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Is scuba diving safe?

[Note: This blog refers to recreational sport diving only. Recreational technical diving, scientific diving and military diving are not covered] Overall,  when we are asked if Scuba diving is safe our answer is yes, it is a very safe activity for you and your friends and family to enjoy. It is a response that we do have to qualify, however, by saying that it is not a risk free activity - indeed we would argue it is a high risk activity. So perhaps a more accurate answer would be: “Scuba d...

Does it matter if I have a longer safety stop?

As we covered in our blog, What is a safety stop in diving?, at the end of each dive you should look to complete a three minute safety stop, at around five metres (16 feet). This is not mandatory, and there are circumstances in which you should decide not to complete one (see Can I ignore my safety stop when diving?), but it is something that you should always plan to do. It should be normal procedure whenever you are scuba diving, particularly if your dive has been deeper than 12m (40ft). Occas...

Travel insurance or diving insurance? What do we think in 2022?

Travel insurance is a big issue in 2022 as a result of a scramble in the industry to reduce potential financial exposure to COVID19. Beyond the complexities of the current insurance environment, however, one question that pops up routinely is whether or not standard travel insurance policies cover you for scuba diving. The answer is somewhat nuanced and we are in no position to offer any advice regarding the appropriateness of any one policy. But, broadly, our answer is yes, standard travel insu...

No depth limit on my insurance – wohoo!!!

As we covered in our blog Travel insurance or diving insurance? What do we think in 2022?, we are of the opinion that every scuba diver should have full travel insurance with a specialist scuba diving provider. We also covered in that article that, if you breach your depth limit, then any standard travel insurance will be invalidated - not just for the offending dive, but often for the duration of the policy.  Recently, however, we heard a diver confidently declare that she had insuran...

Shore diving made easy

Anyone who knows Dive Bunnies knows that  we are big fans of scuba diving independently (something that we covered in our 2 part blog, Can I dive independently). The freedom to pick and choose where, and when, to drop under the waves really works for us and it is something that we encourage and support all scuba divers to enjoy. This means that you will usually find us diving from the shore, certainly more than you find us dropping off a boat. Diving from boats absolutely works for us ...

Real navigation in scuba diving

Navigation in scuba diving is seen as something of a dark art. We have heard many, many scuba divers comment that they could never navigate a dive, even sites that they may have dived on multiple occasions. Some have completed one of the navigation courses offered by the various diving agencies and so should, at least in principle, be confident enough to navigate underwater. The reality is that they may be competent in using a compass - even if a little refresher would be needed, but don’t fee...

Can I dive independently? (Part 2)

Welcome to part two of Can I dive independently? Make sure you have read part 1 first!...

Can I dive independently? (Part 1)

This is the first of a two part blog in which we will be discussing how certified scuba divers can begin to enjoy the freedoms of diving independently... (Part 2) Scuba diving is a very social activity and most of us learn to dive as part of a group, either with friends and family or with people who are part of the same learning class. Once certified it’s then normal to continue diving as part of a group structure, joining the various planned excursions that dive centres run on a regular basis...

Can I get Decompression sickness scuba diving?

Scuba diving has an enviable safety record but as with any activity it has a level of inherent risk that cannot be completely avoided - simply reduced.  Everything from equipment manufacturing standards and diver training right through to the way in which dives are constructed and planned (dive profile) is intended to help reduce the risks to the point that diving is generally seen as being a safe sport. When asked, Dive Bunnies refer to diving as being a high risk activity, that can be ext...

Can I ignore my safety stop when diving?

This is always a bit of a controversial one but the answer is quite simply yes. Not only can you ignore your safety stop whilst scuba diving but there are occasions when, and circumstances under which, you absolutely should ignore it and instead proceed directly to the surface. As we covered in our blog ‘What is a safety stop in diving?’ safety stops are not mandatory. Provided you dive within the limits of recreational sports diving then there is no need to complete a safety stop. Completin...

What is a safety stop in diving?

Put simply, a safety stop is a pause that a scuba diver makes during their return to the surface after a dive. The pause, or stop, is typically conducted at a depth of 5 metres (18 feet) for between three and five minutes - just before the diver surfaces.   In recreational sport diving, most agencies are aligned in saying that you should complete a safety stop on any dive that is deeper than 18m/60ft; 18m/60ft being the generally accepted depth at which a dive becomes considered ‘dee...

Why You Should Care About Coral Bleaching

Unfortunately we’ve all heard the words ‘coral bleaching’ being used more and more in the last few years, but it’s not always explained to the full extent that it could be....

How Do Fish Reproduce? Part 2

This is part 2 to our fish reproduction blog! Fish are a diverse taxonomy, and sometimes they don’t always fit neatly into boxed categories - they’ve been around a long time and have used that time wisely. If you can believe it, there are even more ways that some species of fish reproduce! ...

