DearDiveBuddy.com

I will now reveal you the secret of the bubble trick. All the in’s and out’s of making circular shaped bubbles that grow as they go up, to end in an elegant swirl. How to make them safely.

A few warnings in advance:

• Make sure you hold your regulator in your hand, so you got it if you need it.
  
• You got to be negatively buoyant (sink) on a sandy and flat bottom. In any other situation, you risk a lung burst or damage the coral. Just renounce if you find yourself to light, for example, at the end of a dive. Never try this while swimming. There are known cases of lung overextension (pneumothorax) due to this bubble making practice.
  
• Don’t count the time bubble making as part of a safety stop. You don’t have exchange of breathing gas, so you don’t get rid of the excess nitrogen.
  
• Between one try and the other, give yourself a rest. Don’t continue for more then a few minutes. You disturb your normal breathing pattern, having influence on the body's oxygen supply. If you become light headed or have any disturbances in your vision, STOP immediately!
  
• Be sure you gained a bit of experience before and feel comfortable under water (let's say 20 dives minimum). I cannot be held responsible for any injury. It’s your own risk. If you explain anybody else, include the mentioned risks.

Now the practical part:

• As said before, you must lay steady on your back on a sandy bottom. Negative, even inhaling a normal breath. Depth varying from 2 to 6 metres. Deeper it becomes more difficult, probably due to a higher air density?
  
• Take a normal breath and tip your head a bit back so your mouth is parallel to the surface.
  
• Start with a closed mouth. Make a SHORT and DECISIVE air burst, coming from your swollen cheeks (not from your lungs as with cigarette smoke rings), opening your mouth with round lips. To give you an idea, try to say the word “PUH” with swollen cheeks. Do NOT do anything with your tongue. The amount of air is of less importance. Using less air makes the rings just thinner.
  
• Of course water turbulence makes it impossible, mostly caused by people close by, moving hands or fins. It is possible to do it with a slight current. However, more difficult. Adjust the direction of the mouth slightly in the direction of the current. Look at the previous bubbles going up to have an indication of the right direction.

At the beginning, you just see normal bubbles coming out of your mouth. At some moment they start to form a ring of small bubbles, and you’re on the right way. You’re not far away of producing your first intact ring. Once practicing a bit more you will produce a series of rings, receiving a silent but enthusiastic applause of the spectators under water or on the surface. Not seen the big fish you all hoped for? No worries. You give the dive a nice finishing touch.

Have fun and of course, leave only and nothing else but bubbles. To see some nice rings, start the video's at the bottom.
If you want to know more, go to bubblerings.com.

Your dive mate, Martinus.

Dedicated to Mariano Fiorda who, with a bit of patience, initially taught me this trick.