Bush designates ocean conservation areas in final weeks as president

George Bush will designate nearly 200,000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean as conservation areas on Tuesday, recasting his record on the environment just two weeks before leaving the White House.

Tuesday's formal announcement will establish Bush as the leader who has protected more of the oceans than anyone else in the world, environmentalists said. The three regions in the Pacific Ocean encompass some 195,280 square miles of remote and relatively uninhabited island chains. They include pristine coral reefs, vanishing marine species and the deepest place on Earth.

Their preservation brought rare praise from environmentalists who have spent much of the last eight years fighting Bush on climate change, air pollution, and wildlife management.

"The president has given the world a Texas-sized gift," said Diane Regas, manager of the ocean programme at the Environmental Defence Fund.

But the marine reserves were as much a gift from Laura Bush, who was credited with heading off determined opposition from the vice-president, Dick Cheney, as well as business leaders in the Mariana Islands who had lobbied on behalf of fishing and energy exploration...[Gaurdian.co.uk]

The International Legends of Diving on Grand Bahama Island

Underwater Explorers Society (UNEXSO), the premiere dive destination and dolphin experience facility located in Lucaya, Grand Bahama Island, The Portage Quarry of Bowling Green, Ohio and The S. C. Public Safety Divers International is pleased to announce the first offshore event for the LEGENDS OF DIVING. Held annually in Bowling Green since 2006, Jeff Rice, Managing Director of the Portage Quarry has attracted notable American diving legends such as Zale Parry, Dr. Sam Miller and Sam LeCocq.

The event in Ohio continues to grow in size and has attracted an international following on the web and at the Legends of Diving event held the first weekend of August each year. According to Rice, “The Legends event has become a popular spot for divers to gather during the summer but we are growing in size and our members are asking if the event could be held in a warm weather destination during the winter/spring months.” A search was underway for a tropical destination.

The International Underwater Explorers Society has formed an alliance with the Portage Quarry to build on the success of the Ohio event. The first INTERNATIONAL LEGENDS OF DIVING (ILD) will be held at UNEXSO on Grand Bahama Island April 2-6, 2009. Keith Cooper, Director of Sales & Marketing had invited Rice down to tour the dive facilities and the adjacent Pelican Bay Hotel - the official hotel for ILD - and numerous on shore amenities. Rice’s decision to choose Grand Bahama Island and UNEXSO was easy...[CarolinaLive.com]

Underwater Forest Vs. Underwater Chainsaw

It may seem like a pipe dream for someone to come up with a viable solution to stop the endless logging in many parts of the world. Logging that is driven by people’s materialistic needs, usually the very same people who bemoan the loss of our rainforests and the effects of global warming. Yet one company, Triton, who have been in business for a number of years, discovered perfectly adequate resolution quite a while ago, its just few people know of it, or practice it.

Beneath the surface of many lakes around the world stand sprawling underwater forests. Towering trees that may have been submerged for decades but are no less usable than trees plucked from land forests. It’s thought there are around 300 million trees lying in a number of lakes formed after valleys were flooded to make way for dams and reservoirs. These perfectly preserved forests could easily be the answer conservationists have been looking for...[EnvironmentalGraffiti.com]

Sunken Lake George wreck has historic value for divers

True, it’s the wrong time of year to talk about scuba-diving Lake George. But a sunken boat in one of New York’s clearest lakes has recently National Register of Historic Places.

The Forward, one of the Adirondack’s first gasoline-powered boats, lies in 40 feet of water near an island on the southern end of Lake George, according to reports in various newspapers.

The 45-foot-long boat was built in 1906 and featured two 30-horsepower engines. It was intentionally sunk in 1930 and discovered by amateur scuba divers in the 1970s, according to reports. The register is controlled by the U.S. Department of the Interior...[TimesUnion.com]

Doctor's Orders with Dr. Stephen Ponder

Question: I was told that because I have type 1 diabetes, I should never scuba dive. Is this true?

