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]
Twitter Updates
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
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]
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
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]
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]
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]
Monday, December 29, 2008
Scuba diver plans to dive into Bay of Bengal
The internationally acclaimed scuba diver of Orissa, Sabir Bux, who had recorded a five-minute music album filmed by him under water in Mahanadi in Orissa to wish luck to the Indian cricket team for World Cup-2007, besides filming underwater video album celebrating India’s Independence Day in Saudi Arabia aired in the India Festival-2005, is going to explore the hidden facts of the 133-years-old sunken French ship, which was sunk in the Bay of Bengal near Hukitola, by diving into the sea.
To explore and study the mysterious details of the sunken ship, Sabir Bux is scheduled to visit Kendrapara on December 30. He holds a rescue diver card issued by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) of the UK, besides the professional license, certificate for open water, advance open water, underwater photography and videography, search and recovery and Medic First Aid.
The then collector of Cuttack, John Beames, who served as collector and district magistrate in Balesore from 1869 to 1873 and in Cuttack from 1875 to 1878, in his autobiography, ‘Memories of a Bengal Civilian’ has described about the sunken ship, which is of about 250-feet-long whereas its width is about 50 feet.
As per the description made by John Beames in his autobiography, the French cargo ship, ‘Veleda’ sunk in a cyclone, which occurred in the Bay of Bengal in the year 1875 near Hukitola about 35 km from Kendrapara coast. The ship, which was sunk, was carrying foodgrains, sugar, liquor, wine and other goods from Paris to India. Some crew members of the ship were also drowned due to the storm and their bodies were buried in a cemetery behind the lighthouse...[Merinews.com]
To explore and study the mysterious details of the sunken ship, Sabir Bux is scheduled to visit Kendrapara on December 30. He holds a rescue diver card issued by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) of the UK, besides the professional license, certificate for open water, advance open water, underwater photography and videography, search and recovery and Medic First Aid.
The then collector of Cuttack, John Beames, who served as collector and district magistrate in Balesore from 1869 to 1873 and in Cuttack from 1875 to 1878, in his autobiography, ‘Memories of a Bengal Civilian’ has described about the sunken ship, which is of about 250-feet-long whereas its width is about 50 feet.
As per the description made by John Beames in his autobiography, the French cargo ship, ‘Veleda’ sunk in a cyclone, which occurred in the Bay of Bengal in the year 1875 near Hukitola about 35 km from Kendrapara coast. The ship, which was sunk, was carrying foodgrains, sugar, liquor, wine and other goods from Paris to India. Some crew members of the ship were also drowned due to the storm and their bodies were buried in a cemetery behind the lighthouse...[Merinews.com]
EVENT: Dive into the new year at Mermet Springs noon Thursday
Mermet Springs will be having their Annual New Years Day Plunge!! Scuba divers from the local area and as well as divers from Missouri, Kentucky and Indiana will be bringing in the New Year with a refreshing dive into the Chilly waters of Mermet Springs. The Springs will open at 9 a.m. and the Kickoff Dive will be at Noon. The facility is located on highway 45 between Metropolis and Vienna. Please RSVP Glen@mermetsprings or 618-771-6990 so they can have an idea of how many to plan for...[WKYX]Divers discover the wreck of the long-lost bark Trajan, sunk outside Newport Harbor in 1867
To the untrained eye, the scene that greeted John Stanford and Mark Munro 30 feet beneath Newport Harbor Saturday, Dec. 6, wouldn’t have looked like much: A massive pile of concretion and timbers covered in algae, seaweed, barnacles and anemones that rose up eight feet off the bottom and faded off into the murky distance. But for the two hardcore wreck divers and maritime historians, the modest scene was paydirt: They’d found the long-lost Trajan, a 125-foot bark loaded with lime that sank August 17, 1867.The Trajan, one of thousands of ships that have gone down in Rhode Island waters since the days of the colonists, had been all but forgotten in the 141 years since she was lost. The men’s discovery that chilly December morning was the culmination of years of research, hard work and more than a bit of luck.
“As soon as we hit the bottom I knew we’d found it,” said Mr. Munro, an amateur shipwreck hunter who works as a technician at a nuclear power plant in Connecticut. “Ultimately, it’s a mystery until you find it and when you close the page on that mystery, it’s just a good feeling.”
“It was a thrill, to see it all the way through from nothing to actually seeing her on the bottom,” added Mr. Stanford, a Jamestown resident who’d heard stories of the Trajan for years and had always hoped to find her...[EastBayRI.com]
WWII shipwreck found off NT coastline
One of the first ships destroyed in Australian waters during World War II has been found off the Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory.
Four people died when the steamship USS Florence D, packed with explosives, was sunk by Japanese bombers on their way to begin the first attack on Darwin in February 1942.
Just hours before, the ship had rescued the crew of a flying boat, shot down by Japanese Zero fighters.
The surviving crew members then made their way in life rafts to nearby Bathurst Island where they were marooned for four days.
Sixty-six years later and after months of research, divers say they have found the freighter in murky waters, 85 nautical miles north-west of Darwin...[ABC]
Four people died when the steamship USS Florence D, packed with explosives, was sunk by Japanese bombers on their way to begin the first attack on Darwin in February 1942.
Just hours before, the ship had rescued the crew of a flying boat, shot down by Japanese Zero fighters.
The surviving crew members then made their way in life rafts to nearby Bathurst Island where they were marooned for four days.
Sixty-six years later and after months of research, divers say they have found the freighter in murky waters, 85 nautical miles north-west of Darwin...[ABC]
Sunday, December 28, 2008
20 rescued from stranded dive boat
More than 20 people have been rescued from a scuba diving boat after it ran aground on a reef 40 kilometres off the Queensland coast.The boat, operated by scuba diving company Nautilus, hit Flinders Reef off the coast of Redcliffe at 8.30pm on Saturday night after its mooring line caught in the propeller.
The tide and wind pushed it aground.
Four rescue vessels ferried the 18 divers to safety across the shallow reef in the dark...[SkyNews.com]
"The Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fishes, Sea Turtles, Dolphins, Whales, and Seals"
By John P. Hoover / Mutual Publishing / $24.95Based on Hoover's "Hawaii's Fishes, a Guide for Snorkelers and Divers," but with bulked-up content for advanced underwater enthusiasts. The book is filled with photos and facts covering fishes, whales, dolphins and turtles. Check out the lizardfish on Page 188, swallowing a whole unicornfish. Freaky. It's an identification guide for someone who spends a lot of time underwater, but would also be a vital resource for aquarium owners or anyone with a fascination for fishes.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Test Yourself
What popular scuba diving attraction near Umkomaas off the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast is famous for its annual “raggie” gathering?...[TheTimes.co.za]
Friday, December 26, 2008
Papuan Paradise
Situated in the centre of the Asia-Pacific region, surrounded by the Coral, Bismarck and Solomon Seas, whose constant movements feed and enrich the marine environment, PNG has twice as many marine species as the waters of the Red Sea and an estimated 10 times as many as the Caribbean. Its diving has been rated the Top Dive Destination in the World in Rodale’s Scuba Diving Readers Choice Awards.With 16 dive operators offering land-based and live-aboard diving along 17,000 km of coastline and 45,000 kms² of reef systems, divers can enjoy minimal contact with other dive groups in reef systems that include barrier reefs, coral walls, coral gardens, patch reefs, fringing reefs, sea grass beds, coral atolls and wrecks.
Divers from around the world have long known of the bounties of PNG. The wreck sites provide a fascinating collection of ships, aircraft and submarine wrecks from World War II – a diverse range for skill levels from buffs to beginners. Best of all, the average water temperature varies from 25 degrees Celsius along the edge of the Coral Sea to 29 degrees Celsius in the Bismarck Sea.
When it comes to marine tourism and diving particularly, there is no ‘must-see’ list, according to Vilia Lawrence, manager of PNG Dive Association. 'It’s all superb,' she says, adding that’s the PNG advantage over more high-profile and highly marketed destinations – it’s pristine...[Powerboat-World.com]
Underwater wonder
As the sun sets on Puerto Princesa, the laid-back capital of Palawan, the engines of the Stella Maris start to growl.The ship sets out just after dark, heading into the Sulu Sea in the southern Philippines, plying towards the Tubbataha Reefs. After 10 hours in the open ocean, the engines shudder to a stop just after dawn. It is suddenly quiet. Very, very quiet. We could see two tiny nubs of black rock jutting out of the sea.
The Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park sits in the middle of nowhere in the Sulu Sea, halfway between Palawan, the long sliver of an island on the western edge of the Philippines, and Mindanao, the last main island before Indonesian waters.
There is no mobile phone service, no Internet connection and no decompression chamber. It is also home to the best diving in the country. The Tubbataha Reefs are 180km from Palawan, far enough from land to discourage most fishermen.
Halfway through our dive trip, we visit the marine park ranger station located here. The rangers, a mix of nine men from the Philippine navy, coast guard and local government, spend three months at a time on the base. But they do not rush to crack open the case of beer we have brought them.
