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# Midwest Lake Diving

and other scuba adventures

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://www.lakediving.co/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Be Prepared! Diving First Aid](https://www.lakediving.co/be-prepared-diving-first-aid/) - Diving first aid is similar to normal first aid with a few differences. The most important difference is that a diver learning first aid must include the training to administer oxygen. Why? 100% oxygen on the surface is the universal treatment for decompression sickness. Anything higher than an Open Water Diver certification requires a class
- [How Well Do You Float?](https://www.lakediving.co/how-well-do-you-float/) - My first diving class beyond my initial open water certification was the SSI Perfect Buoyancy class (equivalent to PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy).
- [How High Am I? Altitude Diving](https://www.lakediving.co/how-high-am-i-altitude-diving/) - Since diving involves pressure, altitude matters. Not all bodies of water worth diving in are at sea level.
- [What's So Special About a Specialty Diver](https://www.lakediving.co/whats-so-special-about-a-specialty-diver/) - A Specialty Diver is someone who has completed two specialty classes beyond their certification. What does it mean to be a Specialty Diver? Not a lot, actually.
- [Breathing Better with Nitrox](https://www.lakediving.co/breathing-better-with-nitrox/) - Breathing Better With Nitrox. Using enriched air with a higher oxygen content can enhance our diving experience.
- [Down into the Briny Deep](https://www.lakediving.co/down-into-the-briny-deep/) - The Deep Diving specialty class is the correct solution to learning how to safely explore more underwater. There's more than you'd think to the changes at depth
- [Frenzy to Focus: Diving Emergencies](https://www.lakediving.co/frenzy-to-focus-diving-emergencies/) - SSI Stress & Rescue class teaches skills to make you a better dive buddy by learning to focus and help a diver in distress..
- [Master Diver: Be More](https://www.lakediving.co/master-diver-be-more/) - Achieving Master Diver is a commitment to growth, practice, and responsibility, representing a milestone for a recreational diver beyond classroom instruction.
- [Diving in the Dark, Discovering the New](https://www.lakediving.co/diving-in-the-dark-discovering-the-new/) - Diving at night is simple, right? Just grab a flashlight. Well, there's a bit more to it than that. Read on to learn about night diving, the why, and the how.
- [Where Am I? Value in Underwater Navigation](https://www.lakediving.co/where-am-i-value-in-underwater-navigation/) - Learn how to figure out where you are going and get back to where you started by taking a scuba diving navigation class from your local dive shop.
- [Diving Taught Me How to Move Again](https://www.lakediving.co/diving-taught-me-how-to-move-again/) - Fitness makes you a safer diver. However, not everyone is fit and healthy. Not all of us were fit and healthy when we started diving. This is how I improved.
- [The Frankenstein BCD or How I Improved My Trim](https://www.lakediving.co/the-frankenstein-bcd-or-how-i-improved-my-trim/) - Using components from various vendors to create a custom BCD. While it is mostly Hollis due to local availability and cost, many other brands are used as well.
- [Clean Up the Lake](https://www.lakediving.co/lake-cleanup/) - Our next diving adventure was my first time at a cleanup event. The entire purpose was to dive around an area in the lake looking for stuff that should not be there. Once found, we removed it. The idea made sense. I knew that shore cleanups happened all the time. I wasn't surprised that litter
- [Amazing Lake Cleanup, Round 2](https://www.lakediving.co/lake-cleanup-round-two/) - I think that lake cleanup dives have become my favorite types of dives. It's not that I like seeing the litter and debris in the lakes but rather that I like getting it out of there. I've also found that it's a great place to make new friends. The Event The first annual Bull Shoals
- [My Chemistry Degree Proves Useful](https://www.lakediving.co/my-chemistry-degree-proves-useful/) - The Science of Diving (SSI) is a fascinating and very useful class for divers.
- [The Pirate Ship and the Houseboat](https://www.lakediving.co/the-pirate-ship-and-the-houseboat/) - Health - The Pirate Ship and the Houseboat
- [Open Water Diver Class, Act Two](https://www.lakediving.co/the-open-water-diver-class-part-2/) - After the fitness tests, we learned how to set up the tank, buoyancy compensator, regulator, and weights. Each of these takes some explaining and I'm going to go through that, so you'll know what to expect. Tanks The standard scuba diving tank is 80 cubic feet. It's a cylinder that's around 7.25 inches in diameter
- [New Diver's First Splash: Gear Fitting Fun!](https://www.lakediving.co/getting-fitted-the-snorkeling-gear/) - When you take scuba lessons, you must purchase specific equipment before class, including snorkeling gear. The snorkeling gear comprises fins, boots, a snorkel, and a mask. You should choose your mask with care, as a well-fitted mask increases your chances for success. Snorkel I did not know snorkels come in more than one type. My
