dec 2011 vol 15. issue 12

Volume 15 Issue 12

$1.95 US/$2.25 Canada

DIVE LOCALLY WHERE IT REALLY MATTERS

DECEMBER 2011

BonaireSecond Time’s A Charm

Growing with Your FamilyKids sEA CAMP

NAWKWAKTO RAPIDSLife in the Fastlane

SAN JUANISLANDSLand of Winter Rains and Fog

2 We support our local dive shops - Without them We Will not have a dive industry.

Kaui

Hawaii

Maui

Land of Aloha

Dolphins and Manta Rays and Reefs - Oh my!

Hawaii

Jack's Diving Locker 800.345.4807

www.jacksdivinglocker.com

Capt Charley Neal's Scuba Shack877.213.4488

www.scubashack.com

Ed Robinson's Diving Adventures800.635.1273

www.mauiscuba.com

Seasport Divers800.685.5889

www.seasportdivers.com

Deception Pass Marine Park

Keystone Jetty

Langley Tire Reef

Come Explore Whidbey Island’s Dive-rse Culture (both above and below the surface)

•Oak Harbor

•Coupeville

•Greenbank

•Langley

•Clinton

Posession Sound

Puget Sound

Admiralty Inlet

Saratoga Passage

Penn Cove

Crescent Harbor

Skagit Bay

Strait of Juan de Fuca

Domino’s Pizza360.679.4141

www.dominos.com

Come visit our diver friendly businesses

Flyers Restaurant & Brewery360.675.5858

www.eatatflyers.com

Whidbey Island Dive Center360.675.1112

www.whidbeydive.com

Thrive Community Fitness360.675.2600

thrivecommunityfitness.com

O.H. Chamber of Commerce360.675.3755

oakharborchamber.com

33

decemBer 2011 in this issue

Northwest Dive NewsThe complete resource for what’s happening

in diving in the Pacific Northwest. P.O. Box 1494

Oak Harbor, WA 98277Phone (360) 240-1874

Fax (360) 279-1814www.nwdivenews.com

Publisher and Editor Rick Stratton

[email protected]

EditorJamie Farris

[email protected]

Production ManagerIJ James

[email protected] Graphic Designer

TJ Pierzchala [email protected]

Expo CoordinatorSelene Peterson

[email protected] Travel Editor

Jett & Kathryn Britnell

Accounts ManagerTove Chatham

[email protected]

Advertising SalesRoosevelt Rumble

(360) 240-1874 [email protected]

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 NOTICENWDN 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 SUBSCRIPTIONNWDN 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.

NORTHWEST US DIVES

Editor’s Note ......................................4Incoming Mail ....................................5Hot News ...........................................6DOG Rally Recap ..........................8-9Edmonds Lingcods .....................10-11EXPO Speaker Series ...............12-13

MONTHly COlUMNSDAN/Medical Column ......................26Mystery Critter .................................27BoatingRegulations .........................28Gear Box .........................................29Dive Directory .............................30-31Tropical Dive Directory ...............30-31

NORTHWEST CANADA DIVES

sign up for our neW e-suBscription at WWW.diveneWsnetWork.com

12 Diving in the Land of Winter Rains and FogA row of cozy little cabins line the beach at West Beach Resort on Orcas Island WA and there’s no more intimate way to spend a few icy winter dive days than to occupy one. The San Juan Islands take on a completely different personality in winter. Allow writer Kevin Parkhurst to walk you leisurely through one of the best winter dive destinations on the Bucket List…the San Juan Islands. By Kevin Parkhurst

◄ Photo by Scott Lundy This little guy caught Scott’s attention

while diving in the San Juans. Scott recently started Rapture of the Deep Digital Media. Their passion is to provide friends and clients with only the highest quality photography, videography, and advertising material. They love spending every moment behind the lens or underwater, and we know it shows. We thank Scott for sharing his passion with us. Check out more on Scott and Rapture of the Deep at www.raptureofthedeep.net.

16 Nakwakto Rapids: Life in the FastlaneThe raging torrent of seawater that surges daily through Nakwakto Rapids is a sight to behold. It is a liquid maelstrom of a maximum tidal exchange in Nakwakto’s diminutive 300-metre wide channel that evokes visions of Greek Gods arguing. Join husband and wife writing team Jett and Kathryn Britnell as they explore one of British Columbia’s most fierce dive and exciting dive sites. By Jett & Kathryn Britnell

TROPICAl DESTINATIONS

26 Kids Sea Camp: Growing with Your FamilyKids Sea Camp Family Dive Adventures is a dive adventure that literally grows with your kids. Kid’s Sea Camp Dive Adventures is what is next for kids who want to continue to learn and grow in the sport of diving. Join Publisher Rick Stratton as he and his daughter Amanda learn just how much further she can go as she dives into the sport of scuba.By Rick Stratton

24 Bonaire: The Second Time’s A Charm With its pristine reefs and diverse marine life Bonaire gives the diver an opportunity to see an environment untouched and unspoiled. I couldn’t wait to get back after my first trip last November so when my daughter, Amanda, and I were invited back to take part in the Kids Sea Camp I jumped at the chance. Join me as I show you that some things are definitely better the second time around. By Rick Stratton

TROPICAl EVENTS

puBlisher’s note do you have an opinion? contact us: [email protected]

www.nwdivenews.com4 Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 4 check out our neW WeBsite: WWW.diveneWsnetWork.com

Inspiring Conservation of our Marine Environment

12th Annual Seattle Aquarium Octopus Census

CENSUS: January 14-16, 2012Help us learn more about Puget Sound’s Giant Pacifi c

Octopus population and environment.

Meet us at:• Redondo Beach, Des MoinesSaturday, January 14 • 9am – 1pm • Cove 2 Alki, West SeattleSunday, January 15 • 9am – 1pm

For more information about the census and to submit your data visit seattleaquarium.org.

Welcome to the December edition of Northwest Dive News. 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 nearly every booth reported strong results.

For us, the show was fantastic. We had a fantastic opportunity to interact with the divers and dealers. It was great to get feedback about our magazine and regional approach. For the most part, the feedback was great. The readers we spoke with love our local approach, support for dive clubs, and focus on local diving.

Since we were in Florida anyway, we sent our Southeast Regional Sales Manager, Keath Allen, to check out the local hot spots, specifically cave country. Keath had a great time. Stay tuned for Keath’s article online soon! After Keath visited cave country he traveled up to Clearwater Springs for the DUI DOG Rally event. As you probably know, we co-sponsored the entire DUI DOG Rally tour. We were lucky enough to attend nearly every rally. We had a great time attending the events and meeting our readers across the country.

As the dive season winds down and the holiday season approaches, 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 (Divers Alert Network) and the DOGs themselves, but we are especially grateful for the local dive retailer. We recognize the sacrifices in owning a small business, and we appreciate the time and effort you put forth to advocate for the local diver. And of course we are grateful for our local divers. Your commitment to the sport and your love of diving inspires us.

What an amazing year for all of us! This summer/fall season has reinforced the importance of relationships in life and business for me, and I’ve been reminded the most important things in life are the people (and businesses) who are there for you!

Happy diving. Rick Strattonfacebook.com/Rick.Stratton1twitter.com/nedivenews, twitter.com/[email protected]

The group from the DUI DOG Rally in Clearwater Springs.Photo by Keath Allen

Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 www.nwdivenews.com 555We support local divers - local divers support the industry.

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Great time divinG dry!Diving dry was a concept that has only recently come to

reality. I was certified in Seattle in Puget Sound in 52 degree water several years ago. Living in the Pacific Northwest I naturally continued to dive in this area, almost always in my 5 or 7mm wetsuit. This includes the annual Polar Bear dive in the Columbia River where the water temp usually approaches 33 degrees. For years members of my local dive club have laughed as I continue to dive in the cold water with my wetsuit while they remained warm and toasty. This year however, I took advantage of one of DUI’s demos/rally. I was on vacation on the Oregon coast at the same time DUI was at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. I took advantage and made my first aquarium and drysuit dive. The staff was awesome, but I left that experience with the same feeling as diving in my wetsuit.

As you can tell, I had a seal leak in the neck and reached a familiar state of diving wet. However, due to the great staff we talked through the experience and I decided to give it another shot. That experience went well and that gave me the encouragement to buy dry. After the experience with DUI I could only come to one solution, and that was to buy a DUI Drysuit. After a lot of discussion with many divers, I selected the CLX450. I also purchased the weight system...which I love. I now have three additional dives in the suit with many more planned. I can’t believe I waited this long to dive dry! Many thanks to DUI for their support and encouragement. I will not turn back and am already thinking about my next drysuit. I have already given Santa my wish list for the Flex Extreme. I love the zip seals and I Love My DUI.

Note the smiles after my most recent Columbia River dive. Thank you DUI.Chuck ForresterWest Richland, WashingtonSent from my iPad

Hi rick and keatH, I just wanted to share this with you. This is a

perfect example of what the DUI DOG Rallies are all about. I thought you might enjoy seeing this.

