Chronic dysfunction of the eustachian tube

Presenting complaints include hearing loss, persistent pain, or “clicking” in the ear. Patients must allow time for treatment (if required) to take effect.

Health-care providers working in primary care, allergy, pediatrics, and otolaryngology frequently encounter both acute and chronic eustachian-tube dysfunction (ETD). This common condition can be challenging to treat, particularly in patients with a lifelong history of ETD. A properly functioning eustachian tube allows gas diffusion which equalizes middle-ear pressure with that of the environment. An improperly functioning eustachian tube can result in negative middle-ear pressure. Left untreated, this condition may lead to complaints of hearing loss, tinnitus, otalgia, vertigo (and subsequent tympanic membrane atelectasis), fulminate cholesteatoma formation, and otitis media...[ClinicalAdvisor]

100-year-old wreck found off Fremantle

A SHIPWRECK discovered off Rottnest Island is believed to be a steam dredge which built Fremantle harbour more than 100 years ago.
Former Member for Fremantle the Hon. Jim McGinty, WA Museum principal author Graeme Henderson and Geoff Kimpton found the 48-metre long iron wreck lying on reef in 12 metres of water, 1km west of Straggler’s Rocks during a recreational dive.

Although the vessel was in many pieces and camouflaged by marine growth, Mr Henderson said but the location, depth, size and condition of the wreck point towards it being the Fremantle.

The dredge was built in 1894 and played an important role in building the port harbour during the 1890s when shipping access to the Swan River river was blocked by a rocky bar across the entrance.

Graeme Henderson said other vessels were scuttled off Rottnest Island but records showed the Fremantle was the only one scuttled on reef west of Straggler’s Rocks...[PerthNow.com]

Sea&Sea DX-2G Underwater Camera Bundle

Sea&Sea from Japan has a brand new underwater camera bundle known as the DX-2G which strangely enough, resembles a Ricoh GX200 clone. And we thought that only Chinese manufacturers were into making copies of others' intellectual property. That gripe aside, you will find that the DX-2G will feature a 12.1 megapixel sensor as well as similar ISO speeds, Scene Modes and LCD display among others when compared against the Ricoh GX200...[Ubergizmo]

Divers remove dangerous illegal net

A FISHING net which almost killed a diver four months ago has been cleared up by Plymouth Sound Diving Club.

Seven members of the club dived to the seabed off West Hoe on Friday evening before bringing the net back to the surface.

The net had been highlighted as a threat to human and marine life but though it was discovered back in January, its removal was delayed by confusion over which agency was responsible for doing the work.

Keith Hiscock, chairman of PSDC, said the operation had to be done for the safety of divers in the area.

"They went down and cut the net into liftable sections before putting a lifting bag on each section, and then they sent them up," he said...[TheHerald]

What flag do I fly when boat diving?

A red flag with a diagonal white stripe is ubiquitous in scuba diving. You’ll find its image emblazoned on everything from equipment bags to bumper stickers. It is commonly referred to as the diver down flag, but did you know that it’s not the official flag to fly when actively diving from a boat in Washington?

Washington State law specifies that the proper flag to display during active diving from a boat is the international alpha flag – a blue and white swallow-tailed flag that is part of the larger set of signal flags specified by the International Code of Signals. While the alpha flag represents the letter “A” when combined with other signal flags, when used alone the alpha flag means “I have a diver down, keep well clear at slow speed.”...[Examiner.com]

Divers down, trash up

The craggy bottom of Possum Kingdom Lake inside Hell’s Gate is a little cleaner today, thanks to the efforts Sunday of dozens of scuba divers.

Fortunately for the members of Scuba International, based in the Dallas suburb of Carrollton, after another summer and Fourth of July celebration, they will have a reason to come out again next year to try and collect beer and soda cans, bottles and find a few things they might want to keep like a nice pair of shades.

Thirty-nine divers and 12 above-water helpers in seven boats descended on a windy and chilly PK Lake Sunday for an Earth Day collection of lake debris as part of Project AWARE (www.projectaware.org). This year was the second for the Metroplex group to come to the lake for a clean-up project.

It was an opportunity for a group of like-minded, water-loving people to spend a day doing what they like to do while trying to help protect and preserve water resources.

“It was a little chilly but I had a good time and hopefully helped out a little bit,” said diver Craig King of Dallas, who was one of the last out of the lake Sunday...[MineralWellsIndex.com]

SUDS diving program reaches out to injured soldiers

One of the great aspects of scuba diving is the ability to temporarily leave behind the stress of daily life. Once you slip the regulator into your mouth, let the air out of your BCD and slip into the beauty and solitude of the underwater world, you trade the pressures of everyday life topside for the chance to move weightlessly through another dimension. Many divers use the words meditative and therapeutic to describe their experiences.

The idea of scuba as therapy has become a reality for a very special group of men and women. As part of their rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, soldiers who suffered war injuries in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom can participate in the Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba program...[Examiner.com]

How HPD divers train to recover bodies and underwater evidence

A special team of divers trained in water recovery missions pulled four children out of a bayou over the weekend. While these types of emergencies are tragic, the men on the team work together to help bring closure to families.

