Search Results

A Better Dive Slate. Meet the DUSLATE® MINI e-Slate. Sold here by authorized distributor. Ships from USA. The DUSLATE® MINI electronic writing board is an updated solution to traditional—and oftentimes ineffective—underwater writing slates. To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. IN STOCK & READY TO SHIP! Bottom Line Designed for quick communications between divers, the Dusol DUSLATE MINI is a sleek and slend er electronic re placement for traditional div er writing devices that can be bulky, difficult to read, and nearly impossible to erase underwater. Pick from 9 Packs Duslate MINI Deluxe Pack The Duslate MINI Deluxe Pack ships with: ​ (1) Duslate MINI Underwater e-Slate (1) Stylus (1) Stylus Coil (1) Orange Neoprene Protective Sleeve, and (1) Double-Sided Orange Plastic Case Ships from United States for $ 7 via USPS First Class Mail $141.98 + $7 shipping Duslate MINI Hard Pack ORANGE The Duslate MINI Hard Pack ORANGE ships with: ​ (1) Duslate MINI Underwater e-Slate (1) Stylus (1) Stylus Coil, and (1) Double-Sided Orange Plastic Case Ships from United States for $ 7 via USPS First Class Mail $128.99 + $7 shipping Duslate MINI Hard Pack BLUE The Duslate MINI Hard Pack BLUE ships with: ​ (1) Duslate MINI Underwater e-Slate (1) Stylus (1) Stylus Coil, and (1) Double-Sided Blue Plastic Case Ships from United States for $ 7 via USPS First Class Mail $128.99 + $7 shipping Duslate MINI Hard Pack RED The Duslate MINI Hard Pack RED ships with: ​ (1) Duslate MINI Underwater e-Slate (1) Stylus (1) Stylus Coil, and (1) Double-Sided Red Plastic Case Ships from United States for $ 7 via USPS First Class Mail SOLD OUT Duslate MINI Hard Pack BLACK The Duslate MINI Hard Pack BLACK ships with: ​ (1) Duslate MINI Underwater e-Slate (1) Stylus (1) Stylus Coil, and (1) Double-Sided Black Plastic Case Ships from United States for $ 7 via USPS First Class Mail $128.99 + $7 shipping Duslate MINI Soft Pack ORANGE The Duslate MINI Soft Pack ORANGE ships with: ​ (1) Duslate MINI Underwater e-Slate (1) Stylus (1) Stylus Coil, and (1) Neoprene Orange Protective Case Ships from United States for $ 7 via USPS First Class Mail $117.99 + $7 shipping Duslate MINI Soft Pack BLUE The Duslate MINI Soft Pack BLUE ships with: ​ (1) Duslate MINI Underwater e-Slate (1) Stylus (1) Stylus Coil, and (1) Neoprene Blue Protective Case Ships from United States for $ 7 via USPS First Class Mail $117.99 + $7 shipping Duslate MINI Soft Pack BLACK The Duslate MINI Soft Pack BLUE ships with: ​ (1) Duslate MINI Underwater e-Slate (1) Stylus (1) Stylus Coil, and (1) Neoprene Blue Protective Case Ships from United States for $ 7 via USPS First Class Mail $117.99 + $7 shipping Duslate MINI Standard Pack The Duslate MINI Standard Pack ships with: ​ (1) Duslate MINI Underwater e-Slate (1) Stylus, and (1) Stylus Coil, and Ships from United States for $ 7 via USPS First Class Mail $105.00 + $7 shipping Meet the DUSLATE MINI—the world's first electronic writing board for diving . To use the DUSLATE MINI , just start writing on the screen. Anything pointy—like a fingernail—will work, but it is best to use the included stylus. To delete the screen, tap the round erase button (located just below the screen) with this stylus. Only a tap with the DUSLATE MINI stylus will erase the slate to ensure your screen is not accidentally deleted. ​ The DUSLATE MINI is great for quick and simple communications underwater. It is so simple to use that during Open Water training dives, our students communicate without any previous instruction. The black screen generates green writing, which is actually more visible underwater than it is out of water. Check out YouTube videos of the DUSLATE MINI in action. The DUSLATE MINI is not intended to replace semi-permanent notepads used to record such things as a backup technical dive plan. ​ The DUSLATE MINI runs on a standard 3-volt CR1632 Lithium coin battery (~$6 for Duracell CR1632 on Amazon.com ), is rated to 197 feet (60 meters), and has a