JUNE 2011
DIVE LOCALLY
WHERE IT REALLY MATTERS
OREGON COAST
Rocks and Reefs from Port Orford to Coos Bay
NORTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND Camping Diver Style
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JUNE 2011
IN THIS ISSUE ◄ Cover by Photographer Jake Andreason Jake is a 37-year-old Oregonian diver who is open water certified as well as a PADI instructor. Since his first dive he has traveled near and far diving everything deep enough to get his head underwater. Some of his favorite local dives are: Curry Hole – McKenzie River, Clear Lake, North & South Jetty – Florence, Fingers – Newport and Woahink Lake – Florence. As he travels, Jake loves to record his trips through photography. Here Jake has captured some of the incredible marine life off the coast of his home state. www.jakesphotos.com
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 Brian Merculief graphics@divenewsmag.com Graphic Designers TJ Pierzchala, Jack Bayliss Production Manager IJ James editor@divenewsmag.com Expo Coordinator Selene Peterson expo@divenewsmag.com 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.
Monthly Columns Editor’s Note.......................................4 Incoming Mail.....................................5 Hot News............................................6 Marine Science Camp ....................... 8 ClicknDive.com . ................................9 Officer Chris Kilcullen ................. 10-11
DAN/Medical Column..................32-33 Mystery Critter..................................34 BoatingRegulations.......................... 35 Gear Box..........................................36 Dive Industry Profile......................... 37 Dive Directory..............................38-39
NORTHWEST US DIVES
14 The Oregon Coast – Rocks and Reefs from Port Orford to Coos Bay
The third segment in The Oregon Coast series sites begins with the shore dives in Port Orford and ends on the reefs near Coos Bay/Charleston. Oregon promises a more difficult dive with a notch-up in experience preferred for some of these sites. This series includes a guide telling you where to dive, and a few tips from the locals on how to get some of the coolest experiences the coast has to offer. By Jeff Carr
NORTHWEST CANADA DIVES
20 Northern Vancouver Island – Camping Diver Style
There is simply nothing like taking some time to stop and soak in what it means to be a diver—experiencing all Northern Vancouver Island has to offer. Like giant kelp packed with translucent hooded nudibranchs, giant Pacific Octopi, Puget Sound King Crab, and maybe even some Iris Lords. The wildlife is what makes diving in Vancouver truly worth the effort! By Betty Bastai
TROPICAL DESTINATIONS
26 Curaçao – An Encounter with Nature
Curacao, one of the ABC Islands, is located about 40 miles north of Venezuela in the southern Caribbean. Because of the prime location, it boasts average temps in the mid 80’s, and 80 ft. plus vis. With reefs of soft and hard corals, divers may have to avoid doing damage. Dives from the Lost Anchor (located west of Sal Island) to Snake Bay (where you can see some Caribbean reef squid) bring divers from all over the world to this slice of heaven. By Rick Stratton
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pUblISHEr’S NoTE
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JOIN US ON OUR MISSION TO
SUPPORT THE LOCAL DIVE
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AND SECRET DIVE SPOTS
elcome to the June edition of Northwest Dive News. Our Magazine is chalk full of information on the local dive community as well as the diving world at-large. We are excited about this edition and are ready for Spring to finally get here. We know everyone is tired of the snow and crazy weather. I, for one, can’t wait to get into some great diving this year. So, here we go again. In this month’s edition we are visiting the Oregon coast in the third installment of Jeff Carr’s four-part series on the exciting dive sites he encounters on the way down the coast. In this installment Jeff explores the Coos Bay area. Following Jeff’s jaunt to Oregon is a trip to Bear Cave in the Vancouver Island area. This famous dive site offers the best of what Canadian diving is all about. Join writer Betty Bastai as she gives us a tour of Bear Cave. Finally, come diving with us as I take you to Curacao, one of the best dive destinations I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. And the food...man is the food good! I will show you where the Whale sharks go just south of, well, everything!
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Now, for a personal invitation. We would like to invite you, our readers, to join us on our mission to inform the local dive community. This magazine is your own personal connection to each other, the dive community and the world. We welcome your stories, your announcements, and your contributions to the dive community. Allow us to help you bridge the waters of diving with the information you want to share. We love personal stories and I know you want to keep all those dive spots a secret but why not share them so the rest of us can see what you have discovered? So send us your announcements, stories, photos and don’t forget those secret dive destinations and we will help you share them with the rest of the dive community. Come on, show us what you’ve got!
Dive into Us! Rick Stratton
facebook.com/Rick.Stratton1 twitter.com/nedivenews, twitter.com/mwdivenews rick@divenewsmag.com
Rick
www.nwdivenews.com Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 cHEck oUT oUr NEW WEbSITE: WWW.dIvENEWSNETWork.com
moNTHlY arTIclES DeAr riCk,
lETTEr To THE EdITor
I recently read the article “Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission Responsive on Spear Fishing Issue”. I was happy to read some reconsideration of the 2010 rule change may be looked at. I have 30+ years of diving and have responsibly followed the regulations while spear fishing, but this is the most absurd rule I have ever run across. I believe this creates the opposite of what the Fish and Wildlife Commission intends; preservation of a species. Although I am a scuba diver, I also Photo by Jim Lyte am a free diver and for the past five years have decided to only free dive while spear fishing. The article completely overlooks a breath hold diver that has seconds on the bottom to spear a fish. I normally dive 20-35 ft. and spend about 30 seconds a dive of actual hunting time. I normally make about 20 breath-hold dives per outing and since the limit is one I typically take what I can get as long as it seems a fair size. Often you can only see the head of a Ling when they are in shallow lying in wait for prey, so judgment and experience come into play. It is inconceivable that I would swim back to my row boat with a Ling that was speared during the very short season we have and then measure it in the water and find out it is 38 inches or 25 inches and have to make a decision on the justification of dropping a dead fish to the bottom, and legally I could go back and shoot as many fish as I want until I get one in the size limit. With a one Ling limit, this kind of logic is morally wrong and defeats the purpose of having fish in the future. It would be interesting to know the total impact of spear fishing; I’m guessing it is low amongst Scuba divers and just a handful of breath hold divers. This seems clearly a case where a rule was made without all the information needed to create the rule. Thanks, Wayne
DeAr wAYne,
Thank you for bringing up breath hold fishing as well. You are completely correct when you state little, if any, consideration was given divers such as yourself when this new rule was put into place. It is for reasons such as this the rule is being given another look. It is our hope here at Northwest Dive News that the powers that be will really consider all of the information presented. You make a good case and this goes a long way in making sure those making the decisions are better informed. We know more than a few of them read our magazine. Thanks again for your input.
Rick
senD us Your Comments! If you are interested in contributing local diving info, contact our editorial staff at editor@divenewsmag.com.
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HOT NEWS Get your business noticed by sending us your NEWS/EVENTS: editor@divenewsmag.com Dive Around the Clock is setting the Alarm for its Annual Event Dive Around The Clock (DATC) is less than two months away and it is time to start gearing up for this, their fifth annual event. To date they have raised over $80,000 for Seattle Children’s Hospital Cancer Research. There are many research projects going on to find a cure for cancer and divers can help. DATC is happening July 15 -16 at Redondo Beach from 4 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Staircase will be open for the event and divers can register online or print out a registration and mail it in. For more info visit www.divearoundtheclock.com. Oregon Underwater Has Formed a Dive Cub Oregon Underwater has formed a dive club called “Dive Club.” Simple and to the point, they think. They meet every 2nd Tuesday of the month at Oregon Underwater. For more info visit www. oregonunderwater.com. Shark Fin Ban Signed Into Law Washington State Governor, Christine Gregoire, signed SB 5688 into law making the state the first in the Continental U.S. to ban shark fins. The Center for Oceanic Awareness, Research and Education, known more commonly by its acronym “COARE”, applauds the State of Washington for its adoption of senate bill 5688. The bill was sponsored by senators Ranker, Swecker, Rockefeller, Litzow, Chin, and Kline. Since its inception, COARE has been actively addressing shark conservation COARE Executive Director, Christopher Chin issues, and attempts to reduce shark fin consumption in the U.S. and worldwide. Washington State is now the first in the continental U.S. to enact a legislative ban on shark fins. For more info about COARE, and the Shark Safe certification program, visit www.coare.org and www.sharksafe.org.
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Into the Drink TV Features Tacoma Dive & Travel Expo 2011 The Tacoma Dive & Travel Expo held April 9-10 at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center is being featured on Into the Drink TV. The Dive & Travel Expo is the Pacific Northwest’s premier scuba diving event. LiquidAssets.TV, producers of the popular dive television show “Into the Drink,” were on-hand to cover the event and find out what the show’s all about. They were impressed enough to dedicate a segment of their television show to showcasing the event. For more info visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ65Hk5F3TA Dive like Richard Branson: Poseidon MkVI Demo Tour hits Midwest The Poseidon team is beginning a crosscountry demo for the Discovery MkVI, currently the only PADI approved rebreather for the recreational courses. The team is going to be offering free, open to the public, try-dives with the MkVI at each location. This tour provides the general public an opportunity to demo the same technology Richard Branson and his team are using at 39,000 feet below the surface of the ocean. The 2011 tour has 16 sites across the country for divers to come out and demo the rebreather. Thursday, Friday, and Monday are reserved for classes. Saturday and Sunday demo days will be open to the public. The MkVI Demo Tour will be in Gibsonburg, OH at Whitestar Quarry June 9 and Gilboa Quarry in Findlay, OH June 16. For more info visit www. facebook.com/PoseidonUSA1. PADI Sea the Change Conservation Contest Do you love the underwater world? Would you like to see it better protected? Put your conservation into action and you could be a $5,000 grand prize winner, plus PADI will donate an additional $5,000 on your behalf to Project AWARE Foundation. Simply grab your video camera and upload a short clip about what sea life you love and what you’re doing to make a difference. Submit the video and vote on your favorite videos in order to help decide who wins. Some videos will be featured on the PADI blog at www.padi.com/blog where interesting conservation messages are often shared. The contest started March 8 and ends Dec. 15. For more info visit www.wildfireapp.com/website/6/ contests/90999/rules.
Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 Send Us Your News/Eventswww.nwdivenews.com FREE at editor@divenewsmag.com
find more northwest activities on our facebook page! northwest Activities
clUb mEETINgS & EvENTS June 1: Emerald Sea Dive Club meeting, 7 p.m., Shawn O’Donnell’s Irish Pub & Grille, Everett, WA. www.emeraldseadiveclub.org June 1: Marker Buoy Dive Club meeting, 7 p.m., Sunset Hill Community Center, Seattle, WA. www.markerbuoydiveclub.org June 1: Puget Sound Depth Chargers Club Meeting, 6:00 p.m., Louie G’s Pizza and Pasta, Fife, WA. www.psdepthchargers.com June 2: GSNDAMBAA Dive Club meeting, 6 p.m., Edmonds Underwater Sports, Edmonds, WA. www.gsndambaa.org June 2: Northwest Divers Club meeting, 6:30 p.m., Various Locations, Salem, OR. www.salemscuba.com June 2: Oregon Scuba Club meeting, 7 p.m., Max’s Fanno Creek, Tigard, OR. www. oregonscuba.com June 6: Eugene Dive Club meeting, 7 p.m., Izzy’s Pizza, Eugene, OR www. eugenediveclub.com June 7: Adventures Down Under Dive Club meeting, 6:30 p.m., Adventures Down Under, Bellingham, WA. www. adventuresdownunder.com June 7: Moss Bay Dive Club, 6:30 p.m., The Wilde Rover, Kirkland, WA. www. meetup.com/MossBayDiveClub June 7: Wet & Wild Diving Society, 7:30 p.m., Bob Lamb Training Center, Ft. McMurray, Alberta, Canada. www.ghphoto. ca/wwscuba/ June 7: Atomic Ducks Dive Club Social Night, 6:00 p.m., Kimo’s Restaurant and Sports Bar, Richland, WA. www. ducksdiveclub.org June 8: Bruce Higgins Underwater Trails, 7:00 a.m. Edmonds Underwater Park, Edmonds, WA. www.meetup.com/ MossBayDiveClub June 9: Dog and Dive with Puget Sound Depth Chargers, 6:00 p.m. Redondo Beach, WA. www.psdepthchargers.com June 10: Night at the Aquarium Fundraiser, 7 p.m. – Midnight, Vancouver Aquarium, Vancouver, BC, Canada. www. vanaqua.org/nightattheaquarium/ June 10-12: Cornet Bay Rendezvous at Deception Pass Park with Boeing Sea Horses, Cornet Bay Marina, Whidbey Island, WA.
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www.seahorsediveclub.com June 11: Anacortes Diving & Supply BBQ/Potluck/Night Dive. Meet at the shop at 4:30 p.m. Contact (360) 293-2070. June 11:Atomic Ducks Dive Club Golf Ball Dive 10:00 a.m. Columbia Park Golf Course, Kennewick, WA. www.duckdiveclub.org June 11: Annual UASBC BBQ & Dive. Details at www.uasbc.com. June 18: Seven Seas Scuba Edmonds Underwater Park 2 tank dive. Details at www. sevenseasscuba.com June 21: Atomic Ducks Dive Club Meeting, 6:30 p.m. Bank Reale, Pasco, WA. www.ducksdiveclub.com June 23: Dog and Dive with Puget Sound Depth Chargers, 6:00 p.m. Dash Point County Park, WA. www.psdepthchargers.com June 23: Seven Seas Scuba free class: Intro Into Tides & Current. Details at www. sevenseasscuba.com June 25: Missile Silo Dive with UnderSea Adventures. Details www. underseaadventures.net June 25: Eugene Scuba Club & Oregon Scuba Club dive at Florence. Details online www.oregonscuba.com June 26: Anacortes Diving & Supply BBQ/Potluck and Dive at Keystone. Meet at the shop at 8:00 a.m. Contact (360) 293-2070. June 26: Puget Sound Depth Chargers Club Dive, 3:00 p.m. at Sunrise Beach, WA. www.psdepthchargers.com June 26: Atomic Ducks Dive Club BBQ, details online at www.ducksdiveclub.com. June 28: Toooosday night at Alki! Brrrrrrrrrrrgers and beer post dive with Moss Bay Dive Club, 6:00 p.m., Alki Cove 2, Seattle, WA. www.meetup.com/ MossBayDiveClub June 28: Try Scuba with Rogue Scuba, 6:00 p.m. at Central Point, OR. www. roguescuba.com July 5: Moss Bay Dive Club, 6:30 p.m.,
Do you want your club meeting or event listed here? Just contact us at (360) 240-1874 or go online to
The Wilde Rover, Kirkland, WA. www. meetup.com/MossBayDiveClub July 5: Atomic Ducks Dive Club Social Night, 6:00 p.m., Kimo’s Restaurant and Sports Bar, Richland, WA. www. ducksdiveclub.org July 6: Puget Sound Depth Chargers Club Meeting, 6:00 p.m., Louie G’s Pizza and Pasta, Fife, WA. www.psdepthchargers.com July 9: Atomic Ducks Dive Club Green Island Dive. Details online www. duckdiveclub.org. July 15-16: Dive Around the Clock Dive-a-thon Relay Charity Event. Redondo Beach in Des Moines, WA . w w w. d i v e a ro u n d t h e c l o c k . c o m July 19: Atomic Ducks Dive Club Meeting, 6:30 p.m. Bank Reale, Pasco, WA. www.ducksdiveclub.com July 23: Seven Seas Divers Monthly Shore Dive, 9am at Mukilteo T-Dock, WA www.sevenseasscuba.com July 24: Missile Silo Dive with UnderSea Adventures. Details www. underseaadventures.net July 26: Toooosday night at Alki! Brrrrrrrrrrrgers and beer post dive with Moss Bay Dive Club, 6:00 p.m., Alki Cove 2, Seattle, WA. www.meetup.com/ MossBayDiveClub July 26: Try Scuba with Rogue Scuba, 6:00 p.m. at Central Point, OR. www. roguescuba.com
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rEgIoNal NEWS
marINE ScIENcE camp
MARINE SCIENCE CAMP IMMERSES KIDS IN THE OCEANS
Students enjoy the study of the ocean and beaches. Photo by Highline Community College.
RAJA AMPAT, .......where all the fishes live!
J
oin Highline Community College for their Summer on the Sound 2011: Marine Science Camp. The program is a week long, half-day camp that will focus on life in the Puget Sound. The camp will run from July 11 through to July15, from 8 a.m. to noon. The camp has been scheduled during some of the lowest tides of the year. Students will find themselves immersed in the study of the ocean and the beaches. The camp is open to students entering 4th, 5th or 6th grade and are passionate about science and the ocean. Applications to attend the camp are due by 5 p.m. May 27th. The application asks for students to put in some effort. This is important for coordinators to get an idea of the student’s abilities and motivation to attend. The lab report can easily be a write-up they’ve done from their current work in school. Students will be evaluated only compared to others in their grades, in other words coordinators will NOT compare a 4th grader to a 6th grader. Students are graded individually and it is therefore possible for one sibling or friend to be accepted and the other to not be. If this is unacceptable, you MUST write “co-applicant with..” across the top of both applications and submit them together. For more information, please email mast@highline.edu. ■
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clIck-N-dIvE.com
rEgIoNal NEWS
CLICK-N-DIVE.COM-ONLINE PORTAL TO THE WORLD OF DIVING T
hese days technology rules and now there is a website created by divers for divers of all levels. CLICKnDIVE is the world’s first and only online portal containing the tools divers need to effortlessly plan their next local dive or diving vacation. It provides an online community where divers can learn and share their experiences with other dedicated divers using social networking. The new site was created by Associated Oceans, LLC, a new company with veteran principals and management, offering a solution to the diver, retailer, dive boat and resort. CLICKnDIVE.com is a fully automated online booking system/ integrated point of sale system that captures the diver at the point they make the reservation to dive. For years, the typical scenario has been for a retail dive store to book a resort/dive boat for a number of divers and actively sell those spots to their clientele. When a retailer promotes CLICKnDIVE they are able to sell individual, couples or families spots for any date with any resort, liveaboard or local dive boat trip. The retailer can still promote travel and also offer activities to their customer base while giving them a broader choice of dates and destinations. CLICKnDIVE.com will also serve as the data warehouse. For each registered diver, CLICKnDIVE will capture and retain a diver profile, certification levels, all dive reservations and the details of each excursion. Divers participating in local boat dives using this new online portal will enjoy a user-friendly experience without waiting in line to pay the morning of the boat dive, then waiting in line again to rent equipment. Everything will be scheduled during the time of the reservation. For more information on the new online service visit www.CLICKnDIVE.com. ■
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commUNITY INvolvEmENT
offIcEr cHrIS kIlcUllEN
LOCAL DIVER AND POLICE OFFICER
VICTIM OF SHOOTING, COMMUNITY STEPS UP
Police Officer Chris Kilcullen was shot and killed during a vehicle pursuit. Photo by www.fugitive.com.
