Site Map

This is a complete list of all Dive Otter pages, grouped by topic.

Chicagoland

• Chicagoland Dive Shops
• Chicagoland Dive Sites
• Chicagoland Diving: Your Guide to Midwest Diving
• Gilboa Quarry
• Haigh Quarry
• How to Get Involved in the Chicago Dive Community: Clubs, Groups & Events
• Lake Michigan South - Double Action Dive Charters
• Mermet Springs
• Pearl Lake
• Private Scuba Instructors in Chicagoland
• Three Oaks Scuba Zone

Dive Culture

• Calling the Dive: How to Speak Up and Support It
• Dive Culture
• Dive Culture Decoder
• Diver Archetype Series
• Insta-Buddy Checks: A Real-World Alternative to the Traditional Buddy Check
• Responsible Diver Code of Conduct
• Why Some Divers Quit and How to Stay Motivated

FAQ & Misc

• Ask The Dive Otter
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Who is The Dive Otter?

Gear

• A Guide to Buying New vs Used Scuba Gear
• Basic Dive Gear: What Every Diver Should Own First
• Bolt Snaps, Retractors, and Clips: Don’t Overdo It
• Building Your Diving Kit
• Choosing the Right Dive Gear Bag: Mesh Bags, Crates, Suitcases & Travel Options
• Complete Kit: The Final Pieces That Define Your Dive System
• Dive Knives vs. Line Cutters: What’s Best and Why?
• Diving With Glasses: Prescription Masks, Contacts, and Options
• Diving With a Camera Without Being That Diver
• Do You Really Need a Snorkel for Scuba Diving?
• Essential Scuba Gear: Must-Carry Equipment for Every Dive
• Gear Knowledge
• Gear Tiers & Recommendations
• Goodman Handles: Hard vs Soft
• How to Choose the Best Dive Light: Primary vs. Backup & What to Look For
• How to Choose the Best Dive Mask: Fit, Lens Type & Common Mistakes
• How to Choose the Best Scuba Fins: Paddle vs Split & More
• How to Choose the Right BCD: Jacket vs. Backplate & Wing vs. Hybrid
• How to Choose the Right Dive Computer
• How to Choose the Right Dive Gear for You
• How to Choose, Fit & Use the Right Wetsuit for Diving
• Integrated Weights vs Weight Belts
• Is a Backup Mask Necessary?
• Just Tell Me What to Buy: My Recommended Starter Dive Gear Kit
• Long Hose vs Standard Octo Configuration
• Mask Defog Options: Science, Safety, and Why I Recommend Stream2Sea
• Mouthpiece Comfort and Replacements
• Neoprene Socks & Dive Socks: Which One Do You Need?
• Owning Your Own Tanks - Is it Worth it?
• Rebreathers for Recreational Divers: Are They Worth It Yet?
• Reels vs Spools: What's the Difference
• Regulator Buying Guide: What to Look for in a Reliable Regulator
• Renting vs Owning Dive Gear: Pros, Cons & What's Best for You
• SMBs (Surface Marker Buoys): What You Need to Know
• SPG vs Air-Integrated Computers: Pros, Cons & What's Best for You
• Scuba Boots vs. Shoes: Which One Do You Need?
• Scuba Gear Guides
• Scuba Gear Maintenance: How to Clean, Store, and Extend the Life of Your Equipment
• Scuba Gear Resources
• What Goes in Your Thigh Pockets?
• Why Carry a Dive Light
• Yoke vs DIN: Which One Should You Use?

Gear Reviews

• Apple Watch Ultra 2 (Oceanic+) Dive Computer Review
• Aqualung Axiom i3 BCD Review
• Aqualung Seawave Hood (7/4mm) Review
• Atomic Venom Frameless Mask Review
• Baby Shampoo as Mask Defog Review
• Bare Reactive II 7mm Wetsuit Review
• Bare Ultrawarmth Glove (3mm) Review
• Bare Ultrawarmth Glove (5mm) Review
• Bare Velocity 5mm Wetsuit Review
• Bare Velocity Ultra 3mm Wetsuit Review
• DUI Rock Boots Review
• Deep6 Eddy Fins Reviews
• Faber HP100 Steel Tanks (DIN) Review
• Fourth Element Arctic Set Review
• Fourth Element Rock Hopper Shoes Review
• Fourth Element Xerotherm Set Review
• H2 Short Bib Hood (5/7mm) Review
• Halcyon Long Hose Stick Review
• Halcyon Master SPG Review
• Halcyon Tech Shorts Review
• Halcyon Weighted Single Tank Adapter Review
• Mares Avanti Quattro Fins Review
• Mares Genius Dive Computer Review
• OMS Slipstream Fins Review
• Orcatorch D710 Review
• Orcatorch D720 Review
• Oxycheq Raider III Light Sock Review
• Santi E.Lite+ Drysuit Review
• Scuba Gear Reviews
• ScubaPro MK19 EVO / G260 Regulator Review
• Sharkskin Hood Review
• Sharkskin Titanium Top & Bottom Review
• Shearwater Tern TX Review
• Stream2Sea Defog Review
• Suunto SK8 Compass Review
• Why I Chose the Shearwater Perdix 2 AI — And Why It’s Staying in My Kit
• xDeep Weight Pouches and Pockets Review
• xDeep Zen – Stainless Steel Backplate & Wing System Review

