Underwater cleanup needs helpers

Scuba divers, boat captains,and other volunteers are needed to participate in an underwater clean up of Sebastian Inlet on July 18 and in Ft Pierce Inlet on July 25.

Kayakers are needed to man kayaks sponsored by Kayaks Etc and Tropical Kayak Tours in Sebastian and Vero Beach.

A removal of derelict crab traps will take place on July 18 in the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge and anyone with a boat interested in helping haul traps to shore is asked to contact us.

Abandoned crap traps and other discarded fishing equipment continues to kill wild life and is known as "ghost fishing" One trap removed in 2007 contained at least 25 trapped species...[Link]

Collier building another artificial reef

A big bunch of concrete is sitting at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico just off the Collier County coastline.

In total, 950 tons of concrete is getting dumped about 4 miles off the beach in Naples.

Thanks to a $60,000 grant, Coastal Zone Management workers are laying the foundation for what will grow into Collier County's latest artificial reef.

Within months, the artificial reef will produce two big benefits.

The first, barnacles and other marine life will start to grow on the concrete to make it a central habitat for many species of fish.

The second benefit, a new reef means a new place for you to fish, and for fishing captains to take tourists in the wake of a weak economy.

"We will use that to take people out and actually catch fish off that reef, and also take them out scuba diving," said Captain Joey Dobin, a charter boat fishing captain in Naples...[Link]

Pierre Kunz Spirit Diver Depth Gauge Watch Back

The new “Holy Grail” complication for luxury mechanical diving watches is an included depth gauge – applied in various techniques. Many of the established luxury brands who make diving watches have a depth gauge model (such as IWC, Panerai, and Jaeger-LeCoultre). However, in this instance Pierre Kunz’s very first diving watch will be fitted with a depth gauge module. As you can see, the depth gauge will accurately measure depths up to 80 meters (the majority of divers will not exceed this depth) and is placed as a module on the left side of the 44mm wide decorated steel (or Blacktop steel) case with a rubber strap. The watch itself is water resistant to 100 meters. The little touches on the watch are where the luxury comes in from the extremely fine detailing and finishing to the designer dial. Applied hour markers, a multi-level dial, and a quirky subsidiary seconds disc, make for a fantastic style. The dial is done in a material known as texalium (black or silver) or in the pictured lacquered “diver’s flag.”...[Link]

PADI and The Underwater Channel / Babelgum Launch Web Video Alliance

PADI and The Underwater Channel, which is powered by Babelgum, today announced a new partnership that will bring scuba diving and ocean conservation video content to a global audience on www.padi.com/scuba/video.

New York, NY and London, UK (Vocus/PRWEB ) July 2, 2009 -- PADI and The Underwater Channel, which is powered by Babelgum, today announced a new partnership that will bring scuba diving and ocean conservation video content to a global audience on www.padi.com/scuba/video. PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) is the world's leading scuba diving organization and strongly supports oceanographic conservation efforts globally.

Kristin Valette, VP, Marketing and Communications at PADI Americas said, "We have had a successful partnership with The Underwater Channel for some time. They share our commitment to diving and to the future health of the world's oceans. This distribution partnership with Babelgum, is both exciting for us and the dive community globally. We are particularly proud to be associated with a range of compelling programming being produced and acquired by The Underwater Channel from around the world. These include exciting diving and other inspiring films about the importance of marine conservation."...[Link]

Yemen diver group flies for Moroni

A Yemeni diver group from the Special Forces headed early on Thursday for the Comorian capital, Moroni.

The group will participate in the search and rescue operations for remaining passengers of the Yemeni airliner crashed off the Comorian coasts...[Link]

Scuba diving refresher course helps to scratch the itch to go deep again

I grew up in Florida. After years of snorkeling as a kid, I took the plunge in 1988 and took a scuba class. I was instantly hooked and spent many fun weekends in the Keys diving reefs and wrecks. But a new job took me across the country to the Puget Sound area near Seattle. It's an area of extensive waterways and extremely dark, cold water. Friends tried to get me to dive, but the thought of dry suits and visibility that dropped off near your hand kept me on shore.

After moving to the Northeast, the same scenario presented itself. Diving became one of those things you used to do when you were young.

Now I'm 48 and back in Florida. I've been snorkeling again in the Keys, but nothing compares to diving. Once you've spent time down deep, you want to go back. Floating on the surface just doesn't cut it. Since I hadn't gone diving since 1993, I needed to make sure I could still do it...[Link]

Mysterious Current Drags Away Divers at La Jolla Cove

Lifeguards were warning scuba enthusiasts to take extra precautions in the waters off La Jolla Shores following a report of a strong underwater current that pulled about a half-dozen divers into deep water and made it difficult for them to surface.

The group of divers reported getting caught in the unexplained undertow while roughly 30 feet underwater about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, San Diego lifeguard Lt. Andy Lerum said.

