JANUARY 2012
DIVE LOCALLY
NORTHERN CHANNEL ISLANDS Where Marine Life Abounds
WHERE IT REALLY MATTERS
HEAVENLY HOWE SOUND
COZUMEL SECOND TIME’S A CHARM
BEAUTIFUL AND NATURAL ONCE MORE
Volume 16 Issue 1 $1.95 US/$2.25 Canada
Hawaii Seasport Divers 800.685.5889 www.seasportdivers.com
Land of Aloha Kaui
Maui
Capt Charley Neal's Scuba Shack 877.213.4488 www.scubashack.com Ed Robinson's Diving Adventures 800.635.1273 www.mauiscuba.com
Jack's Diving Locker 800.345.4807 www.jacksdivinglocker.com
Hawaii
Dolphins and Manta Rays and Reefs -
Oh my!
12th Annual Seattle Aquarium Octopus Census CENSUS:
January 14-16, 2012
Help us learn more about Puget Sound’s Giant Pacific Octopus population and environment. Meet us at: • Redondo Beach, Des Moines Saturday, January 14 • 9am – 1pm • Cove 2 Alki, West Seattle Sunday, January 15 • 9am – 1pm For more information about the census and to submit your data visit seattleaquarium.org.
Inspiring Conservation of our Marine Environment 2
We support our local dive shops - Without them We Will not have a dive industry.
January 2012
in this issue ◄ Photo by Vlad Karpinski Vlad is a Washington native. He entered the 2011 Dive & Travel Expo Photo contest in the Cold Water Close-Up category with this amazing photo entitled “Mister Nobelness”. Vlad said of his photography, “I’m glad to share some of my photo impressions on this site. The pictures are mostly of nature - mountains, lakes, rivers and sea of the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I hope you enjoy them.” We definitely did Vlad, thanks for entering, and thanks for sharing your talent! To see more of Vlad’s amazing work, please visit: http://vkarp.zenfolio.com/f830032745 and to find out how to enter the Photo Contest, please visit www.diveandtravelexpo.com or read page 11 of this edition for more info.
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 www.nwdivenews.com
Publisher and Editor Rick Stratton rick@divenewsnetwork.com Editor Jamie Farris editor@divenewsnetwork.com Production Manager IJ James ij@divenewsnetwork.com Graphic Designer TJ Pierzchala tj@divenewsnetwork.com Expo Coordinator Selene Muldowney expo@divenewsmag.com Travel Editor Jett & Kathryn 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
DAN/Medical Column ...................... 26
Incoming Mail ....................................5
Mystery Critter .................................27
Hot News ...........................................6
BoatingRegulations .........................28
Pearl Harbor Anniversary ................. 8
Gear Box .........................................29
Vancouver Aquarium .........................9
Dive Directory .............................30-31
Dive & Travel EXPO .................. 10-11
Tropical Dive Directory ...............30-31
NORTHWEST US DIVES 12 The Northern Channel Islands: Where Marine Life Abounds Sitting at the crossroads of the Pacific where the warm southern waves meet the cold currents from the north, the Channel Islands are a smorgasbord of concentrate nutrients for kelp and plankton setting up an underwater fest which calls to underwater photographers and divers from all over the world. It is an endless march up the food chain of the seas: the zooplankton feed on the plankton, slightly larger creatures feed on the plankton, and so it continues until even the largest of the seas’ creatures are seated at the table. By Rick Stratton
NORTHWEST CANADA DIVES
18 Heavenly Howe Sound: Beautiful & Natural Once More Howe Sound, located just North of the City of Vancouver British Columbia offer some of the best access to scuba diving on the BC mainland. Once devastated by the industrial base of logging, pulp mills and mining, combined with the loss of fish stocks, the area has had an incredible rebound in recent years. By Rick Stratton
TROPICAL DESTINATIONS 22 Cozumel: Second Time’s a Charm
Cozumel is 12 miles off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula and although it is known for white sandy beaches, it also boasts the bounty of marine life which keeps divers coming back from all over the world. The remarkable clarity in the water with an array of blues and greens that are indescribable and have to be one of the reasons that Jacques Cousteau once declared Cozumel one of the most beautiful scuba diving areas of the world. The area has a rich history and the first time I was there I spent a lot of time diving and exploring. On my second trip I wondered what more Cozumel had to offer, and boy was I in for a treat. By Rick Stratton
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puBlisher’s note
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haPPY neW Year DIVE LOCALLY, WHERE IT REALLY MATTERS
I
am very excited to bring you this edition. It represents, in a way, all the things we’re hoping for our business and our industry in 2012. Like all small businesses, we have been affected by the recession influencing our business and, occasionally, even our attitude… The New Year is about new beginnings. We are hopeful and optimistic about what 2012 will bring. I am expecting positive outcomes and good fortunes this year. We are working hard to create ever-increasing value for our readership and supporters this year. It has been a lot of hard work but hard work is beginning to pay off. This year we are doing many new things. Our online edition is growing fast. By offering ALL of our content online each month, we can offer instant access to dive information and update it almost instantly. We are also expanding our E-dition with a larger and more comprehensive software upgrade. The new magazine online will incorporate Get the free mobile app for your phone embedded video and better links http:/ / gettag.mobi to other businesses for our readers and supporters. Our physical edition will have this entire content link with QR codes and Smart Tags so those readers can get the digital content on their phones creating a true hybrid product. In all, it will be a better magazine and better reading experience: coming soon to a magazine near you… Realizing we are not the only ones innovating, we looked around for similar minded business owners. People who are working hard and have a positive attitude; who are proactively dealing with today’s
economy going out and finding business wherever and whenever opportunity presents itself. Mike Hollingshead, co-owner of Eugene Skin Divers in Eugene Oregon, has been recognized as a wellrun dive shop and an example of a business which supports their customers. According to Mike, many businesses are waiting for business to get better before they get back into marketing. “We feel we can’t afford to wait for business to come to us. We need to go out and create it,” Mike says. “We are not going to wait for it. We are looking for new ideas, fresh ideas we are seeing other companies and other industries attempt. Some are successful and some are not. All our efforts are directed at creating a community and active diving culture. If we do not have active divers we find our customers making excuses not to go diving, buy equipment or go on trips with us. The way to grow is to be progressive, proactive and innovative and to be open-minded; to realize the things we have done for many years may or may not work right now. We have to try new things and evaluate what is truly working in order to create success.” We applaud the efforts of Mike and similar minded business owners and managers who are coming up with creative and innovative ways to stay strong and customer friendly in this economy. We know with these people in our industry we are in good company. From our dive family to yours, have a happy new year and we’ll see you out diving in 2012.
“We feel we can’t afford to wait for business to come to us. We need to go out and create it. All our efforts are directed at creating a community and active diving culture. The way to grow is to be progressive, proactive and innovative and to be open-minded; to realize the things we have done for many years may or may not work right now.” Mike Hollingshead Eugene Skin Divers Eugene, OR
Rick Stratton
facebook.com/Rick.Stratton1 twitter.com/nedivenews, twitter.com/mwdivenews rick@divenewsmag.com
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www.nwdivenews.com Northwest Dive News January 2010 checK out our neW WeBsite: WWW.diveneWsnetWorK.com
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incominG mail
Dear Rick,
I have been through many dive shops in my years of diving, each has their own feel and presence to them, unfortunately during these hard economic times and increase of online purchasing these dive shops have come and gone. After seeing this happen in my local community I decided to branch out to a dive shop that I heard many good things about, and boy was I not disappointed. I have been using Eugene Skin Divers Supply for close to a year now, for me it’s close to a 5 hour drive there and back, and I’d gladly do it every weekend if I could. I have never had a dive shop make me feel so at home. Diana and Mike put their heart and soul into the shop and it truly shows, to be honest I don’t know how they have the energy they do, but it’s truly amazing to watch them teach and lead dives. Any question no about new equipment no matter how dumb it may be is always answered with a smile by the employee’s there. Everyone is willing to bend backwards to make sure you have the best diving experience possible. One example of this is was during my search for a new dry suit I had causally mentioned it to Mike, he showed me their extensive selection of suits, but I was apprehensive about spending what to me was big bucks on a dry suit, Mike completely understood. Not a week later I get a phone call from him saying he just got a practically brand new Bare dry suit that a diver no longer could use, but wanted to sell. Mike made me an offer that was very well into my price range and I couldn’t be happier with the suit. For him to remember that I was still in need of a suit, customer that was still fairly new to the shop really made me feel welcomed and appreciated. Eugene Skin Divers Supply isn’t a dive shop that looking for the quick dollar, they put the time and effort to build a relationship and connection with every customer that walks through the door. They are a staple of Eugene’s community and I am proud to call them my dive shop! Thanks, Kyle Dodenhoff
Hey Kyle,
Thank you so much for your note. We get many comments in passing about the success of our local PNW dive shops, and how awesome they truly are in supporting local diving. The problem is we don’t often get such amazing notes like yours! We know how great these local dive shop owners are, how awesome their staff is, how they know their diving, and most all, how dedicated they are to helping their customer. We want to hear more testimonials from the local diver about why their dive shop rocks! Please send us your story. Why was your experience positive? Email me at rick@divenewsnetwork.com Thanks for sharing Kyle, and a special shoutout to Mike and Diana for all their hardwork! Keep it up! Rick
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Northwest Dive News January 2010 www.nwdivenews.com We support local divers - local divers support the industry.
