Beyond basic scuba equipment, there are accessories. These are items that are not absolutely necessary but still fill some diving need. The number, variety and ingenuity of these optional items are astounding; my files contain more than 500 accessory photos and that's probably not even half of what's available. The following are some of my favourites.

DAN DSS-Guardian First Aid Kit: Created especially for the recreational diver and dive professional, this kit has supplies for the cleaning and management of most types of wounds that can occur in the marine environment. It contains: irrigation syringe and plastic tip, iodine swabs, antiseptic towelettes, wound closure strips, tincture of benzoin swabs, eye wash, cortisone cream, antibiotic ointment, strip and patch bandages, knuckle and fingertip wound strips, two different sized gauge pads, a trauma pad and an eye pad, an eye patch, gauze, elastic, stockinette and triangular bandages, EMT shears, tweezers, disposable razor, safety pins, cold and heat compresses, infectious waste bag, latex gloves, antimicrobial wipes and a hyperthermia thermometer. Also included is an accident report form and pencil. The kit is available in a waterproof Pelican Case (as shown) or soft nylon case. For information on prices call (919) 446-2671 or visit the web site at www.products@DiversAlertNetwork.org.

Pelican HeadsUp Lite: Look, Ma no hands and no more duct tape, either! That's because this light attaches to your head with adjustable elastic straps (there's also a black rubber head strap), leaving your hands free for photography or some other underwater passion. The light comes with both a high intensity (4.8 volt/.75 amp) and a low intensity (4.8 volt/.5 amp) krypton lamp. That rattle you hear is the second lamp, which is inside the sturdy ABS polymer housing (unscrew the part with the reflector). Only 4 inches long, four inches wide and 2 3/8 inches in diameter, the HeadsUp Lite doesn't take up much space so it's perfect for travel. The light swivels 180 degrees up and down and is powered by four AA alkaline batteries (included), accessible from the side opposite the one with the large on/off switch. Using the low intensity lamp you'll get a burn time of four to five hours; with the high intensity lamp, two to three hours. The light retails for around $50. Call (310) 326-4700 for more information or visit the Pelican Products web site at www.pelican.com.

For more information on accessories, pick up a copy the November issue of DIVER.