APRIL 2011
DIVE LOCALLY
WHERE IT REALLY MATTERS
Minnesota Mines
Where the Diving is All Mine
New York City
Diving in the City That Never Sleeps
Cayman Islands Walls of Wonder
Volume 7 Issue 4 $1.95 US/$2.25 Canada
THE OCEAN IS A GIFT Claim your piece of the ocean today!
Welcome to The Ocean Registry®! Where you can register a piece of ocean to yourself and send ocean parcels as gifts to others.
CONDO FOR SALE 25% or 50% Ownership Opportunity East End of Grand Cayman Luxury Oceanfront Condo-2br-2ba Fully Equipped-Top End Unit
Please contact Bob at bpotterton@cox.net
or call (703) 475-0779
Windy City diving
Chicago’s Finest Dive Charter
(630) 209-2445 www.WindyCityDiving.Net
230,000+ DIVERS CAN’T BE WRONG
2 affordable packages to choose from. Name a piece of the ocean after someone you love!
Visit our website today www.OceanRegistry.com
RESEARCH VESSEL
w w w . g a r l o o e n t. c o m
WRECK
D I V E S*
*Single and multi-day trips
OREGON – USS SAN DIEGO COIMBRA – VIRGINIA–CAROLINA U869 – USS BASS – BLOCK ISLAND U853 AND MANY MORE • Five double occupancy cabins • Heat & Air Conditioning • Four heads with showers • Entertainment Center • Gourmet Chef (for overnights)
ANDREA DORIA EXPEDITIONS
WHATEVER YOUR CERTIFICATION LEVEL. WHEREVER YOU GO. DIVE WITH PEACE OF MIND. Join more than 230,000 divers who carry a DAN card alongside their c-card. Divers Alert Network provides emergency medical evacuation assistance, a worldwide 24-hour Emergency Hotline, dive accident and trip insurance programs, medical advice and detailed travel information on dive destinations worldwide. DAN is your dive safety association.
now oFFErinG Tr i p c a n c e l l a t i o n i n s u r a n c e * *
(**on multi-day trips – call for details)
discounts for e a r ly b o o k i n g s
FALL FOLIAGE TRIPS Cruise up the Hudson river
a photographers dream!
CUSTOM SIGHTSEEING TRIPS Tri-island Tour: nantucket, Marthas Vineyard, Block island C P T. H A N K G A R V I N c a p t r e e b o at b a s i n , n y
914-589-1368 2
DAN.ORG/JOINTODAY 1-800-446-2671 Visit DAN at Beneath the Sea, March 25-27
Leading dive safety, medical research and education, and emergency assistance for over 30 years.
We support our local dive shops - without them we will not have a dive industry.
APRIL 2011
Midwest & Northeast Dive News
Be Part of the Dive News Network
Northeast & Midwest Dive News The complete resource for diving in the Northeast and Midwest.
www.nedivenews.com www.mwdivenews.com
Publisher / Editor-in-Chief Rick Stratton/Kathy Stratton rick@divenewsmag.com Art Director Brian Merculief Production Manager TJ Pierzchala Expo Coordinator Selene Peterson Staff Writer Jamie Farris Graphic Designer Jack Bayliss Accounts Manager Tove Chatham Advertising Sales (360) 240-1874 x109 adsales@divenewsmag.com Circulation/subscriptions 360-240-1874
Dive News Magazine is committed to promoting the sport of scuba diving in the Northeast and Midwest. We will present a practical, unbiased point of view regarding all aspects of the sport of scuba diving. The Dive News Magazine believes in honesty and integrity in business and will support all efforts related to this. We encourage readers to participate in determining the content of this publication by giving us their opinions on the types of articles they would like to see. We invite letters to the editor, manuscripts and photographs related to diving or diving-related business. Send us your stories and photos! IMPORTANT NOTICE The Dive News Magazine reserves the right to refuse service to anyone it chooses. The contents of Northeast and Midwest Dive News are opinions of individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, editor or any of its staff. The publishers and contributors assume no responsibility for any mishap claimed to be a result of use of this material. Diving is an adventure sport and contains inherent risks. Improper use of diving equipment or improper diving techniques may result in serious injury or death. Readers are advised to use their own best judgment in each individual situation. MOVING? In order to continue receiving your magazine uninterrupted, please notify Northeast Dive News when you change your mailing address. To ensure uninterrupted service, please contact us six to eight weeks before the change of address occurs. You can call us at 360-240-1874 PST or email us at nediver@nedivenews.com or mail at: Bedrock Publications P.O. Box 1494 Oak Harbor, WA 98277
(Northeast Cover) Jim Boon is a cold water diver and amateur photographer in Seattle, Washington. His photography work usually features the undersea beauty of Puget Sound however this year Jim has traveled to Maui and to Grand Cayman where he shot several photos of the Kittywake shortly after she was sunk. On the date of his dive, January 19, 2011, she had only been underwater for two weeks. You can see more of Jim’s photos at web.me.com/ jamesboon/Photography.
(Midwest Cover) Kat Colby loves insightful experiences; mostly ones that revolve around traveling to far away destinations and involve her hobbies of scuba diving, backpacking/ hiking, and white water rafting! She preserves these experiences with photography. Kat says, “My photos are not professional, nor am I. But the images that I capture allow me to vividly reflect back to a particular place and time and to re-awaken the feelings of that very moment.” www.katsjourneys.smugmug.com.
Monthly Columns Publisher’s Note.................................4 Incoming Mail.....................................5 Northeast Hot News..........................6 Midwest Hot News............................18
Gear Box..........................................28 Tropical Dive Directory................28-29 Dive Directory..............................30-31
Northeast US DIVES 12 New York City– Diving in the City that Never Sleeps Diving in the City that Never Sleeps can be a pleasant surprise as diver/writer Michael Rothschild takes a few New York minutes to show readers what Big Apple diving is all about. From the shallow Bight to the Jersey shores, Rothschild gives plenty of reasons why diver’s should take a cab to the east coast. By Michael Rothschild
MIDWEST DIVES 20 Minnesota Mines – Where the Diving is All Mine
The eerily dark deep green waters envelop items from the past. Items appear in a ghostly manner…a car, a plane, mining equipment… all silently attests to times gone by. These are the mines of Minnesota where a diver can latterly swim through the afterlife of times long ago. By Rick Stratton (with contributions from Kat Colby)
TROPICAL DESTINATIONS 24 Cayman Islands – Walls of Wonder
It’s a place that calls to divers from all over the world. The promise of glimpses at the colorful marine life, the elusive whale shark and the phantom manta rays are as strong as gravitational pull towards the Caribbean’s tiny Cayman Islands. Join guest writer Bill Coltart as he is our tour guide to the Walls of Wonder. By Bill Coltart
Sign up for our NEW E-Subscription at www.divenewsnetwork.com
3
Rick is a dive industry veteran with 15 years experience. Contact Rick@divenewsmag.com for comments
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
It’s all about supporting the
local dive community —where it really matters
W
elcome to our April edition of Northeast and Midwest Dive News. As we do every month, we have slaved over the stories and photos in this edition – making you a great magazine that promotes local diving and your local dive community I am especially proud of my staff and contributors this month. If you take time to read this edition you will find the stories are exceptionally well written and promote our local waters and local divers. We would like to celebrate our association with LIDA (Long Island Diving Association). As one of the premier and most active of the Northeast Dive business associates, LIDA sponsors and coordinates many events each month. Their mission mirrors ours – Support and promote the local dive community. LIDA president, Bill Pfeiffer is doing an outstanding job with the great support of its many members – Great Work LIDA! On the news side, the Dog’s (DUI Owner Group) are barking on the eastern seaboard again this year. Celebrating their 14th season, DUI company and the local retailers are offering drysuit demonstrations at two Northeast locations and four Midwest locations. We have partnered with DUI as we both are promoting local diving while being warm and comfortable. In our Northeast feature, local diver Michael Rothschild profiles the diving in and around New York City. You will be amazed at the
color and clarity of his depiction of diving in the Big apple. With thriving underwater ecosystems and dive community, Michael makes me want to go diving there. Northeast diver, Ellsworth Boyd, shares his insights on diving in Grand Caymen from a unique perspective. Investigating the shallow sites and the snorkeling or scuba diving proving that local divers just don’t dive locally – they dive globally – which is why we include these tropical destination stories. In our Northwest feature, we profile the Cuyuna Iron Mine pits of Northern Minnesota. Cold and clear, these deep former quarries make spectacular dive sites once flooded. Amazing how they are now filled with water, fish life and scuba divers. Travel to Minnesota – enjoy the spectacular topside and underwater scenery. In our tropical destination feature guest writer, Bill Coltart, presents some of his favorite dives and gives us great advice. Enjoy our April edition. It is jam-packed with information that will help you become more active in the sport – locally – where it really matters.
Rick
Rick Stratton
facebook.com/Rick.Stratton1 twitter.com/nedivenews, twitter.com/mwdivenews rick@divenewsmag.com
Best Compact Cameras for 2010
Read the review of our top choices for 2010 at: www.backscatter.com/2010
Underwater Video & Photo
Monterey, CA 831.645.1082 Derry, NH 603.432.1997 We dive, shoot and service everything we sell!
www.backscatter.com 4
Check out our NEW website: www.divenewsnetwork.com
MONTHLY ARTICLES Dear Rick,
LL A N E
OP
First, I really love your magazine. I am a local diver who dives in the Northeast all the time and I love seeing pictures of my region. I have an issue with the February edition. The cover, by local diver Ethan Gordon, was fantastic. But later in the article you showed spiny lobsters not our endemic lobsters. I love you man, but must raise the BS flag... Keep up the good work and keep making a great magazine. Just keeping it real… Harold Fine Boston, MA
Y LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Willow Springs Park
The dive park specifically designed for adventure, excitement, convenience & safety
Dear Harold,
Thanks for the kudos on the magazine and thanks for the feedback. I really appreciate you taking the time to write and let me know we goofed. You are absolutely correct; we showed a real Boston Lobster on the cover but later showed a spiny lobster which lives in tropical and subtropical climates all across the globe as well as in colder waters in the southern half of the world – but not the Northeast. Thanks for the correction.
Rick
Send us your comments!
If you are interested in contributing local diving info, contact our editorial staff at editor@divenewsmag.com.
You don’t have to be a writer to be a contributor! Full Service Dive Shop - PADI 5 Star IDC Facility
• • • • • •
Open:
28 acres of attraction-filled water Max. depth of 58 ft. Weekdays by appointment 72” Quest boat wreck Weekends from Conveniently located in Central Pennsylvania April - November: Season passes still available. Wreck dive day trip spots available. 8:00 am-6:00 pm
COMPLETE DIVE SHOP: Featuring
WE OFFER:
Scuba Lessons • Rental Gear • Air Fills • Paintball Air Fills Fishing • Handicap Access • Camping Facilities
717-866-5801
199 Millardsville Road Richland, Pa. 17087
www.willowspringspark.com Charters • training • WreCk & shark Diving & MOre
Instruction | Sales | Travel | Fun | Service
FROM RECREATIONAL TO TECHNICAL DIVING Advanced Tri-Mix, Custom Gas Blending & Argon
Upcoming World AdventUres Great Lakes Charters ~ Starting May, 2011 Cozumel ~ May 28 - June 4, 2011 Coming Soon! Raja Ampat Thanksgiving!!!
810-225-9868 1-866-600-DIVE 2100 Grand River Annex, #100, Brighton, MI
www.aquaticadventuresofmi.com
252-726-9432 713 Shepard St., Morehead City, North Carolina 28557
WWW.OLYMPUSDIVING.COM
We support local divers - Local divers support the industry.
5
HOT NEWS
Send us your NEWS/EVENTS: editor@divenewsmag.com 20th Century Shipwreck in NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank Sanctuary Listed as Historic Place
The wreck of a mid-20th century fishing vessel has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the nation’s official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. The Edna G. shipwreck site rests within NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. The Edna G. was a 54-foot eastern rig dragger launched in 1956 by the Morehead City Shipbuilding Corporation of Morehead City, N.C. From her launch until 1974, the Edna G. fished off the North Carolina and Virginia coasts, and in 1974 new owners moved it to New England. The vessel sank on June 30, 1988, off Gloucester, Mass., as her two-man crew set out its trawl net. The exact cause of the sinking was never determined. Scientists from NOAA and the University of Connecticut’s Northeast Underwater Research Technology and Education Center, or NURTEC, documented the shipwreck site in 2003 with a remotely operated vehicle. Edna G. is the sanctuary’s fifth shipwreck site to be included on the National Register, administered by the U. S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service. For more info visit www.noaa.gov.
