S p ecial D ivers ’ W ee k end E diti o n
JANUARY 2011
THE Local Diving Specialists
cozumel
Diving Capital of the World
Queen Charlotte Strait Saanich Inlet, British Columbia
Where the Wild Things are...
Kingdom of the Cloud Sponges
Volume 15 Issue 1 $1.95 US/$2.25 Canada
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Northwest Dive News JANUARY 2011
JANUARY 2011
IN THIS ISSUE S p ecial D ivers ’ W ee k end E diti o n
Northwest Dive News
The complete resource for what’s happening in diving in the Pacific Northwest. P.O. Box 1494 Oak Harbor, WA 98277 Phone (360) 240-1874 Fax (360) 279-1814 nwdiver@nwdivenews.com www.nwdivenews.com
Publisher and Editor Rick Stratton/Kathy Stratton rick@nwdivenews.com Art Director IJ James Graphic Designers TJ Pierzchala/Brian Merculief/Jack Bayliss Production Manager/Expo Coordinator Selene Peterson Writer/Editor Jamie Farris Field Reporter/Editor Barb Roy Travel Editor Jett Britnell Accounts Manager Tove Chatham accounting@divenewsmag.com Advertising Sales Roosevelt Rumble (360) 240-1874 ext103 sales@nwdivenews.com Northwest Dive News (NWDN) is committed to promoting the sport of scuba diving in the Pacific Northwest. We will present a practical, unbiased point of view regarding all aspects of the sport of scuba diving. Topics covered will include information on current events, dive sites, dive training, dive safety, boat diving, dive buddy network and the personal experiences of our readers, Northwest scuba divers. NWDN believes in honesty and integrity in business and will support all efforts related to this. We encourage our 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. IMPORTANT NOTICE NWDN reserves the right to refuse service to anyone it chooses. The contents of NWDN 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. Subscription Rates: U.S. one year $20.00 (3rd Class) Canadian $30 USF EARN A FREE 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION NWDN wants your diving related stories, cartoons, articles and pictures, and we’ll reward you by sending you a one (1) year subscription in return for the right to publish your original work. In order to win you must be published. This will apply for one article, photo or cartoon per six month period. Stories should be a maximum of 1,200 words and we strongly suggest you include pictures or artwork with your story submissions to increase the likelihood that you will be published. Email submissions to nwdiver @nwdivenews.com or mail to P.O. Box 1494 Oak Harbor, WA 98277. Any material accepted may be printed by any means and is subject to revision as required. We are not responsible for returning such without a self-addressed stamped envelope.
◄ Cover by Pascal Lecocq
“Casting the light to the u/w world by Miss Liberty”, an oil on canvas by Pascal Lecocq, PhD in the Arts, available printed on canvas or paper too. The unique Painter of Blue ® was the only painter exhibiting at the last Dema Show in Las Vegas. He will exhibit in 2011 at the Paris Dive Show, OWU, BTS and ADEX in Singapore and will make children contests and workshops in Paris and Boca Raton, Florida. For more info and pics, please visit: www.pascal-lecocq.com
Monthly Columns Editor’s Note.......................................4 Incoming Mail.....................................5 Hot News.........................................6-7 Performance Free-Diving................... 8 Vancouver Aquarium..........................9 Dive and Travel EXPO................ 10-11
DAN/Medical Column..................32-33 Mystery Critter..................................34 Boating Regulations......................... 35 Gear Box..........................................36 Dive Industry Profile......................... 37 Dive Directory..............................38-39
NORTHWEST CANADA DIVES
14 Queen Charlotte Strait’s- Where The Wild Things Are Queen Charlotte Strait lies at the “top end” of Vancouver Island, on its eastern side, between Vancouver Island and the mainland. It is an immense waterway with narrow, constricted passages, fjord-like inlets, large islands and a tangled maze of scrawnier weather-beaten islets offers a look into the wild side of Vancouver diving. Come with writer Jett Britnell and share the majesty of adventure diving in Canada’s Queen Charlotte Strait. By Jett Britnell
NORTHWEST CANADA DIVES
18 Saanich Inlet, BC -Kingdom of the Cloud Sponges Come to where the First Nations people believe the world began, an inlet known to divers the world over as one of the best places to dive in the Northwest. Writer Mike Hughes takes us on a journey to Saanich Inlet, BC where there is a literal kingdom of cloud sponges and marine life that will lure you back over and over again. Come to where the glaciers once roamed. By Mike Hughes
TROPICAL DESTINATIONS
24 Cozumel – The Diving Capital of the World Cozumel is Mexico’s answer for the adventure diver and as far as writer/publisher Rick Stratton is concerned it is the diving capital of the world. Cozumel literally has more divers per square inch than any other dive destination in the world. Join Rick as he takes you on a very personal tour in the waters off the lands of the Mayan Kings. By Rick Stratton
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE
Do you have an opinion? Contact us: editor@divenewsmag.com
It’s a Season of Hope Right now we need it more than ever Rick Stratton
T
facebook.com/Rick.Stratton1 twitter.com/nedivenews twitter.com/mwdivenews rick@divenewsmag.com
his month is the beginning of a new year for us and I have many reasons to feel joyous and hopeful for 2011. I have recently returned from DEMA Show in Las Vegas. This year’s show was like a breath of fresh air. The show had a fun, feel good, positive vibe that increased throughout the week. This was, by far, the most positive DEMA Show over the last three years, as was evidenced by more laughter and smiles than tears. We went to nearly every booth at the show and asked almost everyone, “How’s it going” and asked them what their plans were for the coming year. Overwhelmingly, the response was positive. Many people told us that they were having an awesome show and were making plans for a more prosperous new year, it’s about time! For us, we had a great show too – our best ever. The many retailers and instructors who stopped by our booth seemed genuine in their respect and appreciation for our magazine. They liked the glossy cover and improved look of the magazine. Our only negative comment came from those folks who said, “Where is MY magazine?” referencing SWDN and SEDN.
Well, I have good news! We are starting two more magazines this year. In March we will launch Southwest Dive News. Southwest will be based in CA, AZ, MN, TX, OK, KS, NB, CO, UT and NV. Like our other magazines it will promote local diving and the local diving community. In April or May we will launch Southeast Dive News. We will base it in LA, MS, AL, GA, Fl and SC. This magazine will focus on diving in the Southeast. It seems crazy to introduce new print publications at a time when others are struggling to stay in business but we have found that print is not dead – in fact it is the preferred reading experience of most people, including younger audiences ages 18-25. The younger folks are embracing print as well as online experiences and so are we. Every article and photo we print is also online. We are in the business of helping the dive community make the connections they need to enhance the dive experience for everyone. Online, print or on your iPad, we deliver the message. So bring on the New Year – it is going to be amazing!
Rick
Come check out our new site www.divenewsnetwork.com
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DON’T MISS THE ALL NEW WEBSITE! www.nwdivenews.com www.nwdivenews.com
Northwest 2010 NorthwestDive DiveNews NewsDECEMBER JANUARY 2011
MONTHLY ARTICLES
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear Rick,
Your new website looks great! I would like to submit two photos for you to consider for an upcoming cover. I took them at Alki Cove 2 this weekend. We were blessed with 1) decent visibility and 2) sunshine. The result was a couple beautiful photos with green water that really pops. I understand you probably get requests all the time. I just started submitting photos in contests and I am trying to gain some exposure to sell some photos. I am committed to using any profits from the sale of my photographs for ocean conservation. Regards, Jesse
Photo by Jesse Miller
Dear Jesse,
Thank you so much for submitting great photos and I’m glad you are enjoying the website! We are pretty proud of it. In regards to submitting photos, we are always looking
for great photos for the magazine and the website so send them on through any time. A lot goes into making the magazine and website great and our readers and their experiences are a huge part of that. Thanks again,
Dear Rick,
Rick
The new website looks great! Fantastic job—very information packed. Unfortunately, I can’t figure out how to subscribe and have email notice of the new editions of NWDN. Sorry. Can you help me with this? Also, I’ve had an idea for months that I want to (finally) ask you about. I would really like to hear reports from divers about the kinds of marine debris and derelict fishing gear they see on their dives in the sanctuary. As the “eyes in the field”, it would be good to gather observations so we can scope out the scale of the issue, especially for popular recreational fishing spots. Maybe this happens already through the WDFW marine debris hotline. Any suggestions for how to begin this discussion or jump into an ongoing one? Thanks for the publication and the help. Liam Antrim Resource Protection Specialist Olympic Coast National
Dear Liam,
Thanks for your note and suggestions for the magazine/website. We have loaded the website with the content from our magazine and user contributions. I would love to have our readers comment and make suggestions. Why don’t we start a “column” on it online and see what happens? That is the cool part of online, we have tons of content and tons of space. As for subscribing, we just launched the NEW website (www.divenewsnetwork.com) and have not worked out all the bugs. Please check back with us in a week to see what we have fixed or broken...that is what happens online.
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!
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HOT NEWS Get your business noticed by sending us your NEWS/EVENTS: editor@divenewsmag.com CALIFORNIA SHIPS TO REEFS ANNOUNCES DANA POINT PROJECT
California Ships to Reefs (CSTR) told the Dana Point City Council Monday it is ready to move forward to create the nation’s second largest ship-based reef at a location southwest of Dana Point’s harbor. An appropriate site for a ship sinking, about two miles from the harbor, has been identified by CSTR. The new reefing project would bring the 655-foot Kawishiwi to the Dana Point site after it is cleaned, made environmentally safe and prepared for diving. The ship would be the second largest ship-based reef in the U.S., surpassing the USNS Hoyt S. Vandenberg, a naval vessel reefed in Florida waters. For further info, visit the organizations website at www.californiashipstoreefs.org.
Don Hoch is New State Parks Director
Don Hoch has been with Washington State Parks since 2004, when he came to take the position of Puget Sound Region Director. He has been Southwest Region Director since 2009. Don has received many recognition awards in the professional arena of outdoor recreation as well as for his personal civic involvement in a variety of organizations, including American Cancer Society, Historic Heartland Travel Association (Lifetime Achievement Award), Georgia Recreation and Park Association distinguished Professional Award. Please join the Executive Leadership team in congratulating Don in his new position.
Celebrating “Movember” with the Movember Foundation
Movember Foundation member Paul Watkins decided to donate his face (well his upper lip anyway) to raising awareness about men’s health in the month of November hence redubbing the beloved thankful month “Movember.” His commitment was the growth of a moustache for the entire month of Movember, which he hoped would generate conversation, controversy, laughter and general upper lip itchiness and it did. Watkins committed his moustache because he wanted to bring about awareness to the fact that close to 3,300 men die of prostate cancer in Australia each year and one in eight men will experience depression in their lifetime. By growing the moustache Watkins brought awareness to these statistics. Although the challenge is over folks can still help, you can go to au.movember.com/mospace/654414/ and donate online through the Movember Foundation. Movember is funding world class research, educational and support programs which would otherwise not be possible. For more info on Movember visit au.movemberfoundation. com/research-and-programs.
Artist Rogest Gives Painting as Thank You for Caring to Palau
A local Sechelt artist carried an environmental message of thanks to the president of Palau. Rogest does many events worldwide and has a message of environmental awareness. An original painting of the Mandarin Fish was presented to President Toribiong of Palau in November 2010. The painting depicts one of the most breath-taking marine fish ever to be found in the oceans around Palau. The painting was created by the artist Rogest 6
in his unique style of dot painting taking almost 2 months to create using acrylic paint a little salt water and sand from Palau. The painting was presented to President Toribiong and the people of Palau as a token of thanks for the ongoing environmental efforts and good stewardship of the oceans and the marine life in and around Palau. For more info visit www.rogest.com.
Donate To POI
Preserve Our Islands, (POI) a local action group dedicated to saving Puget Sound Islands got an early Christmas gift. POI is beyond thrilled to report that not only did Council discuss the acquisition of Maury Island but they actually took final action and voted to approve both the acquisition and the funding proposal. King County Executive Dow Constantine had also asked the King County Council to consider temporarily covering the $2 million dollar funding gap so that the property could close by years end - as long as there was a commitment in place for repayment from the organizations sponsoring the Save Maury Island NOW campaign. This short term bridge loan was also approved. While private fundraising is still urgent, and necessary to hold up the environmental and Island communities’ commitment to raise the $2 million, they have been given the gift of time, and the funding gap hurdle has been removed for the very short term. You can make a donation to the Save Maury Island NOW campaign, preserveourislands.org.
