Eric Douglas is an author and journalist known for his thriller novels with scuba diving, environment and ocean themes. He has been a dive instructor and a diver medic and worked for PADI, DAN and has written training articles for Scuba Diving since 2008.
He is also documentarian writing stories about Moskito Indians who scuba dive for lobster and photographing Russia after the Soviet Union broke up.
Tragedy strikes when a diver forgets to watch his air levels while helping his buddy capture underwater photos.
A liveaboard diver maxes out his bottom time for days in a row, landing him in the hospital with decompression sickness. His dive buddy experiences no symptoms, showing why it’s best to dive conservatively — you never know how your body will react.
A diver ignores a DCS symptoms, including a rash—an increasingly common sign of being bent.
An experienced diver with signs of DCS doesn’t immediately respond to treatment—what’s going on here?
When international photojournalist Mike Scott stumbles across a man stealing sea turtle eggs for the illegal wildlife trade, he jumps into action to protect the endangered animals, unraveling a network of smugglers.
Even areas designated for diving aren't risk-free, so dive defensively, flying a dive flag, and get first aid training.
Reducing plastic pollution in the ocean starts with behavior change. Cut back on single use plastics, organize a river clean up, and pressure community leaders for recycling plans to make sure your picnic utensils don't end up on a coral reef.
An inexperienced freediver tries to push his limits, putting himself and his dive buddy at risk of drowning.
This fire department volunteer diver made several mistakes in this edition of Lessons for Life.