[gekko]

Use whatever inanimate equipment (speargun, pole-spear, camera) you have with you to fend off the shark (when diving in known shark-inhabited waters, it is always good to carry a pole or spear for this purpose). If a shark attacks, the best strategy is to hit it on the tip of its nose. This usually results in the shark retreating. If the retreat is far enough away, then human retreat is in order – again, swim quickly but smoothly, watching the shark all the time, with your dive partner close at hand. An aggressive shark often will return, however, and each subsequent hit to the snout will be less effective, so take advantage of any escape opportunities. If you do not have anything to poke with, use your hand, but remember that the mouth is close to the nose, so be accurate!

[casey24lyn]

If a shark begins to get too interested in you by coming closer and closer, the best strategy is to leave the water – swim quickly but smoothly, watching the shark all the time, with your dive partner close at hand. Sharks are less likely to attack a “school” of divers than a solitary individual. [links]

[Dragoon_Lord_Abastas]

If a shark is acting overtly aggressive – making rushes at you, hunching its back, lowering its pectoral (paired side) fins, swimming in a rapid zigzag course, or swimming with rapid up and down movements (sometimes rubbing its belly on the bottom) – look to back up against whatever structure (reef, rock outcropping, piling) is available, thereby reducing the angles with which the shark can approach you. If you are in open water, orient back-to-back with your dive partner and gradually rise to the surface and the safety of your boat. If you are shore diving, gradually descend to the bottom so you can find cover.

[Prze_koles]

Carcharhinidae (Carcharhinus brachyurus) Narrowtooth shark. Photo copyright Doug Perrine [links]

[vfdsaq]

If you have been spearfishing or abalone gathering and are holding your catch, release the catch and quietly exit the area. It is likely that the shark has been attracted to the sound and smells associated with your activity and it is aroused and interested in consuming your catch. Let it have it – no catch is worth the risk of personal injury. [links]

[xscreenprotectorx]

I f a shark is sighted, stay calm and maintain your position in as quiet a manner as possible. Most sharks merely are curious and will leave on their own accord. Enjoy your opportunity to see one of nature’s most magnificent predators.

[bitwaffle]

Harmony of the Seas’ teen club really has it all. The fun, vibrant space offers teenagers both pre-planned events and a range of activities that will appeal to their age group, that they can enjoy any time at all. The club also hosts a teens-only dance party every evening. more

[BillRoundsEsq]

Younger kids (or just kids at heart) will love the Adventure Science Lab. Kids can try their hand at a range of science-based activities, from chemistry experiments to space exploration, fossil digs to exploding volcanoes. The Adventure Science Lab is located within Adventure Ocean. more

[sunny256]

While the kids enjoy their kids-only spaces, you’ll find that there are a few adults-only spaces as well. In this case, it’s the Solarium. You can eat, drink and soak up some sun in a low-key, kids-free venue that offers both outdoor and indoor areas. The Solarium is hardly ever too crowded that you won’t be able to find your own lounger. [links]

[BitterTea]

Some entertainment is more suited to the adults-only crowd. At the silent disco, grab a headset and dance along to the music without ever bothering any of your fellow cruisers. [links]

[blurden]

The reinforced telescopic handle and wheels on Cressi's Moby 5 allows you to maneuver through busy airport terminals with ease, and once you arrive at your destination, this bag transforms into a backpack. Simply open the hideaway shoulder strap pocket to access the padded adjustable shoulder straps. The Moby 5 is made from 300/400-denier nylon, a lightweight yet rugged material. The cavernous main compartment has a U-shaped dual zipper slider that makes it easy for you to access what's stored inside. The bag's lower bellows pockets — also with a dual slider zipper closure — is designed to as a regulator bag. The upper bellows pocket is perfect for smaller accessories. The fin pockets on the side make this a complete travel bag that's thoughtfully designed for divers.

[Axcella]

Here’s advice from four experienced dive travelers who know how to get all of their gear around the world safely without breaking the bank.

[zipslack]

BE READY TO IMPROVISE

[ChesterA321]

LEARN THE RULES

[Harmton]

Packing for dive travel presents a conundrum. Spread before you is a vast arsenal, each piece essential to fulfilling your travel fantasy. To bring along all of the regulators, wetsuits, computers, masks, fins and camera equipment and other scuba gear necessary for a serious dive mission (along with their backups and batteries), you’ll need a fleet of roller bags — and a Sherpa. But your airline has strict limits on the amount, size and weight of luggage, and violating its limits can add up to an astronomical cost. How can you make it all fit?

[ChesterA321]

Travel Smart: Cressi Moby 5 with Wheels

[seeger418]

The six factors that affect your buoyancy are your ballast weight and your BC inflation, of course, and also your trim, your exposure suit buoyancy, your depth and your breath control. Your ballast weight and your trim are the only two factors that, once you've selected them, stay put. All the others are variables, changing during the dive along with time or depth or both. Some you can control, some you can't. Buoyancy control isn't as easy as it looks.

[DataPacRat]

The good news here is that if you don't change depth, your wetsuit's buoyancy doesn't change either. Once you have your buoyancy dialed in for a given depth, you can forget it. More good news: The very thin wetsuit you'd wear in the tropics has so little buoyancy to begin with that you can pretty much ignore any changes with depth.

[tamal451]

At first glance, buoyancy control looks like a simple matter of balancing the downward force of your ballast weights against the upward force of your BC inflation. When the two cancel out, you're neutral and can hover in the water. Since the weight on your belt doesn't change after you enter the water, it seems as though you have only one variable to contend with: the upward thrust of your BC. It sounds easy, so why isn't it?