two-year warranty from date of sale. For additional products details, see information boxes below. ​ The optional two-sided plastic case is designed specifically for the DUSLATE MINI . This case offers efficient protection of the display and device from accidental damage while in or out of water. Made of 3D photopolymer. Weight: 3.5 oz (100 g). The optional neoprene protective case protects your DUSLATE MINI while out of water. ​ Whether you are a dive instructor, Divemaster, dive guide or traditional dive buddy, we think the DUSLATE MINI will make a great addition to your dive kit! ​ ATA/BAR Divers is an authorized U.S. distributor* of the Dusol DUSLATE MINI . Flat rate shipping ($7) for USPS First-Class Package Service to all 50 states and U.S. territories that regularly receive USPS® mail. ​ INTERNATIONAL DIVERS For divers outside of the United States and its territories, p lease contact us directly—using the form below—for an international shipping quote. For accuracy, please include your complete shipping address including postal code. Accessories Available for purchase individually online (by clicking on the item below—clicking may not work on some mobile devices) or collectively by email request, ATA/BAR Divers stocks the following DUSLATE MINI accessories. If you want to purchase any of these accessories together or with one or more of the DUSLATE MINI Packs (above), please use the contact form below and describe what items you would like to purchase. We will send you a invoice via PayPal as soon as possible. Purchasing multiple items by requesting an invoice from us (payable using PayPal) will significantly reduce shipping costs. Orange Plastic Case $23.99 + $5 Shipping Blue Plastic Case $23.99 + $5 Shipping Red Plastic Case SOLD OUT Black Plastic Case $23.99 + $5 Shipping Orange Neoprene Sleeve $12.99 + $5 Shipping Blue Neoprene Sleeve $12.99 + $5 Shipping Black Neoprene Sleeve $12.99 + $5 Shipping Replacement Stylus $6.99 + $5 Shipping Replacement Stylus Coil $5.99 + $5 Shipping Product Info Description Electronic Writing Board for Diving Product Model: DM2019X Manufacturer: Dusol Country of Origin: Russia Website: http://www.duslate.com Size & Weight Approximate Measurements Overall Size: 5-3/8" x 4" Screen Size: 2-3/4" x 3-3/4" Thickness: 0.3" overall 0.5" at battery compartment Weight: 3.4 oz Components Includes DUSLATE MINI, stylus, stylus coil, case, battery & product info Battery type: 3V CR1632 Lithium Maximum Depth: 197 feet (60 m) Warranty: 2 year from date of sale Contact Us About the DUSLATE MINI Submit We will be in contact shortly about the DUSLATE MINI *To confirm authorized U.S. distributorship of the DUSLATE MINI by ATA/BAR Divers, see the Dusol LLC authorized dealer page at https://duslate.com/dealers/ .

Duslate MINI BACK IN STOCK! the world's first underwater electronic dive slate GO

Garabaldi Damselfish Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California Goliath Grouper Boynton Beach, Florida Coral Wall Guanaja, Honduras Garabaldi Damselfish Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California 1/12 Whether you are a veteran or student diver, here are some tips, tricks, and reviews of scuba-related "stuff." Tips & Reviews Wakatobi 2018 Join ATA/BAR DIVERS as we travel to Indonesia in April 2018 and experience Wakatobi , a world-class dive resort with incomparable service, food and sights. Destinations We enjoy traveling to dive, but not all dive destinations or operators are equal. Read about some of our favorite places to dive here. Videos Enjoy watching a few of our favorite YouTube videos that showcase some of our most favorite diving destinations. ​ATA/BAR DIVERS are American multilingual PADI Pros. We offer instruction and support in English, Korean, Vietnamese, and Hungarian at affiliated dive centers. Training

Images Contributed by industry professionals, these are some of our favorite underwater images from the around the world. Each image is copyrighted by its respective photographer.