- [Master Navigation at Joe Bald Park: A Cleanup Event Guide](https://www.lakediving.co/joe-bald-park-cleanup/) - H2Ozarks, a non-profit focused on water quality in the upper White River Basin, runs annual shoreline cleanup events in Missouri and Arkansas. This year, a team from Diventures in Springfield joined the 2024 Missouri Shoreline Cleanup. We focused on the water around Joe Bald Park on Table Rock Lake. Dive Buddy One of the best
- [Table Rock Lake, The General, and the Enchanted Forest](https://www.lakediving.co/table-rock-lake-the-general-and-the-enchanted-forest/) - I had a three-day weekend and wanted to get two dives in. There was a cleanup dive planned for Sunday, but I had Friday morning free, so I scheduled to go on the charter with Indian Point Dive Center. Friday's weather was a little rough with a possibility of it being worse so that got
- [Beaver Lake Dive Park - the Great New Look](https://www.lakediving.co/beaver-lake-dive-park-the-great-new-look/) - I think I'm getting obsessed. It's been two weeks since my last dive and I feel like I'm in withdrawal. I've spent time in the pool both at Diventures practicing diving skills and swimming at our local community center but it's just not the same. This weekend, a friend of mine was able to work
- [Risky Diving, Boaters, Holidays, and a Quarry](https://www.lakediving.co/safer-diving-at-a-quarry-on-a-busy-holiday/) - The Dilemma with Lake Diving I posted on Facebook seeking dive buddies and locations for Labor Day. The consensus was clear: diving on major holiday weekends at lakes is risky due to boat traffic. Some boaters ignore diver flags, making it unsafe. One diver even commented about personal watercraft using the flags as slalom courses
- [Table Rock Lake, Burl Ives, and Doug](https://www.lakediving.co/table-rock-lake-burl-ives-and-doug/) - We're at a point where there will be some more pictures, but none underwater yet. That's coming. Off to Table Rock Lake! Doug Doug is a certified instructor who really loves taking people diving. He also has a boat docked on Table Rock Lake. He wanted to get some dives in during the Independence Day
- [So that's where I parked?](https://www.lakediving.co/thats-where-i-parked-buoyancy-and-certified/) - Day 2 at Beaver Lake was a beautiful day. We arrived at around 9:30 and got ready for our second day of certification dives. There were a few more skills to practice, which we all accomplished quite easily. There were fish to play with, which we all did. Sights and Buoyancy The dive park has was on a sign we saw next to a car underwater. There are many underwater sights. There is an airplane. A sailboat.
- [So, now what? Research, Networking, and New Friends](https://www.lakediving.co/research/) - We're at the point this summer where I have my open water certification, but now what do we do? I want to keep diving, but how? Research is needed. Research I started researching. This is what I do. I work professionally in IT and have for about 28 years. My biggest skill (my superpower, if
- [Certification Dives, Day One, In Which We Play With Fish!](https://www.lakediving.co/certification-dives-day-one-in-which-we-play-with-fish/) - Rental Gear I went to Diventures on a Friday to pick up my BCD, wetsuit, and regulator. Our certification dive instructor, Jerod, was going to bring tanks and weights for us to use. Callie grabbed a regulator and then we realized that due to my . . . size, the larger rental BCDs were not
- [Open Water Diver Class, Act One](https://www.lakediving.co/the-open-water-diver-class-part-one/) - Diventures offers the classes as six sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays for three weeks or three sessions Friday through Sunday on a single weekend. I didn't really have an option as I had commitments every Tuesday and Thursday evening at the time, so I did the weekend option. Molly was my instructor. Classroom Time Friday
- [Open Water Diver Class, The Finale](https://www.lakediving.co/the-open-water-diver-class-part-3/) - I want to be able to say that the rest of the class was mostly uneventful but that's not true. The class was good, and I learned a lot, but I also had some complications. Practicing Skills The rest of the class was all in the pool. The pool exercises were supposed to be Saturday
- [An awesome and overdue new journey](https://www.lakediving.co/starting-an-awesome-and-overdue-new-journey/) - My fascination with the underwater world started with typical kid stuff like tadpoles in streams, frogs around a lake, first fishing trips with a variety of men in my life, and mud. In junior high, I worked as a library assistant for a semester and discovered the marine research section. I read about Jacques Cousteau,
- [Dive Into The Deep: Online Prep For Underwater Exploration!](https://www.lakediving.co/preparation-for-the-first-class/) - When you sign up for Open Water Diver Certification, there will be some self-study to do ahead of time. SSI (Scuba Schools International) provides it online. SSI is the certifying organization associated with Diventures. The Self Study Content Topics covered include: Physics of diving and body responses Diving gear Dive planning and safety rules Environmental
- [Underwater Joy and Wonder into Better Health](https://www.lakediving.co/health-and-a-physical/) - Scuba diving is a physical activity with a lot of potential dangers. You have to meet a certain level of physical fitness to do it and to do it safely. Any reputable dive shop is going to require an updated health form before they'll allow you to take a class or go on a trip.