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SALEM SCUBA AND TRAVEL RECOGNIZED BY PADI
Salem Scuba in Fiji March-April 2011 staying at Beqa Lagoon.
PADI recently gave Salem Scuba and Travel a 10 out of 10 rating for their travel program. Salem had a record travel year, and PADI noticed. The new rating system evaluates where businesses are in terms of service and even offers suggestions to improve both on website design as well as business in general. 2012 marks 29 years in business for Salem, and they specialize in the instruction of scuba diving & snorkeling at all skill levels. Salem earned the recognition due in part to their highly experienced, dedicated staff of scuba diving professionals. Congrats to Blake Fry, owner, and his crew for their efforts, and we wish them luck for next year! For more info visit www.salemscuba.com.
JAPANESE TSUNAMI MARINE DEBRIS: ANTICIPATING THE IMPACT ON HAWAII
MPA News conducted a live global webinar on Dec. 12 to explore how NOAA, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Digital Ocean Collaborative on Marine Debris are planning for the potential arrival of Japanese tsunami marine debris in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in early 2012. The earthquake and tsunami destroyed parts of eastern Japan in March 2011 and killed more than 15,000 people has also washed vast amounts of debris into the Pacific Ocean. The buoyant portion of that debris is now making its way across the ocean. Based on models, first landfall of the debris could occur in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands as early as January/ February 2012. For those interested in seeing the webinar, a recording and transcript is available at www.marindebris.info. For more info on the debris issues visit marinedebris.noaa.gov/info/japanfaqs.html.
OIL SPILLS CAUSE ALARM PUGET SOUND PARTNERSHIP TO RECONVENE OIL SPILL WORK GROUP
FRIDAY HARBOR DIVE SERVICES NOW OPEN
Friday Harbor Dive Services LLC, an affiliate of Friday Harbor Marine, has purchased the Friday Harbor dive shop formerly operated by Nak Nek Charters. The shop will operate year-round on the waterfront in Friday Harbor, and will provide air and Nitrox fills, dive equipment rentals, parts and supplies, and underwater vessel service. Self-drive dive boat rentals can be arranged through Friday Harbor Marine. For more information, please contact store manager Dean Kreider at 360-378-6202, or dean@fridayharbormarine.com
LOCAL DIVER AND CEO OF USIA KIM JOHNS NAMED OREGON’S 1ST COMMAND CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER
Oregon diver and CEO of USIA, a company that creates and sells drysuits, Kim Johns was named Oregon states very first Command Chief Warrant Officer for the Oregon State Defense Force. The Oregon State Defense Force has a purpose of supporting the nations forces through the National Guard. In Oregon State their mission is to help the National Guard and answer the call of the governor when there is a natural disaster. Johns, who has over 20 years of service with the Guard, was promoted and named to the position in August of this year. Kim started USIA in 1983 and opened up a retail diving center in Portland, Oregon called Scuba World. After becoming a PADI instructor in 1985, as Kim would say, “my hobby just got out of control.” By 1987, Scuba World morphed into the Under Sea Institute of Aquatechnology. USIA began producing drysuits in a small factory in Portland. Congrats to Kim! For more info visit www.orsdf.org and www.usia.com. 6
Three serious oil spills and two close calls recently sounded an alarm which showed how vulnerable Puget Sound is to a devastating environmental disaster, said Gerry O’Keefe, executive director of the Puget Sound Partnership. “A major oil spill is the single greatest environmental threat facing Puget Sound. If we had a large spill, the damage to our ecosystem, economy and quality of life would be catastrophic,” O’Keefe said. “It’s also a threat that we can and should confront.” Now in order to ensure that the Sound doesn’t face disaster the Puget Sound partnership will be reconvening the Oil Spill Work Group to evaluate and make recommendations to reduce the risk. The Puget Sound Partnership is leading the effort to restore and protect the health of Puget Sound. It also leads the state Oil Spill Work Group, which brings together many experts from Indian tribes, the private sector, environmental organizations and government agencies to make recommendations to the Governor and Legislature. The work group is focused on how to best ensure the state prevents and aggressively manages oil spills in Puget Sound, the outer coast and other state waters including the Columbia River. “These close calls and other incidents are a wakeup call. Puget Sound can’t wait any longer, we must make additional progress now toward meeting the state’s zero oil spill goal.” O’Keefe said. For those who want to get involved visit or get updates on the efforts of the Oil Spill Work Group visit www.psp.wa.gov.
WHIDBEY ISLAND DIVER PETER HUNT WROTE THE BOOK
Local diver Peter Hunt has penned a book entitled “Setting the Hook” that explores the Andrea Doria and extreme diving through an introspective odyssey of memory and history back to the dangerous underwater world of northeast shipwrecks. In 1981, wealthy adventurer Peter Gimbel enlisted the aid of commercial salvage divers to torch open the Andrea Doria’s Foyer Deck doors in search of treasure and answers. Hunt crewed on five Andrea Doria diving expeditions during the early 1980s aboard Steve Bielenda’s legendary research vessel Wahoo. Hunt returned to New York to dive the Andrea Doria once again 20 years later and the experience transformed him forever prompting him to write “Setting the Hook”. The book is now available on Amazon and in bookstores. For more info visit www.settingthehook.org.
Northwest Dive News January 2010 send us your neWs/eventswww.nwdivenews.com free at editor@diveneWsmaG.com
cluB meetinGs & events SUNSET HOUSE FINALIZES RENOVATIONS
Sunset House in Grand Cayman has invested over $250,000 into their Ocean view, Suites and Apartments by doing a complete upgrade and added amenities taking their rooms to a whole new level of service. One of the key updates for the Wi-Fi system was the purchase of LTX Series Antennafier™ Outdoor Wi-Fi Amplifiers to boost the Wi-Fi signals throughout the spacious 4.5 acre property. To see more pictures of the renovations, go to www.sunsethouse.com.
STATE PARKS COMMISSION APPROVES DRAMATIC BUDGET REDUCTION
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission Tuesday approved a budget reduction approach to close a revenue gap of approximately $11 million in the current biennium, while keeping state parks open. In a special meeting, the Commission approved a reduction approach that will result in a shift of operations to a more seasonal focus. Reductions are being made at field, region and headquarters levels, with most of the changes happening at the field and region levels. The goal is to live within budget, keep parks open and continue to build support for the Discover Pass. The Discover Pass was launched in July to replace general fund tax dollars no longer available to operate state recreation lands. For more info about the pass, locations where it is required, where to buy it and exemptions please visit www.discoverpass.wa.gov.
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JANUARY Jan 2: Eugene Dive Club, 7p.m., Mookie’s NW Grill on Seneca, Eugene, OR. www.eugenediveclub.com Jan 3: Wet and Wild Diving Society club meeting, 7:30 p.m. Bob Lamb Training Center, Ft. McMurray, AB. www.ghphoto.ca or 780.743.3123 Jan 4: Emerald Sea Dive Club, 7 p.m., Shawn O’Donnell’s Irish Pub & Restaurant, Everett, WA. www.emeraldseadiveclub.org Jan 4: Marker Buoy Dive Club, 7 p.m., Sunset Hill Community Center, Seattle, WA. www.markerbuoydiveclub.org Jan 4: Puget Sound Depth Charters, 6 p.m., Louie G’s Pizza and Pasta, Fife, WA. www.psdepthchargers.com Jan 5: GSNDAMBAA Dive Club, 6 p.m., Edmonds Underwater Sports, Edmonds, WA. www.gsndambaa.org Jan 5: Northwest Dive Club, 6:30 p.m., Salem, OR. www.salemscuba.com Jan 5: Oregon Scuba Club, 7 p.m., Newport Seafood Grill, Rigard, OR. www.oregonscuba.com Jan 9: Napa Valley Divers, 7 p.m., Fi l l i ppi ’s P izza G rotto, N apa, CA . www.napavalleydivers.com Jan 10: Portland Sea Searchers, 7 p.m., Portland OR. (503) 709-9306 J a n 1 0 : Ya k i m a D i v e C l u b , 6:30 p.m., El Porton, Yakima, WA. yakimadiveclub.sharepointspace.com Jan 14-15: Adventures in Travel Expo, Long Beach Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA. www.adventureexpo.com Jan 17: Atomic Ducks Dive Club Channel Dive. Details online www.duckdiveclub.org. Jan 17: Kelp Krawlers Dive Club, 7 p.m. River’s Edge Bar & Grille, Tumwater, WA. www.kelpkrawlers.org. Jan 24: 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 Jan 26: Northwest Adventure Divers, 7p.m., Golden Steer Restaurant, Kent, WA. www.nwadveturedivers.com.
