the Eiger?<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The art of equalisation</span><br />As scuba divers we breathe constantly through a regulator, which allows us to maintain our lungs<br />at their normal volume and use any equalisation technique at any depth. Moreover, our use of the<br />Frenzel and hands-free techniques is aided by the air coming into the oral cavity from the<br />regulator. We have it easy. The true artists and high priests of equalisation are found in freediving.<br />Freedivers don’t breathe through a regulator. For them, the Valsalva manoeuvre stops working at<br />depths as shallow as 10 metres. To use the Frenzel and hands-free techniques, freedivers need to<br />move air from their lungs into their oral cavities first by a variety of techniques, depending on the<br />depth</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Valsalva, an overrated technique</span><br />The best known and most utilised technique among scuba divers is snubbed by freedivers due to<br />its limited potential. It takes its name from Antonio Maria Valsalva, an Italian anatomist of the 17th<br />century. He was also the first to note that this manoeuvre affects the pressure of the intrathoracic<br />system and the heart. The Valsalva manoeuvre is now considered one of the causes that<br />encourage the migration of microbubbles from one atrium to another in divers with a PFO (Patent<br />Foramen Ovale). However, this isn’t why freedivers snub it: Because the lungs of freedivers are<br />compressed at depth, abdominal pressure can no longer be used to further reduce the lung<br />volume at depths as shallow as ten metres, making this technique impossible to use.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Doctor Frenzel’s invention</span><br />Two and a half centuries later, in 1938 to be precise, Ears Nose & Throat (ENT) specialist Dr.<br />Hermann Frenzel, an officer in the German Luftwaffe, developed a technique which he taught to<br />Stuka pilots, the infamous dive bombers. In this technique, the tongue comes into play by pushing<br />air upward and toward the back of the palate, so that the volume decreases. Since the glottis is<br />closed, the pressure increases. The soft palate is open, and the nostrils are closed. The increased<br />pressure in the nasal cavity then induces the eustachian tubes to open. In some people, the<br />opening of the tubes is eased by a mechanical effect that allows the tubes to open at a lower<br />pressure.<br />The Frenzel manoeuvre can be performed in two different ways. The first relies 100% on pressure<br />generated by the movement of the tongue. The second uses 50% pressure and 50%<br />biomechanics: The tubes open due to the movement of the tongue and the contraction of the<br />upper nasopharyngeal. In either version, the Frenzel manoeuvre reduces the stress on the middle<br />ear and the equalisation effort.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Hands-free</span><br />On land, the gesture of pinching the nostrils between thumb and forefinger usually signals an<br />unpleasant smell. Underwater and among divers, the same signal means something completely<br />different: The instructor, or the buddy, is reminding us to equalise. This simple signal can induce a<br />misconception: Many divers don't know that with a little practice, it is possible to equalise without<br />even touching the nose. Using the hands-free technique, the diver opens the soft palate, which<br />allows air from the regulator (at ambient pressure) to fill the nasal cavity and mechanically open<br />the tubes. During descent, the pressure inside the middle ear and the ambient pressure are<br />equalised automatically.<br />We’ve already described three techniques here, but for freedivers willing to exceed depths of 30<br />m, this may still not be enough. These divers rely on their own advanced versions of the Frenzel<br />manoeuvre and the hands-free technique, and ultimately something called the mouth-fill<br />technique. In the latter, the freediver uses their mouth and cheeks as a compressor to push air<br />toward the middle ear.<br />The diver’s position<br />Except in the no-limits discipline, freedivers always dive head-down. Scuba divers can afford to<br />descend (and equalise) more comfortably in a feet-down or horizontal position. It should be noted<br />that using the Valsalva manoeuvre in a head-down position can be harmful to a diver due to an<br />increased risk of overpressurising and congesting the diver’s middle and inner ear.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The pace of equalisation</span><br />While we learn to listen to our bodies better with practice and over time, equalisation mistakes can<br />persist. Even though the textbooks are very clear about equalising before we feel discomfort, how<br />many times did we need to be reminded by our ears?