Susan Long

dear SuSan and cHuck, Thank you for sharing! We loved supporting the DUI DOG Rallies

this year as we know our mission to support local diving falls in line with DUI’s mission to support local divers!

Looking forward to next year!Rick

Rick Strattonfacebook.com/Rick.Stratton1twitter.com/nedivenews, twitter.com/[email protected]

monthly articles incoming mail

Chuck Forrester in his DUI Suit! Photo courtesy of Chuck

hot neWs get your business noticed by sending us your neWs/events: [email protected]

www.nwdivenews.com6 Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 6 send us your neWs/events free at [email protected]

PorPoiSe Bay cHarterS HeadS out on exPo Prize triP

Porpoise Bay Charters will be closed the last 2 weeks of January and the 1st 2 weeks of February because they are heading out to enjoy the fruits of their labor. They are going to Fiji on a trip that they won at last year’s Tacoma Dive & Travel Expo. See a future edition of Northwest Dive News for the full story on their trip. Congrats Porpoise Bay Charters and enjoy! www.porpoisebaycharters.com

Pacific nortHweSt ScuBa GrouP celeBrateS tHe Holiday

Pacific Northwest Scuba Group is hosting their yearly Christmas Ship night dive and dinner on Dec. 10. They will meet at Cove II for an early night dive then get out of the water in time to stand around the bonfire and watch the arrival of the Christmas Ships performance at Seacrest. The event will be topped off with dinner at Saltys. If you are interested in finding out more about winter diving you can contact Kevin www.meetup.com/PNW-Scuba.

a new dive SHoP comeS to aSHland

The Triton Ocean Outfitters is a new dive shop in Ashland, OR. The new dive shop is run by Joel Markis. Markis has10 years’ experience as a biologist and commercial diver in Alaska. Triton Ocean Outfitters is a full service shop with air, rentals, training, and sales. They are open M-Sat. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. For more info email [email protected].

a new dive SHoP exPandS: PromotinG GirlS and divinGGirlDiver International is a local

Business in Auburn, Washington geared towards promoting diving

as a sport for girls. Because a girl should be able to dive all day and look HOT in a little black dress at dinner. GirlDiver International is promoting the sport of scuba to women of all ages...all over the globe! They are dedicated to promoting the recreational sport of SCUBA

diving to women and doing so with instruction, travel, retreats

and soft goods. Who says you can’t dive all day and look great in a little

black dress at dinner? For more info visit [email protected].

Get wet ScuBa & aquaSPortS invade nortH Bend Get Wet Scuba & Aquasports

has opened in North Bend, OR. They are a full service dive shop offering snorkel equipment, kayaks and stand up paddle boards, dry bags and boxes for any kind of water related activity as well as personal flotation devices and even great sun care products for the land lovers. Visit them soon and welcome them to the dive community. For more info visit www.getwetscuba.net.

Pacific nw reef offerS fiSHinarSMissed REEF’s Fishinars? Fear

not! There is hope! They know that not everyone’s schedule allow for participation in the Fishinars, so they’ve done the next best thing - put the classes into four 30 min. videos viewable by Mac or PC. These are great for review or brushing up your

skills as well as delving into Fish ID for the first time. View the archives at www.reef.org/resources/webinars.

wind and tide BookStore iS under new manaGement The Wind and Tide Bookstore is under

new management and is now offering a book ordering service for divers. They can find any publication for you with convenient in-store pick-up. Wind and Tide Bookstore has been serving the local community of Oak Harbor, WA for many years and Karen Mueller, the new owner, is looking forward to continuing that great service. For more info call (360) 675-1342.

underwater exPloration SPeaker/tour SerieS The Underwater Exploration Speaker

Tour Series continues with meetings on the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Maritime Museum of BC, Bastion Square, Victoria. On Dec14 Marine Life and Coastal Fishes of the Pacific Northwest author Andy Lamb will speak. Lamb is the author of several books on marine life and coastal fishes of the Pacific Northwest. He is a marine naturalist who has worked as both Chief Collector and Education Coordinator at the Vancouver Aquarium, and as a fish culturist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Lamb will entertain with his humorous diving stories and wealth of marine life knowledge. For Further Information Contact John Middleton at (250) 743-4495 or Jacques Marc at (250) 474-5797 www.uasbc.com.

oreGon ScuBa cluB announceS tHeir new vice PreSidentPresident elect Jeff Groth of The Oregon Scuba Club feels that the Vice-President position is critical to a smooth running club. He is happy to announce, after much begging on his part, Jacqueline Marcotte has agreed to be the clubs VP for the next year. Some of you will remember

her as the archaeologist who gave the presentation on underwater archaeology at the Vancouver waterfront. Thank you Jacqueline. For more info www.oregonscuba.com

tHe Seattle aquarium – toddler timeThe Seattle Aquarium is announcing Toddler Time on Dec. 5, 6, 12,

13, Jan. 2, 3, 9, 10, Feb. 6, 7, 13 and March 5, 6, 12 and 13 from 9:30

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cluB meetings & events do you want your event listed here? contact us: [email protected]


decemBerDec 1: GSNDAMBAA Dive Club,

6 p.m., Edmonds Underwater Sports, Edmonds, WA. www.gsndambaa.org

Dec 1: Northwest Dive Club, 6:30 p.m., Salem, OR. www.salemscuba.com

Dec 1: Oregon Scuba Club, 7 p.m., Newport Seafood Grill, Rigard, OR. www.oregonscuba.com

Dec 5: Eugene Dive Club, 7p.m., Mookie’s NW Grill on Seneca, Eugene, OR. www.eugenediveclub.com

Dec 6: 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

Dec 7: Emerald Sea Dive Club, 7 p.m., Shawn O’Donnell’s Irish Pub & Restaurant, Everett, WA. www.emeraldseadiveclub.org

Dec 7: Marker Buoy Dive Club, 7 p.m., Sunset Hill Community Center, Seattle, WA. www.markerbuoydiveclub.org

Dec 7: Puget Sound Depth Charters, 6 p.m., Louie G’s Pizza and Pasta, Fife, WA. www.psdepthchargers.com

Dec 12: Napa Valley Divers , 7 p.m., Fillippi’s Pizza Grotto, Napa, CA. www.napavalleydivers.com

Dec 13: Portland Sea Searchers, 7 p.m., Portland OR. (503) 709-9306

D e c 1 3 : Ya k i m a D i v e C l u b , 6:30 p.m., El Porton, Yakima, WA. yakimadiveclub.sharepointspace.com

D e c 2 0 : A t o m i c D u c k s D i v e Club Channel Dive. Details online www.duckdiveclub.org.

Dec 20: Kelp Krawlers Dive Club, 7 p.m. River’s Edge Bar & Grille, Tumwater, WA. www.kelpkrawlers.org.

Dec 22: Northwest Adventure Divers, 7p.m., Golden Steer Restaurant, Kent, WA. www.nwadveturedivers.com.

Dec 22: Sea Horses Scuba Club, 6 p.m., Round Table Pizza, Redmond, WA. www.seahorsediveclub.com.

D e c 2 7 : To o o o s d a y n i g h t a t Alki! Brrrrrrrrrrrgers and beer post d i v e w i t h M o s s B a y D i v e C l u b , 6:00 p.m., Alki Cove 2, Seattle, WA. www.meetup.com/MossBayDiveClub

JanuaryJan 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., Fil l ippi’s Pizza Grotto, Napa, 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.

J a n 2 4 : To o o o s d a y n i g h t a t Alki! Brrrrrrrrrrrgers and beer post d i v e w i t h M o s s B a y D i v e C l u b , 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.

604.514.8190www.langleydiving.com/

LEARN • GEAR UP • DIVEWe are BC’s most modern dive

centre and offer the equipment, courses and dive opportunities

for all levels and ages.

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VANCOUVER ISLANDDIVER FRIENDLY!

CALL: 250.335.2342www.twoeagleslodge.com

12 waterfront acres near world famous dive sites.

Private entrances & baths.

24/7 access to kitchenand lounge

a.m.-noon. Kids bring your adult to Toddler Time. Come on up to the classroom for this drop-in program with activity stations, storytelling, songs and games. And for an extra treat on Toddler Time days: the 12:15 Window on Washington Waters Dive Show will be especially for the kids! Toddler Time is geared towards children age 5 and younger, accompanied by an adult. For more info visit www.seattleaquarium.org.

divinG Santa & live muSicAt the Seattle Aquarium on Saturdays

and Sundays from Nov. 26 – Dec. 18 spend some time with family and friends relaxing at the Aquarium! Come see Santa diving in the Window on Washington Waters exhibit at noon and 3p.m. Enjoy live musical performances by local groups, 1:30-2:45 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 10: Chief Sealth High School Chamber Ensemble

Sunday, Dec. 11: Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra Horn Trio and Horn/Trumpet Duet

Saturday, Dec. 17: Ray Larsen Group (Jazz)

Sunday, Dec.18: Carmen Rothwell Group (Jazz)

Winter Break Fantastic Fishtival, Dec. 26, 2011 – January 1, 2012

The Aquarium’s admission gate is open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with the exhibits closing at 6 p.m. For more info visit www.seattleaquarium.org.