Jan 26: Sea Horses Scuba Club, 6 p.m., Round Table Pizza, Redmond, WA. www.seahorsediveclub.com. FEBRUARY Feb 1: Emerald Sea Dive Club, 7 p.m., Shawn O’Donnell’s Irish Pub & Restaurant, Everett, WA. www.emeraldseadiveclub.org Feb 1: Marker Buoy Dive Club, 7 p.m., Sunset Hill Community Center, Seattle, WA. www.markerbuoydiveclub.org Feb 1: Puget Sound Depth Charters, 6 p.m., Louie G’s Pizza and Pasta, Fife, WA. www.psdepthchargers.com Feb 2: GSNDAMBAA Dive Club, 6 p.m., Edmonds Underwater Sports, Edmonds, WA. www.gsndambaa.org Feb 2: Northwest Dive Club, 6:30 p.m., Salem, OR. www.salemscuba.com Feb 2: Oregon Scuba Club, 7 p.m., Newport Seafood Grill, Rigard, OR. www.oregonscuba.com Feb 6: Eugene Dive Club, 7p.m., Mookie’s NW Grill on Seneca, Eugene, OR. www.eugenediveclub.com Feb 7: Wet and Wild Diving Society club meeting, 7:30 p.m. Bob Lamb Training Center, Ft. McMurray, AB. www.ghphoto.ca or 780.743.3123 F e b 1 3 : N a p a Va l l e y D i v e r s , 7 p.m., Fillippi’s Pizza Grotto, Napa, CA. www.napavalleydivers.com Feb 14: Portland Sea Searchers, 7 p.m., Portland OR. (503) 709-9306 Feb 21: Atomic Ducks Dive Club Channel Dive. Details online www.duckdiveclub.org. Feb 21: Kelp Krawlers Dive Club, 7 p.m. River’s Edge Bar & Grille, Tumwater, WA. www.kelpkrawlers.org. Feb 23: Northwest Adventure Divers, 7p.m., Golden Steer Restaurant, Kent, WA. www.nwadveturedivers.com. Feb 23: Sea Horses Scuba Club, 6 p.m., Round Table Pizza, Redmond, WA. www.seahorsediveclub.com. Feb 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
Cozumel/Tulum April 27 - May 5, 2012 - $1,445 Kosrae/Micronesia Sept 18 - 28, 2012 - $2,200
Seattle Scuba
www.seattlescuba.com/divetrips.html (206) 284.2350 2000 Westlake Ave N. Seattle
Northwest Dive News January 2010 www.nwdivenews.com We support local divers - local divers support the industry.
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neWs/events
environmental protection
orca netWork - neW caLf sighteD J48 was photographed December 17, 2011 with its mother J16 and big sister J42, of Possession Point, Whidbey Island. Photo by Candice Emmons NOAA Fisherie (research permit number 781-1824
J
an 28, Orca Network is hosting an annual Ways of Whales Workshop about the wonders of Pacific Northwest Whales, the threats to their habitats and health, and the research being conducted to learn more about the diverse species of whales in our region and protect them for future generations. Presenters include Candice Emmons, NOAA Fisheries NWFSC; Jessica Lunden, Center for Conservation Biology UW; Matt Krogh, North Sound Baykeeper Team; William Wilcock, School of Oceanography, UW; and Howard Garrett, Orca Network. Cost of the workshop is $25 and lunch is available for an extra $10. The event will be held at the Camp Casey Conference Center in Coupeville, WA. To register, please visit www.orcanetwork.org or call (360) 678-3451 or email info@orcanetwork.org. The Orca Network would also like to congratulate the J-Pod on their newest baby calf, born Dec. 17 to mama J16. This has increased the J-Pod number to 27 total adding to the grand total of 89 in the southern resident Orca community. The healthy baby is
exceptionally fantastic news considering this is the second calf born this year. “Every baby Orca is precious to our native waters, because they are an endangered species. We are so excited for the J-pod” said Susan Berta Co-Founder, Volunteer/Event Coordinator and Treasurer of the Board. One of the biggest reasons the Orca Network exists is to track the whales through a whale sighting network. Please, if you see a whale sighting, report it to the number (1.866.Orca.Net) and they always welcome anyone to join their community at www.orcanetwork.com or on facebook www.facebook.com/pages/Orca-Network/79401335600 ■ Orca Network is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization registered in Washington State, dedicated to raising awareness about the whales of the Pacific Northwest, and the importance of providing them healthy and safe habitats. A community is emerging which is increasingly attuned to the orca population, cares about and tries to understand the needs of the resident and transient orcas that inhabit the Salish Sea.
Come Explore Whidbey Island’s Dive-rse Culture (both above and below the surface)
Str ait of
a Fuc de an Ju
Deception Pass Marine Park
Sk ag i t Bay
Domino’s Pizza 360.679.4141 www.dominos.com
•Oak Harbor
Cr
es
Pen n •Coupeville
Adm i
ralt y
Inl
rbor
Flyers Restaurant & Brewery O.H. Chamber of Commerce 360.675.5858 360.675.3755 www.eatatflyers.com oakharborchamber.com
Co ve
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Keystone Jetty
ce n t Ha
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t •Greenbank
Thrive Community Fitness 360.675.2600 thrivecommunityfitness.com
as sag e
Langley Tire Reef
Whidbey Island Dive Center 360.675.1112 www.whidbeydive.com
•Langley
8
•Clinton
Posession Sound
Puge t So un d
Come visit our diver friendly businesses
www.nwdivenews.com local divers do it doWn and dirty
Northwest Dive News January 2010
NEWS/EVENTS
Where did you dive yesterday? email us: editor@divenewsmag.com
Divers to Take to Vancouver Aquarium’s for Divers’ Weekend
O
n Jan. 21-22 divers in the Vancouver area will be able to begin 2012 with a plunge into the Vancouver Aquarium’s Divers’ Weekend. Divers’ Weekend is an annual event at the aquarium located in Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia and offers a number of events that will inform, entertain and even teach divers from all over. This year’s event is co-sponsored by Dive News Network. The focus of the event is asking divers and non-divers alike to come and “Explore the oceans - Expand your horizons - Exchange ideas”. There will be over 14 speakers conducting a diving seminar series over the two days and a number of exhibits will be showcased. The Diving Officer for the Vancouver Aquarium, Jeremy Haywood says that every year this is a particularly busy time for the aquarium. “We always get a lot of visitors who are interested in the Divers’ Weekend events,” Haywood says. “Divers can show their C-cards and get in for a lower cost than normal but even non-divers will enjoy the events we have planned.” One of the events that the aquarium has slated is demonstrations by the Royal Canadian Navy EOD, Canadian Coast Guard and RCMP dive teams. These demonstrations will be conducted at the aquarium and are sure to be amazing. “We are lucky to get these folks to come out and take part in this year’s event,” says Haywood.
There will also be a number of exhibits by diving clubs, organizations and businesses that will showcase the many aspects of diving. “Every year we get a lot of support from the local dive community,” says Haywood. “People will be able to explore the many types of diving, travel destinations and underwater photography. We will even have gallery activities for the kids. We want everyone to have a great time.” Divers presenting their certification card will get 50 percent off the admission. Divers wanting to obtain a membership to the aquarium can also get 10 percent off Aquarium membership. “It is sure to be a fun weekend all the way around,” says Haywood. “I want to invite everyone to join us.” For more info on the event visit www.vanaqua.org ■ As part of the Divers Weekend, Vancouver Aquarium will present Demo Dives by the Canadian Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy Dive Teams. These two-day seminar series with 6 talks per day are a series which will include highlighting diving in the Philippines and Vanuatu, as well as underwater camera housings by Aquatica. There will also be information about professional diving education at Capilano University. For more info visit www.vanaqua.org.
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January 21+22, 2012 at the vancouver aquarium explore the oceans. expand your horizons. exchange ideas.
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reGional neWs
special events
northWest Dive & traveL eXPo
5th ! Year graB Your snorkeLs anD fins…it’s going DoWn in tacoma
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he Dive News Network Media Group invites divers and watersports enthusiasts from all over the Northwest for the 5th Annual Dive & Travel Expo to Tacoma, WA to converge on the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center held April 21-22, 2012. Bigger, better and wetter than ever, divers will have an expanded photography contest, larger show floor with over 325 show floor booths, more than 50 free “How To” seminars to enlighten the avid diver, watersports enthusiast, traveller, nature enthusiast, et al. The theme of this year’s event is to ”Take it to the next level” by showcasing the dive industry’s top
manufacturers, shops, clubs, photographers, videographers and leaders in marine and environmental awareness. The annual event focuses on providing the recreational scuba diver an overall picture of the dive industry captured in one weekend. This event offers everything from meeting local dive shop owners, dive resort owners from around the globe and the top dive equipment manufacturers themselves. It provides attendees the opportunity to try new products and provide their feedback to the company staff making these products – improving them for next year’s product lines. Attendees can “Try Scuba Free” in the indoor pool with knowledgeable and expert instruction provided by the volunteer dive instructors.
The dive extravaganza will host more than 50 free seminars featuring simple, practical “how to” advice on a variety of topics ranging from underwater photography to first aid sponsored by DAN. Guests will also have a chance to update their diving skills and discover certification options increasing their knowledge base. Additionally, attendees can learn what organizations are doing to rehabilitate Puget Sound and how you can get involved.