Getting Started

• Basic Scuba Safety Rules
• Best YouTube Channels for Scuba Divers
• Discover Scuba: What to Expect from Your First Try Dive
• Diving & Family Life: How to Balance Passion and Partnership
• Essential Surface Support Gear for Divers: What to Have & What I Use
• Finding a Dive Buddy
• How Much Does Scuba Diving Really Cost in 2025?
• How to Learn Scuba Diving: Step-by-Step Beginner Guide
• How to Log Your Dives: What, Why, and Best Practices
• Is Scuba Certification a License?
• Save-a-Dive Kit: Be Prepared for Almost Anything
• Scuba Diving Acronyms and Terms
• Scuba Diving for Beginners: Start Here for Gear, Safety, and Training
• Scuba Diving for Non Swimmers: Is It Possible?
• Surface Marker Buoy: What It Is & Why You Need One
• What to Expect in Your Open Water Certification Class

Planning & Tools

• Bubble Check: How to Spot Gear Leaks Before a Dive
• Buoyancy and Weight Estimator for Scuba Divers
• Calculating MOD, PO₂ and EAD When Diving Nitrox
• Calculating Maximum Operating Depth (MOD)
• Calculating Minimum Gas Reserve
• Dive Gas Calculators: RMV, MOD, and Reserve Gas
• Equivalent Air Depth (EAD): What It Is and How to Calculate
• GUE-EDGE Pre-Dive Planning
• Learn Why Checklists Matter in Diving
• Learn Why Checklists Matter in Diving
• Minimum Gas Reserve Calculator
• Pre-Dive Checks: How to Ensure Gear & Buddy Readiness
• RMV Calculator (Respiratory Minute Volume)
• RMV vs. SAC: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters
• Recreational Gas Planning
• SAC, RMV, and SCR: Comparing Gas Consumption Terminology Across Dive Agencies
• Scuba Calculators & Dive Tools
• Scuba Dive Planning: Gas, Risk, and Checklists
• Scuba Gas Planning Basics: RMV, Reserve, MOD, Nitrox
• The Right Way to Set Up Your Dive Gear
• Understanding Nitrox in Recreational Diving
• Which Scuba Agency Is Right for Me? Take the Quiz

Safety

• CNS (Central Nervous System) Oxygen Toxicity
• Creating an Emergency Action Plan (EAP)
• Dive Medical Insurance
• Dive Risk Awareness: Psychology, Human Factors & Safety
• Emergency Contacts & Check-In Systems: What New Divers Should Know
• Emergency Preparedness for Recreational Divers
• Essential Medical Supplies for Divers: First Aid Kits & DAN Recommendations
• How to Avoid Leg Cramps During and After a Dive
• Human Factors in Diving
• Managing Cold, Heat, and Dehydration Post-Dive
• Medical Issues in Scuba Diving
• Post-Incident Debriefing: Learning Without Blame
• Pre-Dive Emergency Briefings: What to Cover
• Psychological Safety in Diving
• Scuba Diving & Motion Sickness: Prevention, Medication & Hacks That Work
• Scuba Diving Safety: Emergency Prep, Medical Risks & Recovery
• Should You Carry a Pony Bottle?
• Situational Awareness in Diving: How to Stay Aware & Avoid Risks
• Surface Emergency Redundancy: Why It Matters
• Understanding Decompression Illness (DCI): DCS, AGE, and the Role of PFO
• Understanding Nitrogen Narcosis
• Understanding Risk vs Hazard in Scuba Diving
• Why Divers Should Care About Surface Intervals