'Have you voted for Tubbataha yet?' asks Mr Romnic Molina, a smiling 20-something naval guy in a bright blue bandana and a grey Tubbataha T-shirt. 'I have. You should!' He is referring to a global Web-based campaign (www.new7wonders.com) to list the new 'seven wonders of the natural world', which is run by a Swiss-based company called New7Wonders. Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who dived here in April, is pushing for Tubbataha to be included in the list...[AsiaOneTravel]
Tioman Island For The Top Ten
When we read that Tioman Island, off the east coast of Malaysia, was making top 10 lists of the world's best islands back in the 1970s, we wondered why we'd never heard of it before.But it seems Tioman had already had its 15 minutes of fame even then: Way back in 1958 it was used as the "Bali Hai" location for the film "South Pacific." (Ask your parents. Or grandparents.) Yet we've seen the name pop up a couple of times recently, so we suspect they're trying to bring back the good times.
These days you can get a ferry there from the mainland Malaysian coast or get a flight from Kuala Lumpur or Singapore; there are a few different accommodation options though it's all still pretty low-key. There's great scuba-diving both on reefs and wrecks and a bunch of relaxing beaches, so it seems like there's reason enough to try it out. At best, it'll be a fantastic summer vacation spot and at worst, it'll be a time travel trip back to what was hip in the '70s...[Jaunted]
Thailand: Coral Reefs Recovering Quick From Tsunami Damage
Indonesia's coral reefs damaged by the 2004 tsunami are recovering rapidly, helped by natural colonization and a drop in illegal fishing, scientists said Friday (26 Dec).
Surveys taken after the 26 Dec 2004 disaster showed up to a third of reefs were damaged and experts predicted it would take a decade for full recovery.
Scientists from the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society said their examination of 60 sites on 497 miles (800 kilometers) of coastline along Indonesia's Aceh province showed the reefs were bouncing back.
"On the 4th anniversary of the tsunami, this is a great story of ecosystem resilience and recovery," said Dr. Stuart Campbell, coordinator of the Wildlife Conservation Society's Indonesia Marine Program.
"Our scientific monitoring is showing rapid growth of young corals in areas where the tsunami caused damage, and also the return of new generations of corals in areas previously damaged by destructive fishing," Campbell said in a statement. "These findings provide new insights into coral recovery processes that can help us manage coral reefs in the face of climate change."...[MySinchew.com]
Surveys taken after the 26 Dec 2004 disaster showed up to a third of reefs were damaged and experts predicted it would take a decade for full recovery.
Scientists from the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society said their examination of 60 sites on 497 miles (800 kilometers) of coastline along Indonesia's Aceh province showed the reefs were bouncing back.
"On the 4th anniversary of the tsunami, this is a great story of ecosystem resilience and recovery," said Dr. Stuart Campbell, coordinator of the Wildlife Conservation Society's Indonesia Marine Program.
"Our scientific monitoring is showing rapid growth of young corals in areas where the tsunami caused damage, and also the return of new generations of corals in areas previously damaged by destructive fishing," Campbell said in a statement. "These findings provide new insights into coral recovery processes that can help us manage coral reefs in the face of climate change."...[MySinchew.com]
Mussel diver makes six-hour swim to safety
Ian Foden, 59, from Little Waihi, ended up swimming about 5km after surfacing from a dive on Tuesday evening and discovering his boat – and wife, Bubs – had become loose from an anchor and drifted away.
The pair yelled at each other but Mrs Foden, an inexperienced boatie, was not able to get the aluminium boat to him in choppy seas. Mr Foden told the New Zealand Herald he accepted he was on his own, secured his haul of mussels to a buoy, and struck out for the shore. He discarded his weight belt and swam with the current in his wetsuit and breathing gear.
While he was a long way from the shore, Mr Foden said he never felt in any danger. "It was no bother. I just wondered if I was going to be as good as that guy Hewitt."...[Stuff.co.nz]
The pair yelled at each other but Mrs Foden, an inexperienced boatie, was not able to get the aluminium boat to him in choppy seas. Mr Foden told the New Zealand Herald he accepted he was on his own, secured his haul of mussels to a buoy, and struck out for the shore. He discarded his weight belt and swam with the current in his wetsuit and breathing gear.
While he was a long way from the shore, Mr Foden said he never felt in any danger. "It was no bother. I just wondered if I was going to be as good as that guy Hewitt."...[Stuff.co.nz]
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Trang Underwater Wedding Ceremony 2009
The Trang Chamber of Commerce in association with the Trang Province, Trang Municipality Tourism Authority of Thailand, Thai Airways International as well as other participating local authorities and private sector organisations – have cooperatively launched the 13th Anniversary of "Trang Underwater Wedding Ceremony 2009" event to promote tourism opportunities in the province. The event will be held during 13-15 February 2009 at Pak Meng Beach – one of the best known sand beaches with the peaceful atmosphere and the aligned Koh Meng as its background. The project is aimed to further promote the truly spectacular natural seaside and marine resources - with the warm atmosphere of love giving to each other under the concept of "Romantic Destination", as well as the beauty of a symbolic flower of the province named "Sri-Trang", whose pale violet blossoms in season are pleasantly ubiquitous everywhere...[UnderwaterWedding.com]Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Finding Chemo: Scanning the Sea Floor for New Drugs
Seafaring microbes and a room full of robots may be the key to the next big pharmaceutical breakthrough.Two new compounds, one that kills the parasites that cause African sleeping sickness and one that destroys breast cancer cells, have surfaced in an automated lab at the University of California, Santa Cruz. A direct pipeline from the ocean to chemical-scanning robots makes it possible for researchers to screen thousands of unstudied chemicals each day.
“These marine sediments could contain the next big anti-cancer drug,” said chemist Scott Lokey, who runs the UC Santa Cruz Chemical Screening Center.
The sea is teeming with microbes, fungi and invertebrates, which produce and use chemicals for everything from defense to communication. Natural compounds are a huge source of inspiration for pharmaceuticals, but most marine chemicals remain unexplored...[Wired]
Divers find 1903 shipwreck near Block Island
A group of divers says it has found the wreckage of a schooner that collided with a steamship and sank in 1903 near Block Island, R.I.
Mark Munro of Griswold, Conn., said his Sound Underwater Survey group and the Baccala Wreck Divers began looking for the remains of the Jennie R. Dubois in 2002, searching a few times a year in an area that eventually stretched to 17 square miles.
The group positively identified the shipwreck in September 2007, but kept it a secret until Monday so more research could be done and others interested in the ship couldn't claim the find, Munro said.
It was discovered about six miles southeast of Block Island in federal waters, he said.
"We were pretty elated," Munro said Tuesday. "It was one of those projects that you were starting to wonder if you were really going to solve the mystery of what happened."
The 2,227-ton, five-masted schooner, which was launched only 19 months before the collision, was named after the wife of a Rhode Island Supreme Court justice who owned stock in the company that built the ship, Holmes Shipbuilding Co. of Mystic. ..[NewsTimes.com]
Mark Munro of Griswold, Conn., said his Sound Underwater Survey group and the Baccala Wreck Divers began looking for the remains of the Jennie R. Dubois in 2002, searching a few times a year in an area that eventually stretched to 17 square miles.
The group positively identified the shipwreck in September 2007, but kept it a secret until Monday so more research could be done and others interested in the ship couldn't claim the find, Munro said.
It was discovered about six miles southeast of Block Island in federal waters, he said.
"We were pretty elated," Munro said Tuesday. "It was one of those projects that you were starting to wonder if you were really going to solve the mystery of what happened."
The 2,227-ton, five-masted schooner, which was launched only 19 months before the collision, was named after the wife of a Rhode Island Supreme Court justice who owned stock in the company that built the ship, Holmes Shipbuilding Co. of Mystic. ..[NewsTimes.com]
Monday, December 22, 2008
Hydropolis, Dubai's amazing underwater hotel resort
Currently under construction in Dubai, Hydropolis will be the world's first luxury underwater hotel. It will include three elements: the land station, where guests will be welcomed, the connecting tunnel, which will transport people by train to the main area of the hotel, and the 220 suites within the submarine leisure complex. It is one of the largest contemporary construction projects in the world, covering an area of 260 hectares, about the size of London's Hyde Park."Hydropolis is not a project; it's a passion," enthuses Joachim Hauser, the developer and designer of the hotel. His futuristic vision is about to take shape 20m below the surface of the Persian Gulf, just off the Jumeirah Beach coastline in Dubai.
The £300m, 220-suite hotel was due to open by the end of 2006 but has experienced delays and is now scheduled to open in 2009. It will incorporate a host of innovations that will take it far beyond the original blueprint for an underwater complex worthy of Jules Verne...[Designbuild-Network.com]
Big Isle gets undersea auditory observatory
Researchers are setting up an underwater observatory off the coast of the Big Island that will allow them to hear deep-sea earthquakes, erupting volcanoes and whale songs.
