Headed out for a charter on M3 and M1. Great dives. I forget how much stuff there is down there. Mostly the sites consist of old culvert drainage and sewer pipes and assemblies. M3 had the most fish, including several very large Angelfish, mature Hogfish, large schools of Atlantic Spadefish and tons of snapper, small grouper. Viz was 20 feet on M3 and about 12-15 on M1.
We were doing the Drift Diving Specialty - both students did really great today and we had some really fun dives. Drift Diving is a great specialty to do so you are ready for it when the opportunity comes up. Drift Diving is a great way to conserve air and see more during a dive. There are a few minor things that can create issues though and we discuss those and then do two drift dives for the specialty. Congrats to Roger and Gil! Greg
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Anne Miller - Marathoner Extraordinaire
The multi-talented Anne, one of our favorite divers, competed in the Publix Super Markets Gasparilla Distance Classic Race Weekend - 15k on Saturday and finished in 01:29!
Congratulations, from all of us at Florida Underwater Sports!
Congratulations, from all of us at Florida Underwater Sports!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Service Club Beach Report 27 February 2009
Nice couple of dives today. We were out doing Navigation and Peak Performance Buoyancy for an advanced class. The VIZ was 8 to 10 feet and the waves were nice and low. Water temp was 62 to 64 degrees.
Carl
Carl
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Alpinism?
I was reading up on the latest info on rebreathers and I came across the term "Alpinism" or "Alpinist". It is a pretty interesting term that specific to rebreathers means that the diver is diving without a bailout bottle. A bailout bottle is a pretty standard piece of equipment that allows the diver to get air if something goes wrong with the rebreather and loop will not provide the correct air or mixture.
I am taking a guess here, but it looks like the term "Alpinism" derives from the mountain climbers in the Alps that often climb icy peaks without safety gear (let me know if I have this wrong).
There are a number of interesting conversation around alpinism and rebreathers and what is safe, but I also noticed a number of comments about open circuit recreational divers being alpinist as well, but not knowing it.
The typical argument is that when diving in the 100+ foot range on a single tank, not knowing if you can rely on your buddy to provide air in an emergency, you are taking an alpinist attitude about things. You are banking on the fact that gear rarely fails, you always check your air and you can get to the surface by yourself if need be. The funny thing about most of the conversations is they revolve around how bad a buddy can be - not close enough, doesn't know how to do an alternate air ascent, not really paying attention, etc. I know that some buddies are like this, but it a pretty wide brush to paint every buddy with that reputation.
The other part of alpinism that I find really interesting is that the community says it is fine, as long as they know the risks and take them willingly. In the more technical side of diving (cave, trimix, deep, etc) the divers understand the risks more readily.
A good question for all of us recreational divers to ask is "Are we Alpinist in our approach to diving?" In other words have we assessed the risk, mitigate the risks we can and accepted the remaining risks?
Here are some common risks - this is by no means a comprehensive list, just some stuff to think about:
I am taking a guess here, but it looks like the term "Alpinism" derives from the mountain climbers in the Alps that often climb icy peaks without safety gear (let me know if I have this wrong).
There are a number of interesting conversation around alpinism and rebreathers and what is safe, but I also noticed a number of comments about open circuit recreational divers being alpinist as well, but not knowing it.
The typical argument is that when diving in the 100+ foot range on a single tank, not knowing if you can rely on your buddy to provide air in an emergency, you are taking an alpinist attitude about things. You are banking on the fact that gear rarely fails, you always check your air and you can get to the surface by yourself if need be. The funny thing about most of the conversations is they revolve around how bad a buddy can be - not close enough, doesn't know how to do an alternate air ascent, not really paying attention, etc. I know that some buddies are like this, but it a pretty wide brush to paint every buddy with that reputation.
The other part of alpinism that I find really interesting is that the community says it is fine, as long as they know the risks and take them willingly. In the more technical side of diving (cave, trimix, deep, etc) the divers understand the risks more readily.
A good question for all of us recreational divers to ask is "Are we Alpinist in our approach to diving?" In other words have we assessed the risk, mitigate the risks we can and accepted the remaining risks?
Here are some common risks - this is by no means a comprehensive list, just some stuff to think about:
- Am I diving beyond my physical fitness? If I get winded while diving, it is time to shorten my dive up.
- When was the last time my equipment was serviced? Am I taking a regulator past 100 feet when the last time it was serviced was three years ago?
- Is this what I trained for? Has a divemaster in a foreign country led me into a wreck penetration dive that I didn't expect?
- Am I pushing the limits of the dive computer? Did I skip my safety stop because it didn't seem like I needed it?
- If I got caught in fishing line would I have something to cut it with?
How much Alpinism are we willing to accept for ourselves? Greg
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Need a Buddy? More Viz Reports?
