Decompression sickness (DCI) is the fear of many divers. With current diver training and equipment, however, it is remarkably easy to prevent decompression sickness altogether. It is natural to be a little paranoid after scuba diving, especially if you accidentally ascended too fast and your computer beeped at you. How will you know if you have any symptoms? It will help to know what the most prominent symptom of decompression sickness is.
It is important to understand the difference between a sign and a symptom to answer this question. The victim feels a symptom and communicates it to others. Whereas others can observe a visible sign of the sickness.
The Most Prominent Symptom Of Decompression Sickness Is
Joint pain is the most prominently occurring symptom of decompression sickness. In fact, in Deco for Divers, Mark Powell observes that local joint pain occurs in 89% of all DCS cases in the US Navy.
Decompression sickness is also commonly known as “the bends”. It appeared frequently in construction workers in 1871 and further reinforces joint pain as a prominent symptom in DCS cases.
Decompression Sickness Symptoms
The most common symptoms of decompression sickness include the following:
Local joint pain (mainly in shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles)
Weakness in the arms and legs
Headache
Dizziness
Trouble thinking clearly
Numbness & tingling
Extreme fatigue
These are all felt by the victim of decompression sickness and communicated to others. In decompression sickness symptoms almost always precede signs which makes it rather difficult to diagnose.
From personal experience I know to never ignore any symptoms voiced by a diver. Without being overattentive and feeding the general anxiety surrounding DCS, we do need to be vigilant. Severe dehydration can also cause numbness and tingling, a headache, and even weakness in arms or legs. Decompression sickness needs to be treated until it can be ruled out for certain.
First Aid for signs and symptoms of suspected DCS is 100% Oxygen to be administered on the surface.
In fact, a common predisposing factor to DCS is dehydration. I myself have called dive medics countless times with suspected symptoms of decompression sickness which later turned out to be cases of dehydration.
Other Common Symptoms Of DCS
According to the research of Mark Powell, neurological symptoms follow local join pain as next in line. With 10% to 15% of DCS cases observed as reporting neurological symptoms, most commonly headaches and visual disturbances.
Skin manifestations are also quite common and occur in about 10% to 15% of DCS cases. Divers may complain about itchy skin which would be a symptom. However, a skin rash that is observable by others would have to correctly be classified as a sign.
This leaves pulmonary symptoms, known as “the chokes”, the least common symptom. Similar to skin manifestations, this can also be classified as a sign, depending on the severity.
Prevention of Decompression Sickness
It is very easy to prevent decompression sickness by always following safe diving practices. After all the most common cause of DCS is diver error. Scuba divers that push limits and do not plan their dives with enough contingencies. A lot of times it is simply divers diving beyond their personal and training limits.
The absolute physical limitations of diving are still being explored and discovered. Diving deeper lures many adrenaline seekers to risk decompression sickness. It goes without saying that those pioneers are at much higher risks of the bends than recreational divers.
Make sure dive operators you chose always carry enough 100% Oxygen (O2) onboard. I would never dive with an operation that does not provide 100% O2. This is the best medicine available for DCS and not harmful if administered under supervision.
It is therefore very good to know what the most prominent symptom of decompression sickness is. Precautionary measures can and should be taken even under suspicion. This grants the victim the maximum chance of a 100% recovery.
The Rescue Diver course is a challenging course that will drain you mentally and physically. If you are not exhausted after this scuba diving course, then you didn’t do it right! But it is also one of the most enjoyable and rewarding courses to be taught, and also to teach. Here we created a rescue diver equipment list for those who are about to start their course or are teaching the rescue diver course, or if you are just recreationally diving and want to be prepared for any scenario.
You will need your standard scuba diving equipment. This includes:
Mask
BCD
Primary regulator and alternate air source
SPG to check air
Tank/cylinder
Fins
Weights
Exposure protection; wetsuit, drysuit, or rash guard
Snorkel (many divers leave this out, but as a Rescue Diver you should carry one with you)
Dive computer
Compass
Here is some additional safety equipment that you should always carry while diving.
An audible emergency surface signal such as a whistle, air-horn, shaker etc.
A visible emergency surface signal such as an SMB (surface marker buoy), flare, dive flag, float, or reflective light.
A dive tool, knife, or cutter. This helps in case of entanglement from fish wires, ropes, etc.