<br />Speech therapy for divers<br />Learning to control the muscles in its body is an ancient challenge for homo sapiens. In order to<br />walk upright, speak, sing, type, or play the piano, our body requires precise coordination between<br />our muscular system and the nervous system. In speech therapy, patients learn to become aware<br />of the functions and actions of muscles and organs involved in forming speech. This aspect of<br />speech therapy has become an integral part of the training of divers seeking to improve their<br />performance and safety during descent. Who would have thought that moving and controlling the<br />tongue, or forming the “T,” “Ka” and “N” sounds underwater, could make your ears safer and more<br />comfortable?</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">About the author</span><br />DAN Member since 1997, Claudio Di Manao is a PADI and IANTD diving instructor. He's the<br />author of a series of books and novels about diving, including Shamandura Generation, an<br />exhilarating portrait of Sharm el Sheikh's diving community. He collaborates with magazines,<br />radios and newspapers, talking and writing about diving safety, marine life and travels.</p>
<p> </p></div><div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/463052dad9377fe2445d3b1bfb5f62a3_M.jpg" alt="Equaleasy - equalisation techniques" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p><br />Divers know it all too well: barotrauma epidemics occurring on a liveaboard or on long dive trips<br />are not due to the interference of some supernatural entity, they are due to equalisation mistakes.<br />For all we know, the infamous Ghost of Dead Corals—the main suspect behind electrical<br />anomalies and mysterious boat sinking—does not mess with divers' ears.<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br />Unnatural condition</span><br />Equalising while the ambient pressure is rapidly increasing is not an ability required in the natural<br />environment of humans as land animals. We need to equalise mechanically only in particular<br />conditions, such as in the landing phase of an aircraft or during a descent down the water column.<br />Coming down a mountain on foot we don’t need to equalise. Jumping off the top Mt. Eiger’s north<br />face could possibly cause a need to equalise, but nature appears to have weeded out the genes of<br />those who might at one point or another in human evolution have consented to participate in such<br />an experiment. Undoubtedly some divers can equalise with ease, almost without realising it. Who<br />knows if they are descended from populations who ventured underwater, or the forgotten offspring<br />of those who headed down off the Eiger?<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The art of equalisation</span><br />As scuba divers we breathe constantly through a regulator, which allows us to maintain our lungs<br />at their normal volume and use any equalisation technique at any depth. Moreover, our use of the<br />Frenzel and hands-free techniques is aided by the air coming into the oral cavity from the<br />regulator. We have it easy. The true artists and high priests of equalisation are found in freediving.<br />Freedivers don’t breathe through a regulator. For them, the Valsalva manoeuvre stops working at<br />depths as shallow as 10 metres. To use the Frenzel and hands-free techniques, freedivers need to<br />move air from their lungs into their oral cavities first by a variety of techniques, depending on the<br />depth</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Valsalva, an overrated technique</span><br />The best known and most utilised technique among scuba divers is snubbed by freedivers due to<br />its limited potential. It takes its name from Antonio Maria Valsalva, an Italian anatomist of the 17th<br />century. He was also the first to note that this manoeuvre affects the pressure of the intrathoracic<br />system and the heart. The Valsalva manoeuvre is now considered one of the causes that<br />encourage the migration of microbubbles from one atrium to another in divers with a PFO (Patent<br />Foramen Ovale). However, this isn’t why freedivers snub it: Because the lungs of freedivers are<br />compressed at depth, abdominal pressure can no longer be used to further reduce the lung<br />volume at depths as shallow as ten metres, making this technique impossible to use.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Doctor Frenzel’s invention</span><br />Two and a half centuries later, in 1938 to be precise, Ears Nose & Throat (ENT) specialist Dr.