Answer: Nonsense. I was certified as a scuba diver almost 30 years ago! I recommend you get a medical exam and make sure you don't have any serious diabetes complications, like eye disease (proliferative retinopathy) or hypoglycemia unawareness. I also suggest you check your blood sugar frequently on days before, during and after dives since diving burns lots of calories and increases risk of low blood sugars. It's best to be trained by a certified diving instructor. Discuss your situation with the instructor and make sure he or she is comfortable working with diabetic students. There are some excellent local diving programs and a diabetes-specific program in the Virgin Islands that is highly regarded.

Dr. Stephen Ponder, who has Type 1 diabetes, has been a pediatric endocrinologist for 20 years. He is the director of the Childrens Diabetes and Endocrine Center of South Texas at Driscoll Childrens Hospital...[Caller.com]

Dunkin' Under To Save Lives

It could happen while ice skating, playing hockey or even sledding...People falling into frozen water bodies. Today, an area team of divers took on the challenge of making a cold water rescue. News 25's Michelle Mantel shows us the life saving skills it takes. It may look like a fun splash into water, but for 8 Underwater Rescue Divers it's a chance to work on life saving skills.

"It's pretty good training for our divers to actually go through the scenarios that way if something were to happen it'd be a faster response", said Peoria County EMA Training Officer Jeremy Galloway.

Peoria County's Underwater Rescue team dives under the ice at least once a year. "Just to keep us acclimated with doing it and you know it's fun for the team", said Ed Feldshau Rescue Scene Team Safety Coordinator. While officials say taking a mock dive into the water is a fun part of their job, they're warning viewers not to take after them: it's only for professionals.

"Some people see us ice diving and they'll have scuba divers try to do what we do and they don't know the precautions that we take and we actually have had people lose their lives trying to do what we do", said Feldshau...[Week.com]

Innovative product adds an HD camcorder to a scuba mask

The mask/camera features an integrated HD video camera capable of recording at 720p/30 frames per second.

The mask is rated for depths up to 115ft, and includes 2 LED light attachments for increasing the color and detail which is usually lost as you dive deeper.

The camera has 64MB of internal memory, but any real life use will require an additional MicroSD memory card which adds 1 hour of space for every 2GB of storage.

The Liquid Image HD Scuba series camera mask will be available in Spring, and the suggested retail price is $215...[Gadling.com]

World's first undersea basalt columns found in Penghu, Taiwan

Undersea columns of basalt have been found near an uninhabited islet in offshore Penghu County in Taiwan and are believed by the finder to be the only ones of this type in the world.

Jeng Ming-hsiou, a researcher from Academia Sinica came across the stunning scene in May when he was diving off Dayao islet north of Penghu main island to study the mass death of fish there early last year.

Jeng said the undersea columns are about 200 meters long and 10 meters high. Because of the strong undersea currents, Jeng said he could not take pictures of the columns, although he dived twice to measure the size.

The undersea columns, with the clear five-sided or six-sided structure typical of basalt formations, are covered in barnacles and coral, according to Jeng...[TaiwanNews.com]

Making Worthing Steel Scuba Cylinders

Making an aluminum scuba tank

Wii go diving - Endless Ocean Review

Jean-Michel Cousteau's "Shipwreck"

Eiffel Tower Offers Free Scuba Lessons

The weather was nippy and overcast and the water just chest-high, but a new scuba-diving pool in Paris has something Bali, Belize and other diving hotspots don't: a terrific view of the Eiffel Tower. To promote the sport, scuba instructors began offering free lessons Friday — with wet-suits, scuba gear and even a biodegradable towel — at the foot of the French capital's famed landmark.

"Through the water you can see the monument. It's magnificent," said New Zealand tourist Adrian Carter, one of the first to try it. He and a group of friends had planned to go up the 1,063-foot high Eiffel Tower, but opted for a dip instead. "This is better than the Eiffel Tower," said Carter, a 28-year-old computer programmer, his hair dripping from the 30-minute dive — his first ever.