An underwater slate and pencil so you can write notes
A torch that can be used in low visibility, in the dark, underwater, or on the surface.
A pocket mask for rescue breaths to be used on the surface
Our Scuba Diving Equipment Gear Checklist.
PADI Rescue Diver Requirements
If you are planning on getting your Rescue certification with PADI then you will need to have completed your Advanced Open Water course with PADI or another similar diving agency. You will also be required to undertake Emergency First Responder (EFR) training prior to or during your Rescue course. Most dive centers and instructors will teach the two courses at the same time as there is an overlap of knowledge and skills to practice.
If you already have EFR or First Aid Training within the 12 months, then PADI may accept this and you do not need to complete this again. Take your certification card or evidence of your training, to your dive center and check with them prior to starting your Rescue course.
Emergency Equipment on the Boat
This is emergency equipment that should be on every boat or at shore.
First aid kit
100% oxygen kit with enough supply
Additional pocket masks
Space blanket
White vinegar
Tweezers
Life rings and buoys
Ropes to create a drift line
Emergency Action Plan (EAP) with steps to follow in an emergency.
Remember, some people can freeze up or blank out during a real scenario so the EAP should include:
Phone numbers for emergency contacts; the dive shop, the local hospital, DAN (Diver’s Alert Network), the closest recompression chamber
A script for what to say on the phone during an emergency
Steps to follow for marine life injuries
Steps to follow with suspected Decompression Illness
Bring your own SMB or rent one when diving.
Teaching the Rescue Diver course
Additional equipment you will need when teaching the Rescue course includes but is not limited to:
So there you have it, a comprehensive rescue diver equipment list to get you started with your rescue course. This list is also handy for instructors who are teaching a rescue diver course. The equipment listed here is also good to have on every dive regardless, as you never know when a real emergency will happen.
What other items do you think should be added to this current rescue diver equipment list? Let us know in the comments below.
Today we are scuba diving in Saudi Arabia at the Georgios G Wreck!
HOW DO WE GET TO THE GEORGIOS WRECK?
To go diving in Saudi Arabia at the Georgios G Wreck, you should fly to Tabuk city then hire a driver (or rent a car). You will take the Haql-Tabuk highway and after that, you’ll have to head around 55km south of Haql city which will take about 3 hours.
The bay where the wreck lays is called Ras Al-Mashee. The wreck is known as the Saudi Titanic, or ‘Safinat Haql’ which stands for the ‘boat of Haql’ in Arabic.
WHY ARE WE GOING?
The Georgios G shipwreck (max. 25m) is best known for being one of the best places to dive in the northern parts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is a half-sunken shipwreck with a stunning beach and mountain backdrop.
The ship was built in England and launched in 1958 before running into the reef in 1978, where it then caught on fire while technicians were trying to restart the engine. It was carrying a cargo of flour at the time of its sinking. This dive is very interesting because the Georgios G shipwreck is quite the hidden gem in the northern city of Haql in Saudi Arabia. The shipwreck is known as “The Titanic of Saudi Arabia” by the locals, where it rests on a drop-off.
TELL ME MORE
The wreck of the Georgios G is very close to the shore. You do not need a boat for this dive, and it is about a 20-meter swim to the wreck.
This area is famous for clear water, moray eels, lionfish, barracudas, sand tiger sharks, and garden eels.
Half-submerged Georgios G Wreck. Photo courtesy of Ayman Xaki
DO I NEED ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT?
A rash guard/skin-suit or a 2mm suit should do the trick. It is handy to have a torch as it is dark inside the wreck. You should only go into the wreck if you are certified for this, and are carrying a reel.
Please note that you should respect the local culture here and dress appropriately even when swimming or snorkeling around here.
WHAT LEVEL CERTIFICATION SHOULD I BE?
To go diving Saudi Arabia at the Georgios G Wreck, you should be an Advanced level diver. I recommend this due to the depth of the wreck (past 18 meters). It is also good to have the Wreck Speciality certification so that you can go inside the wreck safely. I highly recommend you hire a local divemaster to guide you to the dive site and around it.
Today we are scuba diving in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt!
WHY ARE WE DIVING IN SHARM EL SHEIKH, EGYPT?