Skills & Teams

• Adopting DIR Principles in Recreational Diving
• Assigning Roles and Responsibilities
• Back Roll Entry
• Balanced Rig: Understanding Proper Weighting in Scuba Diving
• Basic Hand Signals
• Buoyancy & Weighting: How to Calculate Proper Weighting for Scuba Diving
• Controlled Descents: How to Start Your Dive Smoothly and Safely
• Core Underwater Scuba Skills: Hovering, Finning, SMBs
• Diver Buddy Positioning: How to Stay Together in Teams of 2, 3, or 4
• Ending the Dive as a Team: Exits, Gear Removal & Final Checks
• Entry & Surface Skills: Start and End Every Dive with Confidence
• Exiting the Water (Ladders, Shore, RIBs)
• Finning Techniques for Recreational Divers
• Free Flowing Regulator at Depth: What to Do & How to Prevent It
• How to Dive With a New or Nervous Buddy Without Frustration
• How to Do a Giant Stride Entry (With Common Mistakes
• How to Handle a Bad Dive Buddy: Safety, Etiquette & What to Say
• How to Hover Perfectly While Scuba Diving
• How to Perform a Proper Safety Stop
• How to Practice Scuba Skills in a Pool Without a Class
• How to Share Air While Scuba Diving
• Inflating and Deflating Your BCD at the Surface
• Light Use for Communication
• Mask Clearing and Regain Control Without Panic
• Mentoring New Divers Without Overstepping
• Night Diving: How to Prepare, What to Bring & How It’s Different
• Recreational Decompression & Safety Stops
• SMB Deployment: How to Deploy a Surface Marker Buoy Midwater Without Losing Control
• Scuba Skills: Improve Buoyancy, Control, and Confidence
• Scuba Skills: Improve Buoyancy, Control, and Confidence
• Seated Controlled Entry
• Shore Diving Entry Techniques: How to Get In Safely
• Shore Diving vs Boat Diving: Pros, Cons, and How to Prepare
• Situational Awareness & Mutual Support
• Solo Diving: When It’s Taught, What You Need, and Why It’s Controversial
• Surface Signaling (Hand Signals, SMBs, Whistles)
• Surface Swimming Techniques
• Task Loading and Shared Responsibility
• Team Ascents and Safety Stops
• Team Communication in Limited Visibility
• Teamwork & Communication: How to Dive Better Together
• Tired Diver Tow: How to Help Without Hurting Yourself
• Trim and Body Positioning for Scuba Divers
• Using a Snorkel at the Surface
• What to Do if You Surface Far From the Boat
• What to Do if the Team Gets Separated
• Why Teamwork Matters in Diving

Training

• Are These Scuba Certifications Worth It?
• Best & Worst Specialty Scuba Classes: Which Ones to Take (or Avoid)
• CPR/O2 Provider Course: Why You Should Take It as a Diver
• Choosing Training: How to Start With the Right Dive Education
• Divemaster vs Instructor: Key Differences & Career Paths
• GUE Fundamentals Course: What to Expect, Gear, Cost, and My 4-Day Breakdown
• How to Choose a Dive Shop
• How to Choose an Open Water Instructor
• Nitrox Certification: Is It Worth It for Recreational Divers?
• Recreational vs Technical: Being Tech-Curious
• Rescue Diver Course: What to Expect and Why It Matters
• SDI vs SSI vs PADI vs NAUI vs GUE: Which Dive Agency Is Right for You?
• Scuba Training Progression: What's Next After Open Water?
• Training Path: What Comes After Open Water?

Travel

• 2023 Key Largo Trip
• 2024 Georgia Aquarium (Atlanta) Trip Report
• Beqa Lagoon Resort (Fiji) Trip Report – Shark Dive, Travel, Food, and More
• Best Cold-Water Dive Sites in North America & Midwest (Great Lakes Focus)
• Best Warm Water Dive Spots for Easy Diving
• Dive Destinations: Warm Water, Cold Water & Midwest Favorites
• Dive Paperwork: What to Bring and How to Avoid Surprises
• Diving at Akumal and the cenotes in Tulum in 2024
• Flying After Diving: Rules, Risks & Safe Surface Intervals
• How to Avoid Getting Sick on a Dive Trip
• How to Fly with Scuba Gear: Airline Rules, Packing & Travel Tips
• Jet Lag, Sleep, and Staying Alert on Dive Trips
• Reef-Safe Products, Conservation & Responsible Dive Travel
• Renting Gear Abroad: What to Know and Ask First
• Scuba Travel: Where to Dive, What to Pack & How to Plan
• The Iberostar in Cozumel Mexico - Dressel Divers
• Travel Insurance for Dive Trips: What It Covers and How to Choose It
• Travel Tips: Pack Smarter, Fly Cheaper, and Dive Easier
• What to Pack for a Dive Trip