Book Description
Scuba Diving & Snorkeling For Dummies presents all the fundamentals for anyone interested in getting dive certified or just looking for good snorkeling while on vacation. Written by PADI-Certified diver John Newman, this friendly guide covers everything you need to know to:
- Get certified
- Plan a great diving trip
- Save money on equipment
- Dive or snorkel safely
This user-friendly guide starts by helping you evaluate your underwater skills and walking you step by step through a typical certification program. Once you’re certified, it helps you pick a dive site, purchase and set up your equipment, and take care of any fears you might have. Then you’ll discover what to expect on your first dive – from which creatures are dangerous to how to protect fragile sea life. Scuba Diving & Snorkeling For Dummies also covers these topics and more:
- Free diving
- Special breathing techniques
- Emergency procedures
- How to avoid the bends
- Handling dive anxiety
- The physics and chemistry of diving
- Staying healthy on dive trips
- Ocean ecosystems
- Rip tides and tidal waves
- Ten great dive destinations
In addition to beautiful full-color photography and all the information you need to plan a dive trip, the book also includes a handy appendix of dive organizations and publications, as well as a CD-ROM sampler from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors). Whether you’re a novice diver or an old hand, Scuba Diving & Snorkeling For Dummies is perfect for anyone who wants to see the beauty of the ocean from a fish’s point of view.
About the author
John lived briefly in Hawaii where he did T-shirt designs and continued to play in the water, but returned to California to continue his education. By the time he entered graduate school at San Jose State University, he had become an accomplished kayaker, waveskier, and diver, and had also developed a love of literature and writing. By the time he completed graduate school, he'd won five separate Phelan Awards for his works of short fiction. After he left the university, he went to work as the Editor and Art Director for the newly launched Paddlesports magazine, but the publication folded within a few years. John moved on to Oceansports magazine, and stayed on when the publication was reorganized as Dive Travel magazine, assuming the role of Editor and Art Director of that publication. He stayed at Dive Travel for 12 years, until that publication was purchased by World Publications, and combined with Sport Diver magazine. Today, he serves as West Coast Field Editor for Sport Diver, and pursues a freelance career.