They said the phenomenon lasted about 10 minutes and rapidly pulled them 30-50 feet deeper. Several described hanging on to the edge of the a deep submarine canyon in the area to keep from being dragged farther down...[Link]

National Guard donates surplus materials for artificial reef project

The city of North Myrtle Beach states with help from the S.C. Army National Guard, artificial reefs along the coast continue to flourish.

According to a news release from NMB, for the thirteenth consecutive year, the S.C. Army National Guard has partnered with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to donate surplus materials to the Marine Artificial Reef program, a collaborative project known as Reef-Ex.

This year, the Jim Caudle Reef and Little River Offshore Reef in Horry County will receive the materials from the S.C. Army National Guard.

According to Bob Martore, DNR’s Marine Artificial Reef Program Coordinator, “We’re very excited to be partnering once again with the Army National Guard and the Jim Caudle Memorial Reef Foundation. These organizations have done a great deal to assist our reef program through the years and these joint efforts have always resulted in exceptional reef habitat.” ...[Link]

Whale Shark Festival - July 2009 at Isla Mujeres, Mexico

The second annual Whale Shark Festival at Isla Mujeres, Mexico is scheduled to take place from July 15–19, 2009. Located off the tip of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, Isla Mujeres may be extremely hot during the summer, but guests will have plenty of opportunities to cool off by immersing themselves in the cool, blue Caribbean waters.

Lasting five days, the Whale Shark Festival celebrates island culture, drawing thousands of visitors to the island to learn about the largest fish in the world Currently listed as an endangered species, whale sharks can reach up to 40 feet in length and weigh up to 15 tons.

Highlighting the festival is the unforgettable experience of swimming with whale sharks, which are considered to be filter eaters and pose no immediate threat to humans. Daily excursions take guests to an area where whale sharks congregate, providing swimmers with a rare opportunity to spend time with these large and powerful animals. Accompanying swimmers are fully licensed guides that are also expert divers...[Link]

Do Dive Computers Make Diving Safer?

I was looking though scuba diving related articles on Ezine Articles and came across an interesting article about the safety of dive computers. The author argues that dive computers can make scuba diving safer. The article is a good one about the benefits of dive computers to recreational scuba divers. However, as I read through the article, the author failed to discuss ascent strategies and general decompression knowledge to make computer diving safer. The article is called Diving Computers Make Diving Safer.

Certainly, we can see that dive computers do have some benefit. The flaw in our thinking is that the majority of scuba divers have no idea how these devices work. Most recreational divers do not need to have complete knowledge of decompression theory or decompression algorithms. All divers do need to have an understanding of what is going on inside their bodies in order to make safe decisions regarding their ascent profiles. The author is hinting that the diver does not need to think about their exposure to decompression, because the dive computer will continually calculate a diver’s no decompression limit...[Link]

Tissot Seatouch - A High Performance Tactile Watch For Divers

The SEA-Touch by Tissot uses patented technology to ensure that this watch for divers maintains its high performance at all levels – above and below sea level. Right down to a depth of 200 meters, wearers literally have the sophisticated functionality of this high-tech diving watch at their fingertips. As well as being able to tell the time in two time zones and indicate the depth of the current dive, this timepiece integrates a digital chronograph, thermometer, alarm, perpetual calendar date, compass and divers’ logbook, all activated by touch on the glass.

Diving functionality in depth

SEA-Touch fulfils all of the European Norm EN13319 stipulated criteria (divers accessories) – luminosity, shock resistance, anti-magnetism, band solidity and the integration of a time control device. This tactile watch provides a selection of important diving data. When the diver enters the water (minimum depth 1m40), the hands go directly to 9 o’clock. Later the minute hand displays the depth of the dive on the scale around the bezel. The hour hand reveals the speed the diver is moving at in meters per minute on the dial. Excellent visibility comes from highly luminescent material and an effective backlight. Patented technology by Tissot SA on the SEA-Touch ensures that the rubber-protected pushers have double protection and therefore can operate perfectly underwater...[Link]

Malaysia International Dive Expo 2009 – July scuba event in southeast Asia

Scuba enthusiasts will gather in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from July 3–5, 2009 for the fourth annual Malaysia International Dive Expo (MIDE). The event is the largest dive show in Malaysia. Organizers expect more than 10,000 visitors for the three-day event, which will feature approximately 155 booths and 120 exhibitors.

MIDE will feature a variety of programs and activities including:

* Product demonstrations at the MIDE Demo Pool located at the entrance of the Putra World Trade Center.
* Children’s underwater coloring contest.
* Workshops and training programs on a variety of diving topics such as choosing and maintaining dive equipment and selecting dive destinations. Photographic topics include how to shoot macros and shooting with a strobeless compact digital.
* Seminars on a variety of topics ranging from marine conservation, marine species and diving rescue to photography and technical topics...[Link]

Navy Officer Receives Medal Underwater

Most medal presentations are very formal affairs, but a Royal Navy diver experienced a completely different type of ceremony when he received his reward for his loyal service underwater!

Acting Petty Officer Andy Coulson of Southern Diving Unit 2 (SDU2) was in the middle of a two-week exercise in Gibraltar when he was given an impromptu medal presentation at the bottom of a military outdoor swimming pool.