S
ometimes the job of police officer extracts a high price for the call of duty. In April of this year yet another officer paid the price and was shot while in pursuit of a suspect. This time the officer was one of us, he was a diver. According to police reports, Officer Chris Kilcullen was shot and killed during a vehicle pursuit of a female suspect. He had attempted to stop the woman for a traffic violation on I-105 but the woman fled. Officer Kilcullen, who was on his department motorcycle, pursued the suspect into Springfield. The vehicle swerved around several cars that were stopped at a red light and Officer Kilcullen pulled up alongside it and lowered his kickstand. As he indicated for the woman to pull over she fired a weapon at him, fatally wounding him. The woman left the scene but was later arrested in a rural area. Officer Kilcullen was a veteran with the Eugene Police Department having been an officer for over 12 years. He leaves behind a wife and two children. 10
There has been a lot in the news lately about police officer deaths and injuries. This one in particular hit close to home for the local dive community around Eugene. Local dive Eugene Police Lt. Sam Kamkar works at the scene shop owner Mike of the shooting. Photo by www.registerguard.com. Hollingshead, of Eugene Skin Divers poured out as the news of his death spread Supply in Eugene, knew Officer Kilcullen throughout the state. Local businesses well. “Chris was a vital part of the dive organized fundraisers in an effort to ensure community and an active member of the local the well-being of his family. Local divers dive club,” says Hollingshead. “He and his and other community members poured into partner, Officer John Risko, were volunteers Papa’s Pizza, who raised $22,000 for the at the Oregon Coast Aquarium and loved to family in a single day. Local Dutch Brothers dive at the coast recreationally. He will be Coffee stands donated an entire day’s profits missed by all of us.” to the family, and matched the money raised, Officer Kilcullen was equally respected to set up a college fund for Kilcullen’s outside of the local dive community. Public surviving children. So many people came to support for law enforcement and his family
www.nwdivenews.com dIvE locallY - WHErE IT rEallY maTTErS
Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010
rEgIoNal NEWS
offIcEr cHrIS kIlcUllEN
Officer Kilcullen loved to dive recreationally at the Oregon coast. Photo by www.youtube.com.
support the fundraising efforts that, at times, more than 20 cars were lined up waiting to buy coffee and contribute money. The total combined contribution to the family by Dutch Bros. reached $62,000. The fact that the Oregon community has stepped up to help the Kilcullen family is inspiring to Dive News Publisher Rick
Stratton. “I didn’t know Officer Kilcullen personally but the fact that so many people, and so many members of the dive community, have stepped up to help his family speaks volumes about his character,” says Stratton. “It also says a lot about what it is to be a member of the dive community; we are truly family.”
If you would like to make a contribution to the survivor’s fund, donations can be made through Oregon Community Credit Union, account # 1035403. You may also visit their website at www.oregoncommunitycu.org or call (541) 687-2347. Every donation is welcome. ■
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ey Diver! I hope you are having an awesome time underwater and enjoying the unique feeling diving brings. Not everything is purple flowers and pink kittens in the diver world though. Studies done by DAN show 72% percent of divers are either overweight or morbidly obese. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) the latest figures of 2009 show the national average around 30%.
Wow! We, divers as a collective more than double the statistics! Something I would not brag about and I am not a PR guru but I have a pretty good hunch it is not favorable to the image of our sport. We, the rugged, adventuresome and fearless divers enjoy the same shameful statistics as golfers (two thirds according to a 2006 survey by Golf Digest) and bowlers (according to informal observations and self-assessing reports). Interestingly, to us as divers, it does not come as shock. We see it routinely in our dive buddies or in the dive boats and seem to have become desensitized to it. To those not involved in our sport (hmm, sport, sounds kind of ironic doesn’t it?) the statistics are 12
surprising. Those not involved in diving have a concept of our sport many divers seem to have neglected. We, as divers, know very well of the physical implications of scuba diving in our bodies. One would assume we’d take utmost care of our health and ensure our physical conditioning is tip top since we know we’ll be facing a foreign (albeit stunning) environment. The outsider sees us in that light and we seem to have forgotten about it. Reality is ugly though! That means in a Ten Pac boat of divers, there’s a great likelihood seven out of ten will be overweight or morbidly obese. What does this have to do with you? I will tell you in the next installment. ■ Israel A. Sanchez, AKA Coach Izzy, is Bainbridge Island’s top strength & conditioning expert. The incredible results his clients experience are the combination of his nearly 2 decades of active learning and his dedication to those who seek his help. His ability to help people riddled with pain find relief and achieve fitness levels they never thought possible make him the most respected fitness professional in the area.
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aving practiced underwater photography for 28 years, I have used an assortment of underwater lights. Many of these were hailed as being state of the art but with modern day advances in LED light technology there is a new spin on traditional lighting technology. When I first saw the Light & Motion’s SOLA 600 LED Focus Light at a scuba consumer trade show, it was amazing. With its attractive esthetics and diminutive size, the SOLA 600 is still lightweight. The SOLA 600 has fingertip adjustable white spot and flood beams along with a red light feature. A bank of red LED lights is new and exciting in a focus light. Several species of marine life cannot see the red light spectrum, so one is unlikely to spook your subject. Does it work? The answer is yes. During a dive in BC’s Emerald Sea, I came across a decorated warbonnet. Before approaching it, I switched the light from its white spotlight to red mode. Amazingly, I could see perfectly and focus my camera’s lens with the red light. I was able to approach the warbonnet without disturbing or frightening it and took several close-up exposures. The red light mode worked. Charging is easy and you never need to remove the battery; a built-in lithium-ion battery that is charged through external charge ports with gold plated receivers. The second question I had about this light was, would the light’s factory sealed body present a problem for air travel? My concern was whether there would be a problem with air travel authorities because the batteries cannot
be removed. Ultimately, this proved not to be an issue; we were able to pack the SOLA 600 in our carryon luggage for an assignment in the Philippines without any hassle. By a wide margin, Light & Motion’s SOLA 600 focus light is the best I have used in my many years. For more info, visit www. uwimaging.com. ■
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THE OREGON COAST ROCKS AND REEFS
FROM PORT ORFORD TO COOS BAY
By Jeff Carr Guest Writer, Dive News Network
Editor’s Note: The first installment of The Oregon Coast ran in June 2010 and the second installment ran in October 2010. This is the third installment. he third segment in The Oregon Coast series sites begins with the shore dives in Port Orford and ends on the reefs near Coos Bay/Charleston. Earlier installments of this series have taken us south down the Oregon Coast. We began in Newport and our trip will end in Depoe Bay at the end of the fourth installment in another Northwest Dive News edition later this year. Most of the dives we cover here require a notch-up in experience. The boat dives on the reefs are more challenging and add elements that are not present in the dives in earlier installments. Divers should have a plan for surfacing without an anchor line,
T
signaling the boat from the surface or, better yet, marker buoys to signal that divers are below and surfacing off of the anchor line. Also boat tenders need to be familiar with diving, piloting the boat, picking up divers near rocks, and all boat systems including radios and emergency equipment. Divers who frequent the Oregon coast already understand diving in the area can be more of a challenge because of the environment and currents. The catch phrase here is, “be careful.”
Port Orford
In terms of dive sites, Port Orford offers more area than all the rest combined. Like Jupiter in our solar system, Orford Reef is the giant of them all. There is over two square miles of diving area on the reef. This is not a typo, I actually said “2 SQUARE MILES”. Giant Island Rocks rise over 100 ft. out of the ocean and many smaller islands fill in
throughout the reef. Wash rocks surround it on all sides and the terrain is as varied as the islands shapes. It begins about 4.4 miles off shore, 8.5 miles from Hells Gate, the gateway to the reef. It is far too large to explain the many individual dive sites with the exception of Fox Rock and Browns Rocks. Orford Reef can be broken up into four main sections. On the north side there is a very large sea lion colony on the Large Browns Rock as well as some fantastic terrain. Underwater there are house sized boulders everywhere and around each corner is another pinnacle with caves, crevices and critters. Thousands of swim-thru sections are around each island. The east side of the reef tends to have less terrain and often has thick kelp beds. It is more sheltered than the North and South sides and is much easier to dive if you are just getting familiar with the reef. The south end has several wash rocks.
Photo by Jake Andreason. 14
local dIvErS do IT morEwww.nwdivenews.com ofTEN
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orEgoN poINT
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The last section is the inside. Turbulent and rough, there are some dive sites in the midst of the islands, but be very choosy; it can be nasty in there and sea lion harassment is guaranteed. Anchoring your boat near the wash rocks and dropping your divers close by them is the best plan. The terrain could keep you busy for a lifetime of diving. Your boat tender needs to be paying attention though because the reef is loud. Sea lions, crashing waves, and churning water make yelling to the boat tough.
