Simon Pridmore

If you do not yet scuba dive but are thinking of learning, then Scuba Fundamental - Start Diving the Right Way is for you. It takes you from the germ of the idea that you might like to try scuba diving up to the point where you have done around 20 dives. This is not your standard how-to scuba diving manual. It is very different. The purpose of Scuba Fundamental is not to teach you how to dive. A dive instructor will do that. But this book will make the learning process much easier. It will help you make the right choices and avoid the pitfalls that await new and uninformed divers coming into the sport.It will also set you well on the road to becoming a capable and competent lifelong diver. Scuba Fundamental tells you how to make sure you are prepared for a scuba diving course and what a good beginners course should entail. It tells you how to choose a good instructor, how to decide which operators to dive with after you have finished your course and what sort of dives you should be doing when you first start diving. You will learn the many ways in which diving will change your life and also acquire some extremely valuable advice on the etiquette involved in the sport. Throughout the book and especially in the chapter "It Happened to Me" you will be entertained, educated and encouraged by anecdotes from people who are now experienced divers but were once beginners too. There is also an entire section devoted to diving safety, much of which covers vitally important aspects of scuba diving that standard training manuals don't emphasise enough or even leave out completely. The book's message is: start scuba diving the right way and you will be relaxed and ready for the adventure. You will have more fun, make fewer mistakes and be confident in the fact that you are well informed, have made the best choices and have spent your money wisely. Scuba Fundamental is a unique, reliable and essential guide: one that you can trust completely and follow during this formative phase of your scuba diving life. "I wish I had had this book to read when I learned to dive. I remember being totally confused." Robin Yao, Executive Editor, EZDIVE magazine "This is the book divers should give to friends when they say they want to learn to scuba dive." Ian Thomas, Scuba Instructor Trainer

Start Diving the Right Way

Scuba Fundamental

If you are a diver, what you learned about topics such as decompression sickness and narcosis in your scuba diving classes is unlikely to have been as complete as you thought. Most of it will have been over-simplified and some of it will just have been plain wrong, as diver training agency texts have not kept pace with the science. Scuba Physiological gives you a chance to catch up. A recent book called The Science of Diving was a collation of work done by scientists in the field of decompression research as part of a three-year project called PHYPODE (Physiology of Decompression). The book did not reach the diving public; mainly because it was written by scientists for other scientists and they speak a different language than most of us. Simon Pridmore is not an expert on diving medicine but he knows something good when he sees it. When Simon read The Science of Diving (with help from Google), he thought it was worthwhile working on it to try to make it more accessible. The original authors agreed that this was a good idea and Scuba Physiological is the result. There have been great advances to make diving safer, but, despite nearly 170 years of research, the fundamental nature of decompression sickness and decompression stress remains unknown and there are still glaring gaps in our knowledge. Scuba Physiological provides a good summary of what we know, as well as a glimpse of where the science is taking us and some invaluable tips to make you a safer diver now. Among many other things, you will learn: 1. Pre-dive hydration, exposure to heat, whole body vibration and oxygen breathing may reduce the risk of DCS. 2. Post-dive, our bodies have most bubbles running around them 30 to 40 minutes AFTER we have surfaced. Post-dive hydration and certain other post-dive behaviours are therefore also essential. 3. The effects of nitrogen narcosis continue for a period of time AFTER a dive. 4. All dive computers have a known DCS risk rate. 5. Exercise during the period up to 120 minutes after surfacing may increase your risk of DCS. 6. Never use a weightlifter's breath-hold and release technique when pulling yourself into the boat post-dive. 7. A little dark chocolate before a dive may be a good thing for you. What the experts say: "This book makes it easy to understand the latest discoveries in diving research and our current understanding of what happens to our bodies when we dive." JP Imbert: Decompression designer and technical diving pioneer "There are some lovely thought-provoking ideas and questioning of current dogma. This book is well worth the read. " Dr Ian Sibley-Calder, HSE Approved Medical Examiner of Divers, Occupational Health Physician "If you ask a lay person what causes DCS they will likely tell you, "I don't know, I think it has something to do with bubbles". If you ask a dive instructor they might discuss things like shaking a soda bottle. And, if you ask a physician, you may get an account referring to things like leukocyte adhesion, the coagulation of components inside a vein and the endothelium lining. Finally, you find one of the top people in the world who do hyperbaric research on divers, ask them the same question and they will say, "I don't know, I think it has something to do with bubbles. The bottom line is that we don't necessarily know what causes DCS. This book is an excellent discussion of what the third person you asked in the above scenario might say. It is an enjoyable, simplified read of a complex subject and easy for a non-scientist to comprehend. I consider this an essential text for every diver's shelf." Joseph Dituri PhD (c), CDR, US Navy Saturation Diving

