No Go With the GoPro in Scuba Diving

You can’t go pro with a GoPro. A friend of mine told me right after his purchase of a GoPro that he was going to be a professional photographer. At the time I didn't think much of it because I had little knowledge of the system and had never used one before. I've still only fiddled with a GoPro once or twice since I had that conversation with him but if he told me that again I would have to concur.

I “DO NOT” claim to be a professional photographer and I would hardly call myself an amateur. Rather I’m an enthusiast of the hobby with only the intention of enjoying myself.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to bash the GoPro system I’m just trying to allude to the fact that by using it it won’t automatically make you a professional. That just sounds obvious but many people believe what’s portrayed on television is what it is like in actuality. For example, chances are you won’t get those stellar video of whitewater kayakers going over a waterfall on your first attempt using this camera.

While the GoPro is advertised as being waterproof and many scuba divers do use them I would recommend if you want those crisp photos with lots of color to upgrade to something better.

The deeper you venture underwater the less color that is visible. The acronym ROYGBIV explains, the first color that is lost is the reds followed by orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Eventually if you get deep enough the only visible color is black. In order to get those good shots of colorful reefs you need to add color back to the photo by use of a strobe or flashlight.

This was a photo of a Spanish Hogfish, because of the depth at which the photo was taken and the lack of a strobe the  purple and coloration on the fish was dulled.

The reason you shouldn't expect to become a professional when the only gear you own is a GoPro is because you can’t adjust anything with this camera. The camera is very limited with only and on/off and shoot button, this along with how compact is probably why it has received so much cloud. But if you want to take underwater photos that aren't dull and blue then you really need something that you can adjust the settings as well as being able to see the subject.

The GoPro is a plus in how compact the camera is but because it was made so tiny it is very limiting. You’ll notice as opposed to most cameras there isn't a viewfinder which isn't that big of a deal if you’re filming yourself scaling a mountain on a bike. All you have to do is point it in the general direction and hit play but what I've noticed is that you won’t be able to get those pictures that focus on a particular subject. What I mean by this is that without a zoom or focus option chances are many of your photos may become blurred. 

Mask Clearing, Why We Do It.

We've all experienced it, waters gotten in to our nose and it’s not a pleasant feeling so why would we want to intentionally flood our mask underwater. No matter the organization, no matter the training eventually you will be asked to break the seal around your mask and let the cavity flood. Soon you will even be expected to remove the mask completely and re-position it back on your face but to do so you need to understand how it works.

The reason this skill is taught is because eventually your mask will leak, fog up or flood and you need to be able to correct the problem without having to cancel the dive to surface. The notion can be rather daunting but after you get a fill for it, learning this skill won’t be as frightening.

If you spent those extra bucks and got a purge valve on your mask then good for you, you don’t have to do as much but if you settled just for something to see out of then pay attention. It’s simple to get water into your mask but it will take some effort and understanding to get it back out.

What makes the most sense to me is that when a canoe/kayak gets overturned it doesn't sink because it has a pocket of air trapped in the hull. The same concept applies when trying to purge your mask. Take your palm and press it firmly against the top of the mask while looking up. This maintains the seal at the top of the mask. Exhale through the nose to fill the cavity where the mask will rest, the air bubbles will drift upwards into the mask displacing the water. Once done exhaling re-position the mask back in place and open your eyes, it’s as simple as that.

Although we may not enjoy having our masks flood it is important to be able to clear it and continue the dive. By being able to do this simple skill it will make your dive that much more enjoyable. Instead of sucking it up and diving with a partially flooded mask why not just clear it?

Goggles or Mask?

Why is it that we never see anybody diving with these little goggles that only cover the eyes in scuba diving?

Well the reason has to do with pressure and atmospheres, you see as you descend down much like when you drive up a mountain or fly in an airplane you might experience a ringing in the ears. This is a sign that you've gone up or down an atmosphere but how do we overcome it? We pinch the nose and blow to pop the ears back to normal, well just like this everyday practice the same is occurring below the surface.

Along with the ringing in the ears, as you descend further down there is more pressure pushing on your body. The idea of increases in atmosphere and pressure comes from Boyle's Law. An example that they use in textbooks would be a balloon, as you increase in atmospheres so too does the pressure increase so by pulling the balloon further down the air inside of it is being compressed. Much like the human lungs which are represented by the balloons they too are being compressed by the surrounding wall of water. Both the balloon and the lungs have a cavity filled with air. Guess what else has this cavity of air? The mask, so you can assume the same is occurring within the mask.

The reason why we don’t see people scuba diving with a pair of goggles is because there is no additional air coming into the cavity, in scuba diving if you experience the “squeeze” then you should exhale air through the nose but if you have just a traditional pair of goggles then this is not possible. If you look close, after a diver surfaces he/she may have a ring/band around their face from where the mask was positioned. This is a sign of the mask possible being too tight or that the diver didn't exhale some into his/her mask to combat the pressure.