The lessons include a safety lecture and a how-to demonstration in which instructors share tips. One first-time diver did a double-take when his guide told him to spit into his goggles to help keep them from fogging up.

The above-ground pool is under the Tower, between its four legs. It's small, at 50 feet by 50 feet, about half the size of a basketball court. Just 4-feet deep, it's safe for beginners and children aged 8 and older, said the event's organizers, an umbrella group of scuba associations. To add a touch of realism, the bottom of the pool is studded with waterproof photos of fluorescent fish...[SanFranciscoChronicle.com]

HMAS Brisbane's underwater allure

The Sunshine Coast dive industry has almost doubled in size in a matter of years, as news of the HMAS Brisbane scuttling off Mooloolaba has spread worldwide. In contrast to the disaster of last summer when bad weather plagued all Coast tourism operators, this year has seen the dive industry working 12-hour days, seven days a week for three weeks just to cope with demand.

Scuba World proprietor Ian McKinnon said the dive industry was actually grateful for the two-day reprieve due to poor weather. The dive business was up 27% on the same time last year - a year marred by bad weather but still about 8% up on the previous year. “We usually have busy weekends and quieter week days but we’ve been putting in 12 hours days from 6am to 6pm,” he said.

“We need the break but you’ve got to make hay while the sun shines,” he said. “There’s no doubt, news of the sinking of The Brisbane and the sort of dive experience offered has spread across the world,” he said...[TheDaily]

Pensioners are going scuba loopy at centre

Thrill-seeking pensioners are shunning mundane fitness classes and swimming sessions for a more thrilling, adrenaline-pumping sport.
Plunging into dark, murky waters to explore the dingy depths is a buzz revered by thousands of daring scuba divers, and now an increasing number of older people aged up to 80 want in on the action.

Annually, about 15,000 adventurous people, many aged 60 to 80, visit Gildenburgh Water, a diving centre in Whittlesey, and their abilities range from beginner to instructor level.

Owners Ian and Pauline Forster have run the renowned diving centre for more than 25 years. Ian (59) said: “Older people are often established in life and have that little bit more money available to be able to pursue something they’ve always wanted to do.

“Scuba diving is relaxing and very stress-relieving. It’s very quiet down there, and people can leave their humdrum lives and relax when they go underwater. It’s very therapeutic.”

The diving centre attracts more than 50,000 people each year from across the country, and it is the first UK centre of excellence for diving...[PeterboroughToday]

DEMA Congratulates the City of Key West and the State of Florida on Acquisition of USS Vandenberg

The final fate of the USS Hoyt S. Vandenberg was determined this week when the 524-foot former navy vessel was bought by The First State Bank of the Florida Keys for $1.35 million at a federal auction in Virginia. The sale has cleared the way for the final preparatory work to be completed to bring the former World War II-era missile tracking ship to the Florida Keys where it will be sunk 6 miles off the coast of Key West in early 2009. This will make the USS Vandenberg the second largest artificial reef in the world.

“DEMA is delighted to learn of the purchase of the Vandenberg and congratulates the city of Key West and the First State Bank of the Florida Keys for their perseverance in making the 12-year artificial reef project a reality,” stated Tom Ingram, Executive Director of the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association. “We could not be more excited about the positive benefits the sinking of the USS Vandenberg will provide to the local Florida economy including the local dive retailers, charter operators and others in the scuba diving industry, as well as nearby restaurants, hotels and others. The Florida Ships 2 Reefs legislation enacted in 2008 with the assistance of DEMA and PADI was designed specifically to accomplish this kind of development for local economies. According to a recent study by NOAA, the Vandenberg Artificial Reef is estimated to bring in an additional $6.2 million in annual revenues and a half-million dollars in annual sales taxes,” Ingram concluded.

The USS Vandenberg will join the USS Oriskany and the USS Spiegel Grove to cement Florida’s position as a leader in the number of vessels functioning as artificial reefs in the United States. Thousands of visitors choose Florida to scuba dive on the artificial reef trail, providing an economic boost to the communities of the more than 300 Florida-based retail dive centers and local diving operators. “According to one study, the expenditures of divers visiting artificial reefs in Florida were more than $220 per person per day,” added Ingram...[NewsWireToday.com]

Divers revive annual event

Nanaimo's scuba diving community has revived a New Year's Day social event that almost fell by the wayside.