Inventor of Early Scuba Device Used in WWII Passes at 93
Christian J. Lambertsen, a scientist and doctor who invented an underwater breathing system used by the military in World War II and later coined the “scuba” acronym by which such systems are widely known has passed away. Lambertsen’s background as a doctor, inventor and diver helped him to develop of an early version of the device later known as scuba or “self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. In 1941, Lambertsen worked with the Army’s Office of Strategic Services to establish special underwater forces then later worked with the Navy to train surface frogmen to become divers. He was given the highest civilian awards from the Department of Defense and Coast Guard. In 2000, Navy SEALS proclaimed him “the Father of U.S. Combat Swimming.” A memorial service is planned at the University of Pennsylvania in the spring.
Untangling Large Whale Entanglements
New England Aquarium researcher Tim Werner hosted a three-day workshop organized through the Consortium for Wildlife By Catch Reduction on the dynamics of large whale entanglements. This meeting brought scientists, rope manufactures, policy makers and fishermen together to review and analyze
the nature of fishing gear entanglements involving North Atlantic right and humpback whales. The goal was to reverse engineer actual whale entanglement events using hands on techniques and stateof-the-art computer graphic programs to get a better understanding of how these whales are getting entangled.
The Largest Shark and Ray Touch Tank on the East Coast
On April 15, the Trust Family Foundation Shark and Ray Touch Tank will come to the East coast and feature sharks and rays in a 25,000-gallon tank surrounded by shallow edges and viewing windows, allowing visitors to experience a close encounter with these animals. Aquarium members will be given early opportunities to preview the new exhibit. For more info visit www.neaq.org.
Giant Stride Dive Shops to Hold 5th Annual Earth Day Party
On Apr. 17th the Giant Stride Dive Shop in support of Project Aware is Celebrating Earth Day with a Coastal in-water clean-up.... RAIN OR SHINE! Rebel Divers, Rogue Island Divers, Old Colony Amphibians, Diverdors, Metro West.....are all invited to volunteer for the event with the coolest divers in New England. The event is called Dive for Earth Day and is in partnership with The Project AWARE Foundation. Divers will use their catch bags (or mesh collection bags provided) to collect the trash, plastic bags, water bottles and mono filament fishing line cluttering up the seas and killing wildlife. The event will begin at 11 a.m. at Fort Adams in Newport, RI. All divers are asked to confirm their participation before the event. There will be hot dogs, burgers and a grill but this is a pot luck event so a dish is encouraged. Please bring your own beverages. For more info visit giantstridediveshop.com.
Shedd Aquarium opens new Jellies Exhibit
Jellies are 95 percent water, 100 percent amazing. On April 15th folks can come to the Shedd Aquarium and see just how amazing they are. Be transported to the beautiful and mysterious world of sea jellies. In Shedd’s new special exhibit discover the intriguing ways these pulsing, translucent animals survive—and thrive—in the world’s oceans. Learn how a jelly can devour enough food to double its weight each day, or how sea nettles hunt by trailing their long stinging tentacles to paralyze prey upon contact. And they do it all without blood, bones, or brains. On Earth for millions for years, but at Shedd for only a limited time! For more info visit www. sheddaquarium.org.
Send us Your News & Events - It’s FREE! • You Get FREE Advertising! • You Build Awareness! • You Grow Your Business! Call 360-240-1874 ext. 106, or email editor@divenewsmag.com 6
Send Us Your News/Events FREE at editor@divenewsmag.com
May 1: Orchard Beach Clean Up, Clam Bake and BBQ, All day beginning at 9 a.m., Orchard Beach, NY. thescubasportsclub. org/events/orchard-beach-cleanup.html May 3: The Dive Club meeting, 8:30 p.m., Molly Malone’s, Bayshore, N.Y. www. thediveclub.com May 3: Monadnock Divers Club meeting, 7:30 p.m., The Pub Restaurant, Keene, N.H. www.monadnockdivers.org May 3: South Jersey Dive Club meeting, 7 p.m., The Taproom on West Crystal Ave., Haddon Township, N.J. www.sjdiveclub.com May 3: The Innerspace Explorers Dive Club meeting, 7 p.m., On the Border Restaurant, Rocky Hill, CT. www. innerspaceexplorers.org May 3: South Shore Neptunes Skin Divers Club meeting, 7 p.m., Quincy, MA. www.southshoreneptunes.org May 3: Central Maine Muck Divers meeting, 7 p.m., Ground Round Restaurant, Augusta, ME. www.cmmd.org May 4: Hammerheads Dive Club meeting, 7 p.m., Salty Dogs Eats & Drinks, Virginia Beach, VA. www.flickr.com/groups/ ldc_hammerheads May 4: Mass Bay Divers meeting, 7 p.m., South Shore Divers, Weymouth, MA. www.massbaydivers.com May 5: North Shore Frogmen meeting, 8 p.m., Palmers Cove Yacht Club, Salem, MA. www.northshorefrogmen.com May 5: Olney SCUBA Adventure Dive Club meeting, 7 p.m., Olney Swim Center, Olney, MD. www.olneyscubaadventure. pages.qpg.com May 6: Deep Six Divers meeting, 7 p.m., Inland Divers, Leicester, MA. deepsixdivers@earthlink.net Apr. 11: Circleville Landsharks Meeting, Gibby’s Restaurant, Circleville, OH.. www.circlevillelandsharks.com Apr. 12: Buckeye Divers club meeting, 8 p.m., Tommy’s Pizza, Upper Arlington, OH. www.buckeyedivers.net Apr. 12: Deep Blue Divers meeting, 7 p.m., Chicagoland Scuba, Lake Zurich, IL. www.deepbluedivers.com Apr. 13: Aqua Amigos Scuba Club meeting, 8 p.m., Euclid Family YMCA, Euchlid, OH. www.aquaamigos.com Apr. 13: Four Lakes Scuba Club meeting, 7:30 p.m., Babe’s American Grill, Madison, WI. http://fourlakesscubaclub. dot5hosting.com Apr. 14: Stingray Dive Club meeting, 6:30 p.m., Bullseye Bar, Lee’s Summit, MO. www.tdscuba.com/stingray_dive_club Apr. 19: Kittyhawk Dive Club meeting, Elsa’s Restaurant, Centerville, OH Apr. 20: Great LakesAquanauts meeting, 7 p.m., Location Varies, Farmington, MI. www.greatlakesaquanauts.org Apr. 21: Gavia Scuba Club meeting, 7:30 p.m., Twin Dragons Restaurant, West
LOCAL DIVERS DO IT DOWN AND DIRTY
Find more activities on our facebook page! Midwest Activities
Apr. 8-9: LDC Adventure Outfitters Dive for a Cure, 11a.m.–11a.m., LDC Adventures, Virginia Beach, VA. www.ldcscuba.com Apr. 12: Buxmont Dive Club meeting, 6:30 p.m., Bones Grille, Lansdale, Pa. www.buxmontdiveclub.com Apr. 12: Dive Club of Rhode Island meeting, 7 p.m., Giant Stride Dive Shop, Warwick, RI. http://groups.yahoo.com/ group/DiveClubRhodeIsland/ Apr. 12: MetroWest Dive Club meeting, 8 p.m., Courtyard Marriott, Natick, MA. www.mwdc.org Apr. 12: SeConn Skin Divers meeting, 7:30 p.m., Olympic Pizza, Norwichtown, CT. www.seconndivers.org Apr. 13: NYC Sea Gypsies, 7 p.m. at McGees Irish Pub (240 W. 55th St. NYC) New York, NY. www.seagypsies.org Apr. 14: Maine-iac Divers Club meeting, 6:30 p.m., Maine Divers Scuba Center, Portland, ME. www.maine-iacdivers.com Apr. 14: North Shore Frogmen meeting, 8 p.m., Palmers Cove Yacht Club, Salem, MA. www.northshorefrogmen.com Apr. 16: Aquatic Voyagers Scuba Club of N.Y. meeting, 1 p.m., Gym at Guy R. Brewer & Liberty, Jamaica, NY. www.avscdivers.org Apr. 16: Long Island Divers Association meeting, 8 p.m., Brookhaven Town Community Center, Blue Point, NY. www.lidaonline.com Apr. 16: Finatics Dive Club Dive for the Earth, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Odiorne State Park, Rye, NH. Apr. 17: Giant Stride Dive Shop’s 5th Annual Earthday Party, 11 a.m., Fort Adams Harrison Ave., Newport, RI. Phone (401) 732-8808 for more information. Apr. 20: New England Aquarium Dive Club meeting, 6:30 p.m., New England Aquarium, Boston, MA. www.neadc.org/ abc_whoweare.html Apr. 20: In Too Deep Dive Club meeting, 7 p.m., Don Antonio’s Bar & Restaurant, Union, NJ. (908) 687-7020 Apr. 21: Pioneer Valley Dive Club meeting, 7 p.m., At the Water’s Edge, Westfield, PA. www.lovetodive.com/ pioneer_valley_dive_club.html Apr. 21: North Shore Frogmen meeting, 8 p.m., Palmers Cove Yacht Club, Salem, MA. www.northshorefrogmen.com Apr. 21: United Divers of Central Mass meeting, 7 p.m., Slattery’s Back Room, Fitchburg, MA. www.uniteddivers.org Apr. 25: Divers Anonymous Scuba Dive Club meeting, 7:30 p.m., Mario’s Restaurant, Clifton, NJ. www.angelfire.com/nj4/divers Apr. 28: North Shore Frogmen meeting, 8 p.m., Palmers Cove Yacht Club, Salem, MA. www.northshorefrogmen.com Apr. 28: The Gillmen Club meeting, 7:30 p.m., Marco Polo, East Hartford, CT. www.gillmen.org
Midwest Activities
Find more Northeast activities on our facebook page! Northeast Activities
CLUB MEETINGS & EVENTS Chester, OH Apr. 26: Fort Wayne Diving Club meeting, 7 p.m., Deep Blue Divers, Fort Wayne, IN. www.fortwaynediveclub.org Apr. 27: Amigos Aqua Scuba Club, 8 p.m. Euclid Family YMCA, Euclid, OH. www.aquaamigos.com Apr. 27: Canadian Sport Divers Scuba Club meeting, 7:30 p.m., Canadian Sport Subs Dive Shop, Belleville, Ontario, Canada. http://home.cogeco.ca/~csdivers/ May 3: Michigan Seasnoopers meeting, 7:30 p.m., Location varies, Detroit, MI. E-mail info@seasnoopers.com for site location. May 4:Aqua Masters meeting, 8:30 p.m., Lakewood YMCA, Lakewood, OH, www. aquamastersoflakewood.freeservers.com May 4: DiveQuest Scuba Club meeting, 7 p.m., Valparaiso Public Library, Valpraiso, IN. www.divequestscuba.org May 5: Buccaneers Dive Club meeting, 7 p.m., Edwardo’s Pizza, Wheeling, IL. www home.comcast.net/~BuccaneersDiveClub/ BuccHome.htm May 5: Columbus Sea Nags Scuba Diver meeting, 8 p.m., Plank’s Restaurant, Columbus, OH. www.seanags.com May 5: Extreme Sports Dive Club meeting, 6:30 p.m., Extreme Sports Scuba, Joplin, MO. www.extremesportsscuba.com May 5: Kansas City Frogman Club meeting, 8 p.m., Skin N Scuba, Independence, MO. www.kcfrogman.com
7
LIDA NORTHEAST DIVE REPORT
LIDA Rocks The 2011 Dive Season By Bill Pfeiffer
As members of the local dive community feverishly prepare for what promises to be an epic year, the Long Island Divers Association has been hard at work doing its part. In a continuing partnership with member vessels of the Eastern Dive Boat Association and our local dive shops, LIDA has completed the Sponsored Dive schedule for 2011. As you know, LIDA sponsored dives take place on all of our local dive boats, with the captains offering discounted fares, while our local dive shops offer a wide variety of incentives ranging from air fills to complete rental gear and/or nitrox fills free of charge. For our part, LIDA provides an on-board BBQ and refreshments and free t-shirts to all participants. This program has been wildly successful over the last couple of years, with a full boat and waiting lists on every trip scheduled. The following list indicates the date, dive boat, participating dive shop and target. In some cases the target has not yet been selected, but all LIDA Sponsored Dives are held on relatively shallow, intact, user-friendly wreck sites to assure the comfort and safety of all participants, regardless of their certification or experience level. In addition, an instructor is available for all dives to act as a guide for anyone who so desires, free of charge. So if 8
Captain Hank shows the crew how to walk on water. LIDA sponsored dive on the Garloo. Photo by Bill Pfeiffer.