The University of Hawaii Kona Ocean Monitoring Network will continuously deliver data from 100 feet below the waves once it's set up.
An array of six low-frequency hydrophones and 15 thermometers will be installed this month to hear and measure conditions in West Hawaii waters.
"We will be finding Kona's voice," said Milton Garces, director of the University of Hawaii Infrasound Laboratory. "Through continuous monitoring, we will develop the ability to understand the language of this underwater environment and translate it into something we can use to forecast natural hazards or prove claims of long-term change."
This month, the observatory will allow researchers to start humpback whale identification and tracking, as well as geophysical monitoring of currents, tides and waves.
Other instruments eventually will be added to let scientists observe seismic, oceanic and atmospheric processes...[StarBulletin.com]
The University of Hawaii Kona Ocean Monitoring Network will continuously deliver data from 100 feet below the waves once it's set up.
An array of six low-frequency hydrophones and 15 thermometers will be installed this month to hear and measure conditions in West Hawaii waters.
"We will be finding Kona's voice," said Milton Garces, director of the University of Hawaii Infrasound Laboratory. "Through continuous monitoring, we will develop the ability to understand the language of this underwater environment and translate it into something we can use to forecast natural hazards or prove claims of long-term change."
This month, the observatory will allow researchers to start humpback whale identification and tracking, as well as geophysical monitoring of currents, tides and waves.
Other instruments eventually will be added to let scientists observe seismic, oceanic and atmospheric processes...[StarBulletin.com]
Get your entries in for BUIF 2009
Organisers are pleased to announce that camera manufacturer Canon is to continue with its overall sponsorship of the event, following the success of the competition in 2008.Thousands of pounds worth of prizes will be available to winners and runners-up across the underwater stills and video photography categories. For the first time, the prestigious competition has introduced a stills and video category dedicated to British waters.
DIVE editor Simon Rogerson said: 'It is only right that BUIF should have a dedicated section for underwater photography taken in British waters. Last year, we received a lot of high-quality entries taken in Britain, so creating a special section of the festival was a natural step.
'Taking competition-quality photographs in British waters is a true test of diving skill - all the factors that make marine photography so challenging are magnified in UK conditions, but it also makes success all the more satisfying. With plans for a system of protected marine parks around the UK, there couldn't be a more important time for photographers to communicate the fragile beauty of our underwater environment. I'm really looking forward to seeing the entries.'
All shortlisted images and videos will be showcased at the DIVE FEST in Cornwall on 15-17 May 2009, while prints will go on a month-long public display at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth in the summer. Confirmed prize sponsors include Mares, Apeks, Sea & Sea, Scuba Travel and PADI...[Dive Magazine]
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Taking coral from off the Treasure Coast can land you in hot water
Jeff Westerhoff sells legally acquired coral for up to $80 a piece at his Aquatic Life store in Stuart.
Other people just dive into the ocean and steal these colorful sea creatures for their saltwater fish tanks or to sell online, but taking coral is illegal, can harm the living coral reefs and can bring the coral thieves fines and even jail time.
In Florida, most coral is found from Stuart to the Florida Keys, where the water is warm and there are only moderate waves.
Hard corals include the types that are used to build reefs and aid in the filtration of saltwater aquariums. If caught taking the live coral from the wild, the firstoffense is a second-degree misdemeanor, which is up to $500 in fines, 60 days in jail, or both depending on the judge. Repeated offenses are first-degree misdemeanors, which include higher fines and longer jail sentences.
Officer Robert Dube, who works for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in Monroe County, said coral theft doesn't seem to happen frequently in the Keys.
"I've had maybe five or six (arrests) in the 20 years I've worked here," Dube said.
Coral reefs grow 1 to 16 feet every 1,000 years, according to the Florida State Department's Web site. So, the reef may not have replaced the coral fragments recovered by Dube — even the pieces from two decades ago...[TCPalm.com]
Other people just dive into the ocean and steal these colorful sea creatures for their saltwater fish tanks or to sell online, but taking coral is illegal, can harm the living coral reefs and can bring the coral thieves fines and even jail time.
In Florida, most coral is found from Stuart to the Florida Keys, where the water is warm and there are only moderate waves.
Hard corals include the types that are used to build reefs and aid in the filtration of saltwater aquariums. If caught taking the live coral from the wild, the firstoffense is a second-degree misdemeanor, which is up to $500 in fines, 60 days in jail, or both depending on the judge. Repeated offenses are first-degree misdemeanors, which include higher fines and longer jail sentences.
Officer Robert Dube, who works for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in Monroe County, said coral theft doesn't seem to happen frequently in the Keys.
"I've had maybe five or six (arrests) in the 20 years I've worked here," Dube said.
Coral reefs grow 1 to 16 feet every 1,000 years, according to the Florida State Department's Web site. So, the reef may not have replaced the coral fragments recovered by Dube — even the pieces from two decades ago...[TCPalm.com]
Divers plunge into world of new understanding
Jim Elliott has been all over the world helping people with disabilities, but you have to get below the surface to understand his technique."Scuba diving is the most powerful sport for disabled people," he said. "There's no gravity, it's adventurous, and it gives them the chance to say 'Hey, I can do something amazing.' "
Elliott is the founder of the Chicago-based nonprofit Diveheart Foundation, an organization that offers educational scuba diving and snorkeling programs to children, adults and veterans with disabilities. Friday, Elliott brought his mission to Livingston County to work with scuba instructors in Brighton. After a three-day intense training session, which will conclude today, the instructors will be certified to teach people with disabilities how to scuba dive.
"We had a customer that came to us with a leg amputation wanting to get into scuba, and we didn't have the ability to teach him," said Tom Rhoad, vice president of Aquatic Adventures of Michigan in Genoa Township. "We've been looking for a program like this for quite some time."...[LivingstonDaily.com]
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Review: Cobra Diver
Hasbro’s fantastic Lt. Torpedo body has been repainted and given a much cooler head to form the base of this Cobra trooper. Also, numerous accessories are included to enhance the figure’s fun-factor and playability. The paint scheme is awesome and the Diver looks like an excellent additional unit. Given the Underwater Baroness and Cobra Eel figures that have already been released, the Cobra Diver allows fans to build a full Cobra Aquatic Assault Team.In addition to utilizing Torpedo’s body, Hasbro also used his accessories for the Diver’s gear. As such, the figure includes a knife, handgun, scuba back with attaching wire, scuba mask and flippers. Hasbro didn’t stop there, as the Cobra Diver also features the ‘Deep Water’ M.A.S.S element as well as an HK assault rifle (the same one included with comic-pack Firefly and Winter Assault Scrap-Iron). These additional accessories, in conjunction with the re-used ones from Torpedo, make for an awesome figure that offers loads of potential for play and display alike...[PopCultureZoo]
Study find Qatar's Coral Riches
A mapping of coral reef habitats in the sea around Qatar reveals that Halul Island has the maximum number of coral reef species. The north-eastern island's waters are dotted with 16 species of coral reefs. The two-year Qatar-Abu Dhabi joint mapping also revealed that this island has the maximum number of live corals in Qatar's 12 different species.Umm Al Arshan has the second largest number of species. In a single dive, the experts detected 14 species of coral reef in the waters of Umm Al Arshan. Nine species were found at Ras Laffan and eight were detected at Khor Al Odaid.
The coral reef species found at Al Halul include two-year-old Acropora arabensis and five to six-year-old Acropora downingi.
Halul Island has the best coral growth in Qatar. The deep waters of the island help reduce potential stress caused by unusually warm sea water. The stronger undercurrents in the area also favour the reef deposit, said Dr Mohammed Alaa Abdel Moati, Marine Environment Head, Ministry of Environment...[ThePeninsula]
Friday, December 19, 2008
Cabinet approves $3.6m programme to get rid of worm
Cabinet has approved a $3.6 million programme to get rid of the marine pest Mediterranean fanworm in Lyttelton Port, Biosecurity Minister David Carter said today.
"This worm is a highly invasive species with no known predators and it has an ability to thrive in a wide range of habitats," Mr Carter said.
"It could displace existing species and foul port structures, vessels and aquaculture farms."
Mr Carter said the only effective way to get rid of them was diver search and removal.
Interim measures indicated the incursion was recent and appeared to be confined to the port.
"The work programme will involve ongoing control of the fanworm by diver search and removal and regular monitoring to detect populations," Mr Carter said...[The National Business Review]
"This worm is a highly invasive species with no known predators and it has an ability to thrive in a wide range of habitats," Mr Carter said.
"It could displace existing species and foul port structures, vessels and aquaculture farms."
Mr Carter said the only effective way to get rid of them was diver search and removal.
Interim measures indicated the incursion was recent and appeared to be confined to the port.
