Scuba Shack Radio

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there

On this special episode of Scuba Shack Radio I sit down with Peter Katz - PADI Master Instructor to talk about his trip to the Maldives. Peter was fortunate to get his trip to the Maldives completed just before the pandemic lockdown. We talk about his adventure onboard the Emperor Explorer, the diving, the routine, the food and how he got out to the other side of the world.

The Maldives certainly is an amazing dive adventure and Peter has some great insights.

Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there

On this special episode of Scuba Shack Radio I sit down with Peter Katz – PADI Master Instructor to talk about his trip to the Maldives. Peter was fortunate to get his trip to the Maldives completed just before the pandemic lockdown. We talk about his adventure onboard the Emperor Explorer, the diving, the routine, the food and how he got out to the other side of the world.

The Maldives certainly is an amazing dive adventure and Peter has some great insights.

Every diver should have a save-a-dive kit and your kit should be tailored to your gear and your configuration. Every diver should have o-rings in their kit. Tank valve o-rings and hose o-rings are very important. You should have a spare mask strap but make sure it fits your mask. If you have replaceable fin straps - ensure you have the right ones. Additionally, you should carry a spare regulator mouthpiece preferably the same one that you are using. An air spool or swivel pin is another spare part for your kit; make sure it is the right one for your submersible pressure gauge. And be sure to carry some zip ties.

Remember your save-a-dive kit should also contain some tools to make the appropriate repairs. You should carry a small adjustable wrench, a small phillips head and flat head screwdriver, a set of allen or hex wrenches, a pair of needle nose pliers, and some silicone grease.

Healthways was one of the original five US scuba equipment manufacturers. It was started by Richard Klein and by 1954 Healthways was selling waterspouts equipment and obtain distribution rights for the LG Arpin DivAir regulator. In 1956, Healthways started to developed their own regulator and named it SCUBA. They also copyrighted the term SCUBA. The regulator was produced between 1957 and 1959. Healthways continued to develop their products including a scuba pack harness, the Scuba Star, Scubair, and something called the SnorkAir. By 1962, Healthways started to developed a line of professional equipment called ScubaPro. Healthways however went into bankruptcy in December 1962. Dick Bonin and Gustave DellaValle - who worked for Healthways bought ScubaPro from Healthways for $1.00 and started what we know today as the manufacturer ScubaPro.

Healthways survived bankruptcy, continued to make scuba equipment, was acquired by Eldon Industries and distributed their products to Sears and K-Mart into the 1970s. Somewhere along the way Healthways and Eldon Industries faded into history.

Every diver should have a save-a-dive kit and your kit should be tailored to your gear and your configuration. Every diver should have o-rings in their kit. Tank valve o-rings and hose o-rings are very important. You should have a spare mask strap but make sure it fits your mask. If you have replaceable fin straps – ensure you have the right ones. Additionally, you should carry a spare regulator mouthpiece preferably the same one that you are using. An air spool or swivel pin is another spare part for your kit; make sure it is the right one for your submersible pressure gauge. And be sure to carry some zip ties.

Remember your save-a-dive kit should also contain some tools to make the appropriate repairs. You should carry a small adjustable wrench, a small phillips head and flat head screwdriver, a set of allen or hex wrenches, a pair of needle nose pliers, and some silicone grease.

Healthways was one of the original five US scuba equipment manufacturers. It was started by Richard Klein and by 1954 Healthways was selling waterspouts equipment and obtain distribution rights for the LG Arpin DivAir regulator. In 1956, Healthways started to developed their own regulator and named it SCUBA. They also copyrighted the term SCUBA. The regulator was produced between 1957 and 1959. Healthways continued to develop their products including a scuba pack harness, the Scuba Star, Scubair, and something called the SnorkAir. By 1962, Healthways started to developed a line of professional equipment called ScubaPro. Healthways however went into bankruptcy in December 1962. Dick Bonin and Gustave DellaValle – who worked for Healthways bought ScubaPro from Healthways for $1.00 and started what we know today as the manufacturer ScubaPro.