Sharm El Sheikh sits alongside the coast of the Red Sea. And it is the base for some of the most famous dive sites around the world. The dive sites are varied and all divers will find a range of dive sites suitable for their level and interests.
Diving and courses here are cheap (similar to diving in Koh Tao or Gili Air) and the diving is accessible all year. From June to September you can see big fish schooling; whale sharks, manta rays, and Mobula rays. In the autumn, you may see Hammerhead sharks. The rest of the season also is beautiful because of the amazing amount of different corals, the white-tip reef sharks, turtles, Napoleon Wrasses, eagle rays, and so on.
Sharm El Sheikh is located at the south end of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt between the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba.
Sharm El Sheikh has an international airport. It is only around 10 to 20 minutes with the bus or the taxi to your accommodation as the city is quite small.
If you arrive in Cairo, the capital city of Egypt, you can take a bus to Sharm El Sheikh for 10 Euros. It is a 6-hour journey.
Or if you are in Hurghada city (another diving destination) you can take the ferry for 40 Euros. This takes 2 hours. You will need to check the departure days and time as we are in Egypt, where public transportation works a bit differently. 😉 But if you take the ferry you will save one day instead of traveling by the bus from Hurghada to Sharm.
Parts of a wreck. Photo courtesy of Nicole Rossi
BEST DIVING IN SHARM EL SHEIKH
SS Thistlegorm Wreck
One of the most famous Wrecks around the World. It is located between Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada. It is a full day trip and usually starts at an early 6 am but it is definitely worth going early. The Wreck was bombed in 1941 by German bombers. You will do two dives here, usually one inside and one outside the wreck. Inside: trucks, motorbikes, cargo, and hallways. Outside: tanks, walls, trains, guns, and more.
To get to the wreck, you will have to do a blue water descent on a rope. The current can be strong because the wreck is not protected from a reef. This dive is for experienced divers only.
Ras Mohammed National Park
Shark and Yolanda Reef: One of the top 5 dive sites around the world. Shark Reef has a 700-meter vertical wall where you will find many fish. Yolanda is famous for the cargo of a wreck, toilets, and bathtubs. The coral population here is amazing. This spot is located at the very end of the peninsula. The Gulf of Aqaba, the Gulf of Suez, and the Red Sea meet here which leads to really special current conditions and is only possible to dive here with experience.
Shark Observatory: A vertical beautiful wall.
Jackfish Alley: Completely covered with hard and soft corals, Jack fish and tuna schooling in the summer.
Ras Za`atar: A beautiful wall with the chance to see Mantas at the corner in the blue.
Marsa Bareika: Famous for the canyon.
Ras Ghozlani: This dive site always surprises me. Everything can pass by. You will always find many anemones with huge Clownfish families inside.
A school of batfish. Photo courtesy of Nicole Rossi
Straits of Tiran
Jackson Reef: Again one of the famous dive sites here. Everyone diving in Sharm El Sheikh will see Jackson Reef, listed in the top 10 dive sites around the world. The corals here are great; schools of Bannerfish on almost every dive. All the reefs in the straits of Tiran can have currents and you will need experience to dive here.
Woodhouse Reef: Woodhouse is 0.8 miles long and I especially love the north end because of the corals.
Thomas Reef: The smallest reef here is famous for the big fan corals and for the interesting current situations.
Gordon Reef: This site is famous because of the Louilla wreck, a cargo ship that hit the reef in 1981. The wreck is on the top of the reef and during the dive, you will see cargo with a lot of oil barrels all covered with corals.
Amazing history in Sharm El Sheikh. Photo courtesy of Nicole Rossi
Local Dive Sites
The local dive sites are perfect for beginners but also very popular for experienced divers. All of them are really nice.
Ras Ghamila: The many table and fan corals are the biggest I have ever seen. A fairy tale world.
Ras Nasrani: Beautiful, and covered with different types of corals.
Ras Bob: Especially shallow and super colorful.
Sharks Bay: Beginner dive site and possible to dive from shore.
The Gardens: 4 dive sites (Far, fiddle, middle, and near garden) Each of these sites is different. Some walls, sandy spots, coral blocks. I often dive here because of the possibility to see the big ones! 😉
Na`amaBay: This is the House Reef for many diving centers and is home to big green turtles and eagle rays. I teach Open Water Courses here.
