dec 2011 vol 1. issue 12

Volume 1 Issue 9

$1.95 US/$2.25 Canada

DIVE LOCALLY ~ WHERE IT REALLY MATTERS

December 2011

DEMA 2011Submerging in Networking

and Diving into Fun!

FLORIDA’S ATLANTIC COASTDiving the Pristine Palm Beaches

U-Boats of North CaroliNaIt’s all about the submarines!

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DIVE LOCALLY, WHERE IT REALLY

MATTERS

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deCember 2011 more info online at www.divenewsnetwork.com iN this editioN

3

SoutheastDive News

The complete resource for diving in the Southeast.

www.sedivenews.com

Publisher / Editor-in-Chief Rick Stratton

[email protected]

Production ManagerIJ James

[email protected]

Graphic DesignerTJ Pierzchala

[email protected]

Expo CoordinatorSelene Muldowney

[email protected]

Accounts ManagerTove Chatham

Advertising Sales ManagerKeath Allen

(360) 240-1874 [email protected]

Circulation/subscriptions 360-240-1874 Dive News Magazine is committed to promoting the sport of scuba diving in the Southeast. We will present a practical, unbiased point of view regarding all aspects of the sport of scuba diving. The Dive News Magazine believes in honesty and integrity in business and will support all efforts related to this. We encourage 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. Send us your stories and photos!

IMPORTANT NOTICEThe Dive News Magazine reserves the right to refuse service to anyone. The contents of Southeast Dive News are opinions of individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, editor or 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 containing inherent risks. Improper use of diving equipment or diving techniques may result in serious injury or death. Readers are advised to use their best judgment in each individual situation.

MOVING?In order to continue receiving your magazine uninterrupted, please notify Southeast Dive News when you change your mailing address. To ensure uninterrupted service, please contact us six to eight weeks before the change of address occurs. You can call us at 360-240-1874 PST or email us at [email protected] or mail at:

BEDROCk PuBlICATIONSP.O. Box 1494

Oak Harbor, WA 98277

Monthly ColuMns

Publisher’s Note ................................4Incoming Mail ....................................5Southeast Hot News .........................6Southeast Activities ...........................7

Amy Pieno Obiturary ......................8-9DUI Dog Ralley ...........................10-11Tropical Dive Directory ...............22-23Local Dive Directory ...................22-23

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southeast DestInatIon

loCal DIVe DestInatIon

tRoPICal DestInatIons

12 Doing DEMA 2011: Submerging in Networking and Diving into Fun!Find out why this was one of the best DEMA shows DNN has been to, and get the rundown of events. From the awards to the gear, if you can’t be diving this is the next best thing. Special shout out to Tom Ingram, and many others for their efforts to make this a great industry event. By Rick Stratton

14 Florida’s Atlantic Coast: Diving the Pristine Palm Beaches It’s all about the boat diving here. With offshore reef structure beginning about a mile out and a fairly shallow depth, this is the place to sneak a peek at amazing critters and maybe a few giants courtesy of the Gulf Stream. Of course, you won’t want to miss the snorkeling here either, or the drift diving, or the reef diving or the deep diving or the shallow diving. The list of reasons to dive here doesn’t seem to end! By John Christopher Fine

18 U-Boats of North Carolina: It’s all about the submarines baby!Infiltrators. We called them invaders during WWII, but now, they are being infiltrated. Having survived their original purpose, the U-Boats off the coast of North Carolina have become popular not only as submerged vessels steeped in history, they are now thriving isolated sea gardens filled with tons of fish and invertebrate life. These vessel remnants offer divers a chance to see history through the wrecks. Don’t miss your chance. By Mike Hughes

◄ Cover by Rick MeinigThis photo was taken in July of 2010

while diving the wrecks of North Carolina. Rick used a Canon EOS 50D with ikelite housing, ds125 strobes, and 17-40L lens.

Rick was raised in San Antonio, Texas and was certified at the age of 10, when scuba diving was obscure and exotic. He left Texas when he was 17 to attend MIT majoring in Organic Chemistry. He

developed an interest in medicine in his junior year. He earned his medical degree in Texas and did a residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado. He is currently an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in Trauma and Fracture Care, Spine Surgery, and Sports Medicine at Front Range Orthopaedics in Colorado Springs.

Rick and his wife, Kathy, have 3 children. Besides scuba diving, he enjoys mountaineering, racing BMW’s, sled dogs and photography.

Welcome to the December edition of Southeast Dive News. As always, we have slaved over this edition filling it up with news

information and stories designed to help you become more active in the sport locally, where it really matters.

At the time of this writing, we just returned from the annual DEMA show in Orlando, Florida. This year’s DEMA show was a mixed bag. On one hand, show attendance was at an all-time low, only 5% of the dive retailers made the annual pilgrimage; however, amazingly on the other hand, nearly every booth reported strong re-sults.

For us, the show was fantastic. We had the chance to interact with the divers and dealers in the greater Southeast. It was great to get feedback on our magazine and regional approach. For the most

part, the feedback was great. The readers we spoke with love our lo-cal approach, support for dive clubs and focus on local diving. A few expressed dissatisfaction for our controversial covers and some of the topics we choose to cover; but folks are talking about us and it’s great! We thank you all for sharing your thoughts with us. We will keep the concerns in mind while planning future additions. We do value your opinions.

While in Florida for the DEMA show, we decided to take advan-tage of the trip and asked our regional manager, Keath Allen, to stay for an extra week and go diving in cave country. Keath was willing to take the sacrifice and go diving at some great locations. He report-edly had way too much fun on his trip, but we did not have to provide bail money this time. Visiting Ginnie Springs he caught up with Le-mar from Dive Rite doing some “research dives” - great work Keath! You will see Keath’s stories in an upcoming edition.

After Keath visited cave country he traveled up to Clearwater Springs for the DUI DOG Rally event. We co-sponsored the entire event schedule this season attending nearly every rally. We had a great time attending the events and meeting our readers all across the country.

As the dive season winds down and the holiday season approach-es, we are grateful for all our friends in the dive industry. We are now bonded with the folks at DUI, the great folks at DAN (Div-ers Alert Network) and the DOGs themselves but we are especially grateful for the dive retailer. We recognize the sacrifices in own-ing a small business, and we appreciate the time and effort you put forth to advocate for the local diver. What an amazing year for all of us! This summer/fall season has reinforced the importance of re-lationships in life and business for me, and I have been reminded the most important things in life are the people (and businesses) who are there for you!

Happy diving.

pubLisher’s Note do you have an opinion? Contact us: [email protected]

4 CheCk out our NeW Website: WWW.diveNeWsNetWork.Com

Rick

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When Experience Counts...

…into whose hands will you place your trust for

exceptional diving encounters, top notch accommodations, first rate

food & beverage, safety & security? www.divencounters.com© Joe Nicastri

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ReadeR conceRned about kids’ dive safetyHello,I was very disturbed by your cover photo of Southeast Dive

News October 2011. It’s one of the most irresponsible scuba photos I have ever seen in 27 years of diving. It’s bad enough PADI took the low road and admitted 10-year-olds to this activity requiring constant awareness and understanding of the concepts with no regard to the safety of the young ones. The photo shows a child with gear that doesn’t fit, kneeling on the bottom, gauges dragging and task loaded with a camera she can hardly hold. I hope she survived the activity.

I just have to shake my head when companies like yours and PADI consider money over the safety of people. It’s an embarrassment to the industry.

Rocky Welch

deaR Rocky,Thanks for your note, question and concern for kids’ dive

safety. Looking at the photo again, I think you must have missed the note about how the photo was taken in a swimming pool and the equipment, as pictured, fits reasonably well. But your concern for kids is evident in your question.

While I share your concern for kids and their safety, I do not share your opinions about the kids’ diving programs. My father introduced me to the sport of diving at home in our backyard swimming pool. At age 10, I strapped on his tanks and old double hose regulator and spent many hours touring the bottom of our pool, imagining I’d be a real diver someday. I introduced my family to the sport at the youngest ages possible. I strongly support PADI and the youth

diving programs of every agency. I have known Margo Peyton for many years and she is a great instructor and business owner. Her Kids Sea Camp program is leading the way in youth dive education, certification and safety.