Buying a BCD, Sherwood AVID

A BCD (buoyancy control/compensator device) is a necessity. There are a few big ticket items you absolutely need when scuba diving and they can vary from person to person but a BCD, tank, regulators, and gauges/computer are the main four that come to mind.

Just like any sport there are many products/services offered through numerous companies all dedicated to providing goods to you but which one do you choose? My decision was to purchase the bulk of my gear through Sherwood and AKONA in part because the dive shop I was most associated with was a retailer of these brands.

When I first decided to purchase my own personal diving equipment I had little idea of what I would need but one thing was certain I would be investing in a BCD. The Sherwood AVID was my first large investment towards my scuba diving hobby. One way to ease the issue of picking out that perfect fit for you is by talking with various dive shops and asking fellow divers of their opinions on gear. When I was researching and prospecting for gear I ended up hopping from one dive shop to the next, probably checking out half a dozen before I finally decided.

What I've noticed is that in the three years that I've owned a Sherwood AVID it has been reliable and a worthwhile purchase. In the fifty plus dives that I've used this BCD I never had a problem with the system and with regular annual maintenance I hope that that BCD will last me ten more years.

Ecosystem protection in 150 words, A Guest Post by Tim Grollimund

The other day I got a note from my science mentor Suzy Roebling about a goliath grouper that was swimming around Molasses Reef in distress.  It had been speared.   The animal was spotted by one of the glass bottom boats while cruising over the south end of the reef.  I heard a few days later the spear was gone.  We went there last week, but I did not see our wounded friend.  Will this animal survive?

This is an area I dive frequently, so I know it well, and I’ll bet I have photos of that particular goliath grouper.  They are like St. Bernard puppies, in a fishy way.  You can get very close, within arms length, easily.  They are acclimated to people.  In fact the only place I have seen a friendlier goliath grouper is on Aquarius Reef Base. 

What kind of person would spear a goliath grouper?  I don’t know if this act took place in the Sanctuary Preservation Area or not, but the species is protected in Florida, the southeast US and US Caribbean.  Swimming with a magnificent animal like a goliath grouper is an encounter that attracts people to the Keys.  It is a Keys icon.

I don’t spearfish, but I do respect the rights of folks that do, when it is done correctly.  I am not railing against spearos.  Just this one. 

A discussion of an act like this could bring in a lot of other topics.  It could include a wide range of things like lack of sufficient resources for law enforcement, all the way to applying more severe penalties for perpetrators.  How do we, as a community, protect our marine resources from folks like this?

In my opinion that person should never be allowed in the sanctuary again.  They banned Pete Rose from baseball - we should be able to ban blatantly disrespectful, harmful people from our sanctuary.  Period.  And I don’t recall Pete doing damage to anyone but himself.  On top of that, he came forward and laid it all out on the table.  I will not be taking bets on this person doing the same.

Right after the grouper incident, I received an assignment from Chris Bergh, the chairman of our working group.  The assignment: “Based on your knowledge and experience how would you define "Ecosystem Protection" in 150 words or less?”

Here’s the first thought that came to me: don’t allow misbehaving morons in the sanctuary.  Of course, I was still engulfed in the goliath grouper malaise, but hey, wouldn’t that help?

How does defining Ecosystem Protection fit with a speared goliath grouper?  Let’s see.  Education is certainly an element of protection.  Law enforcement is certainly a component of protection.  The very definition of protected areas - and the exceptions - are critical factors of protection (why bother with regulations if you have exceptions?  Atlas Shrugged, anyone?).

At first I thought this would be simple.  But as I began to change my attitude from the grouper incident to a more constructive thought process, limiting ecosystem protection to 150 words became inherently more difficult.

Water quality and marine life.  Point and non-point pollution.  Perps.  Casitas.  Canal clean up.  Acidification.  Diver pressures.  Fishing pressures.  Connectivity and resilience.  Causes or symptoms?  On and on.

There is so much involved - and at stake - I have to be very deliberate, precise and succinct in the words I select.  To me it’s like writing a mission statement for a start-up company.  We need to cover the uses and zones, emphasize adaptive management, and paint a sustainable vision for the future.  Books have been written on those three topics.  I have one paragraph.

We live in a bountiful, complex place, unique in many ways in this country.  Our space merits protection.  While we have many programs and initiatives in place, like coral restoration, upgrading wastewater systems and controlling development, we are lacking in certain areas.  See the Conditions Report for the details (http://floridakeys.noaa.gov/scipublications/condition.html). 

Ecosystem protection involves many issues that touch all our lives, and most people’s livelihoods.    