Great inSide SaleS oPPortunity for Proven dive travel ProfeSSional

San Diego based company h a s a g r e a t o p p o r t u n i t y for a dynamic, energetic and

hungry inside dive travel agent professional who has a unique ability to sell worldwide scuba diving vacations and adventure travel. Candidate will possess a unique blend of sales and customer service. Company is looking for a self-motivated individual that is highly experienced in all aspects of dive travel, extremely proficient in worldwide airline bookings and has a deep passion to serve the travel needs of groups, dive stores, associations, individual divers and their companions.

This dynamic “Closer” will manage existing in-house accounts, handle new leads daily and monitor the social media avenues for additional lead opportunities. Must have a proven high percentage of closing sales. This sales position is full time inside sales with base salary plus commissions.

If you fit this profile and want to join a successful team of agents, please email your resume to [email protected] Knowledge of Sabre and/or Worldspan helpful.

In late Sept. divers from Anacortes Diving and Supply (ADS) found a snagged gillnet on Kyen Point, one of the most popular sites in

Barkley Sound. After a little bit of research it was discovered that the net was NOT reported by the gillnetter who lost it. For the divers this was frustrating because they usually have a good relationship and experience with the gillnetters, yet here was an unreported lost net.

The divers from ADS called the Conservation and Protection Intelligence and Investigation Services Unit from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and they stated that they would try to remove it after the weekend; however, the weather turn bad and storms prevented them from removing it. The thing is they should never have to worry about removing it in the first place.

As stewards and active volunteers in Barkley Sound, ADS just like other dive shops, keep in touch with DFO and set up a game plan to help them with the diving aspect of removing derelict gear. When

they went back to get the gillnet in this instance they ended up seeing a lot of dead fish, marine birds and crabs caught up in the net. The divers managed to free a few that were still alive but there was a loss of life that didn’t have to happen.

Local divers Kathy Johnson and Peter Mieras of Rendezvous Dive Adventures (www.rendezvousdiving.com) did the diving and the DFO people pulled up by hand as they removed the net below. The net was removed. In the end 200+ lbs. of unremoved net cost approximately 100 dead animals. In this instance, the divers are continuing to talk with the local DFO to investigate a net ID and report system to be attached to licensing conditions but more needs to be done. Currently there is a derelict gear removing program but more divers need to get involved.

In 1999, the Northwest Straits Commission held a workshop for managers and scientists to discuss gaps in marine research and action for Puget Sound. Workshop participants identified the need to better understand the relationship between derelict fishing gear and declining marine species in Puget Sound. Subsequent discussions with agencies, tribes, and fishermen confirmed the need and the Commission received its first grant for a pilot derelict gear removal project in 2001. With this seed money, the Commission worked with state agencies and local organizations to develop diver training protocols and identify priorities for gear removal activities. Building on this, in 2002 the Washington State Legislature passed SB 6313 to establish the components of a derelict fishing gear program in Puget Sound.

The legislation called for the development of a database, protocols for removal and disposal, and an evaluation of methods to reduce further losses. While these are baby steps towards ensuring that will ensure that there is no more loss of life due to the derelict gear it is up to those of us who share the waters with the natural sea life who need to make further efforts to save the marine life from carelessness. Get involved…it’s the least we can do. For more info visit www.derelictgear.org. ■

www.nwdivenews.com8 Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 8 local divers do it doWn and dirty

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Where did you dive yesterday? email us: [email protected] neWs/events

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Recently, PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer Chris Knight from Aaron’s Dive Shop in Kailua came across some dive treasure at

Shark’s Cove dive site in North Shore, Hawaii and it wasn’t your run of the mill treasure. What Knight came across was a perfectly good, fully functioning AERIS F.10 Freediving Computer Watch.

Knight knew that the owner of the watch was probably crushed that he had lost this expensive piece of dive equipment, so he decided to find the owner. Knight contacted AERIS to track down the owner. Many AERIS owners register their new equipment which would have made tracking down the owner of the watch easy except that the dive watch was never registered by the owner; still Knight and AERIS didn’t give up. AERIS used all their resources and tracked the owner down. They contacted the dive shop that had sold the watch two years earlier and asked that they look up the original receipt. They also checked the local Hawaiian craigslist.org website in its lost and found section. Finally after three days their efforts paid off and Knight was able to reunite the dive computer with a very happy owner named Derek who was an experienced freediver from Kailua, Hawaii.

Derek was very pleased to have his dive computer returned to him so quickly and that both Knight and AERIS had put so much effort into finding him so they could return his watch. Derek has freedived popular Hawaii dive sites such as the Corsair airplane wreck using the F-10 dive computer as well as freediving to depths of over 100 ft. He hadn’t known where he had lost the watch but had figured it was lost. Now Derek has his watch and Knight as well as his crew at Aaron’s Dive Shop, which is celebrating their 40th anniversary, can also celebrate helping a fellow diver reconnect with his lost treasure. For more info on Aaron’s Dive Shop visit www.hawaii-scuba.com. ■

PADI Instructor Chris (left) returning dive computer to freediver Derek (right) at Aaron’s Dive Shop, in Kailua,

Hawaii. Photo courtesy Aaron’s Dive Shop:

www.nwdivenews.com10 Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 10 dive locally - Where it really matters

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Of all the skills a diver needs to truly understand proper weighting is perhaps the most important to ensure a safe and good dive experience. This year at

the 2012 Dive and Travel Expo to be held April 21-22 at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center in Tacoma, WA. Bruce Justinen, owner of Sea Soft Scuba based in Auburn, WA, intends to help dives understand the basics of buoyancy and proper weighting.

Justinen will be hosting a seminar to help divers understand there is more to buoyancy than strapping on a belt and jumping in. After 27 years in the dive industry and personal experience as a diver, Justinen is the kind of guy you want helping you.

“The seminar is really an educational experience,” Justinen says. “I want to get people to think about buoyancy and what is needed to be properly weighted. For instance divers have no idea how much their tanks weigh both full and empty.

They think, depending on the material the tank is made out of, the weight exchange is different. We ask a question during the seminars: which tank do you think you have to compensate more for aluminum or steel? Almost everyone, including instructors say aluminum and that’s incorrect, because they are the same.”

Justinen goes on to point out “Typically people either don’t understand the process of figuring out buoyancy based on more than the basic formulas or they don’t take into account all the variables.”

“I try and give folks a good idea of what all is involved,” Justinen says. “I have been diving for a very long time so I am familiar with all of the methods for determining what to do to ensure that your buoyancy is where it needs to be. A lot of divers, for instance start their dives off breathing heavy and don’t realize they are losing the first 1000 psi to just that. Divers often start off their dives by putting on all their gear, heavy tanks, fins, getting into a drysuit and all in the excitement of the dive itself. By the time they get into the water they are breathing so hard that they are using up their air supply.” Justinen tells us the best lesson in weighting is ‘Don’t go into the water until you are breathing normally.’

Justinen has run Sea Soft Scuba, a scuba gear manufacturing company long enough to understand how important it is to ensure you have proper buoyancy in order to get the most out of your dive experience. His company has recently begun manufacturing drysuits in the Pacific Northwest so they can meet the needs of cold water divers right here at home. For Justinen, understanding buoyancy goes hand in hand when determining which type of suit you are using as well.

“Diver safety is too important to not understand something like weighting,” Justinen says. “This is what makes the seminars so important, visitors will get honest information about how to make their dives safer and how to ensure that they are getting the most out of the experience. Weighting sounds like a small thing but it really can make all the difference in what you get out of the sport on a regular basis.”■

Bruce JustinenSeasoft Scuba

KnOWing PrOPEr WEighting

Northwest Dive News JANUARY 2011 www.nwdivenews.com 11111111We support our local dive shops - Without them We Will not have a dive industry.

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It is one of the things nearly every diver wants to do: take underwater photos. Descibing a dive with just words can be

difficult, and photos seem to be the only way to do the sport justice. But what if you aren’t a professional photographer? This year at the Dive & Travel Expo, April 21-22 at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center in Tacoma, WA, divers will get a course in how to use a compact camera to take amazing photos.

CEO of Backscatter, Jim Decker is one of the top experts in the world on underwater photo and video equipment and shooting technique and he is bringing that expertise to the Dive & Travel show. “A lot of divers just have a regular compact camera to take photos with,” Decker says. “There are a lot of instances where the housing or the set up in general can get in the way of that perfect shot. Our seminar, “How to Get the Most out of Your Compact Camera” will provide divers some techniques that will help get around those issues.”

From SLRs to compacts and handycams to broadcast video, Decker has shot video and photo systems from all the major underwater manufacturers and has been a consultant on many of the designs seen in the water today. Decker has also consulted with many professional photographers, production companies, resorts, and magazines including Mythbusters, Discovery Channel, Sport Diver Magazine, Scuba Diving Magazine, Into the Drink, National Geographic, Freshwaters Illustrated, and many more. “This seminr is our way of bringing our professional experience to the regular diver,” Decker says. “We hope that, by the end of the seminar, divers will understand the basics and then some.” ■

Decker’s company, Backscatter located in Monterey, CA is the largest underwater photography shop in the world. He has conducted seminars at previous Dive & Travel shows and provided hands on instruction.