In Braes Bayou, they train using a car abandoned long ago in the water, but the divers never know what they're going to encounter.

“A week ago, another officer and I were diving and searching for a pistol used in a homicide. He reached down under a rock and grabbed a five foot snake,” Glen Mayo of the HPD Marine Unit said.

Divers from HPD's Marine Unit are called approximately 30 to 40 times a year to recover evidence. What they recover ranges from guns and knives used in crimes, to stolen cars. But sometimes, they are called to recover bodies...[KHOU.com]

Jordanian reefs in Gulf of Aqaba a feast for divers' eyes

Your heart beats faster as the shadowy object appears before you in the deep blue Red Sea - first the outlines of the bow, then the superstructures and mast pointing diagonally toward the water's surface, and finally the rail, overgrown with corals and sponges. The Lebanese freighter Cedar Pride is lying on its port side in the Gulf of Aqaba like a beached whale, a feast for the eyes of wreck divers. It is the biggest gem in Jordan's glittering crown of reefs, which is what King Abdullah II, then Jordan's crown prince, probably imagined it would be when he had the damaged ship deliberately sunk in 1985.

Jordan's royal family is the chief custodian of the country's underwater realm. Abdullah's father and predecessor on the throne, Hussein I, was an avid diver, as the Jordan Tourism Board notes. In 1997, Hussein made a large part of the sea off Jordan's 27-kilometre southern coastline a managed marine park.

At Abdullah's behest, the shell of a Russian tank was also sunk in the park as an attraction for divers, and scientists laid out artificial reefs there using concrete blocks.

Being under the royal family's wing has clearly benefited Jordan's coral reefs. The flourishing coral gardens teem with colourful fish.

Jordan's underwater realm seems largely sound, especially compared with the marine wasteland off the coast of the neighbouring Israeli city of Eilat, a resort known for its beaches and nightlife...[EarthTimes]

WWII Ship To Become Artificial Reef Off Key West

A retired Air Force missile tracking ship, destined to become an artificial reef, docked in Key West Wednesday morning.

The 523-foot long USAF Hoyt S. Vandenberg will be sunk between May 21 and June 1 in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary just south of Key West.

The Vandenberg is currently docked behind the USS Mohawk in the East Quay Wall in Truman Annex Harbor while it undergoes preparations for its sinking. Workers will begin cutting hundreds of holes in the ship's decks and sides to ensure it sinks upright.

"Not only will it be the second largest ship in the world ever intentionally sunk to become an artificial reef, but it is of huge historical significance," said Key West Mayor Morgan McPherson. "It will become the southernmost underwater museum on the historic trail of intentionally sunken ships off the Florida Keys...[CBS4.com]

Movie Review: Into The Blue 2 – The Reef – Unrated

Starting this April 21st, now available on DVD from MGM Home Entertainment and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment comes the sequel all about treasures and murder hidden deep under the ocean. Into The Blue 2 – The Reef – Unrated is ready to motor right out of your living room and bring a world of water and intrigue into your living room while you stay dry the whole time. Bring home this interesting sequel today!..[BloggerNews]

Miller dives into career

In many of today’s professions, the phrase “swimming with the sharks” is often used to describe stressful situations. For “Twink” Miller, the phrase can take on a more literal translation, depending on where her profession takes her.

Along with her husband, Art, Miller owns Long Lake Scuba in Lima. In addition to being a scuba instructor, she has a love for underwater photography.

“I started taking scuba-diving classes over 30 years ago back in 1978,” Miller said. “In about 1981, when my husband was laid off from Ford Motor Company, we bought the shop at Long Lake. We give lessons and we also sell all of the equipment you’d need to go diving. We fit every piece of equipment to the person because otherwise it won’t work. If your mask doesn’t fit right, water will leak in and there’s no point in Scuba diving if you can’t see. If you wear glasses, we can also arrange for prescription lenses in a mask.”

Even though they call Long Lake home, Twink and the other instructors teach scuba diving in other parts of the area as well...[DelphosHerald]

Waterproof OLED Display

OLED displays are the future, and Ito Electronics has come up with a waterproof version that was being paraded at Finetech Japan 2009. It relies on a special packaging technology that enables the OLED display to function underwater, although we're not sure for how long it will be able to last in that environment and up to what depth. Does this mean we'll be able to see more and more underwater-based devices sport OLED screens in the future? Perhaps, if the entry cost is not too hard on the pockets...[Ubergizmo]

Canon Launches Underwater Housings For Camcorders

Fans of both Scuba diving and Canon's HD camcorders are in for a treat, with the camera company announcing the WP-V1 waterproof housing for their HF20 and HF200 HD camcorders.

The housing, which still doesn't have an RRP confirmed, will launch in May and let you take your camera up to 40m underwater, without adding too much bulk or weight to your camcorder. Weighing just 845g, it also has button controls to make it easy to control underwater, has a tripod socket (which I assume is crucial for deep sea dives), and also has a mounting ring for accessories.

