This new breakthrough version of a hyperbaric chamber is making it much safer to dive! The technology has been around for a while, but making it THIS lightweight, compact, easy to transport and setup (with just two people!) is a big deal in my book. This allows dive operators to bring along hyperbaric chamber treatment almost anywhere in the world (it can fit in the back of a pickup truck). It is called the “Hyperlite 1” Portable Hyperbaric Chamber.

And the fact that two guys can set it up in 15 minutes is wild.

When divers get “the bends” underwater (decompression sickness), they need to quickly be transported to a hyperbaric chamber for treatment. This often involves a long time between the emergency call, EMS, and the drive (or quite often, a life flight) to a hyperbaric treatment facility. It also requires the facility to be open, unoccupied, and ready.

Having a portable hyperbaric chamber that can pack up and deploy is a big deal. While the price tag is high for an individual diver, the cost-benefit for a busy dive center or remote tourist destination seems worth it.

Follow the Dive 1st Aid YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/Dive1stAid

www.dive1staid.com

Special Thanks:

SOS Group

Underwater scooter video footage supplied by Rotinor GmbH

Rebreather footage provided by SIEL srl

Photo Credits:

Original Hyperlite 1 Prototype - By John Selby

Hyperlite 1 in Aircraft - By Senior Master Sgt. Julie Avey, USAF

Hyperlite 1 in Stryker INF - By Bradley Peterson, Former USN

—

Kenny Dyal is the host of The Scuba Diving Podcast

www.sweetwaterscuba.com

Get front-row access to the most festive night in the Florida Keys, from the best seat in the house! Watch the Key Largo Boat Parade light up the water as fully decorated dive boats and Christmas-themed cruisers glide past The Amoray Diver’s official “Judge Boat”. I’ll be taking you start-to-finish behind the scenes from the official judge crew perspective of the annual Key Largo Christmas Boat Parade. We took the Amoray dive boat to Sundowners dock for the main event, where you’ll see not only the boat parade, but reactions from the judges (and Jeff Gneiser himself!).

Despite heavy rains, we were determined to capture the holiday magic of Florida Keys Christmas events that go beyond just diving and snorkeling. With brightly lit boats, waterfront festivities, and the tropical nightlife vibe that makes Key Largo one of the most iconic holiday destinations in the Keys, I hope you enjoy the ride!

A big thanks to the Amoray Dive Resort for hosting our stay, along with the Rotary Club, Key Largo Chamber of Commerce, Sundowners, Big Chill, Coral Restoration Foundation, and many others for putting this Grinch themed contest together!

Despite being one of the best-reviewed scuba diving boats in the Florida Keys, The Amoray Diver is also a community-centered presence that continues to make the Upper Keys a bit brighter.

https://www.amoray.com/

—

Kenny Dyal is the host of The Scuba Diving Podcast:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kenny_dyal

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetwater_scuba

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realkennydyal

www.sweetwaterscuba.com

The scuba diving industry has been stuck in the past when it comes to technology — especially online booking. In this episode, we sit down with Alexis Jabbour, the creator of Buddy Booking. It’s a groundbreaking, new platform built specifically for divers, dive shops, and operators.Developed by the same team behind the popular Buddy dive app, Buddy Booking aims to modernize how divers plan and book their adventures — solving one of the biggest “bottlenecks”, which is a contributing factor in holding back the growth of scuba diving worldwide.This platform is designed specifically for the nuance of the dive industry, cutting down the dreaded steps to making a reservation. A key element is working with a simplified calendar, ability to add things like Tanks (or nitrox fills), rental gear, and other things that traditional booking software seems to lack. It even has options to book a private photographer or videographer!It is a standalone reservation + booking management platform, which is separate from the app.Not just an app feature – it’s a standalone systemBuilt for dive shops, instructors, charters, and tour operatorsIf you’re a diver, instructor, or dive business owner, this conversation will open your eyes to where the industry is headed — and how tech could finally bring it up to speed.

You can register/apply here: https://business.bookwithbuddy.com/register

Listings and further details can be found on https://bookwithbuddy.com/ Watch, comment, and share if you believe it’s time to modernize diving!#ScubaDiving #BuddyBooking #DiveTravel #ScubaIndustry #DivingInnovation #ScubaBusiness #ScubaTech #DiveShop #ScubaPodcast–Kenny Dyal is the host of The Scuba Diving Podcast:www.sweetwaterscuba.com

No filter. No script. Just real talk.Kenny Dyal and Myles Schwartz dive deep into the most controversial topics in the scuba diving world — from toxic competition between dive pros to the industry’s struggle to attract more women and young divers. And finally, the real reason is we all love scuba diving so much.

In this episode, two dive hosts face off on:🌊 Why the scuba industry can be its own worst enemy🤿 How to get more people excited about diving⚓ The truth about dive gear (specifically, if it’s really a good idea to wear a dive knife on EVERY dive) — and what actually matters underwater🐠 What scuba diving is really about at its core

Listen to the Free Descent Podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1xsMzx1ya9qZBJO2ZL7PWi?si=7f916b989bc449a7

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/free-descent/id1677073474

Kenny Dyal is the host of The Scuba Diving Podcast:

TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@kenny_dyal⁠

Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/sweetwater_scuba⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/realkennydyal⁠

LinkedIn:⁠ www.linkedin.com/in/kennydyal⁠

Twitter:⁠ https://twitter.com/RealKennyDyal⁠

www.sweetwaterscuba.com

Scuba Diving creates such an ecosystem of social activities that it is almost impossible not to be exposed to a different lifestyle and group of people.

It is so life changing that it has launched many careers, is a gateway to many other careers, and I’ve personally witnessed FOUR pairs of divers who got married after initially meeting on a dive.