<br />Hermann Frenzel, an officer in the German Luftwaffe, developed a technique which he taught to<br />Stuka pilots, the infamous dive bombers. In this technique, the tongue comes into play by pushing<br />air upward and toward the back of the palate, so that the volume decreases. Since the glottis is<br />closed, the pressure increases. The soft palate is open, and the nostrils are closed. The increased<br />pressure in the nasal cavity then induces the eustachian tubes to open. In some people, the<br />opening of the tubes is eased by a mechanical effect that allows the tubes to open at a lower<br />pressure.<br />The Frenzel manoeuvre can be performed in two different ways. The first relies 100% on pressure<br />generated by the movement of the tongue. The second uses 50% pressure and 50%<br />biomechanics: The tubes open due to the movement of the tongue and the contraction of the<br />upper nasopharyngeal. In either version, the Frenzel manoeuvre reduces the stress on the middle<br />ear and the equalisation effort.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Hands-free</span><br />On land, the gesture of pinching the nostrils between thumb and forefinger usually signals an<br />unpleasant smell. Underwater and among divers, the same signal means something completely<br />different: The instructor, or the buddy, is reminding us to equalise. This simple signal can induce a<br />misconception: Many divers don't know that with a little practice, it is possible to equalise without<br />even touching the nose. Using the hands-free technique, the diver opens the soft palate, which<br />allows air from the regulator (at ambient pressure) to fill the nasal cavity and mechanically open<br />the tubes. During descent, the pressure inside the middle ear and the ambient pressure are<br />equalised automatically.<br />We’ve already described three techniques here, but for freedivers willing to exceed depths of 30<br />m, this may still not be enough. These divers rely on their own advanced versions of the Frenzel<br />manoeuvre and the hands-free technique, and ultimately something called the mouth-fill<br />technique. In the latter, the freediver uses their mouth and cheeks as a compressor to push air<br />toward the middle ear.<br />The diver’s position<br />Except in the no-limits discipline, freedivers always dive head-down. Scuba divers can afford to<br />descend (and equalise) more comfortably in a feet-down or horizontal position. It should be noted<br />that using the Valsalva manoeuvre in a head-down position can be harmful to a diver due to an<br />increased risk of overpressurising and congesting the diver’s middle and inner ear.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The pace of equalisation</span><br />While we learn to listen to our bodies better with practice and over time, equalisation mistakes can<br />persist. Even though the textbooks are very clear about equalising before we feel discomfort, how<br />many times did we need to be reminded by our ears?<br />Speech therapy for divers<br />Learning to control the muscles in its body is an ancient challenge for homo sapiens. In order to<br />walk upright, speak, sing, type, or play the piano, our body requires precise coordination between<br />our muscular system and the nervous system. In speech therapy, patients learn to become aware<br />of the functions and actions of muscles and organs involved in forming speech. This aspect of<br />speech therapy has become an integral part of the training of divers seeking to improve their<br />performance and safety during descent. Who would have thought that moving and controlling the<br />tongue, or forming the “T,” “Ka” and “N” sounds underwater, could make your ears safer and more<br />comfortable?</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">About the author</span><br />DAN Member since 1997, Claudio Di Manao is a PADI and IANTD diving instructor. He's the<br />author of a series of books and novels about diving, including Shamandura Generation, an<br />exhilarating portrait of Sharm el Sheikh's diving community. He collaborates with magazines,<br />radios and newspapers, talking and writing about diving safety, marine life and travels.</p>
<p> </p></div>Safety first2022-07-06T10:16:51+03:002022-07-06T10:16:51+03:00https://www.kosdivers.com/news/275-safetyfirstKostas Marmarinosinfo@kosdivers.com<div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/0d422469a7bfe49699e19d8d898530d7_M.jpg" alt="Safety first" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p>Hello fellow scuba divers,<br />With the safety of our guests and staff being our top priority we will be following the latest Padi and DAN recommendations for diving operations.<br />Protocols for disinfection and other COVID-19 issues have been posted by DAN (Divers Alert Network) and UHMS (Undersea Hyperbaric Medical Society). We are following best-practices and all their webinars to get ready! Safety is job one at every PADI shop, and COVID-19 is no exception.<br />All our dives are private or in family groups or very small groups max 3 divers.<br />You have the option to choose the Private Gold option for discover scuba diving experience or for certified divers packages, if you wish to dive private with our instructors.</p>
