The Latest from Ocean First

Get Back To Getting Wet

Get Back To Getting Wet

2020 was a tough year for divers near and far. Divelust became stronger than ever, with a growing desire to breathe humid air and feel the saltwater on our skin. We’ve finally made it to 2021 and there is a shining light for scuba diving and travel once again. Whether it’s been 6 months or 6 years, we have some tips to share that will help you reintroduce yourself to get back to getting wet!

 

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Dive

Eat. Sleep. Dive. Repeat. ~ Maldives 2021

Eat. Sleep. Dive. Repeat. ~ Maldives 2021

Eat. Sleep. Dive. Repeat. Can you imagine anything more perfect? For 8 days that was our itinerary as we set sail on the Emperor Explorer in the southern atolls of the Maldives. With amazing food, luxurious accommodations, and idyllic diving...it sounds like a dream, right? 

 

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Travel

Holiday Gift Guide

Holiday Gift Guide

The holidays are approaching quickly, and it’s time to buckle down and start crossing off the gifts for all the special someones on your list. It has always been important to support small businesses, but given this year’s events, it is more important than ever. Shopping small & local this year could be the difference between your favorite business making it to 2021. Here are our gift ideas that support our small business as well as some fellow B Corps and sustainable brands we love.

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Sustainabiity

Travel and Diving in the COVID Era

Travel and Diving in the COVID Era

A personal reflection by Ocean First Ambassador and Avid Scuba Diver, Rhonda Ahrens. Anthony Bourdain said “Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life — and travel — leaves marks on you.” Even in 2020 there are ways to travel & dive safely. The travel report in this blog is proof!

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Travel

5 Reasons Why You Should Be Swimming During a Pandemic

5 Reasons Why You Should Be Swimming During a Pandemic

Swimming is a great cardiovascular activity for people of all ages, and with the current times, getting kids into swim classes is a wonderful way to keep them active, engaged, and in good health. Here at Ocean First, we are committed to providing a fun, safe environment for your children to learn and develop new swimming skills. We are aware of the uncertainties of the current global pandemic, and we are dedicated to abiding by the guidelines and regulations put forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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Swim

Becoming a Caribbean Dive Instructor

Becoming a Caribbean Dive Instructor

"How long is Seven Mile Beach?” a passenger shouted from the back of the bus. It was spring break 2015 on Grand Cayman where I took my first job as a Caribbean scuba instructor. Living in Grand Cayman as a dive instructor taught me so much. Becoming a dive instructor is a challenging and rewarding experience that will change your perspective and show you a new world.

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Dive

How to Pack for a Backpacking Scuba Trip

How to Pack for a Backpacking Scuba Trip

Ocean First colleague, Marlee, and her partner, Nick recently returned from a backpacking trip around South East Asia, where their only goals were to travel light and dive as much of the Coral Triangle as possible. Curious how they did it? Read on for their ultimate packing list. (Part 2/2)

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Travel

What to Eat Before and After Swim Practice

What to Eat Before and After Swim Practice

Swimming is cardiovascular conditioning known as aerobic exercise. Since aerobic exercise like swimming requires fuel to sustain high intensity workouts for a long period of time, the best option before a swim practice is to eat a meal high in carbs, moderate in protein, and low in fat. This blog details some suggestions for snacks and meals that are great options to eat before and after swim practice!

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Swim

The Benefit Of Getting Open Water Certified NOW!

The Benefit Of Getting Open Water Certified NOW!

Do you want to get Scuba Certified but have been holding off because you don’t have a trip scheduled (and have no idea when you will)? With the ability to decrease the stress of needing to complete your certification quickly, the option to practice your skills over time, and the ability to complete your dives locally, why wouldn’t you start your training now in preparation of the time when you can travel again!

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Dive

What To Do With My Dry Dive Gear - Part 2: Exposure Protection

What To Do With My Dry Dive Gear - Part 2: Exposure Protection

 Did you know that many of the layers you may own for diving can be used in recreational activities around Colorado? From fleece layers, to rash guards, neoprene booties and socks, to lycra suits - your exposure protection gear can be used in many ways, not just in the water!

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Dive

Dive Iceland

Dive Iceland

For me, the North has always meant wonder. Go. Explore. As a child, stories of a land beyond known worlds, shrouded in mist and ice, fascinated me. I read Nordic sagas like some children read fairy tales and longed, perpetually, for the North. So when I graduated high school and found myself facing a blissful, carefree summer before college, there was only one destination on my mind: Iceland. Floating between a geographic anomaly and colder than I’d ever been in my life, I contemplated those very ethics — of exploration and conservation, of wonder for the sake of wonder and wonder for the sake of discovery, of leaving the water and the world itself better than when we found it.

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Travel

What To Do With My Dry Dive Gear - Part 1: Dive Cameras

What To Do With My Dry Dive Gear - Part 1: Dive Cameras

We carry a huge variety of equipment that can be used for many other sports and applications other than diving. The equipment we sell can be used in advance of your dive trips which allows you to learn your gear and use it more effectively on those 1-2 outings per year when you are actually diving. While many of us don’t have trips planned, there are many ways to continue learning your system so you can get the most out of it…either while diving or on your own land-locked adventure!

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Dive

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