This year the Dive Expo is supporting Pacific Northwest dive charity – Dive for a Cure, a breast cancer awareness fund-raising effort lead by Eugene Skin Divers. All the proceeds from this year’s T-shirt sales will be donated to Dive for a Cure. According to DNN Media Event Director, Rick Stratton, the partnership is a perfect win-win-win. “The Dive for a Cure is a great fund-raising event that not only promotes diving but helps the fight against breast cancer thru education and awareness. Explorer Ventures, a fleet of dedicated dive liveaboard vessels around 10
the world (www.explorerventures.com ), graciously sponsored the production and purchase of all the T-shirts to be sold at the show. Explorer Ventures features the Galapagos Islands as a destination. Ron Steven (aka – the artist Rogest) created the painting of the Blue Footed Boobie Bird of the Galapagos Islands for the back of our PINK shirts. With the caption “We Love Boobies” supporting Dive for a Cure, our Sponsor Explorer Ventures donating the purchase of these shirts and raising money for the fight – the T-shirts are going to be awesome!! Additionally, Northwest Dive & Travel Expo is partnering with the Hotel Murano, the Expo’s host hotel, located across the street from the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center for an unbeatable package deal! According to event coordinator, Rick Stratton, the premise for the partnership is about providing added value to the attendees of the show. “We are offering free admission to the dive show to every guest (four free passes per day /per room/per night). That is a value of $20 per dive show pass, up to $80 for four people – a terrific discount and great reason to stay at the “host” Hotel. The Murano is a magnificent hotel and perfectly located next door to the Convention Center and downtown restaurants. The hotel management has stepped forth and offered our exhibitors and dive show guests a great rate on rooms for the divers who will be travelling from out of town. They are offering rooms at an incredible value of $139 per night for luxury accommodations.” “This is the very first partnership of its kind and we are really excited about it,” Stratton says. As part of the free admission package the hotel guests will also have the opportunity to try Scuba Diving as part of the Expo experience. “We are offering a FREE Try Scuba experience to every hotel guest at the Murano (319 rooms). Often these programs sell for $25-$50 depending on the store and instructor.” Stratton further explains. “It should be a lot of fun and an incredible opportunity offered free to hotel guests who otherwise may never experience scuba. Combining the “Try Scuba” experience and a Dive Expo across the street from the Hotel Murano, and we have a whole new way to grow the sport!” “We want to invite everyone headed to the dive expo to take advantage of this amazing opportunity with the Murano,” says Stratton. “A good value and a lot of fun…what more can you ask for?” For more info on the Expo or to book your hotel package with free passes, go to www.diveandtravelexpo.com.
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Northwest Dive News January 2010
tacoma, Wa
dive & travel eXpo
shoot & Win $20,000 in PriZes at this Year’s northWest Dive & traveL eXPo Photo contest
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hotographers! Get those amazing photos out and find the right one to showcase at this year’s Dive & Travel Expo Photo Contest. The Dive News Network Media Group is seeking that perfect shot for the grand prize, and will be offering $20,000 in prizes for the winning entries. All entries and winning photos will be shown at the Saturday Night Film Festival held April 21 at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center. The Annual Dive & Travel Expo photo and video competition is open to all amateur underwater photographers and videographers, who are at least 18 years of age. The contest is open to anyone regardless of residence or citizenship, so long as the laws of their jurisdiction allow participation. This year, as with previous years, we are accepting only digital entries. All work must be original and the person submitting the work must have ownership rights. The contest submission deadline is April 1, so don’t miss your chance to enter. According to Show Producer and Media Mogul, Rick Stratton, “This year’s prizes are even better than ever with the first place
prize in each category being an unbelievable dream vacation to an exotic location.” The Northwest Dive & Travel Expo is excited to partner with World’s Best Diving and several notable dive resorts in order to provide these exotic prizes. There are a number of categories from which to enter, including: Wide Angle Cold Environment, Cold Water Close-up, Warm Water Close-up, Wide Angle Warm Environment, Artsy or Creative, Living as a Diver and Environmentally Friendly Photos. There will be a number of honorable mentions as well as First Place, Second Place, Third Place, “Best of Show” and “Judges’ Choice”. So get those winning photos out and get them into the 2012 Dive and Travel Expo photo/ video contest. Northwest underwater photographers are encouraged to come out and experience this year’s Northwest Dive & Travel Expo and show fellow divers and photo/video enthusiasts what a great underwater photo is supposed to look like. You never know next year you may see your winning photo on the cover of Dive News! For more info visit www.divenewsnetwork.com
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northWest destination
southern coast
NORTHERN CHANNEL ISLANDS Where Marine Life Abounds Anacapa Island Lighthouse in the Santa Barbara Channel Islands California. Photo By John Wiley By Rick Stratton
A
lthough the Channel Islands are comprised of eight islands off the coast, the ones in the northern area, Santa Cruz and Anacapa take the lead roles in this ocean movie. Sitting at the crossroads of the Pacific where the warm southern waves meet the cold currents from the north, the Channel Islands are a smorgasbord of concentrate nutrients for kelp and plankton setting up an underwater fest which calls to underwater photographers and divers from all over the world. It is an endless march up the food chain of the seas: the zooplankton feed on the plankton, slightly larger creatures feed on the plankton, and so it continues until even the largest of the seas’ creatures are seated at the table. San Miguel, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and Anacapa Island make up what is known as the northern Channel Islands. The other four islands rest to the south; Santa Catalina Island, San Nicolas Island, San Clemente, and Santa Barbara Island. Although the southern Channel Islands tend to get more face time; it’s the northern chain we talked to Calboat Diving owner Ted Cumming about. Cumming understands the draw to the northern Channel Islands; he spends a great deal of his time here introducing divers, photographers and the like to the areas bounty. “We make approximately four trips out to the Northern Channel Islands a day,” says Cumming. “The area is special; it is rated one of the top 10 dive sites in the world and it offers an amazing amount of marine life.”
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channel islands
ANACAPA ISLAND
The closest island to the mainland and the smallest of the northern islands, Anacapa is about 11 miles off the coast of Port Hueneme. The island actually is composed of three islets (east, middle and west Anacapa). Anacapa has around 69 species of birds, steep lava rock cliffs with numerous cave and crevices, and is home to only four mammals. The draw for divers is the kelp forests and walls where kelp bass and sheep head wrasse are encountered along with sea lions, horn sharks, torpedo rays, bat rays, and morays. “Anacapa is protected to the north,” says Cumming. “Because it is protected the sea life tends to be amazing. There are several dive sites in the area we enjoy taking divers to. Cathedral Cove is an interesting dive. There are all sorts of wildlife outside the caves - countless species of birds, sea lions, seals and the occasional whale.” Common Dolphins near Channel Islands. by Chris Sanfino
Ventura, CA Diving California’s Channel Islands
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Cumming also offers up Goldfish Bowl. This is a good spot for beginner divers. It is a site inside the marine reserve. “The site is well protected, and offers a shallow kelp forest,” Cumming says. “We take a lot of instructors and student divers out and this is a good place to take them.” Goldfish Bowl offers Navanax, spanish shawl, island kelpfish, garibaldi and sea hares. Sheephead, senoritas and blacksmith can often be found hiding out in the kelp forest and once in a while a diver may find a horn shark or catch a glimpse of a Bat Ray. Visibility is usually 30-50 ft. around Anacapa and the water temps are a little cooler.
SANTA CRUZ
Once the largest privately owned island off the continental US, and now part-owned by the National Park service, Santa Cruz Island is the largest of the Channel Islands. Santa Cruz also boasts the most diverse of the islands in the area and although Cumming doesn’t spend a lot of time around Santa Cruz, he still says it is a good place to dive. “There are a lot of caves and caverns,” Cumming says. “Diablo Point Cave is popular for cavern dive training.” The Santa Cruz Island Fault line could be the cause of the 77 miles of craggy coastline cliffs, giant sea caves, crystal clear tide pools, and huge beaches. The Northwest section of the island is volcanic with steep faces and large sea caves. The Southeast section is more sedimentary with large plateaus and thick kelp beds. Santa Cruz offers more places to find good diving during rough weather periods than any other island due to its size and many coves. Seals, sea lions, bat rays, and many schools of fish are common sights while scuba diving along this island’s shores. According to Underwater photography Guide (www.uwphotographyguide.com) the dive sites not to miss on Santa Cruz Island include: Gull Island - This marine reserve has lush kelp, large fish, sea lions and harbor seals, and large patches of purple hydrocoral in shallow water. Southwest side of Santa Cruz.