Follow @atabardivers on Instagram

Contact ATA/BAR Divers kelly@atabardivers.com Tel: +1.805.765.1866 Success! Message received at ATA/BAR Divers. Send

About | Terms of Use | Feedback from Students | Join Us WHO IS ATABARDIVERS.COM? Thank you for visiting atabardivers.com , the official website of ATA/BAR DIVERS . We are an informal group of American multilingual PADI dive professionals. We offer instruction and support in English and Korean (한국어에 능통합니다) at affiliated dive centers in Southern California. ATA/BAR DIVERS does not offer membership but we do offer advice , educational and travel opportunities ; we also share experiences and camaraderie within the greater diving community. Our name is a fun play on diving terms. While we have been known to be "Divers-at-a-Bar" after some of our underwater adventures (for post-dive briefing purposes, of course!), this is not our focus. Our name reflects important concepts in diving: (1) “ata” (atmospheres absolute) and, (2) “bar” (a metric unit of pressure roughly equivalent to one atmosphere). We do not condone drinking alcoholic beverages before or while diving, but we do like to have fun. AUDIENCE ATA/BAR DIVERS target audience are mature, mid- and post-career professionals who are experienced in—and passionate about—our underwater world. While we like children (and even have a few of our own), our dive experiences are not always family-friendly. For this reason, unless specifically noted, our dive outings do not include those divers under the age of 21 years. We are not tec-divers, but we are experienced divers. For the greater good of the group, you should be an experienced diver too. If you are not already certified as an Advanced Open Water Diver , please consider this important training before you travel with us so you can keep up with our escapades. AFFILIATION As PADI Pros, the founding members of atabardivers.com hold the PADI professional designation of Assistant Instructor or Open Water Scuba Instructor . We are also Emergency First Response instructors. We hope to see you in a scuba or EFR class soon! We offer instruction in English, Hungarian, and Korean. GOALS & OPINIONS We love to dive, and our goal is to share information about scuba diving, from equipment and training to dive destinations and operators. The opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the founding members of atabardivers.com and do not reflect the opinion of dive operators we may be affiliated with. Our orientation is a positive one that promotes the good things in diving; we do not dwell on the bad. But occasionally, our experience may be less-than-acceptable with a product or a service—and we will share that with our readers. Experiences can be different depending on the divers involved. We offer you our opinions on our experiences; we do not offer a forum to voice differing opinions on our postings. We welcome you to post differing opinions at other sites. IMAGERY & TERMS OF USE Unless otherwise noted, the images or videos posted on this site are copyrighted by atabardivers.com and cannot be used or transmitted without the express written permission of atabardivers.com. DIVERS-AT-A-BAR (DaaB) PHOTOS We dare our diving colleagues to send us their best “Divers-at-a Bar ” (DaaB) photos. To be a eligible for posting on our site, the photo must depict: (1) Divers of drinking age, (2) In a bar, and (3) Wearing dive gear [and other appropriate clothing, of course]. Minimally acceptable “dive gear” is a mask and snorkel, but the more dive gear worn the better! Please include details of the photograph including date, location, and participating diver names. By submitting DaaB imagery, you certify you are the copyright holder of the image and grant atabardivers.com permission to post the image royalty-free on its website. FEEDBACK FROM OUR STUDENTS What our scuba students say about the training provided by the ATA/BAR DIVERS PADI Pros: ​ Thanks again for today, I had such a great time. I am beyond grateful to have you as my instructor 🙌🏼 ​ . . . ​ Maui was great. It was beautiful and a lot of fun. [My husband] and I went diving it was amazing. We encountered beautiful colored fish along with baby turtles. Also, I stayed off [the] sea bottom [!] Thank you for the hard love. I couldn't have done it without you ❤ and tell your husband I remember to turn on my air lol. I enjoyed your class and learned a lot would not change a thing. Anyone that takes your class will learn alot and enjoy 😉 diving for life. ​ . . . ​ I just wanted to take a minute to express my gratitude for the incredible experience I had while attending your open water course and getting my diver certification. You both were not only professional in the delivery of instruction but extended yourselves by providing a high level of patience and personalized attention to each student. I