SEA LIONS DIVE CENTER NEWS

Link to New Content

2010-09-30T06:11:00.000-05:00

For new content CLICK HERE

SCUBA Vacation Checklist

2010-03-13T15:34:00.002-06:00

There is nothing worse than getting to that dive destination after saving up money and vacation days to find you forgot that one thing that makes a good vacation great from sun glasses and lotion to fins and extra fin straps. This list comes from experience. Many of these things I have forgotten and many more my travel companions or students have forgotten. As often as not it is just a matter of overlooking the obvious and not lack of knowledge.

This list is a starting point. Feel free to tell me what I forgot to add and I will add you it to the list... with proper credit ,of course.

COMPLETE ARTICLE

I hope this helps and make sure you send me pictures of your trip.

Tom

Sea Lampreys in Great Lakes

2010-02-24T20:56:00.001-06:00

Just when you though it was safe to go in the water.

Sea Lamprey: The Battle Continues

http://www.global-adventures.us/2010/02/24/sea-lamprey/

Chicago (Global Adventures): Scuba divers exploring the Great Lakes are now warned to pressure wash all gear before using it in other bodies of water to avoid spreading the sea lamprey, an invasive species that destroys native lake trout populations by attaching themselves and drawing blood and nutrients from the fish. Victims typically die from excessive blood loss or infection.

“Invasive species are deadly to the ecosystem and costly to control,” said Elizabeth Latenser of Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium. “Without natural predators or a niche in the food chain, invasive species are able to out-compete native fish for food and habitat.”

Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) is a predaceous, eel-like fish native to the coastal regions of both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. The species is native to the inland Finger Lakes and Lake Champlain in New York and Vermont. It is not clear whether it is native to Lake Ontario, where it was first noticed in the 1830s, or whether it was introduced through the Erie Canal, which opened in 1825.

Most scientists believe that sea lamprey entered Lake Erie through the Welland Canal about 1921. It did not take long to spread to Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and Lake Superior. In the 1940s and 1950s, they contributed to the collapse of the lake trout, whitefish, and chub fisheries. Annual catches of lake trout in Lakes Huron and Superior dropped from 15 million pounds to 300,000 pounds by the early 1960s. While the population has been reduced by 90 percent in most areas due to chemical control, the St. Marys River is still considered a “hot zone.”

The life cycle of sea lampreys is anadromous, like that of salmon. The young are born in inland rivers, live in the ocean as adults, and return to the rivers to breed. Young emerge from the egg as larvae, blind and toothless, and live that way for 3 to 7 years, buried in mud and filter-feeding. Once they have grown to a certain length, they metamorphosize into their parasitic form, after which they migrate to the sea. They become sexually mature after several years, stop feeding, and return to freshwater rivers and streams to spawn.

Through public outreach, educational programs and the invasive species exhibit in the Local Waters Gallery, the Shedd Aquarium encourages the public, including scuba divers, to take action and help to prevent the spread of invasive species.

Crawling Back To Life - a story of hope for the reefs.

2010-01-14T07:11:00.002-06:00

I found this at http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/01/sewage-santa-monica-bay.html If is nice to hear good news about the reefs.

Greenspace
Environmental news from California and beyond

Crawling back to life
January 12, 2010 | 5:43 pm

Surf

You have to be a scuba diver to see the difference, but areas of Santa Monica Bay that were historically fouled by sewage discharges are making a strong comeback.
The new State of the Bay report notes the revival of bottom-dwelling marine life in the wake of treatment upgrades at the two big wastewater plants that empty into the bay several miles from shore.

Diver surveys have documented sea animals and plants on the sea floor “where really it was barren before,” said Shelley Luce, executive director of the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission, which issues the report every five years. "I think this is one of the more remarkable recoveries we've seen," she added. "It's right up there with the return of the bald eagle and brown pelican."

Maybe not as visually dramatic: We're talking about snails and worms and other invertebrates crawling back into areas that for decades lacked the oxygen to support all but the most pollution-tolerant sea life.

In 1998, Los Angeles' Hyperion plant upgraded to full secondary treatment and four years later the Los Angeles County sanitation districts' plant did the same. The more advanced process scrubs out most of the solids that had been previously pumped into the bay, consuming oxygen as they decayed.
Now the outfall areas, off Dockweiler State Beach and the Palos Verdes Peninsula, "have a healthy and diverse community that resembles more pristine areas," Luce said.

But historical contamination from DDT and PCBs persists in bay sediment, and urban runoff continues to pollute bay waters.

-- Bettina Boxall

Photo: A surfer in Santa Monica Bay. Credit: Los Angeles Times

Caymans train divers to fight lionfish invasion

2010-01-05T17:35:00.003-06:00

Copied from http://in.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idINIndia-45170520100105

By Shurna Robbins

GEORGE TOWN (Reuters) - More than 300 scuba divers have been certified to catch red lionfish in a race to prevent the invasive and voracious species from consuming all the young and small fish on the Cayman Islands' famous corals reefs.

DiveTech, a diving operation in the British Caribbean territory, is running a boat each week to specifically catch the fish. Licensed fishermen also collect them on regular boat trips and dives from the shore.

"We tell them, this is not a pleasure dive and they are hunting fish," said Simon Dixon, a lionfish hunter and scuba instructor for DiveTech,

Divers typically work in teams of two, using plastic nets, gloves and sometimes sticks to capture the fish, which has a large head with reddish-brown and white stripes and elongated, venomous spines. Without careful handling, it can cause a painful sting.

"You have to be slow and careful and you have to treat them with respect. We have found they are quite clever. So if you move too quickly and scare the fish off, they will remember you and when you get close again they will retreat immediately," Dixon said.

Native to the Indian and Pacific oceans, red lionfish have no natural predators in the Caribbean and can produce 30,000 eggs each month. Within five weeks they can consume all the juvenile and small fish on a reef, threatening the delicate ecosystem, said Mark Hixon, a marine biologist at Oregon State University.

The species was first spotted in the Cayman Islands in early 2008 and quickly multiplied. Some 600 red lionfish were removed from Cayman waters in the last year, but the effort may not be enough to push back the invading fish, experts say.

Bradley Johnson, a research officer with the islands' Environment Department, said the department was receiving reports of more of the species in the waters and that their sizes also were increasing each month.

"They have been caught in all habitats around the islands including dive sites down to 120 feet (36 metres), shallow waters and in the North Sound. We have also confirmed reports from as deep as 300 feet (91 metres)."

BEATING THEM BY EATING THEM

Hixon, the Oregon State biologist, will travel to the Cayman Islands next month to scout reef sites and meet with government officials in preparation for a research project sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation.

"At present, the only solution to the invasion is for divers to remove lionfish from the reefs," Hixon said. "We are also working in the Pacific Ocean to study lionfish in their native range to determine why they are uncommon there relative to the Atlantic and Caribbean."

Turning the red lionfish into a seafood dish, as has been done in the Bahamas, is another possible control method. Cooking destroys the toxins in the meat, which has been compared to grouper and snapper.

"Lionfish are tasty so the government can help by encouraging a lionfish fishery. There are even expensive restaurants in the U.S. serving lionfish as a top-dollar conservation dish," Hixon said.

Scuba divers are prohibited from catching fish on most reefs surrounding the Cayman Islands, but regulators have made an exception for the red lionfish because of the threat it poses to marine life.

Environment Department staff train and license volunteer divers to safely catch the fish, which are then turned over to the government for collection of DNA and tracking.

U.S. government researchers believe the red lionfish was introduced into Florida waters during Hurricane Andrew in 1992 when an aquarium broke and at least six fish spilled into Miami's Biscayne Bay.

In recent years, its population has exploded along the U.S. eastern seaboard and the Atlantic islands of the Bahamas and Bermuda, and throughout the Caribbean into Puerto Rico, St. Croix, Turks and Caicos, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba and Belize.

First-time sightings in 2009 occurred in Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras and Aruba, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

DiveTech said it intends to continue running the lionfish boat trips as long as there is enough local interest to support it.

(Editing by Jane Sutton and Paul Simao)

Why Do Divers Fall Off the Boat Backwards

2009-12-30T07:42:00.000-06:00

And, from Iowa comes this joke about two Minnesotans, Ole and Sven, who are sitting in a boat watching fishery biologists from the University of Minnesota prepare to enter the water with scuba diving gear so they can conduct an underwater study of the lake's fish population.

After the divers plunge from the boat into the lake, Ole turns to Sven and asks, “Why do scuba divers always fall backwards off 'der boats?”

To which Sven replies, “Well, you know, if they fell forwards they'd still be in de boat!”

Sounds pretty logical to me.

OLD SCUBA PHOTOS

2009-10-26T17:25:00.004-05:00

Check out some of these old Scuba Photos of Joe Little in Lake Michigan from the 60's. Very cool! Photos were sent in from his daughter, Robin Olufs. Thanks!

CAVERN DIVING

2009-09-08T21:25:00.003-05:00

Interested in cavern diving? Want to learn more about it? Click on the following link to read "The beginners guide to Cavern Diving"

Don't forget Sea Lions will be offering a Cavern Diving class in October. Sign up today!

BAHAMAS BAN CATCH AND SALES OF SEA TURTLES

2009-09-08T20:21:00.003-05:00

Soups, stews and pies flavored with chunks of sea turtle meat will soon be illegal across the 700 islands of the Bahamas.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

SEA LIONS PHOTO CONTEST ENTRIES

2009-09-08T19:46:00.005-05:00

Here are the pictures that were submitted so far. Please vote for your favorite. Don't forget to send in yours!

GREEN MORAY EEL

JUVENILE SPOTTED DRUM FISH

BARREL SPONGE

FISH ON REEF

PADDLE FISH

DIVERS WITH BARRACUDA

TRUMPET FISH

HELP OUR PLANET!

2009-08-28T18:23:00.002-05:00

Climate change is a serious threat to coral reefs. Please sign this petition from our friends at the Center for Biological Diversity and ask the U.S. Senate to pass a strong climate bill!

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/t/5243/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=2054

Which sunblock protects my skin - and the sea?

2009-08-28T18:18:00.002-05:00

http://www.squidoo.com/sunblockandsea

Which sunblock protects my skin - and the sea? Click on the above link

MASK FOG?

2009-08-28T18:12:00.002-05:00

Sick of that mask fogging up? Click on the following link for some great tips.
http://www.squidoo.com/MASKDEFOG

FANTASTIC DEAL FROM SCUBAPRO

2009-08-28T18:07:00.002-05:00

Find out how you can get 100% credit back on your SCUBAPRO mask, fin, and snorkel purchase toward a SCUBAPRO UWATEC dive package (Buoyancy Compensator, Dive Computer and Regulator System) at the same Authorized Dealer. Act soon, this offer ends 10/15/09. Contact Sea Lion For more details.

Yellow Submarine in Lake Superior

2009-08-22T10:11:00.005-05:00

Tom's notes: I love the hand rail.
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/128311/

Published August 21 2009

Duluth man will explore Lake Superior in his yellow submarine

Lifelong tinkerer Dean Ackman and a crew of friends and family slipped a one-man submarine into the Knife River Marina on Thursday for a test drive.