"The work programme will involve ongoing control of the fanworm by diver search and removal and regular monitoring to detect populations," Mr Carter said...[The National Business Review]
St. George's shipwreck a protected site
Archaeologists have revealed a vessel of international historic significance is sitting in St. George's Harbour, the only one of its kind in the world.The marine archaeology team, from East Carolina University in the US, say the suspected remains of HMS Medway could now prove "an important tourist draw card" and must be protected at all costs.
Plans for a new marina have been modified to keep the wreck in situ and the vessel is now a restricted wreck site out-of-bounds to scuba divers.
Derrick Burgess, Minister of Works and Engineering, told the House of Assembly the findings of the archaeological team had resulted in "one of those rare win-win stories".
"Upon discovering the wreck's identity and significance, the Government, archaeologists and the developers immediately began to work together to produce a plan that would protect the site," said Mr. Burgess...[The Royal Gazette]
Debts could sink Keys artificial reef project
The final voyage of the USS Hoyt S. Vandenberg -- a former missile-tracking ship that also brought World War II soldiers home from France -- will be either to the ocean floor or to a scrap yard.If the 524-foot Vandenberg reaches the ocean's floor, it would become the world's second-largest artificial reef that was intentionally sunk. The 911-foot Oriskany, sunk off of Pensacola in 2006, is the largest.
But the 12-year-old project is in jeopardy. At 10 a.m. Wednesday, the Vandenberg is scheduled to go to a federally ordered auction in Virginia to settle a $1.7 million federal lien for unpaid cleaning and decontamination.
The auction can be stopped, and the artificial reef project continued, if a settlement is reached by Colonna's Shipyard in Norfolk, Va., three shipyard subcontractors and a bank consortium which loaned money to the artificial reef project.
''The Vandenberg's sister ship, the H.H. Arnold, was turned into beer cans in the 1980s,'' said Malcolm ''Mac'' Monroe of Melbourne, who worked on both vessels during Cold War missions. ``The Vandenberg deserves a more respectable end.''
The ticking clock has Key West dive boat captain Joe Weatherby, who in 1996 embarked on the quest to turn the ship into an artificial reef, on edge...[Miami Herald]
How to see the Great Barrier Reef with a baby or young child
Still on my list of must-sees in the wider world is the Great Barrier Reef, but I've been warned many times that I'll just have to wait until my children are older... and here we are with another one on the way. Friends and family members who have made it out to the reef have cautioned me from their own experiences that it’s a long monotonous haul just to get out there, involving small speed boats, choppy waters, etc., and then of course everyone abandons the boat to take to the water. In other words, it’s no place to take a baby.
Think again. If you’re considering a family vacation in Australia, don’t rule out an excursion to the Great Barrier Reef just because you have a baby, toddler, or any assortment of very young children along for the ride. With a Sunlover Reef Cruise, your entire family (even the non-swimming members in diapers) can enjoy a leisurely daytrip from Cairns to the outer Great Barrier Reef in total comfort with family-friendly amenities, including stroller-friendly decks...[Examiner.com]
Think again. If you’re considering a family vacation in Australia, don’t rule out an excursion to the Great Barrier Reef just because you have a baby, toddler, or any assortment of very young children along for the ride. With a Sunlover Reef Cruise, your entire family (even the non-swimming members in diapers) can enjoy a leisurely daytrip from Cairns to the outer Great Barrier Reef in total comfort with family-friendly amenities, including stroller-friendly decks...[Examiner.com]
SUDS program helps wounded warriors with dive certification
For two years the Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba program has taught more than 100 injured veterans how to dive. The program is designed to assist returning veterans injured in Afghanistan and Iraq with their rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.The SUDS program uses the pools at Walter Reed for the initial training to the Soldiers and then completes the certification dives in open water.
Shane Heath is a member of the Wounded Warrior Project, a program that caters to severely injured service members during the time between active duty and their transition to civilian life.
Heath recently made his second trip to U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay with the SUDS Scuba diving program and felt that this time around was much better.
"I love coming to Guantanamo and diving," Heath said. "I really enjoy diving with all of the guys and folks down here, everyone was awesome." ..[U.S. Army]
Local divers find ‘sunken treasure’ in the North Sea
Three Hamilton-based divers were the first to find the wreck of a large fishing trawler sunk by a German U-boat in 1942.
Jim McAllister, from Hamilton, and his colleagues Ralph Lennox, Auldhouse, and Livingstone man Bud Campbell discovered the trawler’s bell as they went diving in the North Sea this year. The trio are members of the Central Scotland Dive Club who meet at Hamilton Water Palace.
The wreck was in deep water in the North Sea about 20 miles off the coast of Eyemouth. But the brave divers managed to secure the bell and bring it up from the depths of the sea. Ralph Lennox (56), who lives with his wife Linda, has been involved in the club for the last 15 years. He said: “During the Second World War, large fishing boats were prime targets...[Hamilton Adviser]
Jim McAllister, from Hamilton, and his colleagues Ralph Lennox, Auldhouse, and Livingstone man Bud Campbell discovered the trawler’s bell as they went diving in the North Sea this year. The trio are members of the Central Scotland Dive Club who meet at Hamilton Water Palace.
The wreck was in deep water in the North Sea about 20 miles off the coast of Eyemouth. But the brave divers managed to secure the bell and bring it up from the depths of the sea. Ralph Lennox (56), who lives with his wife Linda, has been involved in the club for the last 15 years. He said: “During the Second World War, large fishing boats were prime targets...[Hamilton Adviser]
Diver claims to have seen Steve Irwin's ghost
Pino Termini of Naples in the south of Italy has spent more hours underwater than most.Having dived for the Italian Navy for seven years he now spends much of his time travelling the globe in search of the ultimate diving experience. None of this prepared him for what he claims to have seen during his last expedition.
Last month he arrived at Port Douglas in tropical North Queensland for his eighth time, The Great Barrier Reef being one of his favorite playgrounds. He had heard that Batt Reef was worth a plunge into the deep blue.
He chartered a boat from Port Douglas and made his way out to the area he planned to explore.
'As I started my dive I saw somebody and was surprised because I saw no other boats around, then I noticed that the person had no oxygen tank or mask, the person swam towards me and I realised that it was none other than the crocodile hunter himself: Steve Irwin. I freaked out, but he looked calm and at peace'
'I have seen a lot underwater but never a ghost. It was as if he was looking after the spot where he met his end, I felt that I should not impose myself on his turf as it was his and it seemed as if he was caring for the living creatures there.' Termini said of his traumatic diving experience...[Blue Flipper Diving]
Bonnier Still Buying Magazines, Adds Scuba Diving
In a sign that media deal making hasn't been felled by recession, Bonnier Corp. said today it's buying Scuba Diving magazine from F&W Media.The deal isn't a blockbuster, but any investment by a media company has to be encouraging as layoffs and budget cuts dominate the scene. It's actually the second recent deal for Bonnier, which bought Working Mother in September. Terms weren't disclosed, but Bonnier CEO Terry Snow said the horrible economy and chilly credit markets helped him negotiate a favorable price.
The deal is also a small show of strength for niche-magazine publishing, which Mr. Snow said fared better than the general market in 2008. "2009 is yet to be determined," he said. "But in 2008, for the most part, the endemic advertisers continued to spend."...[AdvertisingAge]
Diver wrestles dentures from octopus
BELIEVE it or not.
When Manly diver David Baxter emerged from the water clutching a set of false teeth he had wrestled from the tentacles of an octopus he knew he would have trouble convincing people his tale was true.
“In 20 years of diving it’s the most unbelievable thing I’ve ever encountered,” he said.
The proof was the set of dentures, complete with algae, that he had recovered from the Manly swimming enclosure between the wharf and Oceanworld while filming seahorses. Mr Baxter said he first saw a common octopus in a crevice, its two eyes visible and a tentacle draped just below in a Bela Lugosi pose. It was also clutching a row of false teeth...[TheManlyDaily.com]
When Manly diver David Baxter emerged from the water clutching a set of false teeth he had wrestled from the tentacles of an octopus he knew he would have trouble convincing people his tale was true.
“In 20 years of diving it’s the most unbelievable thing I’ve ever encountered,” he said.