Officer in Charge SDU2, Lieutenant Simon Leightley, dived to the bottom of the pool to read PO Coulson's citation and to formally present his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

PO Coulson said:

"I was not expecting it. I mentioned it in passing several weeks ago that I thought it would be good to receive my medal underwater rather than on the parade ground, but I didn’t expect anyone to act on it! I had totally forgotten that I mentioned it...[Link]

Mexico: Swim with whale sharks in the Yucatan

Whale sharks, the largest of the ocean’s fish, are spending time in the warm waters off the Yucatan Peninsula during these summer days. Can you blame them? Probably not. Wanna join them?

These flat-headed, gargantuan creatures (up to 40 feet long, according to National Geographic) snack on plankton and small fish — and not humans — so swimming with them, though they move around open-mouthed, may not be as preposterous as you might think.

With Rosewood Mayakobá, on Mexico’s Riviera Maya, you can embark on a half-day guided tour by private yacht to seek out whale sharks. Once they’ve been found, you get to swim and snorkel with the fish...[Link]

Artificial-reef balls sunk near Ogden Point

They look like giant wiffle balls, but you'd have a little trouble hitting one with a bat -- in fact, you probably wouldn't get the 136-kilogram balls off the ground.

This weekend, the first of 100 artificial reefs -- known as "reef balls" -- are being dropped in waters just east of Ogden Point. They're part of a project designed to study reef ecosystems, and to help replace natural reefs disappearing because of coastline development.

The dome-shaped cement structures, about the size of a large exercise ball, are designed to mimic the shape and texture of naturally occurring reefs...[Link]

From the depths of Lake Carlos...

For Jeff Bosek of Alexandria, there’s nothing more fun than finding a fishing pole in the depths of one of Douglas County’s few hundred lakes, and then wondering how long the angler looked for it once he lost his grip and it went overboard.

As the owner of Divers Clubhouse in Alexandria, Bosek, a certified diver and instructor, loves imagining the stories that go along with the treasures he sometimes finds at the bottom of the area’s most pristine, yet muddy and murky lakes.

One particular find – a large set of antlers – made his imagination run wild – just like the animal that was once attached to them.

In a letter sent to the newspaper, Bosek tells the story of the elk rack he found at the bottom of Lake Carlos...[Link]

Scuba enthusiasts combine a good deed with a chance to dive

The crystal surface of Lake Tahoe belies what's beneath: a hodgepodge of keys dropped from pockets, rusted pieces of metal from boats and, inexplicably, even a saute pan that turned shades of submerged blue and brown.

A small group of Sacramento-area scuba divers spent Sunday at Hurricane Beach, on the west shore, collecting underwater trash.

"It's out of sight, out of mind," said John Day, 42, of Cameron Park. "People think (garbage) just goes to that magic disposal spot in the sky."

The divers pulled on their gear, attaching net bags for the refuse. But mainly, the good deed was an excuse to get in the water.

"Boy, that sounds like fun, I'm going," Mike Massengale, 48, of South Lake Tahoe, said he thought when he saw the event in a newsletter. "I love the serenity of being under the water. It's as close to flying as a human can get."

Massengale hates seeing litter when he's underwater, but he doesn't begrudge its former owners...[SacramentoBee]

Whale of an author coming to Cold Spring Harbor

At 2 p.m. on July 12, Long Island author and scuba diver Paul J. Mila will present videos of his amazing underwater expeditions at the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum.

After retiring from a successful corporate career, the 62-year-old Carle Place resident now devotes his life to writing, exploring the deep sea and speaking about ocean conservation.
His most recent novel, “Fireworks” (AuthorHouse, $15.95), published last year, is the third in a scuba-diving series centering around Terry Hunter, a dive operation owner, and Joe Manetta, her retired NYPD detective husband.

How and when did you become interested in scuba diving?

I always was fascinated by scuba diving, ever since watching Lloyd Bridges as Mike Nelson in the 1950s TV series “Sea Hunt” and later watching the Jacques Cousteau specials on TV.

On a trip to Cozumel [Mexico] in 1999, I took what is called the Resort Course, just to try diving. It was a great experience, like diving in an aquarium. The water was gin-clear, and we saw all kinds of sealife: — turtles, many types of fish, colorful sponges and corals, etc. I was hooked and came back to Scuba Network [in Carle Place, www.scubalongisland.com] to get certified. The instructor I met in Cozumel later became the model for the main character [Terry Hunter] in my books...[Newsday.com]

Taking a stake in Dane County lakes

Some local scuba divers are giving back to the lakes the only way they know how: by cleaning trash off the bottom.

It's all part of the 22 annual Take a Stake in the Lakes. That's a series of events to help clean up and appreciate Dane county's lakes. The event featured scuba divers skimming the bottom of lake Monona.

Along with beauty, it also helps out the fish down below.

Joann Hoffman, the Scuba coordinator, says, "It's just not good for them to have rusting cans, rusting barrels down there. Tarps covering the bottom so that the natural environment can't do what it's supposed to do."...[WKOWTV.com]