By: Janna Goerdt, Duluth News Tribune

Driver after driver craned their necks for a better look as the sleek steel machine passed by them on Highway 61 through Two Harbors.
Top hatch, rear propeller, bottom ballast tanks, bright daffodil color — could it be? Yep, it was a real-life home-built yellow submarine, on its way Thursday to the Knife River Marina for a test of its lake-worthiness.
Lifelong tinkerer Dean Ackman and a crew of friends and family slipped the submarine into the water and came up with some good news and some bad news. The good: The 6,000-pound submarine was nicely balanced in the water, bobbing steadily up and down and not side to side. The bad news: A new leak had sprung somewhere in one of the main ballast tanks. Oh well, Ackman said. It was no reason to be discouraged.
“If it was easy, everyone would want to do this,” he said as he and the crew secured the submarine on the trailer for the 30-mile trip home.
It’s taken Ackman nearly three years of cutting, rolling and welding sheets of high-density steel in his workshop in Brimson to get this far. Aside from a car headlight, the electronic equipment and some salvaged Trex decking, Ackman has had to hand-craft each part of the two-man sub.
“You have to enjoy doing that,” Ackman said. “There are no submarine stores.”
Ackman said he has long loved exploring beneath the surface of Lake Superior. But scuba diving in the lake’s 39 degree waters is cold and uncomfortable, and divers can spend only a limited time in the depths.
His solution: build a personal submarine. When all the bugs are worked out, Ackman said he will be able to spend up to six hours at a time tooling around the lake. With help and advice from other members of the worldwide Personal Submersibles Organization, he has brought his latest dream almost to the launching point.
Ackman’s son, Adam, said he wasn’t surprised when he learned his dad was building a submarine.
Years ago, “he started with a remote-controlled submarine,” Adam Ackman said. The six-foot-long sub dipped just a few feet below the water, but it worked.
Dean Ackman has piloted just one submarine in his life. Two years ago he took a spin in Lake Michigan in one — also painted yellow, like most personal subs, for high visibility — and he was hooked.
“You’re free and loose,” Ackman said. And safe, he said; personal submarines have multiple safety factors built in. The submarine runs on batteries, but doesn’t depend on the batteries to ascend and descend. And even if every other safety factor fails, a submarine pilot can always slip on a scuba mask and tank, open the hatch and swim for the surface. Once the leaks are all sealed, Ackman will start a series of up-and-down dips, called “tea bag tests,” he said, “until you get comfy.”
He needs to find a horn for the sub to be in full compliance with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource’s watercraft registration guidelines.
Then he will spend the winter smoothing and polishing the yellow steel hull, waiting for spring and dreaming of hour after hour moving free and loose beneath a big, cold, exciting lake.

Untrained Divers, Surface Supplied Air and Lobsters

2009-08-17T08:13:00.003-05:00

Tom's note: This article points out the dangers out there 1)diving on scuba OR surface supplied air without proper training. Note the Husband tried to pull her up by the airline that she was using to breath. 2) the danger of the lobster season where many divers with little or no experience loose concentration while looking for lobsters and do not return. Just look at all the deaths that occur during the short lobster season. The same thing can happen if a diver is distracted by other activities such as photography. Dive safe.

Scuba diving or hookah rigs carry equal risks, experts say
By Emily Nipps, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Wednesday, August 12, 2009
________________________________________
As authorities search for the body of a St. Petersburg woman who disappeared while lobster fishing in the Florida Keys, her family is left with many questions.
Before disappearing Saturday while diving near Big Pine Key, Louann Greene, 33, was using a hookah rig, an underwater breathing device that requires no certification and is commonly used by tourists or first-time divers.
"I've lived here for 20 years, and I've never heard of these hookah things," said CeCe Ingle, Greene's sister-in-law. "If people are putting their lives on the line, there need to be some kinds of precautions in place. Who regulates them, if anybody?"
No one regulates hookah rigs, which essentially do the same job as scuba diving tanks. Most diving experts agree that hookahs are no more dangerous than scuba gear, and that there is nothing illegal or wrong about hookah rigs.
Like most open-sea ventures, they say, it boils down to a simple rule: Proceed at your own risk.
"There are no state and federal laws governing diving," said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman Gabriella Ferraro. "I mean, you would think it's good common sense that you would need some training before doing something like that."
The commission does enforce some diver safety, such as requiring dive flags to be displayed and policing boater speeds in diving areas. And some self-regulation occurs in the diving world.
Many dive equipment shops, for example, will not fill a scuba tank or rent gear without seeing a diving certification card, obtained from a recognized training organization. For liability reasons, Bill Jackson's, a sporting goods store in Pinellas Park, won't sell its scuba gear or hookah rigs without seeing certification.
Most diving charter boats refuse to take out people who aren't certified, said Capt. Mike Miller, who runs a dive charter boat out of Seminole Marina. Some do crash "resort courses," involving a few hours of classroom and water instruction for noncertified divers.
Lobster season, especially the popular two-day miniseason that takes place a week before regular season, is known for accidents, Miller said.
Five people died in various diving mishaps last year. Four died in 2006. Miller couldn't recall a season in recent years without a death.
But generally, Miller said, "diving is safer than bowling."
"It's safer than tennis and golf," he said. "It's when people go outside the boundaries of training that injuries happen."
The hookah rig, while common for those who skip training, isn't necessarily the enemy, experts say.
Experienced and certified divers sometimes favor the device, which provides compressed air taken from the atmosphere. Advocates find it ideal for depths of 90 feet or less. They say it is less cumbersome to breathe through a tube connected to a compressor than it is to carry a heavy tank on one's back.
Hookahs have been blamed in lobster diving fatalities in the past. Last year, 32-year-old Carlos Urruchaga of Miami died using one during the two-day lobster season, and 66-year-old Joan Radford of Coconut Grove died during the 2006 mini¬season after using the hookah system.
It's still unclear exactly what happened in Greene's case. When her husband tried to pull her in by her air hose, it quickly became clear that it was no longer attached to his wife. The last time her family saw her, she was crying for air, and then she sank.
Times staff writer Jessica Vander Velde contributed to this report. Emily Nipps can be reached at nipps@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8452.

Mares Recall

2009-08-17T07:59:00.003-05:00

Tom's note: I saw this on the internet. To the best of my knowledge no computers of this model have been sold through Sea Lions Dive Center.

MARES Diving issued the following announcement earlier today:

MARES DIVING URGENT SAFETY NOTICE NEMO AIR QUICK CONNECTOR 0-RING

Please be informed that we have discovered a quality issue on the O-ring assembled on the Nemo Air quick connector.

Under certain circumstances, the O-ring can fail and consequently Nemo Air may start leaking through the Quick Connector. As a result, there is a continuous, albeit slow, loss of breathing gas and Mares has decided to issue a voluntary product recall. After intense internal tests Mares has identified a new O-ring of different material, color and hardness that can be retrofitted onto the Quick Connector of any existing Nemo Air.

We take this matter very seriously, but we would also like to point out that this issue is covered by the EN250 norm, which requires a 0.3mm opening in the high- pressure hose fitting. As a result, the hose is designed to ensure a slow enough gas release; which should allow the diver to complete a safe emergency ascent.

NONETHELESS FOR THE PERSONAL SAFETY OF YOUR CUSTOMERS AND TO AVOID POSSIBLE DANGEROUS ACCIDENTS: STOP ANYONE FROM DIVING WITH A QUICK CONNECTOR SUBJECT TO THIS VOLUNTARY RECALL UNTIL THE EXISTING O-RING IS REMOVED AND SUBSTITUTED WITH THE NEW GREEN COLOR ONE.
THE CURRENT O-RING FROM THE NEMO AIR QUICK CONNECTOR (O-RING IS BLACK OR BROWN) MUST BE REPLACED ONLY WITH OUR NEW O-RING THAT IS A DIFFERENT MATERIAL, HARDNESS AND GREEN IN COLOR.

Affected products and codes are:
Finished goods
414158 – DIVE COMPUTER NEMO AIR
414159 - DIVE COMPUTER NEMO AIR W/COMPASS
Spare parts
44200771 – HP HOSE W/QUICK CONNECTOR NEMO AIR
44200770 – QUICK CONNECTOR ASSY. FEMALE NEMO AIR

Please contact an Authorized Mares dealer/Service Center in your area to schedule the retrofit of the O-Ring of your Nemo Air Quick Connector. If you do not want to perform the above service procedures, please contact our customer service department at 1-800-874-3236 for a return authorization number. You will need to provide the unit(s) serial number(s).
NEMO AIR QUICK CONNECTOR O-RING MUST BE REMOVED AND SUBSTITUTED WITH THE NEW O-RING.

For detailed information please go to: www.mares.com

AUGUST SPECIALTY CLASSES

2009-08-02T06:27:00.006-05:00

DRY SUIT
Classroom, Friday August 7th at 6:30PM
2 Dives Sunday August 9th at Haigh Quarry at 11:00AM

WRECK DIVER
Classroom and Dives 1 and 2 at Haigh Quarry, August 29th or 30th at 8:00AM

PEAK PERFORMANCE BUOYANCY
Classroom and 2 Dives at Haigh Quarry, August 22 or 23rd at 8:00AM

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Classroom and 2 Dives at Haigh Quarry, August 22 or 23rd at 8:00AM

ENRICHED AIR NITROX
Classroom will be held on Wed, August 19th, 6:30PM.

UNDERWATER NAVIGATOR
Classroom and Dives 1, 2 and 3 at Haigh Quarry, August 29th or 30th at 8:00AM

EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONSE (CPR/FIRST AID)
Classroom will be held on Thursday, August 20th, 6:00PM.

Can't make the dates listed? looking for other specialties?
Contact Sea Lions Dive Center for more info.

SEA LIONS FIRST ANNUAL UNDERWATER PHOTO CONTEST!

2009-08-02T06:22:00.001-05:00

Submit your best photo for Sea Lions Dive Center's annual photo contest! Send it by e-mail, or bring it into the store. All pics will be posted in the newsletter/blog and the winner will be determined by you! All you have to do is cast your vote.

One grand prize winner will receive a Padi Specialty course of their choice and picture will be hung in the Store! Send in your best Pic by September 10TH.

JAMAICA TRIP PICTURES

2009-07-21T22:22:00.000-05:00

Divemaster candidate Tom Anderson took some nice shots in Jamaica. He was lucky enough to even see an extremely rare Blue Lobster!

SEA SICKNESS

2009-07-21T22:21:00.000-05:00

What is it? Why do I get it? How can I prevent it? CLICK HERE

Jumbo flying squid attack scuba divers in San Diego

2009-07-17T15:56:00.001-05:00

Just in case you thought Lake Michigan was rough. I found this on the web.

Tom

Jumbo flying squid attack scuba divers in San Diego

Jumbo flying squid with razor-sharp beaks and toothed tentacles have invaded shallow waters off San Diego, attacking scuba divers near tourist beaches.

Published: 5:47PM BST 17 Jul 2009

A beak of a Humboldt squid, also known as a jumbo flying squid, at the laboratory of the National Marine Fisheries Service in San Diego. Photo: AP

The aggressive 5ft-long sea creatures, which can weigh more than seven stone (45 kilograms), arrived off the city's shores last week.

Divers have reported being attacked by the Humboldt squid, with tentacles enveloping their masks and pulling at their cameras and gear.

