[Free eBook] Kitchen Sink of Scuba Diving, Welcome to the Tribe K2
Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
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Knowing your hand signals while diving is vital. Aside from regular communications, you need to have your hand signals ingrained in your mind in case of an emergency (or even better, avoiding one). This guide lists all the basic hand signals (both PADI and BSAC differences) and it a useful guide whether you’re learning to dive or just revising after having a break.

(Are you) OK?
OK on the surface

Stop, wait here
Slow down, move hand slowly down and up a few times

Stay at this depth.
Move hand left to right and back
Up
Down

Stay together
Move apart a little
You lead, I’ll follow

Where is your Buddy?

You
Me
Come here, beckon

Not OK, something is wrong. rotate wrist slightly a few times Then point to whatever is the problem e.g., mask or ear.
Out of Air (BSAC)
Move hand forward and down at 45 degrees.
Out of Air (PADI)
Move hand across the neck left to right a few times.

Distress on the surface. wave aggessively
Cramp – tight fist then point to where
I’m Narked!
Move index finger in circles.


I am cold, move hands up and down
I am out of breath, move hands in and out at chest level.


How much air do you have?
Response example 1
50 Bar followed by 20 Bar – 70 Bar
(Always round down to the nearest 10)


How much air do you have?
Response example 2
Repeat the 50 Bar signal twice + 30 Bar = 130 Bar
(Always round down to the nearest 10)

On Reserve or 50 Bar
repeat signal twice = 100 Bar
Occasional signal for 100 Bar

Ascend to a particular depth
Depth signalled afterwards e.g., 6m


Descend to a particular depth
Depth signalled afterwards e.g., 10m

Time
Stop for 3 Minutes
Time out (sometimes used to denote 100 Bar)

That way, point hand in the direction
Home
I don’t know, shrug shoulders

Look
at me
I’m in Charge
(Sergeant Stripes)