The proof was the set of dentures, complete with algae, that he had recovered from the Manly swimming enclosure between the wharf and Oceanworld while filming seahorses. Mr Baxter said he first saw a common octopus in a crevice, its two eyes visible and a tentacle draped just below in a Bela Lugosi pose. It was also clutching a row of false teeth...[TheManlyDaily.com]
Dive support computing: the General Dynamics Itronix MR-1 rugged UMPC
Using the MR-1, a rugged UMPC from General Dynamics Itronix, as a dive support computer changed all that. We were able to take it onboard the dive boat and upload dive data as soon as we came out of the water using a USB-based IR adapter that communicated with our Uwatec dive computers. This allowed us to enter data and impressions immediately after a dive when impressions were still fresh and we remembered detail. It also allowed us to change dive computer settings and fine-tune them to the dives at hand. The picture below shows the author and Dr. Robert Davis of the Whale Shark & Oceanic Research Center examine data.Using a computer on a boat means it needs a daylight-readable display. The MR-1's superb DynaVue© touchscreen is uniquely suited for outdoor use and work in direct sunlight (see detailed description of the DynaVue technology). During our week-long trip we encountered anything from bright sunshine to steel-gray sky, dark clouds and driving rain. The MR-1 display adapted to all lighting conditions and was perfectly viewable at all time. The readability of the display is, in fact, absolutely amazing. Under many lighting conditions the display appears paper-white without any of the color shifts that often plague outdoor-viewable screens...[RuggedPCReview.com]
Monday, December 15, 2008
New Scuba Technology Offers Valuable Tool For Marine Workers And Ship And Boat Crews
The introduction of a new training course means that shallow water scuba diving is now available as a solution that can permit emergency inspections and minor repairs to be performed by trained crew using Mini B scuba gear. This can be for personal use or in compliance with relevant health and safety regulations. Intended for use at depths of less than 9 metres, Mini B systems have been designed in the UK to be kept available for immediate use and to enable the wearer to enter the water with sufficient diving time to perform basic tasks.Although seafarers can reach the top of the highest mast and the most distant piece of superstructure, the underside of any vessel has traditionally remained inaccessible. Fouled propellors or fishing gear, blocked hull openings or damaged steering are some of the many incidents that can render a vessel helpless when far from port and the support of professional divers...[PRLog.com]
Richard Mille RM025 - Diver's Watch With Tourbillon And Chronograph
Celebrated high luxury watchmaker Richard Mille has introduced a remarkable diver's timepiece which showcases the horological exclusivity expected of this brand in a 50.70mm-diameter round case. The first Richard Mille model to dispense with the signature tonneau form, the RM 025 Tourbillon Chronograph Diver's watch has been specifically designed to effectively resist the pressure found 300 meters below the ocean's surface.Created to correspond with the strict standards of ISO 6425, which establishes certain norms for dive timepieces, the Richard Mille RM025 Tourbillon Chronograph Diver's case is notable for both its secure water-tight construction, and intricate workmanship. Constructed from a combination of red or white gold and titanium, it features a tripartite structure joined together with torque screws that permit a particularly precise and even pressure-sealing; the unidirectional rotating bezel is equally elaborate, being comprised of three layers, all joined by a system of 24 screws. In addition to the perfect tactile feel of the bezel movement these screws allow, they also preclude any chance the bezel will be dislodged from the case. A screw-down crown and specially designed chronograph pushers contribute to the impressive water resistance rating...[ViaLuxe.com]
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Soundings: Peer into the world of wreck-diving 'geeks'
What happens when a former off-shore drilling rig captain meets a former Alaskan crab fisherman and they discover they share a passion for diving on shipwrecks?The answer: The first edition of "Northwest Wreck Dives," by Scott Boyd and Jeff Carr.
The two adventuresome souls spent every weekend the past two years searching for and diving on more than 100 sunken ships and boats in Puget Sound, Lake Washington, the Straits of Juan de Fuca and around the San Juan Islands — and, for good measure, two cars in Lake Crescent near Port Angeles.
To find all these submerged hulks of wood and steel, they relied on a database maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, friends, rumors, history books and, as Boyd puts it, "blind, dumb luck."
After talking with Boyd, it seems to me scuba-diving technical skills and experience played a big role, too, not to mention the sonar scanning equipment mounted on Boyd's 22-foot aluminum boat dubbed the Dive Bum.
Long before the book was published, Boyd had made a name for himself with his underwater color photography and his scuba diving and maritime skills, noted friend and fellow diver Jerry Erlich of Olympia...[TheOlympian.com]
Divers tell of exploring oceanliner Andrea Doria 200 feet down
Referred to as the Mount Everest of diving, the Andrea Doria has taken the lives of 15 divers. Reaching parts of the wreckage requires a plunge of more than 250 feet. Two divers who made it out of the wreck several times spoke and showed an underwater video of their experiences Friday night at the Museum of New Jersey Maritime History.Steve Gatto and Tom Packer have been exploring and photographing offshore shipwrecks together for almost 30 years, including 19 consecutive years on the Italian ocean liner the Andrea Doria. Other underwater wrecks they have explored include the USS Monitor, Nantucket Lightship, submarines, tankers, freighters, steamers, paddle wheelersand schooners. Gatto and Packer last dove to the Andrea Doria in 2006 for the 50th anniversary of its sinking.
The Andrea Doria was an oceangoing gallery of Italy's finest works of art, but the upscale vessel sank July 25, 1956, after colliding with the MS Stockholm off the coast of Nantucket Island, Mass. Forty-six people died in the collision. The oceanliner sunk the following morning.
The video Packer and Gatto showed to a crowded room Friday night was of a dive to the Andrea Doria - what they consider the ultimate dive. They begin their dive on the promenade deck of the Andrea Doria in about 170 feet of water. Gatto said the promenade deck no longer exists, having been corroded away by saltwater...[pressofAtlanticCity.com]
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Mysterious Shipwreck Discovered in Lake Ontario
Two explorers conducting underwater surveys of Lake Ontario have uncovered an aquatic mystery — a rare 19th-century schooner sitting upright 500 feet under the waves.Jim Kennard and Dan Scoville located the 55-foot long dagger-board ship unexpectedly this fall using deep scan sonar equipment off the lake's southern shore, west of Rochester.
The ship is the only dagger-board known to have been found in the Great Lakes. Kennard said vessels of this type were used for a short time in the early 1800s. The dagger-board was a wood panel that could be extended through the keel to improve the ship's stability. The dagger-boards could be raised when the schooner entered a shallow harbor, allowing the boat to load and unload cargo in locations that would not otherwise be accessible to larger ships.
The shipwreck was found upright and in remarkable condition considering it had plunged more than 500 feet to its resting place on the bottom, the men said.
The schooner's origin is a mystery so far...[Foxnews.com]
Bridge to be reborn as reef?
It seemed a foregone conclusion, but the Marathon City Council finalized its decision Tuesday to not repair the failing Boot Key Bridge.
The council decided to use $400,000 in Florida Department of Transportation grant money -- and match it with an equal amount -- to pay for the removal of the metal part of the span.
The money was formerly earmarked by DOT toward engineering and design costs for a refurbishment expected to cost nearly $10 million. The resolution the council passed Tuesday requests it be moved to the fiscal year 2010 budget and be used "in connection with the demolition of Boot Key Bridge."
"We'll be done with our part and DOT will have it removed by late 2009 or early 2010," Mayor Mike Cinque said.
DOT District 6 Bridge Engineer Frank Guyamier said the city has two options to dispose of the removed portion of the bridge.
"If they want to send the bridge to a smelter site where they could melt the steel, it would cost [roughly] $700,000. If we were to get permission to use it as a reef and place it in the Moser Channel Reef, it would cost $500,000," he said.
Moser Channel runs under the Seven Mile Bridge. Guyamier said DOT will work with the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the Department of Environmental Protection to secure permits making the old span an artificial reef. He said the span -- rusted metal -- can be sunk without being cleaned or inspected...[KeysNet.com]
The council decided to use $400,000 in Florida Department of Transportation grant money -- and match it with an equal amount -- to pay for the removal of the metal part of the span.
The money was formerly earmarked by DOT toward engineering and design costs for a refurbishment expected to cost nearly $10 million. The resolution the council passed Tuesday requests it be moved to the fiscal year 2010 budget and be used "in connection with the demolition of Boot Key Bridge."
"We'll be done with our part and DOT will have it removed by late 2009 or early 2010," Mayor Mike Cinque said.
DOT District 6 Bridge Engineer Frank Guyamier said the city has two options to dispose of the removed portion of the bridge.
"If they want to send the bridge to a smelter site where they could melt the steel, it would cost [roughly] $700,000. If we were to get permission to use it as a reef and place it in the Moser Channel Reef, it would cost $500,000," he said.
Moser Channel runs under the Seven Mile Bridge. Guyamier said DOT will work with the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the Department of Environmental Protection to secure permits making the old span an artificial reef. He said the span -- rusted metal -- can be sunk without being cleaned or inspected...[KeysNet.com]
Friday, December 12, 2008
Alameda teacher visits undersea laboratory
Alameda High School teacher Steve Houwen typically spends his days teaching marine biology to teenagers, but for three weeks in November, he got a little change of scenery by visiting the world's only permanent underwater laboratory.Houwen, of Longmont, was selected to travel to Key Largo, Fla., to participate in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Research Center's Teacher Under the Sea program. The program gave Houwen and another high school teacher, Mark Tohulka, of Miami, the opportunity to take part in a mission at NOAA's Aquarius Reef Base, located 4 miles off Key Largo.
The Aquarius is an 81-ton structure located 60 feet beneath the Atlantic Ocean and is designed to allow scientists to live and work underwater 24/7 during one to two week missions, Houwen said.