Related Articles

The squid are more commonly found in the deep waters off Mexico, where they have been known to attack humans and are nicknamed "red devils" for their rust-red colouring and aggressive streak.

Those who dive with them there fill the water with bait and sometimes get in a metal cage or wear chain mail to avoid being lashed by tentacles. The squid hunt in schools of up to 1,200, can swim up to 15mph and skim over the water to escape predators.

The creatures stay too deep to bother swimmers and surfers, but many longtime divers in San Diego have said they will stay out of the surf until the sea creatures clear out.

Mike Bear, a local diver, said: "I wouldn't go into the water with them for the same reason I wouldn't walk into a pride of lions on the Serengeti, For all I know, I'm missing the experience of a lifetime."

Shanda Magill was surprised by a large squid which hit her from behind and grabbed at her with its arms, pulling her sideways in the water. It ripped her buoyancy hose away from her chest and knocked away her light.

"I just kicked like crazy. The first thing you think of is, 'Oh my gosh, I don't know if I'm going to survive this'. If that squid wanted to hurt me, it would have," she said.

Scientists are not sure why the squid have started appearing in the water off the Southern California coast and say they are concerned.

One theory is that their prey has moved to shallow waters due to changes in sea temperatures and the squid have followed. One biologist estimated there could be hundreds, or possibly thousands.

OCEAN LIFE IN TROUBLE BY POWERFUL EXTERMINATOR - US!

2009-07-09T06:55:00.000-05:00

Earth is a beautiful planet. It is also small, fragile, crowded and ravaged by overpopulation and over development, primarily in coastal areas. Even if birth rates in developing countries rapidly decline, which seems unlikely, there will be twice as many of us by 2050. At the same time, rapid economic development around the world will further diminish our planet´s biodiversity. In this century 20-50% of earth's species will be wiped out by earth's most powerful exterminator--us

To read more click here

http://www.squidoo.com/OCEANLIFE

BLUE? YELLOW? WHITE?

2009-07-08T19:06:00.000-05:00

Due to a rare genetic mutation, Lobsters can be found in many colors. It is extremely rare and depending on the color can be 1 in a hundred million.

SHARK FEEDING DIVE IN ST. MARTEEN

2009-07-08T19:02:00.000-05:00

Sea Lions student Mike Wallenberg recently returned from a week long cruise and made a few stops to Scuba. One was a shark feeding dive in St. Marteen. Also check out the Octopus in the last pic! Great shot!

Check out some of the great photos Mike took. Send us your Scuba pics! We love to look at them and share them with all!

SCUBA DIVING AND TIPPING

2009-07-03T20:49:00.000-05:00

Looking for some tipping scuba diving tips? Not sure how much, or even if, you should tip your divemaster and/or crew? Don't sweat it.

We'll give you some advice.
Your dive is supposed to be enjoyable and you don't want to be agonizing over how much to tip. So here are some tipping scuba diving tips you can use as a guide on your next dive: CLICK HERE

PINK DOLPHINS?

2009-06-29T17:55:00.001-05:00

Charter boat captain Erik Rue, 42, photographed the animal, which is actually an albino, when he began studying it after the mammal first surfaced in Lake Calcasieu, an inland saltwater estuary, north of the Gulf of Mexico in southwestern USA.

Capt Rue originally saw the dolphin, which also has reddish eyes, swimming with a pod of four other dolphins, with one appearing to be its mother which never left its side.

He said: "I just happened to see a little pod of dolphins, and I noticed one that was a little lighter.

"It was absolutely stunningly pink.

"I had never seen anything like it. It's the same color throughout the whole body and it looks like it just came out of a paint booth.

"The dolphin appears to be healthy and normal other than its coloration, which is quite beautiful and stunningly pink.

"The mammal is entirely pink from tip to tail and has reddish eyes indicating its albinism. The skin appears smooth, glossy pink and without flaws.

"I have personally spotted the pink dolphin 40 to 50 times in the time since the original sighting as it has apparently taken up residence with its family in the Calcasieu ship channel.

"As time has passed the young mammal has grown and sometimes ventures away from its mother to feed and play but always remains in the vicinity of the pod.

"Surprisingly, it does not appear to be drastically affected by the environment or sunlight as might be expected considering its condition, although it tends to remain below the surface a little more than the others in the pod."

Regina Asmutis-Silvia, senior biologist with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, said: "I have never seen a dolphin coloured in this way in all my career.

"It is a truly beautiful dolphin but people should be careful, as with any dolphins, to respect it - observe from a distance, limit their time watching, don't chase or harass it

"While this animal looks pink, it is an albino which you can notice in the pink eyes.

"Albinism is a genetic trait and it unclear as to the type of albinism this animal inherited."

A close relation of dolphins, the Amazon River Botos, called pink dolphins, live in South America in the Amazon.

CPR / FIRST AID TRAINING WITH DEFIBRILLATOR CLASSES

2009-06-19T19:44:00.000-05:00

Ever wondered what to do in an accident or medical emergency? Most people just do not know what to do or how to respond in those situations, and rely solely on the emergency medical services (EMS). What people do not realize is that it takes time for the EMS (ambulance, etc.) to arrive at the scene. In many cases, the victims died before the ambulance arrived. If the person who found the victim has training in EFR (Emergency First Response - CPR and First Aid), within those precious first few minutes he/she can start badly needed primary care on the victim which may mean the difference between life or death.

The EFR course is available and beneficial to everybody, not just divers...you never know when you will need to respond to an emergency situation!

Don't forget that Sea Lions Dive Center offers CPR / FIRST AID Training in our EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONSE COURSE (EFR) Learn how to properly perform CPR, helping a choking victim, bandaging, splinting, and many other skills. Even learn how to use a defibrillator! Child and infant classes are also offered.

Your training is good for 2 years, and is renewed with a refresher course.

Remember that CPR / FIRST AID is a prerequisite for the PADI Rescue Diver course but anyone can enroll in the course.

Contact Sea Lions for the next class date.

MASTER SCUBA DIVER DEAL! FIVE SPECIALTIES FOR THE PRICE OF FOUR!

2009-06-19T19:30:00.000-05:00

Take the Master Scuba Diver challenge!

Complete your Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diver Course, earn 5 Specialties of your choice and achieve the highest non-professional rating a diver can earn!

For a limited time, Sea Lions is offering 5 Specialties for the price of 4!

Stop by Sea Lions Dive Center and choose the specialties of your choice.

It’s the PERFECT way to get MAXIMUM DIVING in this summer!

FREE DIVE TRAINING MAGAZINES

2009-06-18T20:09:00.000-05:00

Stop in the shop every month to pick up your free issue of Dive Training Magazine.
A great Magazine filled with great Scuba Diving related articles.

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND PEAK PERFORMANCE BUOYANCY COURSE

2009-06-14T21:15:00.000-05:00

Sea Lions will be offering a Peak Performance Buoyancy and Digital Photography Course.
Add 2 more specialties to further enhance your dive experiences.

Both of these specialties can be used towards the Master Scuba Diver Rating.

To learn more about the Peak Performance Buoyancy Course click here.

To learn more about the Digital Photography Course click here.

Remember that the key to taking great pictures is having great buoyancy! Both of these classes will be held on the same weekend. Sign up for one or for both. The Classes will take place at Haigh Quarry on June 27th & 28th @ 8am

Peak Performance Buoyancy $80.00 which includes the DVD

Digital Photography $125.00 which includes the manual

JUNE SPECIAL: Purchase together for a special rate of $175.00!!!

FREE PROJECT AWARE/CORAL CONSERVATION CLASS

2009-06-14T21:01:00.000-05:00

Once again Sea Lions Dive Center will be offering a free Project Aware / Coral Conservation Class (well, sort of…)

This time the class will be held on 2 nights. Wednesday and Thursday, June 24 and 25 from 6:30 to 9:00 PM.

Sea Lions Instructors John & Kim Zalewski is going to be conducting a Project Aware/Coral Conservation Course.

Learn all about the problems and issues facing our Aquatic world. You can even read or download the book online for free at:

http://www.projectaware.org/uploadedFiles/Home/Global_Initiatives/Specialty_Courses/70241_AWARE_OurWorldOurWater.pdf

It is highly recommended to read the book and fill out the knowledge review. It’s a great read.

So, the class is free, the books are free, what do you have to pay for?

Project Aware and Coral Conservation are also 2 separate PADI Specialty Courses. (which you can apply towards your Master Scuba Diver rating) If you are interested in receiving 2 specialty cards, there is a small processing fee of $20.00 per card. The fee goes directly to PADI. Sea Lions, John, and Kim do not make any money from this class. We are huge supporters of Project Aware and just want to spread the word. If you are not interested in specialty cards, then you pay nothing.

Sign up today, space is limited!!!

HELP! Stop Shark Finning in Palau

2009-06-14T20:37:00.000-05:00

Diving the famed Blue Corner won't be the same if Palau's politicians approve Senate Bill SB8-44 to permit commercial fishing for sharks and shark finning. A follow-up punch is SB8-50, which would encourage commercial fisheries in Palau's waters by granting them a five-year tax exemption. This would gut the 2004 legislation that banned shark fishing by foreign fisheries, one of the most ironclad laws in the Asia-Pacific area.
To stop this nonsense, sign the petition sponsored by SharkSavers.org to keep the bills from becoming law at http://www.sharksavers.org/get-involved/sign-these-petitions/542-petition-to-palau-stop-senate-bill-8-44-on-shark-fishing.html

CONFISCATED DRUG SHIP BECOMES NEW ARTIFICIAL REEF

2009-06-14T20:28:00.000-05:00

NEAR DEERFIELD BEACH, FL-- A mission nine years in the making is reality tonight.

Federal, state and local law enforcement teamed-up with water-lovers to turn a negative into a big positive.

"The project we've been working on finally came to fruition," said Craig Ash of Cepemar Environmental Services.

The "Lady Go Diver" headed across a canal in Deerfield Beach.

On-board the scuba ship were divers with their gear, journalists armed with a pen and paper and videographers shooting the beautiful landscape.

"It's good to see all of your efforts turning-up for something that will be beneficial," said Ash.

As the ship left the Boca Inlet, you got a feel for the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean and the land we left behind.

The boat's captain steered her to a spot about a mile out, along the Broward-Palm Beach County line.

This is where dozens of boaters gathered to witness the spectacular event.

Meanwhile, US Customs & Border Protection boats joined vessels from the sheriff's office to maintain safety.

"You see the flare, the smoke has got to go off," said one of the event organizers.

"Customs & Border Protection has donated a freighter for the artificial reef program," said agent Robert Del Toro. "We'll be sinking the vessel today."

Last June, the feds confiscated 165 kilos of cocaine from the Miss Lourdies.

The 165-foot ship was in Miami, picking-up cars, bicycles and mattresses to sell in Haiti, when the discovery was made.

Authorities actually had to take some bunk beds and walls out of the ship's crew cabins. They found the drugs inside a metal compartment.

Cameras rolled to capture the freighter's journey more than 100 feet to the bottom of the ocean.

"There's a lot of boats here, a lot of people" said "Lady Go Diver" scuba boat owner Arilton Pavan. "Everybody's watching. I think the idea worked out very well."

