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THE BEST DRY SNORKEL!" 
Scuba Diving Magazine, December 2005
The name says it all. Designed to be exactly what its name suggests, the ULTRA DRY snorkel incorporates Oceanic’s patented Dry Snorkel Technology into an ultra-low profile product that is ergonomically designed for comfort and function.
This technology creates a seal to virtually eliminate water entering the snorkel barrel, while achieving superior air flow performance on the surface.
· Patented Dry Snorkel Technology virtually eliminates water entry without sacrificing performance
· Oversized purge valve for easy clearing
· Quick-release swiveling snorkel keeper
· Drop away smooth bore flex mouthpiece
· Replaceable 100% liquid silicone mouthpiece and purge valve
· *NEW* Mini Version features the same fine qualities as the Ultra Dry, but with a mouthpiece designed for smaller adults and youths.
30-DAY SATISFACTION GUARANTEE: We guarantee that at any time during the first 30 days of purchase, your Oceanic scuba gear fails to meet your expectations, that product may be exchanged by K2, a participating Authorized Oceanic Pro Dealer. No questions asked.
Wilson’s Arrow
Cave Diving Line Arrow History
By
Forrest Wilson, Joe Dabbs, and Susan Y. Gero
"THIS WAY OUT" is the message a directional marker conveys. Dry cavers were using directional markers in the maze of tunnels that constitutes a cave system long before there were cave divers. Being lost in any cave is a terrifying experience but being lost in a water-filled cave with a limited air supply is very likely a fatal error. "This Way Out" must be unambiguous to the extensively trained cave diver attempting to feel his way to the exit in a severe silt-out situation.
There are several basic rules that are necessary for a safe cave dive. One of the most important of these rules is that there must be a continuous guideline to the surface. Silt (unconsolidated sediment) is found in all underwater caves. When suspended in water, silt may reduce the visibility to effectively zero in a matter of seconds and may persist for several hours or days. Common causes of silting are the downward-percolation of ceiling silt caused by the diver’s exhaust bubbles; water turbulence by diver movements; and, wash-down caused by heavy local rainstorms.
The early cave divers in Florida saw the benefit of using directional markers on the guideline. Lewis Holtzendorff came up with the idea of folding a triangle of tape around the line to form an arrow that would point the way out of the cave. These tape arrows were called "Dorff" markers in Lewis’ honor. There were a couple of problems with tape arrows: they slid along the line and they were difficult to feel in a silt-out. What was needed was a standard arrow that was simple, inexpensive, and easy to attach to the line but resistant to being dislodged.
Sheck Exley asked Forrest to lead a discussion group at a National Speleological Society-Cave Diving Section (NSS-CDS) workshop to come up with an idea for a better arrow. Several ideas were tossed around, but most were deemed impractical, including one that was close to today’s line arrow. After the meeting, Roger Werner had drawn an idea for arrows on the blackboard, but Forrest felt it would not stay on the line because the slots Roger drew were straight out to the sides.
Reflecting upon Roger’s idea, Forrest made some prototypes and tried them in caves. After several combinations of slot angle and relative hole shapes, he eventually formulated the current design. He hand-made several hundred arrows that were sold through the Branford Dive Center in the scuba gear section. The arrows soon became very popular and Steve Hudson of the cave rope company, PMI, asked Forrest’s permission to make a mold of one of the hand-made arrows in order to mass-produce them.
In the mid-1980’s, Forrest Wilson stopped designing cave diving equipment and gave permission for anyone to copy his designs. Cave diving equipment manufacturer, Dive Rite, bought the entire production run of the PMI line arrows. A few years later, Dive Rite tried to order more arrows, but to their dismay found that the injection-molding house had sold the original mold as scrap. They successfully tracked down the buyer and had more arrows made.
Dive Rite eventually bought the mold only to find that it was worn out. In 1993, Dive Rite produced a new line arrow mold, which is now kept in an injection-molding house in Jacksonville, Fl.
Today many companies around the world manufacture "Line Arrows". They have become a tool used not only for cave diving but for wreck diving as well.
It is Mr. Wilson’s line arrow design that is used universally today.
Warning: Cave diving is a hazardous activity that may be undertaken with relative safety only with specialized cave diving training, specialized equipment, and skill performance. Please seek out an accredited and qualified cave diving educator before considering engaging in this activity.
“How do scuba divers use the laws and principles that describe the behavior of gases to their advantage? What precautions do they take to prevent the bends?”
Bud, that is a great question! The physical laws that you are referring to is Boyle’s Law:
As the video shows, the airspaces in your body are replaced with a commensurate amount of oxygen and nitrogen. We as divers are careful to ongas and offgas the nitrogen (which is 78% of atmospheric air).
The best way of doing this is to ascend slowly. Technical divers do this by doing stops at 70′ then 50’-40’-30’-20’-10 feet of seawater for one minute each. Don’t be fooled your 15′ for three to five minutes IS a decompression stop.
Again, great question, and glad to help.
Please feel free to contact me at my email above or contact me at 818 982 2652. I’m here to help.
Tevis
Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
http://www.k2scuba.com
http://www.k2scuba.com/blog
Why? Because we can! Here at K2, we know that folks don’t have the disposable income that they did pre Lehman Brothers. The dive Season is starting up and the bare essentials are some of the things that can keep a friend of ours from being able to enjoy the sport of diving! Regularly, silicone degrades and without a good fit, you’ve got leaky mask problems. . .and that makes for a cruddy, anxiety filled dive.
K2 to the rescue! Find a paltry must need item for $50.00 and add it to your cart, come back and pick yourself up a sleek spank brand new TUSA Geminus Mask for one gazillion percent off.
We are doing these Monday Morning Madness-es (aka Triple MMM) to get you back in the water. Heck, even tho’ we are here to sell stuff, it is more important to treat you like a friend.
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