Okay - by popular demand (Skip), I've added to the website a bulletin board for helping people locate buddies, let everyone know what the viz report is, or ask general diving questions. We will be watching it closely and feel free to use it if you have a chance. Just click on the "Bulletin Board" button above. Greg
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Tanks and Weight
We get this question a lot - how much does a tank weigh and how buoyant is it. A great question that has a lot of answers. When you do your weight check at the start of a dive, the tank is at it's most negative and as you reduce the pressure int he tank it becomes more positive. In a normal 80CF aluminum tank, that means about 4 pounds more positive as it approaches 500PSI.
Have you ever found yourself at a safety stop and had to kick to stay down? Even though you were correctly weighted to begin with? Your tank is pulling you up. Do your weight check again at the surface (see where you float holding a normal breath with an empty BCD) and you will see how much weight you actually need. This means you'll start the dive slightly negative and by the end, be neutral.
Wondering what the buoyancy characteristics are for your tank. Check out the link here to a great chart assembled by Huron Scuba. Greg
Have you ever found yourself at a safety stop and had to kick to stay down? Even though you were correctly weighted to begin with? Your tank is pulling you up. Do your weight check again at the surface (see where you float holding a normal breath with an empty BCD) and you will see how much weight you actually need. This means you'll start the dive slightly negative and by the end, be neutral.
Wondering what the buoyancy characteristics are for your tank. Check out the link here to a great chart assembled by Huron Scuba. Greg
Holmes Beach Sand Dive
We are always looking for new training sites, so we decided to hit Holmes Beach (Manatee Beach) just north of Spanish rocks today. The idea was to find a site that will have better viz in bad weather (sugar sand versus the clay we have down in Venice) and facilities like a shower and bathroom as well. The site is actually very nice with picnic tables, nice showers, snack shack and restrooms.
So, we got in the water and were immediately flagged down by the lifeguard who told us we couldn't dive in the swimming area. It is important to note that there are no signs or indications that you cannot dive there - besides the fact we were the only one in the water. Okay, no problem, you just have to stay out of the area marked by the buoys. I also looked at the Manatee County website and found no information there either. The deal is that you should use the picnic area to suit up and then head out to the south about 50 feet past the last swim marker. Of course I know that scuba divers cause all sorts of problems for swimmers, so this rule makes complete sense to me.
Once you are out there, the bottom slopes VERY gently to 20 feet and then it gets real flat. So flat in fact that we swam off-shore for 20 minutes and I never saw the depth change. The only structure we ran across was random locations for Stone Crab holes (about 10 or so in each cluster). We came back south along the beach and still didn't run into any structure. I know that the rocks from Spanish Rocks extend north, just not all the way to Holmes Beach.
Having said all that, however, the site lives up to expectations with viz. Even with the slightly rough surf we had yesterday, viz was a solid 10-15 feet and we found lots of interesting sand dwellers there, including a Seahorse, rays, lots of crab, and a fair number of anemones. Greg
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Donut Dive February 2009 - Sort Of...
Went out to South Brohard this morning. The water temp was 61 degrees. Okay, so we don't purposefully schedule these dives on the coldest days we can find. Viz was... not so good. Still stirred up from a couple of days ago. However that did not stop a few of us hardy souls from getting out there for a couple of minutes to prove it was truly not diveable.
The good news is that viz was almost enough for shark toothing. Another day or so and you'll be able to see a couple of feet. I took a couple of videos in the blocks for you all to see what it was like. Greg
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Congratulations Carl!
We were proud when Carl completed his OWSI training at the top of his class, and now we can be doubly proud. Because just yesterday he certified his first two students! Just reading his blog you can feel his enthusiasm and his love of diving and teaching. Way to go Carl! Bo, Tom & Penny
OWSI (Open Water Scuba Instructor) First Impressions
Many of you followed my blog for my OWSI Course and IE, so now that I am actually teaching on my own here are some thoughts.
So was it worth it? Hmm, this seems like a silly question but really this is an important one. I have been teaching/training people in one capacity or another for years. As a Dispatcher for an ambulance company in Seattle then a 9-1-1 Center in Winter Park, Fl I trained people to do a critical job that impacted many lives. It was critical to get it right every time and the attention to detail was of utmost importance. I truly enjoyed those jobs. I then moved on to teach dispatchers, police officers, firefighters, and support personnel how to use Public Safety software for two different companies. This period of my life took me all over the country and I even had the opportunity to train people from North Africa. Not all of these people were happy to be put into a class to learn their new way of doing things. Despite the sometimes very hostile environment I still loved to teach them to use their new tools well.
So was it worth it? Yes, absolutely yes.
It is amazing to be able to teach people who are eager, sometimes scared, and ready to learn. But the biggest reward for me is to be able to share this amazing sport/hobby/passion/profession with others. To see the excitement of that first open water dive and the first encounter with a starfish... you say starfish? Yes. Remember that something that may be routine to a seasoned diver is a new discovery to a brand new diver. I have a routine question that I ask at the end of each training dive after the debriefing is done. "What was your favorite part of your dive?" The responses vary from: Wow the whole thing to it was so cool to see and touch that decorator pin cushion sea urchin... Again, yes it was worth it.