you have never had the opportunity to check out any of our local shipwrecks and would like to do so, this is an opportunity you will not want to pass up! Saturday June 4 Sea Turtle/QC Scuba/U-853 Sunday June 5 RV Garloo/Tiedemann’s/ Fire Island Reef Barge Saturday June 11 Lockness/Swim& Scuba/Algol Sunday June 12 Fish On/Hampton Dive/Moriches Reef Saturday June 18 Side Kick/Hampton Dive/Moriches Reef Sunday June 19 Sea Hawk/Scuba Network-Carle Place/Inshore Wreck Sunday July 3 Jeanne II/ Scuba Network-Carle Place/Inshore Wreck Saturday July 9 Karen II/QC Scuba/ Inshore Wreck Sunday August 21 Sponsored Dive with the Sunday Dive Club We will also be adding Sponsored Dives on the RV Wreck Valley and the Jaimaine
later in the season as soon as their schedules can be confirmed. In addition to our Sponsored Dive Series, we have lots more on the agenda. We are thrilled to announce renovations have been completed on the amphitheater at Nassau University Medical Center and we have confirmed the dates for our educational Seminar Series to be held there on the fourth Thursday of the month from April thru October. Our Seminar Series features a diverse selection of presenters with expertise in a wide variety of scuba and marine conservation fields. LIDA VicePresident Marianne McNamara has taken responsibility for making arrangements for upcoming seminars and promises a fresh new outlook and exciting new presentations. Of course, along with our Sponsored Dives and Seminars, we participate in a variety of other local scuba events. On Sunday, May 1 we join Captain Mike’s Diving at their second annual Orchard Beach Clean-Up. Last year saw an attendance of more than 250 people with 100 divers in the water despite water temperatures in the mid 30’s. We collected tons of garbage and followed up with an amazing beach BBQ. Saturday, May 21 will find us joining the Sea Searchers dive club for their season kick-off, to be held once again at Rusnak’s
LIDA is a valued sponsor of local diving! Read more about what they are up to at www.divenewsnetwork.com
LONG ISLAND DIVERS ASSOCIATION
LIDA
LIDA sponsored trip on the Sea Hawk. Photo by Bill Pfeiffer.
Beach. Sunday, July 17 is the date for the annual Ken and Jean Marie Memorial Dive to be held at the Ponquogue Bridge Marine Park. High tide is at 10:28 am, with festivities to follow. Stay tuned for more information from event organizer Freddie Hughes. Saturday, August 6 will bring the 30th Anniversary AquaWoman Dive, to be held aboard local dive boats Lockness and
Sea Hawk, with our target being the wreck of the USS San Diego. Keep an eye on Northeast Dive News for more information on this historic event. Something new on the schedule this year, as a result of our close working relationship with the Sag Harbor Whaling Museum we have been invited to participate in Harbor Fest, a street festival held in downtown Sag Harbor the weekend
of September 9-11. LIDA headquarters will be at the Whaling Museum, with a BBQ on museum grounds. The best part is an invitation to do dive demonstrations at the historic Whaling Warf, in operation since the 1700’s. Opportunities like this do not come along every day! We will also continue working on existing projects including the HMS Sylph, the Oyster Planting Project with the Barrier Beach Protection Association and Cornell University and a top-secret archaeological mission for the Horton Point Lighthouse Museum. Shhhhh. In addition to all of these wonderful opportunities, we would like to remind all of our local divers that world-class diving is just a short boat ride away. Our shipwrecks are quite frankly among the best in the world, even better; they don’t cost an arm and a leg to get there. If you have not been out on any of our local dive boats, you owe it to yourself to give it a try. You will find all of our local boats and dive shops listed on our website, give one a call! Visit www. lidaonline.com. ■ Article by Bill Pfeiffer, president of the Long Island Divers Association. To contact Bill, email bill@island-diving. us or find him on facebook.com/profile. php?id=1061841085
Long Island Divers Association Serving the Long Island and Greater New York Diving Community for More Than 25 Years! Captain Mike’s Diving City Island, NY 718-885-1588 www.captainmikesdiving.com
RV Garloo Captree Boat Basin, Long Island
O N D I VE C E N PT
RI
VE RH
RK
M
R TE
HA
914-589-1368 www.garlooent.com
O EAD, NEW Y
Hampton Dive Center Riverhead, NY 631-727-7578 www.hamptondive.com Swim and Scuba Rockville Centre, NY 516-872-4571 www.swimandscuba.com
Horton Point Lighthouse image courtesy of Steve Neumann
QC Scuba Wantagh, NY 516-826-7222 www.qcscuba.com Kings County Divers Brooklyn, NY 718-648-4232 www.kcdivers.com
LIDA is a not-for-profit regional organization dedicated to the promotion of local diving and is staffed completely by volunteers.
www.lidaonline.com
We support our local dive shops - without them we will not have a dive industry.
9
REGIONAL NEWS - USS ARTHUR W. RADFORD
NORTHEAST
USS Arthur W. Radford Reporting for Reef Duty Photo by Thoralf Doehring, October, 2010, www.navysite.de.
The Navy destroyer USS Arthur W. Radford. Photo www.navysite.de.
T
he USS Arthur W. Radford is a skeleton of what he was when he served in the U.S. Navy. For 26 years the 563-foot destroyer stalked the seas looking for an opportunity to defend America. Now, in his retirement the Radford will continue to serve only in a very different way…by becoming home to the marine life that makes the East coast its home. The USS Arthur W. Radford, once sunk just off the coast of Delaware, will be the longest vessel ever reefed in the Atlantic Ocean. At home 28.5 nautical miles southeast of Cape May Point, the Radford will become a Mecca for divers and a playground for ocean dwellers. Reef Program Coordinator
for the State of Delaware Fish and Wildlife, Jeff Tinsman, can hardly wait. “The Radford project is a multi-state effort,” explains Tinsman. “We got permits from a couple of different areas when we found out that other Navy vessels would become available too, but it has been a source of pride watching the Radford get ready.” Tinsman says that because the Radford is larger it needed to be in deeper water, so sites are off Delaware but also close to New Jersey and Maryland were chosen. “In choosing the site this way all three states got involved, off-setting the cost,” says Tinsman. “Now instead of Delaware shouldering all of the cost, each
The best place • Full Service Dive Shop • • One Mile From Dutch Springs • •Complete Selection of Dive and Snorkel Equipment & Accessories • • All servicing performed by Certified Technicians • • Full Recreational and Technical Dive Training Programs for all levels provided by a full staff of 15 Instructors specializing in every area of diving • • Equipment Rental by the day or week • • Local Trips and Worldwide Dive Travel •
to get your regulator serviced is the store you it from
purchased
(610) 746-4016 231 Nazareth Pike (Route 191 North), Bethlehem, PA 18020
10
Diver’s Cove The AdvenTure conTinues...
Expert
Drysui
t repa irs
Servicing dive equipment since 1985 Supporting our dive retailers they are the heart of our dive community
Visit us now at
www.LVDive.com
state pays 25 percent of it.” Tinsman adds that the ship will go down in 135 ft. of water. “It will be 65 ft. to wheel house; that’s pretty close to the surface,” Tinsman says. “The ship has been opened up to provide a good comfortable swim thru and there are about six vertical shafts that lead down to the lower decks. It will be quite the dive once all is said and done.” According to Tinsman the project team is expecting to sink the Radford by May. Glen Arthur, Chairman of the New Jersey Council of Dive Clubs has also been involved for the last few years with the Radford Project and believes that they will indeed be able to sink the big destroyer soon. He says that the public and some of the former crew of the Radford are looking forward to the sinking as well. “We had an open house last year where we allowed the public to tour the ship during its cleaning and set up for reefing,” Arthur said. “We also had some of the crew come through too and the vast majority approve of where the ship is ending up. Currently we are still having a few problems with final inspections from the EPA and there is an environmental group protesting the sinking but it is looking like May will be the month.” Right now the Radford sits quietly docked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard patiently awaiting its new fate as a habitat for fish and marine life. It is a fitting end for such a regal ship, having once guarded the shores of the United States, now the Radford will tend to the shores in an entirely different way, yet…still, in a way, it will continue to protect life. ■
3651 Bastion Lane; Raleigh, NC, 27604
(866) 287-0850 www.airtechscubaservices.com
Dive Locally - Where It Really Matters
AND MOST DIVE EQUIPMENT: Regulators • Buoyancy Compensators Drysuits Wetsuits Rescue Suits AGA - Full face Masks Tanks - In-house hydrostatic testing, visual inspection, eddy test We carry a very full line of scuba and snorkeling equipment, and offer all of the NAUI dive certification courses. We sponsor economical exotic diving trips to premier diving locations all over the world.
800.762.9249 860.767.1960 7 Essex Plaza, Essex, CT 06426
www.diverscove.com
NORTHEAST
REGIONAL NEWS - DOG RALLY
Someone Let the Dogs Out Again – DUI Dog Rally Hits the East Coast for 2011
Susan helping a drysuit test diver with his ZipGlove. Photo by DUI.
I
t’s time once again when the DUI Dogs scour the nation looking for divers who want to experience what DUI is all about. The DUI caravan hits various areas, the crew breaks out the BBQ and the DUI equipment so divers can test drive suits from DUI’s roving closet of 120 different drysuit systems and a great time is had by all. This year DUI is partnering with Dive News Network and DUI President Susan Long says they are excited about the possibilities. “We are partnering with Dive News Network because they really partner with local divers,” Long says. “Over the years Dive News Network has brought all of the adventure and excitement you can have in your own backyard to local divers; they really focus on the opportunities regionally. We at DUI believe together we can be a
ScuBa DivinG, RecReatiOn, GROup eventS anD mORe
(419) 352-9203
great force bringing the best options to local divers.” The DUI Crew fits divers with ZipSeals, DiveWear insulation, drysuits, Rock Boots and more. They have DUI Weight & Trim Systems, Ultra Drysuit Hoods, Zip Gloves and even extra fins if yours don’t fit. If you have never tried out a drysuit system, this is your chance and it’s free. Once you are ready, you go down to the water’s edge where you will check in with the Beach Master. You’ll be assigned a guide who will show you the basics on how to use a drysuit and take you for a tour. You will go to a maximum depth of 40’ on your Test Dive. How much easier could trying out a drysuit be? So take some time for yourself and treat yourself to a test drive…and come play with the DUI Dogs! For more info visit www.dui-online.com. ■
A lifetime of adventure starts here!
DUI Dog Rally Calendar 2011 www.dui-online.com/dog_main.html April 30 - May 1, 2011 Eureka Springs, AR, Beaver Lake May 14 - 15, 2011 Gloucester, MA, Stage Fort Park May 21 - 22, 2011 Bethlehem, PA, Dutch Springs June 4 - 5, 2011 South Beloit, IL, Pearl Lake June 11-12, 2011 Black River Falls, WI, Wazee Lake August 12-14, 2011 Newport, OR Oregon Coast Aquarium August 20-21, 2011 Tacoma, WA, Les Davis Park September 10-11, 2011 Monterey, CA San Carlos Beach Park September 17-18, 2011 Ottawa, OH, Gilboa Quarry September 24-25, 2011 Metropolis, IL, Mermet Springs October 22-23, 2011 Rawlings, VA, Lake Rawlings November 12-13, 2011 Chiefland, FL, Manatee Springs November 19-20, 2011 Terrell, TX Clear Springs Scuba Park December 3-4 , 2011 Catalina Island, CA, Casino Point
Scan with your smart phone’s QR Reader.