So, here it is. Like it, hate it, give me and “A” or an “F”.  Or better yet, give me your definition.  Write to me.  Contribute your ideas.  Come to the meeting and deliver it during in the public comment period.  I’d like to get your feedback.

Ecosystem Protection:  Conserving, preserving and sustaining geographic  and temporal zones as a healthy, resilient ecosystem hinges on enacting boundaries and regulations defining acceptable uses within designated areas and times.  Effectively communicating and educating stakeholders and the public on the nature, intent and uses of ecosystem resources is of paramount importance.  Properly resourced law enforcement is necessary.  The use of the best available science, coupled with ongoing scientific inquiry is critical to assess, benchmark, document and predict changes in conditions for sustainable management of flora and fauna.  Threats to ecosystem resources, natural or man-made, need constant monitoring and management intervention for mitigation, correction or elimination.  Human interaction, socioeconomics, biogeographic considerations, recreational and commercial uses all combine to construct an overarching, holistic management process with the goal of providing access for sustainable use of the ecosystem, with all stakeholders having a role in the collaborative process.   

I have seven words left from the 150: Clean the mess and protect the rest!

As always, these are my thoughts, and are not the official views of the agencies with oversight of the sanctuary.

Tim Grollimund is a freelance photographer and PADI divemaster based in Key Largo.  He can be reached at tim@timgimages.com or through his web site at www.timgimages.com.  Tim is a member of the Ecosystem Protection Working Group for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council.

Thanks

Following that excellent post I would like to thank Mr. Tim Grollimund for taking the time to be a guest blogger. Tim Grollimund is an outstanding underwater photographer and was my instructor when I was first starting out, take the time to check out some of his shots at timgimages.

Review: Blue Stone Dive Resort

When you want to hone your skills in scuba diving but don’t want to be restricted to the confines of a pool then the Blue Stone Dive Resort is the place for you. Blue Stone is located in Thomasville North Carolina approximately forty-five minutes up Interstate 85 from Salisbury.

If you are short on funds or just rather do some inland diving then you should really consider stopping by. The resort has an entry charge of twenty dollars or so and then the only additional costs are for air/nitrox and any equipment rentals needed.

As opposed to other locations in North Carolina, Blue Stone offers many additional perks including clearer waters, a tram to assist with the moving of equipment as well as restrooms and many other luxuries that aren't offered at dive sites elsewhere.

Although the primary reason I prefer diving here is because you can actually see what else is in the water. When I was younger the majority of my training took place in Lake Hickory which is equivalent to diving in mud (5 ft visibility max-my experiences), I had my first night/cold water dive at 3 PM in the heat of summer. So I tend to favor diving in places where I can see can see aquatic organisms, that’s kind of why I became certified.

There are several access points to get to the water. One offers a shallow area with a roped off area that allows you to get accustomed to the gear and gradually work your way into the water. This side is especially nice during the spring when the Bluegills use the shallow waters to construct their nests, you can find them guarding over the gravel pits.

The other option is a platform that is roughly 10-15 ft deep and you can choose to do a feet first entry, however if you’re still hesitant you can opt to use the ladder or there is also stairs leading to shallower waters. I personally enjoy doing a giant stride and splashing down into the water.

Make sure you have good directions or a GPS when you go because like most quarries they won’t be in a thriving metropolis. Instead you’ll find Blue Stone several miles off the beaten path nestled back in the woods. When you first pull up you will know you are in the right place, with a rock guarding the gate with a dive flag painted on it. Dive flags line the driveway as you pull up to the quarry which resembles a large warehouse and has many miscellaneous submersibles (cars/boats/helicopters). 

In all the Blue Stone Dive Resort is an excellent site and one that I would highly recommend for new or seasoned divers. 

Pre-dive Might Just Save the Dive

There is a reason why most divers don’t put their mask on their forehead. Not only is it an improper technique and a signal of distress but it can also land you in a world of trouble. Anyone that has been through a traditional dive course knows of the pre-dive checklist but do you ever do it, hardly.

While it may seem like instructors are just blowing smoke about checking your gear it is a good plan to review your equipment before you take the plunge. It’s not uncommon to forget something as basic as turning on the air when in a mad rush to get off a rocking boat.

(Note: do not put mask on forehead) 

Specifically recalling a past dive in which my buddy who was renting improperly fitted gear did a feet first entry and lost his mask in 50 plus feet of water. Not only was this a hassle but it also cost precious time oxygen that could have been spent towards the dive. On that same trip he also lost his snorkel in even deeper water, had it been properly secured and a pre-dive check been done we could have avoided the entire scenario.

It is a must for anybody going diving to do a pre-dive check before going diving that’s just my opinion. It can save you from a number of things ranging from having to buy new equipment that is lost to losing a life because you jumped in deep water with no air. While it may seem rather trivial you should look over the basics before going diving.