Is it hard to do? Yes, it is both physically and mentally challenging, but that is what makes it fun, exciting and rewarding.
Can I get rich at it? Uh, sure that would be nice but it's not likely. The reasons for doing this are spelled out above. Love it, Live it, Share it.
Is it scary to be an instructor? Yes, sometimes. But that is why we prepare, train and follow our training.
What is it like to teach kids? Hehe, fun.
Who is it most rewarding to teach? The person that has not done anything adventurous and is scared and determined to learn. We had a woman come in that was 57 years old, and had not done anything adventurous before. Her sister was a scuba diver for five years and wanted to go on a trip with her to go diving. She wanted to get certified for this trip and was determined to do so. She had plenty of fear about scuba and we started in the pool. While doing skills she choked down panic, sometimes not successfully. We worked very closely with her and got her past her fears. We did so because she was determined to do so. After several extra pool sessions she was ready for open water. She completed her training and was certified. Her sister came down from North Carolina a short while later and they went diving in a spring in north central Florida. Her sister said, "I have been diving for five years and you are a better diver than I am." Now, that is why I do it. I have had an impact in changing someones life for the better. I thank all of those people from the past and those to come for the opportunity to make that impact.
I am responsible for peoples safety first and I balance that with the fun, and there is a huge amount of fun.
If you have any questions please post a comment or question I will reply.
Thank you for the opportunity to live my dreams,
Carl
So was it worth it? Hmm, this seems like a silly question but really this is an important one. I have been teaching/training people in one capacity or another for years. As a Dispatcher for an ambulance company in Seattle then a 9-1-1 Center in Winter Park, Fl I trained people to do a critical job that impacted many lives. It was critical to get it right every time and the attention to detail was of utmost importance. I truly enjoyed those jobs. I then moved on to teach dispatchers, police officers, firefighters, and support personnel how to use Public Safety software for two different companies. This period of my life took me all over the country and I even had the opportunity to train people from North Africa. Not all of these people were happy to be put into a class to learn their new way of doing things. Despite the sometimes very hostile environment I still loved to teach them to use their new tools well.
So was it worth it? Yes, absolutely yes.
It is amazing to be able to teach people who are eager, sometimes scared, and ready to learn. But the biggest reward for me is to be able to share this amazing sport/hobby/passion/profession with others. To see the excitement of that first open water dive and the first encounter with a starfish... you say starfish? Yes. Remember that something that may be routine to a seasoned diver is a new discovery to a brand new diver. I have a routine question that I ask at the end of each training dive after the debriefing is done. "What was your favorite part of your dive?" The responses vary from: Wow the whole thing to it was so cool to see and touch that decorator pin cushion sea urchin... Again, yes it was worth it.
Is it hard to do? Yes, it is both physically and mentally challenging, but that is what makes it fun, exciting and rewarding.
Can I get rich at it? Uh, sure that would be nice but it's not likely. The reasons for doing this are spelled out above. Love it, Live it, Share it.
Is it scary to be an instructor? Yes, sometimes. But that is why we prepare, train and follow our training.
What is it like to teach kids? Hehe, fun.
Who is it most rewarding to teach? The person that has not done anything adventurous and is scared and determined to learn. We had a woman come in that was 57 years old, and had not done anything adventurous before. Her sister was a scuba diver for five years and wanted to go on a trip with her to go diving. She wanted to get certified for this trip and was determined to do so. She had plenty of fear about scuba and we started in the pool. While doing skills she choked down panic, sometimes not successfully. We worked very closely with her and got her past her fears. We did so because she was determined to do so. After several extra pool sessions she was ready for open water. She completed her training and was certified. Her sister came down from North Carolina a short while later and they went diving in a spring in north central Florida. Her sister said, "I have been diving for five years and you are a better diver than I am." Now, that is why I do it. I have had an impact in changing someones life for the better. I thank all of those people from the past and those to come for the opportunity to make that impact.
I am responsible for peoples safety first and I balance that with the fun, and there is a huge amount of fun.
If you have any questions please post a comment or question I will reply.
Thank you for the opportunity to live my dreams,
Carl
Seal Team!!!
The saga continues. Wednesday we had Kegan, Miles, Andoni and Joshua in the pool for Seal Team. Assistant Instructor Eddie Kish was with me to assist in the training and logistics of this Aquamission. THANKS EDDIE!!!
Kegan, already a Seal Team Member was in for the fun, Miles has now completed his Seal Team Training and did a fantastic job on his skill circuit. WAY TO GO MILES!!! Andoni has completed Seal Team Aquamission three and has two to go. Nice work Andoni, keep it up and you will be a Seal Team member before you know it. Joshua did a great job on Aquamission two and is progressing quickly. I am proud of you buddy.
Carl (Your Seal Trainer...)
Kegan, already a Seal Team Member was in for the fun, Miles has now completed his Seal Team Training and did a fantastic job on his skill circuit. WAY TO GO MILES!!! Andoni has completed Seal Team Aquamission three and has two to go. Nice work Andoni, keep it up and you will be a Seal Team member before you know it. Joshua did a great job on Aquamission two and is progressing quickly. I am proud of you buddy.
