Dive Watches

So what DO you do? You're at a hundred feet and notice your cheapo dive watch is stopped. You were on the bottom at 120 feet for a few minutes earlier and are now working back up the reef.

Problem is you were trying to compose a shot of this cool looking triggerfish and aren't exactly sure how long you were at it. How long has it really been? A serious problem for sure - can anyone say bends?

Hopefully you were following a dive plan and checking bottom time regularly, so you can go ahead and end the dive according your plan. Maybe take an extra 5-10 minutes on the safety stop.

If you weren't following a plan very closely then there's a much higher chance you've exceeded the prescribed bottom time. Regardless, the safest option is to end the dive immediately and start your ascent. Take an extra long safety stop too. If you're low on air and on a chartered dive the better divemasters will have a bottle hanging at the safety stop. If not, then you could buddy breathe.

Bottom line is don't take chances. Best course is to use a reliable dive watch - even if you use a computer, it's a great backup.

This is Citizens 20th anniversary edition dive watch featuring their patented Eco-Drive technology. These are light-powered watches that run for a lifetime on stored energy from any light source. They never need a battery and have a 180 day power reserve.

Other features include:

• Water resistant to 200 meters (660 feet)
  
• Asymmetrical stainless steel case for easy operation
  
• Digital current depth display
  
• Depth display to 300 feet
  
• Measures depth and dive duration
  
• Records maximum depth
  
• Dive log memory for up to 20 dives
  
• Auto-start dive mode
  
• Water temperature display & memory (current & lowest)
  
• Measures surface interval
  
• Calendar with day/date
  
• 3 Alarms
  
• Travel time (42 cities and UTC, 29 time zones)
  
• 12/24 hour time
  
• 2 time zones
  
• Electro-luminescent backlighting
  
• Battery charge level indicator
  
• Soft rubber diving strap
  
• Scratch-resistant mineral crystal
  

This watch case measures 49mm diameter by 15mm thick and has a 5 year warranty from Citizen. Find more on the Citizen Aqualand Eco-Drive Anniversary Edition that functions as both a dive watch and dive computer.

St. Croix is one of those hidden gems, not just for divers looking for great diving in lesser known locales, but for anyone wanting to get away from the crowds and the more visited places that have become way too "touristy". Here divers will find healthy, pristine reefs, a few wrecks, great macro diving, plus the famous "Wall".

Because it's off the beaten path, Saint Croix is one of the more affordable islands in the Caribbean. You'll not only find great deals on dive packages, but everything else as well, from accommodations, to great places to eat, to transportation, and more, is all very reasonably priced.

Some of the best diving on St. Croix is along the "Wall" that runs parallel to the north side. It's only a couple hundred yards offshore, and can easily be reached with a short swim out from Cane Bay Beach. Stretching approximately 7 miles, it starts about 50' deep and drops off to somewhere in the vicinity of 3200'. Keep a sharp eye out in the shallows and you may find the dive watch I lost there.

Cruising along its face you'll see all sorts of fishes, corals, sponges, turtles and various other marine life, but keep one eye out toward the blue. Reason is you'll occasionally you'll see a black-tip shark nosing around, and may have an opportunity to get close before spooking it. Also, the odd manta or eagle ray has been known to swoop in for a quick visit.

Over near Salt River, the location where Columbus landed in 1493, are several sites to the east and west of the reef where it protects the harbor. You'll find huge coral heads with some small caves and giant swim-throughs. These are just plain fun, and dives there are always going to end way before you can tire of this part of the wall.

There are tons of crevices that provide ample hiding places for large lobster and crab, and by taking your time and looking in and under the ledges, you'll see them lurking. This area also attracts hawksbill turtles. An especially large one was nonplussed enough with divers to allow us to swim alongside for a good while.

Not to be missed is a dive under the Frederiksted Pier on the west end of the island. Once busy with cruise ships, it remains quiet these days, and has become a very fishy mecca for all sorts of marine critters. Macro opportunities abound around the pilings and debris along the bottom, all now covered with growth that has attracted swarms of residents.

Look for the ever-present octopus to sea cucumbers, spiny urchins, flying gunards, and tons of spider crabs and banded coral shrimp. As great a dive the pier is during the day, it's one night dive you'll definitely want to include on your itinerary. The shallow 35' depth means long bottom times, but you'll still want more.

On both the west-end north of the pier, and the northeast side of St. Croix are several wreck sites. All the vessels were made safe before being intentionally sunk, and are shallow enough for most divers. Some penetration is possible, but they don't require technical diving skills.

Most of the sites are sandy bottoms teeming with garden eels, and frequented by southern stingrays. These wrecks have been submerged long enough to have healthy growth over much of them, yet the structures are still quite visible. Highlighted in the clear water, with the right lighting, they make excellent photo opportunities.

Sitting off to the south, about 45 miles from her more popular neighbor St. Thomas, this island is off the radar for many divers and other Caribbean travelers. But the truth is, Saint Croix offers the same beautiful ocean and scenery, plus better diving in places, without the crowds and high cost.

This is one of Seiko's new dive watches utilizing kinetic technology. It's powered by the kinetic energy produced by wrist movement, and this enrgy is stored in a recharable battery, thus eliminating ever having to remember to wind it.

Features include stainless steel case and bracelet, push-button deployment clasp, precision quartz movement, 6 month power reserve plus reserve indicator, screw-down crown and caseback, water resistance to 200 meters (660 feet), one way rotating elapsed-time bezel, date display, luminous hands and hour markers, and hardlex scratch resistant crystal.

The case measures 43mm wide by 14mm thick, and the watch comes with a 3 year manufacturers warranty. Find more details on the Seiko SKA367 kinetic dive watch.

Known for making watches especially for the United States Navy SEALs, Luminox offers this classic orange dial Black Ops model that won't let you down when you're down deep.

Water resistant to 200 meters or 660 feet, the Luminox 8409 Black Ops dive watch features a swiss quartz movement and the unbeatable performance of Luminox' tritium tube illumination system.

The watch also features a black PVD plated 42mm stainless steel case with an elapsed time bezel, screw-down crown, screw-in crown, black rubber strap and a orange dial for easy viewing underwater.