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sAn JuAn islAndsDiving in the Land of Winter Rains and Fog

A diver spies the amazing life the San Juan Islands has to boast. Photo by Scott Lundy

Special thanks to Scott Lundy for sharing his amazing

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13We support local divers - local divers support the industry.

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By Kevin Parkhurst

Warm northwest summer days all too soon give way

to drippy fog shrouded Fall and Winter mornings and long after most divers have left their gear in the garage to dry out until spring there remains a diehard group of dedicated individuals who understand that the best diving of the year lies below a surface that is be speckled with droplets given birth by the gray skies above.

Diving this time of year takes more planning than seasons left behind but the rewards are well worth the effort. Gone with the sunshine is the algae blooms that cut visibility to inches during the summer, also gone is the extreme tidal changes and rapid currents characteristic of summer, additionally most peoples schedules settle down allowing us more time to enjoy aspects of diving that we all to often neglect.

Instead of rushing out the door on a summer morning for a quick dive at a close beach and then running home to mow the lawn we spend more time, we drive further, take ferry rides; meet for breakfast before the dive or lunch or dinner afterwards. A comfy chair in a coffee house with hot espresso and friends is the perfect way to warm up after a dive and many locations offer this. Dive mornings become dive days and often become dive trips.

sAn JuAn islAnds

weSt BeacH reSort – Back in divinGWest Beach Resort, located on Orcas Island, a staple in the San Juan Islands

for decades throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s is looking to reconnect with the Pacific Northwest dive community, According to owner Jamey Hance, the resort has a deep history in the dive community and would like to have them come back to the resort. The resort sits on 11 beautiful acres with 20 cozy beach front cabins and a small marina, perfect for a weekend getaway. For more information – see www.westbeachresort.com

Photo by Scott Lundy

www.nwdivenews.com14 Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 14 local divers do it more often

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One of my favorite winter dive days is a road trip to Port Townsend. We’ll leave early in the morning and catch the ferry at Edmonds or Seattle. Eat breakfast on the ferry and drive straight to Port Townsend where we will dive the jetty or dive for bottles and treasure. With our Memory cards full of pictures or our goody bags full of crab or fish and old bottles and treasure liberated from the years of sea mud that enshrouded them we are out of the water by around 11:00am, we then head to town and have a great lunch at one of the wonderful local restaurants and just take in all this historic seaport has to offer. Next we start the first leg of our journey home by getting on the ferry to Keystone where we do our second dive of the day.

The Keystone Jetty is one of the great dives of Whidbey Island and shouldn’t be missed. In the winter the sun will be getting pretty low at this time so dive lights will be necessary but the sea life on the jetty explodes with color under the beam of our dive lights. After this we head to Clinton and catch the ferry to Mukilteo where we take in a slow



Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 www.nwdivenews.com 151515We support our local dive shops - Without them We Will not have a dive industry.

Where did you dive yesterday? email us: [email protected] san Juans

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dinner at the Diamond Knot Brewery replete with sizzling meat on one of their hot stones, cold beer and great conversation with friends.

A row of cozy little cabins line the beach at West Beach Resort on Orcas Island WA. There’s no more intimate way to spend a few icy winter dive days than to occupy one of these quaint little cabins with friends or loved ones and venture out on dive excursions. The San Juan Islands take on a completely different personality in winter. It’s peaceful and slow.

The visibility in the waters of the San Juans can easily be over 100 feet this time of year. With an abundance of sea life and the amazing and varied bottom topography the diving is hard to beat. Back on shore the cabin is warm. I can still smell the coffee perking on the stove as the rain rhythmically drums the roof. My lifelong buddy Pat who fancies himself a gourmet broiled some steaks and then smothers them in freshly caught crab meat and homemade hollandaise sauce. A roaring bonfire can often be found at the fire pit next to the beach and it’s guaranteed that I will be playing my guitar there if not too many people complain…

There are those who would rather I keep the secret of the best time of year to go diving the Pacific Northwest but all good things will ultimately be found out so if anyone asks you why you’re diving in this time of year just tell that that I turned you on to “Diving in the land of Winter Rains and Fog”

T h e w r i t e r o f this article is Kevin Parkhurst who’s most recent winter event was to set up a night dive event that included the Argosy Christmas Ships arrival at Seacrest Cove I, A raging beach bond fire was capped off with a group dinner at Salty’s on Alki. If you are interested in finding out more about winter diving you can contact Kevin through his dive club the Pacific Northwest Scuba Group by going here: www.meetup.com/PNW-Scuba/

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By Jett & Kathryn Britnell

Bubble, bubble, roil and trouble fittingly describes the raging torrents of seawater that surges daily through Nakwakto

Rapids. We had timed our arrival to witness the liquid maelstrom of a maximum tidal exchange in Nakwakto’s diminutive 300-metre wide channel. A steep-sided island named Turret Rock stands defiant against the standing waves that routinely assail its undersea perimeter. Local legend suggests

this tiny islet actually vibrates in the fast flowing currents, giving rise to its more common nickname “Tremble Island!” More likely, this ominous epithet refers to the

involuntary cold shivers that run up and down a scuba divers spine as they are preparing to make a descent there.

Nakwakto Rapids is located approximately 200 miles northwest of Vancouver in a remote section of British Columbia’s coastal mainland, just opposite the north end of Vancouver

Island. The prestigious Guinness Book of World Records has acknowledged Nakwakto Rapids as having “the fastest navigable tidal currents in the world!” – up to 20 miles

per hour during its largest tidal exchanges! These formidable currents arise because Nakwakto’s narrow channel is the only avenue of escape for the tidal water that flows

between Queen Charlotte Strait and several adjoining deep glacier-carved fjords. In fact, the tidal range inside nearby Seymour and Belize inlets never has a

chance to fluctuate more than four feet before the outside tide--more than 14 feet in range--comes roaring back in. However, approximately every

five or six hours the tumultuous water movement swirling around Turret Rock diminishes to a dead calm before reversing its tidal

course. This “slack water” period can last anywhere from a few minutes to just over one half-hour. It is during

this transitory window of time that “experienced divers” are able to obtain a fleeting glimpse of

Turret Rock’s current-swept seascape.

liFE in thE FAst lAnE!Descent into British Columbia’s Nakwakto Rapids

Scuba diving at British Columbia’s

notorious Nakwakto Rapids is

a race against Mother Nature.

The dive plan calls for getting in

and getting out fast, before the

treacherous tidal currents turn

and all hell breaks loose!Rushing water assails Turret Rock about 1 hour

before slack. Copyright by Jett Britnell

Dive skiff. Copyright by Jett Britnell


Where did you dive yesterday? email us: [email protected] naWkWakto rapids

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BrowninG PaSS Hideaway reSort exPandSBrowning Pass Hideaway Resort, located in Port Hardy British Columbia has recently expanded and upgraded its accommodations

for guests and crew by adding a 16 room “accommodation’s suite” to the resort. According to owner, John deBoeck, the new digs greatly improves the quality of the guest experience. Each room now features a full bath, individual heaters and beds for singles or doubles. A second generator & air system has also been added. deBoeck has a separate upgrade planned for spring that will bring a new larger kitchen and dining room to the resort – Great Work John! For more information – see www.vancouverislanddive.com

China Rockfish Copyright by Jett BritnellBrowning Pass’s new expansion.


canadian dive destinations British columBia

Slack water was approaching as we systematically dressed into my dive gear. Nakwakto’s menacing whirlpools and foaming eddies had ebbed to a relative calm. Skillfully steering the dive skiff closer to Turret Rock, the divemaster gave us the thumbs up to plunge. One by one, ten divers splashed into the somber sea. What appeared on the surface to be gloomy and foreboding quickly transformed into an emerald colored sea of kaleidoscopic colors. Underwater visibility was an exceptional 80 feet or more.

“Life in the fast lane” aptly describes the scenic wonder of Nakawkto’s ocean environ. Swaying rope-sized strands of bull kelp brandished their amber fronds toward the surface. Dense thickets of pillow-sized feather duster tube worms, their robust shrub-like stalks freckled with pink brooding anemones, punctuated the rocky substrate.

Fist-sized clumps of day-glow pink soft corals, flame tipped sea slugs, ochre sea stars, mustard-yellow sponge, decorated warbonnets along with several different fish species and sea anemones are just a snippet of the vast assortment of stalwart reef dwellers one can see here.

Stretching out before us a marine life species whose discovery at sub tidal depths here during the late seventies totally baffled marine biologists. Bordering Turret Rock’s underwater perimeter is an immense population of crimson-lipped gooseneck barnacles. Once thought to be exclusive residents of the intertidal zone on exposed surf-pounded coasts, these vibrantly coloured relatives of the common acorn barnacle are flourishing at unheard of depths of 50 feet and beyond. Firmly cemented to the sea bottom, these gooseneck barnacles are growing in such large numbers that they merge to form large ridges.

