Scuba Shack Radio

In this episode, I will tell you all about our exciting dive trip to the Philippines where we spent an incredible 10-day visit at the Atlantis Dive Resort in Dumaguete.

I will tell you about getting to the Philippines, the incredible diving in Dumaguete, our trip to Apo, our snorkeling adventure with whale sharks in Oslob, plus the absolutely amazing service provided by the staff at Atlantis.

At Atlantis you most certainly "Arrive as a guest and leave as family".

The 2023 Iceland whale hunt season is over and resulted in the deaths of 24 fin whales. The season was shortened by the Iceland government because the hunt failed to comply with Icelands Animal Welfare Act. For the record there are three countries that still hunt whales - Japan, Norway and Iceland.

Whale deaths along the Northeast coasts continue to rise. The numbers keep going up. There are a number of obvious reasons like vessel strikes and entanglement but there are also the impacts of climate change and plastic pollution.

The Oceanic + Dive Housing is set to be released. This housing will turn your iPhone into a combination underwater camera and fully functioning dive computer. The Oceanic + app is needed and you can license the app for $10 per month or $80 per year. This is something of a game changer.

Orca Torch has a new underwater video light - the D710V. This is an affordable yet powerful light with a top end of 2000 lumens on the brightest white light setting. You can also dial it down to 600 lumens, plus you also get a red light and to top it off there is a UV light.

DEMA Show 2023 in New Orleans is just around the corner and I will be doing a presentation at the show on new diver motivation. If you are at the show, come by on Tuesday November 14 at 3 PM.

Commentary

The Faroe Islands are a small group of islands halfway between Scotland and Iceland and they have a grizzly ritual of killing pilot whales and dolphins. This ritual killing is called grindagrap. The whales and dolphins are headed into shallow bays where they are hooked, pulled ashore and slaughtered. Many organizations now indicated that this practice is not sustainable, not humane and no longer culturally integral. 69% of Faroe Island residence oppose the grindagrap while only 7% strongly support it. Traditions and rituals are important however, when we understand the impacts or gain knowledge, it should be time to end those rituals.

Group dive travel is a pillar of the local dive shops business model. We train people how to dive, ensure they are properly equipped to scuba and then take them diving, normally to some very cool dive destinations.

Here are the main reasons you should consider group dive travel with your local dive shop

Convenience

Experience

Camaraderie

Memories

Scuba Diving Magazine's September/October issue is their 2023 Photo Issue. In this issue they present the 2023 winners of the Through Your Lens photo contest.

The Women Divers Hall of Fame is now accepting applications for their 2024 Scholarship and Grant programs. Deadline for application is November 15, 2023 at 5 pm eastern. More info.

Ocean Explorer Trust had released footage from the EV Nautilus expedition where they surveyed three historic WW II aircraft carrier wrecks from the Battle of Midway. Three videos from the exploration of the Japanese carriers Akagi and Kagi along with a video of the USS Yorktown are on the EV Nautilus YouTube Channel.

Here are the latest firmware updates for Shearwater dive computers. Peregrine - V86, Perdix and Perdix AI - V93, Perdix 2 - V95 and the Teric - V23

Commentary

Earlier this month we had another local dive shop close here in Connecticut. While there are a number of reasons why this shop closed there is one element that we cannot ignore. Many local dive shop owners are getting older and there will come a time when these dive shop owners will retire. What then? There are two options - find another, younger owner to take over or close the shop. With so many headwinds, running a full service local dive center is complicated. Will the local dive shop model evolve from the high flow business of the 1980s and 90s? Only time will tell.

The 2020 Divers Alert Network Annual Diving Report provides information from 2018 on diving related fatalities, injuries as well as information on equipment failures. The report is 92 pages and broken down into five sections and five appendices. DAN started this report in 1988 and plans to release the next Annual Diving Report before the end of 2023. If you are a DAN member you can download a copy and then share it with your dive buddies.

REEF's 2023 Discover the Sea Underwater Photo Contest is now accepting entries through September 18, 2023. There are several categories including fish portraits, macro, and more. You can check it out at www.REEF.org/photocontest

The third quarter 2023 Alert Diver Magazine from DAN arrived. This edition features Stan Waterman as the  profiled diver. You can also learn about diving in San Diego, Lembah, Palau and Turks and Caicos. Check out the DAN was there for me section for another story of why DAN membership is so valuable.

The Toronto Star newspaper had an article "New government rules spell end for Nova Scotia's distinctive shark fishing derbies". After 30 years, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has decided these tournaments no longer serve any scientific purpose and will only issue licenses under certain conditions. Turns out the tournaments aren't able to meet those conditions.

NASA's Climate Change Newsletter reported that according to the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, July 2023 was the hottest month on record since 1880. Still think climate change is a hoax?

Commentary

Being prepared as a diver is critical. Two stories demonstrate the need to be prepared. These two stories had positive outcomes but could have easily been very different. First, there were four divers rescued 50 miles off the coast of North Carolina. They got caught in a current and couldn't make it to the boat. Fortunately, one of the divers had a strobe that was spotted by a Coast Guard plane. They were ultimately picked up by a Navy destroyer. But what happened to their boat. Did they have anyone onboard? Being 50 miles offshore takes more preparation and perhaps they should have also taken a portable GPS in the water with them - especially if they didn't have anyone onboard while diving.