## Pages

- [My Gear](https://www.lakediving.co/my-gear/) - I'm going to detail the gear I have, my current thoughts on it, and how I acquired it. To keep costs down, I've purchased some used gear. If you're careful, this can be very helpful but do your research. Some of the older stuff cannot be repaired or made safe to use. USING PRE-OWNED GEAR
- [My Training](https://www.lakediving.co/my-training/) - This is my training record. It was my plan, but I've completed most of the recreational classes. I still want to take drysuit and wreck diving classes, and Divemaster training.
- [Links of Interest](https://www.lakediving.co/links-of-interest/) - I started adding links to the sidebar on the site and realized it was going to be way too much to display there so here's a collection of sites on scuba diving that I've found interesting. For any vendors, I'm only going to post links of places where I've used their products/services. Gear Be very
- [Dive Sites](https://www.lakediving.co/dive-sites/) - Beaver Lake, Arkansas Scuba Park West Wall Bluffs Tim's Reef - There's a core of engineers roadside park here (requires day pass for parking or season pass) that provides an alternate shore entry spot if the dive park is closed. Bull Shoals Lake, Arkansas Brown's Beach at Point Return Bluffs near the beach - It's
- [Equipment Maintenance](https://www.lakediving.co/equipment-maintenance/) - The following is based on my research on scuba equipment maintenance. Always follow manufacturer's recommendations and the advice of your local dive shop. If there is any variation, go with the most conservative approach. Your life literally depends on it. A note on service technicians There is no industry standard "certification" for BCD and regulator

## Categories

- [Scuba Diving](https://www.lakediving.co/category/scuba-diving/)
- [Gear](https://www.lakediving.co/category/gear/)
- [Health](https://www.lakediving.co/category/health/)
- [Preparation](https://www.lakediving.co/category/preparation/)
- [Cleanup](https://www.lakediving.co/category/cleanup/)
- [Wrecks](https://www.lakediving.co/category/wrecks/)
- [Course](https://www.lakediving.co/category/course/)

## Tags

- [scuba](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/scuba/)
- [underwater](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/underwater/)
- [diving](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/diving/)
- [certification](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/certification/)
- [classes](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/classes/)
- [diventures](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/diventures/)
- [gear](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/gear/)
- [fins](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/fins/)
- [mask](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/mask/)
- [snorkel](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/snorkel/)
- [boots](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/boots/)
- [breathing](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/breathing/)
- [safety](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/safety/)
- [health](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/health/)
- [learning](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/learning/)
- [regulator](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/regulator/)
- [tank](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/tank/)
- [BCD](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/bcd/)
- [weight](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/weight/)
- [fish](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/fish/)
- [community](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/community/)
- [quarry](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/quarry/)
- [Austin](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/austin/)
- [wreck](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/wreck/)
- [forest](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/forest/)
- [Table Rock Lake](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/table-rock-lake/)
- [cleanup](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/cleanup/)
- [Joe Bald Park](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/joe-bald-park/)
- [Shyanne](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/shyanne/)
- [Josh](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/josh/)
- [Rebecca](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/rebecca/)
- [first aid](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/first-aid/)
- [CPR](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/cpr/)
- [AED](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/aed/)
- [Will](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/will/)
- [Beaver Lake](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/beaver-lake/)
- [wrecks](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/wrecks/)
- [altitude](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/altitude/)
- [physiology](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/physiology/)
- [SSI](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/ssi/)
- [Punkfish](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/punkfish/)
- [nitrox](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/nitrox/)
- [cylinder](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/cylinder/)
- [Deep](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/deep/)
- [PADI](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/padi/)
- [night](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/night/)
- [fitness](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/fitness/)
- [navigation](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/navigation/)
- [compass](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/compass/)
- [Divers Oasis](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/divers-oasis/)
- [DAN](https://www.lakediving.co/tag/dan/)