Turtle, wiggle thumbs
Large Ray , flap fingers like a large ray
Moray Eel

Lobster
Hammerhead

Shark
Lionfish

Do not touch, move top hand down to end a few times
Boat
Thanks to UKDivers.net for allowing the use of these images and definitions.
Hi Folks,and you thought we were almost done. . . .
for the mondo list of (most comprehensive) hand signals, try American Sign Language (local at any bookstore) or: http://www.wrstc.com/downloads/CommonHandSignalsforScubaDiving.pdf
Take care, and dive safe,
Tevis
Dive shop owners have known for years that the Henderson Hyperstretch, the most expensive the wet suit full suit in the Henderson arsenal, only lasts for a year
of cold water dives, before its fails thermal protection. When I asked dive shop owner that I taught classes for, “ . . . well isn’t this kind of crappy and for such an expensive wetsuit, and aren’t we kinda fleecing our customers? He replied, it keeps them coming back, and I can keep selling them the Hyperstrech year after year!”
Incidentally, he was a jerk and eventually went out of business. Good riddance!
So, in other words there is a built in failure/ obsolescence to those amazingly comfortable, mondo stretch, in this form-fitting type F4 hybrid neoprene material. What you achieve in comfort you eventually gives up in the thermal protection. Said a different way, the reason why the suit is so comfortable, is because of the large diameter of the blown nitrogen bubble resident in the neoprene.
You will be able to actually witness the role that compression plays in this K2 video, you will witness when neoprene compresses the bubbles burst.
From the first dive, neoprene compresses, and it doesn’t uncompress, it has burst. . . . so each and every time you descend on your dive, you lose both thickness as well as thermal protection.
This is part and parcel of the saying that “cheap costs.” This is a given with most cheap bargain basement wetsuit (see chapter 9 Cheap Does Cost) What is an anathema, is that Henderson (a great and solid company) has the one of the most expensive, retailing at $455.00. . . and it has a usability life of one year.
[Editors Note: Henderson IS a GREAT Company, and K2 IS a Henderson Dealer. We have included this Chapter to share with you some of the nasty little secrets that Dive shops perpetrate on the buying public. The Hyperstretch is what it is, and for a non conforming body type diver, it is the ONLY suit that fits comfortably. But don’t you deserve to know that your wetsuit only has a year or two worth of dives before you will need another one?]
As soon as 20 to 30 dives, you begin to lose both thickness and warmth as the neoprene bubbles burst. After 40-60 dives, there has been such a catastrophic loss of the neoprene bubbles that it loses its ability to keep you warm at all.
A Question of Warmth
Please read the testimonial below about the Henderson Hyperstretch 7mm. Pay close attention to how many dives were completed before the wetsuit failed thermal protection
So, I thought I’d post my thoughts on my Henderson Hyper Stretch wet suit.
Having owned a very warm and extremely durable old neoprene (Rubatex aka N231 neoprene) 1/4 inch farmer john style Blue Water wet suit for many years, I was ready for a new suit. The old suit was built like a tank, but was a real pain to get in and out of.
My number one consideration for a replacement was comfort. I don’t get cold easily, so this was secondary. I was not really looking for durability, but would not have minded finding something durable that was extremely comfortable. I decided that a 7mm full suit would fit my needs and that for me, anything else would be overkill.
I tried many wet suits on one day and left the Henderson for the end since I had been told by quite a few people that this would probably be the most comfortable one. I tried on so many suits that I actually had blood blisters on one finger of each hand. I was exhausted and somewhat over heated. It was now time for the Henderson.
Well it popped on so easily I couldn’t believe is was really a 7mm wet suit. That was enough for me. I had found what I was looking for.
Now I’ll tell you my experience with it up to this point.
I’ve got 180 dives on it.
At about 100 dives it lost a good deal of its thermal protection. That doesn’t really bother me because I don’t get cold very easily. When it was new, I was quite comfortable for an hour long dive down to about 50º. Now it’s fine down to about 55º for about 45 minutes. From about 48º to 52º, I do notice I now get quite a bit colder than when it was new. I have not noticed that it has lost much more of its thermal protection since around 100 dives.
At around 150 dives, the zipper started to come out and I had it sewn back in at about 160 dives.
At 180 dives it’s looking a bit like swiss cheese with the biggest holes under the arms and in the knees above the knee pads. I’ve noticed that above the knee pads seems to be a common place for these to get holes in them when I see other Henderson suits around the area.
I don’t remember exactly what I paid for it, but remember it being a bit over $300.
So, what’s the bottom line? Would I buy another one?
Absolutely! The comfort level and ease of getting in and out of this thing is worth throwing it away around every 200 dives. I think it still beats the cost of ownership for a dry suit, but probably not by much.
Instead of replacing this one anytime soon, I’m going to buy a dry suit instead. Then I’ll probably get another one that I’ll only where occasionally.
Has anyone out there had a similar or very different experience with a Henderson wet suit?
Christian
[Note: This testimonial and comments can be read in it’s entirety here: http://www.divematrix.com/showthread.php?t=1340]
Putting my flame suit on. Bring it. Im sure the whining will come from dive shop owners and reps that want to keep this hidden.
come visit us on Facebook, there you can RSVP:
Team K2 SCUBA So Cal Hardcore Beach Divers
Mark your calendars sports fans!
Date:
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Time:
11:00am – 5:00pm
Location:
Nicholas Canyon, Malibu California
Street:
33850 Pacific Coast Highway
City/Town:
Malibu, CA
Time to give some BBQ love for my peeps who live up this way in the City of the Angels.
Malibu at Nicholas Canyon: http://bit.ly/VtSnV
What is this puppy:
An event for the K2 Family, Beach lovers and divers alike
Lets all meet, fun starts at 11a (I will prolly arrive with the fam when I arrive, so don’t give me crap).
The opportunity to catch up with great old friends and meeting new friends, family friendly love with our kids playing with each other on the grass. . .
This is going to be a pot luck so please bring stuff to burn on the grill for your family and a side dish for yourself and others. This is the Tribe Called K2 so I am sure generosity abounds.
Umm, let me say again, this is a BBQ so bring sompthin’ or pony up to our Goddess in charge Amie or Debby for a portion of the convestibles.
Roland is bringing his kids, Im bringing my kids, Scott is bringing his kids, so let me stress FAMILY DAY AT THE BEACH, and us divers will try and not hog the benches with equipment.
Did I mention magic: Date is Jaunuary tirty-eth and official meeting time is when you get there ( woot, just got chills) If you are like me and drink until 3a and then pass out, no worries come when you can, we will be there all day!
Also, forgot the best part! Divers One (http://www.diversone.com) and BadDivers (http://www.baddivers.com) and are in the hoouse and are our BBQ pardners!
Toldja there is magic!
Please ping us on Facebook, leave a comment here, give us a call at HQ: 818 982 2652. . . you just gotta come and be a part of the magic that is the Tribe Called K2!

The sinking Ady Gil
Since the high-profile collision between the Ady Gil protest ship and a Japanese whaling vessel, there have been growing calls for the government to live up to its pre-election promise to take Japan to an international court over its whaling practices.
The $1.5 million Ady Gil is now sinking and has been abandoned by its owners, who say it is too damaged to be salvaged or towed.
Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard says Australia is pushing the anti-whaling case “with all of our force”.
Environment Minister Peter Garrett says he remains strongly against whaling, but is reluctant to divulge whether Australia will take legal action against Japanese whaling.
“The success of a legal case is something that cannot be guaranteed, it is difficult, and it can be a time consuming process,” he told ABC Television.
“If we are to take that course of action we want to be substantially and resolutely prepared as we can …”
Pressed to say if legal action would ever be taken against Japanese whaling, Mr Garrett replied: “I wouldn’t want to put a time on it for the simple reason that we’re involved in what I think are really important and meaningful dialogue and discussions with other whaling nations including the Japanese.”
K2 Cries Bullshit!
What do you folks think! are you mad?
Comment!