Pinky Wall: The name comes from the soft corals at the wall, which are pink!
Amphoras and Paradise: Great coral formations.
Ras Umm Sid: Possible to dive from shore or boat, famous because of the sea fan coral ‘forest.’
Temple: Beginner dive site which I really love because of the big coral blocks where you always find something beautiful.
Ras Katy: A great site to spot eagle rays.
TELL ME MORE
Boat diving in Sharm El Sheikh. Photo courtesy of Nicole Rossi
Boat diving is the most popular way of diving in Sharm El Sheikh. Our daily boats are super comfortable with the main deck with the salon, toilets, shower, and diving platform, and upstairs is the sundeck for relaxing between the dives. Lunch is cooked by the crew and always super yummy local food. A bar with soft drinks, coffee, and tea is also on each boat.
To Tiran and Ras Mohamed National park, the drive is around 1 – 1.5 hours depending on the boat, sea conditions, and where the jetty from the boat is located. The local dive sites we reach between 5 – 60 minutes.
For the shore dives we drive between 5 – 20 minutes with the bus.
DO I NEED ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT?
We have two seasons: Summer and Winter
In the Summer with 28-30°C water temperature, it is, for some people, enough to wear a rash vest, skinsuit, or a shorty wetsuit. I personally feel the cold fast as I am diving every day, so in the summer I use a 5mm wetsuit.
In the Winter with 20-22°C water temperature, I recommend at least a 5mm wetsuit or more. Many of our guests will even use a 7mm with a hood (during the months of November – March) as we also have more wind which affects us during the surface interval. I go with a drysuit during this time! Here is how a drysuit works in keeping me nice and warm.
Dive shops will provide you with everything you need. Also with torches for the night dive.
Gloves, knives, hooks and sticks are not allowed.
Lots of life in Sharm El Sheikh. Photo courtesy of Nicole Rossi
WHAT LEVEL CERTIFICATION SHOULD I BE?
We have a large variation in dive sites and everyone will find places that match their certification level. For the National Park and the Thistlegorm wreck, you should have an Advanced certification and/or good experience. Check with your dive shop.
Diving in Sharm El Sheikh is a good place to improve your skills with specialties, Advanced Open Water course, the Rescue Course or going professional here with Divemaster training!
WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS?
The water is in the winter is around 22°C going up to 30°C in the summer.
The weather is great with only 2 rainy days each year. A lot of sunshine is guaranteed. This affects the visibility positively as there is always a lot of light in the water. The visibility is generally between 20-50 meters around the year.
The sea is in the winter is sometimes rough. Some divers will use an anti-seasickness tablet.
The air temperature in the summer goes up to 45°C with little humidity. The nights are very warm during this time but your accommodation will have air conditioning. In the winter the temperature is around 20°C, and in the evenings it can drop to 10°C where you may need long trousers and a jacket.
HOW MUCH WILL I SPEND?
One dive is around 40 Euros. Packages are available with general prices being; 2 dives 70 EUR, 6 dives 180 EUR, 10 dives 290 EUR, and 20 dives 530 EUR.
These prices include tanks, weights, a dive guide, transfer from and back to the hotel. Many dive shops also offer free Nitrox if you have the certification for it.
When diving in Sharm El Sheikh, you can expect the course prices to be around; Open Water 320 EUR, Advanced Open Water 240 EUR, Rescue Diver 320 EUR, Enriched Air Nitrox 110 EUR with all equipment included.
Certification fee and books are not included in these prices, but always check with your dive center when booking.
WHAT TYPE OF ACCOMMODATION IS AVAILABLE?
Sharm is famous in Europe for ‘All Inclusive Holidays’ at the beach, where everything at the resort is included. This means you can find cheap packages. If you book a hotel in Sharm, the dive shop will pick you up and bring you to the Jetty, beach, or dive shop. I recommend taking a look at where your dive shop is located, to minimize the transfer time on the diving days. From one side of Sharm to the other the drive takes about 30 minutes.
Alternatively, you can book everything separately. There are some guesthouses, Airbnb, and flats to rent. This is a cheaper option if you are traveling around Egypt. But if you only plan to visit Sharm El Sheikh then it’s usually cheaper to book the flight and the hotel in a package deal.
WHERE DID YOU STAY?