Carl (Your Seal Trainer...)
Open Water Class - 16 - 18 February
Three days of intense training and great diving.
John and Dan came down from beautiful and COLD Ontario, Canada. Loving the "Warm" weather they were jazzed about learning to Scuba.
Monday they arrived and we hit the books and paperwork, then it was off to the pool. We worked through all of the pool sessions and finished at 3:30 PM.
Tuesday we were off to Service Club Beach for open water dives one and two. The water was a balmy 62 degrees and the VIZ was about four feet. They both really enjoyed the tour on dive one and were psyched to get back in for dive two. Skills performed and we were back on the beach and headed back to Florida Underwater Sports for logging and prep for the next day of diving.
Wednesday we were out on "Reef Dog" and Lynn Silvertooth Reef. Every time I get out to this huge dive site I have a great time and usually notice or find something new. This time I found my first two Open Water Divers that I have trained as an Open Water Scuba Instructor.
Way to go John and Dan!!! It was a blast teaching you and a pleasure to meet you and diving with you. Next time you are here we will get you some more bottom time.
Carl
John and Dan came down from beautiful and COLD Ontario, Canada. Loving the "Warm" weather they were jazzed about learning to Scuba.
Monday they arrived and we hit the books and paperwork, then it was off to the pool. We worked through all of the pool sessions and finished at 3:30 PM.
Tuesday we were off to Service Club Beach for open water dives one and two. The water was a balmy 62 degrees and the VIZ was about four feet. They both really enjoyed the tour on dive one and were psyched to get back in for dive two. Skills performed and we were back on the beach and headed back to Florida Underwater Sports for logging and prep for the next day of diving.
Wednesday we were out on "Reef Dog" and Lynn Silvertooth Reef. Every time I get out to this huge dive site I have a great time and usually notice or find something new. This time I found my first two Open Water Divers that I have trained as an Open Water Scuba Instructor.
Way to go John and Dan!!! It was a blast teaching you and a pleasure to meet you and diving with you. Next time you are here we will get you some more bottom time.
Carl
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Silvertooth Today
Nice dives on Silvertooth today - water temp is up to 64 degrees on the surface and viz was about 15 feet. The waves were coming up pretty quick from the south as we started to leave. I expect viz to drop a little through tomorrow, but am hopeful this weekend it will be okay. Greg
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Service Club - 14 Feb
Made it out to Service Club today. Water is back up to 61 degrees already (and for those of you that say BRRRRR!!!, that is up from last week). Viz was about 5-8 feet with a white silt int he water and string algae - I'm thinking it was form the rain we had the other day.
One interesting thing I saw was the SC Sheriff's boat stopped a couple of divers on kayaks. I don't think they had a flag, but it appears that the divers were told to get out of the water.
Good lesson - make sure you have a flag out there. Even with a flag, I saw two boats come through the area on the plane between the flags and land.
Greg
One interesting thing I saw was the SC Sheriff's boat stopped a couple of divers on kayaks. I don't think they had a flag, but it appears that the divers were told to get out of the water.
Good lesson - make sure you have a flag out there. Even with a flag, I saw two boats come through the area on the plane between the flags and land.
Greg
Friday, February 13, 2009
Internet Scams
So, everyone gets these. We get them on a regular basis where somebody wants to book a trip with a credit card. Funny thing is that if you reply, they want you to over charge them, send the overage back to them in a money order. Of course the credit card is stolen. Normally we get these for travel or shipping large amounts of scuba gear overseas.
I couldn't resist answering one. Here is the mail I sent back. If anybody wants to sign up for the tour let me know. Greg
From: Florida Underwater Sports [mailto:info@FloridaUnderwaterSports.com]
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 5:21 PM
To: 'XXXXXXXXXXX@yahoo.com.hk'
Subject: RE: ENQUIRY
Hello Anthony – thank you for choosing our tour service. The current cost for the five day tour package is below. Please note that the price is per person. Below is also a list of information and paper we will need to proceed with the booking.
Tour Package “B” Includes the Following:
· Full tour of Little Sarasota Bay, including three dives a day in the sea grass beds. During all Bay dives, the participants will be tethered to an instructor for safety.
· The Full Manatee Experience. We will take the participants to the local nuclear power station where the Manatees congregate and swim in the cooling water from the plant. Please note that due to several issue with highly agitated slightly irradiated Manatees acting aggressively, this portion of the tour may be cancelled due to weather.
· Bull Shark Touch Experience. Your participants will be placed in the surf at dusk where they will experience something that many people have never been able to do – meet the beautiful Bull Shark up close and touch this gentle giant of the sea.
· Pedal Tour of the Historical Tamiami Trail. Participants will delight as they are dropped off in the wonderful hamlet of Venice where they will have a pedal tour back to Bradenton along the historic Tamiami Trail. Of note are the many and varied architectural styles of strip malls in the state of Florida. Please note that participants should be in reasonable physical shape and have the ability to run at least a half marathon at high altitude before attempting this.