<p>Kos Divers</p>
<p> </p></div><div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/0d422469a7bfe49699e19d8d898530d7_M.jpg" alt="Safety first" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p>Hello fellow scuba divers,<br />With the safety of our guests and staff being our top priority we will be following the latest Padi and DAN recommendations for diving operations.<br />Protocols for disinfection and other COVID-19 issues have been posted by DAN (Divers Alert Network) and UHMS (Undersea Hyperbaric Medical Society). We are following best-practices and all their webinars to get ready! Safety is job one at every PADI shop, and COVID-19 is no exception.<br />All our dives are private or in family groups or very small groups max 3 divers.<br />You have the option to choose the Private Gold option for discover scuba diving experience or for certified divers packages, if you wish to dive private with our instructors.</p>
<p>Kos Divers</p>
<p> </p></div>Equaleasy - Debunking the myths of equalisation in diving2022-05-21T10:48:29+03:002022-05-21T10:48:29+03:00https://www.kosdivers.com/news/273-debunkingKostas Marmarinosinfo@kosdivers.com<div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/c2be3493ce42ee658842d93c6d54529d_M.jpg" alt="Equaleasy - Debunking the myths of equalisation in diving" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p>29 Apr 2022 | Claudio Di Manao DAN Alert Diver</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Equaleasy - Debunking the myths ofequalisation in diving</span><br /><br />Anthropological studies on Homo subaquaticus show that members of this species are quick to<br />learn—at a cost—that their ears play an important role when they go underwater. The most<br />common underwater accident that occurs with this species is barotrauma. Yet when it comes to<br />myth-making, the more fanciful stories produced by members of the species seem to relate not so<br />much to barotrauma, but mainly to how gases affect the body, especially the brain. Stories on the<br />topic of equalisation and proper hygiene for the ears and nose seem rare. Evolution at work?<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">"Nowadays divers are well informed; they are thirsty for knowledge"</span><br /><br />Dr. Cosimo Muscianisi, ENT specialist, diving and hyperbaric doctor, and passionate technical<br />diver, has no doubts, “Judging from their questions, and from the terminology they use, we meet<br />well informed divers at meetings and conferences.”<br />“Unfortunately, we witness some bad practices, amongst divers and non-divers. Accidentally even<br />some diver could try to remove some wax by using inappropriate tools like parts of toothpicks and<br />swabs. The deep insertion of earplugs or headphone rubber parts could require the intervention of<br />an ear specialist for their removal.”<br />A careful diver is unlikely to insert in her/his ear canal objects that could permanently damage the<br />ear, such as keys and pen caps. Yes, as Dr. Muscianisi witnessed, there are people who believe<br />that the tiny groove on the cap’s bayonet, as that of the keys, is suitable for ear wax removal.<br />Generally speaking, as divers we don't do such silly things. We make different mistakes.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The grey area</span><br /><br />During initial training, divers typically pick up a few ideas about diving physiology. Their knowledge<br />grows as they continue their education. An entry-level certified diver would be afraid of breaking<br />the rules; they would hardly dive with a cold or sinusitis. What’s more, because they obey the<br />sacred instruction in their diving manuals that specifies a reverse block could cause much worse<br />sorrow than calling the dive, entry level divers avoid using nasal decongestants at all costs. A<br />diving professional, on the other hand, might take ephedrine derivatives or other orally<br />administered vasoconstrictors for their long-lasting effect, if in need, despite (and sometimes<br />wilfully ignoring) a variety of associated side-effects that are incompatible with diving.<br />Empowered by a handful of notions as it were, diving professionals are typically the most likely to<br />exhibit an excess of confidence. Like all divers, whether entry level or instructors, they are sorely<br />tempted to make self-diagnoses, with the help of the infamous “internet consulting”. Most divers,<br />and an even greater number of non-divers, typically blame a sense of fullness in the ears and<br />muffled hearing on an excess of earwax, explains Dr. Muscianisi, though in many cases it could be<br />a symptom of a middle ear problem. A neglected inflammation of the middle ear can lead to a<br />symptom’s worsening in the mastoid and middle ear area. Conversely, in the case of hitching as<br />the main symptom, the unsupervised use of corticosteroid drops, or tablets could lead to a<br />worsening if the case were linked to a fungal infection in the outer ear. The consequences in either<br />case can be serious, such as permanent damage of the auditory system, or having to hang up<br />one’s fins for good.