I had a choice of where and when I would certify my daughter, Amanda. I chose Kids Sea Camp because of their incredible safety record and emphasis on family at their programs throughout the world. I am now a three-time Kids Sea Camp veteran and strong advocate for their product. I have seen the quality of the instruction and the quality of diver produced by their programs first hand. I am currently writing a series of stories in our magazines about my latest experience in Bonaire last summer with my daughter.

I know kids as young as 10-years-old are ready to be open water divers. I have seen my daughter and many other kids do it first hand and I have to say, with the right program and leadership, these kids can do anything.

Again, I share your concern for the safety of the kids, but believe me, these kids can handle themselves. I have one quick story to illustrate my point. I was diving at the Buddy Dive and doing a series of dives with each group as part of my “journalist” job. One day I dove with the parents off their boat and the next day with the kids of these parents. The kids were much better divers! They paid attention to the briefing, followed instructions, assembled their gear correctly and had no buoyancy issues on the dive. They followed marine conservation protocols. Their parents had all kinds of issues… it was really kind of funny. They were awesome and I was very proud of my own kid as well as the kids in general. So, I have seen for myself the quality and caliber of the Kids Sea Camp programs. They are excellent.

But thanks for your concern…you have to remember these little guys are tomorrow’s divers.

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Volume 1 Issue 7 $1.95 US/$2.25 Canada

DIVE LOCALLY WHERE IT REALLY MATTERS

October 2011

FLORIDA

TAMPA & ST. PETERSBURG

Two Cities, One Great Place to Dive

BONAIREThe Second Time’s A Charm

LAKE JOCASSEEThe Secret is Out

KIDS SEA CAMPDad-Just Five More Minutes

Rick

foothill diveRs dive club chRistmas PaRtyThe Foothill Divers Christmas Party

will be held Saturday, Dec. 10 from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. at the Center City Tavern in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. The event will be hosted by the Aquatic Plea-sures Dive Center. The owner of City Center Tavern, Robert Bolin, is a Foothill Diver and is giving them the run of the entire joint! He has also called in a live band for entertainment. The first 20 people who arrive will be given a drink coupon. For anyone wanting to participate, there is going to be a gift exchange. Please RSVP so they know how many to tell the restaurant to be prepared for. For more info visit www.dive-nowworklater.com/2011/09/foothill-divers-christmas-party.

GRove scuba Wins aWaRd and hosted maRine festival

On Oct. 22 Coconut Grove hosted an introduction of a new spearfishing and freediving store at the same time as cel-ebrating the grand re-opening of Grove Scuba, recent winners of The Dive Acqui-

sition Award. Guests included local marine businesses and organiza-tions, and there were opportunities to win scuba gear and other great prizes in raffles and silent auctions held throughout the day. All pro-ceeds went towards the Miami Children’s Hospital and Miami-Dade Reef Guard. For more info contact Grove Scuba at (305) 443-1313 or [email protected].

adaPtive diveRs in tRaininGCongrats to the adaptive divers in train-

ing with Dive Pirates Foundation. Divers can help these trainees enjoy the mobile freedom of diving, by donating equipment and funds. The Dive Pirates Foundation derives its name and philosophy from the combination of diving adventure and the romance of the Caribbean, especially the panache of pirates. Traditionally, pirate crews would take care of injured crew members by making them peg legs, hooks, eye patches, etc. Disabled crew members were not banished from the ship, but were given new tasks they could perform and be useful to the rest of the crew. Dive Pirates continues this spirit by bringing the Adaptive SCUBA Divers along with the rest of the crew and cutting them in on the priceless booty of Scuba Diving in the Caribbean. For a full list of the adaptive divers visit www.divepirates.org/adaptive-divers/trainees.

caPtain slate’s atlantis dive centeR offeRs kids’ chRistmas scuba camP

Captain Slates Atlantis Dive Center in Key Largo, Florida is sponsoring a Kids’ Christmas Scuba Camp Dec. 26 -30. Christmas Kids’ Scuba Camp could be just the place to give kids a Scuba Cer-

tification for Christ-mas! The camp is for kids ages 10-17 and their parents if they want to also

get certified. The camp will run Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Kids need to be dropped off and picked up each day, bring a lunch or money for lunch at Shipwrecks Restaurant next door. In addition to the classroom sessions there will be two boat trips comprised of 4 required dives for certification. Kids will do the World Famous Creature Feature with Capt. Slate on their Friday AM dive and complete their course. Also, don’t miss Saturday, Dec. 17 to join fellow divers for the annual Captain Slate’s Underwater Gift Hunt presented by Captain Slates Atlantis Dive Center in Key Largo, Florida. The boat will leave the dock at 8 a.m. for a 2-dive Gift Hunt. Gifts will be hidden on the reef by Captain “Santa Claus” Slate for the divers to locate. Space is limited for both holiday events, so con-tact them soon www.captainslate.com/contact.html.

south floRida undeRWateR Photo society chRistmas PaRty There will be a South

Florida Underwater Photo Society Christmas party held Dec. 11 beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Bimini Boatyard Bar & Grill in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. There will be lots of prizes as well as some new surprises this year. An announcement will also be made naming the 2011 Photographer of the Year. For more info call 305.775.7092 or visit www.sfups.org.

aRtist andReas fRanke’s aRtWoRk a PaRt of vandenbeRG aRtificial Reef

About a mile offshore from Key West, one of the world’s most unique art galleries has just opened. In 90 ft. of water sits a set of prints by Austrian artist Andreas Franke. His subject was the USS Vandenberg. The scenes of the ship’s walkways and galley’s are not as one might expect; the artist has populated them with visitors from the 1950’s such as teens waiting in line for movie tickets on the ship’s upper deck, a workman looks up from his pale lunch on a cross-beam, a young girl chases schools of minnows with a butterfly

net. Andreas Franke’s imagination for the scenes is wildly original. For more info on the new underwater gallery visit www.the-vanden-berg.com.

the GReat cameRa mysteRyDivers are scratching their

heads in Florida after a camera washed up on Crescent Beach in St. John’s County.

Diver Mike Golubovich found the barnacle-encrusted piece of equipment while working for St. John’s County Beach Services in St. Augustine and now the race is on to find the owner. During an inspection Oct. 7 of a Sargassum wrack line the housing was found. Golubovich took the housing back to his work shop and pried it open with a screwdriver. He was astonished when the housing revealed a bone-dry camera. The batteries were not working, but after he changed them, the camera turned on and 153 photos were available for review. The camera contains an assortment of images including reef fish, coral, divers, the mermaid statue, and the Kittiwake dive site. There is no date record on the photos. As soon as Golubovich was able to get the photographs off the camera he uploaded them onto the Facebook page of the Kittiwake, where a call was put out by his wife, Angie, to divers who may have lost the camera. Some of the pictures are also viewable on the Sunset House Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SunsetHouseCayman.

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have you seen our calendar online? www.divenewsnetwork.com dive aCtivities


neW childRen’s book shaRes Photos and stoRy of ocean conseRvation

A newly released book by renowned underwater photographer Beverly Factor shares with young readers a message about the need for ocean conservation. The book titled “Angelee Saves the Sea,” is a 40-page hardcover featuring Factor’s original full color photography throughout, with most images running full page to highlight the natural beauty of the underwater environ-ments. Factor tells the story of an Angelfish, who intends to save the ocean from pollu-tion and destruction. Angelee’s plan is to create a picture book with photographs of all the friends she meets on a journey through the seas. Each fish that Angelee encounters shares a personal story about why their spe-cies is endangered, and how their habitats can be protected. For more info visit www.BeverlyFactor.com.

decembeRDec 1: Caloosa Dive Club meeting, 8

p.m., Cape Coral Yacht Club, Cape Coral, FL. www.diveclub.org

Dec 1: Jupiter Drift Divers meeting, 7 p.m., Jupiter Fire Station Community Room, Jupiter, FL. www.jupiterdriftdivers.com

Dec 1: Sarasota Scuba Club meeting, 7:30 p.m., Fraternal Order of Police Hall, Sarasota, FL. www.sarasotascubaclub.org

Dec 3: Atlanta Underwater Explorers, 3pm, East Atlanta Library Branch, Atlanta, GA. www.diveaue.org

Dec 6: Fanta-Seas Dive Club meeting, 7-9 p.m., Fanta-Seas Divers, 1400 Eatonton Rd., Ste. 750, Madison, GA. www.fanta-seadivers.com

Dec 6: Orlando Reef Divers meeting, 7 p.m., Paddy Murphy’s, Baldwin Park, FL. www.meetup.com/Orlando-Reef-Divers/