Think You Know All About Scuba Medicine? Think Again!

Scuba Physiological

Scuba Exceptional may be the fifth in Simon Pridmore's Scuba series but it is the true follow up to the first book in the series Scuba Confidential. Scuba Exceptional reflects the same philosophy of safe diving through the acquisition of knowledge and skills. The themes are new, there are some wonderful and extremely useful new cautionary tales and the focus this time is more on issues that face experienced divers. For example, there is more technical diving content but, as usual, Simon covers complex issues in his usual clear and easy-to-read style. In many cases, the concerns of technical divers reflect those of scuba divers at every level. After all, as he says, technical diving is on the same spectrum as conventional sport diving: it is just a different frequency. Scuba Exceptional also deals in detail with the psychological approach to scuba diving, broaching topics from new angles and borrowing techniques and procedures from other fields of human activity. While most of Scuba Exceptional focuses on the diver, it also takes a look at the wider picture and highlights a number of areas where scuba diving professionals and the "industry" as a whole are letting divers down. As always, Simon is realistic in his assessments. He may shine a little light on the dark side of the scuba diving world, but he does this in order to illuminate bad practice and encourage change, while offering solutions. He also provides insights on a wide range of topics. For instance, do you want to know... what makes someone a good diver? how to swim against a current without getting exhausted? how you can be out of air while you still have plenty to breathe? what the concept of failure points is? how to be a defensive diver? how preconditioning applies to scuba diving? how long you should really wait between diving and flying? when to call DAN (and when not to call)? how corals could possibly be animals when they look like rocks? how to avoid being left behind in the ocean? what's happening in the world of rebreather diving? or what the perimeter of ignorance is? Scuba Exceptional has the answers to these questions and a lot more

Become the Best Diver You Can Be

Scuba Exceptional

Technically Speaking – Talks on Technical Diving Volume 1: Genesis and Exodus is the latest book from best-selling Scuba series author Simon Pridmore. It is a series of themed talks telling the early history of technical diving—where it came from, how it developed, how it expanded across the world, who the important movers were and how, in the decade from 1989 to 1999, the efforts of a few determined people changed scuba diving forever. These ten years saw the greatest shake-up the sport has ever seen but technical diving’s road to universal acceptance was anything but smooth, many obstacles had to be overcome and there were times when even viewed in retrospect, it seemed that its advocates might fail in their mission. Ultimately, success came down to perseverance, people power, good timing and more than a little luck. Technical diving trailblazer Kevin Gurr comments: “Simon has completed a complex task with consummate skill and has accurately unravelled the when's, the who's and some of the why's, much of which would have been unjustifiably lost in the mists of time if not for this work. Thank you, Simon, for capturing the memory of lost and surviving friends, for detailing one of diving's most pioneering eras and for helping others and myself remember how much fun it all was!” And Oztek and Tekdive convenor David Strike writes: “Charting the growth and development of an aspect of diving that ranks as one of the most important in the entire history of underwater developments— and with comprehensive and detailed appendices—Simon Pridmore’s ‘Technically Speaking’ breaks the mould of dry-as-dust historical reference works. It sets the record straight on many of the myths and misconceptions that continue to surround the development of technical diving and does so in an engaging way.” Author Simon Pridmore has been at the sharp end of the scuba diving industry for 30 years, working as a guide, divemaster, instructor, instructor trainer and instructor trainer-trainer. In the 1990s, he pioneered mixed-gas deep diving in Asia, first with Mandarin Divers in Hong Kong and later through his own shop in Guam, Professional Sports Divers, the first dedicated technical diving centre in the Western Pacific. He also held the regional franchise for IANTD, with technical diving operations in such exotic locations as Bikini Atoll, Majuro, Palau, Kosrae and Truk Lagoon. He then moved to the United Kingdom and became the IANTD licensee there, as well as working for cutting-edge mixed-gas computer and rebreather manufacturers VR Technology. Today, he is one of scuba diving’s most prolific writers, with a five-volume Scuba series, several guides for travelling divers, a biography, a novel and even a couple of divers’ cookbooks to his name. He and his wife Sofie currently live in Taiwan.