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Top of the chart</span><br /><br />On the top ten list of underwater misadventures, barotrauma retains the number one spot. It is<br />hard to find a diver who has never suffered from it. When barotrauma occurs, we all know where to<br />put the blame: an equalisation mistake, the thoughtless use of decongestants, or diving in not<br />perfect health conditions, as with some sign of cold. Unfortunately, the sacred training texts offer<br />little to satisfy divers’ thirst for knowledge on this topic. As a result, most divers only know one or<br />two equalisation techniques. The more skilled ones know three. However only a tiny fraction of<br />divers would be able to demonstrate mastery of just one of these techniques.<br />Many divers are unaware that equalising at depths as shallow as ten metres can be difficult, if not<br />impossible, without the help of compressed gas from scuba. Many divers are unaware that<br />equalising head down, feet up can be a challenge. Yet we constantly use our ears, nose, and<br />throat to breathe, swallow, speak, smell and taste. But we are not fully in control. Maintenance and<br />control of this area of the body are historically an exclusive domain of opera singers. Unfortunately<br />for us, opera singers never developed an equalisation course for divers. Can you imagine? But<br />then most divers would struggle to hit a high C.</p>
<p> </p></div><div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/c2be3493ce42ee658842d93c6d54529d_M.jpg" alt="Equaleasy - Debunking the myths of equalisation in diving" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p>29 Apr 2022 | Claudio Di Manao DAN Alert Diver</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Equaleasy - Debunking the myths ofequalisation in diving</span><br /><br />Anthropological studies on Homo subaquaticus show that members of this species are quick to<br />learn—at a cost—that their ears play an important role when they go underwater. The most<br />common underwater accident that occurs with this species is barotrauma. Yet when it comes to<br />myth-making, the more fanciful stories produced by members of the species seem to relate not so<br />much to barotrauma, but mainly to how gases affect the body, especially the brain. Stories on the<br />topic of equalisation and proper hygiene for the ears and nose seem rare. Evolution at work?<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">"Nowadays divers are well informed; they are thirsty for knowledge"</span><br /><br />Dr. Cosimo Muscianisi, ENT specialist, diving and hyperbaric doctor, and passionate technical<br />diver, has no doubts, “Judging from their questions, and from the terminology they use, we meet<br />well informed divers at meetings and conferences.”<br />“Unfortunately, we witness some bad practices, amongst divers and non-divers. Accidentally even<br />some diver could try to remove some wax by using inappropriate tools like parts of toothpicks and<br />swabs. The deep insertion of earplugs or headphone rubber parts could require the intervention of<br />an ear specialist for their removal.”<br />A careful diver is unlikely to insert in her/his ear canal objects that could permanently damage the<br />ear, such as keys and pen caps. Yes, as Dr. Muscianisi witnessed, there are people who believe<br />that the tiny groove on the cap’s bayonet, as that of the keys, is suitable for ear wax removal.<br />Generally speaking, as divers we don't do such silly things. We make different mistakes.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The grey area</span><br /><br />During initial training, divers typically pick up a few ideas about diving physiology. Their knowledge<br />grows as they continue their education. An entry-level certified diver would be afraid of breaking<br />the rules; they would hardly dive with a cold or sinusitis. What’s more, because they obey the<br />sacred instruction in their diving manuals that specifies a reverse block could cause much worse<br />sorrow than calling the dive, entry level divers avoid using nasal decongestants at all costs. A<br />diving professional, on the other hand, might take ephedrine derivatives or other orally<br />administered vasoconstrictors for their long-lasting effect, if in need, despite (and sometimes<br />wilfully ignoring) a variety of associated side-effects that are incompatible with diving.