"The best way to describe it is an extended RV," Houwen said. The Aquarius accommodates up to six people and has a shower, toilet, hot water, microwave and Internet access via a buoy on the surface. Six bunks are stacked three deep and are 6 feet long and 2 feet wide.
"If you are claustrophobic, it wouldn't go over well," Houwen said with a chuckle...[YourHub.com]
Ten best diving adventures
Pulau Weh, Indonesia by Charlotte BoanOur small wooden vessel rocked gently on the water, revealing little of the wild currents sweeping over the coral reefs below. On the signal of our experienced dive guide Arun, we rolled off the boat and descended into the cobalt ocean.
Flying with the fast water flow, we raced past a forest of brightly coloured giant gorgonian fans and traversed through a labyrinth of large volcanic boulders. Every few minutes we clung to these rocks to watch tiny creatures taking shelter in the coral reef, and to stare into the blue. It wasn't long before a blacktip reef shark appeared. The sleek figure moved closer, up to 10m away, before disappearing into the depths. It was a thrilling hour of high-energy diving.
I was on the northernmost edge of Pulau Weh, a remote jungle island off Sumatra. Once part of the Sumatran mainland, Pulau Weh became separated during the last volcanic eruption more than a million years ago. It is surrounded by healthy and vibrant coral reefs, and its waters harbour a diverse mix of Indo-Pacific marine life...[Gaurdian.uk.co]
Splendid isolation
The outline of the colossal Japanese cargo ship SS Inchcape appears from the marine gloom some 20 feet ahead, lying on the seabed, its home for three decades. Lionfish with long, striped, venomous spines float gracefully in its hull while moray eels flash their teeth below the fully intact propeller. An octopus changes from beige to purple, as it moves slowly out from under the coral that has formed along the 100m ship, and a sea snake slithers among the moorings.
I’m scuba diving in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI), a cluster of 572 lush emerald islands scattered in the Bay of Bengal which are close to the southern tip of Myanmar and Thailand but belong to India. The shipwreck, not unlike the vast majority of sites in this remote paradise, was discovered only a few years ago. Here in the Andamans – as well as countless species of fish – turtles, whale sharks and manta rays are regularly spotted, along with dugongs, a marine mammal that is sometimes known as a sea cow and may have once been mistaken for mermaids by fishermen.
A large part of the thrill, however, comes from diving in uncharted territory...[The National]
I’m scuba diving in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI), a cluster of 572 lush emerald islands scattered in the Bay of Bengal which are close to the southern tip of Myanmar and Thailand but belong to India. The shipwreck, not unlike the vast majority of sites in this remote paradise, was discovered only a few years ago. Here in the Andamans – as well as countless species of fish – turtles, whale sharks and manta rays are regularly spotted, along with dugongs, a marine mammal that is sometimes known as a sea cow and may have once been mistaken for mermaids by fishermen.
A large part of the thrill, however, comes from diving in uncharted territory...[The National]
4.45% of UK workers want to be scuba instructors!
Fifty seven per cent of the UK workforce fear for their jobs next year, according to a Learning & Skills Council (LSC) survey.
Respondents were asked whether the current economic crisis had made them more worried about keeping their jobs, and 57% said yes. Some 51% of those polled said they would focus on training and acquiring more skills to boost their career prospects and job security.
The skills that respondents felt they needed most were IT and literacy (each mentioned by 32%) problem solving (26%) self-management skills (22%) and customer awareness (19.75%).
LSC chairman Chris Banks said: "A small investment in learning new skills will make people better prepared to tackle any eventuality, particularly in a tough economy."
Respondents were also asked what job they would like. Travel writer topped this wish list with 17.05% of those polled choosing it, followed by zoo keeper (13.85%) school teacher (13.65%) taste tester (11.6%) test driver (8.75%) garden designer (8.6%) costume designer (7.45%) florist (7.45%) and scuba diving instructor (4.45%).
The survey polled 2,000 adults across the UK. It was conducted for the LSC by pollster OnePoll via an e-mail questionnaire at the end of November...[PersonnelToday.com]
Respondents were asked whether the current economic crisis had made them more worried about keeping their jobs, and 57% said yes. Some 51% of those polled said they would focus on training and acquiring more skills to boost their career prospects and job security.
The skills that respondents felt they needed most were IT and literacy (each mentioned by 32%) problem solving (26%) self-management skills (22%) and customer awareness (19.75%).
LSC chairman Chris Banks said: "A small investment in learning new skills will make people better prepared to tackle any eventuality, particularly in a tough economy."
Respondents were also asked what job they would like. Travel writer topped this wish list with 17.05% of those polled choosing it, followed by zoo keeper (13.85%) school teacher (13.65%) taste tester (11.6%) test driver (8.75%) garden designer (8.6%) costume designer (7.45%) florist (7.45%) and scuba diving instructor (4.45%).
The survey polled 2,000 adults across the UK. It was conducted for the LSC by pollster OnePoll via an e-mail questionnaire at the end of November...[PersonnelToday.com]
New dive site: Expedition Uncovers Three Never-before Identified Coral Reefs Off Florida's Coast
Researchers used REMUS autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to capture this three-dimensional side scan sonar image of a previously unknown Lophelia coral reef located 35 miles off the coast of Florida at a depth of approximately 1,500 ft. The surveyed area encompasses approximately 28 square miles. In the center of the image, three coral reefs reaching as high as 120 feet (the three pinnacles in red and yellow) can be seen. Each color in the image represents the height off the sea floor, with the blue colors being the deepest and red the closest to the surface...[Newswise.com]
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Radick followed diving dream, made films about shipwreck recoveries
When Jerry Radick was a young boy, he loved the water so much that he made a diving helmet out of his mother's favorite kitchen pot.It worked down to 8 feet under water. Just an early indication of what would become a lifetime passion and later a source of his livelihood.
Radick, a one-time San Antonio police officer who left his job as an insurance salesman to form an underwater photography company, died Monday of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 73.
He was a Michigan native who began diving in the Great Lakes. As a young man, he went into the Air Force and was stationed in Alaska. Later, he was transferred to San Antonio, and decided to stay.
After the Air Force, he worked for four years with the San Antonio Police Department and then sold insurance for several years. He opened his own business, Radick Method, which helped people process insurance claims.
During that time, he met his wife, San Antonio native Rose-Mary Dunkin, a pharmaceutical company representative. Soon after they married, they decided to pursue their dream of adventure.
“He said, ‘I'm going into diving. There's no paperwork in it,' ” she recalled. “I said, ‘not without me.'”...[My San Antonio]
Florida Justices: Parents can't waive liability for kids
Parents cannot waive liability on behalf of their children by signing releases before the kids participate in motor sports and other hazardous activities, the Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday.
The 4-1 ruling in the death of a 14-year-old boy while riding an all-terrain vehicle could have broad implications for businesses that offer such activities as go-cart and motocross racing, bungee jumping, horseback riding, parasailing and scuba diving....[NWFDailyNews.com]
The 4-1 ruling in the death of a 14-year-old boy while riding an all-terrain vehicle could have broad implications for businesses that offer such activities as go-cart and motocross racing, bungee jumping, horseback riding, parasailing and scuba diving....[NWFDailyNews.com]
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Video: Wounded soldiers dive at Molasses Reef
More than a dozen wounded soldiers and their family members took part in a weeklong vacation to Key Largo this past week that ended with three days of diving along Upper Keys reefs.
Local businesses contributed to the soldiers' hotel stays, meals and dive trips in what has become a twice-a-year event. Organizer Fraser Bathgate called it a "trip to remember" for all who participated...[KeysNet.com]
National Geographic, 9am: Shipwreck Graveyard
The Black Sea hides a multitude of ancient ships, all preserved beneath its enigmatic surface. Famed marine biologist Bob Ballard dives in.
Ten Aircraft Sunk off Phuket to Form New Coral Reef
Ten aircraft have been submerged off Bang Tao Bay in Phuket’s Talang district in the Andaman Sea to form a new artificial coral reef and diving site. The 16-18 meters deep area where the fleet was sunk has a sand bed, and is one kilometre away from the natural coral reef and the Bang Tao Beach.
The fleet of sunken aircraft consists of four Douglas C-47 Dakota Skytrains and six Sikorsky S-58T helicopters. They once belonged to the Royal Thai Air Force and were housed at an air base in Lopburi Province. The For Sea Foundation initiated the project to create an artificial coral reef following operations to fix natural coral reefs that were damaged by the devastating Tsunami that hit Asia in late December 2004.
“To lure visitors to a new diving site, the artificial reefs need some sort of ‘star power’, like the King Cruiser wreck diving spot in Phuket, for instance. The idea of having a fleet of old and unused aircraft under the sea is equally irresistible,” said Mr. Settapan Buddhani, TAT’s Phuket Office Director...[AsiaTravelTips.com]
The fleet of sunken aircraft consists of four Douglas C-47 Dakota Skytrains and six Sikorsky S-58T helicopters. They once belonged to the Royal Thai Air Force and were housed at an air base in Lopburi Province. The For Sea Foundation initiated the project to create an artificial coral reef following operations to fix natural coral reefs that were damaged by the devastating Tsunami that hit Asia in late December 2004.