When I took a handful of waterproof cameras on my honeymoon in Fiji last year, one of the things I lamented was the lack of a real HD option, which this addresses perfectly...[Gizmodo]

Calif. diving program helps anchor ex-inmates

Kenyatta Kalisana completed his training here this month, departing with a choice of three jobs and a possible six-figure annual salary.

Kalisana's career options would be impressive simply because of the troubled national and California economies. More extraordinary is that the 40-year-old Los Angeles man, a twice-convicted drug dealer, left the California Institution for Men after three years with an international certification as a deep-sea diver, underwater welder and heavy construction rigger...[USAToday]

Bonaire: Diver's paradise

All is still. Where the sky meets the land, it has turned to indigo. A few crimson clouds are scraped against the horizon.

We are standing at the edge of Lake Gotomeer on the north side of Bonaire, a Caribbean island 50 miles north of the Venezuelan coast. The silence suddenly is broken as a flock of yellow and green parakeets screech overhead. They are known locally as prikichi, probably meant to emulate their raucous squawking.

From the lake comes a gentle muttering sound, like an intimate conversation among friends. "Chogogo, chogogo," they seem to say. In the sky there is the soft whoosh of great pink wings being flared for landing as long red legs reach for the surface of the lake. A pair of Caribbean flamingos splashes down alongside a group of four others.

Bonaire plays host to about 15,000 flamingos, providing quiet nesting areas and salt pans full of their favorite foods: brine shrimp, insect larvae and small mollusks. It also is home to turkey-size Caracara, yellow-shouldered parrots and melodious Troupials. But it is not birds that attract most visitors here.

On the leeward side of the island that includes Klein Bonaire, an offshore island, 86 dive sites are legendary throughout the Caribbean...[TheOlympian]

Divers Attempt Underwater Coral Transplant In Japan

Divers below the waves of Sekisei Lagoon, Japan are hard at work with compressed air drills in hand and hopes of bringing new life to Japan’s largest coral reef near the southern end of the Okinawa chain of islands.

With revolutionary new technology and a substantial amount of taxpayer money, the Japanese government is hoping to combat what has been previously reported to be a 90 percent reduction of coral around Okinawa’s islands, according to the New York Times.

Marine biologists told the Times that the project is one of the largest coral restoration projects in the world. Biologists also hope to learn lessons during the project that will allow them to achieve similar goals in other parts of the world where reefs are endanger of being killed off due to a combination of overfishing, pollution and global warming.

Project workers told the Times that the project is being used as “a test bed for new techniques that they hope will one day make transplanting coral in the sea as routine as raising tree saplings on land.”...[RedOrbit]

Group trains disabled in diving

Those who gathered Saturday in Albuquerque for the "Davy Jones' Locker Challenge" believe that disabled people can enjoy activities like scuba diving.

The goal was to provide free training to disabled folks who would like to become scuba divers, and to smash some stereotypes along the way.

Veronica Padilla said she had never thought about becoming a scuba diver. Her legs were taken when a drunk driver crashed into her.

It looked like life in a wheel chair might limit her options.

"Because you know we get that a lot. We go places and they're like, no, you can't do that. Do you need help with this," Padilla said.

But thanks to a scuba group named Dive Pirates, Padilla is now a certified diver, participating in the Davy Jones' Locker Challenge.

"We can do everything anyone else can. I mean, we have to modify things, but we can do it, and I think that's the stigma that we get is that we're not like you and we can't do the things you can do, and we can," Padilla said.

The event raises money to train other disabled or adaptive divers...[KRQE.com]

Jean Painlevé's underwater revolution

Long before the high-definition panoramas of "Planet Earth," before even the landmark wildlife documentaries of Richard Attenborough and Jacques Cousteau, a Frenchman named Jean Painlevé was making films that captured the natural world as it had never been seen before.

The son of a mathematician turned politician (who twice served as French prime minister), Painlevé (1902-89) spent his life straddling the arts and the sciences.

He studied biology at the Sorbonne but was also a habitué of the Dada-mad Paris salons of the 1920s, where he befriended the likes of Man Ray and Luis Buñuel. Accordingly, his films, which mostly focused on underwater life, fused a scientist's eye for observation with a surrealist's taste for the uncanny.

A new three-disc release from the Criterion Collection titled "Science Is Fiction" due out this week brings together 23 of his short films and an eight-part made-for-TV documentary, featuring an interview with the octogenarian Painlevé, not long before his death...[LATimes]

Solihull hero arranges US rehab for fellow soldiers

BRITISH troops wounded in the line of enemy fire are to benefit from pioneering underwater treatment, thanks to hero Solihull marine Matt Croucher.

L Cpl Croucher has organised a trip for three soldiers to fly to America to experience weightless scuba diving therapy.

The rehabilitation course has already helped dozens of US paratroopers and special forces who have been paralysed or undergone amputations to recover from their injuries and build better movement.

Thousands of pounds has been raised through sponsors and veterans charities for the trip to the Florida Keys on April 29.

The soldiers include Steve Hands, a former marine from Knowle, near Solihull, who suffered prolapsed discs in his back in 1996 while fighting in the Balkans.