Wherever you are, Indian Valley Scuba is your local Dive Center with locations across America to serve you!
www.portagequarry.com 12701 South Dixie
www.IndianValleyScuba.com
Bowling Green OH, 43402
800-825-2452
We support local divers - Local divers support the industry.
11
NEW YORK
NORTHEAST DESTINATION
New York City Diving in the City that Never Sleeps rfish. Brilliant sta hild. sc hael Roth hoto by Mic
P
bu
Ma
By Michael Rothschild Guest Writer, Dive News Network
O
n a nice summer weekend on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, you might expect to see a few joggers, a line for bagels and lox at Barney Greengrass, or maybe the guy who delivers the Times. It’s no wonder I always get a few odd looks from the doormen who see me pushing a luggage cart filled with steel 120s, a dry suit, and a camera big enough for its own car seat down the sidewalk in the early morning. New Yorkers are very familiar with our city’s wildlife – the pigeons that have evolved the reflexes of a cab driver to work in heavy traffic, and the squirrels who hunt for discarded pretzels in Central Park. You would think we would understand that nature doesn’t stop at Battery Park. But when I mention to any nondiver (or a typical Caribbean diver) that I like to dive locally, I usually get the same response: “You must be crazy. What is there to see? And even if there was anything, how can you see it through all that gunk?” Even when I show them a few of the images on my iPhone, it’s still hard for them to believe the Big Apple is sitting on the edge of a vibrant, thriving ecosystem in relatively clear water. The reason for this is the water most of us see on a daily basis is in the Hudson and East rivers. And while a public safety diver might be rightly proud of his ability to find a discarded shell casing in a silt bottom by feel alone, I prefer to leave those challenging river dives to the professionals. 12
il
t
fo
r s qu bc ks a ga d s, sn lity Ug - r or a es eg ke nd va an ul ls lu d at - f e mo or in re s s ...
Wings - Back Plates Manifolds - Valves SPG’s & Hoses
www.edge-gear.com
Sign up for our NEW E-Subscription at www.divenewsnetwork.com
NORTHEAST DESTINATION
Lobster up close and p erso Photo by M ichael Roth nal! schild.
New YORK Unless we dive, fish or boat, we might forget about the New York Bight, the triangle of relatively shallow ocean just past the five mile wide channel between Breezy Point in Queens and Sandy Hook in New Jersey, where Lower New York Bay empties into the Atlantic. This area is well appreciated by the local diving community for its thousands of shipwrecks; the Bight has been a major shipping channel for 500 years. But even in these circles, the focus tends to be on wrecks, exploration and artifacts. Marine life does occasionally figure into the dive plans on the local boats, but typically just those species that taste good with butter sauce! While there aren’t a lot of tourists from Bonaire or Sharm el-Sheikh coming to the Jersey Shore to experience our marine biodiversity, it doesn’t take long to realize there is plenty to see here for the dedicated fish-spotter. Unlike wide angle photography, good close up images can be obtained with relatively inexpensive gear. By shooting subjects just a few inches from your lens port, and by bringing your own light with you, you can get images just as good as any from the Caribbean. Macro photographs aren’t really affected by the limited ambient light, the lack of long distance visibility, and the presence of particulate matter that can
Warm Water Gulf Stream Wreck Diving Daily charters
USCG Certified 60’ vessel
Recreational-Tech Snorkelers welcome Check out dives available Personalized service
Join us
Andaman ’s Feb/ Mar
2012
252.986.1056
www.outerbanksdiving.com
We support local divers - Local divers support the industry.
13
NEW YORK
NORTHEAST DESTINATION
Colorful marine life. Photo by Michael Rothschild.
Beach 8th street. Photo by Bob Sterner.
East Rockaway Inlet. Photo www.marinas.com.
14
LOCAL DIVERS - DO IT MORE OFTEN
cause backscatter. Shipwrecks are densely populated communities of life that dot the floor of the seabed. The countless nooks and crannies of any sort of structure serve as the perfect habitat for the small creatures that form the basis of a much larger food chain. This is the concept behind the artificial reef programs, in which ships and other structures are sunk to provide shelter for small invertebrates and growing fish larvae. The small organisms attract larger fish who hunt them; making shipwrecks attractive to both divers and fishing boats alike. Indeed, one of the main entanglement hazards around our wrecks is monofilament fishing line or even nets. For this reason, be sure to bring at least two cutting devices to any such dive – a knife and a set of shears is best. You can also find healthy marine life in the New York area without the need to wake up at 3 a.m. to schlep out to Long Island or New Jersey for a boat ride. There are a number of beach dives within reasonable driving distance. While the visibility is rarely as good as it is on the offshore wrecks, this is less of a problem if your goal is to find the little critters that inhabit the rocky structures scattered within a few yards of the shoreline. Since macro photography is far less dependant on visibility than is wide angle, you can enjoy a productive hunt for hours in relatively cloudy water if you know where to look and bring a good strobe. One of my favorite beach dives (and the one closest to Manhattan) is Beach 8th street, in Far Rockaway, Queens, near JFK airport. Divers have been coming here for years, sharing the waters with the locals who fish from the pier. In addition to native species such as Black Sea Bass, Summer Flounder,
NORTHEAST DESTINATION to scrub the dive because of poor visibility. While the visibility can be quite good, it is also very variable and there is no easy way of predicting it ahead of time. The water is about 35-40 feet deep in mid channel, and the bottom slopes down from the water’s edge on either side of the 300 yard wide inlet. Dive flags can alert boat traffic to your presence, but care should be taken to avoid surfacing anywhere but the shallow water near the beach and pier on the north shore. Navigation is easy as long as you are diving without current; just follow the slope to the north to get home. Because of the fishing activity in the area, make sure you have equipment to cut any
New YORK potentially entangling fishing lines, as mentioned above. Beach 8th street is clearly not a Caribbean resort, where easy diving is a stroll away and 24 hours a day. But it more than makes up for this by being available for the price of an air fill and a bridge toll, as well as the chance to fit a dive into a busy schedule after a day’s work. I end my local diving days by unloading my car outside my apartment, filling up the luggage cart with tanks, back plate and regulators, draping my dry suit over the bar. My neighbors sometimes ask me where I have been with all that gear. I reply “I just went out for a dip; it was such a nice day.” ■
Starfish, Mussels and Crabs, in the summer months you can find a number tropical fish who ride the Gulf Stream north along the Atlantic Coast. I have seen plenty of Spotfin Butterfly fish, as well as juvenile Snowy Grouper and Horned Blennies in this area. While these waters offer terrific dives, several cautions must be observed. First, since the closing of the “Almost Paradise” facility in 2003, divers park on the street and enter the beach through a hole in the fence. This restaurant and diver hangout used to offer parking, beach access, rest rooms and hot showers for a price. Now the diving is free, but make sure to use the bathroom before you arrive – facilities at a nearby public park or housing complex may not be available. Furthermore, the East Rockaway inlet is a tidal zone connecting the ocean to the Middle Bay waters that separate Long Beach from Long Island. That means diving is, for the most part, only possible at slack high tide when the swift current stops moving for an hour or so and the water is at its deepest, twice a day. In the past, some adventuresome divers would ride the current east to the Atlantic Beach Bridge and back by timing their entry just before the reversal; this clearly added another element of risk to diving in an active ship channel! These days, however, diving in the area around the bridge is not allowed due to heightened security after 9/11. There are two high slacks a day, with tidal data published in many places online. Look at your work schedule and the tide tables, and figure out your best shot taking into consideration the time of day and traffic. Even then, on more than one occasion, I have driven my gear out to the inlet, just
We support our local dive shopS - without them we will not have a dive industry.
15
SPECIAL INTEREST
Caribbean
New Experience in
Grand Cayman We support our local dive boat/charters
Beautiful Tube Sponges. Photo by Stock.xchng.
Starfish and Stingrays on the sand flats. Photo Don Foster’s Dive Cayman. By Ellsworth Boyd
Most divers who visit Grand Cayman Island are so enthused about the caves, canyons, walls and wrecks, they seldom take time to check out the shallow water marine life. Sergio Coni, who has been with Don Foster’s Dive Cayman, Ltd., for 21 years—15 of them as operations manager— likes the 10 to 20 foot depths and will share his discoveries with eager divers who want to see some new and varied sights. It’s an alternative to Grand Cayman’s trademark dives. He says the basic idea of his snorkeling (or scuba if you wish) tours is to encourage divers to convert from fish watching to an appreciation of marine life. This includes learning and appreciating creatures’ habits and behavior in their natural domain.
16
“The tours vary according to the shoreline,” Coni says. “We glide over reefs in shallow waters and encounter sea fans, sea whips and isolated coral heads that house the small fry and sometimes a few big critters. Then we explore spur and groove coral formations interspersed with sand patches, overhangs and tunnels. Along the way we see brain, star and elkhorn corals, rope and tube sponges, tunicates, feather dusters and rare anemones. Over the sand flats we search for garden eels, flounder, blennies, crabs and shrimp.” Coni likes to swim slowly and deliberately in an effort to meld with the terrain. He calls it “little disturbing and lots of observing.” Marine conservation and preservation are top priorities, followed closely by learning through discovery. On a tour with Sergio and his wife and daughter, Tracy and Jesse, my daughter Alison and I were captivated by what we encountered. Sergio pointed out majestic elkhorn coral formations with unusually large polyps
that resembled tiny bubbles. Nearby, long strands of brown algae bent like feathers in a gentle current. Tucked into upturned crevices, green coralline algae formed translucent bags of sea water called “’sea bottles.” A standard brown sponge was surrounded by others in bright hues of red, orange, purple and green. Vast thickets of white-tipped staghorn coral formed spiky-branched homes for juvenile French angelfish. A giant sea fan, its flexible latticework bent from years in prevailing currents, created a shelter for a bluehead wrasse. The single claw of a spider crab stuck out from beneath a ledge as the hunter waited for unsuspecting prey. Sergio pointed to bottom dwellers: a mottled gray and white Molly Miller, an arrow blennie that looked like an eel, and a pancake batfish. A seahorse remained motionless with its tail curled around a strand of sargassum weed. A flying gurnard lumbered through the sand on its ventral fins, then spread its pectorals revealing beautiful iridescent blue patterns.
Sign up for our NEW E-Subscription at www.divenewsnetwork.com
CAYMAN ISLANDS
Where was the last tropical trip you took? email us: editor@divenewsmag.com
Giant Sea Fans. Photo by Don Foster’s Dive Cayman.
My daughter and I encountered many sights and scenes we had never taken time to appreciate in previous trips to the reef. We enjoyed just drifting in the mild current and blending in with the changing scenery
and the creatures below us. We fulfilled our objectives and followed Sergio’s mantra: “Little disturbing and lots of observing,” and we can’t wait to return. ■
Sergio Coni is from A rg e n t i n a where he learned to dive at age 15. After he was certified, he competed in scuba related events such as long distance swimming and orienteering. He became an accomplished spearfisherman using breathhold dives. He was a commercial diver at 18 and worked on oil rigs, in water plants, and conducted salvage operations for 10 years. A dive instructor as well as a recreational diver, his experience in and around Argentina was mostly in the cold waters of lakes, rivers and oceans. Longing for a change, Sergio found the warmer waters of Bonaire, Venezuela and Grand Cayman more to his liking. After more than 20 years in Grand Cayman, he is regarded as one of the most experienced and knowledgeable divers on the island. Sergio may be contacted at: sergiodiver1@hotmail.com. DonFoster’s Dive Cayman is located at 218 Church St., Georgetown, Grand Cayman IslandsKY1-1206. Phone: 345-945-5132.
This publication supports the Northeast Dive Community
17
MW ‘HOT’ NEWS
MIDWEST DIVE NEWS Minnesota SEA LIFE will be the second SEA LIFE-branded aquarium owned and run by Merlin Entertainment Group in the United States. A major component and visual of the new Minnesota SEA LIFE Aquarium is an underwater Atlantis, complete with a giant Poseidon figure, as well as fascinating displays, hands-on activities and thousands of new sea creatures – bringing the total to 10,000. The Minnesota SEA LIFE Aquarium’s new display highlights include; a new stingray exhibit featuring a deck that juts mid-way across the tank, giving guests the ability to walk over the display for truly amazing views. Plus, two hollow viewing bubbles that pop out into the tank are sure to delight even the littlest explorers. The current Shark Cove will transform into the Atlantis Temple with a larger-than-life Poseidon figure ruling over the 500,000 gallon tank. Filled with sharks, stingrays, sawfish and more, the Atlantis Temple will be the largest tank at the Aquarium. The Minnesota SEA LIFE Aquarium will be home to new sea creatures, including species never-before-seen in Minnesota. For more info visit www.sealifeus.com.