Genesis and Exodus

Technically Speaking - Talks on Technical Diving

Scuba Confidential is a unique book packed full of valuable tips and expert advice, giving you unprecedented access to the secrets of dive professionals and technical divers. With Scuba Confidential, you will learn how to master skills and techniques that will make you a more confident, capable and safe diver. It offers an informed, balanced view on some of scuba diving's most contentious issues like going solo, deep diving and rebreathers and includes a comprehensive analysis of how diving accidents happen and how to make sure you do not become a statistic. Scuba Confidential also gives you valuable insights on a vast range of topics such as what it is like to do a cave diving course, how to make sure you buy the right equipment, what to consider when choosing an instructor, things even the pros get wrong and where to find the best diving in the world. This is candid, no-nonsense practical advice from a professional who has been involved over the last three decades with virtually every aspect of the sport. Have you ever wondered? How to look as comfortable in the water as the professionals do? What it is like to dive inside shipwrecks? Which training courses are most worthwhile? If you would make a good technical diver? If you should be considering a rebreather? How you can improve your diving skills? How you can reduce your air consumption? Why diving accidents happen and how to prevent them? Whether you might sometimes actually be safer solo diving? How to dive deep safely? Or How muck diving can possibly be any fun? Scuba Confidential has the answers to these questions and many more.

An Insider's Guide to Becoming a Better Diver

Scuba Confidential

Scuba Confidential è una raccolta ricchissima di suggerimenti e consigli mirati, che ti consente l’accesso ad alcuni dei segreti dei subacquei tecnici e dei professionisti del mestiere. Con Scuba Confidential, imparerai a far tue quelle tecniche che ti permetteranno di essere un subacqueo migliore, più fiducioso e più attento alla sicurezza. Il testo offre una panoramica ben bilanciata su alcuni dei più controversi argomenti della subacquea come l’immersione in solitaria, le immersioni profonde e i rebreather; inoltre include un’analisi accurata su come si sviluppano gli incidenti e su cosa fare per evitare di entrare a far parte di queste statistiche. Il libro tratta anche un’altra vasta gamma di argomenti come la partecipazione ai corsi di speleologia subacquea, come assicurarsi di comprare l’attrezzatura giusta, cosa prendere in considerazione quando devi scegliere il tuo nuovo istruttore, errori comuni commessi anche dai professionisti o, ancora, quali siano i posti migliori da visitare per un subacqueo. Scuba Confidential è una sincera raccolta di consigli pratici e non da parte di un professionista che ha fatto di questo lavoro la sua attività per gli ultimi 30 anni e che si è interfacciato con praticamente qualunque aspetto di questo sport. “Se il manuale Open Water della PADI è la bibbia della subacquea, considerate questo testo il Nuovo Testamento.” David Espinosa, Capo Editore, Sport Diver Magazine “Che libro avvincente! Sono stata istruttrice per decenni e questo testo sarà un’aggiunta eccellente ai manuali di insegnamento che uso attualmente.” Evelyn Bartram Dudas NAUI #8672 “Attraverso l’utilizzo di casi reali, Simon utilizza il punto di vista di una scatola-nera, per evidenziare come evitare alcuni degli errori più comuni della comunità subacquea. Così facendo fornisce degli ottimi suggerimenti su argomenti importanti per tutti i subacquei e che non è facile trovare in altre pubblicazioni.”Terry Cummins OMA “Il libro di Simon Pridmore “Scuba Confidential – come diventare un subacqueo migliore” è una lettura che dovrebbe essere fatta da ogni subacqueo, indipendentemente dal livello di esperienza, la cui mente riesca a cogliere il messaggio tra le righe che è, “Imparare a immergersi è facile, ma è diventare un buon subacqueo che è difficile.”David Strike, organizzatore dell’ OzTeK

