Always Cold Underwater? Why a Quality Scuba Hood is Your Missing Piece

By Ben Lair
Equipment

If you are the diver who is shivering at the safety stop while everyone else seems perfectly fine, you probably think you just “run cold.” You might even be considering buying a massive, bulky 7mm wetsuit for a tropical trip just to stay comfortable. Before you drop hundreds of dollars on thicker neoprene, there is a much cheaper, highly effective secret weapon you are probably ignoring: a high-quality scuba hood. Here is why covering your head is the absolute game-changer for cold divers.

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Diving After the Monsoon: How Arizona’s Summer Rains Affect Lake Pleasant’s Visibility

By Ben Lair
Blog

Every July and August, the Arizona skies darken, the thunder rolls, and the monsoon rains pour down. While the rain is a welcome relief from the scorching desert heat, it completely changes the game for local divers heading to Lake Pleasant. Wondering why your favorite dive site suddenly looks like chocolate milk, or where the clear water is hiding? Here is your hyper-local guide to understanding monsoon runoff, shifting visibility, and how to plan your late-summer dives.

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Mastering the Maze: Why the SSI Navigation Specialty is Your Underwater GPS

By Ben Lair
Blog Training

We’ve all had that “uh-oh” moment: you turn around to head back to the boat or the shore, and suddenly, every rock, plant, and silhouette looks exactly the same. Underwater navigation isn’t some mystical “natural gift” that only certain divers have—it’s a mechanical skill that anyone can master. Stop wandering aimlessly and start leading the dive with our upcoming SSI Navigation Specialty class starting April 7.

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The Science of Thermoclines: Diving Arizona Lakes

By Ben Lair
Blog

If you’ve ever dived in Lake Pleasant during the summer, you’ve probably experienced it: one minute you’re perfectly warm in your 3mm wetsuit, and the next, you drop just a few feet and hit a wall of icy water that practically takes your breath away. This invisible, freezing barrier is called a thermocline. Here is the science behind why our desert lakes form these dramatic temperature layers and how you can prepare your gear (and your mind) for them on your next local dive.

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Diving Lake Pleasant: What’s Under the Surface?

By JonRowe
Blog Training

“What is there to see in a lake?” It’s the most common question we get when we mention a weekend trip to Lake Pleasant. To the uninitiated, it might just look like a desert reservoir, but for a diver, Lake Pleasant is a world of hidden history and surprisingly busy freshwater ecosystems. From the ruins of an old dam to the seasonal appearance of “freshwater jellyfish,” here is exactly what you can expect to see when you descend into our favorite Arizona training site.

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