New Dive Shop in Idaho
Dive instructors Kim Shelley-Hurley and Dave Scantlin have teamed with River Adventure Toys in Twin Falls, Idaho to open the Magic Valley Dive Center inside of the River Adventure Toys store. The store will be located 701 2nd Ave South, Twin Falls, ID. Congratulations and welcome to the dive industry!
New Dive Store in Salem, Oregon
There is a new dive store opening in January in Salem, Oregon. The new store will be Blue Element Scuba & Adventure Center. Co-owners Kris and Scott Leith are looking forward to helping customers find adventure and fun in diving. The store will be open M-F as well as Saturdays. A grand opening event will be Jan 8th, lots of free goodies for attendees. For more info visit information at www.bescuba.com or call 503-400-7375.
New dive shop opening in Napa California
A new dive shop opened in Napa, CA. Iguana Bob’s Dive Center located on 3087 Solano Ave in Napa, CA will be a full service dive center. It is owned by Robin Metoxen. For more info visit napavalleydivers.com or call 707-3101612. Welcome to the dive industry!
www.nwdivenews.com See more News & Events online: www.divenewsnetwork.com
Northwest 2010 NorthwestDive DiveNews NewsDECEMBER JANUARY 2011
Find more Northwest activities on our facebook page! Northwest Activities
CLUB MEETINGS & EVENTS Jan 3: Eugene Dive Club meeting, 7 p.m., Izzy’s Pizza, Eugene, Ore eugenediveclub.com Jan. 4: Divers Down Under club meeting, 6:30 p.m., Adventures Down Under, Bellingham, Wash adventuresdownunder.com Jan. 5: Emerald Sea Dive Club meeting, 7 p.m., Shawn O’Donnell’s American Grill & Pub, Everett, Wash. emeraldseadiveclub.org Jan. 5: Puget Sound Depth Charges Dive Club Meeting, 6 p.m., Milton Tavern, Milton, Wash., www.psdepthchargers.com Jan. 6: James Higgins and the Muddy Boots Band, Whatcom County Museum of History & Art, Bellingham, Wash. www. whatcommuseum.org Jan.6: Northwest Divers club meeting, 6:30 p.m., Kwan’s Cuisine, Salem, Ore. www. salemscuba.com Jan. 6: GSNDAMBAA club meeting, 6 p.m., Edmonds Underwater Sports, Edmonds, Wash. www.gsndambaa.org Jan 6: Oregon Scuba Club meeting, 7 p.m., Buster’s BBQ, Tigard, Ore. oregonscuba.com Jan. 8: Bottom Dwellers Scuba Club Holiday Party, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., All Pilgrims Christian Church, Seattle, WA. www. bottomdwellers.org Jan. 10: Napa Valley Divers club meeting, 7 p.m., Filippi’s Pizza Grotto, Napa, Calif. www.napavalleydivers.com Jan. 10: Napa Valley Divers Annual Club Meeting, 7 p.m., Bob’s Dive Center, 3087 Solano Ave, Napa, Calif. www.napavalleydivers.com Jan. 10: Naturalist Guided Whale Watching, Starts 9:45 a.m. until 5 p.m., Birch Aquarium, La Jolla, Calif. www.aquarium.ucsd.edu Jan. 11: Portland Sea Searchers meeting, 7 p.m., Portland, Ore. 503-709-9306 Jan. 11: Yakima Dive Club meeting, 6:30 p.m., El Porton, Yakima, Wash. yakimadiveclub.sharepointspace.com Jan. 11: Wet & Wild Diving Society meeting, 7:30 p.m., Bob Lamb Industry Education Centre, Fort McMurray, AB, Canada. www.ghphoto.ca/wwscuba/ Jan. 11: Mountain Sharks Dive Club meeting, 6:30 p.m., Jakers Restaurant, Missoula, Mont. www.mountainsharks.org Jan. 15: Yakima Dive Club Fun Dive, 12 p.m., Location TBD, Yakima, Wash. yakimadiveclub.sharepointspace.com Jan. 15: Commencement Bay Pier Peer Night Adventure, 8-9 p.m., Foss Waterway Seaport, 705 Dock Street, Tacoma, Wash. pugetsound.org Jan. 15: Sea Lion Encounter: Ages 8 and up, 10–11 a.m., Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport, Ore. www.DUI-online.com Jan 18: Kelp Krawlers dive club meeting, 7 p.m., Dirty Dave’s Pizza Parlor, Olympia, Wash. www.kelpkrawlers.org Jan. 19: Atomic Ducks Dive Club Meeting, 7 p.m., Bank Reale, 5205 North Road 68, Pasco, Wash., www.ducksdiveclub.org Jan. 20: The Eruptive History of the Active Volcano in Our Backyard, 12:30 p.m., Old City
Do you want your event listed here? Contact us: editor@divenewsmag.com
Hall, 121 Prospect Street , Whatcom County Museum of History & Art, Bellingham, Wash. www.whatcommuseum.org Jan. 27: Boeing Seahorses Dive Club meeting, 6 p.m., Round Table Pizza, Issaquah, Wash. www.seahorsediveclub.com Jan. 29: Featured Education family event beach walk, 8-9 p.m., Foss Waterway Seaport, Boston Harbor Marina, Olympia, Wash. pugetsound.org Feb. 1: Atomic Ducks Dive Club Social, 6-9 p.m., Kimo’s Restaurant and Sports Bar, 2696 North Columbia Center Boulevard, Richland, Wash., www.ducksdiveclub.org Feb. 2: Emerald Sea Dive Club meeting, 7 p.m., Shawn O’Donnell’s American Grill & Pub, Everett, Wash. emeraldseadiveclub.org Feb. 2: Puget Sound Depth Charges Dive Club Meeting, 6 p.m., Milton Tavern, Milton, Wash., www.psdepthchargers.com Feb. 3: Northwest Divers club meeting, 6:30 p.m., Kwan’s Cuisine, Salem, Ore. www.salemscuba.com Feb. 3: GSNDAMBAA club meeting, 6 p.m., Edmonds Underwater Sports, Edmonds, Wash. www.gsndambaa.org Feb. 3: Oregon Scuba Club meeting, 7 p.m., Buster ’s BBQ, Tigard, Ore. www.oregonscuba.com Feb. 6: Northwest Adventure Divers club meeting, 7 p.m., The Golden Steer, Kent, Wash. www.nwadventuredivers.com Feb. 7: Eugene Dive Club meeting, 7 p.m., Izzy’s Pizza, Eugene, Ore. www. eugenediveclub.com Feb. 8: Divers Down Under club meeting, 6:30 p.m., Adventures Down Under, Bellingham, Wash. www.adventuresdownunder.com Feb. 8: Portland Sea Searchers meeting, 7 p.m., Portland, Ore. 503-709-9306 Feb. 8: Yakima Dive Club meeting, 6:30 p.m., El Porton, Yakima, Wash. yakimadiveclub. sharepointspace.com Feb.12: Featured Education family event beach walk, 8-9 p.m., Foss Waterway Seaport, Hood Canal Marina, 5101 East State Route 106, Union, Wash. http://pugetsound.org Feb. 14: Napa Valley Divers club meeting, 7 p.m., Filippi’s Pizza Grotto, Napa, Calif. www.napavalleydivers.com
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REGIONAL NEWS
SPECIALTY DIVING
free diving-reaching the human potential By Erin MaGee Guest Writer, Dive News Network
F
ree diving is a sport that’s growing larger every year. It has changed drastically since its origins thousands of years ago, but the freediving fundamentals forever remain the same. Competitive free divers use a single breath for the journey underwater. The question always comes up, why do it? Why dive on a single breath? That answer is unique to each individual free diver. Some like the challenge of breath holding while others prefer the convenience of avoiding scuba tanks altogether. Still many simply feel that free diving provides a unique connection to the nature of the underwater world but one thing is for sure; all free divers love the rush. In my case free diving is mostly about the self discovery that comes with using your innate human potential to push the limits of what we used to think was impossible. Every human being on this planet has the potential to reach incredible freediving depths because every person has hidden diving reflexes that change their body’s physiology whenever they enter the water. These changes, though temporary, actually adapt the human body to become an aquatic animal. The only
difference between an experienced free diver and someone who’s never stuck one toe into a pool is this: the freediver has used and felt those reflexes. I can tell you from personal experience, those reflexes will allow you to reach depths you’d never think possible. Before I got into freediving, I used to think that it was only for svelte men and women in peak physical condition who practice every single day to adapt their bodies to the water. Maybe that’s true of the most elite free divers in the world, but not for the majority of us. For example, before I’d had any formal training, I practiced a bit of freediving on my own and after a couple of years I was able to get my breath-hold up to 2:45. I thought that was the absolute longest breath-hold I could do and was shocked when I heard of people doing four or even five minutes. So after taking a four-day freediving class and learning about a few simple freediving techniques, I tried again and held my breath for more than four minutes. I was astonished that I could use techniques my instructors taught to drastically increase that ability without months and months of training. I now teach freediving courses and our instructors regularly help students hold their breath for even longer. It is truly amazing what the human body
can accomplish when you train it correctly. Free diving has a number of practical uses such as spearfishing or photography and many scuba divers actually report that freediving helps them lower their air consumption Photo courtesy performancefreediving.com rate, allowing them more bottom time even when they’re on scuba. In the end free diving is quite the rush, and a lot of fun while getting the chance to test your own personal limits. So whether you are a scuba diver looking to increase bottom time or an adventurer out to see what you can do, give free diving a try...you might be surprised at just what you can do. ■ Editor’s Note:Erin Magee is a national record holding freediver and an instructor for Performance Freediving International, a freediving certification agency that has been in existence since 2000. For more info on freediving visit www. performancefreediving.com or email erin. magee@performancefreediving.com.
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Northwest 2010 NorthwestDive DiveNews NewsDECEMBER JANUARY 2011
The Vancouver Aquarium is a non-profit association dedicated to the conservation of aquatic life
12th annual divers’ weekend at the Vancouver Aquarium T
he 12th Annual Divers’ Weekend is set to take place Jan. 22–23, 2011 at the Vancouver Aquarium. Located in beautiful Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium is a self-supporting, non-profit association dedicated to effecting the conservation of aquatic life through display and interpretation, education, research, and direct action. It is home to over 70,000 amazing animals and is open to visitors from around the world 365 days a year. Dive News Network is proud to co-sponsor this event along with partners Aqua Lung Canada, Olympus Canada, and the Dive Industry Association of British Columbia. This annual celebration of diving offers both divers and non-divers a place to explore the oceans, expand their horizons, and exchange ideas. There will be 35 exhibitors throughout the Aquarium’s galleries including the Canadian Coast Guard, RCMP, Canadian Navy Diving Unit, Artificial Reef Society of BC, Canadian Association for Underwater Science, WorkSafeBC, and many more. The weekend will feature an array of engaging seminars and workshops including Regulator Servicing: an inside look at servicing scuba regulators by Aqua Lung Canada, The World’s First Online Dive Reservation System by CLICKnDIVE.com, Careers in Diving by Capilano University, and Ten of BC’s Best Dive Destinations by Barb Roy. Observe Canadian Coast Guard rescue divers demonstrate their skills, see if you can hold your breath as long as multiple world record holder Mandy-Rae Cruikshank during a freediving demonstration, and watch as fully equipped technical divers explore the Pacific Canada exhibit. As well, show your dive certification card and receive 50 percent off Aquarium admission or 10 percent off an Aquarium membership. Visit www.visitvanaqua.org for more information. ■ Photo courtesy Vancouver Aquarium
(Please note: exhibitors and programs are subject to change.)
www.performancefreediving.com
Learn breath-holding and freediving techniques, rescue skills along with yoga and meditation skills. Cross training for scuba divers, big-wave surfers, kayakers and any water enthusiasts working in an extreme environment. Basic – Intermediate – Advanced Freediver along with professional programs available. Courses run world-wide, check our website for dates and locations near you. Performance Freediving International has been training recreational, professional and world record freedivers for over 10 years. 4,500 have enjoyed our professional programs and six athletes have accomplished over twenty world records with us.
Divers’ WeekenD
January 22+23, 2011 at the vancouver aquarium explore the oceans. expand your horizons. exchange ideas.