Indian Valley Scuba selected as North American Distributor for mb-sub
mb-sub, manufacturers of the world’s finest technical underwater lighting systems, has appointed Indian Valley Scuba as their exclusive North American distributor. Located in Köln, Germany, mb-sub is proud to announce this strategic relationship with Indian Valley Scuba in order to provide North American dealers with a geographically closer point of contact and stocking warehouse. All sales in North America will be handled through IVS which is headquartered in Harleysville, PA. For more info visit www. indianvalleyscuba.com.
Diveheart’s 3rd Annual Splash into Summer Fundraiser
Join Diveheart for their 3rd Annual Fundraiser. This is Diveheart’s 10th anniversary of helping people with disabilities enjoy scuba diving. This year’s event will be family friendly with live entertainment, a drawing, food, prizes and a silent auction. The event will be held Sunday, May 1 from noon – 4 p.m. at the Ballydoyle Pub and Restaurant at 5157 Main St. in Downers Grove, IL. Contact Diveheart for more information at Janice.s@diveheart.org or 630-964-1983.
Congratulations to New Graduates
The LTC SCUBA Centre, Ice Diver Course graduates of 2011 are (back row) Rob Curtis; John Tyler; Caughill, Safety Diver, (front row) Gail Overton, Tender; Leonard Teuma-Castelletti, Instructor and Glenn Ford, Tender. Congratulations to all! Note: Send us your class photos and we will print your photo and caption – FREE. Give credit where credit is due.
Lehigh Valley Dive Center starts new dive club
Lehigh Valley Dive Club has held their first meeting. After a bit of struggling, they ended up with a great schedule of activities which include diving, of course, but other things as well. It is not too late to join them. They are looking forward to a fun and new-experience filled year. If you are interested please call 610-746-4016 for more info or email to info@lvdive.com.
Diver Dan’s Scuba & Aquatic Center Open House
Diver Dan’s Scuba & Aquatic Center located in Kenosha, WI had their Open House April 2 to celebrate their 28th Anniversary. Factory reps and guest speakers with seminars and equipment demos were in attendance. Congratulations Diver Dan’s. Visit www.diverdan.com.
Underwater Adventures to be Re-imagined in 2011
The experience children, families and shoppers have come to expect from Underwater Adventures at Mall of America has completely changed. On March 11 Underwater Adventures reimagined and re-designed the Minnesota SEA LIFE Aquarium.
(815) 267-8400
24222 W. Lockport St. Plainfield, IL
www.diverightinscuba.com
Full Service 5 Star SDI and PADI Facility also teaching TDI, IANTD, and ERDI
DRYSUIT REPAIR
Captain Jerry Guyer
local Trips: Bonne Terre Mines, Mall of America Shark Dive
Coast Guard certified
$85 NEck oR wRIST SEAlS
CheCk OUt OUr new Site!
10024 County Road 81, Maple Grove, MN 55369
763-424-8717 www.GUDCscuba.com
18
LEN-DER CHARTERS Lake Michigan Dive Charters
Midwest’s premier underwater photo center
Featuring Camera Products from
Dive Milwaukee’s Shipwrecks!
Our online store has over 4000 products and gives you the best prices with FULL manufacturer warranty Monthly Specials!
www.diverightinscuba.com
Dive Locally - Where It Really Matters
Dive groups up to 12 divers Single or double tank dive trips. Individual divers are also welcome Over 29 years experience running shipwreck diving charters
414-482-1430 www.len-der.com
318 S Water St., Milwaukee, WI
PYRATE FEST
REGIONAL NEWS
The 3rd Annual Pyrate Fest-Calling All Pirates
.” ip’s Crew The “Sh tefest.com. ra Photo py
El Pirata & his trusty Flogger. Photo pyratefest.com.
P
irates will invade Put-in-Bay’s downtown harbor Friday, June 24 at 4 p.m. to open the 2011 Put-in-Bay Pyrate Fest in Put-in-Bay, Ohio. Saturday, will host a Pyrate Parade and costume contest for kids and adults, a Pyrate marketplace and displays, a kids’ fun fest and black powder firing demonstrations. Monday, June 27 is host to the infamous Cardboard Boat Races at 6 p.m. in the downtown harbor. Re-enactors demonstrate sword fighting techniques and the art of skullduggery. Visitors will invade the island for the fourday festival of Pyrates, folklore and fun. There will be lots of pirates in period dress to cheer on local cardboard boat entries in a race around the downtown bay area for the coveted Cardboard Boat Trophy. Put-in-Bay is a small summer resort vacation destination located on South Bass Island in Lake Erie’s shallow western basin. A summer resort since the mid 1800’s, it has thrived during the last century. During the Victorian era there were thousands of visitors from a half dozen different steam ships that anchored on the Bay. Today, Put-in-Bay has not lost its appeal. Bob Adamov, the local Put-in-Bay venture mystery author who is on the committee for the Pyrate Fest says Put-in-Bay is party central. “The things that go on in Key West also go on here and the Pyrate Fest is a huge draw,” says Adamov. “This year we expect it will triple in size. There will be a lot of pirate actors as well as a Captain Jack Sparrow look alike. We
also received a call from the guy who did the costume work on Pirates of Caribbean and he will be there selling pirate wear. The response to the festival has been awesome.” Adamov adds the cannon master from the movie Master and Commander will be at this year’s festival with his cannons putting on a cannon display. “There really is something here for everyone,” says Adamov. “Last year we even had a reenactment of pirates kidnapping locals and then those same locals being saved while the pirates were run out of the Bay; it was a lot of fun.” Put-in-Bay offers those interested in local, Ohio and American history a lot to explore and is home to Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial, built as a symbol of the lasting peace between the United States, Great Britain and Canada. It was built in cooperation of nine states. Put-in-Bay also supports a 6,000-square foot historical society museum, a nature and wildlife center, an antique car museum, a butterfly house, an aquatic resource center, a historical home tour and a museum of island life. There are two caves to explore, a tour train that gives an hour-long narrated tour of the island and a family owned historic winery established in 1888 to tour. Put-in-Bay is also a great place to dive. Divers will discover local history in the waters that surround the Bay as well. “This is a great place to visit,” says Adamov. “We have a lot to offer divers both below and above the water…and what a great way to get to know us…during the
Pyrate Fest.” For more info on the festival or Put-in-Bay visit pyratefest.com. ■
The Caribbean of the Midwest
•Recreational Scuba Diving •Instructional Scuba Diving •Air Fills •Nitrox Fills •Equipment Rentals Enjoy a day of diving in a park setting. Spring fed water, Artifact Park, Variety of fish, Easy access to water, Shaded picnic area. Open 6 days a week (closed Tuesdays) May - October Open weekends in November & April
(815) 939-7797
www.haighquarry.com 2738 E 2000 North Rd., Kankakee, IL
We support local divers - Local divers support the industry.
19
MINNESOTA
MIDWEST DESTINATION
Minnesota Mines
Where the diving is all mine
Sunfish at the Cuyuna Mine Pits. Photo by Kat Colby. By Rick Stratton Publisher, Dive News Network (with contributions from Kat Colby)
I
t is a world like you have never seen. The eerily dark, deep green waters envelop items from the past. As you float through, different things appear in a ghostly manner…a car, mining equipment…it all silently attests to times gone by. These are the mines of Minnesota and it is here you will find yourself enamored with fresh water in a way you never thought possible. It’s like swimming through the afterlife. One of the earliest settlers in the Brainerd, Minnesota area was a surveyor named Cuyler Adams. Adams was not a well-liked man in any sense of the word however he did have a nose for making money. While scouting the Brainerd area he noticed an unnatural deviation of the compass needle he was holding. It seemed that, in certain areas, the needle would go 20
nuts. After some further inspection Adams discovered the reason the compass needle seemed to have a mind of its own…iron ore and lots of it. Adams had found his vein of money and he would spend many years pulling as much ore out of the ground near Brainerd as he could. The Cuyuna Range, named from the combined names of Cuyler Adams and his dog Una, was born. The development of a town followed and on November 14, 1908 the village of Cuyuna was platted. What followed that first mine were more mines bringing in more people to work them. The mines near the subsequent towns fo Crosby and Ironton were by far the largest but they were only a part of a whole series of mines in the Cuyuna Iron Range. The most infamous of the mines was the Milford Mine site where 41 miners died February 5, 1924. The mines gave up 100,000,000 tons of iron ore before they were closed
We support the northeast dive community
and allowed to flood. Today the mines are a series of pits filled with pristine clear water and have become a Mecca for scuba divers. Much of the old mining equipment was left inside the mines and now serves as homes to the various fish that occupy these deep dark pockets of liquid exploration. The Cuyuna Iron Mines are currently a part of the Cuyuna State Recreational area which claims some of the best diving in the Midwest. The water filled mines include 55 open pit mines. The water is the result of turning off the pumps that kept these huge holes dry when the ore mining stopped. It took a decade for the water to rise to the current levels but what resulted is the diving playgrounds the mines serve as today. The Minnesota Department of Natural Recourses stocked the waters with northern pike, walleye, crappie, bass, trout and sunfish further adding to the run divers have. Visibility is usually around 20-50 ft.
MIDWEST DESTINATION
MINNESOTA
The curious peering at the inquisitive. Photo by Kat Colby.
and along with great fish life, divers can still find remnants of the rich mining past as well as other things that have been added to mines in order to create fish habitat and make them interesting to dive. There are forgotten mine shafts, pipes that once pumped the mines dry, building foundations, power poles and old road beds as well as old train rails. All of these things make for interesting dives in the very heart of the Midwest United States. Adding to the mystic of the mines are trees that have had time to grow tall around the edges of the mines. Divers get to experience swimming through the trees. It is as if a ghostly forest has set up home in the mines offering yet another odd experience to diving the Midwest. Underwater photographers have also
discovered the mines and spend a lot of time mapping through the areas that are most interesting. One Midwest dive company, the Minnesota School of Diving located in Brainerd and St. Cloud, has created over 50 unique dive sites in the Cuyuna State Recreational area for divers to experience. MSD is the only dive center within 60 miles
Shark Tooth Dives
Dive the best spots to find shark’s teeth and many other types of fossils.
Creating and serving Minnesota divers sinCe 1959
Instructor Development Advanced Courses
Specialty Courses Air & Nitrox Fills Open 7 Days
www.seascapesusa.com 295 Robbins Lane, Syosset, NY 11735
(631) 433-7757
Located in the heart of Minnesota’s 15,000 lakes and within minutes of the Cuyuna Mine Pits. Join us on one of our frequent mine pit fun dives. Contact either of our facilities.
Brainerd 800-657-2822 St. Cloud 800-577-2822
www.mndiving.com
• USCG certified full service dive boat • Find valuable fossils • Group discounts • Florida’s Fossil Adventure
941-483-DIVE (3483) Visit us online:
megalodoncharters.com Venice, Florida
We support local divers - Local divers support the industry.