Convict rockfish Copyright by Jett Britnell

Tremble Island at near slack water.

Copyright by Jett Britnell

Large clusters of gooseneck barnacles are seen in the channel Copyright by Jett Britnell

wHite Sided dolPHinS SiGHted in Port HardyNormally scarce recently, a large pod of white sided dolphins were sighted late last summer by Bill Weeks of God’s Pocket resort, located in Port Hardy. A relatedly rare occupancy lately, the sightings may potentially be a sign that the ecosystem is making a healthy recovery. For more information – see www.godspocket.com


Where did you dive yesterday? email us: [email protected] naWkWakto rapids

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Each clump of these pearly-shelled barnacles contain hundreds of individuals that filter-feed nutrients from the plankton-rich waters.

Nearing the end of our dive, we tucked in behind the island to snap off a few more pictures in the calm respite of the current’s back eddy. The current had reversed and was now accelerating in the opposite direction. Our exhaust bubbles were now percolating through the water column at a much sharper angle to the surface. The sensation of the current’s pull is not unlike the air pressure wave one feels when you

waive their hand outside the window of a car moving at highway speeds. After 32 minutes of bottom time, we ascended and upon surfacing we were greeted by a jubilant chorus of whoops and hollers. Clearly, our intrepid dive buddies were just as thrilled as we were with Nakwakto Rapid’s breath-taking subsea terrain.

Sport divers have been making exploratory descents at Nakwakto Rapids for well over three decades. Thus far, every diver has made it safely back to the dive boat. While it is true that a few divers have misjudged Nakwakto’s trembling tides and tried to remain on the sea floor for too long, the Guinness Book of World

Records has thus far chosen not to establish an award for “the longest surface distance a scuba diver has nervously floated down a tidal channel!” ■

Jett & Kathryn Britnell (jettbritnell.com) are an internationally published husband & wife diving photojournalist team who pursue their mutual interest in traveling on assignment off the beaten path to far flung corners of the globe to capture images and magazine editorial about diving destinations and the magnificent creatures that inhabit the ocean realm.

nakwakto rapids diving information

Getting There:Dive trips to Nakwakto Rapids can

be arranged through several of British Columbia’s experienced dive charter operators. Check with the operator as to their trip itinerary and specific

embarkation point.

Diving Season:March through October

Water Temperatures:Water temperatures average 48 to 52 degrees Fahrenheit. A dry suit or a

7mm wetsuit are recommended.

Dive Charter Operator:Browning Pass HideAway Resort

(250) [email protected]

www.VancouverIslandDive.com

20 local divers do it more often

travel

BONAIReThe Second Time’s A Charm Photos courtesy Kids Sea Camp

By Rick StrattonPublisher, Dive News Network

You know how you see a movie a second time and are amazed by all of the things you missed the first time around…my

trip to Bonaire in September this year was exactly like that!Bonaire, an island located in the southern Caribbean

has quickly become one of my favorite dive destinations. Bonaire, Aruba and Curacao all make up a group referred to as the “ABC islands of the Leeward Antilles” and are located approximately 50 miles north of Venezuela. Calm weather and waters full of marine life makes the Bonaire area a playground for divers. A yearly average temperature is 82 degrees while the water temp sits at a bath water warm 80 degrees makes

the island an any-time-of-the-year dive destination. The reefs are well preserved and offer an amazingly diverse marine community and it is said that Bonaire’s fish population is the most diverse in the Caribbean and ranks among the best anywhere.

Bonaire with its pristine reefs and diverse marine life gives the diver an opportunity to see the environment untouched and unspoiled. I couldn’t wait to get back after my first trip last November so when my daughter, Amanda, and I were invited back I jumped at the chance.

I stayed at the Caribbean Club Bonaire this time around and I was not disappointed by the accommodations. Located north of Kralendijk at the foot of Bonaire’s hills and just steps

Photos courtesy Kids Sea Camp

21We support our local dive shops - Without them We Will not have a dive industry.

Where did you dive yesterday? email us: [email protected] Bonaire

away from some incredible dive sites this was a friendly and affordable place with full resort facilities. They recently added some new condos on site and they were great.

On this second trip to Bonaire I was able to spend some time diving and once again exploring Bonaire. In September the coral spawn so it was incredible that we happen to be there while it was taking place. We dove with Buddy Dive Resorts and their contribution to the trip made it that much better. The staff is friendly and family focused making it a great place to take your family for a dive experience. The facilities were great and Agusto, the dive manager, and Paul, the facilities manager, did an amazing job keeping up. There entire staff was incredible.

One of the really cool experiences I had this go round was the chance to meet the famous Captain Don. Captain Don’s Habitat is a world famous Dive Resort that was founded in 1976 by renowned underwater environmentalist and author Captain Don Stewart. His vision for the perfect dive resort is reflected in the design of the resort. It is water front with a world class

Annie Crawley blows air bubble rings up to a participant at Kids Sea Camp. Photo by Zebedee Wakely

www.nwdivenews.com22 Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 www.nwdivenews.com22 Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 22 local divers do it more often!

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Diving California’s Channel Islands

restaurant on the grounds and right across from where I was staying at the Caribbean Club. I went over to get Captain Don to sign a copy of his book, Reef Windows, a book dedicated to Bonaire’s Dive sites, and had a drink with Jack Chalk the manager of the tiki bar Deco Stop while I waited. What a great experience!

Bonaire is a popular dive destination and when you ask divers where they want to go, often many will tell you Bonaire is on the list. In fact, 90 percent of the travelers who go to Bonaire are divers and over 80 percent are United States based. The island even has a seamless money transfer system in order to cater to US residents.

I would task anyone traveling to Bonaire for diving to attempt to experience it all. There are some very interesting land based activities including hiking and historical tours. There is a Donkey Sanctuary where they house the generations of donkeys who were long ago brought to the island.

In 1993 Dutch Nationals, Marina Melis and her husband Ed Koopman established a donkey sanctuary on Bonaire for sick, wounded and orphaned donkeys. The primary objective of Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire is to offer a sheltered, protected life to all the donkeys of Bonaire. It is a really interesting place to visit.

So if you are looking for a family oriented place to dive and explore while meeting some of the most interesting people, Bonaire is where you want to head. Family - diving - great people - what more could you ask for. ■ Photo courtesy Kids Sea Camp

Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 www.nwdivenews.com 23Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 www.nwdivenews.com 232323local divers don’t Just dive locally - they dive gloBally!


Rick Stratton and his daughter Amanda at Kid’s Sea Camp in Bonaire. Photo courtesy Kids Sea Camp

By Rick StrattonPublisher, Dive News Network

Kids Sea Camp Family Dive Adventures is a dive adventure that literally grows with your kids. My 12 year old daughter Amanda

and I had a week in Bonaire recently where she and I not only spent family time diving but Amanda furthered her diving experience through the Kid’s Sea Camp program; she got to dive and I got to wear the cool dad hat for a while.

As parents who dive most of us want our kids to learn so they can experience the incredible sport that we all love so much. The problem is we are also parents, so we are concerned about safety and the quality of the training. For a long time there wasn’t a way to get your kids certified let alone a program that would grow with them but 11 years ago Margo Peyton completely changed the sport. She decided to make scuba diving and travel, a family affair. Peyton combined fun, safety, kid training and came up with a gift for scuba parents, and grandparents everywhere…a family dive vacation.

In July, Amanda and I packed our suitcases, stowed our gear and headed off to Buddy Dive Resort Bonaire with Kids Sea Camp. It was great and I was interested in what else I could do through Kid’s Sea Camp; imagine my excitement when I discovered the adventure for Amanda and I didn’t stop there. Peyton explained there is always something that comes next. “We have a program which follows kids through their dive experience from 5 years old right on through until they are young adults,” Peyton says.

“It begins with their first certification program called Sassy, for kids 5, 6 and 7 years old. Here they get accustom to the water and deal with that initial fear that everyone has. From there we move on to the Scuba Rangers and the Seal Team where 8 year olds start really diving in. Our next step is the Field Team for 8-10 year olds; here they get to have a lot of fun and are given missions to complete. At this level they are certified to 12 ft. with an instructor.

We also have a Master Seal Team at this level certifying up to 20 ft. with an instructor. We actually had the father of one of our kids get

Programs: SASY age 5-7

Seal Team age 8+

Jr. Open Water age 10+

Jr. Advanced Open Water age 12-14

AOW age 15+ ,

Rescue, Dive Master, All PADI specialties (Adults and Kids)

KIDS SeA CAmPGrowing with Families

www.nwdivenews.com24 Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 www.nwdivenews.com24 Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 24 local divers do it more often!

travel

Photos courtesy Kids Sea Camp

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certified as an instructor just so he could dive with his daughter.”