“To lure visitors to a new diving site, the artificial reefs need some sort of ‘star power’, like the King Cruiser wreck diving spot in Phuket, for instance. The idea of having a fleet of old and unused aircraft under the sea is equally irresistible,” said Mr. Settapan Buddhani, TAT’s Phuket Office Director...[AsiaTravelTips.com]
Monday, December 8, 2008
Avalon Harbor Underwater Cleanup day is Feb. 21
Scuba divers fond of Santa Catalina Island and concerned about the cleanliness of the marine environment might wish to mark Feb. 21 on their calendars.The 28th annual Avalon Harbor Underwater Cleanup has been scheduled for that day -- the only day diving is permitted in Avalon Harbor.
It's become one of the most popular diving events in Southern California; last year 520 participants from various dive clubs showed up to clear the ocean floor of items lost or thrown overboard by careless humans.
Last year the water was murky, though, as the event followed a period of rain and wind. Hopefully, visibility this time will allow a thorough clean up. Cost is $35 per person for those registering online before February. To register or learn more, click here...[LATimes.com]
Nikon Coolpix S710 Underwater Housing
Fantasea Line announces the release of the FS-710 housing, specifically designed for the Nikon Coolpix S710 digital camera. The FS-710 housing is fully functional providing photographers with access to all camera functions. Fantasea’s new housing design with its improved construction, together with with a depth rating to 60 meters/200 feet, makes the FS-710 ideal for outdoor and underwater photographers. The Fantasea FS-710 housing has a double O-ring seal on all controls, anti-glare hood over LCD screen, and built-in diffuser. The FS-710 also features a 46mm port ring thread for easy attachment of accessory lenses and filters...[Photography Blog]Sunday, December 7, 2008
Turks & Caicos creates artificial reef
Turks and Caicos (AP) - Nearly 100 concrete orbs have been submerged in shallow waters off Grand Turk island to encourage coral growth, shelter small fish and enhance snorkeling, a government scientist said Sunday. The hollow domes submerged in recent days have quickly attracted marine life off Governor's beach, a popular stretch of coastline in Grand Turk, said Lucy Wells, a marine biologist who does reef restoration work for the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The response from marine life was instantaneous,» said Wells, who works for the island chain's Environment and Coastal Resources Department. In Turks and Caicos waters, shallow-water coral reefs have been harmed by pollution, overfishing and unusually high sea temperatures in 2005. But scientists say coral colonies off the British islands are in better shape than those of many neighboring islands. In recent years, reef balls have been submerged in dozens of locations around the globe to help marine habitats. The newly submerged reef balls, anchored to the sandy seabed and weighing some 300 pounds (136 kilograms) each, have holes that create currents and circulate nutrients to marine life. Small fish can hide from predators inside the 2-foot (65 centimeter) wide, 3-foot (1 meter) tall spheres. Larval coral was placed on the rough exteriors. Wells said half of the roughly $80,000 reef project was put up by Miami-based cruise operator Carnival Corp...[PR-Inside.com]
The response from marine life was instantaneous,» said Wells, who works for the island chain's Environment and Coastal Resources Department. In Turks and Caicos waters, shallow-water coral reefs have been harmed by pollution, overfishing and unusually high sea temperatures in 2005. But scientists say coral colonies off the British islands are in better shape than those of many neighboring islands. In recent years, reef balls have been submerged in dozens of locations around the globe to help marine habitats. The newly submerged reef balls, anchored to the sandy seabed and weighing some 300 pounds (136 kilograms) each, have holes that create currents and circulate nutrients to marine life. Small fish can hide from predators inside the 2-foot (65 centimeter) wide, 3-foot (1 meter) tall spheres. Larval coral was placed on the rough exteriors. Wells said half of the roughly $80,000 reef project was put up by Miami-based cruise operator Carnival Corp...[PR-Inside.com]
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Sony Alpha underwater housing review
BS Kinetics is a German company manufacturing underwater housings for photo cameras and video cameras. In addition, BS Kinetics also produce video lamps. The housing for the Sony Alpha 350 belongs to the Gibson models. This series of underwater housings of BS Kinetics is made in particular for digital reflex cameras that fit in the dimensions of this series (180 x 190 x 130 mm). Other series of underwater housings are available for larger reflex cameras and compact cameras. The underwater housing is compact and the small size of the Sony Alpha 350 benefits from this. The set as a whole remains pleasantly portable...[LetsGoDigital.com]Eleventh Hour and Decompression Chambers
Last night on Eleventh Hour, some evil gene therapists had a plan to make the athlete of the future. They had figured out a way to use gene therapy to stimulate muscle production in athletes, but they had to test it first, so they selected the athletes siblings, figuring the siblings would be genetically similar and possibly have similar responses. So, the evil scientists put their genetic cocktail into a virus (as is common enough in gene therapy) and then they secretly switched the siblings’ flu shots with Folgers Cryst- I mean, with the virus. Unfortunately, it turned out that whenever the recipients of the new stuff got their heart rates up, they tended to collapse from an unexpected case of the bends. It turned out that the gene therapy was causing these people to produce huge amounts of nitrous oxide, which then bubbled up in the blood, causing a severe case of the bends.
Part way through the episode, one of the victims, Isaac, collapses while jogging. Our intrepid hero, Dr. Jacob Hood, rushes him to the hospital and then has his comrade-at-investigations, Rachel Young, put out a Mayday for a decompression chamber. Amazingly, they locate a mobile chamber and have it rushed to the hospital (normally they fly patients with the bends to a chamber, rather then bring the chamber to it). Once ensconced in the chamber and under high pressure, Isaac’s twitching stopped.
Scientifically, this chamber business makes sense so far. The bends are caused normally when nitrogen bubbles stored in tissue at a certain pressure are released as the pressure drops. Typically it’s a problem for divers who don’t follow their dive tables carefully: at depth, the nitrogen in SCUBA air gets stored in tissue, and as the divers come back up to the surface, the bubbles are released. It typically causes pain, but can lead to paralysis and death...continue reading...[Discover Magazine]
Part way through the episode, one of the victims, Isaac, collapses while jogging. Our intrepid hero, Dr. Jacob Hood, rushes him to the hospital and then has his comrade-at-investigations, Rachel Young, put out a Mayday for a decompression chamber. Amazingly, they locate a mobile chamber and have it rushed to the hospital (normally they fly patients with the bends to a chamber, rather then bring the chamber to it). Once ensconced in the chamber and under high pressure, Isaac’s twitching stopped.
Scientifically, this chamber business makes sense so far. The bends are caused normally when nitrogen bubbles stored in tissue at a certain pressure are released as the pressure drops. Typically it’s a problem for divers who don’t follow their dive tables carefully: at depth, the nitrogen in SCUBA air gets stored in tissue, and as the divers come back up to the surface, the bubbles are released. It typically causes pain, but can lead to paralysis and death...continue reading...[Discover Magazine]
Friday, December 5, 2008
Warship fires up Sharky's reef hopes
Mark Salter's plan for an artificial reef for scuba divers on the Gold Coast has received a welcome boost after Defence Minister Joel Fitz-gibbon indicated a warship suitable for the job could be decommissioned from the Royal Australian Navy by 2012.
Mr Salter, aka 'Sharky', has been campaigning for years for an artificial reef as a tourist attraction.
An email from Mr Fitzgibbon says under the Defence Capability Plan 2006-2016, the heavy landing ship HMAS Tobruk might be replaced by 2012.
Mr Salter is now planning a campaign to snare the 126m vessel...[Goldcoast]
Mr Salter, aka 'Sharky', has been campaigning for years for an artificial reef as a tourist attraction.
An email from Mr Fitzgibbon says under the Defence Capability Plan 2006-2016, the heavy landing ship HMAS Tobruk might be replaced by 2012.
Mr Salter is now planning a campaign to snare the 126m vessel...[Goldcoast]
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Scuba divers clean up pool for El Paso's sea lions
Sunny, the El Paso Zoo's long-time resident sea lion, swam in his habitat as scuba divers went about cleaning the salt water pool of algae Thursday.Divers from Desert Divers Southwest use high pressure sprayers and brushes to clean the habitat every two weeks so Sunny and his three companions Cocoa, Cleo and Sushi can swim amid a clean pool.