Within minutes, the Miss Lourdies disappeared into the big blue sea, to eventually become a part of nature's underwater landscape.

Sinking of the Vandenberg in the Keys

2009-06-04T20:15:00.000-05:00

BY SUSAN COCKING
scocking@MiamiHerald.com

Out of the dusty, blue gloom, about 45 feet below the ocean's surface emerges a pedestal that once held a large telescope. Now, a gigantic radar dish that resembles a giant spider web appears in view. And you still haven't descended to the actual deck of the USS Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg.

The Keys' newest and largest artificial reef began welcoming fish and scuba divers last weekend following its May 27 sinking about 6 ½ miles south of Key West.

At 523 feet long and 10 stories high, the retired military ship is impossible to explore fully in one trip. But a group of scuba divers from several media outlets got a partial view of the bow and amidships during a one-tank dive last Friday with the crew of Dive Key West.

A day before the shipwreck was opened for public diving, media divers were sent down in teams of three, each escorted by a divemaster or instructor, with no one allowed to dive below 70 feet or to penetrate the interior. The ship rests perfectly upright in the sand, the bow at 140 feet deep and the stern at 150 feet.

With 60 feet of visibility, there was plenty to see on the outside of the ship -- especially the radar dishes, which dislodged from their pedestals during the sinking and had to be secured with cables.

''I think they look really cool the way they are,'' said dive boat operator Joe Weatherby, who launched the project 14 years ago.

The bow is decorated with plaques honoring various backers of the $8.6 million deployment, and a Conch Republic banner flaps in the current. There are barely hidden clues welded around the higher parts of the ship for divers to solve a puzzle revealing the ''mystery of the Vandenberg,'' according to Weatherby.

''We're trying to keep the whole community involved,'' he said.

Weatherby said his favorite part of the wreck is the engine room, with its giant turbines, reduction gear and six stories of catwalks. But exploring deep in the bowels of the ship is restricted to expert divers certified to enter overhead environments using guidelines and multiple lights.

Unlike older artificial reefs, the Vandenberg is not covered with sea life. But some highly desirable pelagics have paid a visit. Shortly after the ship went down, boaters observed a pod of sailfish leaping out of the water nearby.

And on the day of the media dive, a large dolphinfish appeared at the stern of the dive boat as it bobbed on one of seven mooring buoys secured to the wreck.

''It was a gaffer,'' publicist Andy Newman said, referring to the jumbo-sized mahi.

``I wish I had brought a fishing rod.''

The Vandenberg lived several lives before coming to its final resting place on the bottom of the ocean.

Commissioned in 1943 as the Gen. Harry Taylor, it carried troops during World War II and brought postwar refugees and Holocaust survivors to the United States. Renamed the Vandenberg during the Cold War, it served as an Air Force missile tracker -- hence the huge radar dishes. In 1999, it played a supporting role as a Russian scientific vessel in the movie Virus.

Now the Vandenberg is expected to serve a dual purpose: economic boon to the Keys' tourism-dependent economy and safety valve for the stressed natural reef nearby.

''Unbelievable,'' said Monroe County Commissioner Mario DiGennaro, who dived it last Friday. ``I've dived all over the world, and this is one of the most interesting dives I've been on. It'll take pressure off the natural reef. [It] will take 20-30 dives to see the whole ship. It's a win-win.''

HOT NEW GEAR FROM SCUBAPRO!

2009-05-25T09:21:00.000-05:00

Scubapro has some really cool gear for 2009. Be the first to own the brand new A700 Regulator. Match this with the MK17 or MK25 First Stage. Looks really sharp in all chrome!

Also check out the new Seawing Nova fins. A new funky design that will surely be a conversation starter!

To learn all about both of these items and more checkout Scubapros website by clicking here.
Sea Lions will have these in Stock soon!

WHAT'S THE VIZ?

2009-05-16T20:19:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder why the visibility is better in some places than others? What makes "good viz"? Want to learn a simple method how to measure the viz? Click here to learn all you ever wanted to know about visibility.

BECOME A MASTER SCUBA DIVER!

2009-05-16T19:42:00.001-05:00

Take the Master Scuba Diver challenge!

Master Scuba Diver is the highest nonprofessional PADI recreational scuba diving certification and the dive possibilities are endless.

To become a PADI Master Scuba Diver, you must log 50 dives and complete the following PADI courses:

* PADI Open Water Diver course
* PADI Advanced Open Water Diver
* PADI Rescue Diver course
* Five PADI Specialty Diver Courses

One of the best ways to become an active diver is to experience new and exciting adventures. That, in essence, is what the PADI Master Scuba Diver program is about.

Complete your Master Scuba Diver certification in 2009 and your efforts will be rewarded. If you live in the Americas, you will receive:

* a customized wall certificate and embroidered Master Scuba Diver mesh bag (Delivery takes up to six weeks once you’ve submitted your PADI Master Scuba Diver application.)
* the highest non-professional PADI rating in recreational diving

With these in hand, you also will gain experience and explore new destinations with many new friends. With the new places you explore, you gain a higher lever of experience and become a more skilled diver. Most importantly, you can stay active, gain confidence and earn the respect of other divers around you.

In addition, you can join PADI Diving Society (click here to find out more) and earn free prizes with the Specialty of the Month program.

The next specialty of the month will be Peak Performance buoyancy. Dates to be announced.

SCUBA DIVING FITNESS

2009-05-16T11:06:00.000-05:00

Here is a great link all about Fitness for Scuba Divers.

DIVEFITNESS.COM

MARES TRADE IN AND TRADE UP DEAL

2009-05-08T21:20:00.000-05:00

Bring any DACOR Regulator (1st and 2nd Stage) produced in the US prior to the year 2000 and receive a special upgrade purchase price on a new MARES PRESTIGE 12 or VOLTREX 22 Regulator. Up to a $300 credit will be deducted, depending on the regulator you purchase!!!

Historic World War II Aircraft Pulled From Lake

2009-04-26T19:56:00.000-05:00

This article is from the WBBM website but there are others on the web regarding the recovery of a WWII air craft from Lake Michigan last week. Our own Instructor Bruce Bittner and Paul Ehorn who has done presentations many times at Sea Lions participated in the recovery.

Historic World War II Aircraft Pulled From Lake

WAUKEGAN, Ill. (CBS) ― A vintage World War II aircraft was pulled from the depths of Lake Michigan Friday morning, some 65 years after it sunk during a training exercise.

The Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber was lifted onto a pier at Larsen Marine in Waukegan. It was rusty and covered in zebra mussels, but it will be restored for future viewing.

"I'd say it (was pushed) over the left side of the carrier," said Grant C. Young of Lanark, Ill., who flew bombers just like it out of Glenview Naval Air Station in December 1943.

"You see how the one propeller is bent backward. That tells me the engine was at idle -- if it was at full speed when it hit the water, they'd be bent forward."

During World War II, the plane departed from the Glenview Naval Air Base for a carrier qualification training exercise. It was supposed to land on either the U.S.S. Wolverine or the U.S.S. Sable, two paddlewheel steamboats that were converted to aircraft carriers for training exercises. But instead, it ended up in the lake.

The plane crashed in Lake Michigan during qualification training in the 1940s, and has been in 315 feet of water about 25 miles off Waukegan since then, said AT&T Recovery President Taras Lyssenko, whose firm is handling recovery efforts.

More than 17,000 pilots completed that training, including former President George H.W. Bush.

The Douglas SBD Dauntless was credited with winning the Battle of Midway and turning the tide of the Pacific Theater in America's favor.

"The recovery of this aircraft and others is the continuation of a program started in the 1990s to recover and preserve Navy aircraft lost in World War II," said Navy Capt. Robert Rasmussen, director of the National Naval Aviation Museum.

Over the years, the effort has recovered more than 30 vintage aircraft, Rasmussen said.

Many of the planes are on display at aviation museums or other public venues across the country, including O'Hare and Midway airports.

Agencies began recovering lost planes in the late 1980s, but the process was on hold for the last 12 years until Navy officials pushed for its resumption.

"This plane is an object that Americans built with American ingenuity that won a war in the face overwhelming odds," Lyssenko said.

Once the plane is extracted and eventually restored, it will be displayed at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

Complete restoration is expected to take three years, officials said.

"The only thing high school kids know about World War II is that Hitler was in it," Lyssenko said. "Through these planes, we want them to know more about the history of the war and the freedom we enjoy today."

Hundreds of lost vessels rest, rust on Lake Michigan bottom

Like the Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber salvaged Friday, hundreds of vessels are deep beneath the surface of Lake Michigan.

Especially during the 19th century, "every year there would be 15 or 20 ships go down, so Lake Michigan is literally littered with shipwrecks," said Perry Duis, a history professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Here are just a few of the most famous:

Le Griffon, 1679. Considered the "holy grail" by area shipwreck hunters, this French trading ship was among the first European ships to sail the Great Lakes. A 2001 expedition claimed to have found the wreck off the coast of Michigan.

Lady Elgin, Sept. 8, 1860. This steamer sank after another ship collided with it. More than 400 people, who were returning to Milwaukee after attending a political rally for Stephen A. Douglas in Chicago, lost their lives.

The Rouse Simmons, Nov. 23, 1912. Remembered as the "Christmas tree ship," it disappeared in a storm, carrying a load of the trees bound for Chicago.

Northwest Airlines Flight 2501, June 23 1950. Flying from New York to Seattle, 58 passengers and crew died when their DC-4 disappeared over Lake Michigan. The next day, an oil slick and floating debris were found about 18 miles north of Benton Harbor, Mich. The cause was never determined.

CBS 2's Kris Habermehl and the Lake County News-Sun's Kendrick Marshall contributed to this report.

(CBS 2 and the Lake County News-Sun are news partners covering stories in the north suburbs. Send story tips to tips@cbs2chicago.com. (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

GOT ANY HAND SIGNALS YOU WANT TO SHARE?

2009-04-26T13:50:00.000-05:00

We all know of the common hand signals while Scuba Diving. Sea Lions is looking for some that we have never seen. Anybody have any that they would like to share? Please e-mail a description, or even better, a photo of you using it to gotair2@gmail.com. We would love to share it with other divers in an upcoming newsletter.

6 WAYS TO EQUAILIZE YOUR EARS

2009-04-26T13:25:00.000-05:00

Do you ever have trouble equalizing your ears during a dive? Follow the link for some great tips and techniques. CLICK HERE

FREE PROJECT AWARE/CORAL CONSERVATION CLASS

2009-04-23T17:03:00.000-05:00

It’s EARTH DAY

We’re offering a FREE

Project Aware / Coral Conservation Class (well, sort of…)

on Saturday, May 23^rd @ 9am – 3pm (bring a lunch)

Sea Lions Instructors John & Kim Zalewski is going to be conducting a Project Aware/Coral Conservation Course.

Learn all about the problems and issues facing our Aquatic world. You can even read or download the book online for free at:

http://www.projectaware.org/uploadedFiles/Home/Global_Initiatives/Specialty_Courses/70241_AWARE_OurWorldOurWater.pdf

It is highly recommended to read the book and fill out the knowledge review. It’s a great read.

So, the class is free, the books are free, what do you have to pay for?