21
MINNESOTA of the mines so they see a lot of divers come through. They offer actual dive maps of the area too. Local diver Kat Colby has been diving the mines for years and does a lot of dives with MSD. “They plan some really interesting and fun dives,” Colby says. “It’s like one big family and every dive into the mines is like a brand new dive. I think one of the most interesting parts of diving the mines for me is the feeling of diving through the past. There is a lot of old mining equipment and it is fun to explore some of the structures and piping. It’s one of those dives you find yourself drawn to over and over again.” MSD co-owner Todd Matthies agrees and says the experience of diving the mines is great but his dive center also strives to makes the dives about the connection between divers as well. “There are a lot of interesting things to see in the mines. We have been diving them for over 25 years and it is a very unique environment,” Matthies says. “We also are about the divers. People keep coming back and a lot of the reason is because of the people we dive with and the connections the divers are making to each other. Although the Cuyuna Iron Mines are a huge draw, there are others to explore such as the Portsmouth Mine Pit. It is consdiered one of the deepest lake in Minnesota at 352 feet deep (Mahnomen Iron min/lake, located a quarter mile away is the deepest min lake in the Cuyuna Range at 530 feet deep). The 120 acre artificial lake/pit is a former mining pit and sports a large population of brook and rainbow trout. Johnna Johnson, the Director of the Cuyuna Chamber of Commerce, says the mines are a huge draw to the area and her agency is doing all it can to be supportive of those divers who come out to experience the mines. “We call ourselves the ambassadors of all things related to outdoor junkies,” Johnson says. “We collect all the information we can and get it to the people who come out to dive or snorkel the mines. We also encourage businesses in the area helping them to network in promoting tourism. There are things going on all the time and we have a lot of information to give to people who visit the area.” Johnson adds that although Cuyuna doesn’t have the traditional B & B’s and hotels a lot of other areas have, they do have some interesting alternative lodgings in the area. “We have a lot of condos and cabins for people visiting. It is a great place to get a group of people together to rent a cabin,” Johnson says. So if you are looking for a different type of dive experience, the Minnesota Mines should make it to your “to do” list for 2011. “It is an experience you just can’t get anywhere else,” says Colby. “It is literally another world.” ■ 22
MIDWEST DESTINATION
“Sparky” the skeleton in the Louise Mine Pit. Photo by Kat Colby.
LAKE MICHIGAN WRECK DIVING Chicago’s Oldest & Premier Dive Center EXPLORE REEFS & WRECKS IN FLORIDA MAY 12-15, 2011 Join us in Pompano Florida May 12-15, 2011 for a fun-filled time of exploring reefs and wrecks. 438 Roosevelt Road, Glen Ellyn, IL
800-How-Dive (469-3483) www.iidscuba.com
Dive Locally - Where It Really Matters
Make MerMet SpringS your Southern dive deStination!
Bring your caMperS, your dive BuddieS & your StudentS... • • • •
New wrecks to dive on! 18 New 30-amp hook-up’s available. Over 8,500 square feet of covered pavilions! Over 40 professionally trained staff to help ensure your safety and satisfaction.
Camping • Showers and Flush Toilets • Covered Pavilions Large Rental Department • Air and Nitrox Fill Station 15 ft. to 120 ft. Depths • Boeing 727 Passenger Jet Underwater Rope Guidelines • More than 200 Spoonbills
(618) 527-dive (3483)
glen@mermetsprings.com • www.mermetsprings.com
MIDWEST DESTINATION
MINNESOTA
Kat and friend Ryan at the Hopkin Mine Pit. Photo by Kat Colby.
Sea Level S cu b a A full service TDI-SDI 5 Star & NACD Facility
Teaching Rec diving to Tech diving We are located at 3040 Woodville Rd Northwood, Ohio 43619
419-691-2291 Dive Store 419-691-0592 Dive Fax sealevelscuba@bex.net e-mail www.sealevelscuba.net web site We are factory authorized repair facility for
Poseidon; Dive Rite; Tusa; OMS
Isle Royale
C H A R T E R S Isle Royale Charters specializes in scuba divingtrips. Spend 5 days / 4 nights aboard the Lake Superior Diver, our 38ft USCG Registered dive boat.
We offer air, nitrox & trimix fills with onboard O2 for safety stops.
(855) DIVEIRC (348-3472) www.isleroyalecharters.com
We support local divers - Local divers support the industry.
23
TRAVEL DESTINATIONS
Caribbean
Cayman Islands
Walls of Wonder
ing! Photo
s are amaz The stingray
rt.
by Bill Colta
Seascapes USA Invades FIJI July 28, 2011!
Snorkeling on a secluded Cayman beach. Photo stock.xchng.
That’s right! 2011 will see Seascapes USA in Beqa FIJI!
Fiji - july 28-Aug 6, 2011!
POOL ON PREMISES Instructor Development Specialty & Advanced Courses Air & Nitrox Fills OPEN 7 DAYS
295 Robbins Lane Syosset, NY 11735
• Round Trip Airfare, • Incredible Food • Beach Side Hut Accommodations; • Two Daily Boat Dives • One Night Dive • UNLIMITED shore diving
SPACE LiMiTED
All for $3995
Call Bob at Seascapes: (516) 433-7757 www.seascapesusa.com 433-7757 Many of (631) our dedicated customers have asked us for an exotic trip to a tropical 24
paradise. So, we thought to ourselves, “ Now, where can we go that is different and affordable? All inclusive and will afford our divers a dive trip to remember for the
we are looking for more stories - contact us at editor@divenewsmag.com
TROPICAL DESTINATION
By Bill Coltart Guest Writer, Dive News Network
I
t’s a place that calls to divers from all over the world. The promise of glimpses at the colorful marine life, the elusive whale shark and the phantom manta rays are as strong as gravitational pull towards the Caribbean’s tiny Cayman Islands. Located just to the South of Cuba near Jamaica, no island is further from its neighboring land mass than this chain of three islands, Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. The largest of this group as well as the principle of tourism and a high profile center for international offshore banking, Grand Cayman is also where the capital of Georgetown is located. Little Cayman and Cayman Brac were allegedly first spotted in May of 1503 by Christopher Columbus on his last voyage to the New World, at which time he named the Islands “Las Tortugas” after the many sightings of Sea Turtles. Later the same century, Sir Francis Drake, who made the first documented landing in 1586, renamed
CAYMAN ISLANDS
them Caiman, a Caribbean word used for a long extinct marine croc. The islands were finally settled permanently by pirates, shipwrecked sailors, slaves, refugees from the Spanish Inquisition and deserters from Cromwell’s army in Jamaica in the seventeenth century. To this day this British overseas territory remains tax exempt and its residents enjoy one of the highest standards of living anywhere in the world. The story behind the tax exemption is an interesting one. It is said that on February 8, 1794, ten merchant ships, one of which was the HMS Convert, were wrecked on the surrounding reef in bad weather. Caymanians assisted by rescuing the survivors from the ships and in gratitude for their act of bravery, King George III generously rewarded them with a promise to never establish taxes on the Cayman Islands. His gratefulness still stands today. The three islands make up about 102 square miles of land mass with a permanent population of approximately 56,000. The currency is the Cayman Island dollar
dive locally - dive often
although the US dollar is just as widely accepted. Tourists to the island are welcome to rent vehicles to explore but are asked to take care since the traffic flows on the left hand side of the road. When approaching intersections it is always helpful to look each way at least twice to avoid any surprises. For some this is tough to get used to. Cayman has a lush tropical climate with a warm intermittent rainy season running between May and October and an average high of 86 degrees. The dry winter season runs November to April with relatively cool temperatures of 80 degrees. The Caymans do suffer a hurricane season between July and November and is at least brushed by a hurricane on an average of every 2 1/2 years, but even with the risk of hurricanes the Caymans are a major tourist destination and are easily accessible by most of the major airlines. The islands offer lots to see and do for people of all ages and visitors enjoy shopping downtown Georgetown, lounging on the white sands of Seven Mile Beach, a quick trip to the Community of
25
TRAVEL DESTINATIONS
Caribbean
Checking out the seafans. Photo by Bill Coltart.
Hell or the fabulous diving and snorkeling with the Stingrays. Fringing reefs, dramatic walls and incredibly diverse marine life make the scuba diving on the islands some of the best in the Caribbean. The waters in Cayman are warm, incredibly clear and teeming with marine life. With over 320 moored dive sites and plenty of shore diving a non-diving day is practically unheard of. The Caymans have a well developed diving industry with plenty of professional operators, lots of great boats and a very modern double lock recompression chamber. Cayman Brac, which is the second largest for tourism, has pristine reefs with popular dive sites like the wreck of the MV Cap’t Keith Tibbetts, a 330’ long Russian frigate which was sunk in 1996 as a diving attraction. Altogether the Brac has about 45 moored dive sites most of the diving takes place on the calmer northwest side. Several large sand chutes lead down to a drop off at fifty feet and from there drops to over 4500 feet. In the south, large coral formations run perpendicular to the shore making for easy navigation. Numerous tunnels and chimneys make the diving in this part of the island very interesting. One word sums up the spectacular diving in Little Cayman, “Walls” and they are incredible. This least developed island is home to what is perhaps the Caribbean’s most famous wall dive, Bloody Bay Wall. This marine park encompasses about twenty two moored sites around the south end with another thirty plus sites on the north end. 26
Some of the other popular sites include, Eagle Ray Roundup, Three Fathom Wall and Barracuda Bite. Grand Cayman is generally flat with stunning coastline vistas. The shoreline has a few sandy stretches, however rough iron shore is more the norm. The island itself is split into three distinct areas; the East End, which is a far less developed area of the island, the stunning North Wall and the generally protected West Bight. The few divers who do venture to the East End are always greatly rewarded for their efforts with craggy canyon walls and plenty of pelagic fish. On the North side of the island you’ll find two striking features. The North Sound is an enormous shallow lagoon which extends from Conch Point in the West some 8 miles across to Rum Point in the East. The North wall is sheer and less visited. The North Sound is also where you’ll find Sandbar and Stingray City which has been called the best 12 ft. dive on the planet. Most of the diving on Grand Cayman takes place in the west side, or the bight. The vibrant shallow reefs and walls are excellent for all divers from entry level to expert. The Cayman Islands’ newest reef is the wreck of the Ex-USS Kittiwake. This 251 ft. long 2290 ton vessel was sunk in January of this year after years of preparations. Organizers placed her at a depth of 65 ft., making it accessible to all levels of divers as well as snorkelers. After only one day, underwater marine life was already starting to settle in with reported sightings of snapper, schooling jacks, stingrays and even
Local divers DO IT MORE OFTEN!
an eagle ray. Seattle area diver Jim Boon recently made his way to dive the Kittiwake and he was not disappointed. “I went down and attended Alex Mustard’s Digital Madness class which was amazing,” Boon said. “He is an amazing individual and turns underwater photography into such logic. He’s a great teacher. A typical day was on the boat at 7 a.m., have dive site in mind, shoot wide angle, dive all day long and just work with the sunlight. We spent evenings talking about photos and Alex would give advice. It was like going to boot camp for underwater photography, at the end of 8 days I was exhausted but it got me ready to dive the Kittiwake.” Boon says his dive on the Kittiwake in January was also his first time to the Caymans. “The diving was fantastic,” Boon says. We dove Kittiwake just ten days after it was first sunk. You can currently only dive 90 minutes on Kittiwake at a time but it is well worth it.” Nancy Easterbrook of Dive Tech in Grand Cayman agrees the Kittiwake is the most interesting new dive site in the Caymans. Dive Tech, a full service dive center that offers everything from dive training with 16 instructors on staff to charters and shore dive locations was part of the sinking of the large sub tender. “It is a spectacular dive and only a 5-10 minute boat ride from most docks in the area. The top of it is only 10 ft. from the water surface. An open water diver can dive around the outside and more experienced divers can penetrate it. The viz is 100 ft. which makes it a great snorkel dive too,” says Easterbrook. “When
TROPICAL DESTINATION you go down and look at it you can see the entire ship. It is safe for divers because it was designed that way. It was also designed to be enticing for the marine life and it is amazing that in the short time it has been down the marine life is already extensive.” Lush reefs, a newly added artificial reef, and legendary walls with an extensive marine park system and professional diving operators have all helped to maintain the lure of divers with no sign of slowing. Choose any one of these beautiful island oasis’s for a diving getaway, or better yet sample all three; no matter how you choose to visit the Caymans it won’t be long before you too are pulled into the mystic of diving the Cayman Islands. ■
CONDO FOR SALE 25% or 50% Ownership Opportunity East End of Grand Cayman Luxury Oceanfront Condo-2br-2ba Fully Equipped-Top End Unit
Please contact Bob at bpotterton@cox.net
or call (703) 475-0779
CAYMAN ISLANDS Sharon Morgan & Bill Coltart Sea the World Travel Associates Both natives of British Columbia, Canada, Bill and Sharon both suffer from itchy feet and occasionally itchy fins as they travel the world leading dive and adventure travel groups. In the past ten years they have traveled extensively through the Caribbean, Micronesia and the Middle East. They are contributing writers for Dive News Network, Black Press Group and have been published in numerous other dive periodicals. For more information visit www. scubashark.com/travel
STINGRAY DIVERS Scuba Lessons • Scuba Diving Gear Snorkeling Gear • Air-Nitrox-Trimix-Argon Service All Scuba Equipment
762 Grand Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211 718.384.1280 | Fax: 718.302.0465 www.stingraydivers.com
Divetech @ Cobalt Coast Dive Resort
GRanD Cayman
Advertise With Us. • We network consumers and businesses together
31% off - Diving, Meals, Rooms!