Come Diventare Un Subacqueo Migliore

Tim Rock

New for 2019, this is a beautifully illustrated, expanded and updated edition of the Diving & Snorkeling Guide to Raja Ampat & Northeast Indonesia. Exploring among these islands at the edge of the Pacific Ocean is a life affirming, bucket-list-topping experience. The waters in this part of the Coral Triangle are abundantly rich in marine life and are proving to be the gift for underwater adventurers that keeps on giving. Raja Ampat is the superstar destination, but other areas such as Cenderawasih Bay, Triton Bay and Southwest Halmahera are shining brightly too and acquiring similarly mythical status. This detailed and informative guide is the first to cover all of these incredible places! It tells and shows you what to expect from this remote, fascinating and often downright astonishing part of the world. It will help you plan your trip, enhance your experience when you get there and provide you with the best possible souvenir of your visit. And once you have been there, it will whet your appetite for adventures ahead - because you WILL be back! The Diving & Snorkeling Guide to Raja Ampat & Northeast Indonesia 2019 includes Over 100 Dive & Snorkel Sites 240 color images Travel advice Dive safety tips Topside attractions Diving terms in Indonesian Chris Mitchell from www.divehappy.com says "A wonderfully thorough but concise guide that helps you quickly get a grip on exactly where all the best fishy action is located, both before the trip and while you're out on the ocean, Don't dive Indo without it!" Authors Tim Rock is an internationally published photojournalist who specializes in the ocean realm. Based on Guam in the Western Pacific Ocean, Rock has traveled the Indo-Pacific and worldwide for three decades. He is the author of numerous Lonely Planet Diving & Snorkeling guides and has awards for print and TV work. An Indonesia visitor for four decades, he has visited the Raja Ampat area over 20 times. His website is www.timrock.photoshelter.com Simon Pridmore is an itinerant writer and professional scuba diver. He is the author of a number of travel and diving books, including the bestselling "Scuba Confidential" series and lives in Bali, where he writes, dives and plots further books and adventures. Find out more at www.simonpridmore.com.

Diving & Snorkeling Guide to Raja Ampat & Northeast Indonesia

Scuba Professional is the natural successor to Simon Pridmore's first book, Scuba Confidential - An Insider's Guide to Becoming a Better Diver. Whereas Scuba Confidential focused on how to scuba dive, Scuba Professional looks at how diving is taught and how dive operations are conducted. Scuba Professional is an excellent source of out-of-the-box ideas and independent, objective advice for instructors and dive operators. It is also an indispensable guide for those aspiring to become dive professionals with chapters such as "Do You Have What It Takes?" and "Which Training Agency?" In short, this is everything you wanted to know about working in scuba diving but never dared to ask. Scuba Professional is not only for professionals. Serious divers who take more than a passing interest in their hobby and want to know what goes on behind the scenes will be fascinated by the topics addressed and the insights offered. From a dive safety point of view, Simon looks at the bigger picture and, in a series of chapters on avoiding and handling accidents, sets out a framework for developing the safety culture within our sport. He also examines the present state of key aspects of the dive industry and speculates as to the future. "There is quite simply nothing like this book. Scuba Professional offers an invaluable guide to divers who want to excel in the scuba world. This is the ultimate backstage pass into the business of scuba."Jill Heinerth, Underwater Explorer, Technical Instructor Trainer and Filmmaker "Terrific, really good! Simon captures the key characteristics of the diving instruction milieu concisely and with insight and clarity. It took me back to my many years of diving instruction and I was able to tick a mental check box against almost every key point he makes."Associate Professor Simon Mitchell, Consultant Anaesthetist and Diving Physician "Required reading for every scuba professional and anyone with hopes of becoming one. In fact every diver can learn from this distillation of hard-earned wisdom. Simon Pridmore is one of the most thoughtful and readable of divers."Steve Weinman, Editor, Diver Magazine

