Scubamonk
Explore the transcendental side of scuba training with the world's first zen buddhist scuba instructor. An interesting philosophical approach based on the idea that 'arriving is less important than travelling well' has been applied to training. Basically no matter how much you do, you must always keep paying for more. And more. And more... Apply for your own BADI card online.
www.zendo.com/~zenscuba/

Babies - sorted
Its one of those problems that just seems insoluble. What do you do with a baby while you go diving? This website provides a host of home-grown suggestions and some fairly explicit diagrams involving video housings. Not for the faint hearted.
www.skynet.co.uk/~beardie/oldweb/baby.htm

From nappies to skidpads
Just when you thought it was impossible to sink any lower... Brought to you by the same people behind the diving baby website these pages deal with an innovative product invented at Stoney Cove to deal with a problem experienced by divers of a nervous disposition diving in drysuits. In the interests of taste we have refrained from printing the product in question.
www.skynet.co.uk/~beardie/oldweb/skid4men.htm

Diving teddies
How adorable! You can now get your very own diving teddies, or scuba bammers as they're known in the States - and they come in a range of (hopefully colourfast) colours : green and yellow for Nitrox, blue for sport diver, techie black for cave divers...
We're just gagging for the release of 'rebreather teddy' that does a little convulsion to simulate an O2 hit. Or 'Bent teddy' in tasteful purple with added lumpy bits and mini portable chamber.
To order Scuba Bammers, please contact
Michael or Sherry Garman 1243 Little John Lane, Dunedin, FL 34698 USA or email hgbears@mindspring.com.

Top scuba destination : North West Scotland

Being one of the least populated areas of Britain can have its advantages. The lack of industry, and lack of pollution in NW Scotland has allowed some of the best viz you'll get anywhere in the UK. So what is there to see? Kelp forests, soft corals, wrecks covered in plumose anenomes, caves and gullies, fantastic fishlife and ... seals! Its possible to shore dive in many locations along the coast, but with some superb dive operations on hand, you'd be crazy not to venture further. The photos below were provided by Bridie and Russell Pursie from Minch Active Divers, Sutherland.

'Contrary to weather reports we have some fantastic weather!' says Bridie 'Be prepared for sunburn or rain, and wind - make the most of blowing the cobwebs away!' Further information from:
Scottish Sub Aqua Club
30 Bogmoor Place, Cockburn centre
Glasgow GS1 4TQ
tel 0141 425 1021

Contacts: DIVE BOATS & AIR
Phil and Anne Jones
Scalpay Diving Services
tel/fax 01859540 328
Scott Coleman
Lillapool tel 01854 655272
Jimmy Crooks
Lochinver tel 01571 844362

The children are coming

If you thought that diving was a way of escaping from children, you're about to be sorely disappointed. SSI have launched their ScubaRangers initiative, encouraging children young enough to be glued firmly to their PlayStations to abandon gaming and take up scubadiving. A visit to the Aqua Lung stand at DEMA revealed that they are already manufacturing Barbie-sized versions of adult kit to fit miniature humans. The tiny sized mannequins were dressed in full scuba gear, including spookily small cylinders. With the PADI 'Bubblemaker' programme in full swing, only BSAC have stood firm against the child invasion and refused to allow 12 year olds to join. 'The kids love teaching their parents about diving and all the equipent' says Ashley Rosenthal, SSI instructor, conjuring scary visions of 8 year olds teaching trimix... 'They learn quicker and are more interested in finding out how things work than adults' explains Paul Simpson from ProAqua in Germany. So thats settled. The future is juvenile.

Gadget rampage

Diver's Rear View Mirror - so useful for when you're reversing into those awkward spots on a wreck. Great for instructors trying to keep an eye on students who insist on swimming behind you. We even asked cave divers if it would help them keep in contact with their buddy. To which they replied 'What's a buddy?'

The Gotta Have It Telescopic snorkel. Solves that terrible problem of wear to put your snorkel. You just telescope it down and stuff it into your BC pocket. Much madder and more satisfying than getting those bendy Oceanic ones that fold in half and make you feel guilty of gadget mistreatment

'I was a turtle's love toy'

The Florida marine Patrol has been put on alert after reports of a giant sex-starved turtle molesting divers.
Real estate agent Bruce Gernon was diving in the Upper Keys when he was mounted and pushed to the bottom by a huge "buck" turtle that divers have nicknamed "Crazy Charlie."
"The damn thing really overpowered me," Gernon told a local newspaper. "I either looked real good to him or he thought I was another turtle." It wasn't the first time that the turtle had attacked. Another diver had narrowly escaped a few days previously The sex-starved turtle wrapped its flippers around the diver, who wishes to remain anonymous, and dragged him to the bottom. "I understand the turtle mounted the guy for about five to 10 minutes,"Gernon said. "It's a good thing he had air in his tank or he could have drowned."
Shaken by the harrowing experience, the terrified diver abandoned his divingequipment and swam to his boat. "We've been the butt of a few jokes around town since it happened, "Gernon said. "A couple of bars have put up 'wanted' posters for the rapist.
"It was a scary experience, but now that it's over I'm trying to adjust to the fact that I was a turtle's love toy." Bob Epstein, an outdoor writer who broke the story in an Islamorada weekly, said he has since been contacted by at least 10 other divers who have been sexually molested by the turtle. And another 37 who had been abducted by turtle-aliens.
Original story appeared in the Islamadora News, Florida