• Cost effective Advertising
Free underwater scooter rental
• Build Awareness with Decision Makers
7-nights $1495 until Dec 18! You can’t beat that! Experience the difference...
1-888-946-5656
www.divetech.com
www.cobaltcoast.com
• Establish Trust and Credibility in your Market Place
Call 360-240-1874 or email sales@divenewsmag.com
Local divers don’t just divewww.mwdivenews.com locally - they dive globally!
Northeast & Midwest Dive News JANUARY 2011
27 27
GEAR BOX WITH MIKE HUGHES TROPICAL DIVE DIRECTORY Bonica JVC550
The Bonica Underwater JVC550PRO Kit has everything a diver needs to capture the world underwater whether you want your memories in video or stills. The JVC WR-MG270 underwater housing allows divers to safely take their equipment underwater down to 130 ft. The included dual Bonica G8V15 LED Video Lights are perfect for allowing underwater photographers to capture true color. The kit includes a Camcorder w/ WR-MG270 Underwater Housing, 2 G8V15 LED Video Lights, w/ Arms, Wide Angle Lens, w/ Lens Holder/ Filters all in a soft camera travel bag. With 10.6MP CMOS Sensor / 1920 x 1080i HD, 32GB Internal Memory & SD/SDHC Card Slot, Konica Minolta HD Lens w/ 15x Zoom, 9.3MP Digital Stills & 24Mbps AVCHD and Wireless Bluetooth Compatibility the Bonica Underwater JVC550 – Pro Kit is sure to complete any diver’s equipment list. For more info visit www.bhphotovideo.com.
Liquid Image Mask
The Liquid Image Explorer Series 3.1 Megapixel Digital Camera / Video Mask allow divers and snorkelers to capture their memories. This underwater mask can be used at up to 15 ft. below surface to capture 640x480 video at 20 fps, and still images at 2048x1536 pixels. The mask includes VGA, 20 fps video, V3.1 MP for photos, an Internal memory of 16 MB with a capacity - MicroSD up to 2GB, attachment for lights and ArcSoft Photo and Video Impression Software. This hands free imaging system will allow for clear video and photos while freeing up a diver’s hands. For more info visit pointofviewcameras.com.
TROPICAL DIVE DIRECTORY BaHaMaS Juliet Sailing & Diving 866.558.5438 www.sailjuliet.com Caribbean Dive Shop 504.831.7017 www.caribbeandiveshop.com
BEliZE
Calypso Beach Retreat 303.264.8333 www.calypsobeachretreat.com Hugh Parkeys 888.223.5403 www.belizediving.com Sun Breeze Hotel 1.800.688.0191 www.sunbreeze.net
BonairE
Buddy Dive Resort 599.717.5080.518 www.buddydive.com Deep Blue Adventures 888.266.2209 www.deepblueadventures.com Divi Resorts 954.545.0269 www.diviresorts.com Quest Dive Adventures 770.992.8414 www.questdive.com Villa Makoshi Lower Level 780.483.0044 www.BonaireDiveVilla.com
BritiSH Virgin iSland NV Yacht Charters 443.829.8576 www.nvcharters.com 28 28
Dive Buddy Cart
Smart Gear Specialty Gear Carriers has created a new kind of “dive buddy” by way of a cart designed to tote a diver’s gear. Smart Gear’s Carts are constructed to save back pain and allow divers to transport gear without having to make numerous trips. The uniquely designed all-terrain carts are collapsible specialty hand trucks featuring a rugged front equipment platform as well as a rear platform. Smart Gear USA Dive Buddy carts feature two pairs of wheels for better balance and more strength. They are collapsible with a telescoping handle and fold-in lock in/lock out wheels and are lightweight and convenient. For more info visit www.smartgearusa.com.
LiquiVision Computer
The Liquivision X1 is cutting edge technical diving computer technology. It has been called “the iPhone™ of dive computers” for its intuitive tap navigation, readability, compact size and open software platform. Designed for technical divers, it is fully functional as a recreational or nitrox computer and offers the same enhanced diving experience. The LiquiVision Computer features a 128x64 OLED display (Organic LED), a180 degree viewing angle, 2000:1 contrast ratio, Ultra-bright with giant fonts for easy readability, and is readable in complete darkness. The Hard anodized CNC machined aluminum casing and scratch resistant borosilicate glass window keeps the system readable and safe while two ceramic pressure sensors and a Lithium polymer battery offering up to 20 hours of dive time between charges means that the battery will not need to be replaced. This system is CE certified to 180 meters or 590 feet. For more info visit liquivision.com.
An alphabetical listing of participating dive shops, charters, live aboards and resorts in tropical locations around the world.
CaYMan iSlandS Deep Blue Adventures 888.266.2209 www.deepblueadventures.com Divetech@Cobal Coast Dive Resort 888.946.5656 divetech.com cobaltcoast.com Southern Cross Club 800.899.2582 www.southerncrossclub.com Sunset House 800.854.4767 www.sunsethouse.com
CoSta riCa Quest Dive Adventures 770.992.8414 www.questdive.com
CoZUMEl Albatros Charters 888.333.4643 www.cozumel-fishing.com BlueBubbleScuba 987.872.4240 www.bluebubble.com Deep Blue Adventures 888.266.2209 www.deepblueadventures.com Island DreamsTravel 800.346.6116 www.divetrip.com Scuba Du 310.684.5556 www.scubadu.com Sea Robin 951.824.9073 www.searobincozumel.com
CUraCao
Ocean Encounters 800.932.6237 www.oceanencounters.com
FiJi
Beqa Lagoon Resort 800.542.3454 www.beqalagoonresort.com Dancer Fleet 305.669.9391 www.dancerfleet.com Deep Blue Adventures 888.266.2209 www.deepblueadventures.com Dolphin Bay Divers Retreat 679.992.4001 dolphinbaydivers.com Koro Sun 970.209.4265 www.korosunresort.com Lalati 877.750.0233 www.lalatifiji.com Qamea Resort & Spa 649.360.0217 www.qamea.com Quest Dive Adventures 770.992.8414 www.questdive.com Wananavu 679.669.4433 www.wananavu.com
Florida Amoray Dive Resort 1-800-426-6729 www.amoray.com Conch Republic Divers 800.274.3483 www.conchrepublicdivers.com
get your business listed here - Contact SALES@divenewsmag.com
DIVE SHOP PROFILE TROPICAL DIVE DIRECTORY
“
Our continuing commitment to safety demands that all rental regulators aboard our vessels be fitted with the DiveAlert! I am confident in my conviction to personally endorse this product. DiveAlert is the seat belt of diving.
12 INCREDIBLE ISSUES FOR ONLY $20.00* *$30 for Canada. U.S. Dollars only.
News & Events | Local Focus | Dive Site Profiles | Experienced Reporters Fantastic Photography | Travel Advice | Gear Reviews & More!
”
DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO YOUR WORK OR HOME!
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE
Peter A.Hughes Hughes Peter
WWW.NEDIVENEWS.COM
President, DivEncounters, Inc.
TROPICAL DIVE DIRECTORY
indonESia (Cont.) Island DreamsTravel 800.346.6116 www.divetrip.com Kungkungan Bay Resort & Spa 530.347.2300 www.divekbr.com Lembeh Hills Resort www.LembehHills.com 62.812.441.18.000 Pindito Liveaboard 831.818.8594 www.pindito.com Quest Dive Adventures 770.992.8414 www.questdive.com Tasik Ria Resort Spa & Diving 62.431 -.824.445 www.tasikria.com Worldwide Dive and Sail 866.258.6398 www.worldwidediveandsail.com
Crystal Lodge Dive Center 352.795.6798 www.manatee-central.com Crystal River Watersports (352) 795-7033 www.diveorlando.com Horizon Divers 305.453.3535 www.horizondivers.com Juliet Sailing & Diving 866.558.5438 www.sailjuliet.com Key Dives 800.344.7352 www.keydives.com Narcosis Scuba Center 727.934.6474 www.narcosisscuba.com Off The Wall Adventures 863.709-9253 www.offthewalladventures.com
MExiCo
Sea Experience 954.770.3483 www.seaxp.com SpruceCreekScuba 386.767.1727 www.sprucecreekscuba.com The Dive Station (407) 843-3483 www.divestation.com The Scuba Center (561) 278-7020 www.scubadelray.com Walker’s Dive Charters 561.253.4294 www.walkersdivecharters.com Blue Ocean Marine Pty.Ltd. 415.830.3846 www.abyssworld.com Divencounters 877.323.DIVE www.divencounters.com Red Mangrove 00593.2.3823801/3823941 www.redmangrove.com
HondUraS Deep Blue Resort 011.504.95.76.36.97 www.deepblueutila.com Utila Tours 800.668.8452 337.893.0013 www.utila.com
indonESia Deep Blue Adventures 888.266.2209 www.deepblueadventures.com
The ORIGINAL www.DiveAlert.com
To be listed in our Tropical Dive Directory call 360.240.1874 or email us at sales@divenewsmag.com
Florida (Cont.)
galaPagoS
sound insurance
“ the seat belt of diving ”
One Year Subscription To Northeast Dive News
Abyss Dive Center 52.984.873.2164 www.abyssdivecenter.com Aquanauts Dive Adv. 998.206.9365 www.aquanautsdiveadventures.com
nortH Carolina
ATLANTIS CHARTERS
Aquatic Pleasures 704.734.1174 www.divenowworklater.com Aquatic Safaris & Divers Emporium 910.392.4386 www.aquaticsafaris.com Atlantis Charters 252.728.6244 www.atlantischarters.net Cape Fear Dive Center 910.458.7390 www.capefeardivecenter.com Discovery Diving Co. 252.728.2265 www.discoverydiving.com Diver Style Scuba 704.289.2089 www.diverstyle.com Divin’ Dawgs 252.638.3432 www.divindawgs.com Olympus Dive Center 252.726.9432 www.olympusdiving.com Outer Banks Diving 252.986.1056 www.outerbanksdiving.com Rum Runner Dive Shop 252.439.4390 www.rumrunnerdiveshop.com
get your business listed here - Call 360-240-1874
nortH Carolina (Cont.) The Blue Dolphin Dive Center & Travel 336.760.9226 www.bluedolphindive.com Under Pressure Diving (June-Aug) 757.537.6524 www.capt-jt.com
PHiliPPinES
Atlantis Dive Resort 775.588.0500 www.atlantishotel.com Deep Blue Adventures 888.266.2209 www.deepblueadventures.com Island DreamsTravel 800.346.6116 www.divetrip.com
rEd SEa - EgYPt Fly & Sea Dive Adventures 888.995.DIVE(3483) www.redseadiving.ca Learning Through Travel 516.781.5556 www.learningthroughtravel.com
roatan
CoCo View Resort Roatan 800.282.8932 www.roatan.com
SEa oF CortEZ/SoCorro iSlandS Rocio Del Mar 602.558.9580 www.rociodelmarliveaboard.com
St. Croix (U.S. Virgin iSlandS) BVI Scuba 284.540.2222 www.bviscubaco.com Cane Bay Dive Shop 340.773.9913 www.canebayscuba.com Jost Van Dyke 800.778.8066 www.jostvandyke.com
St. kittS Dive St. Kitts 869.564.8914 www.divestkitts.com
St. VinCEnt Bequia Dive Adventures 784.458.3826 www.bequiadiveadventures.com
tUrkS & CaiCoS Oasis Divers 649.946.1128 www.oasisdivers.com Dive Provo 649.946.5040 www.diveprovo.com 29 29
A listing of participating dive shops, charters, resorts, and independent instructors NORTHEAST
CONNECTICUT Divers Cove LLC
NORTHEAST
NORTHEAST
DIVE DIRECTORY
Seascapes USA
Syosset
(516) 433-7757
Center
QCScuba.com
Wantagh
(516) 826-SCBA
Store
Westfield
(716) 326-2773
Charter
Essex
(860) 767-1960
Store
Just Scuba
Pawcatuck
(860) 303-4612
Instructor
Scuba Made Easy
Pawcatuck
(860) 303-4612
Instructor
Capt. Saam’s Scuba School
Stamford
www.Capt-Saam.com
Store/Charter
Central Sales Scuba
Thomaston
(860) 283-9239
Store
New England Dive Center
Wallingford
(203) 284-1880
Store
(207) 784-7300
Store
Diver’s World
Eliot/Portsmouth
(603) 235-5526
Charter
Indian Valley Scuba
Portland
(207) 775-3467
Store
www.IndianValleyScuba.com
(410) 679-6413
Store
MAINE Barclay’s Skindivers Paradise Northeast Charter Boat Company Maine Divers Scuba Center
PENNSYLVANIA Dutch Springs
Bethlehem
(610) 759-2270
Lehigh Valley Dive
Bethlehem
(610) 746-4016
Edgewood
MASSACHUSETTS
Store Store
www.LVDive.com next to Dutch Springs Uncle Joe's Scuba
Auburn
MARYLAND Underwater Playground
Osprey Charters
Coraopolis
(412) 262-2664
Store
Erie
www.scubaerie.com
Store
Harleysville
(215) 256-6000
Store
Pittsburgh Scuba Center
Homestead
(412) 461-3181
Store
B & B Diving - 2 quarries
Hillsville
bbdiving.com
Store
Irwin
(724) 863-0752
Store
Randy's Dive Shop
Diver Jim’s / Belmont Scuba
Belmont
(617) 484-5246
Store
Sunken Treasure Scuba Ctr.