· Wildlife of the Florida Drainage Ditch – delight with our wildlife guides who will show your participants the wonderful variety of flora and fauna such as indigenous species of Stink Weed, Snapping Turtle, Water Moccasin, Alligator and if lucky Crocodiles.
· Full suite accommodation at the Copa Cabana Inn on the famous stretch of Old Trail. Known for its fantastic location, surrounded by the best and fastest restaurants of Sarasota.
· Price per person is $1,897+VAT.
If this is acceptable, we will need the following documents for all participants sent to us ASAP prior to booking:
· Copies of passports
· Copies of Scuba Certification cards
· Front and back copy of credit card used for booking
· Photos of everyone for certificates (head and shoulder shots)
· Copies of plane tickets for Sarasota County Immigration Department
· Immunization records that clearly indicate vaccination against Monkey-Parvo (we live in an area with issues)
· Dietary restrictions for meals (especially food allergies as we prepare food with a lot of peanut sauce)
· Copies of your passport as the travel arranger
· Completed Department of Homeland Security Clearance form HG/889-99K for clearance to swim near a nuclear power plant (note that this form must be notarized)
· Completed waivers for all of the activities above
Please let us know if you have any questions.
From: Anthony Philips [mailto:philips.n5@msn.com]
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 2:32 PMSubject: ENQUIRY
HiI would like you to prepare a five[5] days tour program in your facility for my Clients.They are From Jordan Island and shall be touring round your state and some other place in your country.they re coming to your country for their vacation.
They are just 2 couples.
Mr & Mrs TenKylis
Mr $ Mrs Bilqees
Arrival date: 15th May 2009
Departure date :20th May 2009
Number of days: 6 days
Number of Guest: 4
Confirm availability and get back to me with your rates and total cost so that i can give you my credit card details for a deposit payment.
Anthony Philipsemail = XXXXXXXXXXX@yahoo.com.hk
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Ever Been Night Diving????
Check out his great video form our New Year's night dive. Sometime around the appearance of the Horseshoe Crab is when midnight hit...
Looks pretty amazing, huh? Want to learn to night dive? Give me a call. Greg
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Shark Toothing in Good Viz
Oh, yea! 10 foot of viz off Service Club today. Made a nice long 65 minute dive, found some good teeth and an odd fossil as well. Will post a picture for anybody that can identify it. The temp was coming back up to 59 degrees just off the beach and 57 degrees at 20 feet.
The layer of silt is going away and the teeth are visible again. Lots of fish life out there as well. Greg
The layer of silt is going away and the teeth are visible again. Lots of fish life out there as well. Greg
The Shark Lady - Dr Eugenie Clark
Last night Tom & I had the privilege of attending a lecture by a living lengend, Dr. Eugenie Clark, at the Mote Special Lecture Series. She shared amazing slides and facinating stories of her many dives with the world's largest undersea creatures. The finale was a video of a rare octopus that lives between 1,000 and 12,000 feet, dancing and swirling around the window of her submersible.
Next week you can hear the man who was aboard the bathyscape Trieste when it made a record-breaking descent into the deepest point in the world's oceans. The depth was measured at 35,798 ft (10,911 m).
The leture series is on Monday nights at Mote in the Immersion Cinema. Following is the schedule:
Feb. 16 - Eating Lunch at 15,000 Feet: Diving on the WWII Battleship Bismark - Don Walsh
Feb. 23 - A Nuclear Submarine Captain's Story - Fred McLaren
March 2 - Ghost Ships and Sea Monsters - Emory Kristof
March 9 - Tuna: A Love Story - Richard Ellis
March 16 - Don't Be Such a Scientist: Talking Substance in an Age of Style - Randy Olson
Florida Underwater Sports is proud to be a corporate sponsor of this unique marine laboratory in the heart of Sarasota. Bo
Next week you can hear the man who was aboard the bathyscape Trieste when it made a record-breaking descent into the deepest point in the world's oceans. The depth was measured at 35,798 ft (10,911 m).
The leture series is on Monday nights at Mote in the Immersion Cinema. Following is the schedule:
Feb. 16 - Eating Lunch at 15,000 Feet: Diving on the WWII Battleship Bismark - Don Walsh
Feb. 23 - A Nuclear Submarine Captain's Story - Fred McLaren
March 2 - Ghost Ships and Sea Monsters - Emory Kristof
March 9 - Tuna: A Love Story - Richard Ellis
March 16 - Don't Be Such a Scientist: Talking Substance in an Age of Style - Randy Olson
Florida Underwater Sports is proud to be a corporate sponsor of this unique marine laboratory in the heart of Sarasota. Bo
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Cold water = more Manatees!