He now suffers 30 per cent disability and receives a war pension.

“I’m not expecting this to be a miracle cure but if it means I can sleep a whole night without pain then I will be delighted,” said Mr Hands, aged 33.

“I can walk with the aid of medication but I would love to reduce taking it because it increases the risk of a heart attack.”

If the trip is successful, L Cpl Croucher hopes to be able to take more troops on the Deptherapy course in October...[BirminghamMail.net]

Divers bound for unexplored depths

In 2007, the worsening drought allowed divers to squeeze through a tiny opening below the mermaid stage at Weeki Wachee Springs and explore a new frontier of underwater caves.

They went as far as 4,600 linear feet into the caves and reached a depth of more than 400 feet, which is believed to be a record for the deepest underwater cave tunnel in the continental United States.

Now the explorers are back at it - and are pondering their longest dive to date in the coming weeks.

The continued drought conditions and the peak of the dry season have once again caused flow levels through the spring vent to slacken enough to allow access. A team from Karst Underwater Research, Inc., or KUR, hopes to continue the cave and passageway mapping project that made unprecedented progress two years ago.

"We're shooting for a five-hour bottom time so we can solve some of the mysteries," said Brett Hemphill, KUR's director and head of exploration for the project.

Among those mysteries is whether the tunnels connect to the so-called Twin Dees Spring and its network of caves about a mile south of Weeki Wachee Springs. A KUR team explored and inserted guidelines in that network of caves back in 1995. Divers starting from Weeki Wachee came within about 1,000 of the Twin Dees caves during the 2007 expedition.

Divers use special propeller-driven "scooters" to motor through the passages. Carbon dioxide "scrubbers" allow them to recycle air in their tanks...[HernandoToday]

The ocean’s your oyster

Web-based tour operator, Tropical Sky is launching a brand-new scuba diving brand, Tropical Sky Scuba Diving, which specialises in luxury diving holidays to tropical places.

The website holidays4scubadiving.co.uk, offers a tailor-made service and operators have a wealth of experience in diving holidays around the world.

Suitable for novices and experienced divers, ABTA and ATOL bonded Tropical Sky Scuba Diving includes a wide range of packages, ideas and helpful hints to ensure customers pick their perfect holiday. Destinations in their portfolio include the Maldives, Mauritius, Caribbean, Africa, South-East Asia, the Red Sea and Oman.

Stephen Cooper, commercial manager says, “My favourite diving experiences have been in the Maldives, Red Sea, Mauritius and Thailand and I am passionate about finding the right holiday for customers whether it’s their first time underwater or their next diving adventure.”

Packages include:...[Easier.com]

KK’s OK for diving

Mention scuba diving in Sabah, and people are likely to think of Mabul or Sipadan.

These islands are about nothing but beaches and diving. While this may be great for many, those of us who need something a little more may find them wanting.

This is where Kota Kinabalu, the capital, comes into the picture. Or Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, to be exact.

The park is probably one of the best-kept diving secrets in the country, and it is a mere 20 minutes by speedboat from the town’s marina. TAR Park consists of five islands, Gaya (the biggest), Sapi, Manukan, Sulug and Mamutik.

At least 10 reputable diving sites are said to be located here, so this, for me, became a trip to verify if the convenience of the park’s location is backed up by quality...[TheStarOnline]

Scuba-diving 'Satanists' hack off arms of submerged Jesus statue

Scuba diving Satanists who hacked off the arms of a submerged statue of Jesus Christ are being hunted by Italian police.

The attack was carried out at a depth of 75ft below the surface of the sea on the statute which is known as the Christ of the Abyss.

It was sent to the bottom of the Mediterranean by Pope John Paul II in December 2000 at a ceremony for the Italian Diving Association and is a well known landmark for divers.

nstructor Domenico Battistello, 61, who runs the International Diving Centre at Giglio, an island of the coast of Tuscany, 80 miles from Rome, discovered the handless statue during a dive.

'"The statue is well known to all the divers and it was placed there following a blessing ceremony by Pope John Paul II,' he said.

'The hands of the Christ were raised upwards and it faced out to sea and it was a symbol for anyone who had anything to do with the Mediterranean...[MailOnline]

Revolutionary design makes possible a pedal-powered submarine for two

For most of us, the world deep below the ocean’s surface remains a place we have only had the pleasure to experience vicariously, primarily through watching nature documentaries. It's not as if we can just hop in a submarine and go take a look. Well, perhaps we can, if a Russian company's plan to market a two-seater submarine driven by pedal power to the tourist industry is successful. The new underwater vehicle (UV) from Marine Innovation Technologies (MIT) will not only be cheaper to buy and run than existing submersibles, it will be simpler to operate, requiring no special training or expertise.

According to MIT, its underwater craft differs from comparable small tourist submarines in overcoming some of the difficulties associated with the use of traditional screw propulsion and accumulator batteries to generate motion. These kinds of submarine tend to be complex to control and service and require specialized training to operate.