50% off admission or 10% off Aquarium membership for certified divers (when certification card is shown). Details at www.visitvanaqua.org In partnership with
LeArn From the PeoPLe who trAIn the Best. 604.629.7416 Vancouver, BC | 954.302.2791 Florida info@performancefreediving.com www.performancefreediving.com
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EXPO SHOW DATES: APRIL 8-10 AT THE GREATER TACOMA CONVENTION AND TRADE CENTER
2011 Dive & Travel Expo-Snapshot of Activities The huge weekend focuses on everything underwater from showing people how fun it is to breathe underwater, to seminars to fantastic travel around the world and right at home. This show will be an exciting weekend of adventure and fun. www.DiveAndTravelExpo.com
Schedule of Events
Shoot to Win
Friday, April 8, 2011
7 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Exhibitor Setup 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.: Dive Retailer Seminar by Dive Industry Association 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.: Industry Day 6 p.m.: Industry Social
Saturday: April 9, 2011
10 a.m.-6 p.m.: Dive Expo Open to the public 10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Hourly information seminars 6:30 p.m.: Cocktail Reception – Sat Night Film Festival 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.: Sat Night Dinner/Film Festival
Sunday: April 10, 2011
7:30 a.m.: Treasure Hunt registration (Owen Beach) 9 a.m.: Treasure Hunt (Owen Beach) 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.: Dive Expo Open to the Public
Attend the 2011 Dive & Travel Expo and Win BIG!
We will have over $100,000 in cash and prizes donated this year. Companies from all over the world are coming and will bring “goodies” to give away. Win a 2 week vacation in Fiji, Indonesia or Cozumel, or win wetsuits, drysuits, regulators, BCD’s and MORE!!! You will be amazed!!
$
$
$ $ $
Enter the Dive & Travel Expo Photo Contest with your best underwater shots. There are $10,000 in prizes up for grabs - don’t miss your chance to win. All amateur photo buffs are eligible to enter this terrific contest. Entry deadline is March 1, 2011 (judging will be completed in mid march). Winners will be announced and their winning entries displayed at the Saturday Night Film Festival, April 9th, 2011. Go to: divenewsnetwork.com/photovideo-competition.html. for full details including rules, entry applications and how to submit.
50+ Free Seminars
Meet and learn with guest speakers from all over the country who present the hottest topics in scuba. Get tips from professionals on underwater photography and videography, update your diving skills and discover great new certification options. Learn what organizations are doing to rehabilitate Puget Sound and how you can get involved.
300+ Exciting Exhibit Booths
Meet dive shop owners and manufacturers, resort owners, dive travel managers, and check out the latest in new products from leading manufacturers who produce the world’s best dive equipment.
Try Scuba Free
Non-divers can get a FREE lesson from scuba professionals in our large indoor heated pool. All equipment including suits will be provided. Just bring a good attitude!
Saturday Night Dinner and Film Festival
Photos by Tove Chatham
Starting at 6 p.m., mix and mingle with industry leaders and other dedicated Northwest divers during a no-host cocktail reception. From 7 to 9 p.m. attendees will watch spellbinding presentations by world-class photographers and cinematographers. Local divers/photographer will present the finalists and winners of the Dive Expo photo contest. Come congratulate winners and enjoy award-winning films from dive sites that circle the globe.
Have Fun!
Photo by Tove Chatham
Spend the weekend in Tacoma. See and meet professionals at the Convention Center. Check out incredible photos and watch videos at the film festival Saturday. Sunday, dive for prizes at the Treasure Hunt, see exhibits one more time, attend seminars and learn more about the great sport and lifestyle that is scuba diving.
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10
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www.dolphin-charters.com Northwest 2010 NorthwestDive DiveNews NewsDECEMBER JANUARY 2011
THE DIVE & TRAVEL EXPO IS THE NORTHWEST’S ONLY DIVING EXPO—DON’T MISS THE SHOW!
Treasure Hunt hits the beach in Tacoma – win $50,000 in prizes! Divers will plunge for prizes at the largest Treasure Hunt in the Pacific Northwest in Tacoma, Washington on Sunday, April 10 at 9 a.m. Held on Sunday morning, Pacific Northwest divers will storm Owen Beach in Point Defiance Park for all the action and prizes Treasure Hunt offers. The ninth annual dive extravaganza, part of Northwest Dive News’ Dive & Travel Expo weekend, will attract divers from all over the Northwest. “Treasure Hunt 2011 is all new and improved” said Event Director and NWDN Publisher Rick Stratton. “This year’s event has many changes that will increase safety and improve the fun at the event.” “Our prizes this year are outstanding – we have over $50,000 in cash and prizes donated this year. In addition to the Treasure Chest filled with $1,000 CA$H, divers can win wetsuits, drysuits, regulators, trips and more. IST Sports has stepped in as our SUPER SPONSOR and donated $10,000 in IST dive gear. One diver will win a complete IST outfit – Exposure Suit, Regulator, BCD, mask, fins, snorkel – the whole enchilada! At this event, it’s not just all about the gear, we have lots of trips too. Divers can win dives with nearly all the local dive charters and resort destinations. If you are a diver, you gotta be in this contest!” Rick Stratton. Volunteer divers from the local dive clubs will run the event and work with Treasure Hunt veterans Mike and Roberta Nebel who will coordinate the event. “We are going to have a great Treasure Hunt,” Nebel said. “We have a very experienced crew. Most of the people have been volunteering for several years. They know what to do and how to do it. They will do a great job,” he said. An important change involved moving the Treasure Hunt to Sunday morning. I know that many divers will be disappointed that we moved the Treasure Hunt to a Sunday, but many were disappointed in previous years, when it was on a Friday. However; we had so much going on that weekend, we felt that we had to move it to Sunday at 9 a.m. to accommodate a safe dive and not conflict with the Dive Expo. “Now divers can focus on the dive and attend the show on Sunday to pick up their prizes. Stratton said, “Divers will be able to dive for treasure at 9 a.m. and then go to the Convention Center at noon or later to pick up their prizes.” All the prizes will be awarded at the Convention Center. All prizes must be claimed during the weekend. Another important change is the way the prizes are given away. This year every diver token represents a prize. If a diver finds a token stamped Treasure Hunt 2011, they will win a prize,” Stratton said. We have improved the process of how prizes are awarded and while based on diver skills, the actual prize awarded is random. ■ Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 JANUARY 2011
Finding Treasure Hunt Prizes (2010) - Photo by Tove Chatham
EVENT REGISTRATION
The BEST way to register is online at www.diveandtravelexpo.com Event Fee is $25 for pre-registration and $35 at the event Pre-Registration Discount (Valid until April 1, 2011)
Treasure Hunt Registration Limited Edition T-shirt Package Price
$25 $10 $35
Save $20 When You Pre-Register!
* Treasure Hunt participation includes admission to the Dive & Travel Expo on Sunday ** All divers must show proof of certification at Owen Beach – Bring your C-card! Late-registration, April 10th – Owen Beach 7:00 - 8:30 am Treasure Hunt begins 9:00 a.m. SHARP. Dive lasts 30 minutes. All divers must exit the water by 9:30. All divers must attend a pre-dive brief and have a treasure-seeking buddy.
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11
DEMa is the industry’s chance to see the latest & greatest
10 New Items at the dema show
By Mike Hughes
W
hen Rick asked me to do an article on 10 new items from The Diving Equipment and Marketing Association Show held in Las Vegas recently, I said why not, but then it hit me, I saw over fifty new products at The DEMA Show. I recorded 90 videos for You Tube. I saw so much new gear that my head was spinning like the blades of a new underwater scooter. There is no way that I could target the top ten items with due justice, so instead I’ll randomly point out a few items from different categories, and the rest of the new dive gear will just have to work their way into my monthly Gear Box columns. 1. Nautilus Lifeline: To start with, this was one of the biggest hits at DEMA.
This two-way radio lets you contact any ship or boat 8 miles in any direction. Take it with you on a dive, if you surface and don’t see a boat, snap the cover open, flip up the antennae, and push to talk. Your voice and GPS coordinates will hit boat and plane frequencies, minimizing search time. www.nautiluslifeline.com 2. Acuspear: a spear designed to take out invasive species of lionfish without you getting unwanted pointers in exchange. Pull back, release, and save of reef. It’s easy to use and without such devices, lionfish may soon be one of the only fish species on the reef to attain adulthood. They have no natural predators in the Atlantic Ocean and the females can put out 20,000 eggs in a short period of time. Local fish have not learned to be leery of lionfish by
instinct yet; this process could take thousands of years, and the local fish just don’t have the learning curve time on their side. www. acuspear.com 3. Wheezle High Viz Jacket: A Bright yellow jacket on the outside and a low viz black reversible inside lets you keep warm between dives. The hood can be used on the surface or under latex hoods underwater to add as insulation. On the surface the yellow side of the hood can be seen far away. It’s a great jacket that goes nicely with other Wheezle products as well as other apparel. Already worn by Great Britons and Canadians, it is sure to make a big warm impression in the USA too.www.weezle.co.uk 4. SeaShell Camera Housings: Insert or house almost 2000 different types of cameras. Set your camera on the lined and diagramed display sheets and follow the lines and directions. Place the shims as directed into the housing. Next put your camera in the housing and you are ready to click away. www.zearcorp.com 5. Predator Power Fins: A slight change in design accompanied by new material make a great fin even better. Predators such as killer whales have been using a similar design for millions of years; now it’s our turn. I have mentioned its predecessor the Delfin Power fin in the Gear Box; another former powerful yet easy to use fin. www.predatorpowerfins.com
11th Annual Seattle Aquarium Octopus Census CENSUS:
January 15-17, 2011
Help us learn more about Puget Sound’s Giant Pacific Octopus population and environment. Meet us at: • Cove 2 Alki, West Seattle Saturday, January 15 • 9am – 1pm • Redondo Beach, Des Moines Sunday, January 16 • 9am – 1pm For more information about the census and to submit your data visit seattleaquarium.org.