Dec 7: Nautical Nudists Dive & Boating Club, 7 p.m., Check Website for location, Land ‘O Lakes, FL. www.nauticalnudist.com

Dec 7: South Florida Divers meeting, 7:30 p.m., Lauderdale Isles Yacht Club, Hollywood, FL. www.sfdi.com

Dec 13: Atlanta Reef Dwellers Scuba Club, 7 pm, Hudson Grill @ Brookhaven, Atlanta, GA. www.atlantareefdweelers.org

Dec 13: Sea Tigers Spearfishing Club, Rousse Trim & Stairs, Harvey, LA. www.seatigers.us

Dec 13: South Florida Underwater Photography Society, 7:30 p.m., El Palacio Hotel, Miami, FL. www.sfups.org

Dec 13: Waterloggers Dive Club, 6:30 p.m., Beef O’Bradys, Melbourne, FL. www.sealevelscuba.com

Dec 13: Clearwater Hogs Spearfishing Club meeting, 7 p.m., Ocean Sports, Dunedin, FL. Call Carl Nelson (727) 515-4672

Dec 14: Bay Area Reef Runners Club Meeting, 7 p.m., Pssghetti’s, Clearwater, FL. Genny Donaldson (727) 365-6172

Dec 15: Caloosa Dive Club meeting, 8 p.m., Cape Coral Yacht Club, Cape Coral, FL. www.diveclub.org

Dec 15: KSC Barracuda Dive Club meeting, 6:30 p.m., Merritt Island Library, Kennedy Space Center, FL. www.kscbarracudas.org

Dec 19: Sea Turtle Dive Club meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Jasper Dive Center, Jasper, GA. www.seaturtlediveclub.com

Dec 20: Atlanta Aquanauts Northside Monthly Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Cheeseburger in Paradise, Atlanta, GA. www.meetup.com/Atlanta-Aquanauts/

Dec 20: Orlando Reef Divers meeting, 7 p.m., Paddy Murphy’s, Baldwin Park, FL. www.meetup.com/Orlando-Reef-Divers/

Dec 21: Central Florida Pleasure Divers, 7 p.m., Denny’s Restaurant, Orlando, FL. www.cfpdivers.com.

Dec 21: Suncoast Reef Rovers, 6 p.m., Nokomis Community Center, Venice, FL. www.suncoastreefrovers.com

Dec 22: Sink or Swim Scuba Divers Meetup, 7 p.m., Gastonia, NC. www.meetup.com/Sink-Or-Swim-Scuba-Divers/

Dec 22: Bubbles up Jacksonville Monthly Member Meeting and Future Dive Discussion, 7:00 p.m., see site for location. www.meetup.com/bubblesupjacksonvilleJanuaRy

Jan. 3: Fanta-Seas Dive Club meeting, 7-9 p.m., Fanta-Seas Divers, 1400 Eatonton Rd., Ste. 750, Madison, GA. www.fanta-seadivers.com

Jan. 3: Orlando Reef Divers meeting, 7 p.m., Paddy Murphy’s, Baldwin Park, FL. www.meetup.com/Orlando-Reef-Divers/

Jan. 4: Nautical Nudists Dive & Boating Club, 7 p.m., Check Website for location, Land ‘O Lakes, FL. www.nauticalnudist.com

Jan. 4: South Florida Divers meeting, 7:30 p.m., Lauderdale Isles Yacht Club, Hollywood, FL. www.sfdi.com

Jan. 5: Caloosa Dive Club meeting, 8 p.m., Cape Coral Yacht Club, Cape Coral, FL. www.diveclub.org

Jan. 5: Jupiter Drift Divers meeting, 7 p.m., Jupiter Fire Station Community Room, Jupiter, FL. www.jupiterdriftdivers.com

Jan. 5: Sarasota Scuba Club meeting, 7:30 p.m., Fraternal Order of Police Hall, Sarasota, FL. www.sarasotascubaclub.org

Jan. 5: Under Sea Adveturers Dive Club, 7 p.m., Best Western Hotel, Deerfield Beach, FL. www.usadiveclub.com

Jan.7: Atlanta Underwater Explorers, 3pm, East Atlanta Library Branch, Atlanta, GA. www.diveaue.org

Jan. 10: Atlanta Reef Dwellers Scuba Club, 7 pm, Hudson Grill @ Brookhaven, Atlanta, GA. www.atlantareefdweelers.org

Jan. 10: Sea Tigers Spearfishing Club, Rousse Trim & Stairs, Harvey, LA. www.seatigers.us

Jan. 10: South Florida Underwater Photography Society, 7:30 p.m., El Palacio Hotel, Miami, FL. www.sfups.org

Jan. 10: Waterloggers Dive Club, 6:30 p.m., Beef O’Bradys, Melbourne, FL. www.sealevelscuba.com

Jan. 16: Sea Turtle Dive Club meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Jasper Dive Center, Jasper, GA. www.seaturtlediveclub.com

Send uS your your eventS!

We run info about your news and events for free! Help us build the calendar and support local diving

today by emailing: [email protected]

JanuaRy suRf exPo GeaRinG uPSurf Expo scheduled for January 12-

14, 2012 in Orlando, Florida, draws buyers from specialty stores across the U.S., the Caribbean, Central and South America and around the world.

Surf Expo features approximately 2,000 booths of apparel and hardgoods and a full line-up of special events, including semi-nars, fashion shows, annual awards ceremo-nies, and demos.

Average buyer and exhibitor turnout ex-ceeds 12,000 attendees including retailers, exhibitors and media per show.

No matter what the market category, Surf Expo is your one-stop place for the lat-est product and hottest trends.

Categories include: Boardsports (Surf, Skate, Wakeboard & Waterski, Kiteboard & Windsurf, Stand Up Paddle, Freedive); Beach Resort; Fashion (Boutique, Swim).

Registration is now open. Visit w w w. s u r f e x p o .com for more de-tails and reg-istration infor-mation.

8

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Southeast diver Amy Pieno passed away Sunday, Oct. 16. Pieno died in a diving incident off Wrightsville Beach called

Meg’s Ledge. This is a popular area for divers seeking fossilized Megalodon shark teeth and is approximately 30 miles off the southeast North Carolina coast. U.S. Coast Guard reps state people have always chosen to dive in this location. “It’s just unfortunate, we’ve had several divers lost there recently,” said the rep.

Pieno, who was 48 years old, was a resident of Hatteras Island,

co-owned Outer Banks Diving and was very active in the local com-munity. Co-workers and fellow divers describe her as funny, smart, good-hearted and a joy to see. Family members stated Pieno felt most alive while under the water. She was known for her dive ex-perience and the way in which she taught other divers. “She was always willing to go the distance and then some,” says husband Johnny. “People loved her and I honestly think they liked me be-cause they loved her so much. We are all devastated.”

Pieno and her husband moved their 65-foot charter boat, the Flying Fish, to Wrightsville Beach in mid-September after Hurri-cane Irene cut Hatteras off from tourists. Johnny Pieno, a Virginia Beach native once owned the popular Jamaican Johnny’s restaurant. “She considered everyone family,” Johnny said. “She considered every diver who passed through the doors of Outer Banks Diving a new member of the family.” Pieno goes on to add that Amy put her all into the sport and into supporting others who wanted to be a part of diving. She was helping lead a chartered dive when she died. “She was one of those people who just thought everyone should want to dive,” says Johnny. “She did all she could to open the sport up to whoever wanted to get involved.”

The area where Pieno died is popular with divers searching for the megalodon teeth. Divers sometimes dive more than 100 ft. dur-ing dives lasting as long as 90 minutes which can be dangerous if a diver is not experienced. Pieno was very experienced. The ledges are a trove for shark and whale fossils but they also create a strong current making it difficult to navigate, even for experienced divers. John Pieno, Amy’s husband and owner of Outer Banks Diving, says diving is a safe sport as long as the rules are followed, but the rules are especially important for older divers.

The local Coast Guard says they have had a number of diving emergencies in the area. They say they don’t know if it’s because of the depth or because once divers are down there they’re too fo-cused on the fossils to pay attention to what their equipment is tell-ing them. At this point there is no clear answer to what happened in Amy’s situation but the Coast Guard is following up to ensure there are not similar instances.

