Winter2016AlertDiver

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Jumping off the boat is typically not the issue. Doing
the dive is often not the issue either. But getting back
to the boat in a heavy sea, perhaps carrying expensive
camera gear or swimming against the current, and then
trying to climb the dive ladder as the boat plunges in an
angry and confused sea — that can be vigorous exercise
indeed. On those days you have to be reasonably fit
and skilled. It is the days that are the outliers, when
the conditions are more extreme than usual, for which
divers need to be prepared. It is for days like these that
we need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and do regular
exercise, especially aerobic exercise. On most days
diving is a benign and somewhat effortless activity, but
the sea is a capricious mistress, and she can kick your
butt. She can also kill you.
I accept that getting back to the boat safely is part of
my job. Devoting an hour most mornings to knocking
out a couple of thousand meters in the pool with our
group of Masters swimmers is a good investment in
my personal safety for future dive expeditions. This
is also why we offer a Dive Fitness article in each
issue of Alert Diver. This series, written by exercise
physiologist Jessica Adams, Ph.D., is specifically
intended to help divers develop the core strength and
cardiac fitness they need. At a glance, the photos that
illustrate these articles might make the exercises seem
easy, but actually doing the workouts she outlines in
these articles will challenge many of us.
Whether it’s running, biking, swimming or doing
the workouts in Alert Diver’s Dive Fitness column,
scuba divers need to embrace regular exercise. A
collateral benefit is feeling better in day-to-day life.
There will be days when you have to kick it into
overdrive to make it back to the boat, and your body
needs to be prepared. If cardiac death occurs in one-
third of all scuba diving fatalities, and risk increases
with age, we all need to mitigate this risk and live a
heart-healthy lifestyle. AD
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WHAT’S NEW ON
ALL THIS AND MUCH MORE AWAIT
AT
ART AQUATIC
After getting a taste of Zena
Holloway’s work on Page 94,
stroll through her online
photo gallery and watch a
behind-the-scenes video of a
photo shoot.
FABULOUS FIJI
Travel along with Stephen
Frink to the soft coral capital
of the world on Page 68, then
go online to view a photo
gallery and cartoon series
of the trip.
50-STATE ODYSSEY
Read about Jennifer Idol’s
quest to dive in all 50 U.S.
states on Page 82, and then
view online more images of
the sites she’s seen.
SEEKING
CENDERAWASIH
Discover the ancient sea
of Cenderawasih Bay on
Page 76, and then revel
in more of the area’s
enchanting beauty in a
video by Michael Aw.
“It is the days that are the
outliers, when the conditions
are more extreme than usual,
for which divers need to
be prepared.”
STEPHEN FRINK
ZENA HOLLOWAY
JENNIFER IDOL
MICHAEL AW