Inspiring Conservation of our Marine Environment 12
DON’T MISS THE ALL NEW WEBSITE! www.nwdivenews.com www.nwdivenews.com
Northwest 2010 NorthwestDive DiveNews NewsDECEMBER JANUARY 2011
we share an insider’s look at what happened this year 6. Underwater Kinetics SL3eled dive light: Introducing the world’s smallest 3-C cell dive light. An interior metal alloy casing takes heat away from the led circuitry and transfers it to the batteries for better battery performance. Batteries perform better when warm, than cold. The result, a bright literally cool dive light: land or sea. Led dc battery lights are better, brighter, and last longer than ever before. Replacing old bulb lights is direct currently now a no brainer. www.uwkinetics.com 7. Dive Safe Mouth Piece: Does your current mouthpiece look a little too funky for your tastes? Dive Safe has the solution; an antimicrobial mouth piece that when used properly and while protecting you, will leave you practically speechless. www.divesafeshop.com 8. DAN 1st Aid Back Pack: It’s a sharp looking orange first aid backpack with a half moon easy access zipper opening in the back. Its design allows you quick access to things that matter most in an emergency. It looks cool too. www.dan.org 9. Hitch Safe Backpack Safe: Attach this device to anything where you need a safe and secure compartment. Its brought to you by the same people that made the hitch safe to store keys inside a safe instead of on top of your car tire or other obvious location. www.hitchsafe.com 10. Sealife DC1200 Camera: the new camera takes 12 megapixel images, plus 640x480video. 5x digital finger point zoom. The piano keyboard buttons on the housing make it easy to use no matter how big your gloves are. It is an easy to use camera, but it sure was hard to get my hands on it at DEMA as it seems everyone wanted to test this flashy number out, especially with the wide angle lens and the adjustable strobe light. It’s one of those “I gotta have it” pieces of dive gear. www.sealife-cameras.com As I said, this is just a random sample of some of the great products on display at DEMA in Las Vegas. Others items will appear in the Gear Box section in the months to come. Some of the products on display at DEMA, will not actually be on
Making friends at DEMA - Photo by Mike Hughes
sale to the public for a few months to come. Besides the great gearproducts, DEMA is the place to go forspeaking directly to representatives from dive resorts around the world. Divemasters, factory representatives, and dive shop owners have a chance to meet with each other all in one setting. I have uploaded videos on You Tube for your
Viva Las Vegas – for the 2010 DEMA Show! O By: Barb Roy and Wayne Grant
nce again Las Vegas was the host city to the largest Industry dive show in North America – DEMA, which stands for Diving Equipment & Marketing Association. Each year in November, thousands of dive shop owners, charter operators, manufacturers and dive industry people gather to display their destinations and products for the coming year. Between November 17-20 attendees could participate in repair workshops, attend marketing seminars and attend a trade show designed to help them plan their dive trips and order new products. As a diver I marveled at new gear like the Nautilus Lifeline, a GPS radio for divers, distributed by Ideations, Design, Inc. www. divealert.com. Wayne really liked the Navimate, also with GPS capabilities in a wrist mount unit – www.naveimate.com. Leon Scamahorn of Innerspace Systems Corp. had his two new Megalodon CCR rebreathers on display – the Pathfinder and the Predator, both compact in size and a consideration for the traveling diver. www.megccr.com. When we weren’t chatting with tour operators from around the world about what
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perusal. Look under mikehughesscuba for a complete list of the DEMA short clips. Some have a bit of comedy attached others are just plane interesting. I hope you like them. Oh, also, as a remindernextyearThe DEMA Show will be held in Orlando, perhaps I’ll see you there. www.dema.org ■
32 Canne ry Ro w at the Breakwater Co
ve , Montere y, CA
dive@aquarius2.com www.AQUARIUS2.com
Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 www.nwdivenews.com We bring industry news to local divers - nwdivenews.com
makes their destination so desirable, we took in some sights and shows Vegas is so famous for. At the Venetian Hotel we indulged in two shows - Blue Man Group and Phantoms. Blue Man Group was not only humorous; it was a colorful theatrical collage of sound and enjoyment! We also felt the rhythm was as unique as their instruments. This was a fun audience interactive show the whole family can enjoy. www.blueman.com Wayne admitted he wasn’t thrilled when I told him we were going to a musical play (Phantoms), but thoroughly got into it. I thought the custom-built theater was beautifully decorated as a Paris Opera House and the show portrayed the classical love story triangle. www.phantomlasvegas.com What diver can resist anything about the Titanic? We checked out the Titanic Artifact Exhibition at the Luxor Hotel. I am still baffled how they managed to put a piece of the ships’ hull on display! Other items belonging to the passengers and crew were preserved in glass cases. An actual chunk of ice gave visitors a chance to feel how cold the water was when the ship went down. The gift shop had replica R.M.S. ‘White Star Line’ dishes for sale at the end of the display. www.luxor. com/entertainment/titanic.aspx To take in a bit of sunshine and see more of the desert, we headed by car for Valley of Fire State Park in Overton. There were various stops throughout the park to stop at for leisurely hikes and breathtaking photo opts. The red color variations in the sandstone structures, hence the name Valley of Fire, formed about 150 million years ago due to shifting sand dunes and years of erosion. parks.nv.gov Watch for the 2011 DEMA Show to take place in Orlando, Florida November 2-5. ■
13
NORTHWEST DESTINATION
NORTH VANCOUVER ISLAND
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE QUEEN CHARLOTTE Strait’s ocean Frontier
Queen Charlotte Strait, British Columbia
X
“The best temperate diving in the known universe!” Browning Passage - Photo by Jett Britnell Text and Photography by Jett Britnell
B
lustery weather has challenged me on more than one dive trip during my diving career, but this particular day was not one of them. Queen Charlotte Strait was glassy calm. Underwater the visibility was gin clear as I swam over a field of gorgonian corals at a depth of 30 meters. Shooting at an upward angle, I focused my camera lens on one of the coral patches. I was understandably surprised when I noticed a large brown furry torpedo looming in the distance. Soaring in from out of nowhere, a massive steller sea lion burst onto the scene. She was a magnificently large specimen that I estimate would tip the
scales at about 340 kilograms. Twisting and pirouetting, the playful pinniped made several close passes before departing as suddenly as it had appeared for reefs unknown. Queen Charlotte Strait lies at the “top end” of Vancouver Island, on its eastern side, between Vancouver Island and the mainland. It is an immense waterway with narrow, constricted passages, fjord-like inlets, large islands and a tangled maze of scrawnier weather-beaten islets. Seasonal upwellings combined with extreme tidal water movement produces an enriched planktonic soup that supports a lush profusion of exotic marine life and more than 350 species of fish. These
waters also support a healthy population of marine mammals and are deemed to be one of the best places on earth to observe seals, sea lions, dolphins, porpoise, Minke whales, grey whales, humpback whales and a resident pod of more than 100 killer whales. My encounter with the sea lion occurred in current-swept, Ripple Passage, one of Queen Charlotte Strait’s signature dive sites. Topside, Barry Islet appears as nothing more than a desolate, guano-crowned, granite rock. However, underwater it assumes an entirely different character. Barry Islet’s subsea terrain is strewn with living tapestries of color and diverse and unusual species of marine life.
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Northwest 2010 NorthwestDive DiveNews NewsDECEMBER JANUARY 2011
QUEEN CHARLOTTE STRAIT
Where did you dive yesterday? email us: editor@divenewsmag.com
Pink and orange brooding anemones grow in such profusion that they practically conceal the amber holdfasts of the giant bull kelp plants. Fist-sized orange peel nudibranchs were foraging amid the giant barnacles and patches of soft coral. Mosshead warbonnets were plentiful and easy to photograph. Also obliterating the rocky substrate are lacy basketstars, nuggets of canary-yellow sulfur sponge, purple ring-top snails, and several different species of sculpin, shrimp and crabs. The kaleidoscopic reeftop quickly drops away to a sheer drop off that plunges to narcotic depths well beyond 30 meters. Thickly encrusted with invertebrate life forms, the vertical wall is overgrown with a living rainbow of pink soft corals, clumps of feather duster tubeworms, billowy white plumose anemones and colonial ascidians. Florid bouquets of yellow finger sponge mantle the drop off like candelabras on top of Liberace’s grand piano. The precipice eventually slopes out into a vibrant seascape of huge boulders and broad ravines that are festooned with opulent fields of orange and white of deep water gorgonian corals. Sparsely distributed in local waters, these fragile gorgonians are thus far known to occur in only three places along the B. C. coast. We routinely book our dive charters with Browning Pass HideAway Lodge which is an all inclusive dive resort located
in idyllic Clam Cove, a secluded inlet on the east side of Nigel Island, which is only a short skiff ride to Queen Charlotte Strait’s dive sites. Owned and operated by John DeBoeck, HideAway is a rustic looking floating cedar-shake lodge decorated with weathered pieces of driftwood, flotsam and jetsam and Japanese glass fishing floats. The lodge provides comfortable accommodations and hearty meals for up to 16 divers. John
is an easygoing host who has been leading dive charters in British Columbia since 1980. Arguably one of provinces most knowledgeable dive charter captains, John knows these northern seas better than anyone and his contribution towards introducing British Columbia to the world’s diving stage is immeasurable. Hideaway’s daily diving routine involves making three to four dives that are scheduled to capitalize on
Browning Pass HideAway dock - Photo by Jett Britnell
Each day we serve up Incredible Photo Ops! @ up to 4 great dives per day from our comfy Wilderness Resort!
Nitrox & o2 available
Call toll free (877) 725-2835 (Can. & U.S.) or 1 250 753-3751 (Int)
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Northwest Dive News DECEMBER We support local divers -2010 Local divers supportwww.nwdivenews.com the industry.
15
NORTHWEST DESTINATION the most optimal current, tide and weather conditions. DeBoeck remains flexible with the daily dive plans that are always subject to being rescheduled whenever killer whales, dolphins or humpback whales are in the vicinity. In fact, we enjoyed several sightings of humpback whales in nearby Browning Passage during our surface intervals there. Browning Passage, a remote a currentswept channel situated off Nigei Island, is one of Queen Charlotte Strait’s diving jewels a diving hot spot. There are numerous dive sites in this channel that feature rocky ledges embroidered with colonies of pastel-pink soft corals and bloated clumps of encrusting sulfur sponges. Each dive site offers something a little different in the way of diverse subsea terrain and unusual marine life. Browning Wall is a dive site that covers a distance of approximately 275 meters. The wall’s shear rock face starts about 30 meters above the water line and plunges steeply to a boulder and rubble strewn sea floor that bottoms out at about 40 meters. Browning Wall’s precipitous drop off is pockmarked with undercuts and crevices that are jam-packed with a cornucopia of bizarre critters. Large bushel-sized fans of yellow finger sponge punctuate the wall. Amid the abstract chaos, a living tapestry multi-colored sea anemones, spiny red sea urchins, feathery hydroids, lacy basket stars, deep purple hydrocorals and colonial
Best Compact Cameras for 2010
Kelp forest - Photo by Jett Britnell
ascidians, prehistoric-looking kelp crabs and gigantic sea stars. Seemingly as unstoppable as a tank, football-sized Puget Sound king crab brandishes its powerful mottled-orange pincers as they trample across the reef. Breathtaking encounters with iconic Emerald Sea reef inhabitants such as the Pacific giant octopus occur on just about every dive at Browning Wall. Normally these shy and retiring creatures seek shelter in cracks or crevices during the day only to emerge after dark to forage for food. While specimens that weigh nine to 22 kilograms are not uncommon, most of the Pacific giant octopus that I’ve met range between five and 18 kilograms. Though impressive in size, it need not be feared in the wild. They are shy, intelligent, gentle and harmless creatures, and local divers consider an encounter with these beguiling cephalopods to be the highlight of any dive. Probe beneath the sheltering tentacles of the crimson anemone, and you’ll likely see some neon-veined candy-striped shrimp or fist-sized orange peel nudibranchs that like to munch on the pink soft coral’s delicate
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Underwater Video & Photo
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BRITISH COLUMBIA
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polyps. These translucent colored shrimp escape being devoured by its voracious anemone host by coating themselves with mucus from the anemone’s body. Countless numbers of sea stars, some as big as automobile tires, litter the rocky substrate. Also the diversity and abundance of bizarrelooking nudibranchs, or sea slugs, is simply stunning. Schools of widow rockfish fill the water column adjacent to the wall, while friendly kelp greenlings and the beautifully speckled China rockfish perch on sponge outcroppings, lying in wait for some tender morsel to drift their way. Occasionally, large jellyfish materialize and drift aimlessly with their long stinging tentacles trailing behind. The fish with kaleidoscope eyes, the red Irish lord sculpin, blends effortlessly into the background with its cryptic camouflage. Another strikingly colored sculpin, the grunt sculpin, has a peculiar long snout, stout body and long pectoral fins. They rarely swim, preferring to move in a “hopping” fashion. The eel-like decorated warbonnet is a 25 to 30 centimeters long creature that is usually found with its branching head protruding from behind a crevice or sponge. Yet none of these piscine wonders can hold a candle to partaking in an aquatic waltz with a six-foot long wolf eel. With faces resembling that of grumpy old men, wolf eels are the largest of the eel-type fishes on the West Coast. These ferocious-looking predators crush sea urchins, spines and all, with their powerful well-developed canine teeth. Surprisingly, they seldom, if ever, display aggression toward divers and actually seem to derive some form of pleasure from brief periods of human interaction. Many years before far-flung tropical diving destinations came up with the phrase, “Muck Diving,” we were doing just that while night diving over sandy seafloors in protected shallow bays that were often used as anchorages. Among the nocturnal cast of reef critters we would see were rat fish, sailfin sculpins, sturgeon poachers, giant nudibranchs and broken back shrimp. During one of these night dives I came across a juvenile longnose skate. With a wingspan Northwest 2010 NorthwestDive DiveNews NewsDECEMBER JANUARY 2011
