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Chapter 8- Diving Environment Diving Environment 185 Verify What You Have Learned Review the following questions about the movement of water: 10. Three causes of water movement are ______________, ______________, and _______________. 11. To escape from a rip current, you must swim ________________ the current. 12. You always begin a dive from an anchored boat _____________ the current. 13. Tides are caused by the ______________ of the _________________ and __________________. MARINE LIFE The many different types of life in the underwater world make diving interesting. There are thousands of animals and plants to interest and amaze you. There is beauty and color that surpasses anything you can imagine. It is natural to be concerned about dangerous animals and plants, given the overblown portrayal of dangerous marine life you have seen in movies and television. As you will learn, these dramatic portrayals are usually gross exaggerations of the dangers posed by these creatures. Most divers look forward to encounters with underwater life. There are potentially dangerous animals and plants under water, just as there are potentially dangerous plants and animals on land. You probably know how to avoid attracting or agitating bears or snakes when you go camping, and how to handle aggressive dogs in your own neighborhood. By reading, or through training and experience, you have learned how to recognize and avoid dangerous animals so you can go hiking, camping, or walking around your neighborhood without fear. Going under water is similar to going hiking or camping. Some aquatic animals can be just as harmful as a snake or bear, but as you learn more about them, you will be able to encounter them, with confidence. The most dangerous creature you are likely to meet under water is another diver. Aggressive animal behavior is rare under water. Any injury you might receive from an aquatic animal almost certainly would result from a defensive action on the part of the creature. Remember that nearly all animals will attack if they feel cornered or threatened, or their territory is invaded. You might injure yourself by accidentally encountering an animal or disturbing it. Avoid potential problems with hazardous marine life by learning to identify such creatures that exist in your area. Each region has its own hazardous animals. Identification and avoidance are your keys to safety. A good rule is to touch nothing – you might kill or injure creatures that are harmless to you, as well as provoke others. During your NAUI Scuba Diver certification course, your instructor will teach you about animals in your area. You must obtain similar information about the marine life in each area that you visit. Learning what marine life lives in a given area is one of the reasons for getting a formal orientation for diving in a new region. Some creatures can bite, some can stick you, some sting, some can scrape you, and some can even deliver an electric shock. Animals That Bite Most divers are concerned about encountering larger, more aggressive animals that can bite, such as sharks (figure 8-16) and killer whales. Seeing these animals while diving is rare. FIGURE 8-16. OBSERVING SHARKS IN THE WILD CAN BE A RARE AND A THRILLING EXPERIENCE.


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