Scuba gear, Equipment, and Diving
Aloha! Welcome to mauiscubadivers.com. This is an informational Web site developed to provide valuable information on scuba diving, scuba diving gear and Maui scuba diving. Scuba diving is one of the most exhilarating experiences in this life. Hawaii scuba diving is among the most magnificent in the world. Mauiscubadivers.com can help divers find the very best dive sites in the islands. It will also help beginners get started in the sport and keep experts up-to-date on dive sites and new trends in scuba diving equipment.
The word “scuba” is an acronym for Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Divers will know a SCUBA as a diving regulator. A diving regulator is essentially a type of gas pressure regulator. This piece of scuba equipment connects the air tank to the demand valve by way of a series of tubes and valves. The demand valve is the part of the regulator that actually goes into a diver’s mouth and releases the breathing gases. People often use the terms “regulator” and “demand valve” interchangeably but they are two distinct apparatus. Most modern diving regulators include more than one demand valve in case one malfunctions or breathing gas needs to be shared with another diver. A regulator with multiple demand valves is commonly known as an octopus.
Another essential piece of scuba gear is a Buoyancy Control Device (BCD), or Buoyancy Compensator (BC). Buoyancy is the tendency of an object (in this case a diver) to float. BCDs regulate buoyancy by inflating and deflating air bladders, allowing divers to ascend or descend at different rates. They also make it possible for divers to remain at a constant depth for extended periods of time. This phenomenon is known as neutral buoyancy and is a big part of scuba diving. Some experienced divers have the ability to maintain neutral buoyancy via breathing techniques. It is incredibly difficult to do and usually not as effective as using a BCD. Scientifically speaking, neutral buoyancy occurs when the mass of an object is equal to the mass of liquid it displaces. A Buoyancy Control Device will also act as a life preserver in emergency situations. BCDs are designed to inflate rapidly, lifting a diver to the surface and keeping him there until help arrives.
Scuba diving in Hawaii provides an opportunity to mingle with species of fish and other aquatic creatures that are not found anywhere else on the planet. According to some estimates over 20% of all marine wildlife is endemic to the archipelago. There are dozens of bright, beautiful fish and coral species. Divers flock to particular sites to get a look at sea turtles, manta rays and whale sharks. During a certain time of the year, humpback whales are the big draw, literally.
The island of Maui presents several unique diving sites within an hour by boat. Not far offshore from Mokapu Beach lays Hawaii’s sole artificial reef. The reef got its start in 1957 when the state sunk 150 cars into the ocean. The thin car metal did not last long in the saltwater and by the 80s there was little left. The next move was to drop hundreds of concrete forms and tires along the remains of the original reef. Almost immediately coral took hold and dozens of species of fish followed. A 65 foot ocean liner called the St. Anthony was sunk next to the reef in October of 1997. The wreckage has become one of the most popular dive sites in the islands. A group of green sea turtles can be seen hanging in and around the ship on a regular basis.
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