It’s a cheat code to meet people, especially people who would have no chance of ever crossing paths… but for diving.

Finally, unlike school sports, scuba diving lasts a lifetime. It doesn’t end wit the season, or when school ends. This makes it a perfect investment in family for the long haul (and is often one of the only excuses for some to travel or meet up).

I spoke for an hour at Aggieland Scuba, during their Dive Expo last year while the festivities were going on. The topic was “community” created through diving.

In this video I explain how scuba diving changed my life, launched my career, and how I’ve watched it change other people’s lives.

This magic happens through the endless number of moving parts that lead up to and surround the actual dive. I compare the dive itself to a firework show, and the activities leading up to the big event are what fuels such a powerful community element that isn’t possible any other way.

Kenny Dyal is the host of The Scuba Diving Podcast:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kenny_dyal

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetwater_scuba

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realkennydyal

X: https://twitter.com/RealKennyDyal

www.sweetwaterscuba.com

I had way too much fun asking these renowned professional divers their opinions on some of those hot-button scuba diving topics.

Everyone was such a sport about this and went for it, even when they knew these were controversial in some circles. It’s also funny how different some of these opinions can vary from one diver to the next.

This took place at the 2025 Scuba Show in Long Beach, CA out on the showroom floor.

The Questions:

• Is it OK to pee in your wetsuit?

• What is the scariest animal for a scuba diver to encounter underwater? Triggerfish has been removed as an option since it is obvious

• What was the most beneficial scuba course taken, after completing their Open Water scuba certification?

• Should Scuba Certification have some kind of expiration date?

• Jacket style BC, Back Inflate BC, or Backplate and Wing?

• How do you keep your dive mask from fogging up?

• What one thing should be in every scuba diver’s save-a-dive kit?

• Do divers prefer clear mask skirts or opaque (black or solid color)?

Guests answering these questions include:

• Sarah Miller (Azul Unlimited)

• Steve Jamroz of Divers Alert Network / D.A.N.

• Dan Orr, Hall of Famer and renowned legend in diving.

• Greg Holt, host of Scuba Radio

• Myles Schwartz, host of Free Descent Podcast

• Jared Berg, owner and founder of NEX Underwater Products

• Alexis Jabbour, founder and CEO of Buddy App and Book with Buddy

• Brian Benton, owner of Dive Oahu

• Ed Rasmussen, NAVY SEAL and Scubapro rep

• Morgan Oughton and RJ, founders of Spacefish Army

• Therese Napier of Amoray Dive Resort in Key Largo, FL

• Jason Leggatt, CEO of Shearwater Research.

• Cliff Richardson, who was Director of NAUI, but is not the CEO of Divers Alert Network (DAN)

• And Red Sullivan, who wanted to be there but couldn’t make it.

Special thanks to everyone who answered these questions, and the staff and crew of Scuba Show for your continued support!

–

Kenny Dyal is the host of The Scuba Diving Podcast:

www.sweetwaterscuba.com

Most divers (including me) have been calling scuba gear “Life Support” equipment since the beginning. However, when considering redundancies, dive buddies, and proper SESA (Simulated Emergency Swimming Ascents), is our life truly dependent on this gear. And if so, is it truly life support, whereas if the gear fails we die?

After a deep dive into this term we’ve all been using since the dawn of scuba diving, I believe Frank Degnan has a great point.

Frank has been a scuba instructor for over 40 years, former Dive Safety Officer at Universities, is active with three agencies (PADI, NAUI, and one other). And even holds the title of Course Director Trainer with NAUI.

He has won awards, teaches adaptive curriculum, and remains active in his local diving community.

This is a well-articulated approach to recreational scuba diving and labeling gear “Life Support”.

It’s also a bit of a wake up call for how we train scuba divers and students how to properly execute Emergency Swimming Ascents, as well as knowing when it’s time for a redundancy system (such as a pony bottle, etc.)

I ran into Frank by happenstance while visiting the NEX Underwater Products warehouse in Monterey Bay, CA. This was neither scripted or planned, but we were already shooting content with the camera and mics when he walked in. His articulation of this topic stopped me in my tracks, and he was kind enough to let me record our conversation in virtually real time.

–

Kenny Dyal is the host of The Scuba Diving Podcast:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kenny_dyal

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetwater_scuba

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realkennydyal

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kennydyal

X: https://twitter.com/RealKennyDyal

www.sweetwaterscuba.com

Captain Kevin was an extraordinarily laid back boat captain. He kept the boat fun, safe, and even sang Disney songs when underway. Not to mention, the Gilligan's Island theme song.

I ask him why they have such a good time, incredible enthusiasm, and retention in their mates, Divemasters, and other employees. He also lets us in on how they stay so friendly with their Guests in occasionally high stress situations, and what ultimately led him to this job.Finally, Captain Kevin was a police officer who went on dive vacations to escape the stress, and ultimately ended up doing that very thing he loves in retirement. He moved down to Key Largo after 20 years of stressful work, and took up a new career as a boat captain (and a father).

Look for Captain Kevin along with Captain G, and several other great Captains and Crew at the Amoray Dive Resort in Key Largo, FL, “the dive capital of the world”.

Amoray offered my viewers a 25% discount when staying with them. I’ve copy/pasted it below:

sweetwater25

https://www.amoray.com/104250

Overseas HighwayKey Largo, FL 33037

Reservations: 800-426-6729

Phone: 305-451-3595

amoraydive@amoray.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amoraydiveresort/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amoraydiveresort

–Kenny Dyal is the host of The Scuba Diving Podcast:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kenny_dyalInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetwater_scuba

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realkennydyalLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kennydyal

X: https://twitter.com/RealKennyDyal

www.sweetwaterscuba.com