Calling all divers! Have ever traveled to Thailand to dive? Do you know someone who has? Help reader Marissa out with advise on where to dive in Thailand. She writes:

"I'm traveling in Nepal until October 1st and was interested in spending the first part of the month at the other extreme - scuba diving. I've dived in Australia and loved it but I'm hoping to get certified. Thailand is on the table. Are there any recommendations you would give in Thailand or anywhere in the region for this time of the year? I'm flexible."

Leave Your Suggestions in the Comments Below

image copyright istockphoto.com, hwinther

Thailand Diving Advice originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 at 12:13:50.

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My new students arrived at the dive shop at different times even though they were traveling together as a family. The father, big manic eyes and excessive energy, showed up about 15 minutes early and paced the classroom nervously, mumbling to himself about his "late family". The mother, quiet and kneading her fingers, arrived exactly on time, trailing behind her the most determined looking 10-year-old slip of a girl I had ever seen. Two teenage daughters arrived 5 minutes later, cell phones wedged between their ears and shoulders, and their brother wandered in about 15 minutes late still eating breakfast. I sighed. It was classic daddy-wants-the-family-to-dive syndrome. Read more...

A Bad Teaching Experience originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 at 21:56:13.

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This blog is a repost from January. It didn't get much attention the first time I published it, but since it is an interesting topic, I hope to hear more opinions on it this time around. My opinion is pretty clear - I think we should remove the Lionfish whenever possible! Don't let my opinion stop you from adding your own, however, this is a great topic for debate.

The Atlantic Lionfish invasion is no longer breaking news. Most ecologically-minded divers know that the common lionfish, an invasive species from the Indo-pacific region, is decimating reefs across the western Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico. Many dive destinations, such as the Bahamas, Cozumel, and Florida are implementing lionfish control programs with some success. What is most likely news to everyone is that on the mainland east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, almost nothing has been done to control this destructive species.

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Lionfish in Mexico Have Free Reign originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Friday, August 27th, 2010 at 12:45:43.

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An open water scuba instructor's job is half teaching and half psychology. An important part of the job is coaching student divers to overcome their fears, develop confidence and be the best divers that they can be. Students who have difficulties usually use one of two phrases to express their frustrations - "I can't do this" or "I don't want to do this." Although these statements may sound similar, there is a huge difference between "I can't" and "I don't want to."

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"I can't" vs "I don't want to" originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Monday, August 23rd, 2010 at 18:09:45.

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Even with proper maintenance, scuba tanks eventually wear out. Dents, cracks, and rust can compromise a scuba tank's structural integrity. The dive industry recommends that tanks be visually inspected for damage once a year, and the United States Department of Transportation requires that all compressed gas cylinders undergo hydrostatic testing every 5 years. If a tank fails either visual inspection or hydrostatic testing it is decommissioned, leaving a diver with a heavy, bulky hunk of metal. Now what?

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What Can You Do With a Decommissioned Tank? originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Monday, August 16th, 2010 at 22:20:37.

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When I told my customer that completing the open water course would take a minimum of 3 to 4 days, he started to whine. "But that's sooooo long, can't you make it any shorter?" Really? If I were paying for a course, I would want to maximize the amount of in-water and classroom time. I would want the most for my money, not the least. As an instructor, I try to discourage students from rushing through something as serious scuba training. Sadly, these days my point of view sounds idealistic. Here are some reasons you should look for longer (not shorter) open water courses, and ways to get the most out of your in-class time. Read more...

Shorter Is Not Better: Get the Most out of Your Open Water Course originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Thursday, August 12th, 2010 at 23:42:13.

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In a recent blog, I outlined reasons that divers should buy dive gear from local dive shops instead of online. I received many educated comments on the blog, and learned about the reasons people choose to purchase dive gear online. In today's blog, I address the issue of equipment availability (a problem I frequently face in Mexico) and what one ingenious Florida dive shop has done to remain competitive with online retailers. Read more...

Local Dive Shops Sell Online originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Wednesday, August 11th, 2010 at 18:11:04.

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I have been diving with some of my favorite clients over the last few days. When one of them showed up sporting a brand new mask, I knew immediately that is was going to fog. The diver had only treated the mask very briefly with toothpaste for a few minutes the evening before. On the first dive, the mask fogged up as expected. We treated it using the flame trick. The mask still fogged. I put in some commercial mask preparing agent. The mask still fogged. I flamed it again. It fogged. I borrowed it on the sly and washed it with dish soap. Still foggy. This was one stubborn mask! After a beautiful dive in Cozumel, of which my poor, frustrated client saw nothing but a white haze, the local dive guide fixed the world's foggiest mask with one simple trick. Read more...

The World's Foggiest Mask originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Wednesday, August 4th, 2010 at 22:05:38.

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After a lovely, 75-minute multilevel dive, my client walked straight off the dive boat and straight into the beach bar where he ordered one ice cold beer after another. While a frosty beer might taste delicious after a hot boat ride, cracking open a cold one immediately after a dive is not the best thing a diver can do. Read more...

The Post Dive Cocktail originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Monday, August 2nd, 2010 at 17:40:59.

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While working on a reference article on pressure-depth relationships, I was reminded of divers I had a few years ago. This couple has a creative way of finishing a dive. After maintaining a reasonably well-controlled safety stop, they both reached for their inflator hoses and pffffffffttt held down their inflate buttons and shot to the surface from 15 feet. When I chatted with them about this dangerous habit, they told me that their open water instructor taught them to ascend this way.

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The End of the Dive originally appeared on About.com Scuba Diving on Monday, July 26th, 2010 at 19:30:19.

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