Healthways survived bankruptcy, continued to make scuba equipment, was acquired by Eldon Industries and distributed their products to Sears and K-Mart into the 1970s. Somewhere along the way Healthways and Eldon Industries faded into history.

Wireless underwater communications for scuba divers have come a long way since the 1970s. Today there are a number of options if you are ready to go the full-face mask route, whether it be an AGA, Spectrum, Kirby-Morgan, Guardian or G-Diver. Your options include the Ocean Reef GSM G-Diver, Divelink's COM-FF or the OTS Buddy Phone - D2. They all operate with 1/2 watt power and can have ranges between 150 to 1500 feet depending on conditions. All have surface units available.

The 2020 World Economic Forum report on Fostering Effective Energy ranks the United States #32 out of 115 countries. The report measures energy system performance and the enabling environment for energy transition. The United States declined for the second year in a row. In 2019 we ranked #27. While our energy system performance stayed flat, we dropped 3% for our enabling environment for energy transition. Sweden ranks #1 while the UK ranks #7 and France is at #8. 94 countries improved.

Changing Patterns is from season 3 of Sea Hunt and it premiered on August 6, 1960. In this episode Mike is visiting his mentor Ben Craine who is a hard hat diver struggling as he gets older. A freighter has sunk that was captained by on of Ben's friends. The captain and crew survived the sinking and now they turn to Ben to salvage the wreck. The wreck site is not conducive to hard hat diving. Mike tries to teach Ben scuba but he has difficulties with his ears. Ben is not deterred from trying to salvage the wreck using his hard hat. He gets into trouble and Mike must save Ben.

Wireless underwater communications for scuba divers have come a long way since the 1970s. Today there are a number of options if you are ready to go the full-face mask route, whether it be an AGA, Spectrum, Kirby-Morgan, Guardian or G-Diver. Your options include the Ocean Reef GSM G-Diver, Divelink’s COM-FF or the OTS Buddy Phone – D2. They all operate with 1/2 watt power and can have ranges between 150 to 1500 feet depending on conditions. All have surface units available.

The 2020 World Economic Forum report on Fostering Effective Energy ranks the United States #32 out of 115 countries. The report measures energy system performance and the enabling environment for energy transition. The United States declined for the second year in a row. In 2019 we ranked #27. While our energy system performance stayed flat, we dropped 3% for our enabling environment for energy transition. Sweden ranks #1 while the UK ranks #7 and France is at #8. 94 countries improved.

Changing Patterns is from season 3 of Sea Hunt and it premiered on August 6, 1960. In this episode Mike is visiting his mentor Ben Craine who is a hard hat diver struggling as he gets older. A freighter has sunk that was captained by on of Ben’s friends. The captain and crew survived the sinking and now they turn to Ben to salvage the wreck. The wreck site is not conducive to hard hat diving. Mike tries to teach Ben scuba but he has difficulties with his ears. Ben is not deterred from trying to salvage the wreck using his hard hat. He gets into trouble and Mike must save Ben.

Your Emergency Action Plan is an important part of your preparedness in the event of something going wrong. It consists of information regarding where you will be diving. Things like the location of hospitals, hyperbaric chambers, or other facilities. Your plan also should include equipment. Do you have a first-aid kit and is it up to date. Is your emergency oxygen kit in working order and do you know how to use it. You should also practice your EAP. Emergency Action Plans are not just for dive professionals. Everyone should have one.

MarineBio is an all volunteer non-profit of marine biologists, students, professors and conservation advocates used for sharing the wonders of the ocean realm, providing marine education, and tools for marine scientists. It is also a forum for communication. The main categories of information on the site include marine life, conservation, science and education. There is an extensive section on species of birds, fish, reptiles, seals, sharks and rays, squid and octopus, and whales and dolphins.