Then there is the story of a diver in Florida being rescued by two off duty police officers who were out fishing. They saw a diver flopping his arms in the water and they thought it was a bird. Turns out, the diver also got caught in a current and was pushed two miles from his boat. There was someone on the boat but couldn't spot their missing diver because of the swell. I don't think this diver had an SMB and it sounds like they were diving alone. Also, did the person on the boat, know how to effect a rescue.

In this episode of Sea Hunt - Base of Operations - Mike is testing out a new underwater platform for sustained diving operations when he encounters two well-known underwater photographers who want him to help them with a deep dive to a wreck. When Mike refuses to help them, they decide to practice their deep diving alone. They get in trouble with nitrogen narcosis and decompression sickness. Mike must first fight the narc'd diver and then take the other one down to his Base of Operations for in-water recompression. Mike pulls out all of his tricks to save the diver.

PADI Club recently completed their latest club trip to Belize where they had 38 divers from around the world participate. There is another trip planned for Bonaire in September. PADI Club continues to grow their benefits.

A team of divers from the Musee des Ilse de la Magdalin have discovered 7 shipwrecks believed to be from the 1800s. The shipwrecks are off the Magdalin Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

REEF is holding their 14th annual REEF Florida Keys Lionfish Derby and Festival - September 7 through September 10. The hunt happens on September 8 and 9. The festival concludes on Sunday September 10 at the Postcard Inn on Islamorada.

United is adding more direct flights from Newark to Bonaire starting January 2024. There will be two more flights added each week. In addition to their Saturday flight, they will also add a Sunday flight and a Wednesday flight. The flights will run through April 2024.

Maui needs visitors. In the wake of the devastating wildfires, people were asked not to head out to the island, but now, the island which is so dependent on tourism, needs visitors. While West Maui is closed, there is still plenty of other locations on the island to enjoy this magical island.

Commentary-

In my opinion - climate change is NOT a hoax. We have seen record high temperatures, the hottest month on record and the hottest single day in recorded history. We have seen incredible wildfire destruction, storms hitting areas that are not prone to these conditions and water temperatures in Florida closing in on 100 degrees. We cannot deny the evidence. It is like ignoring a serious medical condition like cancer - it doesn't cure itself. We have the information, knowledge and expertise to battle the climate change issue but do we have the sustained leadership to meet the challenge. We cannot change our direction every four years on this one.

New divers often ask about what is next after gaining their open water certification. First and foremost, my advice is to tell them to get out and go diving. That isn't always easy or practical for some. They still want the guidance of dive professionals until they gain their confidence and become better scuba divers. So here are my three steps for new scuba divers.

Become a certified Enriched Air Nitrox diver. By diving with enriched air, you are not only gaining longer no decompression limits, it becomes part of your risk mitigation strategy. Less nitrogen being absorbed in your tissue is a good thing. Your advantage is extended when doing repetitive dives

Get more training on buoyancy, control and propulsion. There are number of ways to do this. Training agencies have specific classes on buoyancy. This provides valuable experience. Also, some dive shops have specialized classes to give people this training. You can even get one-on-one private lessons with a dive professional.

You are now ready for the rigors of Advanced Open Water certification. With Nitrox and buoyancy, you are better prepared for the task loading of navigation, and deep along with other things like search and recovery, or delayed SMB deployment. By completing steps one and two, you will get a lot more out of your advanced training.

A week onboard the Rocio del Mar liveaboard dive boat in the Sea of Cortez is an adventure. It is an adventure that starts from Phoenix, AZ through the Sonoran Desert through Gila Bend, Ajo, Sonoyta before entering Puerto Penasco and starting your journey south on Rocio del Mar.

Listen for more details where we talk about the boat, the diving, and interesting aspects to that truly make this a scuba diving adventure. I also provide some tips to get you ready and make the most of the trip.

The wreck of Omani Bay (CVE 79) a WW II Escort Carrier was discovered in the Sulu Sea in July. It was sunk by a kamikaze strike on January 4, 1945 with the loss of 95 sailors. The wreck is in over 100 m of water.

WestJet has announced that it will be implementing a non-stop flight from Toronto to Bonaire starting on December 12, 2023 and that it will run through April 2024. The flight will run once a week on Tuesdays.

Whale shark tourism is big business but at what cost? There is a study that looked at the impacts of whale shark feeding in Oslob, Philippines. It doesn't paint a good picture.

There has been a spike in shark hunting in Egypt following the mauling of a tourist in the Red Sea. Local officials believe the shark attacks might be participated by the dumping of dead animals in the area.

Autumn Blum from Stream2Sea recently was interviewed for an article in Bloomberg News related to hidden ingredients being put into mineral sunscreens. April calls it BS.

Kraken Rum and PADI Aware Foundation have teamed up to support beach and ocean clean up. If you participate in the beach cleanup at Brighton Beach in the UK, you can get a Kraken Rum drink by using the litter you collect as currency.