A Unique Florida Experience
March 7-8, 2009
Overnight at the Best Western, Crystal Springs and Manatee Tour for 2: $190
The manatees flock to the springs because water temps are warmer than the gulf (68 - 72 degrees). Meet at Bird's Underwater at 6:15 AM for a briefing and then you and your Coast Guard Certified Captain will proceed to the dock area and board one of the enclosed pontoon boats, where fresh donuts and coffee are available, free of charge (hot chocolate and juice are also available). All the boats have changing rooms and toilets. While you are touring Kings Bay in search of manatees, your friendly and knowledgeable Captain will answer any questions you have about the local ecosystem. After the Captain has found a good location, he or she will drop anchor and everyone will quietly enter the water and snorkel with the manatees. The Captain will join you in the water, to supervise your experience and shoot digital quality videos, which you may purchase.
The trip goes out early specifically to beat the crowds. Conditions are usually better in the morning (before other boats are on the water and before the manatees move away from the springs to feed).
You will need mask, fins, snorkel and wetsuit. Take your clothes, towel and warm jacket on the boat.
Contact: info@FloridaUnderwaterSports.com to sign up for this unique experience.
Bo
March 7-8, 2009
Overnight at the Best Western, Crystal Springs and Manatee Tour for 2: $190
The manatees flock to the springs because water temps are warmer than the gulf (68 - 72 degrees). Meet at Bird's Underwater at 6:15 AM for a briefing and then you and your Coast Guard Certified Captain will proceed to the dock area and board one of the enclosed pontoon boats, where fresh donuts and coffee are available, free of charge (hot chocolate and juice are also available). All the boats have changing rooms and toilets. While you are touring Kings Bay in search of manatees, your friendly and knowledgeable Captain will answer any questions you have about the local ecosystem. After the Captain has found a good location, he or she will drop anchor and everyone will quietly enter the water and snorkel with the manatees. The Captain will join you in the water, to supervise your experience and shoot digital quality videos, which you may purchase.
The trip goes out early specifically to beat the crowds. Conditions are usually better in the morning (before other boats are on the water and before the manatees move away from the springs to feed).
You will need mask, fins, snorkel and wetsuit. Take your clothes, towel and warm jacket on the boat.
Contact: info@FloridaUnderwaterSports.com to sign up for this unique experience.
Bo
Staff Education
For those of you who don't know, we work hard to keep ourselves (the extended store family includes our instructors and divemasters as well) educated. We recently had a staff session where Doug from JBL spearguns came in to talk to us about the JBL guns. The talk included features, maintenance, upcoming improvements, and general shooting tips.
To be honest, I have not done a lot of spear fishing before, so it a great chance for me to learn more about the sport.
Some of the best info that I got was on the reason behind a lot of the design decisions that JBL has made for their guns. I am very impressed with the value that JBL offers in its spear gun line. 
The line offers something for everyone, starting under $100 to the top of the line guns.
The line offers something for everyone, starting under $100 to the top of the line guns. Soon, you should look out for the "Sarasota Special" that we are working on with JBL that we will be carrying. The spear gun will feature several after market features and it will be very cool. And, who doesn't want a cool spear gun?
And don't forget about the celebration cake for the instructors! Greg
Signal the Boat????
Hi all - I wanted to talk about signal devices. Why on earth would I need a signal device? Let me give you a good example story. I was drift diving off of Cozumel. The current was strong, waves were about 3 to 6 feet, breaking in the wind (the type of day you avoid being on the surface at all costs). We were in sight of shore, about a mile off and had a great 50 minute dive. When we came to the surface, there were two boats from the dive operation we were using. The other boat had just dropped their group and the boat captain saw our group come to the surface nearby. He came over and had a chat with the divemaster in our group and then left to follow his divers.
Our boat saw our group come to the surface, and saw the other boat moving in and thought that we were the group from the other boat. Fearing he had lost us, the captain immediately turned around to find us. The other groups boat left us and we looked at our boat going away from us as well. Of course we only got glimpses of this as we crested the waves.
The divemaster did not have an audible or surface signal with him (something to look out for when you use a dive operator and even more importantly why you should bring your own). The divemaster seeing the situation did improvise pretty well. He took his tank off and took the first stage off the tank, cupped his hand under the tank valve and expended his remaining air shooting water up in the air. The cool thing was that it looked like a breaching whale exhaling on the surface, so I hoped that at least one of the boats there would come over to investigate, but they didn't. I was the only one in the group with a surface signal tube. I inflated the tube, held it up and within about 5 minutes, the boat came over. Of course, it wasn't before several people had gotten sick on the surface.
So that is why you need a signal device. There are three types of devices and I want to talk about the pros and cons of each.
The first and most common device is the signal tube/flag. Signal tubes and flag are very visible on the surface and boats can see them from a long way off, especially if they are moving back and forth. The distance that the boat can see you from is directly related to how high you can get the device int he air and how rough the water is. Signal tubes (which can double as lift bags) can be inflated either from the bottom or through an oral inflate tube. Once inflated, you will need to hold the tube up in the air. The major issue with signal tubes is that they tend to fold in strong winds, so enter flags to overcome this issue. Flags are collapsible pvc poles with a 12"x18" colored flag on the top. Yellow is the most commonly used since reportedly it has the best visibility on the water. The drawback to flags in that you have to figure out the best way to store them on your tank since they fold down to about 27" long and 3" wide. Either device can be enhanced for night diving by adding a flasher or chem stick to the top. Make sure that your device has a clip or holder just in case.