I am living in a small flat, European standard with air conditioning and hot water. It is close to the dive shop where I work. I have everything i need for my life here, shops, restaurants, and bars.
It is a long term contract and I am paying 200 EUR per month.
DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
I love diving here, which is the reason why I choose to work here as a scuba diving instructor. The reefs are in good condition, and the diving is varied and exciting. You can see small creatures, different corals and fish and if you are lucky also some big fish!
Driving out with the boat you can see the coast with the mountains of the Sinai in the background. For me, this is one of the most beautiful views I have seen.
Sunset over Sharm El Sheikh. Photo courtesy of Nicole Rossi
WHAT DO WE DO ON SURFACE INTERVALS?
Sharm El Sheikh is in the middle of a desert. Far away from the bigger towns. The main attraction for sure is the Red Sea and watersports; snorkeling, diving, kite surfing, and more.
If you want to stay dry, you can ride a camel, drive a quad bike up and down the sand dunes, visit a waterpark with slides, or visit a historic mosque.
You can also visit the Ras Mohammed National Park. There are nice beaches, mangroves, and some little hikes to viewpoints where the sea is always next to you. I also highly recommend having lunch or going camping at the Bedouins place in the park which is one of the musts here! There is an amazing night sky with thousands of stars guaranteed.
Saint Catherine’s Monastery and Moses Mountain are two really famous places to see. Or you can visit Dahab or Taba which is located more north. All of these can be done on a day trip. We are close to Jordan and Israel too so it is possible to travel easily from Sharm to these countries.
Seahorses are often found holding onto coral. They are undeniable cute with their snout-like noses and full bellies. But cuddly they are not. Seahorses have a bony structure that helps protect them from predators. And unfortunately, that also makes them terrible swimmers. This is why seahorses need their all-important tail to help them survive!
Why do Seahorses hold onto Coral
Seahorses are the slowest fish in the ocean and are often at the mercy of the current. This is why seahorses have a strong and unique tail that helps them anchor onto coral and other objects, allowing them to take a break from the currents, and to rest and feed.
Seahorses have a tiny fin that is their only method of propulsion. They use a ‘swim-bladder’ to move up and down by adjusting the volume of air in a tiny pocket inside their bodies. This makes it seem as if they are bouncing up and down.
Seahorses instinctively know how to use their tails from birth. Similar to human babies gripping their mother’s finger, a seahorse will wrap its tail around the nearest object to steady themselves.
Seahorses are known to die from exhaustion from the strong currents that push them around. This is how their tail will help them, by gripping onto any steady object that is nearby. Even an old human-made cotton swab.
A pygmy seahorse found in Mabul – Malaysia. Photo courtesy of Manson / Yiboy
More information about Seahorses
Seahorses usually live in shallower waters where there are weeds, grass, or coral to hold onto. When the weather becomes rougher, they are known to venture into deeper and calmer waters.
The tiny fin that seahorses have is a ‘dorsal fin’ that beats 30-70 times in a second. They also have pectoral fins on either side of their heads to help steering and keeping stable.
Seahorses have excellent eyesight and since their eyes on either side of their head; they can see each eye independently. This assists with finding their food.
The long snout on a seahorse is very handy for sucking in food, similar to a vacuum cleaner. It can reach into tiny crevices and suck up tiny plankton and small crustacea. The mouth/snout can even expand to accommodate for the food, but they have no teeth so they don’t chew their food source.
Is it true that seahorses mate for life? Yes, it is. While seahorses will have their own territory to hang out and feed in, mates will meet up every day. The two seahorses will spiral around an object and circle each other to display their courtship.
And this part is true too, the male seahorse will carry the eggs of baby seahorses in his pouch! The female deposits her eggs into the male’s pouch when they mate. Up to 1,500 eggs at a time. The male then releases sperm to fertilize those eggs. After birth, the male will rest and not eat for several hours. However, they have been known to snack on their offspring if the baby seahorses are still hanging around!
How do Seahorses help the Environment?
Seahorses, like other marine life, all play an important part in the ocean. They help keep the eco-system in check, by feeding on plankton, small fish, and small crustaceans, such as shrimp and krill. Without seahorses doing their bit, the population of their prey would rise exponentially, thus disrupting the natural balance in the underwater world.