Generally, submarines require a propulsion capacity of about 2.5–5 kW to maintain an underwater speed of 2-3 knots. The average person riding a bicycle struggles to generate a propulsion capacity greater than 0.2-0.4 kW over a one to three-hour time period. This means a pair of furiously pedaling tourists couldn't muster enough power to propel an underwater vehicle.

But MIT has overcome the mathematical impossibility through both its innovative design as well as something called the Coandă effect. With both these elements in play, an average person, with the help of pedals, can generate the necessary underwater speed of between two and three knots, for two to four hours, to propel the company's two-passenger UV...[Gizmag]

Dominica Announces 16th Annual Dive Fest

The longest running Dive Festival in the Caribbean kicks off on July 10 for an action-packed ten days of activities focused on scuba diving and other associated watersports. Primary festival organizer, the Dominica Watersports Association, encourages visitors to dive down and discover the beautiful landscapes and colorful marine life found in the waters surrounding the island.

"Dive Fest was established to showcase the renowned marine environment of Dominica to visitors and residents alike, and is now one of the island´s signature events," comments Colin Piper, Director of Tourism at Discover Dominica Authority. "Visitors are invited to join in and experience the best the island has to offer, with endless adventures both above and below the surface. If you need a reason to visit Dominica, Dive Fest is it."

Would-be divers and snorkelers as young as eight can participate in pool or ocean-based introductory sessions to learn the basics, with some trial sessions offered completely free of charge. Intermediate and expert scuba divers will find a schedule that includes underwater treasure hunts, photography competitions and the chance to borrow and test out new equipment such as an underwater camera by Sealife...[LosAngelesChronicle]

Divers hope to prove Lake Ontario shipwreck is flagship of War of 1812

A Queen’s University Psychiatry professor who studies how disease affects quality of life will be doing research of a very different sort this summer, in the murky depths of Lake Ontario.

Along with other volunteer divers, Dianne Groll hopes to resolve once and for all whether the remains of a 200-year-old shipwreck off the coast of Kingston is a flagship from the War of 1812. One of the project’s organizers, Dr. Groll will join nautical historians from throughout Ontario in surveying remains of what may be the Wolfe, the infamous warship of Captain Yeo.

The preparation work will begin the first weekend in May, when marine archaeologists from Parks Canada's Underwater Archaeology Service will run a course for Preserve our Wrecks Kingston to certify divers that could then go on to help in the survey.

“It’s delicate work,” says Dr.Groll, a member of Preserve our Wrecks Kingston “but it will be very exciting to finally identify this ship -- especially if it turns out to be the flagship of the War of 1812, as we hope.”

Divers who complete the course in May will receive their Nautical Archaeology Society Level One certification. In early June, they’ll help other certified divers take measurements, drawings and photographs of the shipwreck...[ExchangeMagazine.com]

Litterpickers launch underwater effort!

Divers from the Reefers and Wreckers diver training facility in Clitheroe decided they would give Mother Earth some attention on Mothers' Day by holding a clean-up day at Devil's Bridge, Kirkby Lonsdale.

The group of a dozen divers and four surface support, one of whom was the centre owner's baby daughter, Milana, wanted to raise awareness to the ever-increasing problem of the rubbish both above and below the water.

The event was supported by Project Aware Foundation, which strives to educate people about the delicate state that the earth is in and what the human race is able to do about it.

The divers managed to raise £88 for Project Aware through raffle ticket sales, with the lucky winner walking away with a box set of Jacque Cousteau DVDs donated by Reefers and Wreckers...[TheClitheroeAdvertiserandTimes]

Diver braves frigid Red River to unplug drain

The next time you balk at taking a frigid May long weekend dip, be thankful you don't work for Dominion Divers.

On Tuesday night, a diver with the Winnipeg firm spent an hour below the surface of the fast-moving, frigid Red River to allow the city of Winnipeg to unplug a blocked drain that contributed to overland flooding in south Charleswood and the Fort Whyte Area.

After complaints of overland flooding that just wouldn't recede, the city asked Dominion Divers to deploy a team to the outflow of the Lot 16 Drain, which runs north of Bishop Grandin Boulevard through Fort Garry before spilling into the Red River.

Debris in the river had prevented a grate on the drain from opening, causing flooding that washed out a portion of both Loudon Road and McCreary Road, Charleswood Coun. Bill Clement said Wednesday.

A diver in a protective helmet and drysuit was lowered into the Red River twice: first to check out the situation underwater and then to attach a hook and chain to the grate, said Dominion Divers president Garth Hiebert...[WinnipegFreePress]

Unique divers'chamber comes to Rugby

A new recompression chamber, commonly known for treating divers with the bends, was recently opened at the Hospital of St. Cross.

As originally reported by the Advertiser last year, the facility is one of only 15 chambers in England and represents an important investment into the healthcare facilities in the Midlands area.

With one of the country's busiest scuba diving centres, Stoney Cove, just down the road, the facility is expected to be welcomed by the dive community.

Simon Wilson, Technical Director at Midlands Diving Chamber, said: "It's great to have a chamber like this in the Midlands, which can not only be used to serve the huge population of divers in the area, but also to support the healthcare services within the community."