READ MORE ONLINE: www.divenewsnetwork.com of no more than twenty centimeters across, the skate was a perfect subject for my Nikon 60mm macro lens. Such is the majesty of adventure diving in Canada’s Queen Charlotte Strait. An ocean frontier that garners heady praise from diving photojournalists the world over and who regard this corner of British Columbia’s Emerald Sea as being the “best temperate diving in the known universe!” Ocean temperatures may be cooler north of the 49th parallel, but so too is diving where the wild things are. Jett Britnell is an internationally published marine photojournalist who has over 28 years of diving experience in British Columbia’s Emerald Sea and the World’s tropical oceans. His photography and diving articles have appeared in many diving publications worldwide. For more information, go to www.jettbritnell.com. ■ GETTING THERE Port Hardy is located four hours north of Nanaimo by car on the east coast of Vancouver Island. For ferry schedules from Vancouver to Nanaimo, call B.C. Ferries at 1-888-223-3779 or 250-386-3461, or visit www.bcferries.bc.ca. WHEN TO GO Port Hardy’s dive season routinely runs from April till November. Check with the dive charter operator to determine if they are running trips at other times of the year. Sport divers should wear a ¼ inch wetsuit or dry suit. WHERE TO STAY AND DIVE Browning Pass HideAway, Port Hardy, BC Office: PO Box 866, Nanaimo BC V9R 5N2, Toll-free 877 725 2835 or 1-250-753-3751, Website: www.VancouverIslandDive.com, Email: hideaway@vancouverislanddive.com
Photos by Stock.xchng
Sacred Burial Sites of British Columbia’s First Nations
Sport diving in British Columbia’s remote regions occasionally places divers in some rather unique and privileged locations. The off the beaten track coastal areas that some local dive charter operators frequent are often within the traditional or modernday territory of the west coast First Nation’s peoples. While making impromptu shore visits it is not unheard of to stumble upon ancient First Nation burial sites. Although most First Nation Reserves are marked with an “IR” on marine charts and most recreational maps, there are hundreds of “unofficial” sites that are not clearly marked on maps. Some of these sites may be in close proximity to the deteriorating cedar remains of long abandoned villages. Traditionally, west coast First Nation tribes employed different methods to intern their dead. Some clans constructed burial boxes to hold mortuary remains and favoured possessions above ground by placing them on stilts or in trees. Other bands used burial caves, canoe burials, or placed the bodies on secluded rock ledges or outcroppings that looked out over the water. The burial ledges are quite fascinating, as you often cannot see them from water level, yet there is usually a clear view of the ocean
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(425) 512-8811 | 4610 Evergreen, Everett WA Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 JANUARY 2011
QUEEN CHARLOTTE STRAIT
when you’re standing up on the ledge. Both whale and human bones are sacred to descendants so tribal members often tend or look after their ancestral burial sites. Obviously, any human remains or artifacts that one encounters should remain untouched and be treated with an appropriate level of respect and dignity. Divers routinely adopt a code of secrecy and refuse to disclose the precise location of burial sites if one is discovered during a diving expedition. The unwritten code being, “Take only pictures… and leave only footprints.” First Nation burial sites used to be a much more common sight in isolated corners of British Columbia’s coastal regions. Unfortunately, these sacred places are increasingly becoming much rarer as many burial cairns now lie empty because they were either disturbed by overzealous anthropologists or ransacked by scavengers. In some instances, the deceased’s remains were exhumed and moved to a different location to be given a “proper” Christian burial. The Province of British Columbia now protects all archaeological sites under its Heritage Conservation Law that imposes penalties on anyone who damages, alters, digs or removes artifacts. Modern museums have even developed policies and procedures for returning human remains to their place of origin rather than collecting them for study or public exhibition. The spiritual experience of viewing moss covered human skulls or white skeletal remains bleached by the mists of time makes for a deeply moving find. British Columbia’s First Nation burial sites are a cultural phenomenon that I believe is on par with the primitive funeral rites practiced by other aboriginal cultures around the world. One of the best ways we can learn about the west coast First Nation’s history is through preserving the physical evidence from the past. In this way, we can keep the mysterious beauty and rich culture of British Columbia’s First Nations people alive. ■
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17
NORTHWEST DESTINATION
SOUTHEAST VANCOUVER ISLAND
Saanich Inlet, BC
kingdom of the cloud sponges Saanich Inlet, British Columbia
X
By Mike Hughes
T
he Saanich Inlet is located on Vancouver Island less than 20miles from down town Victoria. The first nations people called the Saanich Peninsula “The land were it is good to be”. This Peninsula is the driest region on the entire island of Vancouver. Douglas firs, western cedar, and hemlock grow here like no other region of the island. The bedrock here was ideal for making Portland cement, so cement and lumber became prime early commodities. Later, the cement factory and the adjacent timber cleared lands were converted into the now famous Butchart Gardens. Besides the gardens, the Victoria International Airport, and the Sydney Ferry Terminal where Washington State ferries carrying cars and passengers from Anacortes via the San Juan Islands are also located on the Saanich peninsula. The Anacortes boat ride is long and scenic and worth every minute of the passage. The other ferry route on the peninsula is from Brentwood Bay over to Mill bay and it is the oldest continuous ferry route on Vancouver Island; since 1924. So now that you know a little about the land, lets talk about the adjacent water way. The Saanich Inlet is about 15miles long and 738ft deep in some places. At the north end of this fjord there is a shallow lip similar to
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Northwest 2010 NorthwestDive DiveNews NewsDECEMBER JANUARY 2011
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SAANICH INLET
Photo by Mike Hughes.
the one down south in Hood Canal. The inlet was carved out of the earth by glaciers. When the glaciers receded, the exposed land filled with saltwater, plankton consisting of diatoms and dinoflagellates moved in and blossomed in numbers. Each night zooplankton such as copepods and pteropods rise up from the
depths and feast. The plankton skeletons sink in the spring and combined with silt from the Cowichan river in the fall produces a layering effect that has been recorded and studied back to 13,000 years ago. Herring who came in for the zooplankton have been dated back to 12,000 years. Much later, predators such
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19
NORTHWEST DESTINATION
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Photo by Mike Hughes.
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as hake, spiny dogfish sharks, salmon, and whales moved into the area. The Saanich Inlet is one of the most studied areas on the west coast. Now, the high lip on the entrance makes for smooth lake like conditions ideal for cloud sponges, but it also makes for anoxic conditions in the summer when hydrogen sulfide in deep basins builds up. You may find dense mats of chemosynthetic bacteria on the substrate. The more organic carbon they fix, the larger the mats get. Fall oxygenated river water from the Goldstream River and Oxygenated saltwater from the Haro Straights help bring the waters inside the Saanich Inlet back in balance. While other creatures may not be able to tolerate the wide
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Northwest 2010 NorthwestDive DiveNews NewsDECEMBER JANUARY 2011
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SAANICH INLET
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oxygen concentration swings and therefore have had to periodically relocate, the undaunted cloud sponges have formed dense colonies in bizarre large shapes, and the colonies maybe hundreds of years old. I should add here that cloud sponges have tiny glass (spike-like) spicules inside them that cause an irritating rash if you touch them bare handed; the spicules also keep other creatures from eating them. There are many dive sites where you can see the cloud sponges as well as the other resident sea creatures. Cloud sponges are usually between 80 to 100ft plus in depth. There are over 20 shore dives in the Saanich Inlet, and over 24 named boat dives where you may encounter cloud sponges. Some of the better-known shore dives include:
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NORTHWEST DESTINATION
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Photo by Mike Hughes.
McKenzie Bight: In the Gowland Tod Provincial Park, a short hike from Mark Lane down the trail to Willis Point (south). It’s a large wall dive near shore with boot sponges down at 100ft with plenty of life to keep a photographer busy, but sparse for those looking for massive amounts of life. Willis Point: Towards the north end, and at the end of Mark Lane is a gravel path that leads to this shore site. The wall starts out at 35ft of depth and continues down to 130ft. More gumboot sponges, cloud sponges, octopus dens, at this site. The substrate then slopes slowly down deeper for tech divers. At 140ft there is a bathtub guarded by rockfish. Henderson Point: To dive here you have to arrive early, as parking space is limited. This is a series of wall dives that go down past 130 feet. A wide variety of animal life lives here, due to the step structure of the walls; Lingcod on big boulders, and cloud and boot sponges hanging on walls at deeper end. In the summer time the vis can get low and the lions mane jelly fish count can get high. As for boat dives, some examples include: Repulse Rock: It’s a rock pinnacle where a seal colony likes to hang out. The sites other name is “The White Lady” from days when cloud sponges were abundant here. Now fewer cloud sponges remain here. Cloud sponges are extremely fragile, and the
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When did you last dive in Saanich Inlet? email us: editor@divenewsmag.com
touch of a glove can tear off or kill a hundred years worth of growth. Several colonies have appendages that have died and turned gray and this is due to some other unknown factors. There are lots of orange plumose anemones at this site. Christmas Point: A buoy marks the spot. A wall dive starts at 70-80ft down with cloud sponges at around 100ft. An intermediate to advanced dive. McCurdy Point: Dive through a layer of fresh water from the nearby falls. Stones turn into fingers until about 90 ft then you’ve reached a wall. Cloud sponges are between 100 to 125ft depending on where you are diving. Wolf eels, rockfish, and nudibranchs
are found here along with colorful pink coralline algae. Also look for the massive stairs on the adjacent shoreline that lead to nowhere in particular. There is a great video on You Tube displaying this dive site. Senanus Island: A dive buoy marks the spot to tie up. This is the homeland of cloud sponges. Cloud sponges of every sort and size. They start down at 85-90ft. Not much else here, but a plethora of cloud sponges. There are other islands and artificial reefs just outside the Saanich Inlet to explore. So plan on staying a few nights to catch a glimpse of the most popular local dive sites. You can stay at The Brentwood Bay Lodge & Spa and be right next to the Rockfish Marina and
Northwest Dive News JANUARY We support local divers2011 - Local divers supportwww.nwdivenews.com the industry.
SAANICH INLET Rockfish Divers Charter Operations with their boat “Loup De Mer”. There are bed and breakfast inns such as The Inlet Beach House near the deep cove dive site. There are larger places such as The Best Western Motel located closer to Butchart Gardens, the airport and Sydney. Dive charters can be found in Sydney such as the Sydney Dive and Surf. Even boats from Ogden Point Dive Center regularly make their way into the Saanich Inlet. In the wintertime the vis can reach over 100ft, the summertime with plankton blooms, not so much, until you descend 20-40ft below the surface. So when is the best time to visit the Saanich Inlet? Answer: Several times a year. Great Dives! ■
23
COZUMEL
TROPICAL DESTINATIONS
cozumel
The Diving Capital of the World
By Rick Stratton Publisher, Dive News Network
C Rick and Ir ene “Apple ” Photo by R Applegate ick Stratton
d dive buddy Nancy Boucha an ratton by Photo Rick St
24
ozumel is Mexico’s answer for the adventure diver and as far as I am concerned it is the diving capital of the world. Cozumel literally has more divers per square inch than any other dive destination I have ever had the pleasure to visit. Recently I got my turn to cross it off my bucket list and I’ll tell you - I was amazed. Cozumel rests 12 miles off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. It is renowned the world over for its white sandy beaches and the waters surrounding this peaceful community. I was met with remarkable clarity in the water and an array of blues and greens that make your head spin. Jacques Cousteau once declared Cozumel one of the most beautiful scuba diving areas of the world and I would agree. The area has a rich history and an abundance of ancient wonders everywhere you look. I spent a lot of time diving and exploring the many facets of this little slice of diving heaven and I now tell everyone who will listen, (as well as a few who’d rather I just be quiet) that they need to get on the ball and get their tanks down there. From the moment we arrived, we felt the warmth of the people. Everywhere we went the hospitality was evident. I originally went down to visit with the folks who were developing the “Ultimate Diver Challenge” a television show that pits divers against one another in a test of skill. I spent some time with them, interviewing all the contestants and taking some great photos as well as video, all of which I will be sharing with you in the future. After our visit to the set of the Ultimate Diver Challenge we got a chance to do what I was dying to do…dive. Divers come to
www.nwdivenews.com Local divers don’t just dive locally—they dive globally!
Northwest 2010 NorthwestDive DiveNews NewsDECEMBER JANUARY 2011
MEXICO
TRAVEL DESTINATIONS
Map provided courtesy Cozumel Dive Guide, Deep Blue Productions
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Satisfaction Guaranteed - Dive Paradise will not let a reasonable client go away angry. If you have a problem, speak with owner-operator Renee “Apple” Applegate to resolve it instantly. We want you to enjoy your dive vacation, so we can welcome you back next year. Northwest Dive News DECEMBER We support local divers -2010 Local
divers supportwww.nwdivenews.com the industry.
