I’ve been scuba diving for over 25 years now and now I sell scuba gizmos at ScubaBasics.com. I need to clarify this so the article doesn’t lose its message. Yes, not only I sell Scuba Equipments I also passionately follow diving.

Since diving is becoming popular in the main stream of society, beginner divers struggle with how to purchase their first rig of scuba gear. I desire to share my thoughts about it. You are about to get scuba equipment that will sustain your life while you are deep in water. Do NOT buy or use scuba diving rig that has not been serviced or reviewed by a accredited individual. It is not worth gambling with your life to save some dollar. Please do not take this statement lightly.

You can get overwhelmed when purchasing scuba gear for the first time, especially when there are so many selections to choose from. You can get distracted from what is really important when purchasing your scuba kit. Haven't you seen this before. A new diving enthusiast enters the diving store and stares at the wall of Mask, Snorkel and fins and their eyes kind of glaze over.

The truth is, getting scuba gadgets is not that difficult if you stay focused on what’s needed. You need to remember that no matter what other divers say, it is your equipment and it needs to perform for your style of diving. Don't allow your purchase be determined by trivial things like color availability. I guarantee the fish really don’t care if you are color coordinated or not.

In this series of articles, I’ll challenge you to concentrate on how you will use your equipment and stay focused on what’s important to achieve a safe and enjoyable dive.

In the next article, I will discuss the number one doubt. What should I need to buy first?

A Day Out Quad Biking in Sharm El Sheikh

Author: glenne baxter

Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt is becoming more and more popular each year, Simply because of the all year round good weather and the things to do while you are there from exploring the stunning Coral reefs to visiting biblical treasures like St Katherines monastery and Moses Mountain.

One of the most exciting things to do is Quad biking in the Sinai desert. Standard Quad biking trips in Sharm last around two hours and they start off either in the late afternoon or in the early hours of the morning. This so you can see the beautiful sunsets and sunrises. These two hour trips are ok if you want to go in large groups and be a movie star for the day as you are on video. There is an alternative and that is an all day personal Quad trip through the interior of the Sinai desert.

If you want something a little more challenging and adventurous then these personal trips are for you. These all day adventures do cost more the standard Quad biking trip but they are well worth the extra money. If you can find a good tour agent who you can trust then you can negotiate a good deal, these special trips are not standard so will have to be negotiated.

Tour agents can be found all over Sharm El Sheikh, Naama Bay is a good starting place, hotels are third party so will be more expensive as they will take a commission. Sharks Bay is also worth trying.

When you do find a good deal then you will need to be equipped for your trip, you will need ruck sack, plenty of bottled water scarf and goggles or good pair of sunglasses to protect you from the sand and dust. A good thick scarf’s can be bought from the many souvenir shops the black and white checked type. You will also need to take snorkelling gear with you, although you can hire these on the morning of your trip in Naama Bay and guys wear tight underwear I‘ll explain a little later.

The Quad bikes can take two people, you will have been asked if you wanted to go solo or double at the arranging stage of your trip. Quad biking in the desert is a reasonably safe sport but accidents can happen, the bikes do go fast and over rough terrain,

so care must be taken.

Your Quad biking adventure starts with your pick from your hotel or apartment and taken to the Quad biking base situated in Naama bay. This is were most Quad biking trips start from. On arrival one of the organisers will help you put your scarf on and eye protection if you have trouble putting scarf on. After a quick safety check of the Quad bikes its time to set off.

Coming out of the Quad base leads out to the public roads which you travel on for a short while to get you into the Sinai desert. once into the desert you really do get magnificent views of the Sinai Mountains and the ever changing colours of the rock faces.

The surface of the desert is very course and bumpy so guys this is why tight underwear is going to be a bit more comfy.

You will travel towards Nabq bay and on to Nabq Nature Reserve or the official name of the Nabq Protectorate, this area is unspoilt by the masses of tourists, the area provides the perfect habitat for the fish and Birds, also home to animals such as Gazelle, Rock Hyraxes, and Desert Fox. There is an entrance fee to the protectorate but this should be in the price of the trip.

When you arrive in the park you will notice that some areas are fenced off this is for your safety as there are still unexploded mines from the second world war in the Sinai. Never go off the tracks.

Your first stop brings you to the mangroves these are the most northerly mangrove forests in the world. Here near the shore line you are met by Bedouin villagers selling little gifts and trinkets. Bedouin people are very poor and rely on tourism for there main source of income. After meeting the Bedouins you can have a swim or snorkel in the beautiful aqua sea of the Nabq protectorate.