How Do Fish Reproduce?

This is the fourth edition of our 'I want to know about...' series! This week it's all about: Fish Reproduction! ...

Is renting scuba diving equipment safe?

As your scuba diving develops so does your haul of equipment - most of it necessary, some of it less so - Phil, for example, has 4 BCDs for reasons that we can’t quite fathom and, despite his best efforts, he can’t quite justify. Renting diving equipment is something that is a necessity for all of us at some stage. Whether it’s full equipment rental when we first start out or the occasional hire when luggage restrictions prevent us taking everything we need. Even when you eventually own ev...

How do sharks reproduce?

This is the third in our series of  'I want to know about...' blogs. This one will cover the topic of shark reproduction. Reproduction is vital to a species’ survival, and you’d be surprised how many different ways there are to do it. It’s ingrained into the survival instinct to reproduce and ensure that their genetics live on through offspring, and fish are the same! The majority of fish will lay eggs and have them fertilised externally, however sharks and rays are completely differe...

Should I buy second hand scuba diving gear?

Every scuba diver wants their own dive gear…it’s completely natural and normal and why wouldn’t you?   We all look at the websites, the photos and the reviews. Let's face it, shiny new dive things attract scuba divers like Magpies! Sadly we all find out quite quickly that buying your own scuba diving equipment can be expensive. For many of us, it’s a really big decision, particularly when starting your collection - something we looked at in our blog What is the first item ...

Sharks and their Senses

This is the second in our series of  'I want to know about...' blogs. This one will cover the topic of sharks’ senses and the fascinating facts surrounding them. An animal’s senses are vital for their survival in the wild. Many of them have evolved and adapted to help the animal thrive in its habitat and meet its needs. Senses have been specialised to deal with the environment and arm the animal with unique skills that can make it either an effective predator or an elusive prey. And sha...

Front Zip vs Back Zip Wetsuits

Should you wear a front or back zip wetsuit? There isn’t really a right or wrong answer, however there are many opinions.  There are a few different types of zips for wetsuits - and there are advantages and disadvantages to each. Being comfortable in your wetsuit is crucial to diving, in our opinion. If you’re not comfortable, how can you be expected to enjoy yourself? Different types of zips can affect a lot - how you get into the wetsuit and how easy it is, flexibility of yourself and...

Why are hammerhead sharks different?

This is the first in our series of  'I want to know about...' blogs.  We're looking at hammerhead sharks, and why specifically they've evolved so differently to every other species of shark....

No - the dive guide is NOT responsible for your dive!

If you follow any of the various scuba diving forums that litter the internet then you will often see discussions regarding the role of a dive guide and how much responsibility that individual has on any given scuba dive. In some areas of the world, a dive guide may be mandatory. For example, in Malta and Gozo you must be certified to dive to 30m (Advanced Open Water | Sport Diver | Deep Diver) or be accompanied by an instructor. The legal liability of a dive guide also differs depending on the ...

Quarter Turn Back - no debate

OK - so we know that we have already talked about this a while ago in our blog Tank on or off - the big quarter turn debate but it just keeps popping up time and again. There’s lots of things to chat about and debate in scuba diving.  Best diving equipment manufacturer, best agency, best dive site… the list is endless. But here at Dive Bunnies there is most certainly one topic on which there is no debate.  Our view is completely clear - your tank should be either fully on...

PADI, BSAC or SSI - which way should I certify?

Starting out in scuba diving is both exciting and a little bit daunting.  You are entering a world of strange equipment, practices and weird words; but it's a world that you will very quickly come to love. When you are looking to start scuba diving you will be faced with an array of information - some of it useful and some of it not so useful. Scuba diving is an investment in your future that can bring you years, if not decades, of enjoyment, exploration, adventure and fun - not to men...

What is the first item of scuba diving equipment I should buy?

Buying your first scuba diving equipment is both exciting and somewhat daunting. If you have a budget the size of a small country then it is time to go mad and buy everything in the shop but for most of us, a little more discretion and direction is required. Every new scuba diver has to wrestle with this question once they have been bitten by the scuba diving bug: What should be my first purchase when it comes to scuba diving equipment? All Dive Bunnies know they need dive equipment. E...

Scuba diving with your children

This topic is something us Dive Bunnies are intrigued by. You can find many blogs on the subject of children diving - the age restrictions, depth limits etc. but what about from the parental perspective? How does it actually feel to dive with your babies and let’s be honest, can we recommend it? We’ve decided to organise this article into a series of hypothetical questions. It’s not in any order of priority but it’s definitely a list that’s been put together by parents’ observations ...