Can’t read my, Can’t read my, Can’t read-a-my-fishy-face. Photo courtesy Channel Island National Park
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Northwest Dive News January 2010
channel islands
Where did you dive yesterday? email us: editor@divenewsmag.com
West end Pinnacles - Great structure, pinnacles, sand channels, excellent macro life. Often not diveable due to exposed nature. This is the extreme west end of Santa Cruz. Painted Cave area - Sea lions, rich marine life, many walls nearby. On the north side of the western half of the island. Bowen Point - Lush kelp forests, good structure, torpedo rays. On the south side. Potato Rock - Potato rock is a small pinnacle with good macro life and nudibranchs. Flame Reef - located near the east end on the south side, flame reef is a great macro site filled with nudibranchs, small fish and other critters. If the current is not strong, do multiple dives here if possible. “Both Santa Cruz and Anacapa have very diverse dive sites,” Cumming says. “There is something for everyone here which is why we enjoy going out there so much.” Cumming himself, a long time diver, prefers to dive the northern Channel Islands as well. He recommends putting the area on your bucket list for sure. There are islands to the south in the Channel Islands chain including San Clemente, Santa Catalina, and the popular Santa Barbara Islands. “It is just an area that offers so much more in terms of sea life and diverse underwater landscape,” says Cumming. “It offers divers a chance to do many different types of dives all in one area.” Cumming’s business Calboat sports an 85 ft. dive boat called the Spectre. He says it takes about an hour and a half to get to the Santa Cruz and Anacapa dive sites. He makes runs which begin at 7 a.m. and pulls back in at 5 p.m. “I have been a licensed captain for 29 years and have spent the past 15 years as skipper of the Spectre,” Cumming offers. “I enjoy my job. The Spectre sleeps 32 divers and has a fresh water hot tub on board. We BBQ daily…dive-BBQ-Hot tub…that’s how it works.” For more info on Calboats visit www.calboatdiving.com. ■
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canadian destinations
British columBia
HEAVENLY HOWE SOUND BEAUTIFUL AND NATURAL ONCE MORE Point Atkinson Lighthouse at the entry to Howe Sound. Photo Courtesy Vancouver.ca
By Rick Stratton Publisher, Dive News Network Howe Sound, located just North of the City of Vancouver British Columbia offer some of the best access to scuba diving on the BC mainland. Once devastated by the industrial base of logging, pulp mills and mining, combined with the loss of fish stocks, the area has had an incredible rebound in recent years. For divers needing adventure, Howe Sound is your spot. The Sound stretches along mainland Vancouver’s northwestern shore, to the foothills of the Coastal Mountains. Howe Sound is triangular in shape and is a network of fjords. There are several islands in the sound and three are large and mountainous. While out in the Sound on boat dives you will discover sea life and terrain you just can’t find anywhere else in the world. This is where underwater photographers will find wolf eels, octopus, cabezon and lingcod all waiting for their turn in front of the camera. Orange and white swimming anemones, small crabs, hydroids and frosted nudibranchs welcome divers to the area. This is a dive destination that will call you back over and over again. Dive boat operators pick up their divers in Horseshoe Bay for 2-tank charters. One such charter is Sea Dragon Charters which is based in Vancouver, BC but operates two boats, one out of both Howe Sound and one out of Nanaimo. Owner Kevin Breckman has been captaining these waters for over 12 years and he knows where all
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Northwest Dive News January 2010
hoWe sound
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tesy o Cour e. Phot ation Blog n o m e e an ecre Plumos ’s Outdoor R r e v u o Vanc
the good dive sites are. “Howe Sound is a fjord so the water is deep,” says Breckman. “We have exquisite sea mounts and pinnacles.” Breckman adds that although the water is often a mix of salt water and fresh water run off the viz is still good. “It often makes a difference if there is a lot of run off,” Breckman says. “However the diving in Howe Sound is not much different than most ocean diving. There are times when there is a cloud layer on top of the water but you can dive 20 ft. and come out into crystal clear viz.” Breckman says that the sea life in Howe Sound is marching back and it makes for some pretty amazing diving these days. “We have huge fields of cloud sponges as well as wolf eels and everything else you can expect to find in the waters off British Columbia. The truly amazing thing is the color, which BC is known for; Howe Sound has that incredible array of colors too making it a great place to take underwater photos.” Locations good for
Giant Stride. Photo Courtesy Vancouver’s Outdoor Recreation Blog
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canadian destinations
British columBia
Sunflower Stars. Photo Courtesy Vancouver’s Outdoor Recreation Blog
close-up photography are Bird Islet, where you can find yellow sea pens, small sculpins and brittle stars. Cowan Point is equally good for zoanthids, hairy-spined crabs and crimson anemones and groups of sea lions are fun to dive with during winter months, creating great video. There are approximate 30 dive sites that the Sea Dragon crew will take divers to. Breckman mentions the “Dragon’s Den”.
“We just discovered this dive site,” Breckman says. “It is a steep, sheer wall that is more for the experienced diver but what a great place it is to dive. At 65 ft. you come across deep caverns and sea anemones that are actually growing upside down giving the dive a cavelike feel. There are an incredible number of war bonnets in this area.” Breckman also mentions the “Stairway to Heaven” dive site. “We also just discovered this dive site and it
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is also a wall dive,” Breckman says. “There are a large number of rockfish here, and I do mean large…and some very large lingcod who snack on them. There are a number of other dive sites in Howe Sound that bear mentioning. Porteau Cove Provincial Marine Park is a popular spot for weekend divers. Porteau Cove was set up just for divers with a series of tire chains, concrete blocks and steel ‘H’ Beams that were sunk as an artificial reef. This site attracts a wide variety of marine life, including octopus, plumose anemones, lingcod, and shrimp. There are also 3 small wrecks, The Granthall a 28m, steel-hulled CPR tugboat, the Centennial III, an 11 meter steel dredge tender, and a 15 meter sailboat hull. The Nayaka, a 125 ft. minesweeper is also in this area however it is for more experienced divers. Another popular dive site is Pam Rocks. This is a boat dive and is a mix of rocky outcrops and sandy slopes, descending to depths of around 30 ft. The area is known for the colony of seals that play here as well as a group of tube-dwelling
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Northwest Dive News January 2010
HOWE SOUND
Where did you dive yesterday? email us: editor@divenewsmag.com
accommodate you.” Breckman adds that his charter service crew doesn’t have a problem doing some traveling to get to the dive site you want either. “Our primary vessel is a big, fast boat,” says Breckman. “We have traveled as much as 30 nautical miles in a day to accommodate divers. We are not afraid to do a little traveling.” According to Jan Breckman –co-owner of the Sea Dragon, one of the key benefits to coming to Howe Sound is that the area can be easily be explored without having to get on an expensive and time consuming ferry. “ There is a nice hotel right in Horseshoe Bay
in walking distance of the boat, restaurants, pubs, etc. The Sea Dragon has an on-board compressor for diver’s convenience and is a wide, roomy, diver-friendly vessel, fully protected from the elements for winter diving in Howe Sound.” said Breckman. If you haven’t considered heading to Howe Sound for diving; this might be a good time to change your mind. The diving offers sea life that is both plentiful and colourful and the dive charters are ready and willing to take you where you want to go. So pack up that gear and head north…it appears to be where all the fun is. ■
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anemones, sea firs, short-spined stars, and clams. There are a number of dive sites around Gambier Island. Halkett Wall is a steep wall to over 100 ft. Gambier Island East Wall is a deep wall and a shallow wall, with a sloped sand ledge between. Ekins Point offer a gentle slope with some rolling hills and a max depth around 33 ft. There are plenty of other sites not included in this summary, just a short list includes Hutt wall, Hutt Rock, Worlecombe Island, Christie Islett, Passage Island, Seymore Wall, Reefmaster, Salmon Rock, Keats Island Wall, Dorman Bay, Royse Rock, and many more. Breckman says that all of these sites as well as some 25 others offer divers a unique look into the marine life off the shores of British Columbia. “The dive sites are so different in different areas that a diver could spend weeks here and never dive the same site twice,” Breckman says. “We have walls, pinnacles, sea mounts, wrecks, easy dives, advanced dives…to be honest, no matter what level of diver you are, Howe Sound can
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canadian destinations
British columBia
hoWe sounD an oPPortunitY for starting over
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yellowtail rockfish, only a few remain. Some rockfish can live over a hundred years and don’t survive if caught and released. Recently with the help of citizen scientists we have discovered some huge cloud sponge (aphrocallistes vastus) bioherms in Howe Sound. These sponges composed of silicate,
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hoWe sound provide ideal habitat for fish and other creatures. These magnificent white, orange and green sponges virtually cover the top of some of the deep-water reefs. A few can be found within diving range and are being studied. Others have been documented by a deep water drop camera that Glen Dennison has manufactured. These are the same sponges that were found on the outer west coast of British Columbia and given protected status. The Marine Life Sanctuaries Society of British Columbia has started a voluntary no-take marine sanctuary at all of the sites in Howe Sound that are currently designated as Rockfish Conservation Areas. MLSS feels that the RCA designation doesn’t do enough to protect rockfish, as several other methods of fishing (that still catch rockfish) are still legal within the RCAs. Using a community based education and stewardship program MLSS has been visiting communities in Howe Sound to show them why protection is needed. The RCAs in Howe Sound resulted from earlier work done by the Underwater Council of BC to create protected areas around the mooring buoy dive sites. There have been observations of Pacific white-sided dolphins, a grey whale, and even six-gill sharks in Howe Sound recently. We need to create marine sanctuaries to allow it to return to its’ former health.■
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21
COZUMEL DIVING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD travel destinations
cariBBean sea
I
By Rick Stratton Publisher, Dive News Network n my humble opinion, Cozumel is one of the best places in the world to dive. It literally has more divers per square inch than any other dive destination in the world and don’t just take my word for it…ask any diver who has been there. Recently I got a chance to visit once again and what a great trip! This time around I was invited to come to Cozumel by my friend Renee “Apple” Applegate. Apple is the owner and manager of operations at Dive Paradise. She is a PADI master scuba instructor with over 30 years of diving and training experience. I couldn’t have asked for a better guide. Apple spent many years teaching SCUBA in the Red Sea while serving as head nurse in a Saudi Arabian hospital before heading south to Cozumel. She loves what she does now and is a well-respected member of the dive community. Cozumel is 12 miles off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula and although it is known for its white sandy beaches, it is the bounty of marine life that keeps divers coming back from all over the world. The remarkable clarity in the water with an array of blues and greens that are indescribable and have to be one of the reasons that Jacques Cousteau once declared Cozumel one of the most beautiful scuba diving areas of the world. The area has a rich history and the first time I was there I spent a lot of time diving and exploring. On my second trip I wondered what more Cozumel had to offer…boy was I in for a treat. I have to say that, with Apple as my guide, this time around Cozumel was one of the easiest dive trips I have ever been on. There are a lot of dive sites to explore in Cozumel. You will find amazing scenery in Santa Rosa, Palancar, Paraiso, Punta Sur and Maracaibo. Around Swallows’ Island you will find yourself in a natural aquarium full of life. It’s like swimming in a dream loaded with turtles, sharks, rays and dolphins. It is important to note that diving Cozumel needs to be a guided activity. There are a number of areas that should be for experienced divers only however there are places for beginning as well including a newly minted Cancun Underwater Museum sculpture park that sports over 400 artistic sculptures created by renowned British artist Jason Decaires Taylor. This incredible new attraction caters to both scuba divers and snorkelers. Blue waters of Cozumel called, and Rick answered. Photo by Rick Stratton
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local divers do it more www.nwdivenews.com often!