The second type of device is audible - and is a requirement for night diving. All BCDs (at least the good ones :-) come with a whistle attached when you buy them. Make sure to leave it on. The whistle is a simple type that you can only use on the surface. Great for letting the boat know where you are if you have a flashlight failure. The other type of audible device is a "Dive Alert", which connects to your low pressure inflator just above your bcd. Once you press the button, the Dive Alert uses tank air to sound a VERY loud signal. So loud in fact, be careful with it on the surface, your ears will be ringing as I found out during a rescue session where the student was trying to inflate the training victim's bcd and accidentally pressed the Dive Alert instead and all of our ears rang for an hour. There is a version of the Dive Alert that also works underwater as a squaker as well (it sounds like a duck).
The third type is electronic. New for divers, you can now carry an electronic locator (EPIRB) similar to what boats carry to call for distress. There are two main types of EPIRBs, one with GPS and one without. The basic way they work is that as you reach the surface, you remove the EPIRB from its canister (an aluminum canister that protects it form pressure) and then pop open the device. The antenna unfolds and transmits a signal that is picked up by satellites. The satellite triangulates a rough position for the device and the appropriate rescue agency is notified (here in the US, the Coast Guard is notified for positions at sea). For other countries, the correct agency will be notified. These devices work world wide. With the GPS model, the device also sends up the GPS position every 10 to 15 minutes to help rescuers locate you quickly. The drawback with these devices is that they do require maintenance, testing and registration.
The key to all of this is that you need to carry a visual and audible signal with you at all times. There are a variety of different signal types depending on the conditions you expect to be in. If you want to see any of these signal devices let me know. Greg
Our boat saw our group come to the surface, and saw the other boat moving in and thought that we were the group from the other boat. Fearing he had lost us, the captain immediately turned around to find us. The other groups boat left us and we looked at our boat going away from us as well. Of course we only got glimpses of this as we crested the waves.
The divemaster did not have an audible or surface signal with him (something to look out for when you use a dive operator and even more importantly why you should bring your own). The divemaster seeing the situation did improvise pretty well. He took his tank off and took the first stage off the tank, cupped his hand under the tank valve and expended his remaining air shooting water up in the air. The cool thing was that it looked like a breaching whale exhaling on the surface, so I hoped that at least one of the boats there would come over to investigate, but they didn't. I was the only one in the group with a surface signal tube. I inflated the tube, held it up and within about 5 minutes, the boat came over. Of course, it wasn't before several people had gotten sick on the surface.
So that is why you need a signal device. There are three types of devices and I want to talk about the pros and cons of each.
The first and most common device is the signal tube/flag. Signal tubes and flag are very visible on the surface and boats can see them from a long way off, especially if they are moving back and forth. The distance that the boat can see you from is directly related to how high you can get the device int he air and how rough the water is. Signal tubes (which can double as lift bags) can be inflated either from the bottom or through an oral inflate tube. Once inflated, you will need to hold the tube up in the air. The major issue with signal tubes is that they tend to fold in strong winds, so enter flags to overcome this issue. Flags are collapsible pvc poles with a 12"x18" colored flag on the top. Yellow is the most commonly used since reportedly it has the best visibility on the water. The drawback to flags in that you have to figure out the best way to store them on your tank since they fold down to about 27" long and 3" wide. Either device can be enhanced for night diving by adding a flasher or chem stick to the top. Make sure that your device has a clip or holder just in case.
The second type of device is audible - and is a requirement for night diving. All BCDs (at least the good ones :-) come with a whistle attached when you buy them. Make sure to leave it on. The whistle is a simple type that you can only use on the surface. Great for letting the boat know where you are if you have a flashlight failure. The other type of audible device is a "Dive Alert", which connects to your low pressure inflator just above your bcd. Once you press the button, the Dive Alert uses tank air to sound a VERY loud signal. So loud in fact, be careful with it on the surface, your ears will be ringing as I found out during a rescue session where the student was trying to inflate the training victim's bcd and accidentally pressed the Dive Alert instead and all of our ears rang for an hour. There is a version of the Dive Alert that also works underwater as a squaker as well (it sounds like a duck).
The third type is electronic. New for divers, you can now carry an electronic locator (EPIRB) similar to what boats carry to call for distress. There are two main types of EPIRBs, one with GPS and one without. The basic way they work is that as you reach the surface, you remove the EPIRB from its canister (an aluminum canister that protects it form pressure) and then pop open the device. The antenna unfolds and transmits a signal that is picked up by satellites. The satellite triangulates a rough position for the device and the appropriate rescue agency is notified (here in the US, the Coast Guard is notified for positions at sea). For other countries, the correct agency will be notified. These devices work world wide. With the GPS model, the device also sends up the GPS position every 10 to 15 minutes to help rescuers locate you quickly. The drawback with these devices is that they do require maintenance, testing and registration.