At 10 years old kids can get certified with their Jr. Open Water and at 12 years old the kids get to move up to the big leagues with a Jr. Advanced Open Water certification that allows them to dive up to 70 ft. making it possible for them to take on those more adventurous dives with their parents. “We have an Open Water and Jr. Adventure certification which is where Amanda landed this year in Bonaire,” Peyton says. “And she doesn’t have to stop there…we have a number of other family trips that she would love.”

Peyton says that Kid’s Sea Camp Dive Adventures is what is next. “We are taking kids and their families to the Galapagos Islands,” Peyton says. “While this has historically been an experienced divers’ adventure we have chartered the Buddy Darwin and the Buddy Wolf just for families.” Peyton explains that the trip involved more ecofriendly, educational sites for the kids, such as seeing the whale sharks and sea lions.

“We do the calmer trips for families so that the kids get to experience this incredible place with their families,” Peyton says. She adds that they are also doing a Palau and Yap trip where kids are diving in 15-20 ft. of water with Manta Rays swimming over them and they are also learning about World War 1.

Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 www.nwdivenews.com 25Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 www.nwdivenews.com 252525local divers don’t Just dive locally - they dive gloBally!


visit us online at www.littlecayman.com

Award winning accommodations and world-class

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What happens when you grow past age 15? Peyton and her crew at Kid’s Sea Camp still have you covered. There is a Young Adult Diver Program that is geared towards kids who are 15-18 who still want to find people their age to dive with. This year Peyton is excited to give the older kids a DC 1400 Digital Sea Life camera. “We are really highlighting how amazing kids are with underwater digital photography,” Peyton says. “We take a look at the photos they come back with and it’s like they all have a natural talent.”

When Amanda and I were in Bonaire I was amazed at how much better some of the kids were than the adults at diving safely and in an environmentally friendly way. Peyton laughs, but agrees, with my summation.

“I have seen instances where the kids are better divers than their parents,” Peyton says. “The kids tend to be more safety conscious and also more aware of the natural environment. What’s even more fun to see is the kids are teaching their parents to be better divers. With Kid’s Sea Camp everyone benefits. It really is all about taking family diving to the next level too.” Peyton adds that every minute of the Kid’s Sea Camp experience is safety conscious as well.

“Parents can witness first-hand how safety is a priority,” Peyton says. “Kid’s Sea Camp has contributed to 4900 certifications with zero diving accidents….zero; that’s huge, we are doing something right.” For more info on KSC visit www.familydivers.com. ■Photo by Amanda Stratton, courtesy Kids Sea Camp

www.nwdivenews.com26 Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010

medical diving article courtesy of divers alert netWork

26 Want to support local diving in your part of the gloBe? email [email protected]

The wetsuits are thicker, or perhaps you’ve switched to dry; the air is chillier and the holidays are just around the corner. If you are still trying to figure out what to give your dive buddy, consider some of these gifts.

Add safety essentials to your buddy’s gear bag. Equip your buddy with the tools he needs to ensure his safety. The new and improved surface signal kit helps

make sure your buddy is seen, heard and never stranded. It comes with a six-foot orange signaling sausage featuring a 2-inch reflective strip on both

sides and a radar-reflective panel located on the inside of the tube as well as a Wind Storm whistle, signal mirror and safety light all incorporated

into the sausage’s base. The kit clips to your buddy’s BCD so he can stow it during a dive and access it easily in an emergency.

Or give him a basic personal first aid kit, complete with first aid supplies and waterproof zipper pockets. Accidents can

happen; help your buddy be prepared to respond to them.

It’s the little things. Fin straps snap, d-rings break, batteries die and defogger runs out; these

simple facts of a diver’s life are often overlooked. Make sure your buddy never misses a dive; give him a complete “oops” kit. Throw in some extra clips, first aid reference guides, a dive slate and some sunscreen. Pack it all up in a waterproof

case or drybag, and your buddy is ready to go.

Continue your education. Diving is full of opportunities to continue to learn and

enhance your skills. Enroll you and your buddy in a course and develop your skills together whether it’s

underwater navigation, drysuit diving or rescue skills. Become better divers together!

Deck your buddy in dive apparel. If your buddy’s gear bag is brimming with delights, perhaps

you should help him don some topside styles. Equip your buddy with long-sleeve or short-sleeve tees. Help him stay

warm during his surface intervals with fleece hats or jackets. Or get him some dive-themed apparel from his favorite dive destination or his favorite marine-themed artist.

Give the gift that keeps on giving: A DAN membership comes complete with great benefits for both above and below the surface. With a DAN membership, your buddy will get DAN TravelAssist; a subscription to Alert Diver; access to DAN’s online seminars, presentations and workshop proceedings; access to the Worldcue® Planner Real-Time Travel Intelligence® Resource; and the option to buy dive accident insurance. In addition, when you purchase your buddy’s membership, you help support DAN’s nonprofit efforts, including the DAN Emergency Hotline and the Medical Information Line.

Happy holidays, and as always, dive safely.

Divers Alert Network (DAN) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the safety and health of scuba divers. DAN operates a 24-hour emergency hotline (+1-919-684-9111) to help divers in need of medical emergency assistance for diving or nondiving incidents.

giFts idEAs FrOM YOur divE sAFEtY sPECiAlists

Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 www.nwdivenews.com 272727local divers don’t Just dive locally - they dive gloBally

andy lamB’s mystery critter [email protected]

Vancouver Island49th Parallel Dive Charters

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email ~ [email protected]

For millennia, sharks have been a source of great interest for humans. This

relationship has been and continues to be very complex. Over our years of existence, the dive community continues to be caught up in the associated fear and fascination dichotomy that even the word shark provokes.

The Jaws era of the 1970s, with its negative impact on the sport, emphasized the former while modern, often staged viewing opportunities speak to the latter.

Today, most divers’ sympathies lie with these magnificent creatures as their populations around the world crash under intense harvesting pressure. The following

incident offers us a “feel good story”.On July 15, 2010, Lindsey Pattinson had

an opportunity many of us would welcome. While leading a bear watching trip for Tiderip Grizzly Tours of Telegraph Cove, B.C. Lindsey encountered a beached blue shark Prionace glauca.

The stranding occurred on the Glendale Cove beach head, at the head of Knight Inlet, on British Columbia’s central coast. Indeed, this location was a very strange one to find the specimen. Although seen in the Pacific Northwest during summer months, this species primarily inhabits the open ocean.

As seen in the accompanying photo,

Lindsey literally “leapt into the breach”, grabbed the creature, carefully pulled it into the water then began moving it back and forth to force water across its gills. After some effort, the reviving “rescuee” was carefully towed to deeper water where Lindsey and his guests watch it swim off toward the abyss. With the tour participants’ best wishes, this beautiful creature hopefully made a full recovery.

This wonderful story arrives courtesy of old friend and marine educator Jackie Hildering, of Port McNeil, B.C. I heartily recommend her outstanding and constantly changing website www.themarinedetective.ca. ■

shArK rEsCuE

Photograph courtesy of Nick and Sue Spillar

www.nwdivenews.com28 Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 28

What gear are you diving With? gear BoX

dive locally - Where it really matters

Seattle Scubawww.seattlescuba.com/divetrips.html(206) 284.2350 2000 Westlake Ave N. Seattle

Cozumel/TulumApril 27 - May 5, 2012 - $1,445

Kosrae/MicronesiaSept 18 - 28, 2012 - $2,200

nauticam na-xz1 HouSinG for olymPuS xz-1Nauticam announced the arrival of it’s

the NA-XZ1 Housing for Olympus XZ-1. The XZ-1 is Nauticam’s second entry into the advanced compact camera world. This camera and housing package offers complete control and image quality traditionally only available from much larger SLR

systems with the ease of use expected of a compact system. A compact camera with this much functionality demands a rugged yet compact housing, and the Nauticam engineers have delivered with an aluminum housing offering all of that functionality to the underwater shooter. No controls need to be preset when installing the camera in the housing -

simply drop it in. The housing is securely closed with a locking rotary latch. For more info visit Nauticam USA at www.nauticamusa.com.

tHe liquiviSion xen Bottom timerThe Liquivision XEN is a full-color OLED bottom

timer, designed by leading industry professionals and input from highly respected cave and technical divers. The world’s first color OLED bottom timer features a revolutionary balance of performance and value. Divers who prefer “gauge-mode” will no longer need to buy an expensive dive computer only to put it into gauge

mode right out of the box. The Liquivision Xen combines readability with Liquivision’s intuitive tapping user interface and custom-designed bottom timer features. The Liquivision Xen features a full-color customizable OLED display with 170° viewing angle, a intuitive tap-based interface and menu-based navigation, a bottom time and resettable stopwatch both shown in seconds, easily resettable

average depth, a lifetime dive log memory (240 hours at a 4 second sampling rate) and a user changeable battery. It is also both PC and Mac compatible.