Northwest Dive News January 2010
coZumel
Where did you dive yesterday? email us: editor@divenewsmag.com
Photo by
Rick Stra
Photo by Rick Stratton
tton
Self po
rtrait b y Rick
Stratto
n
Dive Resort - Cozumel, Mexico Find out what experienced divers already know. SCUBA CLUB COZUMEL is THE place for a quality dive vacation. Our Room, Meal & Diving packages are designed to give you more for your money, and to make your vacation worry free. Call now and ask about our spring & summer rates. Allen Martin of Sea Robin Cozumel. Photo by Rick Stratton
www.scubaclubcozumel.com • 800-847-5708 Northwest Dive News January 2010 local divers don’t Just divewww.nwdivenews.com locally - they dive GloBally!
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travel destinations
cariBBean sea
The diving around Cozumel offers a chance to see what warm water diving is really all about. After spending some time diving with Apple I met up with Alan Martin of Sea Robin Charters. Alan runs a small sixpack operation that offers the diver a chance to dive in intimate company. Alan knows the dive sites in Cozumel. Diving with him was like getting a tour of Disneyland from Mickey Mouse himself. There are a number of really interesting dive sites in Cozumel. For instance, San Juan Reef, which is a boat dive, is south of Punta Molas lighthouse, on the same reef as San Juan Two. There are pretty strong so this is a spot for experienced divers. Wire coral and purple sea fans are common here but the large pelagic are also a part of the landscape. The gray reef shark is a regular resident. There is a natural amphitheater called Pino’s Bowl here that is a must see. Another dive site is the Barracuda Reef, also a boat dive and just South of Punta Molas lighthouse, to the northwest of the island. There are severe currents in this area, so the number of divers per boat is limited to six. It is for experienced open-water drift divers. Barracuda Reef is a flat strip reef sloping into the depths. The attraction is the above-average chance to see large pelagic, such as barracuda, jacks, rays and sharks. The Yucab Wall is due west of Yucab. This site is favored by a number of diving operations. Large coral buttresses jut out and form a convoluted, scalloped outer reef edge with numerous gullies and swim through. Finally there is the Chankanaab Reef, a 40-50 ft. dive where the current generally runs from North to South. According to Alan,
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local divers do it more www.nwdivenews.com often!
Photo by Rick Stratton
Northwest Dive News January 2010
coZumel
Where did you dive yesterday? email us: editor@divenewsmag.com
Photo by Rick Stratton
the dive begins over a flat sandy area with a series of coral heads, which are home to king crab, spotted moray eels, and a large number of huge spiny lobster. To the South colonies of soft corals, sea whip, and gorgonians give shelter to grouper while they visit cleaning stations staffed by gobies and cleaner shrimp. If wrecks are your thing Cozumel has those too with the C-53 also referred to as the Felipe Xicotencalt or The Wreck. The C-53 was sunk on June 5, 2000, with the purpose of creating an artificial Reef for scuba divers in Cozumel. The dive plan is usually 45 minutes of bottom time and once you penetrate the wreck your average depth is around 50-60 ft. The wreck already serves as shelter for several species of marine creatures, including schools of glassy sweepers, grunts and lobsters. I stayed at Scuba Club Cozumel and I have to say that once you walk through their gates it is as if the world is left behind. There is a private beach and the entire resort is diver friendly. Scuba Club Cozumel is located on the waterfront approximately a mile south of the downtown ferry dock. It is a beautiful resort with a Spanish-Colonial flare. It is right on the waterfront was Cozumel’s first dedicated diver’s resort. It is a dive destination that offers an intimate place for divers to stay. The food was simple but elegant. Meals are included in the package served at their two restaurants located in the center of the resort at “the Fat Grouper Grill”. Every evening there is a different selection of entrees with a taste of the cuisine from the Yucatan region. I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention my good friends at Albatros Charters in Cozumel. I didn’t get a chance to stop by and spend some time with them however next time I am in the area I will. Albatros Charters offers fishing, diving and snorkeling services on their boats the Libra, the Frigate and the Albatros. So will I go back to Cozumel again? Absolutely! The friendly people, the incredible food and the excellent diving all make this dive destination one for the books…over and over again.■
When Experience Counts... COCOS ISLAND M/V ARGO
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Northwest Dive News January 2010 local divers don’t Just divewww.nwdivenews.com locally - they dive GloBally!
25
medical divinG
article courtesy of divers alert netWorK
neW Year, neW You
your hard work; it will help propel you towards your next benchmark.
BUDDY UP
The buddy system isn’t just for diving. Knowing that a buddy expects you to meet them at the gym or to go just one more block can help you reach your goals. Support each other as you strive for better fitness.
TAKE IT TO HEART
f you’re looking to shed some pounds from your weight belt, slip into that slimmer wetsuit and take a giant stride into more challenging dive environments, it’s time to commit to some changes. Make 2012 the year to improve your dive fitness.
One of the leading causes of dive-related fatalities is cardiac incident, particularly in divers over the age of 40. You can improve your cardiovascular health by incorporating regular aerobic exercise into your physical fitness routine. Take a brisk walk or swim approximately 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Or if you want a greater challenge, run or bike at least three days a week for at least 20 minutes. Vary your routine to challenge yourself.
A YEAR IN REVIEW
EAT HEALTHY
I
Before establishing a fitness plan, take an assessment of your current physical status. Talk to your doctor to develop fitness goals for the year and for nutritional guidelines to help you reach those goals. Consider your capabilities and make reasonable targets based on that information. You may want to get a dive physical to ensure you are fit to dive. If you’d like to see a dive physician in your area or if your physician would like a consultation, call the DAN Medical Information Line at +1-919-684-2948.
PLAN YOUR FITNESS
Make a workout plan; be sure to incorporate cardio, strength training and flexibility exercises. Schedule time for your workouts in writing, then stick to them. After you’ve established reasonable goals, write in benchmarks you hope to achieve, and track your progress. This doesn’t apply just to pounds. Set goals to extend the miles you can run or reduce the amount of time in which you can do it. Always wanted to do a triathlon? Train for it! Recognize that setbacks will happen; don’t let them throw off your whole fitness routine. You can and will reach your goals if you stay dedicated. As you meet your goals, take time to celebrate the success of
Stock your fridge with foods low in sodium, saturated fats or cholesterol, and avoid trans fats. When picking proteins, choose nuts, lean meats and low-fat dairy products. Stock up on fresh fruits, vegetables and whole-grains. Be conscious of your portion sizes and eat a variety of foods. Wise nutritional choices help promote overall health and physical fitness.
ENHANCE YOUR EDUCATION
If you plan to take on new diving environments this year, in addition to ensuring you meet the physical demands they present, make sure you have the proper training to dive in that environment. Enroll in a training course and continue your diving education to enhance your skills as diver.
DAN CAN HELP
Learn more about how you can improve your fitness. Read the “Dive Fitness” column available at www.AlertDiver.com. There you can learn about routines to enhance your dive fitness as well as how to make wise nutritional choices. You can also enroll in courses to learn more about dive fitness and dive-specific first aid at www.DAN.org. Enhance your diving experience this year with a commitment to fitness. ■
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Without DiveAlert, I might still be floating off the coast of Costa Rica. I was too far away for my safety sausage, but DiveAlert caught the boat’s attention. I thank you. My Mom thanks you. We now require DiveAlerts of all our guests on every trip.