Jersey Shore
www.divestsc.com
Store
Burlington Scuba
Burlington
(781) 272-5164
Store
Lancaster Scuba Center
Lancaster
(717) 397-2822
Store
Boston Harbor Diving Co.
East Boston
(617) 846-5151
Charter
Willow Springs
Richland
(717) 866-5801
Quarry
Fitchburg
(978) 343-6330
Store
A-1 Scuba Diving
Trevose
A1ScubaGear.com
Store
Onset
www.buzzardsbaydivecenter.com
Store
A Water Odyssey Scuba
Williamsport
(570) 326-2091
Store
Andy's Sport Shop Buzzards Bay Diving Ctr.
NEW HAMPSHIRE UW Sports of New Hampshire
RHODE ISLAND
Keene
(603) 357-4430
Store
Newport Diving Center
Newport
(401) 847-9293
Store
Central NH Divers
Meredith
(603) 279-9099
Store
ScubaMadeEasy.org
Westerly
(401) 742-4898
Store
Dive Winnipesaukee
Wolfeboro
(603) 569-8080
Store
NEW JERSEY Brielle
www.gypsyblooddive.com
Charter
Hoboken Dive Center
Hoboken
hobokendive.com
Store
East Coast Diving Supply
Northfield
(609) 646-5090
Store
Gypsy Blood Dive
Atlantic Spear & Scuba Treasure Cove Divers
Point Pleasant Beach www.atlanticspearandscuba.com Westfield
(908) 654-8808
Store
Angola
(716) 549-4112
Store
Finger Lake Scuba
Auburn
(800) 764-3483
Store/Charter
Ballston Spa
(518) 879-8866
Store
Brooklyn
www.jeanne-ii.com
Charter
Kings County Divers
Brooklyn
(718) 648-4232
Store
Stingray Divers
Brooklyn
(718) 384-1280
Store
Buffalo
(716) 837-3483
Store
City Island
(718) 885-1588
Store Store
Dip 'n Dive Captain Mike's diving Discover Diving Dallas
Depew
(716) 685-4557
East Syracuse
(315) 479-5544
Shop
Ed's Pro Dive Center
Elmira
(607) 368-2096
Shop
Lockness Dive Boat
Freeport
(516) 298-2633
Charter
National Aquatic Services
Dive Master Services Inc.
Kingston
www.scubadms.com
Mobile Air Fills
Garloo
Long Island
(845) 735-5550
Charter
Long Island Scuba
Lindenhurst
(631) 225-8450
Store
Aqua Visions Scuba
Mamaroneck
(914) 381-1884
Store
Abyss Scuba Center
Mount Kisco
(914) 244-3483
Store
Leisure Pro Ltd.
New York
(212)645-1234
Store
Oceanblue Divers
New York
(347) 497-3483
Club
Pan Aqua Diving Inc.
New York
(212) 736-3483
Store
A+ Pro Divers
Plattsburg
( 518) 561-7748
Store
Hampton Dive Center Swim and Scuba
30
(401) 787-1517
Instructor
Warren
(401) 247-2420
Store
Giant Stride Dive Shop
Warwick
(401) 732-8808
Store
SOUTH CAROLINA www.LexingtonScuba.com
Riverhead
(631) 727-7578
Store
Rockville Centre
(516) 872-4571
Store
Lexington
(803) 785-6060
Store
VIRGINIA Adventure Scuba Company
Chantilly
(703) 263-0427
Store
Portsmouth
www.cbdcscuba.com
Store
Lynnhaven Dive Center
Virginia Beach
(757) 481-7949
Store/Charter
Under Pressure Diving (Sept-May)
Virginia Beach
(757) 537-6524
Charter
(802) 865-2771
Store
Chesapeake Bay Diving Center
Lake Erie Diving Center
Jeanne II Diving Charters
Simply Scuba
Store
NEW YORK
Dive Adventures
Tri-State Area
East Bay Dive Center
VERMONT WaterfrontDiving.com
Burlington
Advertise Your Business Here! To be listed in our Dive Directory call (360) 240-1874 or email us at sales@divenewsmag.com
get your business listed here - Contact SALES@divenewsmag.com
Aurora
(630) 820-2531
Store
Bloomington
(309) 826-1080
Store
Bolingbrook
(630) 209-2445
Charter
Des Plaines
(847) 640-8113
Charter
Ill. Institute of Diving
Glen Ellyn
(630) 469-3483
Store
Sealions Dive Center
Hanover Park
www.sealions.org
Haigh Enterprises
Kankakee Moline
Bad Leo's Diving Windy City Diving Enterprise Marine
Sentry Pool & Scuba Dive Right In Scuba Scuba Systems Pearl Lake Mermet Springs
MIDWEST
ILLINOIS Below H2O
OHIO Portage Quarry Rec. Club
Bowling Green
(419) 352-9203
Club
Scuba Unlimited
Cincinnati
(513) 793-4747
Store
Aqua Specialists
Cleveland
(866) 359-5709
Store
Holiday Dive Charters
Cleveland
(216) 771-2628
Store
The Underwater Connection
Columbus
(614) 298-9777
Store
Store
White Star Quarry
Gibsonburg
whitestarquarry.com
Quarry
(815) 939-7797
Charter
Aquatic Adventures
Hilliard
(614) 889-2822
Store
(309) 797-9721
Store
Southern Ohio Dive Academy
Kettering
(937) 264-2999
Store
Plainfield
(815) 267-8400
Store
Northwood
(419) 691-2991
Store
Skokie
ScubaSystems.org
Store
South Beloit
(815) 389-1479
Lake
Vienna
mermetsprings.com
Quarry
Sea Level Scuba
WISCONSIN Northland Equipment
INDIANA
Apostle Island
NorthlandEquipment.net
Aqua Center of Green Bay
Green Bay
(920) 468-8080
Store/Charter Store
Green Bay Scuba
Green Bay
www.gbscuba.com
Store
Goose's Scuba Shack, Inc.
Dyer
(219) 322-7222
Store
Diver Dan's Scuba
Kenosha
www.diverdan.com
Store
Lake County Divers Supply
Hobart
(219) 942-0016
Store
Adventure Charter Boats
Milwaukee
adventurecharterboats.com
Charter
Elkhart
(574) 264-3528
Store
Len-Der Charters
Milwaukee
(414) 588-6764
Charter
Indianapolis
(317) 842-1988
Store
Pirates Cove Diving
Milwaukee
(414) 482-1430
Store
Burlington
www.marlinscuba.com
Instruction/Charter
Concord
(905) 660-6359
Store
Gravenhurst
(705) 687-5879
Store Equipment/Instruction
Hart City Scuba Indy Mph Watersports
IOWA Scuba Adventures QCA, Inc.
Bettendorf
(563) 324-8771
Store
Matt Leydens' Dive Shop
Des Moines
(515) 288-6312
Store
West Des Moines
(515) 255-7282
Store
Adventure Diving, Inc.
MICHIGAN
CANADA
MIDWEST
MIDWEST DIVE DIRECTORY
ONTARIO Marlins Scuba LTC Scuba Center Scuba Shack Tri City Scuba Centre
Thunder Bay Scuba
Alpena
(989) 356-6228
Store
Scuba 2000
Divers Incorporated
Ann Arbor
www.diversinc.com
Store
Thousand Isl. Pleasure Diving
Brighton
(810) 225-9868
Store
Aquatic Adventures All Seasons Diving Co
Dan’s Dive Shop
Kitchener
www.scubacentre.ca
Richmond Hill
(905) 771-1500
Store
Rockport
(866) 659-2334
Charter
St. Catharines
DansDiveShop.ca
Store/Charter
Tobermory
(519) 596-2363
Charter/Store
Toronto
www.aquariusscuba.com
Store
Dryden
AllSeasonsDiving.com
Charter
Divers Den
Fair Haven
(586) 725-1991
Store
Aquarius Scuba Diving Centre
Sea the World
Farmington Hills
(248) 478-6400
Store
The Dive Shop
Flint
(810) 732-3900
Store
Enveco Diving
Bereford
(506) 542-1011
Store
The Dive Shack
Saint John
(506) 634-8265
Store
Anchor Bay Scuba
Great Lakes Dive Locker
Grand Rapids
(616) 531-9440
Store
Advanced Scuba & Paintball
Holland
(616) 392-4433
Store/Charter
Isle Royale Charters
Kalamazoo
(269) 270-8334
Charter
ZZ Underwater World
Lansing
(517) 485-3894
Store
Great Lakes Divecenter
Shelby Township
greatlakesdivecenter.com
Store
Traverse City
(231) 947-2520
Store
Burnsville
(952) 890-3483
Store
Innerspace Scuba
Duluth
www.innerspacescuba.com
Store
Lake Superior Divers Supply
Duluth
(218) 624-7285
Store
Bonne Terre
(888) 843-3483
Mine
Columbia
(573) 442-3483
Store
Creve Couer
(314) 469-8722
Store
Joplin
(888) 565-3483
Store
Lake Saint Louis
(636) 240-3870
Store
TD Scuba
Lee's Summit
(816) 525-3487
Store
Dive Stop
New Melle
(636) 398-4464
Quarry
Popular Bluff
(573) 778-3483
Store
Gateway Scuba
St. Louis
(314) 517-4108
Store
Y-kiki Divers
St. Louis
(314) 843-0354
Store
St. Louis/St. Charles
(314) 209-7200
Store
Waynesville
(573 )774-DIVE
Store
Scuba North
MINNESOTA Fantasea Scuba & travel
MISSOURI Bonne Terre Mine Captain Nemo's Dive Shop Y-kiki Divers Extreme Sports Scuba, Inc Y-kiki Divers
Ozark Dive Company
West End Diving Odyssey Scuba and Travel
NEW BRUNSWICK
NOVA SCOTIA Easy Dive Canada LTD
Cape Breton Is.
(902) 345-2215
Store
(808) 324-4668
Charter
Hawaii Kona Honu Divers
Keauhou
One Year Subscription To Northeast Dive News
12 INCREDIBLE ISSUES FOR ONLY $20.00* *$30 for Canada. U.S. Dollars only.
News & Events | Local Focus | Dive Site Profiles | Experienced Reporters Fantastic Photography | Travel Advice | Gear Reviews & More!
DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO YOUR WORK OR HOME!
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE
WWW.NEDIVENEWS.COM
get your business listed here - Call 360-240-1874
31
Revolutionary is an understatement. The Hybrid Concept Design
Featuring the Patented 3-Dimensional Mesh Lining
3-D Mesh Inner Lining
10 Butyl Layer Trilaminate Shell
At Neck and Wrists
32
www.nedivenews.com Northeast Dive News Visit Your Local Waterproof Retailer for more information | waterproof-usa.com | 800-482-2282
JANUARY 2008