About 45 divers turned out to continue a three-decades-long tradition of starting the new year with a one-tank dive at any of several popular local spots. The tradition almost ended due to poor turnout on Jan. 1, 2008.

This year it was successfully resuscitated when divers of all ages suited up at about 11 a.m. to slip beneath the gentle waves of Finn Bay. While exploring the rich sea bottom, which drops to more than 10 metres in some spots, they all kept a sharp eye out for treasure, in the form of silvery 20-centimetre-long stainless steel tags.

Diving on New Year's Day is traditional with scuba enthusiasts all over the world for as long as the sport has existed, said Lorne Hildebrand.

"The idea is if you jump in on New Year's and you have a good dive you'll have a good year of diving," Hildebrand said...[NanaimoDailyNews]

Chattanooga: Plunging into 2009

Some people will do just about anything for bragging rights.

While most of the city was still sleeping off their late-night partying, a group of die-hard scuba divers donned hooded wet suits and welcomed the new year with an icy dive in the Tennessee River.

“They’re crazy, but you know, my husband wouldn’t stop grinning all morning,” said Mendy Rosen, whose husband, Richard, joined members of the Chattanooga Underwater Divers Association for the first time Thursday morning.

For the past eight years the divers have braved the frigid waters for the short swim between the Walnut and Market street bridges. The first year the group showed up on the river bank at midnight, but quickly decided it was far too cold, so they came back nine hours later, and the tradition stuck.

“It’s just something to get the new year off to a good start,” said Bob Weaver, manager of Leisure Time Dive and Ski Center on Brainerd Road.

But even Mr. Weaver, a veteran New Year’s Day diver, began having second-thoughts Thursday as he stepped off the kayak launch on the outskirts of Coolidge Park and into the river...[TimesFreePress.com]

Cold comfort - Snow and ice won't keep these divers away

For some scuba-diving enthusiasts, a little snow and ice and some freezing temperatures aren’t enough to keep them out of the water.


At noon on New Year’s Day, a group of about 10 of them gathered on the roadside near Holland State Park to decide if there was too much snow and ice to go for a dive.


“What have we got?” one asked. “Chunks,” another said, as the group looked down at ice floes and slush floating in the channel. That’ll make it more exciting to get into,” a third person said.


The scuba divers were the only group to continue with the daring New Year’s Day activities on Thursday, Jan. 1. A group of water-skiers that usually ski on Ottawa County’s Pigeon Lake on New Year’s day called it quits after the lake froze over, and a group of die-hard surfers also decided not to try Lake Michigan due to ice.


And with the water temperature at 32 degrees, and visibility at about 4 inches, what’s the point in diving? “Because we can,” said Matt Cummins, a Holland resident...[HollandSentintel.com]

Heart recipients dive at a second chance

His wet suit is peeled down to his waist, exposing a jagged scar from his neck to midstomach. On his right leg, a tattoo spells out the name Jason. Another, on his left shoulder, is an anatomically correct drawing of a human heart.

Visible signs that Tim Niemenski, 39, has already lived a lifetime.

When Niemenski thinks about what Jason’s family endured, it nearly breaks his slightly used heart. But the muscle in his chest beats healthy and strong. Jason gave him this gift, this zest for life, this drive to try all the things he’d dreamed of trying before. Like scuba diving.

He’s not alone in his desire to really live — now that he knows he can. His scuba class, at The Dive Shop in Merriam, may be the first of its kind in the world...[KansasCity.com]

Fish and dive expo good for anglers to mingle

The Lakeland Fish and Dive Expo is returning to Off the Wall Adventures (2055 Shepherd Rd. Lakeland, FL 33811) on Feb. 7. This year, they have an even bigger lineup than last year, as well as some different booth vendors. Like last year, they will be selling hamburgers, hot dogs and sodas, with all proceeds going to CCA.