Nellies Cove
Nellies Cove is a system of small bays to the west of the marina parking lot. You can scramble over the rocks to the waters edge and drop down to a dive site that has many open ocean features. There are rocks, crannies and places to explore to the west in numerous variations depending on how far
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Photo by Jake Andreason.
you would care to swim. A kayak, of course, is a very good option here and there is beach access on the east side of the harbor jetty to launch from. There are not any great depth concerns in Nellies Cove, nor does it see high currents in the area, but weather from the south can make entry and exit tough as well as send a significant surge into the bays. We Specialize in Diver Training
Orford Rocks
To the east of the boat launch pier are several rocks just off the beach. The depth is fairly shallow, in the 30 foot range, and these rocks can be accessed easily from the beach inside the harbor. Surprisingly, they are pretty interesting with scallops and other reef creatures on them not generally seen
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in abundance this close to a beach. It is an excellent spot to take beginning divers for practice in fish identification and one of the few places in Oregon where you can do any beach diving.
Tichenor Rock
Hells Gate, the small opening separating Tichenor Rock from the mainland, is the gateway you pass through if you are going to Orford Reef. The east side of this rock is a good place to begin your Port Orford boat diving experiences. It is protected from all weather except a strong southerly wind and has some interesting terrain. The depths range from 10-75 ft. and can be reached easily. Some of the reef creatures you would see offshore drop in for a little vacation from busy reef life.
Island Rock
South of Port Orford a large round shaped island juts out of the ocean. A 360 degree circular dive site surrounds this rock offering any range of depths. The diversity of life it offers is what one would expect from an open ocean island. Boulders, canyons and crags await the diver who ventures out to it.
Fox Rock
The lonely rock to the south west of the main reef is typical of the south side of the reef with the exception of diminished sea lion harassment. Since it is the western most rock
local dIvErS do IT IN ocEaNS, rIvErS, lakES aNd QUarrIES!
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of the Orford Reef system, it often has better visibility by a small degree than other sites. The trade-off is just after Fox Rock, China is the next land mass and the long ocean swell here can make surge a real issue. The upside is it’s one of the best cold water dives on this earth. The reef is all around the rock but the best side to dive is just to the east. There you can hook an anchor and find terrain that is not too deep.
Large and Small Browns Rocks
Between the last northern island and the main reef there are a couple of wash rocks and two pinnacles that are 25 ft. deep at the top. In this area a dive crew can visit and revisit it a thousand times and still find new things. It is truly amazing.
Bandon
Photo by Jake Andreason.
Just outside the jetty system of the Coquille River mouth, near Bandon, Oregon, are dozens of small wash rocks, pinnacles and exposed rocks. Each of these is a dive site. Coquille Rock, further to the west by a mile and a half, offers exceptional diving but deep water surrounds it. Closer to shore and slightly south of the jetties are the other wash rocks. A short run in your boat or kayak makes this area a better choice for non-open ocean crafts. Divers can find their own dive sites all summer long and still swing into the marina for a sandwich between dives.
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Photo by Jake Andreason.
Simpson Reef
Like the Baltimore Reef to the north, this reef is carpeted with creatures. It has the wrecks of the Brush and the Acquarian. It is about 8 miles south of the Coos Bay South Jetty and you pass over Baltimore to get there. Simpson Reef runs north/south and can see the same diving conditions as its cousin just to the north, Baltimore Reef. It is further down the coast and if the weather comes up from the north it is a long haul back up.
Baltimore Reef
Baltimore Reef is my favorite reef of them all. If you could see it all in one view, 18
it would look long and thin stretching a mile from the end of the lighthouse cliffs to a large ocean buoy. Alligator-like in shape, it runs north/south although it seems to be east from your perspective on the water. It gets progressively deeper as you proceed further out. Before we talk about the good things the reef has to offer, let’s talk about the bad. It is at times plagued with poor visibility; the Coos River rolls out of the jetty system and is pushed by the Alaskan currents right over the reef. It is also surrounded on 3 sides by deep water so any ocean swell can make surge a definite element in your diving, especially in the shallows. Wind, in the afternoon
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especially, can be a factor. It can whip up an ocean chop that makes seeing divers difficult. Lastly, the current can run across it both from the north and south; it tends to be from the north though. Now the good stuff, the Coos River sends nutrients to Baltimore Reef daily in huge volumes. This reef supports an astonishing ecosystem rivaled by none of the other areas along the Oregon coast. There are sponges, fish, scallops, eels…small things, large things and everything in between. This is the most prolific dive site I have seen in Oregon and it is worth the effort to catch it on a good day. Don’t let my earlier cautions deter you if you Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010
Where did you dive yesterday? email us: editor@divenewsmag.com
orEgoN poINT have the experience and are ready for diving here. The visibility can be exceptional, it can be calm and the current can be minimal. It can be the best dive you have ever done anywhere in the world. It was once for me. ■
Editor’s Note: The next, and final, installment of this series will be printed later this year and will cover the numerous Newport and Depoe Bay locations. Jeff Carr and Scott Boyd are authors of Northwest Wreck Dives. Jake Andreason, who provided photo support for this article, is an instructor for Eugene Skin Divers Supply.
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Jeff CArr
Photo by Jake Andreason.
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NORTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND
CAMPING DIVER STYLE
Our wond erful Photo by B camp site. etty Bastai.
By Betty Bastai Guest Writer, Dive News Network
There is simply nothing like taking some time to stop and soak in what it means to be a diver. At the beginning of Oct. this last year, my husband-dive buddy Sam took a week off from work and wanted to spend some time diving in Northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. How could I have possibly said no? Tuesday, Oct. 5, we caught the ferry from Tsawwassen to Nanaimo and the crossing was blessed with smooth water, cheerful sunshine and mountain views. Once there we headed north on Highway 19. Passing Campbell River the traffic on the road thinned out with a few logging truck drivers, some local folks and few tourists like us venturing into the Vancouver Island northern wilderness. The highway fanned out becoming an openceiling green tunnel whose walls were made of tall trees. We followed it all the way to the last two cities on the Vancouver Island east coast; Port McNeill and Port Hardy. After a four hour car trip we needed a campground so we ended up driving to
Quatse River Regional Park and Campground located nearby Port Hardy. We found a cozy, quiet campsite among old growth trees without any problems. We set up camp and settled in for a night under the stars. In the morning, after an entertaining breakfast with Steller’s jays, we stretched our legs along the river bank to see salmon spawning. The beauty of Northern BC is an amazing thing to behold. It was the perfect beginning to our adventure north. Northern Vancouver Island is better known for its boat dives and is considered by many to be some of the best in the world; but we were here for shore diving. We consulted Betty Pratt-Johnson’s book 151 Dives in the protected waters of British Columbia and Washington State, got some advice from the friendly owner of Port McNeill’s Fun Sun Divers dive shop, Steve Lacasse as to where to dive. We finally decided to dive at Bear Cove. This is a site characterized by a natural rocky shelf, a wall, boulders and a man-made breakwater that would give us a variety of features to explore within a manageable sized area.
Our point of entry was at a public boat ramp that is part of a small park located off the road to the Port Hardy – Price Rupert ferry terminal just south of Port Hardy. The boat ramp has no running water and parking space is limited, but there is a nearby parking lot with portable toilets. Current is not an issue and the cove is protected by the prevailing wintery south-east winds. It is an easy dive. Our first two dives at Bear Cove were comfortable due to a welcoming warm sunshine. This allowed for a light that reached the shallow depths of the reef. It was particularly charming because it filtered through the blades of giant kelp packed with translucent hooded nudibranchs; and what amazingly large hooded nudibranchs they were! I have never seen them that big before! Some of these impressively large and elegant nudibranchs were solid deep red-brown and others delicate frosted-glass white. Deeper, the reef turned into a small wall whose bottom rested in the 50 ft. range. It was the home of two giant Pacific octopi, a
Ferry trip to northern Vancouver Island. Photo by Betty Bastai. 20
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Husband Sam getting ready to dive Bear Cove. Photo by Betty Bastai.
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Our log book page. Image by Betty Bastai.
magnificent mature Puget Sound King crab, fish eating and white spotted anemones and a white red Irish Lord that matched the color of the barnacle encrusted rocks. A bright orange juvenile Wolf eel poked its head out from a small crevice and the sandy bottom was populated by numerous tube dwelling anemones. Their worst enemy, the giant dendronotid, called the same area home and was crawling around in all directions. After another dive we drove back to Fun Sun Divers to have our tanks re-filled and then headed to a different campground; the Cluxewe Resort, located on the coast not far away from Port McNeill. We easily found a camping site in front of the beach
with a beautiful view over the Cluxewe River estuary and Broughton Strait. In the wee morning hours apparently a Black bear hung around by our tent while we were fast asleep but when we woke up there was a stunning red sunrise greeting us not the inquisitive eyes of the plump furry mammal. Unfortunately the red sky was a harbinger of moister weather. By the time we were ready to go diving again a shield of clouds settled in, the wind picked up from the south-east and white caps creased the surface of the sea followed by rain. Still, despite the rain, we agreed to go diving at Bear Cove again. This time two other divers showed up at the boat ramp. They swam to the reef while we
explored another area with some boulders on the sandy bottom that gradually sloped down to depths deeper than 50 ft. We spotted two more giant Pacific octopi in their lairs. The first one reached out an arm to figure out who the intruders with blinding lights were; the second one was snoring. Once again we admired the flamboyancy of the giant nudibranchs and the impressive size of what seemed like the biggest anemone in the world, the Columbia Sand anemone. At 15 ft. we did our safety stop in the company of another massive congregation of hooded nudibranchs. We and the other divers got out of the water almost simultaneously. We took the
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The sunsets were spectacular! Photo by Betty Bastai.