After your swim or snorkel lunch is served in the Bedouin tent, On the menu is a fish and rice dish followed with refreshments.

after lunch and a rest you can go for another swim or snorkel in the sea.

From the beach coastline you will start to head back towards the Quad bike base in Naama Bay, but you do have another stop on the way back at a Bedouin tent for refreshments. When you arrive back at base you are taken back to your hotel or apartment.

The all day Quad bike adventure starts around 8:00 in the morning and finishes around 3:00 in the afternoon. Things you will need with you are rucksack or Bag for carrying your water snorkel gear, towel, and face protection scarf and goggles. You will also need to take your passport for entrance to the nabq protectorate.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/a-day-out-quad-biking-in-sharm-el-sheikh-719023.html

About the Author

Glenne Baxter is the author of articles relating to recreation and leisure in sharm el sheikh . Owner of Self Catering Rental Apartments and partner to Africano Group specialising in Car Rental and Trips and Tours in Sharm El Sheikh, and can provide more information about Trips, Tours, and advice in Sharm El Sheikh Egypt, visit my website at
http://www.charmingsharmapartments.com

Is Your Sunscreen Killing Coral Reefs?

Author: GoGreenMug

Summer is approaching quickly now and we are all starting to enjoy the outdoors far more. More hiking, gardening and for some of us surfing and snorkeling. If we are going to spend time outdoors in the sun we all know that sunscreen is a must, but a study in January 2008 suggests that sunscreen may be killing off coral in the ocean.

The study found that four common sunscreen ingredients; octinoxate, oxybenzone, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor and the preservative butylparaben, can awaken viruses in an algae called Zooxanthellae that live inside many coral species. The sunscreen ingredients cause the viruses to replicate, eventually killing off the algae and spilling over to infect nearby coral.

The Zooxanthellae provide the coral with food through photosynthesis and also contribute to the bright and vibrant colors. Without them the coral loses its color and eventually becomes a white coral skeleton and dies.

I found out quickly that my favored sunscreen contained these four ingredients and I often find myself in the ocean and love snorkeling and viewing the corals. I searched and found very few alternatives. So although this story (about the coral) is more than a year old, I wondered what we could do about it, without an easy sunscreen alternative. Once again human consumption is causing possible harm to our planet, but this time we can't simply decide not to use sunscreen. Skin cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers with more than 1 million people diagnosed in America each year. Protecting yourself from the sun can significantly decrease your risk of skin cancer.

Before we all give up on our ocean recreation to save the coral reefs, I did find some information in my searches.

1. Look at the ingredients before you buy sunscreen. Look out for any of the 4 chemicals that awaken the dormant viruses: octinoxate, oxybenzone, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor and butylparaben and do not buy these sunscreens.
2. Natural sunscreens that have no synthetic ingredients are not known to harm the coral. They may also be better for your skin as studies have shown these synthetic nanoparticles may cause skin irritation and even illness.
3. Look for sunscreens using natural UVA and UVB blocking zinc oxide and or titanium dioxide.
4. Make sure your sunscreen contains both UVA and UVB protection. I won't get into the details but you need both.

I have a trip to Hawaii coming up, so I am off to find my natural sunscreen
Have a great week and Mothers Day and reduce your waste.
The GoGreenMug mothers day 20% off coupon is still available until May17. Coupon Code: grnmom2day

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/is-your-sunscreen-killing-coral-reefs-910870.html

About the Author

GoGreenMug was created to help reduce the waste at coffee shops. Every year billions of paper and polystyrene coffee cups are thrown out along with their plastic lids. At http://www.GoGreenMug.com enviromentally friendly customers can personalize a travel mug with uploaded photos, texts and quotes. Use the mug at coffee shops to help reduce the waste and in many cases get discounts.

Two Fantastic Ways to Experience the Great Barrier Reef

Author: Robert Aconley

The Great Barrier Reef is a magnificent sight and you can experience it in numerous ways. Two fantastic ways to experience the Great Barrier Reef are to take a light aircraft flight over the reef and snorkeling from a platform in the Pacific Ocean.