CCA-Polk will be on site to sign up any potential new members and also handle some of the raffles that will be going on, which will also benefit CCA.

This is a family-friendly atmosphere designed to bring outdoor enthusiasts together and have a great time.

Start time will be at 8:30 a.m. The first seminar will begin at 9 a.m. Seminars will last approximately 50 minutes. The last seminar is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. The expo will last until 5:30 or 6 p.m...[NewsChief.com]

Divers trawl for relics where attack launched by U-Boat

AS DAWN broke more than 90 years ago over the North Sea a U-boat captain gleefully ordered the destruction of the Scarborough fishing fleet.

Long after his daring attack in 1916 which sent a dozen trawlers to the bottom of the North Sea, Karl Von Georg recalled: "What a massacre of ships that was!

"We steered back and forth firing at full speed with the bow gun. One after another the ships hit at the water line, listed and plunged, until all had vanished from the surface of the sea, save the one on which the survivors were crowded."

It could have been a lot worse – and Von Georg, of U57, has gone down in history as a humanitarian who saved more than 120 lives, making sure they were all transferred to a boat to carry them home.

Now divers from Scarborough Sub Aqua Club have discovered the resting places of at least six of the trawlers, recovering three bells, and this year they will be trying to find yet more.

The trawlers lie more than 20 miles off the East Coast in water more than 230ft deep and they soon realised that diving to them safely would mean getting a new boat and using a different type of breathing gas to avoid narcosis.

Narcosis, or rapture of the deep, describes the alternation in consciousness – akin to being drunk – that divers can feel at depth...[YorkshirePost.com]

Diveheart seeks volunteers

Diveheart, an organization that enables individuals with disabilities to experience scuba diving, is seeking volunteers for several events. Certified divers and instructors interested in working with children, adults and veterans with disabilities are invited to training on Jan. 10 and 11. The Jan. 10 training will be at 5100 Main St., Downers Grove. The Jan. 11 training will be at Oak Lawn Community High School, 9400 Southwest Highway, Oak Lawn. For details, call (630) 964-1983

Group Teaches Wounded Veterans to Scuba Dive at No Cost

Back when he still had two legs in working condition, Michael Fradera had an aversion to water that might have seemed silly to others. 'I always had a fear of being in the water where there are big fish,' said Fradera, a muscular man with a stubbly scalp of dark hair.

These days, the Lakeland resident could readily be excused for avoiding water. He lost both of his legs when his Army vehicle encountered a roadside bomb in Iraq on Aug. 17, 2007.

Fradera, 31, has learned to walk with increasing assurance on a pair of titanium legs and prosthetic feet that fit into black sneakers. Swimming without legs, though, might seem an unnecessary risk.

Not to Fradera. He joined a few other veterans with lasting injuries in mid-December in a pool at a Lakeland dive shop for an introduction to scuba diving. By the time he left the water, Fradera had decided he wants to pursue certification as a diver.

Fradera first entered the pool at Deep Six Divers Services wearing his 'water legs' with rubber fins attached, but he soon decided the prosthetics were too cumbersome...[TheLedger.com]

Salvage activity to be filmed in Gulf of Mexico

A group of modern-day explorers is preparing to search the Gulf of Mexico for underwater wreck sites of historical value - they also hope to have a documentary about their 2008 adventures ready by the end of the year.
Advertisement

Last year, Tim Wicburg, Brian Ulman, Tom O'Brien and Jon "Hammerhead" Hazelbaker TBT&J (which stands for Tim, Brian, Tom and Jon) launched an expedition to find a pile of gold bullion. They ended up solving a 66-year-old mystery and created Underwater Historical Explorations to continue their work.

TBT&J's journey actually began Nov. 16, 1942, when a B-26 Marauder flying a training mission out of Fort Myers Army Airbase (now known as Page Field) crashed 30 miles south of the Sanibel Lighthouse. Search teams recovered the bodies of the pilot and co-pilot; the other four crew members were never found. Forty-eight years later, fishing guide Wicburg discovered the aircraft's wreckage in 70 feet of water and was convinced it was a legendary treasure plane.

