Living a Diver's Life

Merry Christmas from your friends at Bubbles or Not Diving Photo: Pixabay Fred Stratton Christmas is about faith and expressing love in the form of hugs, cards, cookies and gifts. Some people feel stress over the gift part. The good news is that the easiest people to shop for are scuba divers! Diving is equipment intensive and gear is always evolving.  If your divers already have all the primary pieces (mask, fins, snorkel, BC, regulators, cylinders, computer), consider stuffing their stockings with accessories. Many items cost less than a good restaurant meal and add safety, comfort and functionality. Cylinder Keychain with O-Rings & Pick   Photo: Innovative Scuba Concepts A clever addition to this longstanding favorite is a soft brass pick to extricate worn o-rings without scratching your equipment. The pick is built into the base which screws into the cylinder and seals with an o-ring.  Attaching one to the zipper on your dive gear bag keeps it close and

Drysuit divers on a trip to the Saint Lawrence Seaway L-R: Bill Belcher, Bob and Lance Bennett, Fred Stratton  and Canadian divers from Quebec Photo: Rose Bennett Fred Stratton Instructor and Repair Technician fred@bubblesornot.com I earned my PADI Open Water Diver certification in 1987 in beautiful Batangas , Republic of the Philippines. The water temperature was in the mid-80s, requiring no exposure protection.  My next dives were in Thailand, again, bath-water warm.  Ahhh... Author in custom two-piece 7mm  wetsuit diving in Monterey Bay California, 1989 Photo: Colleen  I moved to Monterey, California in 1989. The Monterey Bay is a marine sanctuary making it a pristine, world class dive destination. Seals, sea lions and otters play in the giant kelp forests making for memorable dives and brilliant video opportunities. However, the water temperature (low to mid 50s) was 30 degrees cooler than I was accustomed to diving. I promptly ordered a custom 7mm neoprene