by Mel McCombie We’re on a long dive trip and wondering about some everyday practical things—diving with contact lenses, sun protection—and wondered what others have to say? For example, I dive with soft contact lenses; I notice that during dives, when my eyes encounter sea water, they create mucus (which I delicately term “eye boogers”), … Read more
by Robert Gish MD and C. L. Kutz You have probably seen the television ads aimed at baby boomers concerning hepatitis C (HCV). They warn you of your chances of having HCV while advertising medications that will cure HCV in 8-12 weeks. You may, in fact, know you are infected, or a dive buddy may … Read more
Learning life’s lessons the hard way looms large in my legend. (Along with an avowed affinity for alliteration…) But one thing’s for sure, I rarely make the same mistake twice. Well, there was that night in St. Barts back in 1978 when Jimmy Buffett told me that three Quaaludes and a couple of Heinekens would … Read more
“Thump!” “I felt the impact on my back, but I wasn’t sure which part of me was hit. I felt myself being carried through the water like a helpless ragdoll. I remember hoping I wasn’t losing too much blood although after the initial impact I felt no pain. It turned into a dreamlike sequence, an … Read more
modern diving marvels are not for everyone Closed-circuit rebreathers have become very popular with technical divers since they offer the possibility to do extreme dives without the imposition of carrying an enormous amount of gas. I was at the forefront of promoting this new way of diving as far back as 1993. In those days … Read more