Project Aware and Coral Conservation are also 2 separate PADI Specialty Courses. (which you can apply towards your Master Scuba Diver rating) If you are interested in receiving 2 specialty cards, there is a small processing fee of $20.00 per card. The fee goes directly to PADI. Sea Lions, John, and Kim do not make any money from this class. We are huge supporters of Project Aware and just want to spread the word. If you are not interested in specialty cards, then you pay nothing.

WHAT SHOULD I EAT?

2009-04-02T21:01:00.000-05:00

We all love to eat seafood, but unfortunately some of the seafood that we eat may be over fished or reefs may be damaged by destructive fishing practices. How are we supposed to know what is safe to eat? Click on this link to get the latest information on what is safe, a better alternative, and what to avoid. You can even print a small pocket size version to carry with you.

WHAT AND HOW IS A TANK HYDRO TESTED?

2009-04-02T20:19:00.000-05:00

We all know that our scuba tanks need to be visually inspected every year, but every 5 years a scuba tank needs to be hydrostatic tested. So, what exactly does that mean? How do they do it? Click on this link to read more. Lots of photos with step by step explanation.

SEA LIONS IS NOW ON FACEBOOK!

2009-03-31T19:59:00.000-05:00

Sea lions now has a group on Facebook. Become a fan and keep up to date with trips, classes, pictures, and all kinds of fun stuff! To find us on facebook, type in "Sea Lions Dive Center" under the search bar. Go to Facebook now!

DIVER DICTIONARY

2009-02-14T12:58:00.000-06:00

As a diver you may have heard a lot of words being said that sound like another language. Here is a great link of the definition of some of the terms you may have heard. Print them and put them in your log book. Great read for surface intervals!

http://www.squidoo.com/scubadictionary

HELP OUR OCEANS!

2009-01-24T12:47:00.000-06:00

What exactly is coral bleaching and Ocean acidification? I have heard all kinds of things about it, but never really understood how it happens, what exactly happens and what can we do about it. I did a bunch of research and found all this great info from PADI and PROJECT AWARE. I put this together to make it easy to understand. Click here to read it.

HOW IS OUR GEAR MADE?

2009-01-24T12:17:00.000-06:00

Ever wonder how the Scuba equipment you wear is made? Check out all these quick videos to see how.

To see a regulator made click here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X885wEShGkE

To see a BCD made click here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSKr3CO_rnM&feature=related

To see a depth gauge made click here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jmDclPpw24&feature=related

To see a spg made click here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djNB4Hluj1E&feature=related

To see a tank made click here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmSvbp2NFbc&feature=related

SAVE-A-DIVE KIT

2009-01-24T12:13:00.000-06:00

What would you do if your fin strap broke if you were on a boat, on a dive vacation? Would you have to sit out the dive? Do you have a backup? Every diver should carry with them a good “Save-a-dive” kit. The following items are inexpensive and by not having them may end up ruining an expensive dive outing.

- O-RINGS, VARIOUS SIZES FOR TANKS, HOSES, ETC.
- MASK STRAP OR SPARE MASK
- FIN STRAPS
- SPARE BATTERIES FOR COMPUTER, FLASHLIGHTS, ETC
- SECOND STAGE MOUTHPIECE
- SILICONE LUBE
- SCUBA TOOL
- POCKET KNIFE
- CABLE TIES
- DUCT TAPE
- SNORKEL KEEPER
- MASK DEFOG
- CLIPS, BUCKLES, RETRACTOR

Keep all of the items in a small box or zip lock bag. Make sure that all of your spare parts fit your own gear. You may find yourself adding to your kit as needed.

SCUBA SIGNALING DEVICES

2009-01-24T12:06:00.000-06:00

Scuba divers can be hard to spot in the water, even a relatively short distance from a boat or shore if conditions are rough. Signaling devices are important safety equipment that help scuba divers be seen and heard if they need assistance. At a minimum, you should have at least one visual signaling device and at least one audible signaling device. Your signaling devices should be with you whenever you’re in the water, so make them a standard part of your kit.

Whistles – Two-toned versions carry a long way over water.
Inflatable signal tubes – These are brightly colored inflatable tubes that jut high above the surface to make you more visible.
Signal mirror – Reflection is visible even to aircraft.
Flasher – A repeating strobe, these are highly visible at night.
Dye markers – Although not commonly carried by divers, dye markers are useful in open ocean (well beyond sight of shore) diving because they make a large colored area visible to boats and aircraft.
Dive light – On a night dive, your dive light doubles as a signaling device.

Avoid the biggest problem. The biggest problem related to surface signaling devices is not having them when you need them. Always have them with you and you always have them when you need one.

ALCOHOL, SMOKING, AND SCUBA DIVING

2008-12-13T13:10:00.000-06:00

Great article on the effects of smoking and alcohol when diving. Click here.

WHAT HAPPENS IN A RECOMPRESSION CHAMBER?

2008-12-13T13:06:00.000-06:00

Ever wonder how decompression sickness is
treated? How long do you have to sit in that chamber? Can you dive again? Click here to read more.

CALCULATE YOUR AIR CONSUMPTION RATE AT DEPTH

2008-11-15T12:02:00.000-06:00

Want to learn how much air you will use at depth? Learn how to calculate your air consumption rate here. http://www.squidoo.com/breathingunderwater

TIPS ON AIR CONSUMPTION

2008-11-15T11:59:00.000-06:00

Are you an air hog? Ever wonder why you use so much air? Want some tips to help you air consumption rate? Click here to read more. http://www.squidoo.com/airconsumption

ALL ABOUT SHARKS

2008-11-15T11:55:00.000-06:00

While surfing the web, I came across this neat website all about sharks. It’s great. Follow the link here. http://www.elasmodiver.com/

Orinskany Getting Deeper.

2008-11-05T15:02:00.000-06:00

I found this article about the Orinskany which was sunk as an artificial reef. Apparently it has sunk deeper due to Hurricane Gustav. I provided a link to the original web page.

Tom

As Oriskany sinks further, divers risk going deeper

original article here

It was part of the reason the 47-year-old master scuba diver and his new bride wanted their wedding in Pensacola last weekend.

He'd made the dive before. He'd traveled through the top of the impressive sunken wreck. He'd seen the array of marine life.

But this time he was back to touch the infamous flight deck.

"A lot of my students want to know how deep I can go," Gaiser said. "There's no reason to go down there other than to say that I did it."

At 135 feet, the sunken aircraft carrier's flight deck was already five feet outside the recreational diving limit, but instructors said it was still relatively safe for tempted divers to make the touch.

"People just had to touch it," said Eilene Beard, Scuba Shack co-owner. "And we'd say, 'OK, bounce down there and touch it and get back up here so you don't use all your nitrogen.' "

But after Hurricane Gustav pushed through the Gulf of Mexico, the sunken ship shifted about 10 feet deeper.

To the untrained diver, 10 feet may seem insignificant, but instructors fear the drop could affect the appeal and safety of the local attraction.

"That extra 10 feet made a huge difference," said Jim Phillips, owner of MBT Divers on Barrancas Avenue. "What makes the aircraft carrier different than any other ship out there is that flight deck. And everyone wants to touch that flight deck. Now that it's at 145 feet, it's luring divers a significant amount past that 130 foot limit."

Pushing the limits

Without proper equipment and training, the added pressure of reaching that depth can be dangerous to divers.

"The farther you go down, the more you push your limits," said Beard, who also is chairwoman of the Escambia County Marine Advisory Committee.

Specific combinations of oxygen and nitrogen are mixed for different depths, Beard said, and exceeding the 130-foot mark can be very dangerous without preparation and training.

At farther depths, the body consumes more nitrogen, which can lead to nitrogen narcosis, a feeling of drunkenness and skewed judgment, or decompression sickness, where nitrogen bubbles can build up under the skin, tissues, joints and against the spinal column.

Deeper dives also reduce "bottom time" — the amount of time available to dive based on the amount of oxygen and nitrogen consumed.

Unfortunately for Gaiser, bad weather kept him from making the dive. Gaiser is a trained technical diver who is certified to dive to depths of 200 feet.

And so is his friend Gerry Mosconi, 48, who also traveled from New York and made the dive early Saturday.

While certified to dive outside of the recreational limit, Mosconi said he resisted touching the flight deck because he had not brought the proper equipment and was not willing to take the risk.

"There's that sort of people who take a car out and see how fast it will go," Mosconi said. "They're not trained for it. They can't handle it. Sometimes they get lucky and sometimes they don't."

Still drawing divers

A May 2007 report by the Haas Center measuring the Oriskany's impact on the local economy estimated that in Escambia County 37 new jobs were generated and $2 million in local output were generated.

Local shop owners feared that news of the famed sunken reef's shift might deter potential divers from visiting.

Beard said after Gustav, business tapered off. But she said lately she's been overwhelmed with phone calls from people inquiring about the Oriskany's condition.

"Now we have to re-educate people on it, but it's still a perfectly viable dive," Beard said.

Keith Wilkins, deputy director of Neighborhood and Community Service Bureau, said the Oriskany's shift has made it a safer dive, because now fewer divers will be tempted to reach the flight deck and will remain in shallower areas of the vessel.

"It might be a little less attractive, a little less of a tease," Wilkins said. "But inadvertently it's also a lot safer."

Diving instructors maintain the Oriskany's highlights are well above the flight deck, with the majority of marine life circling through the upper towers of the ship.

"I'd say if you have to touch that flight deck, then hang your spear gun off your foot and just tap it with that," Wilkins laughed. "Keep your head at 130 feet and you can still say, "Yeah, I tapped it."

COOL FACTS ABOUT THE OCEANS

2008-11-03T18:02:00.000-06:00

Here is some really interesting facts here about our oceans. Impress all your friends of your knowledge. Read all about them here.

TURKS AND CAICOS SCUBA TRIP

2008-10-25T11:54:00.000-05:00

Join us on a trip to the beautiful islands of Turks and Caicos the first week of March 2009. Eat, sleep, and dive on the Turks and Caicos Liveaboard. I should also mention that it is Humpback Whale season, so sightings are likely! Click here to find out more.

ZEBRA MUSSELS

2008-10-25T11:47:00.000-05:00

So, What exactly are Zebra Mussels? What are they and what do they want? Click here to find out all about them.

Advanced Open Water diver Course

2008-09-16T17:51:00.001-05:00

The Advanced Open Water course consists of one night of class work and five open water dives. For more information CLICK HERE

http://www.squidoo.com/advancedclass

Review of ScubaPro Regulators

2008-09-07T21:26:00.000-05:00

ScubaPro is currently offering a free Aladin computer with the purchase of a BCD with Air2 and any regulator. For a review of ScubaPro regulators and a discusion on BCDs Click ScubaPro Regulators orBCDs or ScubaPro computers

http://www.squidoo.com/scubaproregulatorreview
http://www.squidoo.com/bcd
http://www.squidoo.com/scubaprocomputers

SCUBA Diving is Dangerous - Not - Well Maybe

2008-09-07T11:51:00.000-05:00

SCUBA Diving is no more dangerous than other active sorts but when you tell your Mom you are taking SCUBA lessons you may get "THE LOOK."