Memorials have poured in at Outer Banks Diving, the busi-ness Pieno ran for more than 20 years with her husband, Johnny Pieno. A fund has also been set up for kailee and Johnny, her children, and donations can be made to the Pieno College Fund, C/O 1st Southbank, PO Box 99, Buxton, NC 27920.

SoutheaSt DiverS LoSe one of their own

Photo courtesy Outer Banks Diving


regioNaL NeWs obituary

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SoutheaSt DiverS LoSe one of their own

Outer Banks ClosingDue to Amy Pieno’s recent passing Outer Banks Diving

is for sale. Johnny Pieno says they will part with the dive business, the charter boat and all other aspects of the diving operation. For more information please contact Outer Banks Diving, 57544 Highway 12, P O Box 453, Hatteras, NC 27943, email [email protected] or call (252) 986-1056.

Amy and family

10

dog raLLy dui dog raLLy

sigN up for our NeW e-subsCriptioN at WWW.diveNeWsNetWork.Com

By Keath Allen

On Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2011, divers descended upon Manatee Springs in Florida with missionary zeal for Diving

Unlimited International’s annual D.O.G. Rally. The event gives divers the opportunity to test out the latest drysuits and equipment made by the company. Diving Unlimited International (DUI) has been hosting the event in Florida’s cave country for the past 12 years as part of a national tour. This particular event attracts divers from all over the region, some as far away as North Carolina and Georgia.

As the southeast regional manager for Dive News Network, I had the chance to check out the event first hand this year. Having been to several of the events this year across the United States I was amazed with the warm welcome I received from the community there, most of whom have been attending the event for many years. In many ways the tight knit group of divers who return every year to help run the event gave me the feeling that I was joining their family reunion. Thursday night, before the event, we spent hours sitting around the campfire eating and sharing stories about our dive adventures. I was immediately accepted into the fold and felt as though I had come home.

D.o.G.s iNvaDe MaNatee spriNGs

Photo Courtesy Keath Allen

The DUI Dog Rally Crew

11

southeast destiNatioN fLorida

We support our LoCaL dive shop - Without them We WiLL Not have a dive iNdustry.

For many divers this event was their first experience diving dry. Richard Dinon of St. Petersburg, Florida heard about the event through Depth Perception, the local shop he calls home. Like most divers new to diving in drysuits he struggled with buoyancy and maintaining the right amount of air in his suit. “It was a challenge, but the drysuit was really comfortable and kept me warm.”

A few of the divers in attendance had been diving dry for years. Many of these DOGs came to volunteer at the event, including Steve and Michelle Forman, owners of Scuba Etc. in Lakeland, Florida, who have attended and volunteered at the event since it’s birth twelve years ago. “We love this event” Steve said. “It gives a diver the opportunity to try a superior piece of equipment they wouldn’t otherwise have a chance to try before they buy it.” Well said, Steve. Even seasoned dry suit divers who own their own suit enjoyed the chance to try out different dry suits with different materials.

Most recreational divers in the Southeast are used to warm water diving, having an average of a two month dive season off the coast during the summer when the water is warmest. Dry suits, while more commonly used among cave and technical divers, are an unfamiliar tool to the average diver in the Southeast United States. The main advantages dry suits offer divers in the Southeast are the same as the advantages they offer divers everywhere. They extend the dive season by keeping divers comfortable in colder water, and reduce

the risk of injury due to stress. I overheard someone say, “Cold water isn’t miserable, being cold is miserable.”

Manatee Springs State Park was the perfect place for this event with beautifully maintained camping and picnic areas, a playground and designated swimming area for the kids, hiking trails, incredible wildlife, and great diving! A boardwalk near the parking lot of the day-use area takes visitors out to several viewing platforms along the springs and out to the Suwannee River. Hundreds of turkey vultures, black vultures, and chicken hawks can be seen fishing near the water, and in the winter the park can be a great place to view manatee. If you are lucky, you may even find one near the mouth of the springs!

The park has two areas that are popular with divers. The mouth of Manatee Springs offers crystal clear water, with water temperatures in the low 70’s year round. Catfish hole, just a short walk from the springs, is covered with duck weed. Once beneath the surface, however, this entrance to the cave system offers great visibility and a very popular site for cavern divers. As with any of the cave systems in Florida, divers should always be aware of were they are and stay within the limits of their certifications and experience. Look for more information about the cave system at Manatee Springs in upcoming issues of Southeast Dive News.

For more information about attending a DUI event, check out their website at www.dui-online.com.

Photo Courtesy Keath Allen

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We had a blast at this year’s DEMA convention in Orlando, Florida Nov.

2–5. The Annual Trade and Convention was amazing as well as an opportunity to learn new skills (we did), see old friends (did that) and make new connections (yep – did that too!). Overall, it was a so much fun filled with information we were sorry to see it end.

Beginning Tuesday, I attended the An-nual PADI LIVE and Awards Ceremony. Emcee Kristin Valette, VP of Marketing and Communications, coordinated the day’s events and presentations. Dr. Drew Richard-son, President and COO of PADI Worldwide, explored industry trends and polled the audi-ence to get real-time answers dive profes-sionals can use to help make better financial and business plans for 2012.

For the Awards portion of the event, great retailers and charter companies were recognized for superior achievements. Here is a snapshot of winners…Southeast Dive Retailer, Bill Cole from Sea Experience, was recognized for the Diver Acquisition Award. Ken Powell of Deep Blue Divers North in Ft. Wayne, Indiana was recognized for their great Retention Program. The Utila

Dive Center in Honduras was recognized for having one of the best instructor De-velopment Centers. Maui Dreams Dive Co. from Hawaii, was recognized for outstand-ing environment consciousness and earned the Project Aware Marine Environmental Award, and Jack’s Diving Locker in Kailua, Hawaii received the Outstanding Dive Busi-ness Award.

After the annual presentations, PADI offered a great wrap up with a keynote pre-sentation by Motivational Speaker and Pre-senter Garrison Wynn. He instilled a pearl of wisdom - with a positive outlook and attitude you could use to set yourself up for success or failure – It’s your choice!

This year we have expanded to 5 regional magazines; Northwest, Northeast, Midwest,

Southeast and, our newest, Southwest Dive News Magazine. We hosted several “friends of Rick” at the booth. Earl Lowe from Abys-sal Dive Charters manned our booth the entire week. Earl is a great guy! He has run Abyssal Dive Charters, located in Camp-bell River, British Columbia, for the last 15 years. Earl did not find a warm reception for cold water diving in Orlando.

Another guest to our booth was Bever-ly Factor. She has just recently written and published a new children’s book. Reagan, our ten year old son, loves the book and has worked out a “deal” with Beverly to repre-sent her conservation efforts in Seattle.

At 10 a.m. the show floor opened. The booths we stopped by were pleased those

Photo courtesy Selene Muldowney

To view Garrison Wynn videos, visit www.wynnsolutions.com

fuN for aLL fLorida


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people who did attend seemed serious. We encountered many new products – some great highlights included the unveiling of Bare’s new Elastek System, the launching of Cetatek’s new Aquabionic Fin and Dive Alert by Ideations’ showing of the improved Nautilus Life-line. Wednesday evening we attended the DIVER’S BASH, hosted by Dive Training, DAN and SSI.

Thursday we attended the DEMA members update meeting. DEMA Executive Director, Tom Ingram, gave a status report on DEMA programs including a “shocking” announcement. DEMA will launch a new consumer dive show and watersports festival in April 2013 billed as the “Be a Diver Adventure Sports Festival.” This new show will be held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and will have non-dive elements and events.

Thursday night we attended a cocktail party hosted by Aggressor Fleet. Thanks to Ann and Wayne Hasson and Wayne Brown for invit-ing us. During the party, Doug McNeese awarded the SSI Platinum Pro Award to Wayne Brown for logging 2500 dives in just 5 years, which is an amazing accomplishment for such a busy man.

Friday night we attended the DEMA Awards Ceremony and Ban-quet at the Rosen Center Hotel hosted by Tom Ingram. DEMA rec-ognized the two “Reaching Out” award recipients – Fraser Bathgate and Peter Hughes. Fraser Bathgate was recognized for his amazing contributions to disabled divers for the last 30 years. Peter Hughes was recognized for his contributions to improving the dive Live-aboard experience and making diving more accessible to upscale (gentile) clients.

