Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving. This is a popular activity for those interested in exploring the undersea world. You can see fish up close and personal as well as explore caves and other underwater habitats. Some people also enjoy scuba diving for professional reasons. For example, marine biologists use scuba equipment to study the ocean’s environment. There are also scuba divers in the military. They can provide expertise and training when called upon.

Diving has been a hobby since ancient Greece. The first known scuba diving apparatus was a tube system invented in the early 1800s by British scientists. Today, scuba equipment is largely available to anyone. However, you should never go too deep or too fast.

Divers wear a wet or dry suit, a mask, fins, and a buoyancy control device. These devices are essential to keep you in place when you are underwater. A buoyancy control device is a scuba diving jacket with secret air bladders, a pair of D-rings, and pockets for your dive equipment.

Another important piece of scuba equipment is a regulator. A regulator is a device that delivers air to a diver at a preset ambient pressure. Many of these regulators are now portable. The modern day scuba regulator was invented by Jacques Cousteau and Emile Gagnan in 1942.

Scuba divers are able to travel in great depths and stay underwater longer than free divers. However, they must learn how to use their gear. In particular, they must understand how to equalise the air spaces between their ears, how to clean water out of their mask, and how to clear a demand valve. Additionally, they must know how to perform a rescue and be able to give breathing gas to a fellow diver if necessary.

Scuba diving is a fun and exciting recreational activity, and a good way to get your family involved in the outdoors. There are many certification organizations that offer classes and courses. If you haven’t been diving before, a beginner’s class will give you the basic knowledge you need to safely and effectively take part in the sport. It will also teach you about equipment, planning and safety.

One of the most common scuba safety tips is to never hold your breath while surfacing. This is because it can cause a lung squeeze and, in extreme cases, could result in decompression sickness. When this happens, nitrogen forms bubbles in your body and can make you sick. Taking extra scuba tanks with you on your next trip is a good idea, too.

There are many types of scuba equipment and training. You can buy your own or rent it. Check with local dive shops to find a buddy to go with you. Keeping a dive log is also a good idea. Especially when you are making multiple dives.

There are other scuba equipment types, including dry suits, which are designed to prevent the ingestion of nitrogen. Dry suits are often used for diving in cold water.