Insights Into Sport Diver Training and Operations

Scuba Professional

Scuba Professional introduces readers of Simon Pridmore's other books, Scuba Fundamental, Scuba Confidential and Scuba Exceptional to a whole new level of the sport. Whereas the other books focus on how to scuba dive, Scuba Professional looks at how diving is taught and how dive operations are conducted. Scuba Professional is an excellent source of out-of-the-box ideas and independent, objective advice for instructors and dive operators. It is also an indispensable guide for those aspiring to become dive professionals with chapters such as Do You Have What It Takes? and Which Training Agency? In short, this is everything you wanted to know about working in scuba diving but never dared to ask. Scuba Professional is not only for professionals. Serious divers who take more than a passing interest in their hobby and want to know what goes on behind the scenes will be fascinated by the topics addressed and the insights offered. From a dive safety point of view, Simon looks at the bigger picture and, in a series of chapters on avoiding and handling accidents, sets out a framework for developing the safety culture within our sport. He also examines the present state of key aspects of the dive industry and speculates as to the future. There is quite simply nothing like this book: the ultimate backstage pass into the business of scuba. Jill Heinerth, Technical Instructor Trainer & Filmmaker Terrific, really good! Simon captures the key characteristics of the diving instruction milieu with insight and clarity. Associate Professor Simon Mitchell, Diving Physician The closest thing we have to an insiders guide to the dive industry. Peter Symes Publisher X-Ray Magazine I wish this book had been available 20 years ago! Tamara Thomsen, Owner Diversions Scuba, Madison

Insights into Sport Diver Training & Operations

Taiwan is a Pacific island – actually several islands: a big one and some smaller satellites – surrounded by warm tropical seas. It is easily accessible, has excellent transportation and is a first-world society with out-going, friendly, laid-back people. Especially in the south and on several of the outlying islands, there is some very good scuba diving and also a network of dive centres and resorts with first-class professional staff and equipment. They provide services for a young generation of Taiwanese, who are driving development in the sport with considerable enthusiasm. Yet, when divers elsewhere in the world think about diving destinations, Taiwan is rarely even a blip on their radar screen. Very few people outside Taiwan have ever thought to enquire about the diving there, and very few people inside Taiwan have ever thought to tell anyone about it. Until now... In Dive into Taiwan, Simon Pridmore unveils the underwater secrets of these islands and guides you around expertly, making sure you travel easily, dine well and appreciate the unique culture and traditions of Taiwan as well as its marine treasures. This is the first English-language guide to diving the reefs and wrecks of hitherto unknown locations such as Penghu, Xiaoliuqiu, Hengchun, Lanyu (Orchid Island), Ludao (Green Island) and Taiwan’s Northeast Coast and places them firmly on the international diving map. Authoritative, well written and beautifully illustrated by Taiwanese photographer Kyo Liu’s superb underwater images, Dive into Taiwan opens the door to a new and exciting destination for travelling divers.

Dive into Taiwan

Scuba Confidential is a unique book packed full of valuable tips and expert advice, giving you unprecedented access to the secrets of dive professionals and technical divers. With Scuba Confidential, you will learn how to master skills and techniques that will make you a more confident, capable and safe diver. It offers an informed, balanced view on some of scuba diving's most contentious issues like going solo, deep diving and rebreathers and includes a comprehensive analysis of how diving accidents happen and how to make sure you do not become a statistic. Scuba Confidential also gives you valuable insights on a vast range of topics such as what it is like to do a cave diving course, how to make sure you buy the right equipment, what to consider when choosing an instructor, things even the pros get wrong and where to find the best diving in the world. This is candid, no-nonsense practical advice from a professional who has been involved over the last three decades with virtually every aspect of the sport. Scuba Confidential answers a whole host of questions. For example, have you ever wondered........... How the professionals look so comfortable in the water? What it is like to dive under ice and inside shipwrecks? Which training courses are worthwhile and which might just be a waste of time? If you would make a good technical diver? If you should be considering a rebreather? How you can reduce your air consumption? Whether you might actually be safer without a buddy sometimes? Or How muck diving can possibly be any fun? Scuba Confidential has the answers to all these and many more.

Simon Pridmore

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