<br />Empowered by a handful of notions as it were, diving professionals are typically the most likely to<br />exhibit an excess of confidence. Like all divers, whether entry level or instructors, they are sorely<br />tempted to make self-diagnoses, with the help of the infamous “internet consulting”. Most divers,<br />and an even greater number of non-divers, typically blame a sense of fullness in the ears and<br />muffled hearing on an excess of earwax, explains Dr. Muscianisi, though in many cases it could be<br />a symptom of a middle ear problem. A neglected inflammation of the middle ear can lead to a<br />symptom’s worsening in the mastoid and middle ear area. Conversely, in the case of hitching as<br />the main symptom, the unsupervised use of corticosteroid drops, or tablets could lead to a<br />worsening if the case were linked to a fungal infection in the outer ear. The consequences in either<br />case can be serious, such as permanent damage of the auditory system, or having to hang up<br />one’s fins for good.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Top of the chart</span><br /><br />On the top ten list of underwater misadventures, barotrauma retains the number one spot. It is<br />hard to find a diver who has never suffered from it. When barotrauma occurs, we all know where to<br />put the blame: an equalisation mistake, the thoughtless use of decongestants, or diving in not<br />perfect health conditions, as with some sign of cold. Unfortunately, the sacred training texts offer<br />little to satisfy divers’ thirst for knowledge on this topic. As a result, most divers only know one or<br />two equalisation techniques. The more skilled ones know three. However only a tiny fraction of<br />divers would be able to demonstrate mastery of just one of these techniques.<br />Many divers are unaware that equalising at depths as shallow as ten metres can be difficult, if not<br />impossible, without the help of compressed gas from scuba. Many divers are unaware that<br />equalising head down, feet up can be a challenge. Yet we constantly use our ears, nose, and<br />throat to breathe, swallow, speak, smell and taste. But we are not fully in control. Maintenance and<br />control of this area of the body are historically an exclusive domain of opera singers. Unfortunately<br />for us, opera singers never developed an equalisation course for divers. Can you imagine? But<br />then most divers would struggle to hit a high C.</p>
<p> </p></div>Getting Back into Diving after a break2021-08-25T20:22:40+03:002021-08-25T20:22:40+03:00https://www.kosdivers.com/news/268-into-diving-after-a-breakKostas Marmarinosinfo@kosdivers.com<div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/500a44935c8320008f1c713a63e32b8e_M.jpg" alt="Getting Back into Diving after a break" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><h2>Getting Back into Diving after a break</h2></div><div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/500a44935c8320008f1c713a63e32b8e_M.jpg" alt="Getting Back into Diving after a break" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><h2>Getting Back into Diving after a break</h2></div>THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING A SELF-RELIANT DIVER2021-01-19T20:48:13+02:002021-01-19T20:48:13+02:00https://www.kosdivers.com/news/267-self-reliantKostas Marmarinosinfo@kosdivers.com<div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/2e2c1711fe12b24ae23d95c35bfd21c2_M.jpg" alt="THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING A SELF-RELIANT DIVER" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Becoming a self-reliant diver is an important skill, regardless of whether you plan to dive unguided any time in the future.</strong></span></p>
<p>While working as a dive instructor, I used to ask customers I hadn’t dived with before to assemble their gear before the first dive. This was to accomplish two things: so that they could familiarize themselves with the gear, and to help me observe their comfort level and independence as a self-reliant diver.</p>
<p>Often, I noticed that customers — certified divers — were putting their BCDs on the wrong side of the cylinder, with the jacket facing away from the cylinder opening. They also frequently put their regulator on upside down, with the LPI hose on the right and regulators on the left.</p>
<p>This gave me a clear indication of how much assistance the divers would need during their dives. Sometimes divers think they’ll always be diving with a guide or a dive center, so they needn’t worry too much about skills or setting up equipment on their own. Other times they might just not have had enough time or opportunity to practice their skills. In any case, becoming a self-reliant diver is always a skill you’ll want under your (weight) belt.</p>
<p><strong>DURING YOUR COURSE</strong></p>