We received a special announcement Saturday from Clay McCa-rdell, President of Explorer Ventures. They have agreed to sponsor the 2012 Dive & Travel Expo “Dive for a Cure” t-shirts. The Dive for a Cure organization is a not-for-profit organization whose mis-sion is to educate and raise money for breast cancer awareness and hopes for a cure. All proceeds from money raised from Dive for a

Cure are donated to the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute for breast cancer research and education.

In all we had a fantastic time. We re-connected with many friends and made new friends. We look forward to the Dive In-dustry’s continued success and wish all our friends a renewed spirit for continued success in 2012.

let’s Roll FilmCheck out Mike Hughes’

videos online. He is our Southwest Editor and recent humorist. Mike captured about 104 booths on his videos and offers a “tell all” account about all of them. Visit www.mikehughesscuba.com

14 dive LoCaLLy - Where it reaLLy matters

southeast fLorida southeast destiNatioN

By John Christopher FineGuest Writer, Dive News Network

I wasn’t old enough to drive. I’d be dropped off at the north end of Palm Beach where the inlet passes through to the Atlantic Ocean and I’d stay all day until I was picked up again at eve-ning. A Texaco fuel dock and mail station served boaters and yachtsmen using the inlet to moor in the Port of Palm Beach or navigate the protected Intracoastal Waterway providing safe passage from Maine to Miami. It was one of my childhood play-grounds.

Florida Atlantic coast diving is generally boat diving. The offshore reef structure begins about a mile out and the depth remains fairly shallow on the inshore side of the reefs; approx-imately 50-60 ft. Further out, the reefs dip 80 ft. to the sand. There are many deeper dive sites but this is the general north-south orientation of the reefs. Inshore there are patch reefs just off the beaches. Wind, storms and wave action change these cor-al patches, cover them with sand or uncover them.

When I wanted to snorkel, I’d go in from rocks down from the Texaco fuel dock located right at the very end of Palm Beach where it meets the inlet. It is now a public pier. Trouble is wealthy folks do not want strangers in their exclusive neighborhoods so there isn’t any parking. Divers have to be dropped off to enable access. Along the rocks that serve as seawalls and jetties all man-ner of marine life abounds. It is a fertile hatchery and thus a place where small and unusual sea critters can be observed.

There are sea horses, nudibranchs, opistobranchs, frog fish, baby scorpion fish and octopus. Niches in the rocks provide ample shelter despite the current ripping through the inlet at tide change. A float and flag are required and snorkelers must remain close to the rocks, carry a flag and float and stay out of the navigable channel. Tide change can be wicked so checking tide tables is important; stay close to the rocks and be prepared for current. Photo courtesy of Little Deeper Charters

Diving the Palm Beaches

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Photo courtesy of Little Deeper Charters

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Just outside the Palm Beach Inlet to the south, sheltered by a long rock jetty, there is great snorkeling. Schools of tarpon prowl for bait fish. It is not uncommon to see manta and eagle rays. Private boaters anchor to the south of the jetty to enjoy a day on the water in a protected cove.

Palm Beach is a drift diving area. The Gulf Stream comes in close to shore. While it is predominantly a north flowing current, there are eddies in the Stream taking divers south on occasion. We take a float with us. The float has a dive flag attached and a line taken below on a reel. Everything and anything comes into the Gulf

Stream; sharks, rays, turtles, bill fish and Goliath groupers. Humpback Whales, Right Whales, Manta Rays, Cow Rays, and even Whale Sharks have also been seen off the coast. “This is the place to learn to drift

dive. We have some of the best drift diving specialists in the world and some of the world’s best drift diving locations,” Captain David Brown said.

David and his wife, Lynn, own and operate Little Deeper Dive Charters out of the Lake Park Marina, north of the Blue Heron Bridge. The municipal marina itself is a diver’s luxury with hot showers ashore in well-maintained facilities. There are all-weather carpeted docks, comfortable picnic tables and a patio for picnics after a dive as well as easy access piers to get onto dive boats.

“Where else but in Palm Beach could you find 40 turtles or 40 Goliath groupers on a single dive,” David added. His enthusiasm never wanes. While div-

ers may not actually count that many turtles and Goliath groupers on their dive there surely are many opportunities to see them. Palm Beach is a place where

there are things for all people. We have so many different spectacular ma-rine ecosystems. The biggest challenge is getting our customers to ex-

plain to us what they really like most,” Captain Dave said. There are shallow dives, deep dives, places where div-

ers are likely to see sharks, colorful reefs and shipwrecks bedecked with bright attaching marine organisms that at-

tract large fish. Some of the wrecks were put down as fish havens long ago. Hurricanes have broken them up so many lie twisted on the ocean floor. Some re-

main intact and allow divers to drop inside their open hulls to get out of the current. Photogra-

phers always find exciting opportunities on the wrecks. Silhouettes framed shooting

Photo courtesy of Little Deeper Charters

Photo courtesy Little Deeper Charters

Photo Courtesy Little Deeper Charters

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up against the bright sun make wonderful mementos. Blue bell tunicates and orange tubastrea coral are bright and beautiful. “We have just too many choices diving Palm Beach,” Captain Dave averred.

Captain Dave also touts the Horseshoe Reef. “It’s in the shape of a horseshoe. Drop down and you’ll be out of the current. Swim around the inside edge and look under the ledges,” Captain Craig Smart told his divers. Craig runs north out of the Boynton Inlet to dive Horseshoe Reef offshore of Palm Beach. It is relatively shallow, some 45’, to the top of the reef. The reef stands up about 20’ from the sand. Spiny lobsters abound in the many niches in the reef as they do in tropical areas; they find it an oasis out of the current.

“Lots of big turtles tend to like the reef north of Horseshoe. Divers should swim along the inside edge of the reef but go up over the top,” Captain Craig briefed his divers. When the Gulf Stream rips along at about 3 knots northward, Horseshoe Reef is a great place to explore. Check out the reef out of the current inside the protected area. Then swim up and on top of the reef heading northward.

There are times, of course, when the Gulf Stream current is nil. “You had to swim this time,” Captain Craig might quip when that occurs. There are times when the current me-anders south, times when it is relatively mild and sometimes ripping. It is always exciting. Divers never know exactly what they’ll see below diving the Stream.

“Along with all the dive choices, Palm Beach has great dive resorts. Some have shuttle busses to bring divers to the boats. We have world class shopping and dining. Districts like Clematis Street, City Place, the Kravis Center. When people are not diving there is so much to do. Water skiing in a theme park pulled by an overhead cable on a lake is popular. Rent a canoe or kayak on the Loxahatchee River and explore under an Amazon rainforest-like can-opy. Rent a bicycle and cruise the quiet streets of Palm Beach to see the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Swing by Worth Avenue for drinks, snacks and shopping at places frequented by celebrities,” Captain Dave suggested.

For all of it there are plenty of things to see and enjoy on land and sea. West Palm Beach has a modern international airport. Airlines offer competitive fares from major gateway cit-ies. There is no need to travel to foreign destinations to enjoy world class diving and beautiful surroundings with plenty of exciting attractions for a well-rounded holiday.

For more information contact Captain David Brown at 352.636.8419 or visit his website at www.littledeepercharters.com, or contact Captain Craig Smart at 561.212.2954 or visit his website at www.idivestarfish.com.



We support the southeast dive CommuNity18

North CaroLiNa WreCk diviNg

U-BOATS OF NORTh CAROLINAPredator & Prey Dive Sites

By Mike HughesWriter, Dive News Network

During WWII German U-boats infiltrated the waters off the coast of North Carolina on many long-range mis-sions. Most were sent to seek out and destroy ships and interrupt the supply line to Europe, while others were sent over for more clandestine operations. It was a secretive and dangerous time. Today the North Carolina coastal waters still hold those secrets of old but divers now have the pleasure of diving back in time to visit these stealthy war machines.

Out of the nine u-boats mentioned in this article, three remain diveable off the coastline. Of those remaining, one was lost off the coast and presumed to be in deep waters or buried under sand, three inflicted casualties along the coastline, but were then sunk elsewhere, and at least two survived the onslaught of the war, but were scuttled elsewhere rather than surrender the military vessels to the Allies after the death of Hitler and defeat of Germany. The rest inflicted carnage in local waters and then sunk to become popular N.C. wreck dive sites and with seventy years of underwater activity, some of these sites have become popular not only as submerged vessels, but as thriv-ing isolated sea gardens filled with tons of fish and invertebrate life.