Sunset House in Grand Cayman is a fantastic place for a dive vacation. The diving is outstanding whether you are diving the house reef, the wall on the west side, the shallower reefs or the dive sites over on the south side. There is so much to see. The hotel rooms are neat, clean, well maintained. The dining is very good at either the Sea Harvest Restaurant or at My Bar. Downtown is just a 10 minute walk or short cab ride.

Your Emergency Action Plan is an important part of your preparedness in the event of something going wrong. It consists of information regarding where you will be diving. Things like the location of hospitals, hyperbaric chambers, or other facilities. Your plan also should include equipment. Do you have a first-aid kit and is it up to date. Is your emergency oxygen kit in working order and do you know how to use it. You should also practice your EAP. Emergency Action Plans are not just for dive professionals. Everyone should have one.

MarineBio is an all volunteer non-profit of marine biologists, students, professors and conservation advocates used for sharing the wonders of the ocean realm, providing marine education, and tools for marine scientists. It is also a forum for communication. The main categories of information on the site include marine life, conservation, science and education. There is an extensive section on species of birds, fish, reptiles, seals, sharks and rays, squid and octopus, and whales and dolphins.

Sunset House in Grand Cayman is a fantastic place for a dive vacation. The diving is outstanding whether you are diving the house reef, the wall on the west side, the shallower reefs or the dive sites over on the south side. There is so much to see. The hotel rooms are neat, clean, well maintained. The dining is very good at either the Sea Harvest Restaurant or at My Bar. Downtown is just a 10 minute walk or short cab ride.

A dive flag is a very important piece of your safety equipment especially when shore diving. A dive flag let's boat traffic know that you are in the area. A flag must be within 50 feet of you and be able to be seen from 100 yards away. It should also be flying and 3 feet above the surface. You need to check out the specific regulations for where you are diving. You will need to be proficient in handling the dive flag underwater including keeping it within 50 feet and not allow it to drift too far behind or pull it underwater. 

EN-ROADS stands for Energy Rapid Overview and Decision Support and is a climate solutions simulator. It was created by Climate Interactive and allows you to adjust up to 18 parameters to see the impacts on global warming. You can adjust coal use, energy efficiency, renewables and carbon removal. It is easy to use and very informative. It shows that we have a lot of work to do to slow down or reverse climate change.

Deep Descent by Kevin F. McMurray is a book that covers diving on the Andrea Doria. In the book, Kevin relays a story about an incident that took place in July 1985. During her dive to the wreck Sally Wahrmann was crashed into by another diver and was plummeted into the wreck to a depth of 250 feet and had her masked knocked off. I talked to Sally at the Boston Sea Rovers show and we had a chance to discuss the incident. It was a pleasure to chat with Sally. Check out Deep Descent.

A dive flag is a very important piece of your safety equipment especially when shore diving. A dive flag let’s boat traffic know that you are in the area. A flag must be within 50 feet of you and be able to be seen from 100 yards away. It should also be flying and 3 feet above the surface. You need to check out the specific regulations for where you are diving. You will need to be proficient in handling the dive flag underwater including keeping it within 50 feet and not allow it to drift too far behind or pull it underwater. 

EN-ROADS stands for Energy Rapid Overview and Decision Support and is a climate solutions simulator. It was created by Climate Interactive and allows you to adjust up to 18 parameters to see the impacts on global warming. You can adjust coal use, energy efficiency, renewables and carbon removal. It is easy to use and very informative. It shows that we have a lot of work to do to slow down or reverse climate change.

Deep Descent by Kevin F. McMurray is a book that covers diving on the Andrea Doria. In the book, Kevin relays a story about an incident that took place in July 1985. During her dive to the wreck Sally Wahrmann was crashed into by another diver and was plummeted into the wreck to a depth of 250 feet and had her masked knocked off. I talked to Sally at the Boston Sea Rovers show and we had a chance to discuss the incident. It was a pleasure to chat with Sally. Check out Deep Descent.