would highly recommend both of you to anyone interested in pursuing diving... I think you are all awesome people and instructors and I look forward to not only the next dive but the opportunity to advance to the next level. ​ . . . ​ Wow, I had such a wonderful time, honestly don't think I could have experienced my scuba with a better couple of instructors. So glad to call you both my personal teachers. ​ . . . ​ We had a great experience in the classroom, covering the book material and in the pool. You made the pool time enjoyable and gave us the confidence and skills to feel comfortable on the boat. On the boat you made us feel comfortable and confident as we performed out requirements. We had a great experience and really enjoyed working with you, you all were super helpful and upbeat. My son and I are planning on continuing our dive education. ​ . . . ​ OMG! Thank you both. It’s rare to have such an experience with such people! I hope that every bubble that is exhaled and floats gently to the sun, from your students, brings you satisfaction and happiness – I know that we will think of you – and the kindness and love we felt – with every bubble and exhale :-) thank you. ​ . . . ​ Thank you so much for all the time you spent teaching me how to dive. This has been the most amazing experience and I am so thankful to have had you as my teacher! Your humor and positive vibes truly put the cherry on top of this whole learning process. You're an amazing teacher. Thank you, thank you, thank you! ​ . . . ​ Thank you so much for last weekend. It was a fantastic experience, and I learned a great deal from you... I can't wait to get back in the water and thank you again for helping make this experience so [cool]. ​ . . . ​ Thank you for all you did these past weeks. You not only taught us well, you made it fun! I enjoyed your sense of humor, it's twisted like mine! Your stories of your experiences we're great also... Being the Old Guard of the bunch, you made me feel very comfortable and at ease. I am sure our paths will cross in the near future. ​ . . . ​ I just received your recent Diver Roll Call email and it compelled me to reach back out to you. I started my scuba journey by attending your open water course about a year ago, last July. Since then, I've done about 11 more dives and also got my Advanced Open Water certification while abroad in Indonesia. Having started my diving in the Channel Islands, it really surprised me how different tropical/warm water diving was and really helped build an appreciation for the training I had and the conditions for which I learned (e.g. colder water, strong currents, lower visibility). So first of all, I just wanted to thank you again for the awesome instruction... Anyways, long story short, I don't think I would have had nearly as good of a time on my trip if I didn't have the training that you provided. My friend, who was certified in Northern California, had a less than ideal Open Water training, and it actually showed as he did not seem nearly as comfortable or confident in the water. After sharing our stories, it was evident that I received the higher quality training. So thank you for that and I apologize for waiting a year to share that with you! ​ . . . ​ Thank you both so much for the wonderful experience. You both have made the learning experience far greater than I could have ever imagined. You both have shown me a wonderful world I have never known fully about, so I just want to thank you both so much for everything. Wonderful, wonderful experience... ​ ​ JOIN US Would you like to join the atabardivers.com email list or join one of our classes? Please contact us . We will send you an occasional email about upcoming events and posts. We can also communicate fluently in Korean. 한국어에 능통합니다. ​

Videos We have posted a smattering of dive trip videos on YouTube. Check out the ATA/BAR DIVERS YouTube Channel or click the links below. California Diving: Santa Cruz Island Bonaire Diving: Day & Night Riviera Maya, Mexico: Diving Cenotes with Beyond Diving Honduras: Diving Roatan with CoCo View Resort Olympus Stylus Tough TG-4 Underwater Video Examples Mexico: Diving Cozumel with Blue XT~Sea Diving. 2018 PADI Women's Dive Day @ Channel Islands Nat'l Park PADI Tec Series training dives with Horizon Divers aboard the ex-USS Spiegel Grove in Key Largo, Florida. Check out the underwater world off the coast of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Diving Guanaja: Bay Islands, Honduras (2021) Florida Diving: Boynton Beach (2020) Red Sea, Egypt: Unexpected Swim with Dolphins California Diving: The Channel Islands Florida: Dive on the Ex-Spiegel Grove Honduras: Diving Guanaja with Clearwater Paradise Resort Mexico: Diving Socorro Islands with Nautilus Belle Amie Hawaii: Diving Ni'ihau with Fathom Five Divers $5 Dive Flashlight: Too Good to be True? Indonesia Diving: Wakatobi Dive Resort When a green sea turtle passes a scuba diver, there is clearly a mission ahead! Watch what happens. Florida: Lionfish hunting in Panama City. The DUSLATE MINI: World's First Electronic Diving Slate Kailua-Kona HI: The Manta Ray Waltz Taveuni, Fiji: Taveuni Dive Resort

