News
Second edition of John Lamb’s ‘Oxygen Measurement for Divers’ published
There are a number of seminal texts that ought to be on every serious divers bookcase.
- Deco for Divers
- Diving and Subaquatic Medicine
- Diving Physiology in Plain English
- Underwater Photography Masterclass
These easy-to-read books provide in-depth accurate information – they are ‘gold standard’ diving reference books.
A critical addition to this list has just been published. John Lamb’s second edition of ‘Oxygen Measurement for Divers’.
Lamb has augmented his original book, with a big emphasis on closed circuit rebreathers. When the first edition was published in 1999, CCR recreational diving was very new; hence the rebreather section was only four pages long. This updated edition is stuffed full of nuggets of significant information that every rebreather diver needs on oxygen sensors in rebreathers. It promises to become the “go to book” for all rebreather divers.
Sensors, like sharks, have suffered from some bad PR. Lamb succinctly covers key topics, explaining in plain English the reasons for sensor failure:
- the effects of temperature, humidity and pressure
- sensor accuracy and stability
- testing sensors
- Do’s and Don’t s
- how to determine the end of a life of a sensor
- advice for looking after your sensors
‘Oxygen Measurement for Divers’ is remarkably readable. It has been designed for divers to pick it up and dip into it. To check information. To look up answers. And it has achieved the happy balance of having a good technical aspect whilst remaining useful. The explanations are very clear and, even when describing complex principles, are structured in a very understandable way.
What quietly comes across is the author’s huge knowledge on the subject. John Lamb has over 40 years of practical experience in the field of oxygen measurement and monitoring, from medicine to technical diving applications.
“When it comes to oxygen sensors there are lot of myths and misinformation available at the touch of a key,” stated author John Lamb. “This book provides accurate information, direct to the divers, with the prime aim of increasing their personal knowledge and safety. It covers everything you ever wanted to know about oxygen sensors and oxygen, but didn’t know who to ask.”
Whilst updating this book Lamb called upon other experts in this field – Kevin Gurr, Martin Parker, Paul Raymaekers, and Dave Thompson, amongst others, and asked them to contribute to this edition.
“John Lamb’s book, “Oxygen Measurement for Divers” is exactly what we have been waiting for. This book is a must read for any diver using any form of oxygen analyser, whether it is in a simple Oxygen Analyser or in a complex rebreather.“ – Paul Toomer, Director of Diver Training, RAID Diver Training Agency
“This is an invaluable resource and should be compulsory reading for any rebreather diver.“ – Mark Powell, SDI /TDI / ERDI Training Advisory Panel
‘Oxygen Measurement For Divers’ can be purchased in two formats: as a paperback, direct from Vandagraph (www.vandagraph.co.uk) for £15.00. Or, as a Kindle book for £7.50.
John Lamb’s first edition, ‘The Practice of Oxygen Measurement For Divers‘ is also available via Amazon.
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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