25
TRAVEL DESTINATION
MEXICO
Whale shar k adventure Photo by W ayne Hasso n
Up close and personal with stingrays. Photo by Rick Stratton
Cozumel from all over the world to explore the Mesoamerica Reef, the largest reef in the Western hemisphere. There are over 250 species of tropical fish as well as turtles, stingray and more inhabiting the waters around the reef and, trust me, you are in no short supply of things to see. You literally jump into the water and just drift. You don’t have to go chasing anything down; the underwater world in Cozumel simply comes to you. My friend and fellow journalist Nancy Boucha and I discovered this first hand with a Whale shark adventure of our own. Nancy, who co-owns Scuba Systems in Skokie, Ill., had a stroke seven months earlier and this was her first trip back into the water. I was honored to have been the dive buddy she wanted to have me along as she tried out the water for the first time after her stroke. We took the ferry from Cozumel to Playa Del Carmen and a bus north Chiquita (port where the where the whale shark snorkel tours are based.) You are not allowed to dive, it is snorkeling only. But let me tell you that this type of dive is less like diving and more like the excitement you feel when white water rafting. It all goes very quickly and is not for the faint of heart. Nancy jumped in with both fins and did amazingly well. When we got to Holbox where the whale sharks were, our guides hurried us into the water and telling us go, go, go…I didn’t get
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Northwest 2010 NorthwestDive DiveNews NewsDECEMBER JANUARY 2011
COZUMEL
Where was the last tropical trip you took? email us: editor@divenewsmag.com
good photos the first time around but on our second trip into the water I was amazed to see these huge creatures swimming nearby. It was incredible. Come to the website and see the video. After my adventure with Nancy I wanted to dive as often as I could so I spent the next three days in and out of the water on every dive I could. I was in awe of how easy it was to dive Cozumel. During the times out of the water we were treated to the incredible hospitality of the locals. I felt at home everywhere I went. I really want to thank Anna Bravo form Cozumel Tourism who gave me a great land tour and a chance to explore the city above the water. She spent a day with us taking me around and introducing me to local business owners while pointing out the many sites in the Cozumel area. Bravo was a terrific guide as I was treated to stories of local history, explanations of local festivals and a chance to visit many of the local hotels. When I travel to a new area I like to explore the accommodations so that I can suggest some to our readers. I have to say that I literally enjoyed every place we visited. There is nothing like coming in from a day of diving and being able to relax. I stayed at Scuba Club Cozumel and when I say it was comfortable, I mean it was, feels like home but more “relaxing.” There was a great pool with an outdoor patio so you could relax and have that after dive cocktail. There were even hammocks on a private beach where guests could really relax. It was so private that it was hard to tell that you were mere minutes from downtown. A good friend and Dive News Video Editor at large, Gary Knapp of Dive Travel Videos, has taken some breathtaking video footage of Cozumel and he thinks it is one of those places that everyone just has to make time for. A television personality, Midwest diver and videographer who shoots film in over 30 locations around the world, Knapp says that Cozumel is on the top of his list of places to recommend. “Cozumel is known for its rich Mayan heritage but also it’s incredible diving,” Knapp says. “Divers come to Cozumel from all over the globe. I hear people call it the ‘drift diving capital of the world’ all the time and they are right.” Knapp adds that the island’s dive shops can accommodate as many as 1100 divers a day for an excursion. “There are truly magical reefs in some of the warmest and clearest tropical water in the world in Cozumel,” Knapp says. There are a lot of dive sites to explore in Cozumel. You will find amazing scenery in Santa Rosa, Palancar, Paraiso, Punta Sur and Maracaibo. Around Swallows’ Island you will find yourself in a natural aquarium full of life. It’s like swimming in a dream loaded with turtles, sharks, rays and dolphins. It is Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 JANUARY 2011
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27
TROPICAL DESTINATION
MEXICO
“I had to have a hammock.” Photo by Rick Stratton
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important to note that diving Cozumel needs to be a guided activity. There are a number of areas that should be for experienced divers only however there are places for beginning as well including a newly minted Cancun Underwater Museum sculpture park that sports over 400 artistic sculptures created by renowned British artist Jason deCaires Taylor. (See story on page 29) This incredible new attraction caters to both scuba divers and snorkelers. During one day of diving I dove with Alan Martin of Sea Robin Charters. Alan has been diving in Cozumel for more than 20 years. He has a small 6 pax operation. It was great and felt like having a private tour. (check out the video). By now you are getting the message loud and clear that I truly enjoyed my time in Cozumel. I do a lot of traveling and I have a great time everywhere I go but this trip was a no-effort-needed-sit-back-and-relax dive trip with amazing sights and incredible diving. I have now moved this breath-taking dive destination off my bucket list and put it into a permanent place on my “Do Over and Over” list. ■ Northwest 2010 NorthwestDive DiveNews NewsDECEMBER JANUARY 2011
Do you dive in unusual places? editor@divenewsmag.com
CANCUN SCULPTURE PARK
Sculpture Park Winning Worldwide Acclaim
Sculptures & photos by Jason deCaires Taylor By Jamie Farris
M
ost divers have a special place they enjoy diving. A place that draws them back over and over again because simply put, they can’t get enough of the beauty. Most times these special places are natural but last month a new special underwater place opened to divers and snorkelers and it is a mix of the natural beauty of the water and the artistic beauty created by famed artist Jason Decaires Taylor. It is the Cancun Marine Park and are divers in for a treat. The Cancun Underwater Museum which is an art conservation project sports over 400 sculptures created by Taylor. The artist sculpted each one with the idea that the sculptures would meld into the ocean beauty creating a unique underwater park, home to the local marine life and tourism
draw to the area. Located in the National Park of Isla Mujeres, Punta Cancun and Punta Nizuc the sculptures are made from a special material that will promote coral life. In a recent television interview Taylor said that the project was very important to him because it will draw attention to the ocean. “We have a wonderful world here and I want to promote it but I also want people to understand what it is we have,” Taylor says. “We have to preserve what we have.” Jenny Elliott of Aqua World, Mexico’s largest dive operator, says that the sculptures are really something to see. “The Cancun Marine Park is one of the most visited places in the world with over 750,000 visitors each year,” Elliott says. We hope that the sculptures will help promote the ocean waters
and the beauty that they offer. This truly is a preservation and ecological project.” Elliott says that Aqua World currently provides both scuba diving and snorkeling tours into the sculpture area. Visitors will discover that each of the sculptures has a meaning. ‘The Dream Collector’, ‘Man on Fire’ and ‘The Silent Evolution’ are just a few of the names. The Silent Evolution alone has almost 400 sculptures and the figures were molded from real models some of them known and some just regular characters in and around the Puerto Morelos area. “In the 35 years that Aqua World has been in business this has to be one of the most exciting additions to the local area,” Elliott says. “There has been a lot of interest from journalist, worldwide interest in fact, which is exciting too.” Elliott says that for now the plan is to add more to the sculpture park. The local arts council has requested that artists from around the world consider contributing to the park. “It could grow from here but it is already pretty amazing,” says Elliott. “I invite everyone to come down and see this amazing combination of nature and artist. You will not believe how beautiful it is.” For more info on Aqua World or the park visit www.aquaworld.com.mx
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29
DIVING LIFESTYLE
ULTIMATE DIVER CHALLENGE
Divers! On Your Mark! Get Set! Dive!
By Jamie Farris
W
e live in the age of conditioned TV voyeurism. If you aren’t watching people lose weight or become the next top model or trying to survive in a remote location…you aren’t watching television. Well, you knew it had to be a matter of time before divers would get involved. Welcome to the Ultimate Diver Challenge! The Ultimate Diver Challenge is a competition where divers face the reality of what it takes to be “the best of the best” in scuba diving. Filmed at exotic locations, this show will follow the best divers in the world as they navigate a series of challenges. Viewers see firsthand how tough the sport of scuba diving can be as divers are eliminated after failing the underwater courses complete with tasks and obstacles. The challenge requires divers to focus as they pit their skills with endurance and strength to determine who the “Ultimate Diver” is. UDC is the brain child of Pam Bertrand, a long time diver and self-proclaimed “reality addict”. “Reality Shows for me are certainly an addiction, but so far I have never been chosen to play the games that I watch so faithfully,” says Bertrand. (yes, she has applied). “The sport of diving is one of the most unique sports in the world. We can enter and explore a whole other real world filled with creatures, plants, and formations that many can only dream of ever seeing. I have often heard, “I could never do something like that”, but the reality is that a TV show will inspire non divers to understand how fun, exciting and easy scuba diving is.” Bertrand also hopes that UDC will allow the dive industry to emphasize the extreme importance of education, safety and training. She hopes also to emphasize
30
Festivities a
nd fun. Ph
oto by Ric
k Stratton
n Martin Nancy Boucha and Ala atton Photo by Rick Str
www.nwdivenews.com DON’T MISS YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DIVING! www.nwdivenews.com
Northwest 2010 NorthwestDive DiveNews NewsDECEMBER JANUARY 2011
LEARN MORE ONLINE AT www.divenewsnetwork.com
DIVING LIFESTYLE
Show host Steve Hanneman Photo by Rick Stratton
PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Course Online
Show host with contestants - Photo by Rick Stratton
conservation of the world’s oceans as well. “It is very important that divers understand that we are all stewards of the oceans and that we have an obligation to do what we can to preserve this gift,” Bertrand says. Bertrand chose Cozumel to kick off UDC because she loves the area so much. “I have been traveling to Cozumel for 23 years and truly can refer to this island as “home away from home”,” Bertrand says. “My devotion for the people of Cozumel and scuba diving, coupled with my love for reality television shows, inspired the idea of “The Ultimate Diver Challenge” and I am pleased to see it all come together.” Dive News Publisher Rick Stratton traveled to Cozumel to see firsthand what UDC was all about and he was impressed. “I did some filming, conducted
interviews and saw how it all works,” Stratton says. “I think this may be really good for the dive industry as a whole.” Now UDC is being produced professionally as a TV Reality Show and the show is being used for television syndication considerations. Until now, divers have never had the opportunity to compete while showcasing mastered diving skills. “Never in the history of scuba diving has a diver been acknowledged for exhibiting the basic scuba skills that emphasize the extreme importance of protecting our reefs, and upholding safe, recreational standards of Scuba Diving by identifying divers as “The Ultimate Diver”,” says Bertrand. “Imagine the exposure that the show is going to give scuba diving.” For more info visit www.ultimatediverchallenge.com.
Complete the knowledge development portion of the course online, then visit your local PADI Dive Center or Resort to complete your inwater skills. Visit padi.com/DUP to get started today.
© PADI 2010
INCREASE your exposure
Making friends at the Diver Challenge. Photo by Rick Stratton Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 JANUARY 2011
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31
MEDICAL DIVING
ARTICLE COURTESY OF DIVER’S ALERT NETWORK
“congestion”
I
f you are having one of those sniffling, sneezing, stuffy-headed, I-want-to-divebut-I-can-barely-breathe days, think twice before you dive. If the congestion is significant it can affect your sinuses and Eustachian tubes, elevating the potential for sinus and ear squeezes. The most common diving injury is middle ear barotrauma, which can be caused by congestion from a head cold or allergies. Oftentimes, divers who are congested on a dive trip ignore the symptoms or try to dive with decongestants (which may wear off during a dive) and end up facing equalization issues that result in ear injury. What’s in an ear? The middle ear, an air-containing cavity, acts as the middle man between the outer world and the Eustachian tubes that connect to the back of your throat. Its purpose is to maintain equal pressure across the tympanic membrane (which separates the outer ear from the middle ear). The increased pressure during descent causes ear drums to bow inward, creating negative pressure in the middle ear. In order to compensate for this increased external pressure, you must use equalizations to open the Eustachian tubes and permit the higher-pressure air from your throat to enter your middle ears. For instance, the Valsalva 32
maneuver is an equalization technique most divers learn wherein you pinch your nostrils and gently blow through your nose directing air up your Eustachian tubes to equalize the pressure in the middle ear. If you are congested, however, this is no simple task, because mucus may block the Eustachian tubes, thereby inhibiting equalization. Failure to equalize the middle ear to match the pressure in the outer ear may result in middle-ear barotrauma, a common and painful injury that may be susceptible to infection. In severe cases, the eardrum may rupture. Barotrauma may also occur on ascent if the Eustachian tubes are blocked by mucus and do not allow air to escape from the middle ear; this is called a reverse block and usually occurs as a result of poor equalization or if decongestants wear off at depth. For more divers, equalizing during descent is an active process, meaning you have to do something to equalize, such as employ a Valsalva maneuver. As you descend you may be able to equalize when air is pushed through mucus; however, the mucus can act as a “one-way valve” and interfere with proper venting on ascent resulting in a reverse block. Equalization during ascent is usually a passive process. Typically, as the external pressure decreases during ascent, the air in the middle
DON’T MISS THE ALL NEW WEBSITE! www.nwdivenews.com www.nwdivenews.com
article courtesy of
ear is now at a higher pressure and vents on its own via the Eustachian tubes. Air always tends to move from higher pressure to lower
Come to FIJI for your PADI IDC, EFRI and MSDT Prep.