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opportunity to strike a conversation with them. One of them was Jackie Hildering, a resident of Port McNeill and biology teacher who regularly dives at Bear Cove to check on the marine life and take pictures for her blog: themarinedetective.com. It was fascinating talking to her about her deep interest in the local marine ecosystem and her efforts to educate the locals in marine conservation. Her buddy was Jacqui Engel. Jackie and Jacqui, also called the Diving Jacs of Northern Vancouver Island, are respectively the president and secretary of the Top Island Econauts Dive Club, a club promoting safe and environmentally friendly recreational diving. As the Diving Jacs of Northern Vancouver Island left, Sam and I prepared for a night dive. We visited the rocky reef and wall for the last time. A school of juvenile rock fish appeared out of the darkness, then larger Yellow Tail rock fishes. One of the previously seen octopi was not at home. The other was still in it’s den showing no signs of waking up, but a nearby Red octopus scurried into the safe darkness of a cleft. Then a beautiful big gold dirona materialized in front of my eyes followed by a parade of walking Hermit Crab sponges. The symbiotic relationship between the hermit crab and the sponge is rather intriguing. Initially the hermit crab lives in a shell. But once the sponge begins to grow onto the crab’s shell it slowly dissolves it eventually replacing it completely with its own body. When we emerged from the water it was raining heavily. We sought refuge inside the portable toilets where we were able to take off our dripping drysuits and change into
dry clothes. Unfortunately, we did not enjoy the same dryness in our tent that night, but at least it wasn’t cold. We woke up to the sounds of Bald eagles. When we boarded the ferry the sea was calm but the thick mist and pounding rain was like sailing in the middle of the open ocean rather than the Strait of Georgia. Despite the rather depressing weather our memories of all the critters we had seen at Bear Cove kept us smiling. Our Bear Cove diving adventure was an amazing experience and one we can check off our bucket list. We will go back one day and visit again…it is a dive everyone should experience at least once. ■
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dIvE locallY - dIvE ofTEN
Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010
© 2008 RT Scott. All Rights Reserved.
800.521.2982 Proplugs.com
PINK & BLUE NON-VENTED PROPLUGS *DO NOT USE NON-VENTED PROPLUGS FOR DIVING
International Aquatic Trades, Inc. ~ 719 Swift Street, #56 ~ Santa Cruz, CA 95060 ~ 831.425.5920 ext.104
www.nwdivenews.com
25
Curaçao TravEl dESTINaTIoN
cUracao
AN ENCOUNTER WITH NATURE
By Rick Stratton
I
t’s a dive destination that begs for attention. The waters of Curaçao, clear and warm, are ripe for the diver’s fins. There is no doubt no matter where else you have been Curaçao will keep you talking for years to come. The water temps are in the upper 80’s, there is no thermocline and there is 80 ft. plus vis. It is just what the doctor ordered. The entire island grouping in the Curaçao area used to make up the Netherlands Antilles. Located outside of the hurricane belt 12 degrees north of the Equator, it has a year round sunny climate with average temps in the mid 80’s. Easterly trade winds constantly blow making it very comfortable. It was discovered by the Spanish in 1499 but
the culture is heavily influenced by the Dutch, who took over in 1634. Because of African slave trade, the African heritage is strongly noticeable in the music and dance during some of the evening activities at the resort. All of these rich cultures add to the mystique of the islands which give divers a good reason to bring their entire family along for the trip. There is almost as much to see above the water as there is down below. Located in the southern Caribbean Sea, just off the Venezuelan coast, Curaçao is the largest of the three ABC islands, Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. Divers flock from all over the world to play with the Whale sharks, swim with the Mantas, and explore the reefs.
The Reefs
The reefs around Curaçao are pristine and divers are very conscious about their buoyancy ensuring they don’t slam or bounce into the soft and hard corals. Most of the area is protected. However the locals are insistent divers be as careful as possible. Underwater photographers work hard on getting a perfect shot but they often have to make a decision to pass on a particular shot so there is no damage to the coral. The people of Curaçao are a very good example of ocean stewardship.
Beacon Point
The currents make this site an intermediate to advanced dive. It is home to the largest pillar coral formation in the Caribbean and Photo by Bad Leo’s Diving.
26
local dIvErS do IT morE www.nwdivenews.com ofTEN!
Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010
cUracao
Where was the last tropical trip you took? email us: editor@divenewsmag.com
Photo by Bad Le
o’s Diving.
A Passion for Paradise Award winning accommodations and world-class diving on beautiful Little Cayman.
Superior Producer Wreck East Point & Klein Curacao Mushroom Forest and Blue Room Dolphin Boat Dive PADI Courses up to instructor level
Discover the ideal dive vacation at Little Cayman Beach Resort. For Reservations and More Information
Call 1-800-327-3835
visit us online at www.littlecayman.com Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 local dIvErS doN’T JUST dIvEwww.nwdivenews.com locallY - THEY dIvE globallY!
27
TravEl dESTINaTIoN
cUracao
.
cean Encounters
Photo courtesy O
Photo courtesy Oc
ean Encounters.
Photo by Bad Leo’s Diving. 28
Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 WE SUpporT oUr local dIvE SHopSwww.nwdivenews.com - WITHoUT THEm WE WIll NoT HavE a dIvE INdUSTrY.
CURACAO
Where was the last tropical trip you took? email us: editor@divenewsmag.com
divers will discover a virtual cathedral of beauty. The blue large jacks, grouper and barracuda are plentiful.
The Lost Anchor
The Lost Anchor dive site, located to the west of Sal Island, is a great dive for those looking for a variety of marine life such as goat fish. You can often see schools of them traveling across the sandy bottom as they dig, searching for food. At Snake Bay divers can discover the Caribbean reef squid so many divers come to seek out. They are friendly and often not afraid of divers. It is interesting to just hover and watch as they change from red to white and then flash between the two colors.
Mushroom Forest
The Mushroom Forest is perhaps one of the most famous dive sites in Curaçao. Hard coral formations have grown in such a way they look like mushrooms. Underneath each one of these coral formations is an abundance of marine life. The Mushroom Forest is a photographer’s dream. Ocean Encounters does a special trip out to the Mushroom Forest and during the surface interval they traditionally stop to snorkel inside a cavern called the Blue Room.
Blue Bay Gardens
Blue Bay Gardens is an actual underwater garden. Box crabs, octopus, and baby clusters of brain and star corals give the impression you could actually have a picnic. On the slope gorgonians, large brain and star corals lend a surreal landscape the appearance of an open field. There are also lots of cleaning stations which means Southern Rays and Eagle Rays are regulars.
Daily Trips Booked thru Catalina Divers Supply on the Pier •Uncrowded Diving Everyday •Available for Group Charter •Special Underwater Park Packages •Complete Gear Package Rental Specials •Ask about Hotel Transportation packages. We&know where to go •Dive Courses and Diving Specials to Introductory make your dive memorable. •2 Locations Available - Green Pier & Underwater Park Serving Catalina Island - since 1958
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THE DRYSUIT DIVER’S TOWEL THE WETSUIT DIVER’S TOWEL
Snake Bay
This is Curaçao’s super marine highway as divers get the chance to see huge jacks chasing bait balls, Caribbean Chromies, Creole Wrasses, Southern rays, and turtles along the currents. Divers also report seeing wild dolphins in the area frolicking throughout the corals. A dive trip to the Curaçao area is just not the same without a great tour guide and a great place to hang your snorkel. Enter Ocean Encounters. Ocean Encounters, located in Curaçao, host many adventures. Their boats are in tip-top shape and the staff is attentive and ready to meet the diver’s every need. Remy, one of the dive masters, not only makes sure you see everything but also provides divers with a history of the country and the various sites. The Ocean Encounters staff is professionally staffed and each person is trained in how to help the diver get the best out of their dive experience. Whether you prefer a DIN tank instead of a Yoke or use air a little faster than everyone else and need Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010
WET=COLD DRY=WARM Drysuit divers stay warm and dry. And nobody FITS you better than DUI. Scan here to see why you should dive dry – ONLY in a great fitting DUI drysuit. Download a barcode scanner app on your smartphone to scan the QR code, or visit
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Want to support local diving in your part of the globe? email sales@nwdivenews.com!
29
TravEl dESTINaTIoN
cUracao Photo by Bad Leo’s Diving.