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Northwest Dive News January 2010 Want to support local divinG inwww.nwdivenews.com your part of the GloBe? email nWsales@diveneWsnetWorK.com
andylamb@telus.net
andy lamB’s
mystery critter
PINK SOFT CORAL SIGHTING
A FORMAL DESIGNATION LOOMS
R
ecently, Pauline Ridings, a Resource Management Biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, in Prince Rupert, B.C., sent along the accompanying photograph. Using CN38, page 91, in our book Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest, she tentatively identified the dominant species as the ‘pink soft coral’ that, at the time, had not been formally described as a scientifically acknowledged species. After examining some close up detail from a 2nd image she also took, we were able to verify Pauline’s theory. An avid sport diver, Pauline found this NOW RUNNING DIVE CHARTERS ON LAKE CHELAN
accumulation of pink soft coral on the eastern side of Maskelyne Island, at the mouth of Work Channel, northern B.C. This dive site is subject to strong current and definitely one for the advanced diver. She started seeing the beautiful coral at about 60ft (18m) and noted its abundance increased as she moved deeper – and ultimately, as far down as she could scan. As shown in the photograph, it covered much of the bottom. A majority of the colonies were a peach pink colour but a few white colonies appeared here and there. To date, this ‘new’ species has been
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recorded at either extreme of the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii) as well as several locations in southeast Alaska. However, most sightings have been of a few colonies rather than carpeting the bottom as observed by Pauline. Presently, Dr. Gary Williams, cold water coral expert from the California Academy of Sciences is preparing a scientific paper documenting this soft coral as well as various Pacific Northwest gorgonian species. In a recent communication, he states this project is on “the short list”. ■
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Northwest Dive News January 2010
27
What Gear are you divinG With? By miKe huGhes CRESSI LEONARDO DIVE COMPUTER
Cressi introduces a new line of dive computers called “Leonardo”. You can manually turn on and off this dive computer. It has an on demand backlight feature, large display digits for experienced divers, and can be used for air or Nitrox blends. You can sync Leonardo with your computer via infrared using the exclusive PC link interface. Also, Leonardo can calculate dive times from 0 to 255 minutes. The best part is that Leonardo is user friendly and you can change the battery by yourself with just the aid of a quarter. I saw it in four different colors at DEMA; the white model can be used to set the white balance for underwater digital cameras. To see the Video clip we made, go to www.divenewsnetwork.com or look on Youtube under mikehughesscuba. www.cressi.it
DRYCASE
Dry Case is a new product that makes your iphone or droid ready for just about any water sport or scuba dive down to 100ft of depth. Now you can use your smart phone camera or video app under water. Insert your phone in the clear soft case, seal it using the latches, attach the included bulb to the one way valve, give a few quick squeezes, and you have a vacuum packed phone ready to go to the beach and more. Want the phone out of Dry Case? No problem, simply unlock the latches and take it out. On land you can make a call by using the headphone with mic jack. In water you can use “DryBUDS”, waterproof headphones to listen to old school music or rap wit da fishes. I like wearing my Dry Case attached to the soft wide armband. Need a bottom timer? Is there an app for that? See our DNN clip on Youtube under mikehughesscuba. www.drycase.com
Get the free mobile app at
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To be listed call 360.240.1874 or email nwsales@divenewsnetwork.com
aUstRaLia Mike Ball Expeditions (888) MIKEBALL www.mikeball.com
BaHaMas Carib Dancer dancer@dancerfleet.com www.dancerfleet.com 800.932.6237 or 305.669.9391 Sea Dragon “SEA DRAGON” DIVE LIVE-ABOARD Bahamas www.seadragonbahamas.com Diving Small Hope Bay Lodge 800.223.6961 www.smallhope.com UNEXSO 800.992.3483 www.unexso.com
BELiZE Belize Aggressor III info@aggressor.com www.agressor.com 800.348.2628 706.993.2531
BoNaiRE Carib Inn +599 717 8819 www.caribinn.com Villa Makoshi Lower Level 780.483.0044 www.BonaireDiveVilla.com
CaYMaN isLaNDs DiveTech@Cobalt Coast Dive Resort 888.946.5656 divetech.com cobaltcoast.com
28
Gear BoX
a listing of participating tropical charters, resorts, liveaboards, and dive shops Cayman Aggressor IV info@aggressor.com www.agressor.com 800.348.2628 706.993.2531 Ocean Frontiers (345) 947-7500 www.oceanfrontiers.com Southern Cross Club 800.899.2582 www.southerncrossclub.com Sunset House 800.854.4767 www.sunsethouse.com
Costa RiCa (CoCos) Okeanos Aggressor 706.993.2531 www.aggressor.com 800.348.2628 okeanos@aggressor.com Wind Dancer dancer@dancerfleet.com www.dancerfleet.com 800.932.6237 305.669.9391
CoZUMEL Scuba Du 310.684.5556 www.scubadu.com Sea Robin 951.824.9073 www.searobincozumel.com
CURaCao Ocean Encounters 800.932.6237 www.oceanencounters.com
DoMiNiCaN REPUBLiC Turks & Caicos Aggressor II (Silver Bank) info@aggressor.com www.agressor.com 800.348.2628 706.993.2531
www.nwdivenews.com dive locally - Where it really matters
FiJi Beyond the Reef 691.350.3483 www.diveyap.com Deep Blue Adventures(888) 266-6309 www.deepblueadventures.com Dolphin Bay Divers Retreat 679.992.4001 dolphinbaydivers.com Qamea Resort & Spa 649.360.0217 www.qamea.com Scuba Travel Ventures 800.298.9009 www.scubatravelventures.com Wananavu 679.669.4433 www.wananavu.com
FLoRiDa Conch Republic Divers 305.852.1655 www.conchrepublicdivers.com Horizon Divers 305.453.3535 www.horizondivers.com Off The Wall Adventures 863.709-9253 www.offthewalladventures.com Wetter the Better 561.596.8482 www.walkersdivecharters.com
GaLaPaGos Divencounters Alliance 877.323.DIVE www.divencounters.com Galapagos Aggressor I & II info@aggressor.com www.agressor. com 800.348.2628 706.993.2531 Northwest Dive News January 2010
What Gear are you divinG With? By miKe huGhes MP201 PROTEUS
Gear BoX
SHARKSKIN
By Selene Muldowney
IST held nothing back when delivering the MP201 Proteus to the dive community! Simply one of the best masks IST has made to date. It performs as a mask should delivering quality performance with the feeling of luxury. This mask offers the fit every diver wants while balancing it with style and comfort. The soft hypoallergenic skirt is comfortable and thanks to the varied-thickness construction will not yield to increased pressure and depth. The nose pocket is also easily accessible despite glove thickness, a bonus for colder water divers wanting to maintain warmth. The Proteus boasts a larger field of vision while maintaining a smaller internal volume for a low profile mask because the lenses are brought closer to the eyes. Additionally, IST offers divers with prescription needs, optical lenses, a bonus to see the amazing underwater world. Fitting the mask is literally a cinch! With straps attached directly to the skirt and not the frame, the fitting is not only simple and quick but offers flexibility for any size facial profile. Overall a comfortable, simple, easy to use yet durable mask offered by IST. As a female diver concerned with overall appearance – this mask is certainly on my sexy mask list!! To find more information please visit IST www. istsports.com
Sharkskin products are not really made from the skin of sharks and they don’t even harm sharks for that matter. They call their products Sharkskins to let you know that just like sharks, you too can have the ultimate protection from the environment for a multitude of water sports. Sharkskin makes vests, shirts, pants, and full body contoured wetsuits. The four-way stretching material comes in black or silver. So if you are looking for technical exposure protection from a 3ml material made in the USA and sewn in Australia, then you have to shield and suit up try one of these neutrally buoyant and wind resistant outfits. Check out our DNN clip on Youtube under mikehughesscuba or peruse Get the free mobile app at www.sharkskin.com.au http:/ / gettag.mobi
e free mobile app at
:/ / gettag.mobi
GUaDaLUPE & soCoRRo Baja Aggressor info@aggressor.com www.agressor.com 800.348.2628 706.993.2531
Hawaii Kona Aggressor II info@aggressor.com www.agressor.com 800.348.2628 706.993.2531 Kona Honu 808.324.4668 www.konahonudivers.com Maui Dreams Dive Co 808.874.5332 www.mauidreamsdiveco.com
HoNDURas Deep Blue Resort 504.95.76.36.97 www.deepblueutila.com Utila Aggressor 706.993.2531 www.aggressor.com 800.348.2628 utila@aggressor.com
iNDoNEsia Komodo Dancer dancer@dancerfleet.com www.dancerfleet.com 800.932.6237 or 305.669.9391 Kungkungan Bay Resort & Spa 530.347.2300 www.divekbr.com Puri Wirata Dive Resort and Spa 62.813.384.05.335 www.puriwirata.com Pindito Liveaboard 831.818.8594 www.pindito.com Sea Safari Cruises 62.361.72.1212 www.seasafaricruises.com Northwest Dive News January 2010
MaLDiVEs Maldives Aggressor info@aggressor.com www.agressor.com 800.348.2628 706.993.2531
MExiCo Aquanauts Dive Adv. 998.206.9365 www.aquanautsdiveadventures.com Maya Palms Resorts & Dive Center 888.843.3483 www.mayapalms.com Scuba Playa Dive Shop 52.984.803.3123 www.scubaplaya.com
PaLaU Palau Aggressor II info@aggressor.com www.agressor.com 800.348.2628 706.993.2531 Tropic Dancer dancer@dancerfleet.com www.dancerfleet.com 800.932.6237 or 305.669.9391
PaPUa NEw GUiNEa Star Dancer dancer@dancerfleet.com www.dancerfleet.com 800.932.6237 or 305.669.9391
PHiLiPPiNEs ActiVentures Philippines 650.834.1331 www.activenturespi.com Big La Laguna Beach Dive Resort 425.298.8172 www.BigLaLa.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 GoRoatan.com 888.405.8737 www.goroatan.com
st. CRoix (U.s. ViRGiN isLaNDs) Cane Bay Dive Shop 340.773.9913 www.canebayscuba.com
st. kitts Bird Rock Beach Resort 877.244.6285 www.birdrockbeach.com
st. ViNCENt Bequia Dive Adventures 784.458.3826 www.bequiadiveadventures.com
tHaiLaND Sairee Cottage Diving 667.745.6126 www.saireecottagediving.com
tURks & CaiCos Turks & Caicos Aggressor II info@aggressor.com www.agressor.