CLICK HERE for a realistic discussion of the dangers and what you can tell your mother.

http://www.squidoo.com/divingdanger

My Favorite Warm Water Dives

2008-09-02T22:57:00.000-05:00

Visitors to our dive shop often ask what are my favorite warm water dive destinations. CLICK HERE to see my favorite warm water destinations......

Or CLICK HERE to help select the Top Ten Warm Water SCUBA Destinations.

Wet Suits and Dry Suits for SCUBA Diving

2008-09-02T22:11:00.000-05:00

Want some tips on how to select the right exposure suit? CLICK HERE to visit our wetsuit and drysuit site.

http://www.squidoo.com/scubasuits

Aquariums allowing Divers in Displays

2008-09-02T08:54:00.000-05:00

I found this article about aquariums that allow divers in their tanks. I did this in Epcot a few years ago and while it was interesting it was not, in my opinion, as good as the real thing. Try it and decide for yourself.

Growing number of aquariums open tanks to divers

By WILLIAM KATES |Associated Press Writer

August 30, 2008

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Still enthralled, Debra Kurtz described how a 6-foot-long zebra shark, a predator that patrols the western Pacific and Indian oceans, swam around her head.

Then there was the playful 300-pound, green sea turtle, an endangered species from tropical waters, that kept trying to crawl underneath her as she knelt in the sand.

Her favorites, though, were the angelfish, which clustered around her to take sand showers, swimming through the grains of sand she let slip through her fingers.

Not bad for an hour's worth of scuba diving. The 44-year-old sales and marketing management consultant from Vernon Hills, Ill., was a guest diver at the National Aquarium in Baltimore while on a recent business trip. A growing number of aquariums across the country _ from Denver to Duluth, from Long Island to Tampa _ are opening their exhibit tanks to certified scuba divers.

"It's wildlife I've seen before but not so up-close," Kurtz said. "I've never had so many fish surround me in such a confined area. It was really a unique experience."

There are at least eight major aquariums that allow guest divers _ who are different from the corps of volunteer divers trained and used by many aquariums to help in feeding and tank maintenance _ said Steve Feldman, a spokesman for the Aquarium and Zoological Association, a Maryland-based accrediting group.

"Aquariums are doing this as a way to compete with other forms of entertainment for the consumer's shrinking dollars, as a way to foster marine education and as a way to help supplement their budgets with additional revenues," Feldman said.

"People want up-close experiences with wild animals," said Feldman, pointing to the popularity of petting and feeding programs at zoos and wildlife parks.

"The exposure is indescribable," said John Harman, owner of the Atlantic Edge dive shop. He helps run the four-year-old guest dive program at the National Aquarium, where divers like Kurtz spend 30 minutes in each the Atlantic Coral Reef and Wings in the Water tanks.

"In an hour of diving, you can get exposure that you wouldn't get in 20 years diving in natural environments. You never would see this many species at one time. The thrill is ... the animals are interactive. They are right there in your mask," said Harman.

Aquarium spokeswoman Jennifer Bloomer said the Baltimore program often is sold out two or three months in advance.

Many aquariums already offer snorkeling and swim-with-the-fish programs. Guest diving programs were first started at Disney's Living Seas exhibit at Epcot in Florida nearly two decades ago, but it wasn't until 2001 that the Florida Aquarium in Tampa became the first not-for profit aquarium to establish a program.

Others have followed in rapid succession as the programs have proven popular among divers, said Doug McNeese, executive director of Scuba Schools International, one of the four main scuba instruction and certification organizations.

At the Florida Aquarium, the guest diving program began as a weekend offering but has grown in popularity each year until last year when it was expanded to seven days a week, said Casey Coy, the aquarium's director of diving operations.

"I can guarantee what you are going to see," Coy said. "I can guarantee the conditions, the temperature of the water, the lack of current, the lack of surf, good visibility.

"What you might notice as an experienced diver is that the reef is fabricated. But it's still fun to watch the fish interact with the reef. They aren't able to discern that. They use it the same way they would use it if you were on a reef in the Keys. If you are looking for green morays, you look under the ledges, you look under the elkhorn coral," Coy said.

The guest divers also tend to attract a crowd when they are in the water, as aquarium visitors stop to watch them in the tanks, Coy said.

Guest diving also has proven "phenomenally" popular at the Downtown Aquarium in Denver, where nearly 4,000 people have participated in the program's first two years, said Scot Hulgan, the aquarium's general manager.

"We haven't even put a lot of marketing behind it yet ... word has just gotten round," said Hulgan.

Nearly all aquariums require participants to be scuba certified. One exception is the Atlantis Marine World Aquarium in Riverhead, N.Y., which started a shark-dive program last June open to anyone over age 12.

However, divers remain inside a cage at all times and wear a full face mask helmet, said Eileen Gerle, the aquarium's director of education. Although it is compressed air, the tank is attached to the cage rather than the diver's back. The full mask also contains a communications system that allows the diver to hear and talk to the dive master, she said.

"We wanted a program open to everyone, not just divers, but we also wanted an easy introduction so guests could get their feet wet diving and maybe decide to pursue it," she said.

Programs vary. Some aquariums allow divers to use some of their own equipment, others provide all or part, including a wetsuit. All include some type of educational session, mostly to help divers identify the fish they will see.

There have been no reported safety incidents involving divers but some scientists and animal welfare groups have questioned the stress placed on the fish and marine mammals.

"It's best to see these creatures in the ocean," said John McCosker, an ichthyologist and chairman of Aquatic Biology for the California Academy of Sciences who spent 22 years as director of the Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco.

"But the fish are already in an aquarium so I'm not sure how much of a negative impact there would be ... as long as it's done in a controlled, managed and responsible way," said McCosker.

A number of major aquariums _ the New York Aquarium, the New England Aquarium in Boston and the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago _ do not offer guest diving.

"It's a great moneymaker for aquariums, no question about it," said Dick Blankfein, the dive safety officer at the New York Aquarium. Blankfein said it places "undue stress on the animals."

"It also puts undue stress on me as a dive safety officer," he said, "because I have no idea the abilities of the people who would come in as guest divers."

You Know Your a Diver When

2008-09-01T22:35:00.000-05:00

You Know Your a Diver When.... you picture every cruise ship as a potential wreck dive.

CLICK HERE to read eleven more ways to know your a diver or add you own.

http://www.squidoo.com/knowyouareadiver

Vote for Your Favorite Chicagoland Dive Site

2008-09-01T21:17:00.000-05:00

We recently worked with a reporter who prepared an article on the Top Ten Dive Sites in Chicagoland.

Now it is your turn. GO HERE and tell us your favorite site or vote for ones proposed by others.

http://www.squidoo.com/votechicagolanddivesites

What is Your Favorite Caribbean Dive Vacation

2008-08-31T21:58:00.000-05:00

What is your favorite Caribbean dive destination?

GO HERE and cast your vote. Tell us your favorite. Check back often to see other favorites. You might just find a new favorite.

http://www.squidoo.com/warmwaterpoll

Free Computer

2008-08-28T17:31:00.001-05:00

Buy a ScubaPro BC with Air2 and a Regulator combination and get a free Aladin Prime Wrist Computer. Call Dive Center for Details.

August 22, 2008 Newsletter

2008-08-26T14:02:00.000-05:00

You too can be the envy of the Midwest Diving community by sporting your very own Sea Lions Logo Hat. Bring in this newsletter and save 20% on your choice of colors.

Confused about dive computers? We prepared a short guide to the Uwatec computers that we carry that will help sort out the differences. Visit our blog for more information.

Thursday September 4, 2008 at 7:30 PM we will present TRIP NIGHT. We will show videos of our up coming trips and

Only one spot remains for the Nekton Cruise to St Croix August 8, 2009. We can reserve more spots but the cost will increase $300. Call to reserve your spot.

Thirteen divers joined us to explore the wreck of the Straits and Mackinaw and the Wells Burt. Visit our Trip Report to see all the pictures.

We will be holding our next Advanced Open Water class September 6 and 7. Call to sign up. None student can join us for the night dive.

Visit our Blog for Jaclyn Mandowske’s report on her three weeks on a live aboard. Jaclyn completed her open water class with us earlier this year.

Our next Lake Michigan Charter to Milwaukee will be September 14, 2008. We will be diving the wrecks of Milwaukee aboard the Len-Der. Call for reservations.

Do you have a spouse or friend who would like to learn to dive in warm water? Sign up for our Bahamas education package.

August 15 Newsletter

2008-08-26T13:24:00.000-05:00

Mark your calendars: at 8 PM on September 4, 2008 we will have a presentation on our 2008/2009 Dive Trips. We will show videos on North Carolina, Key Largo, our Nekton St Croix trip, Straits of mackinaw – the [place not the ship -Bonne Terre, Gilboa and much more.

If there is a trip you always wanted to do but did want to go alone let us know and we will try and put together a group trip.

Congratulations to our newest Open Water Divers Leslie Armstrong, Jeff Jensen, Suchi Patel, Surrender Sara, Andre Lareau, Mike Skonie, Jim and Jordan Habel, Donna and Dwight Priest, and Mike Wallenberg.

We have eight of our 5 spots on the Nekton trip to St. Croix committed. To get our special $600 off pricing you must reserve by close of business Monday. We can reserve additional; spots but it will be an additional $300 for the spots after ten. There is no reservation without a deposit.

Everyone who has been on our North Carolina trip has seen the influx of Lionfish that is happening in the Atlantic. I posted an Associated Press article on our blog about this foreign species invasion. According to the article they came from a fish tank damaged by a hurricane.

Do not forget our Open Pool Monday August 18, 2008. You must sign up in advance. The cost is $10 per person and we will supply any equipment you need.

There will be a clean up dive at Burnham Harbor on September 20, 2008.

On October 2 through 5 we will return to dive North Carolina. Click here for details.

We are looking to do a special buy on 80 CF SCUBA Tanks in September. If we get ten buyers we can offer them for only $250. Call us or email us to reserve one. For a neat video on how a tank is made visit or Tank Site.

Look for a special offer in September to get a free Uwatec computer with your dive gear purchase.

We will hold a Digital Photography Specialty class on September 21, 24 and 28. Call the Dive Center to register.

Presidential/Scuba Trivia

2008-08-26T12:59:00.000-05:00

According to this report the USS Orinsky that has become an artificial reef - the Great Carrier Reef - off Pensacola was the ship Presidential Candidate' plane launched on the flight where he was shot down and became a war prisoner.

The Wells Burt

2008-08-25T13:30:00.000-05:00

Sea Lions Dive Center visited the wreck of the Wells Burt on Sunday August 14, 2008.

This wreck is shallow - about 40 feet - and has great historic detail. For more info on the Wells Burt CLICK HERE

For info on the Charter Click Here

http://www.squidoo.com/wellsburt
http://www.squidoo.com/trip81708

Jaclyn goes to the Caribbean

2008-08-22T14:12:00.000-05:00

One of our recent Open Water students, Jaclyn Mandoske, was able to spend three weeks on a live aboard in the Caribbean. Her is her picture and yes that is a Sea Lions Logo hat and ScubaPro gear. Ah, Mom, who is she with??????????