Divers-at-a-Bar (DaaB) Photos We are not just divers at a bar, but we can be that too. We dare our diving colleagues to send us their best “Divers-at-a Bar” (DaaB) photos. To be a eligible for posting on our site, the photo must depict: (1) Divers of drinking age, (2) In a bar, and (3) Wearing dive gear [and other appropriate clothing, of course]. Minimally acceptable “dive gear” is a mask and snorkel, but the more dive gear worn the better! Please include details of the photograph including date, location, and participating diver names. By submitting DaaB imagery, you certify you are the copyright holder of the image and grant atabardivers.com permission to post the image royalty-free on its website. "DIVE BAR" To get things started, we thought you would enjoy this original artwork by Ray Troll , which is available at the Ray Troll Web Store . The image below ("Dive Bar") is available for purchase in a variety of formats, but make sure to check out the rest of his very unique artwork. Dive Bar © Ray Troll. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Links Those of us at ATA/BAR DIVERS would like to share with you some of our favorite weblinks that we have personally utilized for anything from dive travel and operations, equipment purchases and repair, to diver training and tips. DIVE CENTERS ​ Ventura Dive & Sp ort California’s only full-service 5-star PADI Instructor Development Center where classroom, pool, boat and dive shop are all located under one roof. ​ Dive N Trips Located in Pleasanton, CA, Dive N Trips offers a wide variety of training opportunities from traditional PADI courses, tech diving, and scuba equipment repair technician courses. ​ TRAVEL DESTINATIONS/OPERATORS ​ Blue XT~Sea Diving Our favorite dive operator on Cozumel. Blue XT~Sea runs two 6-passenger boats with attentive, friendly crew members. Arguably two of the fastest dive boats in these waters. ​ Kohala Divers On ​Hawaii's Big Island, Kohala Divers is off the well-beaten path of Kailua-Kona dive operators. The 45-minute drive north is worth the trek. Dive known sites or ask the crew to take you somewhere new—you might get to dive unexplored areas and discover new swim-throughs. ​ CoCo View Resort Located on the Bay Island of Roatan, Honduras, CoCo View is recognized as the most returned-to dive resort in the world. No doubt it is, and there is good reason for this. ​ Clearwater Paradise Resort Located on the lesser-known Bay Island of Guanaja, Honduras, Clearwater Paradise is a full-service dive operation that offers exceptional dining, comfortable accommodations, and unique underwater topographies for experienced divers. ​ Belmar Apartments Located on Bonaire, Belmar Apartments are well-appointed with a full kitchen and can come with a pick-up and unlimited air or nitrox fills for your shore diving pleasure at two convenient locations. ​ Beyond Diving Experience Mexico’s Riviera Maya and cenote diving with Erik and company and consider advancing your training into sidemount, tech, cavern or cave. ​ Diver's Den Our favorite hangout in Panama City Beach, Florida, for lionfish hunting and exploring the Gulf. ​ Fathom Five Divers Interested in diving the waters of Hawaii's "forbidden island" of Ni'ihau? Fathom Five has an excellent crew that will make your trip a pleasurable one. ​ VIRTUAL TRAINING SITES ​ Utila Dive Center Our exposure to UDC has been limited to being virtual “students,” but we have learned quite a bit from Andy Phillips and staff through their extensive library of YouTube postings . ​ Steve Prior Mr. Prior is a PADI Course Director and has posted many helpful YouTube videos for aspiring PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors. Scuba Nashville Are you a little rusty on dive tables? Scuba Nashville will bring you up-to-speed in no time with their terrific YouTube videos on this confusing, old-school topic. Alec Pierce Scuba Mr. Pierce has decades of experience in the dive industry and has an incredible library of videos posted on his YouTube channel, covering a variety of topics too numerous to mention here, but here is a taste: Regulators, masks, fins, booties, dust caps, clips... The list goes on. ​ Innerspace Explorers – ISE If you are a recreational diver looking to expand your general knowledge of the sport beyond your basic training, check out his long list of videos . German host and ISE founder Achim Schlöffel offers a wide array of tips from knot-tying skills and gear configuration to shooting an SMB… and much more for tech divers.