According to the stories, on Jan. 1, 1959, as Fidel Castro was taking over Cuba, Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista loaded billions of dollars in gold onto four B-26s, which took off for Tampa. Only three got there, and Wicburg figured his wreck was the fourth Batista plane...[News-Press.com]

Nissan NV200 to go into production

Nissan Nissan Motors moves into the United States light commercial vehicle market in 2010 with a strategy for creating bespoke personalised commercial vehicles via a chain of pro shops. This news was brought clearly into focus this week with the news that an all-new NV200 compact van based on the NV200 Concept from Tokyo Motor Show (pictured) will go on sale in 2009 serves to offer an interesting glimpse of the future. Just how many of the NV200’s innovative features will be incorporated in the production version is not known just yet but the press release hints that it will include Nissan’s sliding cargo pod. The pod is latched inside the shell of the load area when the van is being driven, but at rest, it slides out to allow easy access to the customisable storage zones. The pod is deployed using hydraulic rams, and rests securely on drop-down legs. With the pod extended, the area left behind is transformed into a mobile office or other customisable environment. Given the recent showing of the NV2500 mobile site office concept by Nissan U.S., it’s clear that some very practical and space-efficient No-More-Hotel-Bathtubs , purpose-built vans will become available in 2010...[GizMag.com]

Scientists to begin search for historic Qld shipwreck

A scientific expedition from the Australian Maritime Museum (AMM) will leave Cairns tomorrow attempting to solve one of Queensland's greatest maritime mysteries.

In 1829, a ship called 'The Mermaid' sank after striking an uncharted reef while carrying supplies from Sydney to the Northern Territory. The wreck is historically significant as the ship was used by maritime explorer Phillip Parker King to map Australia's coast.

Project leader Kieran Hosty believes the treacherous reef that claimed the ship is located off the far north coast. "We believe that reef lies off the Frankland Islands, south of Cairns," he said. Over the next two weeks, 28 scientists will survey the area with underwater metal detectors.

"They're highly sensitive, they can find small amounts of iron," Mr Hosty said. Mr Hosty believes the wreck will be found within two weeks...[ABC]

Tubbataha Reef - New Natural Wonder

The Philippines, besting all other nominees, has secured the eminent spot in the New 7 Wonders of Nature race, with the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River proving strong in the first rank.

But there is only one day left to vote for the Philippine national nominee to represent the Philippines in the global race to choose the official New 7 Wonders of Nature.

The underground river in Palawan continues to lead, followed by Tubbataha Reef (No. 3) and Chocolate Hills (No. 5), in representing the Philippines. Other national wonders such as Mayon Volcano, Hundred Islands National Park, Mount Pinatubo and Taal Volcano are also supported candidates in the race.

“This sustained support from people the world over has been evident in the present rankings of our country’s nominees. We are calling all Filipinos to make their mark and be part of this historic undertaking as we campaign for New 7 Wonders of Nature,” Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said.

“Puerto Princesa River is one of the leading adventure tourism sites in the country today; Tubbataha Reef continues to captivate divers from all over the world...[BusinessMirror.com]

Historic shipwreck in Lake George added to National Register

It took two decades to get the underwater wreck of one of the first gas-powered excursion boats on Lake George listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Joseph Zarzynski of Wilton said the wreck of the Forward, the 45-foot-long boat built in 1906 and propelled by two 30-horsepower engines, was discovered back in the 1970s by amateur scuba divers.

Bateaux Below Inc., a group of six underwater archaeologists and enthusiasts, started looking for the wreck and located it again in the 1980s near Diamond Island about four miles north of Lake George village.

Since 1993, the Forward has been a site in a state-administered underwater diving park developed by Bateaux Below Inc. which allows scuba divers to study the wreck in 40 feet of water...[DailyGazette.com]