For more info visit www.liquivision.com.

new lavacore line divinG SuitSThe new Lavacore line of exposure suits is not a dive skin or

a wetsuit, but has the characteristics of both. Developed by the American Underwater Products manufacturing group, the new line was designed by water sports professionals. The Lavacore line can easily be worn as a primary exposure suit in warmer waters or as a supplemental undergarment in colder waters. Lavacore suits are made from

an exclusive POLYTHERM™ material. This tri-laminate material retains water next to the body, allows the fabric to breathe, and yet resists the wind and other natural forces that lead to heat loss. There are many different styles including full suits, tops, shorts, long-sleeve and short-sleeve options and even matching vests, hoods, and boots. For more info visit americanunderwaterproducts.com.

Biolite Buoyancy control device Oceanic Worldwide has just announced the

availability of its new BioLite Buoyancy Control Device (BCD). This product provides a light-weight, yet fully-functioning solution to buoyancy control. The BioLite BCD weighs just 5.5 pounds and can easily be brought along as a carry-on should a dive travel so desire. The BioLite keeps things simple with a clean, straightforward design that focuses on comfort and convenience. It has a right shoulder carabineer adjustable positioning system, a streamlined, integrated “Quick Drop” Weight System that accommodates up to 14 lbs., a low profile back pack, a low profile bladder design made with patented BioFlex® material, a self-adjusting sternum strap, a depth compensating waist band and dual 5 lbs. tank band trim weight pockets. For more info visit www.oceanic.com

new ml-3 maGnetic locator: advanced all-PurPoSe maGnetic detection tecHnoloGyBy Selene Muldowney

SubSurface Instruments (SSI) designs and manufactures magnetic locators, pipe and cable locators and other specialty locators. These locator products are used for surveying, construction, ordnance removal, excavation and exploration. SSI recently released their newest ML-3 Magnetic Locator to add to their family ML-1 and ML-1M both above ground locators. It is 55 inches, making it the longest magnetic locator on the market. The ML-3’s ergonomic, lightweight and durable design that is 100 percent waterproof (up to 220 feet) makes it a leader in the industry. To find out more visit www.SSILocators.com

Al Pahnke, owner of Green Bay Scuba in Green Bay, WI gave us the heads up on this product. He was so impressed not only with the product but impressed that the SSI product line including ML-1 and ML-3 Magnetic Locators are currently being used in Afghanistan by our military to help locate unexploded ordnances. Green Bay Scuba is a distributor of the ML-3. Check out his website at www.gbscuba.com

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

Northwest Dive News DECEMBER 2010 www.nwdivenews.com 292929send us your stories free at [email protected]

not all Boaters are diversBut all divers are BoatersBoating regulations northWest dive neWs

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Entering or Exiting PortBy Captain Bob Figular

While operating your boat there will be times when you will need to either exit or enter a port in rough and challenging

conditions. Although certain inlets and rivers have extreme conditions much more often than others, learning how rough weather affects the various harbors and entrances throughout your local area is necessary to operate safely. Knowing as much information as possible prior to entering a harbor, inlet, or river in rough weather will help guard against potential dangers or impending problems. In these cases local knowledge can make the difference between a safe passage or getting you and your crew in trouble. If you are operating in an area which is new or unfamiliar to you “local knowledge” can also be gained through the use of cruising guides or Coast Pilots found in many ship stores or online.

Here are a few things you should be aware of before entering any of these areas:

1. Watch where waves break. Know how far out into the channel, whether near jetties or shoals, or directly across the entrance the waves break.

2. Pay close attention to how the entrance affects wave patterns. An entrance that has jetties may push waves back across an entrance where they combine with the original waves.

3. Some entrances have an outer bar that breaks, and then additional breaks farther in. Others are susceptible to a large, heaving motion that creates a heavy surge as it hits rocks or structures.

4. Know where the channel actually is. If shoaling has occurred, room to maneuver may be significantly reduced.

5. Know the actual depths of the water. Account for any difference between actual and charted depth due to water stage, height

of tide, recent rainfall, or atmospheric pressure effects.When entering a harbor, inlet, or river you will need to pay special

attention to the direction of the current and seas. The most challenging condition you can encounter is when the current opposes the seas when operating near an entrance. In this case the current will have the effect of shortening the wavelength, and increasing the wave height. This makes waves much more unstable and closer together. While heading into the oncoming seas, you will find that the current is coming from behind your vessel thus pushing your boat into the seas at a relatively higher speed. You can reduce this effect (which will also give more time to react between waves) by slowing your vessel, although the current is coming from behind you will still need to keep enough headway to ensure effective steering. Do not to allow the current to push your boat into any large cresting waves or combined waves that are peaking together.

When transiting an entrance, you will find that maneuvering room is often very limited. The only safe water may be found in the area that you just left. Be ready to back down and avoid the breaking crest of a wave. This situation can become critical in following seas with a head current. The waves will overtake your vessel at a higher rate and will break more often. The current will reduce your boat’s speed over the ground (SOG) which will expose your vessel to more waves. In this condition it is important to remain calm and not panic. Remember that with all following seas, you need to stay on the back of the wave ahead. As these waves become unstable they tend to break more quickly, use extra caution to ensure that you do not go over the crest of the wave ahead. Concentrate both on the crest in front of you and the waves behind. You must keep a hand on the throttle and adjust your power continuously. In many entrances, there is not enough room to maneuver allowing you to take a breaking wave bow-on. ■

Article provided courtesy of Cpt. Bob Figular

www.marinerslearningsystem.com

CURACAOOcean Encounters 800.932.6237 www.oceanencounters.com

FIJIBeyond the Reef 691.350.3483 www.diveyap.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

FLORIDAConch 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

SpruceCreekScuba 386.767.1727 www.sprucecreekscuba.com

GALAPAGOSDivencounters Alliance 877.323.DIVE www.divencounters.com

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

INDONeSIAIsland DreamsTravel 713.973.9300 www.divetrip.com

Kungkungan Bay Resort & Spa 530.347.2300 www.divekbr.com

Lembeh Hills Resort www.LembehHills.com 62.812.441.18.000

Puri Wirata Dive Resort and Spa 62.813.840.5335 www.puriwirata.com

Pindito Liveaboard 831.818.8594 www.pindito.com

Sea Safari Cruises 62.631.721.212 www.seasafaricruises.com

Tasik Ria Resort Spa & Diving 62.431 -.824.445 www.tasikria.com

MexICOAquanauts Dive Adv. 52.998.206.9365 www.aquanautsdiveadventures.com

Scuba Playa Dive Shop 52.984.803.3123 www.scubaplaya.com

PHILIPPINeSActiVentures Philippines 650.834.1331 www.activenturespi.com

Big La Laguna Beach Dive Resort 425.298.8172 www.BigLaLa.com

Campbells Beach Resort 63.920.416.0502 www.CampbellsBeachResort.com

Island DreamsTravel 713.973.9300 www.divetrip.com

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

ROATANCoCo View Resort Roatan 800.282.8932 www.roatan.com

GoRoatan.com 888.405.8737 www.goroatan.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. kITTSDive St. Kitts 869.564.8914 www.divestkitts.com

Bird Rock Beach Resort 877.244.6285 www.birdrockbeach.com

ST. VINCeNTBequia Dive Adventures 784.458.3826 www.bequiadiveadventures.com

THAILANDSairee Cottage Diving 66.774.56.126 www.saireecottagediving.com

TURkS & CAICOSOasis Divers 649.946.1128 www.oasisdivers.com

AUSTRALIAMike Ball Expeditions (888) MIKEBALL www.mikeball.com

BAHAMAS “SEA DRAGOn” DIVE LIVE-ABOARD WWW.SEADRAGOnBAHAMAS.COM

Small Hope Bay Lodge 800.223.6961 www.smallhope.com

UnEXSO 800.992.3483 www.unexso.com

BeLIZeHugh Parkeys 888.223.5403 www.belizediving.com

Sun Breeze Hotel 1.800.688.0191 www.sunbreeze.net

BONAIReCarib Inn +599 717 8819 www.caribinn.com

Deep Blue Adventures 888.266.2209 www.deepblueadventures.com

Villa Makoshi Lower Level 780.483.0044 www.BonaireDiveVilla.com

CAYMAN ISLANDSDiveTech@Cobalt 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

COZUMeLAlbatros Charters 888.333.4643 www.cozumel-fishing.com

BlueBubbleScuba 987.872.4240 www.bluebubble.com


Scuba Du 310.684.5556 www.scubadu.com

An alphabetical listing of participating dive shops, charters, live aboards and resorts in tropical locations around the world. TROPICAL DIVE DIRECTORY

Sea Dragon Bahamas Diving

30

dive directory A listing of participating dive shops, charters, resorts, and independent instructors

get your Business listed in our tropical dive directory for only $20!