Going Pro: The Road to PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) Have you considered becoming a PADI scuba professional? Becoming a PADI Pro is not a difficult process so long as you prepare yourself properly. If you think you can “wing it,” or take shortcuts to proper preparation, you might be sorely disappointed. In 2015, a few of us at ATA/BAR DIVERS took the challenge and became PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors . We are not going to discuss what the IDC or IE is or what it was like; instead we offer a list of resources we found particularly useful in our successful completion of the PADI scuba instructor curriculum. Study Groups We believe that a key to your future success with the IDC and IE is finding like-minded divers with common goals. Forming an IDC study group was a crucial component to our eventual success. We studied individually for months and spent several weekends together in our study group reviewing material and discussing formulas. Steve Prior We do not know Mr. Prior, but we feel like we do—he’s been “in our lives” for well over a year. Steve is a Platinum Course Director with PADI, and his YouTube postings are literally a buffet for your scuba knowledge-starved brain. He makes confusing subject matter like dive physics and physiology incredibly simple. We highly suggest you subscribe to his YouTube channel—you might want to consider attending his IDC too. If Egypt isn’t around the corner for you, Mr. Prior also offers IDC preparatory distance learning if you need additional help before you tackle your IDC. Utila Dive Centre Another treasure-trove of online learning resides on the Utila Dive Centre’s YouTube channel . Andy Phillips, the late course director at Utila Dive Centre, has a multi-part series on the PADI Divemaster and Instructor “24 skills circuit,” among other excellent training videos. As part of the IDC and IE, you must be able to demonstrate all 24 required skills, and this is a great way to hone these necessary instructional techniques. Scuba Nashville Having a problem with your dive tables? Check out Scuba Nashville’s YouTube video series and you will be up-to-speed on complex RDP use in no time at all. A great resource. IDC-Guide.com This site is supported by a number of IDCs, some of which have already been mentioned here. Some very good study materials and sample IDC tests. Instructor Development Course As assistant instructors, we needed to complete OWSI training (OWSI is a subcomponent of IDC, but referred to as “IDC” here—click here for a full explanation if you need clarification) to be eligible to sit for the PADI Instructor Examination (IE). Our IDC instructor was PADI Course Director Perry Boyer. (Visit Perry’s Facebook page, RUADiver, here .) Perry brought all of the PADI concepts into focus. He oozes enthusiasm for diving and the greater scuba industry. The OWSI class was conducted over five consecutive days with classroom, confined water, and open water sessions lasting over 13 hours (not including homework) on most days. Although the class was grueling at times, our journey to the IE at PADI world headquarters in Rancho Santa Margarita would not have been as successful without his expert tutelage. We could not offer a more positive endorsement for Captain Perry Boyer.

Computer vs. Computerless Diving Bottom Line : If you don’t use a dive computer, you must calculate your dives the good old fashioned way[1 ] to avoid the danger of decompression sickness (DCS). Besides crunching numbers, dive computers offer many other benefits during and after a dive. Figure 4. SPG indicates 46 feet as the maximum depth of previous dive. At the end of Open Water training, your instructor might have suggested a dive computer as one of your first scuba equipment purchases. If you’ve already purchased one, that’s great! But if you don’t own one yet for whatever reason (like cost or anticipated diving frequency), this—admittedly confusing—article might help explain the value of diving with a computer and why you might want to reconsider your equipment purchasing priorities. ​ Before we go too deep , a quick review as to why we calculate dives in the first place: ​ As recreational divers, we are trained to make only NO STOP DIVES, meaning we can ascend directly to the surface any time during a dive without suffering an unusually high risk of decompression sickness.[2 ] ​ Conducting no stop diving is no accident—it requires planning and vigilance to ensure depths, dive times, and surface intervals (SI) are within recognized limits. If you don’t dive with a computer, you must equip yourself with other tools to help ensure you do not violate your no stop limits, also known as NO DECOMPRESSION LIMITS (NDLs). These tools include: ​ A means to record information on each dive (such as a pencil and underwater slate) A dive timer (a dive watch with a rotating bezel or a submersible timepiece with stopwatch function, Figure 3), and A depth gauge; one with a maximum depth needle to indicate your dive’s deepest depth can be helpful.