<p>Divers must remember that passing a diving course by meeting the minimum standards is not always enough; you must also be able to perform skills comfortably and independently. When you certify as an open-water diver, you are essentially qualified to go diving with a certified buddy, independent of a dive professional. This is what you are paying for, and this is the standard you should strive to meet before diving without a guide.</p>
<p>Further, a dive qualification is not something that you can buy — you must earn it. Divers in entry-level courses should pause to question whether they feel confident enough to dive without a dive professional as they approach their qualifying dive. If the answer is ‘no,’ then they should work in a bit more practice with their instructor or divemaster either before or directly after qualifying.</p>
<p><strong>BECOMING A SELF-RELIANT DIVER</strong></p>
<p>If you are a qualified diver who’s uncomfortable diving without a dive professional, firstly, don’t feel judged. Get in the water and practice until you feel comfortable. Identify your weak skills and work at them until they stick.</p>
<p>Although you may always dive with a center and a guide — never just with a buddy — you should not rely on them exclusively to handle any situation that may arise. You may not know your buddy well and you may be placing your own safety, and potentially your life, in a stranger’s hands.</p>
<p>Even if you do some research and decide to trust your dive professional with this huge responsibility, you may still dive with a group of 10 other people — all of them also relying on the professional to keep them safe, check their air, and control their buoyancy, while also trying to navigate and point out interesting marine life.</p>
<p>While dive professionals are there to provide divers with a service and to assist and take responsibility, especially in the unlikely event of an emergency, it is important to realize that ultimately the responsibility of your safety lies with you.</p>
<p><strong>JUANITA PIENAAR </strong>/ AUTHOR</p>
<p>Published in scubadiverlife.com</p></div><div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/2e2c1711fe12b24ae23d95c35bfd21c2_M.jpg" alt="THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING A SELF-RELIANT DIVER" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Becoming a self-reliant diver is an important skill, regardless of whether you plan to dive unguided any time in the future.</strong></span></p>
<p>While working as a dive instructor, I used to ask customers I hadn’t dived with before to assemble their gear before the first dive. This was to accomplish two things: so that they could familiarize themselves with the gear, and to help me observe their comfort level and independence as a self-reliant diver.</p>
<p>Often, I noticed that customers — certified divers — were putting their BCDs on the wrong side of the cylinder, with the jacket facing away from the cylinder opening. They also frequently put their regulator on upside down, with the LPI hose on the right and regulators on the left.</p>
<p>This gave me a clear indication of how much assistance the divers would need during their dives. Sometimes divers think they’ll always be diving with a guide or a dive center, so they needn’t worry too much about skills or setting up equipment on their own. Other times they might just not have had enough time or opportunity to practice their skills. In any case, becoming a self-reliant diver is always a skill you’ll want under your (weight) belt.</p>
<p><strong>DURING YOUR COURSE</strong></p>
<p>Divers must remember that passing a diving course by meeting the minimum standards is not always enough; you must also be able to perform skills comfortably and independently. When you certify as an open-water diver, you are essentially qualified to go diving with a certified buddy, independent of a dive professional. This is what you are paying for, and this is the standard you should strive to meet before diving without a guide.</p>
<p>Further, a dive qualification is not something that you can buy — you must earn it. Divers in entry-level courses should pause to question whether they feel confident enough to dive without a dive professional as they approach their qualifying dive. If the answer is ‘no,’ then they should work in a bit more practice with their instructor or divemaster either before or directly after qualifying.</p>
<p><strong>BECOMING A SELF-RELIANT DIVER</strong></p>
<p>If you are a qualified diver who’s uncomfortable diving without a dive professional, firstly, don’t feel judged. Get in the water and practice until you feel comfortable. Identify your weak skills and work at them until they stick.</p>
<p>Although you may always dive with a center and a guide — never just with a buddy — you should not rely on them exclusively to handle any situation that may arise. You may not know your buddy well and you may be placing your own safety, and potentially your life, in a stranger’s hands.</p>