WASHINGTON

Anacortes Diving & Supply Anacortes (360) 293-2070 Store

Diver’s Dream Charters Anacortes (360) 202-0076 Charter

Girl Diver Auburn (253) 397-4136 Store

Washington Divers Bellingham (360) 676-8029 Store

Gone Diving Bellingham (360) 738-2042 Store

Adventures Down Under Bellingham (360) 676-4177 Store

Pacific Adventure Charters Brinnon (206) 714--1482 Charter

Evergreen Dive Service Everett (425) 512-8811 Store

Hood Sport ‘N Dive Hood Canal (360) 877-6818 Store

Undersea Adventures Kennewick (509) 735-0735 Store

Mike’s Beach Resort Lilluwaup (360) 877-5324 Dive Resort

Whidbey Island Dive Oak Harbor (360) 675-1112 Store

Capital Divers Olympia (360) 866-3684 Store

Northwest Dive Charter Parkland (253) 370-5144 Charter

Scuba Supplies Port Angeles (360) 457-3190 Store

Admiralty Dive Center Port Townsend (360) 379-3483 Store

ScubaSET Adventure Center Puyallup (253) 841-5666 Store

Dive Commercial Int’l Seattle (206) 784-5050 Commercial Store

Seattle Scuba Schools Seattle (206) 284-2350 Store

Aluminator Water Taxi Seattle (206) 571-3273 Charter

Underwater Sports Seattle (206) 362-3310 Store

Scuba Center of Spokane Spokane www.spokanescuba.com

Tacoma Scuba Center Tacoma (253) 238-1754 Store

Orca Scuba Wenatchee (509) 665-0660 Store

Bubbles Below Woodinville (425) 424-3483 Dive Center

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Broken Island Adventures Bamfield (888) 728-6200 Resort/Charter

Ocean Quest Water Sports Burnaby (604) 436-1157 Store

Abyssal Diving Charters Campbell River (800) 499-2297 Charter

49th Parallel Dive Charters Chemainus (250) 252-0758 Charter

Cedar Beach Resort Chemainus (250) 252-0758 Dive Resort

Pacific Pro Dive Courtenay (250) 338-6829 Store/Charter

UB Diving Courtenay (877) 883-3483 Store/Charter

PorpoiseBay.ca Egmont (800) 665-DIVE Charter/Resort

Hornby Island Diving Hornby Is. (250) 335-2807 Dive Resort

Langley Diving Langley (604) 514-8170 Store/Charter

Lighthouse Diving Center Lynnwood (425) 771-2679 Store

Sink or Swim Scuba & Watersports Nanaimo (250) 758-7946 Store

Sundown Diving Nanaimo (888) 773-3483 Store/Charter

Nanaimo Dive Outfitters Nanaimo (250) 756-1863 Store

West Beach Resort Orcas Island www.westbeachresort.com Resort

Rendezvous Dive Adventures Port Alberni (877) 777-9994 Charter

Browning Pass Hideaway Port Hardy (877) 725-2835 Resort/Charter

God’s Pocket Resort Port Hardy www.godspocket.com

Copper Island Diving Salmon Arm (250) 832-5737 Store

Tahtsa Dive Charters Tahsis (250) 934-6365 Charter

MethodMarine.com Tofino (250) 725-3251 Store/Marina

TwoEaglesLodge.com Union Bay (250) 335-2342 Dive Resort

SeaDragonCharters.com Vancouver (604) 329-3486 Charter

CURACAOOcean Encounters 800.932.6237 www.oceanencounters.com

FIJIBeyond the Reef 691.350.3483 www.diveyap.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

FLORIDAConch 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

SpruceCreekScuba 386.767.1727 www.sprucecreekscuba.com

GALAPAGOSDivencounters Alliance 877.323.DIVE www.divencounters.com

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

INDONeSIAIsland DreamsTravel 713.973.9300 www.divetrip.com

Kungkungan Bay Resort & Spa 530.347.2300 www.divekbr.com

Lembeh Hills Resort www.LembehHills.com 62.812.441.18.000

Puri Wirata Dive Resort and Spa 62.813.840.5335 www.puriwirata.com

Pindito Liveaboard 831.818.8594 www.pindito.com

Sea Safari Cruises 62.631.721.212 www.seasafaricruises.com

Tasik Ria Resort Spa & Diving 62.431 -.824.445 www.tasikria.com

MexICOAquanauts Dive Adv. 52.998.206.9365 www.aquanautsdiveadventures.com

Scuba Playa Dive Shop 52.984.803.3123 www.scubaplaya.com

PHILIPPINeSActiVentures Philippines 650.834.1331 www.activenturespi.com

Big La Laguna Beach Dive Resort 425.298.8172 www.BigLaLa.com

Campbells Beach Resort 63.920.416.0502 www.CampbellsBeachResort.com


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

ROATANCoCo View Resort Roatan 800.282.8932 www.roatan.com

GoRoatan.com 888.405.8737 www.goroatan.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. kITTSDive St. Kitts 869.564.8914 www.divestkitts.com

Bird Rock Beach Resort 877.244.6285 www.birdrockbeach.com

ST. VINCeNTBequia Dive Adventures 784.458.3826 www.bequiadiveadventures.com

THAILANDSairee Cottage Diving 66.774.56.126 www.saireecottagediving.com

TURkS & CAICOSOasis Divers 649.946.1128 www.oasisdivers.com

AUSTRALIAMike Ball Expeditions (888) MIKEBALL www.mikeball.com

BAHAMAS “SEA DRAGOn” DIVE LIVE-ABOARD WWW.SEADRAGOnBAHAMAS.COM

Small Hope Bay Lodge 800.223.6961 www.smallhope.com

UnEXSO 800.992.3483 www.unexso.com

BeLIZeHugh Parkeys 888.223.5403 www.belizediving.com

Sun Breeze Hotel 1.800.688.0191 www.sunbreeze.net

BONAIReCarib Inn +599 717 8819 www.caribinn.com

Deep Blue Adventures 888.266.2209 www.deepblueadventures.com

Villa Makoshi Lower Level 780.483.0044 www.BonaireDiveVilla.com

CAYMAN ISLANDSDiveTech@Cobalt 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

COZUMeLAlbatros Charters 888.333.4643 www.cozumel-fishing.com

BlueBubbleScuba 987.872.4240 www.bluebubble.com


Scuba Du 310.684.5556 www.scubadu.com

An alphabetical listing of participating dive shops, charters, live aboards and resorts in tropical locations around the world. TROPICAL DIVE DIRECTORY

Sea Dragon Bahamas Diving

31

northWest dive directory

get your Business listed in our dive directory for only $12.50! - call 360-240-1874

Ogden Point Dive Victoria (888) 701-1177 Store/Charter

Wilson Diving Services Victoria (250) 478-4488 Store

ALBERTA

Adventures in Scuba Calgary (403) 299-7751 Store

Aqua Sport Scuba Centre Calgary (403) 686-6166 Store

The Dive Shop Calgary (403) 243-4616 Store

Sub Sea Experience Edmonton (780) 434-1433 Store

Just for You Crew & Dive Services Grand Prairie (780) 832-7209 Store

IDAHO

Dive Magic Boise (208) 319-3483 Store

Divers West Coeur D’Alene (208) 664-0751 Store

MONTANA

Sports Cove Bozeman (406) 585-9926 Store

Glacier Divers Kalispell (406) 253-4016 Store

OREGON

Triton Ocean Outfitters Ashland (541) 708-5435 Store

Astoria Scuba Astoria www.astoriascuba.com Store

PacificWatersports.com Aloha (503) 642-3483 Store

Central Oregon Diving Bend (541) 388-3660 Store/Charter

Rogue Scuba, Inc. Central Point (541) 830-5551 Store

Eugene Skin Divers Supply Eugene (541) 342-2351 Store

CoralSeaScuba.com Grants Pass (800) 482-1599 Store

South Beach Scuba Newport (541) 867-4944 Store

Aquatic Sports Portland (503) 245-4991 Store

Diver’s Den Roseburg (541) 673-3710 Store

Blue Element Salem (503) 400-7375 Store/Charter

SalemScuba.com Salem (503) 588-3483 Store

Under Water Works Tigard (503) 620-6993 Store

ALASKA

Dive Alaska Anchorage (907) 770-1778 Store/Charter

Test the Waters North Pole (907) 490-4444 Store

Island Fever Diving Sitka (907) 747-7871 Store/Charter

HAWAII

Aqua Zone Honolulu (808) 923-3483 Store

Dive Oahu Honolulu (808) 922-3483 Charter

Pearl Harbor Divers Honolulu (808) 589-2177 Store/Charter

Honolulu Scuba Company Honolulu (808) 220-0577 Store

www.honoluluscubacompany.com

Jack’s Diving Locker Kailua-Kona (808) 329-7585 Store/Charter

Kona Honu Divers Kailua-Kona (808) 324-4668 Charter

Pacific Rim Divers Kailua-Kona (808) 334-1750 Charter

Torpedo Tours Kailua-Kona (808) 938-0405 Charter

Dive & Sea Maui www.diveandseamaui.com Charter

SeaSport Divers 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

Knight Diver 007 Lahaina (808) 250-9194 Store

Lahaina Divers Maui (800) 998-3483 Store/Charter

CALIFORNIA

Catalina Divers Supply LLC Avalon (760) 801-7996 Store/Charter

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wE ♥ BOOBIES

So much so, we are donating all of

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dec 2011 vol 15. issue 12

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