[3 ] ​ In Figure 4, the red-tip needle shows current depth as 0 (sea level) and the black “maximum depth needle” shows the previous dive depth as 45 feet. After each dive, the max depth needle can be rotated back to 0 with the twist of a fingernail in the center slot so the next dive’s max depth can be measured. Many new depth gauges do not have this secondary needle because of the overwhelming popularity of dive computers among recreational divers. ​ COMPARING DIVE CALCULATORS We will walk through a two-dive day using a computer, the RECREATIONAL DIVE PLANNER ™ (RDP, Figure 1) and the ELECTRONIC MULTILEVEL RECREATIONAL DIVE PLANNER ™ TOUCH (eRPDml, Figure 2). Our goal is to use the same profile on each device. COMPUTER USE Using a dive computer is kind of like taking your mom with you on a dive. Computers watch and record your every move. If you get out of line, it will let you know, just like your mom did (or still does!). Not only do computers offer warnings during a dive, they keep an eye on you after the dive by timing your surface intervals and calculating “no fly times” by automatically calculating the elimination of theoretical levels of residual nitrogen from your body. With the RDP and eRPDml there is no underwater hand-holding—these devices are used before a dive to help plan depths and times, thereby reducing the likelihood of NDL violations. Figure 5 shows a typical dive summary using Suunto’s DM5 software and the Eon Steel dive computer (Figure 8). The green graph depicts the diver’s depths throughout the dive. The dive progresses in time from left to right. Here are the dive details as captured by the computer: Dive #1 maximum depth: 81 feet (average depth: 45 feet). Dive time: 62 minutes The dive ended because of air limitations, not because an NDL was reached. Safety Stop: 3 minutes was recommended. SI: 61 minutes. Dive #2 maximum depth: 42 feet (average depth: 28 feet) Dive time: 70 minutes Again, this dive ended because of air supply, not because of an NDL. ​ RDP USE Just the thought of using dive tables might send shivers down your wetsuit, but let's try using the RDP on this same dive... But here is our first problem: Meandering dives with limited times at various depths cannot be accurately calculated with the RDP. [4 ] Because of this, we are forced to calculate the dive to the deepest depth reached (see Figure 6): ​ Dive #1 must be calculated to 90 feet (we must round up from 81). NDL time: 25 minutes. Ending pressure group: Q. Safety Stop: 3-minute required.[3 ] SI: 61 minutes. New pressure group: F. Dive #2 maximum depth: 42 feet. NDL: 80 minutes. Residual Nitrogen Time (RNT): 24 minutes. Adjusted NDL: 56 minutes. Ending pressure group: X. Safety Stop: 3-minute required.[6 ] ​ What’s the Difference? Because the RDP can only calculate “square dive profiles” (when a diver descends directly to a predetermined depth and safely ascends to the surface from that depth), the dive can only last for 25 minutes (the NDL for 90 feet), in comparison to the 62-minute computer dive. The second dive is limited to 56 minutes due to the adjusted NDL. In comparison, the second computer dive was 70 minutes. Diving to the NDLs of consecutive dives is anything but conservative and is not recommended. Pushing the limits can result in a case of DCS. Certified enriched air divers must calculate dives using the PADI EANx32 or EANx36 Recreational Dive Planner™. ​ eRPDml USE Unlike the RDP, the eRPDml can calculate multilevel dives, but our dive was not really not one because the diver did not maintain distinct dive levels. Additionally, the eRPDml can only calculate three dive levels that fall within the parameters explained on p. 82 of the eRPDml Use and Study Guide.[2 ] Despite these limitations, let’s calculate Dive #1 with the eRPDml as follows (see Figure 7): ​ 1. Multilevel dive profile: Level 1: 81 feet Actual Bottom Time (ABT): 5 minutes Ending Pressure Group: B NDL: 27 minutes Level 2: 60 feet ABT: 29 minutes Ending Pressue Group: Q Multilevel Limit (ML): 35 minutes Level 3: 40 feet ABT: 28 minutes Ending Pressure Group: V ML: 53 minutes 2. Safety Stop: 3-minute required [5 ] 3. SI: 66 minutes. New pressure group: G. 4. Dive #2 maximum depth: 42 feet ABT: 70 minutes Ending pressure group: Z Safety Stop: 3-minute safety required[3 ] What’s the Difference? Besides being horribly complicated, sucking all the fun out of diving, and not being an accurate representation of our dive, this multilevel eRPDml dive profile is pretty close to the computer dive, sans the required 66-minute SI to complete Dive #2. The second dive ends in the highest