Sunny's docile nature means he is the only sea lion allowed to stay in the pool with the divers...[El Paso Times]
Diver captures pictures of whale shark
"To see such a huge fish right off the shore of Palm Beach is a very special opportunity". It's a close encounter with a whale shark. Diver Michael Patrick O'neill was quick to snap pictures of what he calls a gentle animal. "He kept coming back swimming around the boats, swimming around people normally they are very shy normally the minute somebody touches the whale shark, it swims away".O'neill says he thinks the whale shark was off the Palm Beach coast due to weather. "The cold fronts I believe make these migratory animals go from the colder water to the warmer water and while the seasons in Florida are very subtle in the ocean they are more noticeable. They are actually endangered there's an active fishery for whale sharks in the Far East for their flesh and for their fins and they are protected here in the States"...[WPTV.com]
Royal Navy diver has ashes scattered by torpedo explosion
Derick Redfern's dying wish was for his ashes to be scattered at sea and his widow Ann asked the Navy to help.
Mr Redfern worked as a diver during more than 30 years in the service after joining up when he was 16 and died this year aged 71 at his home in Cornwall.
His widow Ann, aged 68, contacted the Navy in Plymouth to ask for help and they agreed to see him off in style.
They took a canister with his ashes to a torpedo on the seabed at Jennycliff, near Plymouth, and attached it to the nose of the tube.
The torpedo was then blown up as part of an exercise training divers in how to dispose of dangerous ordnance on the seabed.
Ann watched the blast from the cliff top at a ceremony with a Royal Navy chaplain and said it was exactly what Mr Redfern would have wanted...[Telegraph]
Mr Redfern worked as a diver during more than 30 years in the service after joining up when he was 16 and died this year aged 71 at his home in Cornwall.
His widow Ann, aged 68, contacted the Navy in Plymouth to ask for help and they agreed to see him off in style.
They took a canister with his ashes to a torpedo on the seabed at Jennycliff, near Plymouth, and attached it to the nose of the tube.
The torpedo was then blown up as part of an exercise training divers in how to dispose of dangerous ordnance on the seabed.
Ann watched the blast from the cliff top at a ceremony with a Royal Navy chaplain and said it was exactly what Mr Redfern would have wanted...[Telegraph]
Russia’s Aqua Star: An Original Underwater Motorcycle
The Aqua Star is an extraordinary motorcycle that permits the user to go underwater without any special equipment.The way it works is simple. The body of the motorcycle rider stays in the water and the head is encased in a sort of helmet that serves as a diving bell equipped with an air-supplying system. (If this conjures the expression about ‘keeping your head above water,’ don’t blame me.)
The electronic motor on the Aqua Star permits movement in all directions underwater. The Russian developers of the Aqua Bike came up with several fascinating innovations. For one thing, they used even glass for the helmet instead of the usual spherical glass that distorts the diver’s visibility and makes the eyes get tired...[Investor's Spot]
Monday, December 1, 2008
Livingston Parish Rescue Divers
Livingston Parish is a safer place to live tonight, thanks to a brand new rescue and recovery team. As NBC 33's Tyler Gamble shows us, a group of volunteer divers is now ready for action.They're all volunteers, 15 in total, ready to suit up if the call should come. It is a first for Livingston Parish, their own rescue and recover team.
Glenn Bacot, Captain of District 5 Fire Department, says, "We can go out and do an actual recovery as well as recover weapons for the Sheriff's Office, or heaven forbid that it'd be a person we'd have to go get."
Divers can be in the water in a matter of minutes. They go out two at a time, while a safety diver stays on shore. Officials say having a team of rescue divers in the community is critical...[NBC33TV.com]
We All Live in a Solar Submarine
If playing with electricity underwater doesn't seem like a bad enough idea, a Swiss company has an even more mind-boggling combination: a solar-powered submarine. We wonder if they've designed windows that open.Energy giant BKW-FMB is looking for investors ready to pony up almost $9 million to start work on Projekt Goldfisch, which will consist of a floating Goldport "power island" of solar panels that will channel electricity to the boats running below. Since the average nuclear-powered Virginia-class sub runs in the billions, we suspect that the money will be spent to get a newer copy of Photoshop. That laughable artist rendering shown above was obviously worked out on an Amiga.
Either someone at BKW has an incredible sense of humor and a penchant for late '70s Bond films, or the company is anticipating the rise of villains in need of really awesome hideouts. Either way, we're ready to jump in the submersible Esprit and pop in a Carly Simon tape. More badly-drawn renderings after the jump...[Autopia]
Winter brings best diving
November may bring storms, rain and short days limiting sunshine, but underwater it's never been more clear.It is so clear in the waters off Nanaimo at this time of year that most divers prefer this time of year to summer. But dive operators and others associated with the business say that while the past few years have not been good, this season seems to be looking better.
Some say that American divers are returning with the lower Canadian dollar and increased stability there following the U.S. election.
"I think it's helping a smidge, but not much," said veteran Nanaimo diver Steve Lloyd, adding the diving here is worth paying for, even in tough times. "Everybody is sucking in their horns; it's a shame too because lately it's been fabulous, so clear," said Lloyd.
Marlene Peaker, who with her husband runs the Buccaneer Inn on Stewart Avenue, thinks business may be picking up. On Thursday, she said, they had divers take four rooms. She agreed this is the best time to dive, despite the cold.
"The clarity is better in the winter, but you still have to be a bit tough," said Peaker. "We get more divers in the winter."...[Nanaimo Daily News]
Underwater sculpture park off Grenada is stunning and unique
Jason de Caires Taylor is an internationally recognised sculptor with a difference. Instead of bleak urban backdrops for his creations, he has crafted a stunning and unique underwater sculpture park in the shallow waters off the West Indies island of Grenada.
His desire to create striking and meaningful art forms and his love of the underwater world led him to explore the intricate relationships between art and the environment.
For Grenada, this has resulted in a series of beautiful marine seascapes that have formed a series of artificial reefs, drawing new life into areas which have been damaged by nature's raw power and mans intervention.
Jason discusses his work in a video interview with Miranda Krestovnikoff, one of the UK faces of a new global web TV channel, The Underwater Channel...[Telegraph.uk.co]
Ask A Scientist: Rubber suits help keep divers warm in cold water
Question: Why do scuba divers wear rubber?
Answer: We can divide this question into two parts: (1) Why do scuba divers wear clothing? (2) Why is this clothing made out of rubber? And then add a third: (3) Why is the clothing often called a wetsuit?
(1) This first part is the easiest; scuba divers wear clothing to keep warm. The clothing also protects them from sunburn and stings. Even warm ocean water, say 75ºF, is much cooler than body temperature, 98ºF, and a diver without warm clothing will soon become chilled. We do not need warm clothing on land if the air temperature is 75ºF, but water can remove heat from the body much faster than air. Water conducts heat better than air, but more important is that it takes much more energy to heat water. It takes a lot of the body's energy to heat the thin layer of water in contact with it. As an unprotected diver moves about, that water is swept away and a new layer of cool water contacts the skin. The body continues to lose heat to the water very quickly...[IthicaJournal.com]
Answer: We can divide this question into two parts: (1) Why do scuba divers wear clothing? (2) Why is this clothing made out of rubber? And then add a third: (3) Why is the clothing often called a wetsuit?
(1) This first part is the easiest; scuba divers wear clothing to keep warm. The clothing also protects them from sunburn and stings. Even warm ocean water, say 75ºF, is much cooler than body temperature, 98ºF, and a diver without warm clothing will soon become chilled. We do not need warm clothing on land if the air temperature is 75ºF, but water can remove heat from the body much faster than air. Water conducts heat better than air, but more important is that it takes much more energy to heat water. It takes a lot of the body's energy to heat the thin layer of water in contact with it. As an unprotected diver moves about, that water is swept away and a new layer of cool water contacts the skin. The body continues to lose heat to the water very quickly...[IthicaJournal.com]
Diving to keep RP tourism afloat
It’s like owning a Ferrari and never driving it.
That’s how Dave Allen likened the majority of Filipinos who don’t scuba-dive. Allen is an American marine videographer and president and publisher of www.ScubaMagazine.net, an online forum for the international diving community. He has taken a special interest in the Philippine dive sites since his first visit three years ago.
“Do you realize that you’re in paradise and you’ve never been able to experience what Americans and Europeans will pay thousands of dollars for the privilege of going to see?” he asked rhetorically at the Dema (Diving Equipment and Marketing Association) Show 2008 held recently at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Nevada, USA.
Allen is just one of 6.9 million scuba divers in North America whom the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) hopes will buoy the country’s tourism industry through the global economic crisis...[Inquirer.net]
That’s how Dave Allen likened the majority of Filipinos who don’t scuba-dive. Allen is an American marine videographer and president and publisher of www.ScubaMagazine.net, an online forum for the international diving community. He has taken a special interest in the Philippine dive sites since his first visit three years ago.
“Do you realize that you’re in paradise and you’ve never been able to experience what Americans and Europeans will pay thousands of dollars for the privilege of going to see?” he asked rhetorically at the Dema (Diving Equipment and Marketing Association) Show 2008 held recently at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Nevada, USA.
Allen is just one of 6.9 million scuba divers in North America whom the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) hopes will buoy the country’s tourism industry through the global economic crisis...[Inquirer.net]
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