Jan 17 - 26: 2011 IDC Jan 15-16: EFRI/O2 Jan 31 - Feb 3: MSDT
Course Director CJ Goodrich fiji@cjgoodrich.com
(619) 549-3483 with Subsurface Fiji @ Musket Cove Resort
Ask about our candidate referral program Northwest 2010 NorthwestDive DiveNews NewsDECEMBER JANUARY 2011
ARTICLE COURTESY OF DIVER’S ALERT NETWORK pressure (think about what happens when you let go of an inflated, but untied balloon). As a rule of thumb, if you cannot equalize during descent, try going up a few feet to equalize. If ascending a few feet does not resolve this issue, discontinue the descent and safely abort the dive. If you have cold symptoms, it is advisable to avoid diving until symptoms clear up to prevent injury. If you choose to dive with decongestants, select a longer-lasting formula to decrease the risk of the medicine wearing off at depth. If you encounter an ear injury on a dive, discontinue diving and see a doctor. Stay dry until symptoms resolve.
Sudafed Study Many divers choose to use over-thecounter decongestants such as Sudafed while diving. This trend, combined with the rising number of people diving Nitrox and other special gas mixtures, has inspired DAN to investigate whether Sudafed lowers the oxygen-induced seizure threshold. This concern is the subject of much speculation, but about which there is no quality existing data. DAN is currently conducting research to attempt to address this issue. To read more about DAN’s Sudafed study or to learn more about safely integrating medication into your diving, visit www.DAN.org. ■
MEDICAL DIVING
Tell your story with video. We’ll help with the gear.
Diver on ice My husband broke his hip in Antarctica. I cannot imagine how we could have made the arrangements for evacuation to the United States on our own. Both my husband [John] and I thought the entire staff did a terrific job. DAN was there for us.
Bonica customer, Koos du Preez captured this amazing and touching scene of a mother Octopus and her ultimate sacrifice. He used a JVC GZ320 paired with Bonica lighting. His work made Seattle’s KING 5 news.
Marguerite Church DAN Member
DAN is here for you.
Check it out at: http://vimeo.com/14416718
www.DiversAlertNetwork.org
or, on your smart phone:
For more information, contact Divers Alert Network 6 West Colony Place Durham, NC 27705 Toll Free 1-800-446-2671 * Testimonial given October 2007 *Insurance not included with Membership. Membership and insurance information applies only to DAN America. Additional fees apply to add insurance plans. DAN insurance programs administered by DAN Services, Inc. DAN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 JANUARY 2011
www.nwdivenews.com
Get the app at http://gettag.mobi
AG-5683
Contact your local dive 33 store or bonicadive.com
ANDY LAMB’S
andylamb@telus.net
MYSTERY CRITTER
an easily over looked, but fascinating tiny creature
F
or many years, I had noticed evidence for the presence of this month’s featured creature. However, I casually dismissed the seemingly life-less structures, thinking them unworthy of consideration amid the great array of marine life along my Pacific Northwest dive routes. Recently, fellow marine life enthusiast and author Rick Harbo re-acquainted me with the whispy-like extensions that sometimes festoon the spines of the red sea urchin Strongylocentrotus franciscanus. And his two excellent images included here, together with a scientific paper by L.R. McCloskey, nicely reveal the special 4909 S Coast Hwy, Suite 305 South Beach, OR
541.867.4944 • Scuba Instruction • Sales & Service • Equipment Rental Add your opinion to our online spear fishing survey now!
• Air & Nitrox Fills • Advice on local dive sites
southbeachscubaonline.com southbeachscuba@hotmail.com
34
relationships involved. The grayish/brown flexible “additions” on the spines are actually sediment whips that are constructed by the very resourceful amphipod Dulichia rhabdoplastis. During spring and summer, this little vegetarian creature actually “farms” these structures by tending the growth of diatoms (algae) that appear. A ready food supply is maintained within the relative safety of the urchin’s formidable defences. Obviously, for the amphipod, it is a “win, win” situation while the red sea urchin would appear to benefit little, if at all from this relationship.
Now, fully aware of this amazing story, I am looking forward to some summer diving at Dionisio Reef, in Porlier Pass, near my home on Thetis Island, where I have always seen sediment whip covered red sea urchins. In particular, the tiny amphipod will be the focus—a magnifying glass will certainly help in the search. Perhaps some of you will be looking too? Speaking of “looking,” be sure to keep an eye out for the new and revised version of Rick’s best-selling book Whelks to Whales (Harbour Publishing). Due out in the Spring of 2011, it will definitely be easier to find than Dulichia rhabdoplastis. ■
Vancouver Island 49th Parallel Dive Charters
Custodians of the Boeing 737 Artificial Reef Day trips &
Historic shipwrecks
Weekend
Porlier Pass
packages
Nightdives
Onboard air
37 ft boat
Giant stride with us!
1-250-252-0758 or letsdive@divemaster.ca
www.emeraldparadise.ca
DON’T MISS THE ALL NEW WEBSITE! www.nwdivenews.com www.nwdivenews.com
Northwest 2010 NorthwestDive DiveNews NewsDECEMBER JANUARY 2011
BOATING REGULATION
NOT ALL BOATERS ARE DIVERS BUT ALL DIVERS ARE BOATERS
WITH LIZ SUNDQUIST
Boat Propellers: The Hidden Danger Author: Liz Sundquist Information courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard pamphlet “Beware Boat Propellers…A Hidden Danger” Did you know that a standard three-blade boat propeller operating at 3,200 rpm can inflict 160 impact strikes in one second? And that a typical recreational boat propeller only takes one tenth of a second to travel from head to toe on an average sized person? Most boaters know that a boat propeller can be a very dangerous, and sometimes lethal, object. But few know just how gruesome propeller injuries can be. By taking some very basic safety precautions, you can avoid learning, first-hand, just how dangerous a boat propeller can be. Before leaving the dock, educate all passengers about the boat propeller – the location, the dangers and the importance of staying clear of the propeller at all times. Always assign one passenger (someone other than the captain) to be the official observer responsible for watching the propeller area whenever people are in the water. Never start your boat’s engine without first verifying that there is no one near the propeller. Don’t permit passengers to get on or off your boat from the water while the engine is on – your propeller may still be spinning even if the engine is in neutral. Do not allow passengers to sit anywhere on your boat where they may fall overboard (transom, bow, gunwhale, etc.). Whenever possible, encourage all passengers to remain seated at all times. Make sure you establish and everyone on board understands – and follows – rules for swim platform and boarding ladder use. If someone does fall overboard, immediately stop the boat (turn off the
Photo courtesy stock.xchng.com
engine if it is safe to do so). Establish visual contact with the person overboard and then slowly turn the boat around, keeping the person in sight at all times, as you return to pick them up. Always turn off your engine before bringing the person back on board and never reverse your boat to pick someone up out of the water. There are a number of propeller safety
devices available to help prevent propeller strikes. Items such as propeller guards or ringed propellers can be used at the point of impact, while things like engine cut-off switch lanyards and wireless cut-off switches function remotely to help avoid propeller injuries. Discuss these safety options with your marine professional, to ensure a safe boating experience for you and your guests. ■
Tahtsa
DIVE CHARTERS
Serving the West Coast of Vancouver Island Dive charters for every skill & comfort level From shallow wall dives with spectacularly coloured flora and fauna to deep dives amongst gorgonian corals.
1-866-934-6365
www.tahtsadivecharters.com Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 JANUARY 2011
www.nwdivenews.com DON’T MISS THE ALL NEW WEBSITE! www.nwdivenews.com
35
GEAR BOX
with Mike Hughes
DiveCaddy Gen2
dive light with 8 D batteries. The light housing stays relatively cool in open air. So cool, that I first tested it in a hot ghost town in Nevada. I used it to explore a mineshaft and search an old ghost town. Sure, the light is great for exploring caves at depths down to 328ft underwater; it also works just as well exploring 5000ft above water. The beam can be adjusted making it ideal to use as a back up light for photography no matter where you are. The Nocturnal Light TLX 800t is not just for tech divers, it has multiple uses, and emits light: years ahead of its time. www.nocturnallights.com
DiveCaddy has just come out with its secondgeneration dive gear transportation system. There is no other system on the market like it. The DiveCaddy now includes a travel bag, a spider bag, a turtle pack, a fin caddy, a destination bag, and a repair kit. Upgrades include: duel zipper pull, cinch straps, extended side panels, xl kit, and xl fin compensation. What it means, is that you now can pack largers items Get the free mobile app for your phone into your DiveCaddy, cinch http:/ / gettag.mobi them down and/or take them apart more easily to accommodate just about any typical airplane cabin overhead bin. For puddle jumpers and regional jets that don’t have overhead space, the black non-descript destination bag protects your gear from scratches, and prying eyes. The entire system is TSA friendly, easy to use, easy to pack, and easy to unpack or come apart and uses as you please. Check out the videos on You Tube. www.divecaddy.net
Nocturnal Lights TLX 800t LED
The Nocturnal Lights TLX 800t LED canister light is in an advanced class of it’s own. The lamp head on 18 AA batteries delivers 800 lumens of white light for 7 hours. With 3 D batteries it was stronger than my bulky 30-watt yellow light output
36
Thermalution
Thermalution at the DEMA Show introduced a new undergarment with built in back coils that radiates heat and is controlled by a wrist mounted wireless remote control device. The unit puts out three different settings of heat. You can really feel the heat when you touch these coils. It’s the ultimate undergarment when it comes to staying warm on a dive. Side mounted batteries keep you warm for hours, depending on temperature settings. The wireless remote control makes staying warm easy and convenient. They also make a short sleeve model that is not wireless controlled. See the video online or by me on You Tube. Mikehughesscuba. www.thermalution.com
DON’T MISS THE ALL NEW WEBSITE! www.nwdivenews.com www.nwdivenews.com
Northwest 2010 NorthwestDive DiveNews NewsDECEMBER JANUARY 2011
REVIEWS
DIVE SHOP PROFILE
Eugene Skin Divers SUPPLY Leading the Way for Over 50 years
Photo courtesy Eugene Skin Divers By Jamie Farris
These days longevity in any kind of business is a rarity. Economics and our ever changing society often dictate how long a business is viable; the norm is 15 years. Still some businesses dig their feet in and take root in a community…this is certainly the case with Eugene Skin Divers Supply (ESDS) in Eugene, Oregon. ESDS has bested that business average by another 40 years. First opened in 1956 by Don Hollingshead the family owned dive shop not only planted its roots in Eugene but has since become one of its’ business icons. Although at first there were a lot of people who questioned opening a dive shop so far inland, nowadays customers regularly come from 45 miles away just to do business with ESDS. Don has since passed away and in his stead his son Michael has stepped to the plate. “My dad opened this store in the back room of an appliance store,” Michael says. “But now, look at us, in our own building offering more services than he could have imagined. I know he would be proud.” Recently ESDS was honored with an award. They were recognized by PADI as the “Outstanding Dive Business in the NW. They were also nominated for two others, placing in the top three for the region for the Project Aware Environmental Award and the Instructor Development Award. Michael says that they are both proud and humbled. “We have a great staff here,” Michael says. “Most of these people are like family to us and they all work hard to make Eugene Skin Divers Supply what it is today. We have some employees who have been with us over 30 years…what business can say that these days? We are very proud to have been recognized for these awards.” Michael says that he was shocked when he received the e-mail saying they had won. He had no idea they had even been nominated. “It was quite a shock but in a good way,” Michael says. “This staff has heart though and they deserve the recognition. Barry Dunford, the NW regional manager for PADI agrees wholeheartedly that the
staff and Michael deserve the award they have won. “I think that it is an important recognition because they are one of our oldest stores but also one of our more progressive stores,” Dunford says. “It is easy to see someone win an award when they truly deserve it as Eugene Skin Divers Supply does.” As another testament to ESDS’s reach, Michael was also recently asked to give a presentation at the PADI Go Pro conference. “I gave a presentation in front of 1200 people,” Michael says. “I was nervous but I was also humbled that they chose me to do it. It was an honor.” Remember those roots we talked about earlier? Well not only has ESDS dug the roots in deep but they water that community they are a part of with their very own involvement. ESDS is the founder of Dive for a Cure, a yearly event that brings divers and dive clubs together to raise money for breast cancer research. “We identify with this cause and it is one that is close to the hearts of the
Northwest Divelocal News dive DECEMBER 2010 www.nwdivenews.com Why is your shop special? Tell us: editor@divenewsmag.com
people in this community,” Michael says. “It has brought a lot of attention to Eugene Skin Divers Supply but it has also raised a lot of awareness and money to fight this illness. This years’ event was great. We had over 200 divers participate and we brought in over $42 thousand dollars to fight breast cancer; that’s important.” Michael says that it is important to him and his staff that the community sees them involved. He hopes that his involvement will spur on others to get involved in the community. “Dive for a Cure brings divers together and helps the community to see what a great sport it is and how great the people who do it are,” Michael says. “My hope is that our involvement will show other dive shops what they can do. I think every dive shop should take a stance and do something to give back to their community. It’s just the right thing to do.” For more information on Dive for a Cure or Eugene Skin Diver Supply visit www.eugeneskindivers.com or www. diveforacure.org. ■
37
DIVE DIRECTORY
A listing of participating dive shops, charters, resorts, and independent instructors
WASHINGTON Anacortes Diving & Supply
Lighthouse Diving Center
Anacortes
(360) 293-2070
Store
Seattle Scuba Schools
Seattle
(206) 524-1633
Store
Seattle
(206) 374-2937
Store
Seattle
(206) 362-3310
Store
Diver’s Dream Charters
Anacortes
(360) 202-0076
Charter
Underwater Sports
Washington Divers
Bellingham
(360) 676-8029
Store
Scuba Center of Spokane
Spokane
Gone Diving
Bellingham
(360) 738-2042
Store
Bandito Charter
Tacoma
Adventures Down Under
Bellingham
(360) 676-4177
Store
Lighthouse Diving Center
Clarkston
(509) 751-1095
Store
Bubbles Below
Odyssey Diving Evergreen Dive Service
Everett
(425) 512-8811
Store
Naknek Charters
Friday Harbor
(360) 378-9297
Charter
Hoodsport N Dive
Hood Canal
(360) 877-6818
Store
Kennewick
(509) 735-0735
Store
Scuba Sports
Kent
(253) 854-3294
Mike’s Beach Resort
Lilluwaup
(360) 877-5324
Undersea Adventures
(253) 627-7617
Store
(425) 424-3483
Dive Center
BRITISH COLUMBIA Broken Island Adventures
(888) 728-6200
Resort/Charter
(800) 499-2297
Charter
(250) 252-0758
Charter
Store
Cedar Beach Resort
Chemainus
(250) 252-0758
Dive Resort
Resort
UB Diving
Courtenay
(877) 883-3483
Charter
Hornby Island Diving
Hornby Is.