pressure group (Z). Pushing NDLs is never recommended. ​ Oh, but did you want to dive with enriched air? Sorry! The eRPDml can’t help you, but most dive computers handle EANx without a problem. DIVE COMPUTERS: MORE THAN JUST AUTOMATED TABLES The RDP—and, in later years, the eRPDml—have successfully guided divers for decades, but not without some effort. The good news is that dive computers can do all this number-crunching for you and more! Some common dive computer capabilities include: ​ ENRICHED AIR (nitrox) compatibility LOGBOOK of dive profiles that can be downloaded to a PC HISTORICAL information for all dives in the logbook SAFETY STOP signal and timer DEEP STOP signal and alarm RAPID ASCENT indicator and alarm PO2 indicator and alarm CNS TOXICITY status and alarm PENDING NO STOP DIVING VIOLATION indicator and alarm NO STOP DIVING VIOLATION indicator and alarm EMERGENCY DECOMPRESSION STOP indicator, alarm, depths and times of decompression stages MISSED EMERGENCY DECOMPRESSION STOP indicator and alarm TOTAL ASCENT TIME during a deco dive NO FLY timer ​ Dive computers really earn their keep by guiding divers through safe ascents and abnormal situations, i.e. when NDLs are inadvertently violated. And just like mom, computers can put you in a time-out when you've been really, really bad: The computer will lock you out (i.e. render the computer useless) for 24-48 hours if you violate certain safe diving rules. ​ BUYING VERSUS RENTING Nearly all reputable dive centers have dive computers available for rent, but will you have adequate knowledge on how a rental computer works? Computers can be confusing without adequate preparation. You don’t have to break the bank to outfit yourself with one. About $200 will get you started with a nice, wrist-mount “puck style” computer—and that’s a lot cheaper (and much safer) than a $10,000/day trip to the recompression chamber! ​ Many dive centers use the Suunto Zoop (Figure 9) in training. It is a solid selection and comes in wrist mount (shown) or multi-gauge console configurations. ​ STILL CONFUSED? Calculating dive tables and using a dive computer can be equally difficult, especially if you don’t dive regularly. There is really no simple way around it. A dive computer can certainly simplify things, but they require a solid understanding on how to operate and what the computer is trying to tell you with its different displays and beeps. Haven’t purchased a dive computer but want to learn more? Or maybe you have purchased a dive computer, have thoroughly reviewed the user’s manual and still aren’t sure about all its functions. Either way, there is still hope for you! ADDITIONAL TRAINING A company called DiveNav, Inc. hosts a website called DiveComputerTraining.com ®. You might want to check out these free and inexpensive courses (Figure 10) that work on multiple platforms (PC, smartphone and tablet): How to Choose a Dive Computer (FREE) ​ Introduction to Dive Computers ($3.99) ​ Once you’re done with learning the basics, search the site for a course on your specific dive computer . We have found the instruction to be beneficial, especially when illustrating unusual situations that can’t be easily replicated on your own, such as violating an NDL. Classes cost $0.99 to $14.99. ​ If you haven’t done so already, when will you be purchasing your first dive computer? Let’s go diving! ​ Footnotes [1] Calculating dive profiles by using the Recreational Dive Planner™ (RDP, Figure 1), the RDP’s electronic counterpart, the Multilevel Recreational Dive Planner (eRDPml™, Figure 2), or an equivalent device. [2] PADI Open Water Diver Manual [English], version 3.0, p. 197. [3] PADI eRPDml™ Instructions for Use and Study Guide (2008), retrieved online at http://elearning.padi.com/company0/tools/eRDPML_InsforUse.pdf [4] PADI Recreational Dive Planner Instructions for Use (2004, Dive Table Definitions, p. 32), retrieved online at http://elearning.padi.com/company0/tools/RDP%20InsforUseImp.pdf [5] PADI Recreational Dive Planner Instructions for Use (2004, Rule 12, p. 7). [6] PADI Recreational Dive Planner Instructions for Use (2004, Rule 12, p. 7). [7] Rule 2 of General Rules for using the eRPDml can be found on the inside cover. ​ This page is provided for informational purposes only. It is solely the opinion of ATA/BAR DIVERS and is provided without compensation, affiliation or consideration of any kind. Figure 1. Recreational Dive Planner. Figure 2. The eRPDml Touch. Figure 3. Dive timers include watches with a rotating bezel or a stopwatch function. Figure 5. Dive #1 profile: 62 minutes. (Dive #2 profile not shown.) Figure 6. Recreational Dive Planner (RDP) dive profile. Figure 7. Multilevel dive profile for Dive #1 calculated using the eRPDml. Figure 8. Suunto Eon Steel. Figure 9. Suunto Zoop. Figure 10. Dive Computer Training's online Zoop class.