Glossary of Scuba Diving Terms (U)

Understanding That Strange Scuba Language

Welcome to our glossary of scuba diving terms. Diving, like many sports, has its own language. Our scuba glossary is for anyone interested in understanding the scuba diving definitions, scuba diving terms or scuba slang found in this strange scuba communication that divers use.

Our scuba glossary is easy to use. Just click on the letter that corresponds to the first letter of the word that you are looking for. All the words that begin with that letter will be displayed.

We will be constantly adding new terms to our scuba glossary. If you think we have missed a term or you can not find the scuba diving information you are looking for, please let us know. We will add it and the best definition we can find to our scuba glossary.

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U

An unbalanced first stage regulator is affected by tank pressure. The tank pressure works to force the piston in the first stage open. As the gas in the tank diminishes, it is easier for the piston to be forced into a closed position. This makes it increasingly harder to breath from the first stage as the dive progresses. This is an older style regulator and has pretty much vanished from today's scuba gear market.

A thermal underlayer used when diving with a drysuit. Thermal undersuits have special properties in the fabric that draw moisture away from the body.

A U shape search pattern that requires on line. This type of search pattern is suitable over many different bottom terrains and is a frequently used search pattern. A search team swims along the bottom in a long straight line, turns 90 degrees and swims for a short length, and then swims another long length.

Upwelling is vertical water movement. This occurs when surface water is moved away (offshore) due to winds blowing from north top south and acting as a force on the surface waters. Because water from somewhere has to fill the space left by the offshore movement of surface water, water fills in from below, creating a vertical current of water.