com 800.348.2628 706.993.2531
Campbells Beach Resort 63.920.416.0502 www.CampbellsBeachResort.com
www.nwdivenews.com send us your stories free at editor@diveneWsnetWorK.com
29
BOATING REGULATIONS DIVE DIRECTORY
Bad Weather and Rough Water Dealing with Current and High Winds Article provided courtesy of Cpt. Bob Figular www.marinerslearningsystem.com By Captain Bob Figular
W
hen learning to deal with bad weather and rough water it is important to learn how to understand and anticipate the flow and direction of the waves. If a wave looks like it is going to break, your only out may be to back down before the wave gets to the vessel. Stay extremely aware of any wave combinations and avoid spots ahead where they tend to peak. If they peak ahead in the same place, chances are they will peak there when you and your vessel are closer. Do not let a slightly different wave or wave combination catch you by surprise! In a situation when the current and seas are going in the same direction, current has the effect of lengthening the waves. Longer waves are more stable, with the crests farther apart, with this said… You still need to use caution. While heading into the seas and current, your boats forward speed over the ground (SOG) will be lessened; this in turn will require more time transiting the entrance. Increasing your boat speed may be necessary to maintain forward progress. However, do not increase your boat speed to a point that makes negotiating the waves hazardous. If you have increased your overall boat speed to maintain forward progress you will need to reduce the boats speed as you approach each wave crest individually to maintain control. With following seas and current, your speed over the ground will be increased. Because the waves are farther apart, the effort required to ride the back of the wave ahead should be easier. With following seas the current is coming from behind your vessel, more forward way will be required to maintain steering control. As with all following seas, stay on the back of the wave ahead. Do not allow yourself to be lulled into a false sense of security. With higher speed over the ground and less maneuverability due to the following current, there is not as much time to avoid a situation ahead. Keep a hand on the throttle and adjust power continuously. When entering or exiting port less time will be spent in the inlet, canal, or fairway, stay extremely aware of any WASHINGTON
spots ahead to avoid. Maneuver early, as the current will carry the boat. In addition to coping with the current and state of the seas it is also necessary to understand how to deal with high winds and the effects they will have on your boat when transiting harbors, inlets, or rivers. Depending on your vessels design and sail area, it may be necessary to steadily apply helm to hold a course in high winds. As a boat operator you should be able to “read” the water to identify stronger gusts. The amount of chop on the surface will increase in gusts, and extremely powerful gusts may even blow the tops off waves. The effect of a gust should be anticipated before it hits your boat. In large waves, the wave crest will block much of the wind when the boat is in the trough. Plan to offset its full force at the crest of the wave. The force of the wind may accentuate a breaking crest, and require steering into the wind when near the crest in head seas. Depending on the vessel, winds may force the bow off to one side while crossing the crest. For light vessels, the force of the wind at the wave crest could easily get under the bow sections (or sponson on a RIB), lift the bow to an unsafe angle, or force it sideways. Though a light vessel must keep some speed to get over or through the crest of a large wave, do not use so much speed that the vessel clears the crest; most of the bottom is exposed to a high wind. Be particularly cautious in gusty conditions and stay ready for a sudden large gust when clearing a wave. If your boat is fitted with twin-engines, be ready to use asymmetric propulsion to get the bow into or through the wind. Early and steady application of power is much more effective than trying to “catch-up” by applying a burst of power. Vessels with large sail area and superstructures will develop an almost constant heel during high winds. In a gust, sudden heel, at times becoming extreme, may develop. This could cause handling difficulties at the crest of high waves. If the vessel exhibits theses tendencies, exercise extreme caution when cresting waves. Learn to safely balance available power and steering against the effects of winds and waves. ■ Evergreen Dive Service
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Dive Commercial Int’l
Seattle
(206) 784-5050 Commercial Store Sports Cove
Bozeman
(406) 585-9926
Store
Seattle Scuba Schools
Seattle
(206) 284-2350
Store
Big Horn Divers
Kalispell
(406) 752-4970
Store
Aluminator Water Taxi
Seattle
(206) 571-3273
Charter
Glacier Divers
Kalispell
(406) 253-4016
Store
Underwater Sports
Seattle
(206) 362-3310
Store
Scuba Center of Spokane
Spokane
Ashland
(541) 708-5435
Store
Tacoma Scuba Center
Tacoma
(253) 238-1754
Store
Astoria
www.astoriascuba.com
Store
Orca Scuba
Wenatchee
(509) 665-0660
Store
PacificWatersports.com
Aloha
(503) 642-3483
Store
Woodinville
(425) 424-3483
Dive Center
Central Oregon Diving
Bend
(541) 388-3660
Store/Charter
Central Point
(541) 830-5551
Store
Bubbles Below
www.spokanescuba.com
BRITISH COLUMBIA
IDAHO
MONTANA
OREGON Triton Ocean Outfitters Astoria Scuba
Rogue Scuba, Inc.
Broken Island Adventures
Bamfield
(888) 728-6200
Resort/Charter
Eugene Skin Divers Supply
Eugene
(541) 342-2351
Store
Ocean Quest Water Sports
Burnaby
(604) 436-1157
Store
CoralSeaScuba.com
Grants Pass
(800) 482-1599
Store
Charter
South Beach Scuba
Newport
(541) 867-4944
Store
Aquatic Sports
Portland
(503) 245-4991
Store
Abyssal Diving Charters
Campbell River (800) 499-2297
49th Parallel Dive Charters
Chemainus
(250) 252-0758
Charter
Cedar Beach Resort
Chemainus
(250) 252-0758
Dive Resort
Diver’s Den
Roseburg
(541) 673-3710
Store
Pacific Pro Dive
Courtenay
(250) 338-6829
Store/Charter
Blue Element
Salem
(503) 400-7375
Store/Charter
Courtenay
(877) 883-3483
Store/Charter
SalemScuba.com
Salem
(503) 588-3483
Store
Egmont
(800) 665-DIVE
Charter/Resort
Under Water Works
Tigard
(503) 620-6993
Store
Hornby Is.
(250) 335-2807
Dive Resort
Langley Diving
Langley
(604) 514-8170
Store/Charter
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
Orcas Island
www.westbeachresort.com
Resort
Aqua Zone
Rendezvous Dive Adventures
Port Alberni
(877) 777-9994
Charter
Browning Pass Hideaway
Port Hardy
(877) 725-2835 Resort/Charter
UB Diving PorpoiseBay.ca Hornby Island Diving
West Beach Resort
Dive Alaska
Anchorage
(907) 770-1778
Store/Charter
Test the Waters
North Pole
(907) 490-4444
Store
Sitka
(907) 747-7871
Store/Charter
Honolulu
(808) 923-3483
Store
Dive Oahu
Honolulu
(808) 922-3483
Charter
Pearl Harbor Divers
Honolulu
(808) 589-2177
Store/Charter
Honolulu
(808) 220-0577
Store
Island Fever Diving
HAWAII
God’s Pocket Resort
Port Hardy
Alpha Dive Services
Powell River
(604) 485-6939
Store
Salmon Arm
(250) 832-5737
Store
Jack’s Diving Locker
Tahtsa Dive Charters
Tahsis
(250) 934-6365
Charter
Kona Honu Divers
MethodMarine.com
Tofino
(250) 725-3251
Store/Marina
TwoEaglesLodge.com
Union Bay
(250) 335-2342
Dive Resort
SeaDragonCharters.com
Vancouver
(604) 329-3486
Charter
Dive & Sea Maui
Victoria
(888) 701-1177
Store/Charter
SeaSport Divers
Victoria
(250) 478-4488
Store
Copper Island Diving
Ogden Point Dive Wilson Diving Services
www.godspocket.com
ALASKA
ALBERTA
Honolulu Scuba Company
www.honoluluscubacompany.com 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
www.diveandseamaui.com
Charter
Koloa, Kauai
(800) 685-5889
Store/Charter
Capt. Charley Scuba Shack’s Maui
Kihei
(877) 213-4488
Store
Mike Severn’s Diving
Kihei
(808) 874-6428
Store
Adventures in Scuba
Calgary
(403) 299-7751
Store
Knight Diver 007
Lahaina
(808) 250-9194
Store
Aqua Sport Scuba Centre
Calgary
(403) 686-6166
Store
Lahaina Divers
Maui
(800) 998-3483
Store/Charter
The Dive Shop
Calgary
(403) 243-4616
Store
Edmonton
(780) 434-1433
Store
(760) 801-7996
Store/Charter
Grand Prairie
(780) 832-7209
Store
Sub Sea Experience Just for You Crew & Dive Services
CALIFORNIA Catalina Divers Supply LLC
Avalon
get your business listed in our dive directory for only $12.50! - call 360-240-1874
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wE ♥ BOOBIES
So much so, we are donating all of Sunday’s female admission price to Dive For a Cure
FREE Swag Bag
Valued at over $50 To the first 250 visitors each day*