Scuba Diving Essay Research Paper The underwater

Scuba Diving Essay, Research Paper

The underwater world has always fascinated me. This is why I decided to become

a certified scuba diver for my Senior Project. Because scuba diving is something I had

never experienced before, this gave me the opportunity to challenge myself and broaden

my horizons. I was placed in an unusual and scary environment and I attempted skills that

I had just learned moments before. Not only did I obtain skills in an activity I may pursue

in the future, but I also learned a lot about myself and how I react in different and stressful

situations.

WHAT I KNEW

When I began my project, I knew very little about scuba diving. I knew

that it involved air tanks so humans can stay underwater for long periods of

time. I knew that scuba diving is an expensive sport. I knew that a person

could develop a self-supporting career in this field. I knew that you must be in

good health to be a scuba diver. I also understood that scuba divers are great

tools in underwater searches and in exploring wreckage. I also thought I knew

many things that turned out to be false.

WHAT I NEEDED TO RESEARCH

When I began my project, a long and windy road of research stretched

before me. I was basically clueless. I needed to know what equipment is

required for both snorkeling and open water diving. I had to learn how to

choose this equipment, and once I had purchased it, I had to research how to

use it properly and take care of it. I needed to learn about pressure and how to

minimize its effects. I also had to be taught about underwater life and its

proper treatment. It was necessary for me to understand which instruments

are used to track our dive parameters, and how to use them for which purpose.

I also needed to learn what kind of environmental conditions I must be aware of

when diving, and how to deal with these. Finally, I had to be taught which

entry techniques are proper for each type of terrain, and how to execute these

entries.

SEARCHING

The first print source I used was Scuba Schools International s Open

Water Diver Manual. My mentor gave this manual to me when I originally

enrolled in the Open Water Diver class at RVSC. This manual is filled with an

abundance of practical and factual information about equipment, procedures,

and more. This source was my favorite because it was given to me by my

mentor and I didn t need to look for it elsewhere. The information was

conveyed very clearly, and it was easy for me to understand.

To begin my search for additional print sources, I decided to go to the

Siskiyou County Public Library. I began a search on their catalog computer. I

searched for Scuba Diving , and the search produced several possible sources.

None of these sources were available in the library, and I needed something

immediately. I then began a search on the magazine computer. I searched for

Scuba and I was amazed by the number articles the search generated. I

decided to use an article in Shape magazine called 2-Hour Mermaid . This

article, I found, would be very helpful to a person with little or no knowledge

about diving, but to me the information seemed basic and repetitive. I was

able, however, to find ten pieces of information that helped me in my research.

I used one source from the Internet. My mother located this source, and

once I looked at it I knew it would be very valuable in my search. Lawrence

Martin s Scuba Diving Explained site on the Internet is a very informative

resource that deals with the scientific and medical aspects of diving. This

information can be difficult to understand at times, but the quality of the

resource is excellent.

My first interview was with Eric Keys, my mentor. Keys has been diving

since he was 17, and is certified by Scuba Schools International as a Master

Instructor and an Instructor Certifier. The original interview went well,

however, when I turned in my notecards I found that the information I had

obtained was irrelevant. I returned to RVSC and obtained appropriate

information. Keys was a very knowledgeable source. When I asked him

questions, he knew the answers immediately and was very sure of himself.

For my second interview source, I phoned Don Harrington, the instructor

that gave me my certification. We scheduled a phone interview for a later

date. When I called him at the designated time his secretary informed me that

he was not available. This was very frustrating for me because my deadline for

this interview was approaching rapidly. That Friday, I stopped by RVSC and

interviewed Jarred Anderson. Anderson is certified by Scuba Schools

International as an Instructor and he has over 100 logged dives. Anderson was

not as familiar with the facts as Keys was. Anderson was able to answer most

of the questions unassisted, but for a few of them he referred to a book to