It is easy to drive to Whitsunday Airport, Queensland from Airlie Beach to catch the one hour pleasure flight over the Whitsunday Islands and ‘Heart Shaped’ Reef. You will be given a safety briefing before the pilot leads you to the 4-seater plane on the grass field runway. You will probably get the best seats if you can sit in the front of the aircraft! The pilot heads out over the Airlie Beach area and the views are stunning. A few minutes later the aircraft takes you over the very popular Hayman and Daydream Islands. It takes almost half an hour before the Great Barrier Reef comes into view. What a view it is! This is definitely a fantastic way to experience the reef because you can see how vast it really is as it stretches out for miles into the distance.

The highlight of the trip is circling the famous ‘Heart Reef’. The pilot tilts the plane both ways so that everyone gets a good view of the 'heart shaped' reef so have your camera ready. After leaving the reef the pilot takes you towards Whitsunday Island and the famous Whitehaven Beach. The Whitehaven beach stretches out for almost 4 miles and is arguably one of the ten best beaches in the world. The Hill Inlet sand formation is a superb view from the air and is well worth seeing. The aircraft flies over the vacation friendly Hamilton Island and Shute Harbour before returning back to the airport. The Whitsunday Islands are a marvellous place for a vacation but don’t miss the chance to see them from the air.

Snorkeling has got to be one of the best ways to experience the Great Barrier Reef. Port Douglas, Queensland is a good base to catch the Catamaran that takes you out to the Barrier Reef. The Quicksilver Catamaran takes you to the Agincourt Reef in almost two hours and you can enjoy the magnificent views of the north Queensland coastline as you swiftly move through the water. The platform is a superb place to explore the reef because you can also take a submarine type boat in addition to snorkeling. If you do not want to get wet, but still want to enjoy the reef then this option is ideal.

All the equipment for snorkeling is available at the platform so take advantage of it. It is almost a fantasy world when you snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef. The colors of the tropical fish are amazing and you can see them so clearly because they swim so close to you. Watch out for the Clownfish and then you will be able to claim that you have 'found Nemo' at the Great Barrier Reef. Be careful not to touch the intricate coral reef because it is actually a living organism and easily damaged. My personal advice is to swim away from the immediate crowds and then you can have this world all to yourself.

Seeing the Great Barrier Reef is an experience that will never be forgotten so don't miss the chance to see the reef, from above and below, if you travel to Australia.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cruising-articles/two-fantastic-ways-to-experience-the-great-barrier-reef-158388.html

About the Author

Robert Aconley runs the Million Dollar Lake & Million Pound Lake websites.You can find them at www.milliondollarlake.com & www.millionpoundlake.co.uk
Please come & visit!

Mesmerizing Catalina Island

Author: Pushpitha Wijesinghe

Los Angeles, the largest city in the US state of California, is undoubtedly one of the major cities of the world. A focus of international commerce, culture, entertainment, fashion, media, education and technology, Los Angeles is an influential city in many spheres. The city possesses many famed institutions in a wide spectrum of cultural and professional fields, and is also one of the United States’ major economic engines. Los Angeles is renowned as the home of Hollywood and maintains a prominent position in movies, television and recorded music.

Catalina Island, located off the coast of California and in proximity to Los Angeles, has in recent times achieved prominence as a tourist destination. The island lays claim to a colourful and varied history. Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was the first European to land on the island in 1542 and during the following 300 years the island was frequented by wandering fishermen, Yankee smugglers and Russian otter hunters. In later years the island’s location close to the rapidly developing city of Los Angeles made it a popular vacation site.

Catalina Island offers many delights for the visitor. Hiking and mountain biking amongst the island’s scenic beauty are popular pastimes. As might be expected of an island resort, Catalina offers an array of water activities. Visitors may snorkel, scuba dive, or explore the shipwrecks and reefs along the shoreline in glass bottom boats. Vivid orange Garibaldi and groups of flying fish swarm in the waters. The adventurous may go kayaking or experience an aerial view of the island by helicopter.

The Catalina Island Museum is the storehouse of the island’s cultural and historical heritage, and displays artifacts representing more than 7,000 years of history, including images and photographs, native pottery and tile and ship models to name a few.

The Catalina Island ‘casino’ is a major attraction. Its lower level contains the Avalon theatre while the upper level contains the world’s biggest circular ballroom dance floor. Sensational views are offered from the balconies.

Raffles L’Ermitage is a premier luxury hotel in Los Angeles. Offering perfectly appointed rooms, attentive service and delectable dining, this hotel in Beverly Hills promises a stay that is memorable in every way.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-tips-articles/mesmerizing-catalina-island-1752768.html

About the Author

Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.