30
Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 local dIvErS doN’T JUST dIvEwww.nwdivenews.com locallY - THEY dIvE globallY
cUracao
Where was the last tropical trip you took? email us: editor@divenewsmag.com
a bigger tank- it is no problem. The staff is very interested in making sure your diving is enjoyable and safe. Each staff member brings a little something different to the dynamics and pleasure of the dives. From Marlique, with the pre-dive briefings, to Jelle, with soccer discussions, to Remy, with his vast local knowledge and sharing of local history during the surface intervals, to Frida, who taught the Abba giant stride, everyone is focused on the diver. Ocean Encounters also has a resort in Curaçao called the Ocean Encounters Breezes Resort. Not only do you get a great dive experience but you have a place to stay which connects you, the diving and your accommodations. It sits on a 1500 ft. long beach, where you can dive the house reef, part of the Underwater Park on the other side of the breakwaters. Ocean Encounters also supplies divers with just about everything. They have rental equipment and fully stocked retail shops with diving and snorkelling gear, dive computers, wetsuits, rash guards, goggles and just about everything else you would need on a dive trip. Ocean Encounters has facilities all over the place. They are located at Lions Dive and Beach Resort, Breezes Curaçao, Hilton Curaçao, Hyatt Regency Curaçao and Kura Hulanda Lodge. For more info visit www. oceanencounters.com. ■
Your Prescription for Diving
Hawaii Land of Aloha Seasports Divers 800.685.5889 www.seasportdivers.com
Capt Charley Neal’s Scuba Shack 877.213.4488 www.scubashack.com
Kauai
Ed Robinson’s Diving Adventures 800.635.1273 www.mauiscuba.com
Oahu
Maui
Honolulu Scuba Company 808.220.0577 www.honoluluscubacompany.com Pearl Harbor Divers 808.589.2177 www.pearlharbordivers.com
Hawaii
• Rec. and Pro Dive Instruction • Retail Dive Shop • Equipment Rentals • Full Service Shop • Basic First Aid to 1st Responder Safety Courses • Air Fills/NITROX
Jack’s Diving Locker 800.345.4807 www.jacksdivinglocker.com Mauna Lani Sea Adventures 808.885.7883 www.hawaiiseaadventures.com Wanna Dive 877.DIVE.KONA www.wannadivekona.com
Wanna Dive?
We specialize in Public Safety Diving (Fire & Sheriff) Stop by for a quick game of horseshoes while you plan your next diving adventure!
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Dolphins and Manta Rays and Reefs
- Oh my!
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Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010
31
mEdIcal dIvINg
arTIclE coUrTESY of dIvErS alErT NETWork
DON’T FEED THE FISH
article courtesy of
Motion sickness can cause headaches and fatigue. Photo by stock.xchng.
H
ave you felt it before? The cold sweat coupled with churning nausea as the boat rocks and rolls; you desperately count down the seconds until you can get off, hoping all the while you can hold it together just a little bit longer. Motion sickness: It can happen to anyone. While some fortunate individuals may be more resistant, under certain conditions they, too, could suffer the ills of mal de mar.
proprioceptors (sensors in the muscles, tendons and joints that detect the body’s position and movement). So for example, if the boat is rocking, your body senses it, but your eyes are focused on stationary equipment. Your body’s proprioceptors and vestibular system perceive motion, while visual inputs are communicating there is no motion. This incongruence of information can result in motion sickness.
What is Motion Sickness?
Symptoms
Motion sickness occurs when there is informational dissonance concerning the body’s position. The brain receives positional information via three communication routes: the ear’s vestibular system (comprised of the vestibule and the three semicircular canals of the inner ear, which detect angular and vertical motion), the eyes (visual inputs indicating the body’s spatial references) and the body’s 32
There are several symptoms that may result from seasickness:
• Vomiting • Nausea • Pale face • Yawning • Sweating
• Abdominal discomfort • Vertigo • Headache • Fatigue • Hyperventilation
Risk Factors
Certain risk factors may increase an individual’s susceptibility to motion sickness:
• Alcohol consumption • Eating too much • Eating rich, greasy or spicy food • Anxiety • Odors • Feeling hot • Inner ear injury or infection
www.nwdivenews.com Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 WaNT To SUpporT local dIvINg IN YoUr parT of THE globE? EmaIl SalES@NWdIvENEWS.com!
arTIclE coUrTESY of dIvErS alErT NETWork
mEdIcal dIvINg
DIVE INTO HISTORY
Nausea is a well-known symptom. Photo by stock.xchng.
• Jet lag • Fatigue
Evasive Maneuvers
Both prior to and during trips at sea, you can take measures to mitigate your risk for motion sickness. Prior to boarding, make sure you are hydrated and adequately rested. Avoid heavy, greasy meals and alcohol, as these can contribute to nausea. When you get on board, find a place in the boat where motion is limited; this is generally near the center of the boat and close to the waterline. Avoid sitting near the stern as you may be exposed to exhaust fumes. If possible, don’t go below deck. The boat experiences greater motion below deck, and often there are limited or no portholes to give you visual confirmation of movement. Avoid tasks such as reading, writing or putting your gear together while in open water. If possible, put your kit together as soon as you get on the boat so you can avoid looking down while the boat is in motion. Throughout the trip keep an eye on the horizon; focusing on a fixed point in the distance or closing your eyes can help reduce the input of conflicting stimuli. If you start to feel sick, find a place where fresh air blows over you and continue to focus on something in the distance. Some people also find small servings of plain, easily digestible foods such as saltine crackers or a banana can help reduce symptoms of seasickness. Some divers opt to use medications to prevent motion sickness. Many of these medications have side effects that could impair your ability to dive safely. If you choose to use a preventative medication, it is important to make sure you have tested them many times on land so you’re aware of any side effects they may cause. As with any medication, clear with your physician any seasickness medication you are considering taking. Ginger is often considered nature’s anti-nausea medicine. Carbonated beverages and crackers can also help curb the effects of nausea. For more information, visit www.DAN. org. If you have any questions about motion sickness, call the DAN medical information line at +1-919-684-2948. ■
Flooded TITAN I Missile Silo deep under the desert in Eastern Washington
Full Service Dive Center
800 338-4662
Kennewick, WA www.underseaadventures.net
DIVE SAFETY STARTS WITH DAN
BECOME A MEMBER TODAY 24-Hour Emergency Hotline • Dive Accident Insurance Medical Evacuation • Membership Benefits & Discounts Trip Insurance • Medical Advice • Alert Diver Magazine
DAN.ORG/DNN 1-800-446-2671
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Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010
Scan code or visit DAN.org/dnn for our free FAQ book (a $13 value)!
33
33 5/6/11 1:50 PM
aNdY lamb’S
andylamb@telus.net
mYSTErY crITTEr
A PIECE OF A MYSTERY
The red gunnel Pholis schulzi. Photo by Jeff Castor. By Andy Lamb
T
he featured image was taken by Jeff Castor, of Edgewood, Washington during a dive April 21, 2011. Jeff was diving with James Gutholm (Tumwater) who spotted the mysterious creature and Keith Carpenter (Lakewood) on a very low tide, at the Les Davis Pier, near Tacoma, Washington, southern Puget Sound. Cruising along at a depth of 40 ft., over the sandy bottom that provided the photographic background, the threesome realized they had found something very unique. Certainly all of us agreed it was a
segmented (polychaete) worm. While preparing our book, Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest, Bernie and I had obtained a similar specimen – see Donna Gibbs’ photograph, page 161, D. At that point, we realized it was a partial specimen and certain identity was illusive. Speculation prevailed. Enter Dr. Leslie Harris of the California Academy of Sciences and an expert on such ‘wormy’ matters. She determined the “piece in question” is the rear segment (one of three) of a species of Chaetopterus, a member of the three-section tubeworm family. Apparently, when one of these worms is disturbed in its
tubes, it often fragments and the rear piece wiggles (approximately 2 in. or 5 cm. long) about to attract potential predators while the anterior segment crawls away to completely re-constitute the animal. Checkout AN81, U-shaped parchment tubeworm (page 160) and see what this worm’s burrow looks like. Two websites of interest: Keith Carpenter’s www.basmanscubaman.com and another from Sweden featuring some terrific images of worms – www.tmbl.gu.se/ staff/FredrikPleijelP.html. ■
“
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”
Peter A.Hughes Hughes Peter
President, DivEncounters, Inc.
34
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Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010
boaTINg EdUcaTIoN
NoT all boaTErS arE dIvErS bUT all dIvErS arE boaTErS
WITH lIZ SUNdQUIST
HOW TO BE A BETTER BOAT DIVER
S
hore diving is plentiful in Puget Sound, but eventually even the most ardent shore diver ends up on a charter dive boat at some point. Perhaps it is a remote site only accessible by boat, or a tropical vacation someplace where the only diving available is by boat. Boat diving can be fun and convenient, and it can expose you to sites inaccessible by land. But when you step on a charter boat, are you being the best boat diver you can be? Not surprisingly, if you demonstrate inconsiderate or unsafe habits on a charter dive boat, word spreads quickly in the local dive community, and your reputation begins to precede you. So how can you ensure you are not “that” diver? Local charter boat captains share their thoughts on what makes an excellent boat diver – one captains enjoy having on their boats.
1.
Double-check that you have ALL your gear before leaving the dock. Nobody wants to miss a dive
because of forgotten gear. While captains try to have extra gear onboard and are willing to lend it out when needed, you can’t expect them to have everything. Nobody wants to miss a dive because of a forgotten mask or fin.
2.
Listen to the captain’s dive site briefing. No matter how many dives you have under your weight belt, the captain – who visits the same sites regularly—knows more about the local dive sites than you do. The pre-dive briefing provides you with critical information, from site topography to unique safety challenges. Chatting with your buddy or setting up your gear during the briefing is not only disrespectful, but it ensures you will miss key information that would make your dive safer and more enjoyable.
3.
Do a thorough buddy check and make sure you have a sufficient dive plan. Just because you are on a dive boat doesn’t
mean basic dive safety becomes the sole responsibility of the captain and crew. You are still responsible to your buddy to ensure you know each other’s gear and have a plan for unexpected dive situations – like diver separation or getting lost underwater.
4.