The key to all of this is that you need to carry a visual and audible signal with you at all times. There are a variety of different signal types depending on the conditions you expect to be in. If you want to see any of these signal devices let me know. Greg
Saturday, February 7, 2009
New Store Design
Hi all - being new to retail sales, one of the most important things that we work on is how we display things. We have changed the store around with the focus of allowing people to touch all the cool stuff that used to be in the display case.
Please feel free to drop by and let us know what you think. We are always looking for good ideas. Greg
Please feel free to drop by and let us know what you think. We are always looking for good ideas. Greg
Bayronto BABY!!!!!!!
So, I have never heard as many adjectives after a dive "wow", "awesome", "incredible", "best", "my god", "unbelievable".
We made it out to the Bayronto today. We headed out with the possibility we wouldn't go all the way due to the wind, but the waves cooperated and we were able to do 2 dives on the wreck. The first dive was the stern section and the second dive on the bow section. It was incredible!!!! 60+ feet of viz (based on watching my depth gauge and seeing the bottom), 64 degrees and calm seas.
Many, many, many fish of all sorts. Lots of Queen Angels, Butterflies, bait balls, rays, turtles, jacks, grouper (of all types), snapper, and on and on. There was on point I had my flashlight out and was pointing it into the boiler area at the break and I couldn't see in because the fish were so dense.
Thanks to Scott and Paul for getting us out there and thanks to everyone else for coming out for a great dive! Greg
We made it out to the Bayronto today. We headed out with the possibility we wouldn't go all the way due to the wind, but the waves cooperated and we were able to do 2 dives on the wreck. The first dive was the stern section and the second dive on the bow section. It was incredible!!!! 60+ feet of viz (based on watching my depth gauge and seeing the bottom), 64 degrees and calm seas.
Many, many, many fish of all sorts. Lots of Queen Angels, Butterflies, bait balls, rays, turtles, jacks, grouper (of all types), snapper, and on and on. There was on point I had my flashlight out and was pointing it into the boiler area at the break and I couldn't see in because the fish were so dense.
Thanks to Scott and Paul for getting us out there and thanks to everyone else for coming out for a great dive! Greg
Brazilian Food Anyone?
Okay - little off topic, but we went out to this great new Brazilian place on Stickney Point. Family run and very nice people. Had the Churassco Misto (Mixed Grill) with rice and beans. Fantastic food, but enough for two people - grilled sausage, chicken, pork and beef. The fried yuca appetizer is a must, but sells out from time to time. Well worth the visit. Greg
Rio Samba Restaurant: 2704 Stickney Point Road, Sarasota
(941) 921-4916
Rio Samba Restaurant: 2704 Stickney Point Road, Sarasota
(941) 921-4916
Monday, February 2, 2009
IE Day 2
Another beautiful day in SE Florida. Yesterday we met at Tiger Tail Lake for our Open Water Presentations and Rescue Assessment Demonstration. Class time was 08:30 and I arrived at about 08:15. It was close to 60 degrees outside. We geared up and got ready for our briefings. Each of us had two Open Water Skills to brief. Mine were Open Water Diver Course dive 3 full mask flood and clear, and Rescue Diver Course distressed diver exercise, respond to an out of air diver underwater.
The briefings went well (we all hoped) and then it was into the lake. The water was a solid 66 degrees. Cold for most but for me it was about ten degrees warmer than the last time I was in the Gulf.
In the water we took turns teaching and being students. The IE (Instructor Examiner) assigns problems to the students that must be corrected. There are several factors that are scored throughout the evaluation. Total points possible for each skill are 5.0 and then they are averaged. Once we were done with the skills we moved on to the rescue assessment which is scored pass/fail.
After an hour and a half we were out of the water and on to the debriefings.
Scores are tallied:
Rescue Assessment: Pass
Skill #1: 4.6
Skill #2: 4.4
Total: 4.5
I have successfully completed my OWSI (Open Water Scuba Instructor): IE (Instructor Evaluation)
In a week or two I will have my OWSI Card and will be teaching!!!
Thanks for playing and I look forward to teaching you,
Carl
The briefings went well (we all hoped) and then it was into the lake. The water was a solid 66 degrees. Cold for most but for me it was about ten degrees warmer than the last time I was in the Gulf.
In the water we took turns teaching and being students. The IE (Instructor Examiner) assigns problems to the students that must be corrected. There are several factors that are scored throughout the evaluation. Total points possible for each skill are 5.0 and then they are averaged. Once we were done with the skills we moved on to the rescue assessment which is scored pass/fail.
After an hour and a half we were out of the water and on to the debriefings.
Scores are tallied:
Rescue Assessment: Pass
Skill #1: 4.6
Skill #2: 4.4
Total: 4.5
I have successfully completed my OWSI (Open Water Scuba Instructor): IE (Instructor Evaluation)
In a week or two I will have my OWSI Card and will be teaching!!!
Thanks for playing and I look forward to teaching you,
Carl
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