After spending three weeks on a live aboard dive trip through the the Winward Islands I came back with these photos. My trip started in Grenada and from there we sailed up through St. Vincent and the Grenedines to St. Lucia all the while diving multiple dives a day. I lived with nine other teenagers on a 46-foot catamaran. It was definetly the best trip of my life. Every place we went to was more beautiful then the next and the diving was absolutly gorgeous. The program was through Broadreach and it takes teenagers on dive trips all around the world. I became a certified Rescue Diver in those three weeks and also recieved six specialties. There's no doubt in my mind that I wouldn't choose another trip like this and I completely recommend them. I fell in love with diving because of this and it is now something I will continue to do for the rest of my life.

Top Ten Gifts for Divers Under $100

2008-08-22T13:40:00.000-05:00

Ok guys, here is an opportunity to not just get another tie for Christmas/Birthday whatever. We have prepared a list of gifts for divers under $50 dollars.

Have an item you want your family to know about? Let us share it.

Find our list HERE.

Post you suggest here... or there.

http://www.squidoo.com/divegifts

Prins Willem

2008-08-22T12:42:00.000-05:00

September 14, 2008 Sea Lions will be diving the wrecks of Milwaukee including the The Prins Willem. Call the Dive Center at 620-289-1680 to ign up or email us. No reservation will be held without payment!

Learn to Dive at Sea Lions and in the Bahamas

2008-08-21T21:13:00.000-05:00

Want to learn to dive? Want to visit the Bahamas? How about take the pool and classroom here with Sea Lions Dive Centrer then fly to Freeport Bahamas to do two days of checkout dives and one day of two tank boat diving.

Only $1,400 including books, DVD, equipments, air fare to Freeport, four nights at the Pelican Bay, two days of checkout dives, and one day two tank boat dive.

Classes start January 5, 2009

For more informations CLICK HERE or Email Us.

http://www.squidoo.com/learndivebahamas

Dive Computers

2008-08-21T13:34:00.000-05:00

Visit any dive related board or chat room and you will quickly notice one of the hot recurring topics is "are dive tables such as the PADI Recreational Dive Planner safer than Computers."

For a more detailed discussion on dive computers please CLICK HERE.

http://www.squidoo.com/scubaprocomputers

Lake Michigan Charter Trip Report

2008-08-20T14:17:00.000-05:00

On August 17, 2008 Sea Lions Dive Center took thirteen divers on a Lake Michigan Charter to the Straits of Mackinaw and the Wells Burt. The Lake was calm, the weather was good and the Air Show was in progress.

For a complete report and pictures CLICK HERE

http://www.squidoo.com/trip81708

Invasive Species in Lake Michigan

2008-08-19T11:33:00.000-05:00

We all know about zebra mussels but there are other invasive species in Lake Michigan. This article for the Tribune discusses some of the species and the changes they are causing.

Underwater, a disturbing new world

A Tribune team follows researchers to the bottom of Lake Michigan as they try to explain the rapidly shifting ecosystem

By James Janega | Chicago Tribune reporter

July 30, 2008

OFF ATWATER BEACH, Wis.—This place should be an underwater desert.

But as the three researchers wearing scuba tanks and lead weights drop through the water, the landscape of rounded stones 30 feet below is disturbingly full of strange, new life.

In just a few years, the gravel and white boulders that for centuries covered the bottom of Lake Michigan between Chicago and the Door County, Wis., peninsula have disappeared under a carpet of mussels and primitive plant life.

The change is not merely cosmetic. In the last three years or so, scientists say, invasive species have upended the ecology of the lakes, shifting distribution of species and starving familiar fish of their usual food supply.

Signs of the shift have been hard to ignore. Mats of dead, smelly algae wash ashore on Lake Michigan from Chicago to the Straits of Mackinac, castoffs of a vast underwater expanse seen from boat decks and from hilltops at Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan. Fishermen haul it up in their nets, dubbing it "lake moss."

Multiple strains of E. coli bacteria and botulism spores thrive in the new underwater garden, leading scientists to suspect they are contributing to beach closings and the widespread deaths of migratory birds. Meanwhile, fishermen notice the lake trout, salmon and whitefish are getting skinnier each season.

The rapid shift has researchers scrambling to understand what is happening and how widely the impact will be felt.

"The lake is changing faster than we can study it," said University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee researcher Harvey Bootsma, whose small team of researchers hunts explanations from this new lake bottom in weekly dives off the Wisconsin shore.

Adaptation possible

Some ecologists and fishery managers say the Great Lakes may adapt, noting that some fish seem to be eating the most common invasive species. But experts also say the species are fueling change in the lakes at a rate far faster than they have ever seen.

"We don't necessarily know all the impacts, but we know enough to know that they are being catastrophic," said Cameron Davis, president of the Alliance for the Great Lakes. "The ecological balance of the Great Lakes is at a tipping point. And the question is: Can they recover? Or can we act quickly enough to help them recover?"

None of the key species leading the change—mussels, algae and round gobies—are new arrivals. The zebra mussel famously invaded Lake Michigan two decades ago, and its cousin, the quagga mussel, wasn't far behind.

But in the last handful of years the quagga has taken off with alarming speed, exploding across the lake floor.

While zebra mussels like to attach themselves to rocks and man-made structures, the quaggas can colonize sandy bottoms deeper in the lakes. Between them, the species filter lake water ceaselessly, making it so crystal clear that light can penetrate far deeper than before.

That change has allowed a native species of algae called cladophora to run rampant. It now can grow in 30 feet of water, twice as deep as a decade ago, and its waving tendrils cover vast offshore areas.

Round gobies, an invasive fish species from the Black Sea willing to eat the mussels, love this new environment. They breed prolifically and are now the most abundant fish species found in many parts of the lake.

Together, these species have not only altered the clarity of the water but also devoured and filtered out the nutrients that used to sustain plankton and shrimplike diporeia at the base of the lake's food chain, starving what larger fish are left.

To be sure, the Great Lakes ceased to be a wholly native ecosystem long ago. Atlantic alewives sneaked into the lakes in 1873. People began stocking rainbow trout and chinook salmon shortly after the alewives, and added brown trout and coho salmon to the mix by 1933.

By the 1950s, the most important fish in the native food chain—lake trout, ciscoes and spiny sculpins—were nearly gone in the lower lakes and severely reduced in Lakes Michigan and Huron. Still, scientists say perch, salmon and the alewives on which they foraged formed a relatively stable ecosystem until the invasive mussels began devouring key microscopic nutrients.

"Now all the forage fish are way down in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron," said Henry Vanderploeg, a Great Lakes ecologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "There's a crisis. The mussels are really messing up the food chain."

It's possible fish will weather the changes. Fishermen have caught lake trout that had gobies in their stomachs, and smallmouth bass in Lake Erie have doubled their size in 10 years by feasting on gobies, said Marc Gaden, spokesman for the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission.

How to Buy Dive Gear

2008-08-16T16:06:00.000-05:00

Buying Dive Gear is confusing.

At Sea Lions Dive Center we want you to be as informed as you can be when you decide to make your purchase.

We have prepared a number of links to articles on how to choose various equipment and we have a special web page that may help. Those links are listed in the box in the upper left hand corner of this blog.

Nothing can replace personal advice. So do your research and come visit us.

If we can do some further research to help you out let us know.

We understand you may not buy all your dive gear from Sea Lions but we want to be the Center of you Diving activity. Visit our sites and our Dive center and tell us what we can do to make your diving experience better.

http://www.squidoo.com/buydivegear
http://www.divegear.weebly.com

You Know Your a Diver When

2008-08-16T14:16:00.000-05:00

You know your a diver when..... you get up at 7 AM on your vacation to get on a dive boat.

We all know you do things as a diver that a sane person would never consider. For our list visit our You Know your a Diver When website. Ad your contribution.

http://www.squidoo.com/knowyouareadiver

Try Scuba

2008-08-16T04:30:00.000-05:00

If you are hooked on SCUBA diving (why else would you be reading our blog) and would like to share your passion with family, friends or coworkers, Sea Lions dive Center offers monthly Try SCUBA at the Elgin Taylor YMCA.

For information Click Here TRYSCUBA IN SUBURBAN CHICAGO or cut and paste this URL to your browser, http://www.squidoo.com/tryscuba. Call Sea Lions Dive Center 630-289-1680 for times and dates.

Certified Divers can also take advantage of our monthly open pool night to try out their equipment, work on skills or just have fun. Visit our website www.sealions.org for times and dates.

2008-08-15T21:21:00.001-05:00

High pressure tanks including SCUBA tanks must be visually inspected annually and must be hydro tested every five years. This is not a Sea Lions Dive Center requirement it is required by law. We had a customer in the dive shop recently who insisted we fill his tank without a current visual. When we refused he became quite vocal and said that we were trying to cheat him and began making other abusive and loud remarks regarding our prices. He said he could buy dive gear for half our prices at a local sporting goods store and on the Internet. We asked him to leave and his parting comment was “an informed customer is your worst enemy.”

In fact a “misinformed customer is our worst enemy.” We do our best to offer products and services at competitive prices. The sporting goods store – who has since discontinued selling dive gear – sold only low end regulators to customers only interested in price. They offered no expertise, no help selecting gear, no service and no airfills. We had a customer bring in one of these “bargain regulators.” The reg was in pieces and the sporting goods store could not even assemble the parts.

Regarding the Internet, dive store employees, including those of us at Sea Lions get very defensive when people talk about buying gear on the Internet. The internet sites skim the cream and offer the highest margin items at a discount but do not offer the lower margin items such as service and air fills.

We know you look at the Internet… so do we. Buying dive gear on the Internet is a crap shoot. Many times you will purchase the gear and it will work out for you. But when it goes bad it can go real bad. Many of the Internet sites are not authorized dealers. We sell Uwtech Computer in part because they we feel they have the best warrantee in the industry. If you buy Uwatech or ScubaPro on the Internet you do not get that warrantee no matter who you buy it from.

If you find that you would like to support our effort to offer local services but cannot resist the Internet please visit our dive gear site. You will find helpful articles on purchasing dive gear and you will also find links to Internet sites that sell dive gear. If you enter these sites through the link on our web page when you purchase we will receive a small commission but it will not increase your cost.

I apologize for the length of this rant but it is a sensitive and important issue.

For more information on the manufacture and maintenance of SCUBA tanks visit our SCUBA Tank Maintenance Website.

http://www.squidoo.com/scubatank
http://www.squidoo.com/buydivegear

Fresh Water Fish Identification

2008-08-15T15:13:00.000-05:00

What's that Fish????? This is a picture of a paddlefish taken at Mermet Springs. These fish are native to Illinois and have been placed in many quarries for the entertainment of Divers.

For more information on Fresh Water Fish visit our Cold Water fish identification page.

Lionfish in Atlantic

2008-08-14T13:01:00.000-05:00

Those of you who have traveled with us to North Carolina have seen how the lionfish have begun to take over. I found this article that shows what can happen when a "pet" gets out. According to this article all these fish descended from 6 that escaped in a hurricane.

Original link http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184738/

updated 4:55 p.m. CT, Wed., Aug. 13, 2008

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - A maroon-striped marauder with venomous spikes is rapidly multiplying in the Caribbean's warm waters and even off the East Coast — swallowing native species, stinging divers and generally wreaking havoc on an ecologically delicate region.