Be ready to get in the water at the captain’s cue. Wind and current can make it difficult to keep a group together on a live drop. Not being ready to go when the captain gives the signal to enter the water creates a stressful and potentially unsafe situation. So chat about last week’s dive later, and focus on being ready to go when the captain gives the signal.
5.
Photo by stock.xchng.
G et A H A r v ’ O n ! For over 50 years Harvey’s has lead way in custom tailored wet and dry suits. Using the highest quality material the market has to offer and skilled craftsmanship, your new wet or dry suit can be tailored to fit like second skin. Trusted by thousands of satisfied cold water divers across the globe.
Enter and exit the water safely. Once you’re in the water, swim away from the back of the boat so other divers can enter the water. When it is time get back in the boat, don’t hang on any part of the boat while you wait to get back onboard (unless there is a diver tow line and you have been instructed to hold it by captain or crew).
6.
Once you are out of the water, stay out of the way until all the divers are out of the water. Grab a seat, relax and wait until
all divers are onboard before you start to break down and rinse your gear. Keep the captain’s line of vision in mind, and don’t stand in places that block the captain’s ability to see the back of the boat.
By developing good boat diving habits, you can ensure the safest and most enjoyable time on the water, and avoid being the diver no captain wants on the boat. Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010
View our full product line at
www.Harveys-Divesuits.com Proudly Manufactured in the U.S.A
Family owned and operated in the Puget Sound area since 1957
Harvey’s Skin Diving Suits, INC. 23424 68th Avenue South, Kent, WA 98032
www.nwdivenews.com SENd US YoUr STorIES frEE aT EdITor@dIvENEWSmag.com
35
gEar boX noveltY Dive hooDs from mCCArron stuDios
Novelty Dive Hoods from McCarron Studios are custom dive hoods made with novelty additions such as devil horns, marine life, lobster claws and a shark fin. The hoods are made of 3 mm neoprene and measure approximately 3”. For more info visit mccarronstudios.com/ McCarron_Studios.
Get the free mobile app at
oCeAniC Atom http:/ /3.0 gettag.mobi
The new ATOM 3.0 is powered by Oceanic’s Exclusive Dual Algorithm allowing you to choose the decompression algorithm basis that best suits your diving needs without compromising safety. It has Wireless Air Integrated Technology allowing streamlined and accurate monitoring of tank pressure. This dive computer features Four Operating Modes: WATCH (Alternate Time, Chrono, Daily Alarm, Countdown Timer), NORM (Air and Nitrox), GAUGE (with run timer) and FREE (tracks calculations to allow switching between NORM and FREE). It can switch between 3 independent transmitters and has improved user-interface with “Step Back” History - allowing forward and backward Get the freevisit mobile app at navigation through menus and settings. For more info www. http:/ / gettag.mobi oceanicww.com/p_computers_atom30.html.
roCker stoppers
Rocker Stoppers from Davis Instruments are easily configured and installed. Rope is strung through Rocker Stoppers at equal 18” intervals with a 5-10 lb. weight attached at the bottom. Hanging amidship off each side of the boat, three Rocker Stoppers per side
will steady boats up to 26’ long. For larger craft, a graduated scale of 4 to 8 units per side help stabilize boats from 27’ up to 50’. They are effective on both power and sailboats. Only 14” in diameter, Rocker Stoppers nest together neatly for Get the free mobile app at molded of high-impact, inconspicuous storage. Lightweight and http:/ / gettag.mobi virtually indestructible styrene, Rocker Stoppers are impervious to saltwater. They deploy and retrieve in seconds and will not damage gunwales. For more info visit www.davisnet.com.
AQuA stAr usA sleek high teCh unDerwAter sCooter for two
The affordable AS-2 Scooter is the latest high tech, underwater scooter by Aqua Star. The new Aqua Star scooters are sleeker, faster and are much lighter (AS1 80 lbs and AS2 160 lbs.) than older models. Aqua Star incorporated the latest in technology, design and quality available today. Each scooter is powered by two electric motors, one for forward movement and another for vertical movement, providing precise control, maneuverability and safety. Both the controls operate like your typical motorbike, just turn the handlebars for the free and mobile app at direction and push the batons for speed and depth.Get Pressure depth gettag.mobi gauges are provided on the control bar. With speedhttp:/ up to/ 3.1 mph and operating depth of up to 12 meters, riders have access to shallow reefs and caves. The motors run by a rechargeable battery lasting up to 2.5 hours. For more info visit www.aquastarscooters.com.
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info@peaceboat.com • 805.650.DIVE 36
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www.nwdivenews.com WE SUpporT THE NorTHWEST dIvE commUNITYNorthwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010
REVIEWS
DIVE INDUSTRY PROFILE
Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 www.nwdivenews.com We support our local dive shops - without them we will not have a dive industry.
37
dIvE dIrEcTorY
A listing of participating dive shops, charters, resorts, and independent instructors Scuba Center of Spokane
Spokane
Anacortes Diving & Supply
Anacortes
WASHINGTON (360) 293-2070
Store
Bandito Charter
Tacoma
(253) 973-0370
Charter
Diver's Dream Charters
Anacortes
(360) 202-0076
Charter
Lighthouse Diving Center
Tacoma
(253) 627-7617
Store
Tacoma
(253) 238-1754
Store
Woodinville
(425) 424-3483
Dive Center
Washington Divers
Bellingham
(360) 676-8029
Store
Tacoma Scuba Center
Gone Diving
Bellingham
(360) 738-2042
Store
Bubbles Below
Adventures Down Under
Bellingham
(360) 676-4177
Store
Odyssey Diving
www.spokanescuba.com
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Clarkston
(509) 751-1095
Store
Broken Island Adventures
Bamfield
(888) 728-6200
Everett
(425) 512-8811
Store
Ocean Quest Water Sports
Burnaby
(604) 436-1157
Store
Friday Harbor
(360) 378-9297
Charter
Abyssal Diving Charters
Campbell River
(800) 499-2297
Charter
Hoodsport N Dive
Hood Canal
(360) 877-6818
Store
49th Parallel Dive Charters
Chemainus
(250) 252-0758
Charter
Undersea Adventures
Chemainus
(250) 252-0758
Dive Resort
Courtenay
(877) 883-3483
Charter
Hornby Is.
(250) 335-2807
Dive Resort
Evergreen Dive Service Naknek Charters
Kennewick
(509) 735-0735
Store
Cedar Beach Resort
Scuba Sports
Kent
(253) 854-3294
Store
UB Diving
Mike's Beach Resort
Lilluwaup
(360) 877-5324
Resort
Hornby Island Diving
Lighthouse Diving Center
Lynnwood
(425) 771-2679
Store
Dolphin Charters
Mukilteo
(425) 493-2550
Charter
Oak Harbor
(360) 675-1112
Store
Whidbey Island Dive Coachman Inn
Oak Harbor
www.thecoachmaninn.com
Resort/Charter
Ocean Pacific Watersports
Kamloops
(250) 828-0188
Store
Sink or Swim Scuba & Watersports
Nanaimo
(250) 758-7946
Store
Sundown Diving
Nanaimo
(888) 773-3483
Store/Charter
Nanaimo Dive Outfitters
Nanaimo
(250) 756-1863
Store
Capital Divers
Olympia
(360) 866-3684
Store
Rendezvous Dive Adventures
Port Alberni
(877) 777-9994
Charter
Northwest Dive Charter
Parkland
(253) 370-5144
Charter
Browning Pass Hideaway
Port Hardy
(877) 725-2835
Resort/Charter
Port Angeles
(360) 457-3190
Store
Catala Charters
Port Hardy
(800) 515-5511
Charter
Scuba Supplies Admiralty Dive Center
Port Townsend
(360) 379-3483
Store
God's Pocket Resort
Port Hardy
Townsend Bay Dive
Port Townsend
(360) 385-2353
Store
Mamro Adventures
Port Hardy
www.mamro.com
www.godspocket.com
A-2-Z Scuba Instruction
Puyallup
(253) 840-3483
Store
Copper Island Diving
Salmon Arm
(250) 832-5737
Store
ScubaSET Adventure Center
Puyallup
(253) 841-5666
Store
PorpoiseBay.ca
Egmont
(800) 665-DIVE
Charter/Resort
Dive Commercial Int’l
Liveaboard
Seattle
(206) 784-5050
Commercial Store
Tahtsa Dive Charters
Tahsis
(250) 934-6365
Charter
Aluminator Water Taxi
Seattle
(206) 571-3273
Charter
MethodMarine.com
Tofino
(250) 725-3251
Store/Marina
Lighthouse Diving Center
Seattle
(206) 524-1633
Store
Ocean Planet Adventures
Store
TwoEaglesLodge.com
Underwater Sports
Seattle
(206) 362-3310
TROPICAL DIVE DIRECTORY aUStralia Blue Ocean Marine Pty.Ltd. 415.830.3846 www.blueoceanmarine.com.au
BEliZE
Calypso Beach Retreat 303.264.8333 www.calypsobeachretreat.com Hugh Parkeys 888.223.5403 www.belizediving.com Sun Breeze Hotel 1.800.688.0191 www.sunbreeze.net
BonairE Buddy Dive Resort 599.717.5080.518 www.buddydive.com Deep Blue Adventures 888.266.2209 www.deepblueadventures.com Divi Resorts 954.545.0269 www.diviresorts.com Quest Dive Adventures 770.992.8414 www.questdive.com Villa Makoshi Lower Level 780.483.0044 www.BonaireDiveVilla.com
BritiSh Virgin iSland
NV Yacht Charters 443.829.8576 www.nvcharters.com
CaYMan iSlandS Deep Blue Adventures 888.266.2209 www.deepblueadventures.com 38
Tofino
(250) 725-2221
Resort
Union Bay
(250) 335-2342
Dive Resort
An alphabetical listing of participating dive shops, charters, live aboards and resorts in tropical locations around the world.