Carl Holland, Hospital Manager at the Hospital of St Cross, added: "This is a fantastic addition to the hospital which can be used not just to serve the huge population of divers we have in our community, but also as an additional service for our existing patients."...[RugbyAdvertiser]

Mukilteo could become a dive-friendly destination

Mukilteo officials had no idea of the tsunami they stirred up when they banned scuba diving from Lighthouse Park last August, mainly because they had no idea how wildly popular the park is to local divers.

Diver John Rawlings would say that’s because we landlubbers have no idea of the beauty that lurks off the shores of our beloved park.

“If nothing else, I think this ‘fight’ of ours to restore diver access has done much to give the City Council, the Parks and Arts Commission and the residents of Mukilteo a glimpse into what awaits them underwater,” Rawlings said.

Not only is the ban likely to be lifted at an upcoming council meeting, the city is completely reversing direction, talking of packaging Mukilteo as a dive-friendly destination – encouraging the sport, potentially offering dive instruction, and exploring council president Randy Lord’s idea of tying diving in with the annual Lighthouse Festival with dive demonstrations and perhaps divers fitted with cameras to show in real time the world beneath the surface...[MulkiteoBeacon]

Kenting corals spawning

Corals in the waters off the Kenting National Park in southern Taiwan are spawning, according to a diver and coral reef ecology observer who said he saw clumps of pink coral eggs drifting off Taiwan's southwestern coast.

Tsai Yung-chun, who made the discovery Monday, said he anticipated that the spawning will peak on April 18.

On his most recent dive, Tsai said, he also observed an increase in the population of cleaner shrimps in the protected marine area, which is a sign that the efforts to restore the marine ecology in Kenting are bearing fruit...[TaiwanNews.com]

2009 underwater photography contest winners announced

In its fifth annual Underwater Photography Contest, the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science attracted a diverse array of national and international photographic talent representing 23 countries and 918 images which competed in one of three categories: "wide angle," "macro," and "fish or marine animal portrait." Recognition was also given to the best among University of Miami student entries.

Winning images were chosen via anonymous judging by a panel of experts in underwater photography and fine arts, including underwater photographers Myron and Nicole Wang, wildlife photographer Tim Calver, and Wilfredo Lee from the Associated Press. The competition is open to all amateur photographers who earn no more than 20 percent of their income from their photography. Awards included a weeklong trip with Blackbeard's Cruises and cash prizes.

The Best Overall was an image submitted by Marchione Giacomo from Italy. The photograph depicts two Boxer crabs (Lybia tasselata) with sea anemones in each claw. When threatened Boxer crabs wave the stinging tentacles in defense against predators. The image was shot in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Other winners, listed by category, include...[EurekAlert.com]

SUBAL CD5MII Underwater Housing for Canon EOS 5D Mark II

.The new SUBAL CD5MII is an aluminum underwater housing for the Canon EOS 5D Mark II with no reduction in the field of view coverage. Ergonomic placement of all the important controls provides convenient and comfortable handling of the camera functions. The housing is waterproof to 70 feet and offers 2 Flash connectors with the option of : Nikonos V, IKELITE or S6 sockets parallel connected.

There is no limit to the creativity of the underwater photographer!

* Special attention has been made to the position of the front and rear main dials and the lever for the display illumination.

* There is a lever in the rear housing which allows the activate the AF-On OR the AE/FE Lock button.

* The camera is mounted on a saddle for precise positioning inside the housing, making wrong positioning impossible.

* A 4 mm main-O-ring and the SUBAL QuickLock system makes it virtually impossible to close the lid if the O-ring is not lying correctly in its groove. Maximum security is assured.

* Generous shading of the LCD-monitor provides a dazzle-free view to the brilliant image of the camera monitor and works well with the HD-video function of this camera.

* Threaded holes underneath the housing allows the trays and/or accessories to be mounted.

* A top mounted plate with threaded hole is provided for attaching a light-weight aiming lights.

* The housing incorporates an excellent viewfinder optic for full frame viewing. Optionally the housing can be assembled with the magnifying Viewfinder Optic GS 180 or the magnifying, 360° rotatable, Viewfinder Optic WS45...[CameraTown.com]

MDA will host underwater reef cleanup on April 25

The Micronesian Divers Association will host a reef cleanup dive on April 25, according to the association’s online newsletter.

Divers will enjoy a one-tank boat dive while collecting trash off of the reef. Bags and gloves will be provided.

The dive only costs $5 and the money is refunded after the dive the newsletter said.

Call 472-6321 to sign up or visit the MDA dive shop in Piti. Space is limited...[Guampdn.com]

Seven scuba divers rescued off Cornwall

Seven scuba divers were rescued after they were swept out to sea off Porthgwarra near Lands End this afternoon.

Coastguard officials told CDNN that walkers spotted the divers and called for help.

Falmouth Coastguard organized a search that involved the Lands End Coastguard Rescue Team, who happened to be training in the area when the accident occurred.

The Sennen Cove RNLI launched both inshore and all weather lifeboats and a rescue helicopter was scrambled from RNAS Culdrose.

The crew of the inshore lifeboat found five of the scuba divers about a quarter mile off Gwennap head and pulled them aboard.