Photo courtesy Mike Hughes

LoCaL divers doN’t just dive LoCaLLy - they dive gLobaLLy! 19

WreCk diviNg u-boats

U-BOATS OF NORTh CAROLINAU-352

The U-352 is probably the most well known sub-marine sunk off the coast. The hull is in relatively good shape and the plethora of sea life makes a great back-drop for underwater photos. It rests at 90-110 ft. in waters ranging in temp from 75 to 80 in the summertime. Com-mander KL Rathke fired 4 torpedoes from this sub at one ship that never hit or detonated. A few days later he fired two more torpedoes with the same effect on what turned out to be the Coast Guard Cutter Icarus. After five depth charges, the U-352 surfaced to abandon ship and Rathke gave orders to scuttle the already damaged vessel in May of 1942. Dale A Hansen, a diver from Discovery Diving in Beaufort has made a CD with pictures of the U-352, the prisoners taken, video clips of the wreck, and photos and names of many tropical species of fish inhabiting the wreck now. He also has a book at the dive shop about some of the major wrecks in the area including what they looked like, and what the wrecks look like now from a diver’s perspective. Several charter operations frequently run dedicated trips to this site.U-85

The U-85 near Nags Head and the Bodie Island Lighthouse can have warm water at the surface but can cool down to the 50’s at 100-110 ft. This submarine has had more items removed from it than the U-352. A hatch from the U-85 is displayed at the Cape Hatteras Light-house museum in Buxton. Two oak boxes with enigma code machine parts were recovered from inside the wreck in 1997. It’s the only VIIB class sub in American waters. It sank three ships before a USS Roper depth charge de-stroyed it April 14, 1942. The R/V Go Between makes two runs a week out here when weather is favorable.U-701

The U-701 sank nine ships before a Lockheed Hud-son A-29 dropped three depth charges and sank the U-boat July 7, 1942. Commander KL Degen sank the small-armed trawler YP-389 with his 88mm deck gun before it sank. The trawler rests at 300 ft. off North Carolina. Degen also sank the tanker SS William Rockefeller. The U-701 remained hidden under shifting sands north of Diamond Shoals until discovered in 1989 by Uwe Lovas. His crew kept the site a secret for 15 years. By 2004 the site coordinates became public and looters soon took a heavy toll on the structure. As many as 17 crewmembers escaped the abandoned vessel, but the coast guard picked up only seven, including Degen. The conning tower, the stern, and deck gun have been exposed above the sand for quite some time. The vessel lists on its side by 45 degrees. Amber Jacks and Sand Tiger sharks frequent the wreck. Strong currents may make it impossible to dive this site at certain times; make sure to check the charts before heading out.Photo courtesy Mike Hughes

20 20 We support the southeast dive CommuNity

North CaroLiNa u-boats

1019 Harker’s Island Rd.Beaufort, NC 28516

(252)[email protected]

locally owned & operated

U-576 The U-576 fired four torpedoes sinking

the motor merchant Bluefields in deep wa-ter and damaging two other vessels off the N.C. coastline, before it was depth charged by a US Kingfisher aircraft. It was lost near Cape Hatteras July 15, 1942. The U-576 has never been publicly seen or heard of again although divers still search for it today.U-158

The U-158 sank a total of 17 ships be-fore being sunk itself near Bermuda by a PBM Mariner June 30, 1942. Among its victims were the Caribe Sea, sunk March 11, 1942, the tanker John D. Gill sunk 25 miles off Cape Fear March 3, 1942 and the Ario sunk near Cape Lookout March 15, 1942. There were many other vessels badly damaged by the U-158 as well.U-124

The U-124 had an impressive record with 11 patrols and 46 ships sunk. The U-124 was responsible for sinking the W.E. Hutton, the Casandra Louloudis, the tanker E.M. Clark all March 18, 1942 followed by the SS Papoose March 19, 1942 and the SS Naeco March 23, 1942. She was also cred-ited with damaging other ships such as the Acme.

U-402 The U-402 sank in the middle of the At-

lantic Oct. 13, 1943. To its credit the U-402 sank the 412 ft. long Russian tanker Ash-khabad April 29, 1942 off Cape Lookout. The tanker came to rest in 55 ft. of water, but had to be blown apart as it was a naviga-tional hazard. Boilers and parts of the bow section remain for divers to explore. U-552

The U-552 was scuttled May 2, 1945. It added many a ship to the N.C. coastline such as the 435 ft. long American steamer Tamaulipas April 2, 1942, the Bryon D. Benson April 5, 1942, the motor tanker Brit-ish Splendor April 7, 1942, and the 446 ft. long Atlas April 9, 1942.U-71

The U-71 was scuttled May 2, 1945. The U-71 sank the 485 ft. long Dixie Arrow near the outer banks May 26, 1942.

As you can surmise, 1942 was a deadly year for Allied ships near North Carolina. By the end of 1942, Axis U-boats were more likely to be destroyed by planes than by ships, and because of this fact, U-boat deck guns were no longer installed on newer models; from then on the primary defense of U-boats was to dive and hide. Torpedoes were just as likely to miss or run wild, as they were to detonate as planned. Minefields laid off the N.C coast by U-boats were almost as deadly as the torpedoes themselves. Many ships went down dur-ing the war years, and many lives on both sides were lost. The vessel remnants offer divers a chance to see history through the wrecks as well as see the final resting place for many a crew. The prey ships and preda-tor U-boats have now become reefs for mil-lions of fish and invertebrates. Knowing the background behind these dive sites makes diving them much more interesting, more thought provoking, and above all, a more personal underwater experience.

File photo

Photo courtesy Mike Hughes

21Northeast & Midwest Dive News JANUARY 2011 www.mwdivenews.com 21LoCaL divers doN’t just dive LoCaLLy - they dive gLobaLLy!

southeast gear revieWs eQuipmeNt

oceanic b.u.d. scuba divinG comPuteROceanic Worldwide has

just released the B.U.D. (backup dive computer) The B.U.D. is an innovative backup device that clips onto your BC or is placed in a pocket and constantly tracks your dive profile, just as your primary

computer is doing. B.U.D. uses the same two algorithms set into your computer, whether you are diving on air or nitrox, NDL or Decompression diving, it takes the worry away. It has one button to adjust your settings, it is simple to use, read and even gives you visual alarms to finish your dive if it becomes necessary to use. It is programmed to monitor 12 nitrogen c o m p a r t m e n t s , the tissue loading bar graph will display the one controlling your dive, and there is also a variable ascent rate indicator, which flashes SLOW if your ascent is too fast. The B.U.D. comes in four different colors red, yellow, blue and orange, so keeping track of your own B.U.D. is easy when diving in a group. For more info visit www.divecomputertraining.com.

Get the free mobile app for your phonehttp:/ /gettag.mobi

tusa’s bcJ-1800 voyaGeRTUSA’s BCJ-1800 Voyager is a lightweight

and compact BC ideal for warm water divers or the constant traveler. It offers TUSA patented features such as the integrated Weight Loading System (W.L.S.), which permits easy weight loading and release, the Independent Harness System which was developed to significantly reduce weight and structure, and the Ultimate Stabilizing Harness which has two separated rails

to increase the tank’s security and prevent it from rolling. Lightweight and compact this BC weighs only 4.4lbs/2kg (size M). Buoyancy is controlled by TUSA’s patented O.P.E.V. quick inflate/deflate system and the heavy duty 840/420 denier nylon

shell provides superior strength and durability. Additionally, the Voyager can be rolled for travel and features a unique console sleeve, on the left side, for streamlined routing of your

gauge or computer console. For more info visit www.tusa.com/shop/bcj1800-voyager-p-286.html.