<p>Even if you do some research and decide to trust your dive professional with this huge responsibility, you may still dive with a group of 10 other people — all of them also relying on the professional to keep them safe, check their air, and control their buoyancy, while also trying to navigate and point out interesting marine life.</p>
<p>While dive professionals are there to provide divers with a service and to assist and take responsibility, especially in the unlikely event of an emergency, it is important to realize that ultimately the responsibility of your safety lies with you.</p>
<p><strong>JUANITA PIENAAR </strong>/ AUTHOR</p>
<p>Published in scubadiverlife.com</p></div>Aqualized dive adventures2020-10-25T19:58:20+02:002020-10-25T19:58:20+02:00https://www.kosdivers.com/news/266-aqualizedKostas Marmarinosinfo@kosdivers.com<div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/32088387da419227f20729e6cf7687d8_M.jpg" alt="Aqualized dive adventures" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p>Για καταδύσεις στην ευρύτερη περιοχή της Αθήνας, εκπαίδευση αυτοδυτών, ενοικίαση εξοπλισμού, πλήρωση φιαλών, αλλά και οργανωμένες καταδυτικές εκδρομές σε κάθε γωνιά του πλανήτη, εμπιστευτείτε το Aqualized dive adventures.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.aqualized.com/">https://www.aqualized.com/</a></p>
<p>Διεύθυνση<br />Ηλέκτρας 2, Λάκκα,<br />Ανάβυσσος, 19013</p>
<p>Τηλέφωνα<br />(+30) 22911 59651<br />(+30) 6932 482779</p>
<p>Ε-Mail<br /><a href="mailto:info@aqualized.com">info@aqualized.com</a></p></div><div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/32088387da419227f20729e6cf7687d8_M.jpg" alt="Aqualized dive adventures" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p>Για καταδύσεις στην ευρύτερη περιοχή της Αθήνας, εκπαίδευση αυτοδυτών, ενοικίαση εξοπλισμού, πλήρωση φιαλών, αλλά και οργανωμένες καταδυτικές εκδρομές σε κάθε γωνιά του πλανήτη, εμπιστευτείτε το Aqualized dive adventures.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.aqualized.com/">https://www.aqualized.com/</a></p>
<p>Διεύθυνση<br />Ηλέκτρας 2, Λάκκα,<br />Ανάβυσσος, 19013</p>
<p>Τηλέφωνα<br />(+30) 22911 59651<br />(+30) 6932 482779</p>
<p>Ε-Mail<br /><a href="mailto:info@aqualized.com">info@aqualized.com</a></p></div>Padi app and ecards2020-07-02T10:24:00+03:002020-07-02T10:24:00+03:00https://www.kosdivers.com/news/263-padi-app-and-ecardsKostas Marmarinosinfo@kosdivers.com<div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/28232e87509dedeadc0cd2b6a94ea3f5_M.jpg" alt="Padi app and ecards" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p>The PADI App features a number of handy built-in tools to support student divers and PADI Professionals alike, but it’s also a central hub that brings the wealth of PADI membership knowledge straight to your fingertips whenever – and wherever – you might need it.</p>
<p>In addition to the travel, social links, eCards, training logs and other essentials, you can also view the PADI Pros’ Site straight from inside the PADI App. No more switching between apps on your phone or searching through bookmarks – just click on the “Pro” button from the main App homepage, and you’ll be taken to your usual PADI Pros’ Site login page. Enter your PADI Single Sign-On details and you’ll be able to conveniently access everything the PADI Pro’s Site has to offer, from the latest digital PADI Instructor Manual, to job vacancies, latest news and marketing updates.<br /><br />Padi eCards video tutorial and instruction for students <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=278603129920222">https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=278603129920222</a></p></div><div class="K2FeedImage"><img src="https://www.kosdivers.com/media/k2/items/cache/28232e87509dedeadc0cd2b6a94ea3f5_M.jpg" alt="Padi app and ecards" /></div><div class="K2FeedIntroText"><p>The PADI App features a number of handy built-in tools to support student divers and PADI Professionals alike, but it’s also a central hub that brings the wealth of PADI membership knowledge straight to your fingertips whenever – and wherever – you might need it.</p>
<p>In addition to the travel, social links, eCards, training logs and other essentials, you can also view the PADI Pros’ Site straight from inside the PADI App. No more switching between apps on your phone or searching through bookmarks – just click on the “Pro” button from the main App homepage, and you’ll be taken to your usual PADI Pros’ Site login page. Enter your PADI Single Sign-On details and you’ll be able to conveniently access everything the PADI Pro’s Site has to offer, from the latest digital PADI Instructor Manual, to job vacancies, latest news and marketing updates.<br /><br />Padi eCards video tutorial and instruction for students <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=278603129920222">https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=278603129920222</a></p></div>