The helicopter spotted the other two divers on rocks and notified the inshore lifeboat, which rescued them...[CDNN]

Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods keep it civil on their doomed charge

...Tiger says he loves scuba diving "because no one tries to talk to me down there"...[Gaurdian.co.uk]

Ship headed to new Florida home, will be a reef

After several delays, the Vandenberg ship has finally left for Key West, one of the last steps in a 13-year process to create the newest artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Officials say the 1,100-mile voyage should take about eight days. The vessel departed on Sunday.

Project organizers expect to sink the ship six miles south of the island sometime between May 20 and June 1.

Almost three quarters of the project's $8.6 million price tag was used to rid the vessel of contaminants and prepare it for its new life as a marine habitat and attraction for divers...[MiamiHerald.com]

Members of Saginaw Underwater Explorers float in a silent world

Bruce A. Beckert remembers where he was when astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong took their first steps on the moon in 1969.

"We were diving at a shipwreck on Isle Royale, and we stopped to watch it on a television at the lodge up there," said Beckert, 79, of Saginaw. "Then we just continued our dive.

"It's like another world itself diving up there; after the clear water and shipwrecks around Isle Royale, you almost don't want to go anywhere else."

And though he admits he hasn't "gotten wet" in 20 years, he's one of many who will help the Saginaw Underwater Explorers celebrate its 50th anniversary this year. A charter member, Beckert started taking lessons in the pool at the old YMCA at Michigan and Ames when the club formed in 1959 and in the years since, he's held just about every office in the longest-running diving club in Michigan.

"That was the year I was born," chuckled its current president, Mike K. Fabish, 50, of Thomas Township. But between talking with older members such as Beckert and John R. Garner, and his own underwater experiences, he's championed the club for the past 11 years...[MLive.com]

RP’s best dive sites, bar none

IT MAY BE a cliché, but passionate scuba divers will never stop telling you: the Philippines is one of the best places in the world to dive.

Even those of us who have had the chance to dive in different countries will always come back to our favorites in our blessed archipelago. So now that the weather is perfect, sign up for a course and get into the water. There are few better places in the world to do it.

Tubbataha, Sulu Sea

The Everest of Philippine diving in every way, from cost and distance to the unparalleled diving experience itself.

The Tubbataha Reefs, 182 km southwest of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, and the neighboring Jessie Beazley Reef, make up the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park, a Unesco World Heritage site. It’s for experienced divers, as the currents can be treacherous, but the rewards are great—everything from white and black tip reef sharks by the dozen, to whale sharks, mantas and hammerheads. On my last trip, a scalloped hammerhead came within six feet of me, probably wondering why I looked funny.

Tubbataha is accessible only by live-aboard dive boats in the Philippine summer; any other time, the waters of the Sulu Sea are too rough. It’s an overnight trip from Puerto Princesa to the site for a week of diving in over 10,000 ha of reefs that are home to half of the coral species on earth, some 500 species of fish, 11 kinds of sharks and more.

Book early, and get ready to spend. But it’s worth every peso...[Inquirer.net]

Dive for Earth Day events in SoCal and globally

This month, as we head toward Earth Day on Apr. 22, you’ll get a jolly green earful of great festivals and events where you can celebrate our planet upon terra firma. But since over 70% of the Earth’s surface consists of water, it’d make sense to get a little wet for the occasion, don’t you think?

That’s where Dive for Earth Day comes in. Initiated by environmental nonprofit Project AWARE Foundation in 2000, the campaign has prompted thousands of divers in over 115 countries to volunteer and raise awareness about our fragile aquatic environments. Projects on and surrounding Earth Day largely consist of beach and underwater cleanups as well as educational events.

Last year, in Katowice, Poland, 280 volunteers collected 1,500 bags of trash from shores and sea. On the Isle of Wight in the UK, a “fancy dress beach cleanup” attracted the likes of a James Bond look-a-like and others festively collecting tar, cans, bottles and other rubbish. On Maui, Hawaii, divers collected 500 pounds of garbage and recycled some of it, including fishing lines and weights that were cleaned and got a chance at new life via a local shop, according to the Project AWARE website...[LATimes]

Enterprise Rotarians meet dive commander

Honor, courage, commitment, heritage, and tradition. Those core values are the focus for the commander of the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center as he annually oversees training of nearly 2,000 military divers.

Commander Timothy Richardt explained to Enterprise Rotarians Tuesday that as head of the joint services military dive training school in Panama City, Fla., he stresses to his staff of 250, “I want those five values taught.”

“Without an understanding of where we have come from,” Richardt said describing the December 7, 1941, surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and the September 11, 2001, attack on the Twin Towers in New York City, “how easy it would be for something to happen again.”

Forty nations send military personnel to train at the Navy school, Richardt said. Currently, one class is solely filled with soldiers from 15 countries.

Salvage and recovery operations, port and harbor security, harbor and obstacle clearance, and salvage and recovery operations are among the 22 courses offered to trainees...[Esprisenow.com]

Pammie to wed her scuba diver?