Commentary

There are so many positive aspects of our diving industry. From the dedicated, passionate dive professionals who invest so much time and energy into teaching or taking people diving, to the long-time divers who support the industry in all aspects and finally the new divers who are beginning their journey. We have a lot to be thankful for as we continue our journey.

For this installment of Sea Hunt It's Still Alive we head to season one episode 28 titled The Lost Ones that premiered on July 19, 1958. This was a bit of a family affair for this episode as it also featured Lloyd Bridges wife, Dorthy Dean and his son Jeff Bridges. In this episode, Mike has to save two kids from a cave that is filling with water as the tide rises. Mike makes great use of his large underwater scooter in this episode as he races to save Davie and Karen from this underwater death trap.

Registration for the DEMA Show is now open. DEMA members can register for early bird pricing of $55 until October 16th. After that the price jumps to $75. Non-DEMA members rate is $180 for the full package. The show is open to all dive professionals, dive shops, resorts, manufacturers and travel agents. This year the show is in New Orleans and runs from November 14 - 17.

The 39th annual Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival took place on July 8, 2023 at Looe Key Reef. The purpose of the music festival is to promote coral reef conservation. Several hundred snorkelers and divers participated in the event.

Oceanic 31 is an exhibit of shark art that is sponsored by the Shark Trust. It is billed as a shark art exhibit and what they did was to get a group of artists who are passionate about sharks and conservation to create 31 paintings, drawings, sculptures and digital media representing a species of sharks or rays that live in the ocean.

OCEARCH is a non-profit organization that is conducting unprecedented research on sharks. Their mission is to accelerate the ocean’s return to balance and abundance. OCEARCH is affiliated with Jacksonville University and was recently awarded a $5 Million grant from the state of Florida to build a new headquarters.

Commentary

As dive professionals we have a duty of care to our students. We must keep them safe. We cannot compromise on this duty. It is too easy to lapse, so we must be diligent. Our students equipment must be functioning properly. You cannot put a student in the water with gear that is compromised. Also, we should not overweight our students. Getting weight correct is a challenge for new divers. Take the time to dial it in as best you can. Also, we cannot take students into environments that they are not ready to encounter.

My top five destinations for new divers based on the distance from my home in Connecticut.

Fort Wetherill, Jamestown, RI

Key Largo

Grand Cayman

Bonaire

Philippines

Joe Dituri recently completed a 100 day mission underwater with Project Neptune 100 sponsored by the Marine Resource Development Foundation. He smashed the old record of 73 days. Find out more at mrdf/project-neptune.

Mark and Sherry Grishom of PSI/PCI (Professional Scuba Inspectors / Professional Cylinder Inspectors) were recently honored by NASA for their work on the Resupply Air Tank Team for the International Space Station.

Aqualung announced that the company is being acquired by Barings Investment. Barings had been providing financial support to Aqualung since it was sold in 2016 to Montagu, a private equity firm. The sale is expected to close later in 2023.

The NOAA Ocean Podcast's latest episode is all about rip currents, a timely conversation. The podcast features Greg Dusek, a senior scientist for NOAA working on rip current modeling and prediction. You can find out more - https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/podcast/june23/nop66-rip-currents.html

Commentary

Being prepared as a diver encompasses many facets including training, practice, experience, and equipment. Part of this equipment is your safety gear. Signaling devices are a critical part of this safety gear. Sometimes divers might not think they need this but you never know when it will make a difference. Not only do you need to have this safety equipment with you, you also need to know how to deploy and use the gear. Remember, when you actually have to use the safety equipment, the situation will be stressful. That is not the time to learn how to use it.

The US EPA has developed a Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution in April 2023. The draft strategy is currently in a comment period that has been extended to July 31, 2023. This strategy builds upon our National Recycling Strategy with a focus on actions to reduce, reuse, collect and capture plastic waste. The three top objectives are:

Objective A - Reduce pollution during plastic production

Objective B - Improve post-use material management

Objective C - Prevent trash and micro/nanoplastics from entering entering waterways and remove trash from the environment.

You can provide review the draft strategy here - https://www.epa.gov/circulareconomy/draft-national-strategy-prevent-plastic-pollution

PADI Club has two trips planned for 2023. The first trip is to Belize running July 29 to August 5 and the second trip is in October to Bonaire. That trip will run from October 7 - 14.

The History of Diving Museum has a new exhibit - Aquanauts to Astronauts. This exhibit opened on May 20, 2023 and runs through December 31, 2023 and will educate folks on the unique relationship between diving and space exploration.

The latest edition of Alert Diver from Divers Alert Network is out. A great publication with a wealth of information. In this edition you can learn about protecting Hawaiian fishes, crime scene investigation and unique ways to share air in an emergency. There is something for everyone in this edition.

Commentary

My non-profit - Scuba Educational Alliance of Connecticut is in the midst of teaching an open water class for one of our local high schools. Listen how rewarding this course has been for both the students and me.

In this episode of Sea Hunt - Mike and his UDT buddy Sam Carter are working on salvaging a wreck that they have found when they encounter underwater pirates. A reverse booby trap trips up the pirates and Mike and Sam must save one of the bad guys.