White’s intRoduces seal lock technoloGyWhites Seal Lock

Technology (SLT) is a modular seal replacement system incorporating a neck ring retainer and compression fit wrist seals. Simple, innovative and convenient, SLT enables quick and easy change out of worn or torn seals in the field and best of all, anyone

can do it. SLT features all new silicone neck and wrist seals. For more info visit www.whitesdiving.com/sport-diving/seal-lock-technology.

sealife mini ii dive & sPoRt cameRa The SeaLife Mini II – Dive

& Sport digital camera is rugged and shockproof. It is a 9 megapixel self-contained camera that is waterproof to 130 ft. and shockproof to 6ft. The SeaLife Mini II has an easy set-up menu. The easy set-up is a simplified menu system making navigating through the camera functions easier than ever. For those

wishing to take even more spectacular pictures and videos, the Mini II is easy to expand with either the SeaLife Digital Pro Flash (SL961) or the Photo Video Light (SL980). Other recommended accessories are the Mini Wide Angle/Close-up Lens (SL973) and the Float Strap (SL920). For more info visit www.sealife-cameras.com.


childRen’s book“My Daddy Wears a Different Kind

of Suit to Work” is a full color illustrated children’s book sharing the undersea world with your children. Full color pictures and a heartwarming tale, the story is translated by the 13-year-old author to Spanish in the back of the book. This is a dual language book. A hard cover (6”x9”) bound bed time story book, this is designed for any child who loves the ocean. For more info about the book visit www.gallantaquatic.com



santa’s booty“Santa’s Booty” is just the gift for the diver in your life this

holiday season. It is a diver-oriented Christmas stocking and can be embroidered to personalize. This fin is different and will tell your friends and family you are a diver. The Santa’s Booty Christmas stocking is made in the shape of a jet fin. The Santa’s Booty Christmas stocking, comes in red, pink, and blue with a diagonal white stripe just like a dive flag. A black model comes without the white stripe. For more info visit www.gallantaquatic.com.



www.nedivenews.com22 Northeast Dive News JANUARY 2008

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Utila Tours 800.668.8452 337.893.0013 www.utila.com

INDONeSIAKungkungan Bay Resort & Spa 530.347.2300 www.divekbr.com

Lembeh Hills Resort www.LembehHills.com 62.812.441.18.000

Pindito Liveaboard 831.818.8594 www.pindito.com

Sea Safari Cruises 623.6172.1212 www.seasafaricruises.com/

Worldwide Dive and Sail 866.258.6398 www.worldwidediveandsail.com

MexIcOAbyss Dive Center 52.984.873.2164 www.abyssdivecenter.com

Scuba Playa Dive Shop 52.984.803.3123 www.scubaplaya.com

ReD SeA - eGYPTFly & Sea Dive Adventures 888.995.DIVE(3483) www.redseadiving.ca

Learning Through Travel 516.781.5556 www.learningthroughtravel.com

ROATANCoCo View Resort Roatan 800.282.8932 www.roatan.com

GoRoatan.com 888.405.8737 www.goroatan.com

SeA Of cORTez/SOcORRO ISlANDSRocio Del Mar 602.558.9580 www.rociodelmarliveaboard.com

ST. cROIx (U.S. VIRGIN ISlANDS)BVI Scuba 284.540.2222 www.bviscubaco.com

Cane Bay Dive Shop 340.773.9913 www.canebayscuba.com

Jost Van Dyke 800.778.8066www.jostvandyke.com

ST. kITTSBird Rock Beach Resort 877.244.6285 www.birdrockbeach.com

ST. VINceNTBequia Dive Adventures 784.458.3826 www.bequiadiveadventures.com

THAIlANDSairee Cottage Diving 667.745.6126 www.saireecottagediving.com

TURkS & cAIcOSOasis Divers 649.946.1128 www.oasisdivers.com

BAHAMASSmall Hope Bay Lodge 800.223.6961 www.smallhope.com

SEA DRAGON” DIVE LIVE-ABOARD www.seadragonbahamas.com

Unexso Grand Bahamas 800.992.3483 www.unexso.com

BONAIReCarib Inn +599 717 8819 www.caribinn.com

Divi Resorts 954.545.0269 www.diviresorts.com

Quest Dive Adventures 770.992.8414 www.questdive.com

BRITISH VIRGIN ISlANDNV Yacht Charters 443.829.8576 www.nvcharters.com

cAYMAN ISlANDSDivetech@Cobal Coast Dive Resort 888.946.5656 divetech.com cobaltcoast.com

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

cOzUMelBlueBubbleScuba 987.872.4240 www.bluebubble.com

Island DreamsTravel 800.346.6116 www.divetrip.com

Scuba Du 310.684.5556 www.scubadu.com

cURAcAOOcean Encounters 800.932.6237 www.oceanencounters.com

fIJIBeqa Lagoon Resort 800.542.3454 www.beqalagoonresort.com

Beyond the Reef 691.350.3483 www.diveyap.com

Dolphin Bay Divers Retreat 679.992.4001 dolphinbaydivers.com

Lalati 877.750.0233 www.lalatifiji.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