Pamela Anderson has declared she is ready to become a blushing bride for an impressive fourth time.

The Baywatch beauty hinted her next bridal gown is already being made to measure after declaring her love for her new boyfriend she met in a caravan park.

Pammie gushed her feelings for the scuba diver, Jamie Padgett, telling guests at a Hollywood party this week he has become close to her two sons Brandon, 12, and Dylan, 11, revealing the boys 'love Jamie'...[Metro.co.uk]

Baselworld 2009: Ulysse Nardin Diver Perpetual Watch, Limited Edition Of 500 Pieces

The Ulysse Nardin Diver Perpetual Limited Edition watch introduced at Baselworld 2009 deftly combines the unquestioned sporting competence of a diving instrument with a brilliant perpetual calendar complication offering calendar adjustment both forwards and backwards with a simple turn of the crown. In keeping with the theme seen in the Ulysse Nardin's 2009 Maxi Marine Diver watches, this timepiece presents a case in titanium, and a strikingly attired orange and black unidirectional rotating bezel.

The Ulysse Nardin Diver Perpetual Limited Edition watch measures 45mm across, and features a screw-down winding crown protected by polished titanium shoulders. Uncompromising in its exotic flavor, the black carbon fiber dial showcases black skeleton hands and hour markers attired with orange luminous material. Ulysse Nardin's patented big date mechanism appears in the upper right section of the dial, above a triad of windows which display day of the week, the month, and the two-digit year. An applied semi-circular sector at 9 o'clock presents the small seconds on two scales via a black and orange hand...[Vialuxe]

Study sheds new light on whale sharks

Scientists have discovered that whale sharks, the biggest fish in the ocean, get around — as in really get around.

A just-released study by Chicago-based geneticist Jennifer Schmidt found that the bus-sized sharks not only swim across oceans, they apparently breed with their counterparts in far-flung areas of the globe.

Schmidt, a University of Illinois at Chicago associate professor of biological sciences, now wants to expand the study by taking DNA samples from the four whale sharks at the Georgia Aquarium in downtown Atlanta. The aquarium houses the only captive whale sharks outside of Asia.

The world’s biggest indoor aquarium obtained its whale sharks from Taiwan, an area not covered by Schmidt’s DNA study of 68 whale sharks in the wild.

“The opportunity to characterize these sharks genetically would nicely complement the existing study,” Schmidt said.

The study by Schmidt and her colleagues is one of the most comprehensive to date on the little-understood shark. It sheds new light on the behavior of the polka-dotted, filter-feeding giant that can reach 50 feet in length and weigh more than 20 tons...[AJC.com]

Engineer explores underwater wireless communications

Milica Stojanovic says the best way to think about the need for better underwater communications is to consider the Titanic. After the passenger liner sank in April 1912, its exact whereabouts remained a mystery until 1985, when the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s imaging vehicle finally located the wreckage.

When the robotic vehicle honed in on the craft, its success underscored a greater need for better underwater communications, especially those that would require no cables. Wireless communications, signal processing and detection underwater are the areas of specialty for Stojanovic, a newly hired electrical engineering associate professor at Northeastern.

“When the Titanic sank, people knew approximately where it went down, but it wasn’t until Woods Hole designed that small robotic vehicle that we knew the truth,” Stojanovic said. “When that robot was sent down, it was attached to a long cable connecting it to a surface ship. The cables are very expensive and heavy, and they limit the movement of the robot. There are applications that would greatly benefit from the ability to communicate underwater without cables.”

Future applications could enhance myriad industries, ranging from the offshore oil industry to aquaculture to fishing industries, she noted. Additionally, pollution control, climate recording, ocean monitoring (for prediction of natural disturbances) and detection of objects on the ocean floor are other areas that could benefit from enhanced underwater communications...[PhysOrg.com]

Seascooter GTi takes divers to new depths

James Bond, eat your heart out. Jean-Michel Cousteau, take a number. The Seascooter GTI from watersport experts SEA-DOO is an underwater propulsion unit lets anyone become an underwater adventurer. It's a splashy good time for everyone — useful for scuba divers and snorkelers, or just plain fun for swimmers in the surf. Diver propulsion vehicles for everyone.

The 18-pound Seascooter will swim along at 2.5 mph for up to two hours with a waterproof rechargeable battery. It will sweep you down to 100 feet, and it has adjustable buoyancy so you're not fighting it to stay submerged. For $400, it's not that expensive compared to the other costs associated with diving...[DVice.com]

Oceaneering Divers Hone Welding Skills

A state-of-the-art facility for wet and dry habitat welding training has been installed at the Oceaneering International, Inc. Siracusa Road location in Morgan City, Louisiana. Diver/welders using the site can be qualified at 40-foot water depths. The tank allows up to 4 divers to simulate underwater conditions for performing welding procedures used offshore during platform or ship repair operations to produce quality welds.

Design limitations, strengths and weaknesses, metallurgy and mechanical properties are all considerations that contribute to choosing the most appropriate method for a successful subsea repair. Properly engineered, wet welding can be a cost-effective option for selected high quality underwater repairs...[SubSeaNews]