CaYMan iSlandS Cont... Divetech@Cobal Coast Dive Resort 888.946.5656 divetech.com cobaltcoast.com Southern Cross Club 800.899.2582 www.southerncrossclub.com Sunset House 800.854.4767 www.sunsethouse.com
CoSta riCa Quest Dive Adventures 770.992.8414 www.questdive.com
CoZUMEl Albatros Charters 888.333.4643 www.cozumel-fishing.com BlueBubbleScuba 987.872.4240 www.bluebubble.com Deep Blue Adventures 888.266.2209 www.deepblueadventures.com Island DreamsTravel 713.973.9300 www.divetrip.com Scuba Du 310.684.5556 www.scubadu.com
CUraCao
Ocean Encounters 800.932.6237 www.oceanencounters.com
fiJi
Beqa Lagoon Resort 800.542.3454 www.beqalagoonresort.com
fiJi Cont... Dancer Fleet 305.669.9391 www.dancerfleet.com Deep Blue Adventures 888.266.2209 www.deepblueadventures.com Dive Away Fiji 888.266.2209 www.diveaway-fiji.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 Matava 679.333.6222 www.matava.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 Horizon Divers 305.453.3535 www.horizondivers.com Off The Wall Adventures 863.709-9253 www.offthewalladventures.com
gET YoUr bUSINESS lISTEd IN oUr TropIcal dIvE dIrEcTorY for oNlY $20!
NorTHWEST SeaDragonCharters.com Beyond Deep Diving Ogden Point Dive Wilson Diving Services
dIvE dIrEcTorY Vancouver
(604) 329-3486
Charter
Victoria
(250) 475-2202
Store
Scuba Do, Inc
Kodiak
ALASKA (907) 486-2960
Store
Victoria
(888) 701-1177
Store/Charter
Test the Waters
North Pole
www.testthewaters.com
Store
Victoria
(250) 478-4488
Store
(907) 747-7871
Store/Charter
Honolulu
(808) 923-3483
Store
Honolulu
(808) 922-3483
Charter
Honolulu
(808) 589-2177
Store/Charter
Honolulu
(808) 220-0577
Store
Island Fever Diving
Sitka
ALBERTA Adventures in Scuba
HAWAII
Calgary
Aqua Sport Scuba Centre The Dive Shop Sub Sea Experience Just for You Crew & Dive Services
(403) 299-7751
Store
Aqua Zone Dive Oahu
Calgary
(403) 686-6166
Store
Calgary
(403) 243-4616
Store
Edmonton
(780) 434-1433
Store
Grand Prairie
(780) 832-7209
Store
IDAHO Dive Magic
Boise
(208) 319-3483
Store
MONTANA
Pearl Harbor Divers Honolulu Scuba Company
www.honoluluscubacompany.com Aaron's Dive Shop
Kailua-Kona
(808) 262-2333
Store
Big Island Divers
Kailua-Kona
(808) 329-6068
Store/Charter
Jack's Diving Locker
Kailua-Kona
(808) 329-7585
Store/Charter
Kailua-Kona
(808) 324-4668
Charter
Pacific Rim Divers
Kailua-Kona
(808) 334-1750
Charter
Torpedo Tours
Kailua-Kona
(808) 938-0405
Charter
Wanna Dive
Kailua-Kona
(808) 937-1175
Charter
Sports Cove
Bozeman
(406) 585-9926
Store
Kona Honu Divers
Glacier Divers
Kalispell
(406) 253-4016
Store
OREGON PacificWatersports.com
Aloha
(503) 642-3483
Store
Astoria
www.astoriascuba.com
Store
Bend
(541) 388-3660
Store/Charter
Central Point
(541) 830-5551
Store
Eugene Skin Divers Supply
Eugene
(541) 342-2351
Store
CoralSeaScuba.com
Grants Pass
(800) 482-1599
Astoria Scuba Central Oregon Diving Rogue Scuba, Inc.
Dive & Sea Maui Mauna Lani Sea Adventures SeaSport Divers
www.diveandseamaui.com
Charter
Kamuela
(808) 885-7883
Store Store/Charter
Koloa, Kauai
(800) 685-5889
Capt. Charley Scuba Shack
Kihei
(877) 213-4488
Store
Store
Mike Severn's Diving
Kihei
(808) 874-6428
Store
South Beach Scuba
Newport
(541) 867-4944
Store
Lahaina Divers
Maui
(800) 998-3483
Store/Charter
Aquatic Sports
Portland
(503) 245-4991
Store
Mike Severns Diving
Maui
www.mikesevernsdiving.com
Charter
Diver's Den
Roseburg
(541) 673-3710
Store
Blue Element
Salem
(503) 400-7375
Store/Charter
SalemScuba.com
Salem
(503) 588-3483
Store
Under Water Works
Tigard
(503) 620-6993
Store
TROPICAL DIVE DIRECTORY florida Cont... SpruceCreekScuba 386.767.1727 www.sprucecreekscuba.com The Dive Station (407) 843-3483 www.divestation.com
galaPagoS
Divencounters 877.323.DIVE www.divencounters.com
hondUraS Deep Blue Resort 011.504.95.76.36.97 www.deepblueutila.com Utila Tours 800.668.8452 337.893.0013 www.utila.com
indonESia Deep Blue Adventures 888.266.2209 www.deepblueadventures.com 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 Pindito Liveaboard 831.818.8594 www.pindito.com Quest Dive Adventures 770.992.8414 www.questdive.com
CALIFORNIA Catalina Divers Supply LLC
Avalon
(760) 801-7996
Store/Charter
To be listed in our Tropical Dive Directory call 360.240.1874 or email us at sales@nwdivenewsmag.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. 52.998.206.9365 www.aquanautsdiveadventures.com
PhiliPPinES Atlantis Dive Resort 775.588.0500 www.atlantishotel.com Big La Laguna Beach Dive Resort 425.298.8172 www.BigLaLa.com Campbells Beach Resort +63.920.416.0502 www.CampbellsBeachResort.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
roatan
CoCo View Resort Roatan 800.282.8932 www.roatan.com
SEa of CortEZ/SoCorro iSlandS Rocio Del Mar 602.558.9580 www.rociodelmarliveaboard.com
St. Croix (U.S. Virgin iSlandS) BVI Scuba 284.540.2222 www.bviscubaco.com Cane Bay Dive Shop 340.773.9913 www.canebayscuba.com Jost Van Dyke 800.778.8066 www.jostvandyke.com
St. kittS Dive St. Kitts 869.564.8914 www.divestkitts.com
St. VinCEnt Bequia Dive Adventures 784.458.3826 www.bequiadiveadventures.com
tUrkS & CaiCoS Oasis Divers 649.946.1128 www.oasisdivers.com Dive Provo 649.946.5040 www.diveprovo.com
Learning Through Travel 516.781.5556 www.learningthroughtravel.com
gET YoUr bUSINESS lISTEd IN oUr dIvE dIrEcTorY for oNlY $12.50! - call 360-240-1874
39
Barbados
Packages Include:
• 7 nights accommodations • 5 days of 2-tank boat dives • Roundtrip transfers, hotel tax, service charges
All Seasons Europa Hightide Watersports From $903 pp/dbl Valid through 15 Dec 2011
Bougainvilla Beach Resort Barbados Blue Watersports From $1,207 pp/dbl Valid through 28 May, 6 June through 22 July and 1 Sept through 21 Oct 2011
Butterfly Beach Hotel Barbados Blue Watersports From $790 pp/dbl Valid through 19 Dec 2011
Coconut Court Hotel Barbados Blue Watersports From $923 pp/dbl Daily breakfast Valid through 14 Dec 2011
Divi Heritage Beach Resort Hightide Watersports From $877 pp/dbl Valid through 23 Dec 2011
Divi Southwinds Beach Resort Barbados Blue Watersports From $1,151 pp/dbl Valid through 23 Dec 2011
Gibbs Bay Inn Hightide Watersports From $955 pp/dbl Daily breakfast and afternoon tea Valid through 14 Dec 2011
Island Inn Hotel Barbados Blue Watersports From $1,522 pp/dbl All-inclusive Valid through 14 Dec 2011
Mango Bay Hotel Hightide Watersports From $1,915 pp/dbl All-inclusive Valid through 14 Dec 2011
South Gap Hotel Barbados Blue Watersports From $817 pp/dbl Valid through 15 Dec 2011
Yellow Bird Hotel Barbados Blue Watersports From $870 pp/dbl Valid through 15 Dec 2011
CARADONNA
WORLDWIDE DIVE ADVENTURES
800-328-2288
caradonna . com
Prices do not include government imposed taxes and fees of up to $300, including a September 11th Security Fee of up to $10. Blackout dates, holiday surcharges and other restrictions may apply. Availability of prices is limited, and at the time you purchase your tour, prices may be higher. For current prices, please visit www.caradonna.com or call our toll free number at 1-888-599-8400. (CSOT # 2063948-40 & Fla. Seller of Travel Ref. No. ST36173)