flORIDAConch Republic (800) 274-3483 www.conchrepublicdivers.com

GAlAPAGOSDivencounters Alliance 877.323.DIVE www.divencounters.com

Sea Dragon Bahamas Diving

22 We support our LoCaL dive shop - Without them We WiLL Not have a dive iNdustry.

dive direCtory tropiCaL dive direCtory ALABAMA

Adventure Sport, Inc. Auburn (334) 887-8005 Store

Southern Skin Divers Supply Birmingham (205) 595-3052 Store

Down Under Dive Shop Gulf Shores (251) 968-3483 Store

Gary’s Gulf Divers Orange Beach (251) 747-6563 Charter

Dive Alabama Pelham (205) 663-7428 Store/Charter

FLORIDA

Force-E Scuba Boca Raton (561) 368-0555 Store

Boynton Beach Dive Center Boynton Beach (561) 732 8590 Store/Charter

Tanks-A-Lot Dive Charters Clearwater (727) 798-1269 Charter

Grove Scuba Coconut Grove (305) 443-1313 Store/Charter

Bird’s Underwater Crystal River (352) 563-2763 Store

Crystal River Water Sports Crystal River (352) 795-7033 Store/Charter

Native Vacations Crystal River (866) 466-2848 Store

Coastal Marine Diving Supply Dania Beach (954) 815-7914 Store

Scuba Network Deerfield Beach (954) 422-9982 Store

Scuba Network Delray Beach (561) 330-8501 Store

The Scuba Center Delray Beach (561) 278-7020 Store

Ocean Sports of North Pinellas Dunedin (727) 733-1919 Store

Divers Discount Florida Fort Lauderdale (800) 752-6386 Store

Lauderdale Diver Fort Lauderdale (800) 654-2073 Store

Scuba Network (E Sunrise Blvd) Fort Lauderdale (954) 467-7872 Store

Scuba Network (N Federal Hwy) Fort Lauderdale (954) 491-7793 Store

Sea Experience Fort Lauderdale (954) 770-3483 Store/Charter

Captain Pete’s Diving Outfitters Fort Myers (239) 337-9564 Store/Charter

Scubavice Dive Center Fort Myers (239) 481-4733 Store

Bay Breeze Dive Center Gulf Breeze (850) 934-8363 Store

Cave Country Diving High Springs (386) 454-4444 Store

Atlantic Scuba, Inc. Holly Hill (386) 253-7558 Store

Atlantic Pro Divers Jacksonville Beach (904) 270-1747 Store/Charter

First Coast Divers Jacksonville (904) 264-4744 Store

Blue Iguana Charters Key Largo (561) 797-2540 Charter

Bluewater Divers Key Largo (305) 453-9600 Store

Captain Slate’s Atlantis Dive Center Key Largo www. captainslate.com Store

Horizon Divers Key Largo (800) 984-3483 Charter

Island Ventures Diving Key Largo (305) 451-4957 Training/Charter

Pirate Island Dive Shop Key Largo (800) 809-9881 Store

Captain’s Corner Dive Center Key West (305) 296-8865 Store

Southpoint Divers Key West (800) 891-3483 Charter

Scuba Etc. Lakeland (863) 687-2822 Store

Wet Pleasures Dive Outfitters Lantana (561) 547-4343 Store

Sunshine Scuba Largo (727) 585-0938 Store/Charter

Cave Excursions Live Oak (386) 776-2299 Charter

Dive Outpost Live Oak (386) 776-1449 Charter

Suncoast Dive Center Madeira Beach (727) 320-0201 Store

Abyss Dive Center Marathon (800) 457-0134 Store/Charter

Cave Adventures Marianna (850) 272-2346 Store

Scubadventures Naples (239) 434-7477 Store/Charter/Training

Ocala Dive Center Ocala (352) 732-9779 Store

Scuba Extreme Adv.Sports & Travel Orange Park (904) 269-8021 Store

Scuba Tiger Orange Park (904) 264-4744 Store/Charter

Scuba Network Orlando (407) 354-1234 Store

The Dive Station Orlando (407) 843-3483 Store

Dive Locker Panama City Beach (850) 230-8006 Store/Charter

Dive Pros Pensecola (866) 348-3776 Store

Dr Dive Pensacola (617) 943 5553 Charter

Scuba Shack/Wet Dreams Charters Pensecola (850) 433-4319 Store/Charter

Viking Diving Pensacola (850) 916-3483 Charter

Northeast Dive News JANUARY 2008 www.nedivenews.com 23

HAWAIIMaui Dreams Dive Co 808.874.5332 www.mauidreamsdiveco.com

HONDURASDeep Blue Resort 504.95.76.36.97 www.deepblueutila.com

Utila Tours 800.668.8452 337.893.0013 www.utila.com

INDONeSIAKungkungan Bay Resort & Spa 530.347.2300 www.divekbr.com

Lembeh Hills Resort www.LembehHills.com 62.812.441.18.000

Pindito Liveaboard 831.818.8594 www.pindito.com

Sea Safari Cruises 623.6172.1212 www.seasafaricruises.com/

Worldwide Dive and Sail 866.258.6398 www.worldwidediveandsail.com

MexIcOAbyss Dive Center 52.984.873.2164 www.abyssdivecenter.com

Scuba Playa Dive Shop 52.984.803.3123 www.scubaplaya.com

ReD SeA - eGYPTFly & Sea Dive Adventures 888.995.DIVE(3483) www.redseadiving.ca

Learning Through Travel 516.781.5556 www.learningthroughtravel.com

ROATANCoCo View Resort Roatan 800.282.8932 www.roatan.com

GoRoatan.com 888.405.8737 www.goroatan.com

SeA Of cORTez/SOcORRO ISlANDSRocio Del Mar 602.558.9580 www.rociodelmarliveaboard.com

ST. cROIx (U.S. VIRGIN ISlANDS)BVI Scuba 284.540.2222 www.bviscubaco.com

Cane Bay Dive Shop 340.773.9913 www.canebayscuba.com

Jost Van Dyke 800.778.8066www.jostvandyke.com

ST. kITTSBird Rock Beach Resort 877.244.6285 www.birdrockbeach.com

ST. VINceNTBequia Dive Adventures 784.458.3826 www.bequiadiveadventures.com

THAIlANDSairee Cottage Diving 667.745.6126 www.saireecottagediving.com

TURkS & cAIcOSOasis Divers 649.946.1128 www.oasisdivers.com

BAHAMASSmall Hope Bay Lodge 800.223.6961 www.smallhope.com

SEA DRAGON” DIVE LIVE-ABOARD www.seadragonbahamas.com

Unexso Grand Bahamas 800.992.3483 www.unexso.com

BONAIReCarib Inn +599 717 8819 www.caribinn.com

Divi Resorts 954.545.0269 www.diviresorts.com

Quest Dive Adventures 770.992.8414 www.questdive.com

BRITISH VIRGIN ISlANDNV Yacht Charters 443.829.8576 www.nvcharters.com

cAYMAN ISlANDSDivetech@Cobal Coast Dive Resort 888.946.5656 divetech.com cobaltcoast.com

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

cOzUMelBlueBubbleScuba 987.872.4240 www.bluebubble.com

Island DreamsTravel 800.346.6116 www.divetrip.com

Scuba Du 310.684.5556 www.scubadu.com

cURAcAOOcean Encounters 800.932.6237 www.oceanencounters.com

fIJIBeqa Lagoon Resort 800.542.3454 www.beqalagoonresort.com

Beyond the Reef 691.350.3483 www.diveyap.com

Dolphin Bay Divers Retreat 679.992.4001 dolphinbaydivers.com

Lalati 877.750.0233 www.lalatifiji.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

flORIDAConch Republic (800) 274-3483 www.conchrepublicdivers.com

GAlAPAGOSDivencounters Alliance 877.323.DIVE www.divencounters.com

Sea Dragon Bahamas Diving

dive direCtory tropiCaL dive direCtory

23WaNt to support LoCaL diviNg iN your part of the gLobe? emaiL [email protected]!

Force-E Scuba Pompano Beach (954) 943-3483 Charter

Parrot Island Scuba Adventures Pompano Beach (800) 851-9106 Store

Pompano DiveCenter Pompano Beach (954) 788-0208 Store

Scuba Network Pompano Beach (954) 785-0399 Store

Force-E Scuba Riviera Beach (561) 845-2333 Charter

Ocean Quest Scuba Riviera Beach (561) 776-5974 Store

Pura Vida Divers Singer Island (888) 3348-3972 Store

Depth Perception Tampa (813) 689-3483 Store

Scuba Haven Tampa (813) 972-4455 Store

Adventures Under the Sea Tampa (813) 875-2376 Store

Conch Republic Divers Tavernier (800) 274-3483 Store/Charter

Narcosis Scuba Center Tarpon Springs (727) 934-6474 Store/Charter

Florida West Scuba & Charters Venice (941) 483-3483 Charter

Blue Grotto Williston (352) 528-5770 Store/Diving

GEORGIA

Dolphin Dive Center Athens (706) 548-3483 Store

Adventure Dive Center, LLC Albany (229) 888-3483 Store

The Dive Shop on McEver Gainesville (770) 503-0040 Store

Dive Dive Dive, Inc. Lawrenceville (678) 407-2442 Store

The Dive Shop Marietta (770) 973-7909 Store

Wet Set Scuba & Travel Stockbridge (770) 389-9949 Store

Diver’s Den Georgia Saint Marys (912) 882-7078 Store/Charter

South Georgia Dive Charters Saint Marys (912) 882-7078 Store/Charter

LOUISIANA

Underwater Adventures Baton Rouge (225) 927-3483 Store/Charter

Red River Scuba Bossier City (318) 629-3483 Store

Mike’s Dive Center Lake Charles (337) 430-0073 Store

True Blue Watersports Lake Charles (337) 310-1681 Store

Harry’s Dive Shop Metairie (504) 888-4882 Store/Charter

Scuba Ventures Shreveport (318) 222-3483 Charter

Coral Reef Dive Shop Slidell (985) 641-9888 Store/Charter

NORTH CAROLINA

Black Jack Tech Diving Aberdeen (910) 426-3483 Store

Atlantis Charters Atlantic Beach www.atlantischarters.net 6pack Charter

Discovery Diving Co. Beaufort (252) 728-2265 Store/Charter

Poseydon Dive Center Beaufort (252) 504-3483 Store/Charter

Cape Fear Dive Center Carolina Beach (910) 458-7390 Store/Charter

Dive Hatteras Frisco (703) 818-1850 Charter

Air Hogs Scuba Garner (919) 747-9021 Store

Outer Banks Diving Hatteras (252) 986-1056 Charter

Triad Divers Supply High Point (336) 886-8808 Store

Aquatic Pleasures Kings Mountain (704) 734-1174 Store

Diver Style Scuba Monroe (704) 219-0198 Store

Olympus Dive Center Morehead City (252) 726-9432 Store/Charter

Divin’ Dawgs New Bern (252) 638-3432 Store

Ghost Fleet Dive Charters Wanchese (252) 491-8475 Store/Charter

Rum Runner Dive Shop Winterville (252) 439-4390 Store/Charter

SOUTH CAROLINA

Charleston Scuba Charleston (843) 763-3483 Store/Charter

Upstate Scuba Clemson (864) 653-3483 Store

Columbia Scuba, Inc. Columbia (803) 788-9166 Store/Charter

Bermuda Triangle Greenville (864) 286-3483 Store

Low Country Scuba Mount Pleasant (843) 884-1500 Store/Charter

Coastal Scuba N. Myrtle Beach (800) 249-9388 Charter

Off The Wall Charters, Inc. Salem (864) 944-9255 Charter

VIRGINIA

Adventure Scuba Company Chantilly (703) 263-0427 Store

THEDRYSUIT DIVER’SLOGBOOK

THEWETSUIT DIVER’SLOGBOOK

WET=FEWER DIVES DRY=MORE DIVESDrysuit divers stay warm and dry every dive.And that means more adventures for your logbook.

Download a barcode scanner app on your smartphone to scan the QR code, or visitDUI-ONLINE.COM/LOGBOOK

Scan here to seewhy you shoulddive dry in DUI.You could win aDUI tiny towel!

DIVE DRY. DIVE DUI .

dec 2011 vol 1. issue 12

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