(250) 335-2807
Dive Resort
Kamloops
(250) 828-0188
Store
Lynnwood
(425) 771-2679
Store
(425) 493-2550
Charter
Oak Harbor
(360) 675-1112
Store
www.thecoachmaninn.com
Abyssal Diving Charters
Bamfield Chemainus
Mukilteo Oak Harbor
Tacoma Woodinville
Campbell River
Dolphin Charters Coachman Inn
Charter
49th Parallel Dive Charters
Lighthouse Diving Center Whidbey Island Dive
www.spokanescuba.com (253) 973-0370
Ocean Pacific Watersports Scuba Sports
Kent
(253) 854-3294
Store
Divers Choice Charters
Nanaimo
(866) 716-8867
Charter
Capital Divers
Olympia
(360) 866-3684
Store
Mamro Adventures
Nanaimo
(250) 756-8872
Store
Northwest Dive Charter
Parkland
(253) 370-5144
Charter
Sink or Swim Scuba & Watersports
Nanaimo
(250) 758-7946
Store
Scuba Supplies
Port Angeles
(360) 457-3190
Store
Sundown Diving
Nanaimo
(888) 773-3483
Store/Charter
Admiralty Dive Center
Port Townsend
(360) 379-3483
Store
Nanaimo Dive Outfitters
Nanaimo
(250) 756-1863
Store
Townsend Bay Dive
Port Townsend
(360) 385-2353
Store
Rendezvous Dive Adventures
Port Alberni
(877) 777-9994
Charter
A-2-Z Scuba LLC
Puyallup
(253) 840-3483
Store
Browning Pass Hideaway
Port Hardy
(877) 725-2835
Resort/Charter
Puyallup
(253) 841-5666
Store
Port Hardy
(800) 515-5511
Charter
ScubaSET Adventure Center Dive Commercial Int’l Aluminator Water Taxi
Seattle
Port Hardy
Alpha Dive Services
Powell River
Seattle
(206) 571-3273
TROPICAL DIVE DIRECTORY bAHAMAs Juliet Sailing & Diving 866.558.5438 www.sailjuliet.com
beLiZe
Calypso Beach Retreat 303.264.8333 www.calypsobeachretreat.com Hugh Parkeys 888.223.5403 www.belizediving.com Sun Breeze Hotel 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
britisH virgin isLAnd NV Yacht Charters 443.829.8576 www.nvcharters.com
CAyMAn isLAnds Divetech@Cobal Coast Dive Resort 888.946.5656 divetech.com cobaltcoast.com 38
Catala Charters
(206) 784-5050 Commercial Store God’s Pocket Resort Charter
www.godspocket.com (604) 485-6939
Store/Charter
An alphabetical listing of participating dive shops, charters, live aboards and resorts in tropical locations around the world.
CAyMAn isLAnds (Cont.) Little Cayman Beach Resort 800. 327.3835 www.littlecayman.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 713.973.9300 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
Do you want to show your support for local diving?
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 Conch Republic Divers 800.274.3483 www.conchrepublicdivers.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 Northwest Dive News JANUARY 2011
NORTHWEST Copper Island Diving
DIVE DIRECTORY Salmon Arm
(250) 832-5737
Store
PorpoiseBay.ca
Egmont
(800) 665-DIVE
Charter/Resort
Tahtsa Dive Charters
Tahsis
(250) 934-6365
Charter
MethodMarine.com
Tofino
(250) 725-3251
Store/Marina
Ocean Planet Adventures
Adventure Sports, Inc.
Gresham
(503) 491-0107
Store
South Beach Scuba
Newport
(541) 867-4944
Store
Aquatic Sports
Portland
(503) 245-4991
Store
Oregon Underwater
Portland
(503) 761-8526
Store
Diver’s Den
Tofino
(250) 725-2221
Resort
Union Bay
(250) 335-2342
Dive Resort
Vancouver
(604) 329-3486
Charter
Beyond Deep Diving
Victoria
(250) 475-2202
Store
Docside-Charters.com
Victoria
(250) 217-4488
Charter
Dive Alaska.net
TwoEaglesLodge.com SeaDragonCharters.com
Ogden Point Dive
Roseburg
(541) 673-3710
Store
SalemScuba.com
Salem
(503) 588-3483
Store
Under Water Works
Tigard
(503) 620-6993
Store
(907) 770-1778
Store
ALASKA Anchorage
Victoria
(888) 701-1177
Store/Charter
Scuba Do, Inc
Kodiak
(907) 486-2960
Store
Wilson Diving Services
Victoria
(250) 478-4488
Store
Test the Waters
North Pole
www.testthewaters.com
Store
Sitka
(907) 747-7871
Store/Charter
Adventures in Scuba
Calgary
(403) 299-7751
Store
ALBERTA Aqua Sport Scuba Centre Northwest Scuba Sub Sea Experience Just for You Crew & Dive Services
Island Fever Diving
HAWAII
Calgary
(403) 686-6166
Store
Aqua Zone
Edmonton
(780) 438-1218
Store
Honolulu Scuba Company
Edmonton
(780) 434-1433
Store
Grand Prairie
(780) 832-7209
Store
MONTANA
Honolulu
(808) 923-3483
Store
Honolulu
(808) 220-0577
Store
www.honoluluscubacompany.com Aaron’s Dive Shop
Kailua-Kona
(808) 262-2333
Store
Big Island Divers
Kailua-Kona
(808) 329-6068
Store/Charter
Helena Scuba
Helena
(406) 442-4334
Store
Jack’s Diving Locker
Kailua-Kona
(808) 329-7585
Store/Charter
Bighorn Divers
Kalispell
(406) 752-4970
Store
Pacific Rim Divers
Kailua-Kona
(808) 334-1750
Charter
Glacier Divers
Kalispell
(406) 253-4016
Store
Torpedo Tours
Kailua-Kona
(808) 938-0405
The Salty Dog Dive Shop
Kalispell
(406) 755-2559
Store
Dive & Sea Maui
Aloha
(503) 642-3483
Store
Astoria Scuba
Astoria
www.astoriascuba.com
Store
CoralSeaScuba.com
Grants Pass
(800) 482-1599
Store
OREGON PacificWatersports.com
Mauna Lani Sea Adventures
TROPICAL DIVE DIRECTORY FLoridA (Cont.)
Juliet Sailing & Diving 866.558.5438 www.sailjuliet.com Key Dives 800.344.7352 www.keydives.com 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
gALAPAgos
Divencounters 877.323.DIVE www.divencounters.com
indonesiA
Deep Blue Adventures 888.266.2209 www.deepblueadventures.com Island DreamsTravel 713.973.9300 www.divetrip.com Kungkungan Bay Resort & Spa 530.347.2300 www.divekbr.com Lembeh Hills Resort www.LembehHills.com 62.812.441.18.000 Quest Dive Adventures 770.992.8414 www.questdive.com
Email: sales@nwdivenews.com
SeaSport Divers Capt. Charley Scuba Shack
Charter
www.diveandseamaui.com
Charter
Kamuela
(808) 885-7883
Store
Koloa, Kauai
(800) 685-5889
Store/Charter
Kihei
(877) 213-4488
Store
Lahaina Divers
Maui
(800) 998-3483
Store/Charter
Mike Severns Diving
Maui
www.mikesevernsdiving.com
Charter
To be listed in our Tropical Dive Directory call 360.240.1874 or email us at dane@divenewsmag.com
indonesiA (Cont.)
Tasik Ria Resort Spa & Diving 62.431 -.824.445 www.tasikria.com Worldwide Dive and Sail 866.258.6398 www.worldwidediveandsail.com
MexiCo Abyss Dive Center 52.984.873.2164 www.abyssdivecenter.com Aquanauts Dive Adv. 52.998.206.9385 www.aquanautsdiveadventures.com
PHiLiPPines
Abyssworld Dive Voyages 415.830.3846 www.abyssworld.com Atlantis Dive Resort 775.588.0500 www.atlantishotel.com Deep Blue Adventures 888.266.2209 www.deepblueadventures.com Island DreamsTravel 713.973.9300 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
tUrks & CAiCos Oasis Divers 649.946.1128 www.oasisdivers.com Dive Provo 649.946.5040 www.diveprovo.com
Live AboArds
Deep Blue Adventures 888.266.2209 www.deepblueadventures.com Utila Tours 337.893.0013 www.utila.com Pindito Liveaboard 831.818.8594 www.pindito.com 39
AT The lArgesT consumer dive show in The PAcific norThwesT
At the Tacoma Convention Center • 250 Exciting Exhibitor Booths • 40 FREE And Informative Seminars • Win Thousands Of Dollars In Prizes
• Try Scuba FREE at our Expo Pool • See The Latest Diving Products • Meet Diving Celebrities • Find Great Deals On Travel
Free
swAg BAg
Valued at over $50 To the first 250 visitors each day*
Film F
estival saturda
y 7:30-9:30p
m
TreAsure HunT sunday 9am* *Owen Beach
at Point Defia
nce Park
saturday 10-6 sunday 10-4