The red lionfish, a tropical native of the Indian and Pacific oceans that probably escaped from a Florida fish tank, is showing up everywhere — from the coasts of Cuba and Hispaniola to Little Cayman's pristine Bloody Bay Wall, one of the region's prime destinations for divers.

Wherever it appears, the adaptable predator corners fish and crustaceans up to half its size with its billowy fins and sucks them down in one violent gulp.

Research teams observed one lionfish eating 20 small fish in less than 30 minutes.

"This may very well become the most devastating marine invasion in history," said Mark Hixon, an Oregon State University marine ecology expert who compared lionfish to a plague of locusts. "There is probably no way to stop the invasion completely."

A white creature with maroon stripes, the red lionfish has the face of an alien and the ribbony look of something that survived a paper shredder — with poisonous spikes along its spine to ward off enemies.

Scale of invasion is unique
The invasion is similar to that of other aquarium escapees such as walking catfish and caulerpa, a fast-growing form of algae known as "killer seaweed" for its ability to crowd out native plants. The catfish are now common in South Florida, where they threaten smaller fish in wetlands and fish farms.

In Africa, the Nile Perch rendered more than 200 fish species extinct when it was introduced into Lake Victoria. The World Conservation Union calls it one of the 100 worst alien species invasions.

"Those kinds of things happen repeatedly in fresh water," Hixon said "But we've not seen such a large predatory invasion in the ocean before."

The lionfish so far has been concentrated in the Bahamas, where marine biologists are seeing it in every habitat: in shallow and deep reefs, off piers and beaches, and perhaps most worrisome, in mangrove thickets that are vital habitats for baby fish.

Some spots in the Bahamian archipelago between New Providence and the Berry Islands are reporting a tenfold increase in lionfish just during the last year.

Northern Caribbean islands have sounded the alarm, encouraging fishermen to capture lionfish and divers to report them for eradication.

The invasion would be "devastating" to fisheries and recreational diving if it reached Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to Eugenio Pineiro-Soler of the Caribbean Fishery Management Council.

"I think at the best they will have a huge impact on reef fish, and at the worst will result in the disappearance of most reef fish," said Bruce Purdy, a veteran dive operator who has helped the marine conservation group REEF with expeditions tracking the invasion.

Purdy said he has been stung several times while rounding up lionfish — once badly.

"It was so painful, it made me want to cut my own hand off," he said.

Researchers believe lionfish were introduced into the Atlantic in 1992, when Hurricane Andrew shattered a private aquarium and six of them spilled into Miami's Biscayne Bay, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Biologists think the fish released floating sacs of eggs that rode the Gulf Stream north along the U.S. coast, leading to colonization of deep reefs off North Carolina and Bermuda. Lionfish have even been spotted as far north as Rhode Island in summer months, NOAA said.

They are not aggressive toward humans, and their sting is not fatal. There are no estimates so far of tourists who have been stung. But marine officials say swimmers will be more at risk as the venomous species overtakes tropical waters along popular Caribbean beaches.

The slow-moving fish, which measures about 18 inches, is easy to snare, though lionfish swim too deep for divers to catch in nets — a common method of dealing with invasive species.

Looking for lionfish predator
So researchers are scrambling to figure out what will eat the menacing beauties in their new Caribbean home, experimenting with predators such as sharks, moray eels — and even humans.

Adventurous eaters describe the taste of lionfish fillets as resembling halibut. But so far, they are a tough sell. Hungry sharks typically veer abruptly when researchers try to hand-feed them a lionfish.

"We have gotten (sharks) to successfully eat a lionfish, but it has been a lot of work. Most of our attempts with the moray eel have been unsuccessful," said Andy Dehart of the National Aquarium in Washington, who is working with REEF in the Bahamas.

One predator that will eat lionfish is grouper, which are rare in the lionfish's natural Southeast-Asian habitat. Scientists are pinning long-range hopes on the establishment of new ocean reserves to protect grouper and other lionfish predators from overfishing.

Hixon said there is some evidence that lionfish have not invaded reefs of the fully protected Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, a 176-square-mile reserve southeast of Nassau. But unprotected locations in the vast archipelago are more vulnerable.

Containing the spread of the lionfish is an uphill fight. As lionfish colonize more territory in the Caribbean, they feed on grazing fish that keep seaweed from overwhelming coral reefs already buffeted by climate change, pollution and other environmental pressures.

Dehart said: "If we start losing these smaller reef fish as food to the lionfish ... we could be in a whirlwind for bad things coming to the reef ecosystem."

2008-08-12T08:36:00.000-05:00

I found this article on a we page called The Windy Citizen. http://windycitizen.com/news/elkgrove/2008/08/12/diversdiscoverhistoryinlakemichiganwaters

Alyssa Wells

by Alyssa Wells

Published August 12, 2008 - 12:00 AM

Most people don’t expect to have any scuba diving experience in Lake Michigan, let alone an exciting one. While diving is usually synonymous with warm, turquoise water and dazzling marine life, scuba divers in the Great Lakes region guard a well-preserved secret.

“If you’re diving and you want to see fish you have to go to the tropics,” says Cris Kohl, author of eleven books on the Great Lakes. “But if you want to see the best preserved shipwrecks in the world you have to dive here, because you sure won’t see them in saltwater.”

Our lakes boast shipwrecks galore, from smaller tugboats to schooners resting less than one hundred feet below the surface, a treat for adventurous divers willing to tolerate the cold. Although the water temperature is a deterrent for many potential and seasoned divers, it prevents the deterioration of the sunken boats, products of the Great Lakes’ extensive maritime history.

“There are shipwrecks in the Great Lakes that are almost entirely intact to the point that you can stick your hand into the cargo hold and come up with grain if they were shipping corn or flour,” said Peggy Kurpinski, owner of Adventures in Diving in Holland, Mich.

Despite the many locations to obtain scuba diving certification in the region, most new divers postpone their first dive until they can travel to more tropical climates. However, regional dive shop owners think that the lakes are vastly underrated and new divers often miss out on the opportunity to explore the shipwrecks, remnants of history frozen in time.

“It’s eerie to see something that you’re not supposed to see underwater and strange seeing something so out of context,” said Ralph Naruscewicz, an owner of D.D. Dive Shop in Glenview. “But it’s nice because you swim in some of the ships where you have big openings so you get to see into the compartments. That’s pretty unique.”

Kurpinski said local instructors enjoy taking new divers onto the wrecks because of the sense of wonderment that the divers feel when they realize there is an entire hidden world below the surface of the lake.

“I have newly certified people go out and do a dive and they don’t think they’re going to see anything,” he said. “But they see the wreck, they see the artifact, they get back on the boat, and you can’t stop them from talking for the next half an hour because it is the most thrilling experience. And it’s awesome.”

The lure of scuba diving is the thrill, going to the last place on the planet that hasn’t been thoroughly explored.

“Shipwreck divers like the drama, the history, the exploration of a different world,” says Kohl, whose books include Shipwreck Tales of the Great Lakes and The Great Lakes Diving Guide. “They look at the ship’s wheel and they imagine the helmsman struggling hard to save the ship in a storm before it sank. They ask themselves, ‘Who last walked on these decks? Did they survive? What happened to them?’”

Divers interested in the history of the vessels have been known to take souvenirs with them. While each state bordering the lakes made it illegal to remove things from the wrecks, it’s hard for many to pass up the opportunity. Kurpinski has a collection of bottles that would make antique stores jealous, including a Coca-Cola bottle that is over one hundred years old.

“I have two halves of a plate that was being shipped to Marshall Fields,” says Lee Skinner, an avid diver from Elk Grove Village with over 1,000 dives under his wetsuit.

Skinner and his wife Nancy have been diving for 26 years, traveling to dive sights across the globe like Phuket, Thailand and Cozumel, Mexico. While her husband enjoys the more adventurous aspects of diving, Nancy likes the serenity that she finds in the water.

“It’s so peaceful,” she said. “I find diving extremely relaxing and restful. When you go diving and you jump in the water for the first time it’s like going home. It’s so beautiful there.”

Open Water Class August 2 & 3, 2008

2008-08-11T12:49:00.000-05:00

Congradulatons to our newest Open Water Divers: Leslie Armstrong, Jeff Jensen, Suchi Patel, Surrender Sara, Andre Lareau, Mike Skonie, Jim and Jordan Habel, Donna and Dwight Priest, and Mike Wallenberg.

Dive Master Candidate Mark "Snap" Whitten.

Newsletter August 7, 2008

2008-08-11T11:38:00.000-05:00

The Dive Center is now open Monday through Friday 2 PM to 8 PM and Saturday 11 AM to 5 PM

On August 10 we will have a fun dive and picnic at Haig Quarry. Bret Byers will do a short intro to Cavern Diving techniques presentation.

Sea Lions will be going to Gilboa Quarry in Ohio August 23 and 24. The cost of the trip is $60 plus transportation. You can drive yourself or join us in the van and share the cost of fuel. We will be holding an Advanced Open Water course for anyone interested.

Brett will teach a full Cavern Class in October with dives in Rubidoux Spring in Missouri. This involves a day at the quarry and a weekend in Missouri. Look for details on our blog and newsletter shortly. The Classroom will be held at the dive center on October 10, 2008. There will be a lake session on October 12 and the cavern dives will be November 7 through 9. To enroll you must be at least 18 years old and you will need a seven foot hose on your primary second stage regulator, two lights a primary that can be used with a reel and a back up. The cost is $195 plus the cost of hotel in Missouri. Sign up early.

Sea Lions Dive Center has made special arrangements with Nekton Diving Cruises. We will be visiting St Croix the on the live-aboard the Nekton Rorqual on August 8, 2009. The posted cost of the cruise is $1,695. With a $300 reservation by August 18, 2008 your price will be only $1,095 plus transfers, fuel surcharge and port fees (about $200.)
The $600 discount is only good until August 18, 2003 when the price will go up. Book now! There are only ten spots at this price.

There will be a clean up dive at Burnham Harbor on September 20, 2008. Divers will clean up the harbor and be treated to lunch and a Tee shirt. Click Here for Details.

Sea Lions will return to the wreck diving in North Carolina September 31 through October 5, 2008. We will do three days of three tank diving – two Nitrox and one on air each day. Cost for diving, hotel, breakfast and lunch each day is $980. Transportation is available.

Over Thanksgiving weekend we will again visit Key Largo. Call for details.

Links St Croix
Review of ScubaPro Regulators

The Lady Elgin

2008-08-10T13:44:00.000-05:00

I found this article on the Lady Elgin. It has a lot of good info on the wreck.

Descendant of Lady Elgin victims dives to wreck site in Illinois

By MEG JONES
mjones@journalsentinel.com

Posted: Aug. 9, 2008

Winnetka, Ill. - Jacob Cook never forgot the death screams.

All around him, as he fought to stay afloat in a turbulent Lake Michigan, fellow passengers struggled to stay alive. His mother and sister were among them.

The Stockbridge, Wis., man, then 19, couldn’t see in the dark as the paddlewheel steamer he had boarded a short time earlier for the trip from Chicago to Milwaukee broke apart and slipped beneath the surface. Lightning flashed, illuminating the horrible scene. But he never saw his mother again, and the next time he saw his 24-year-old sister Elizabeth was when he claimed her body.

Last week, Sharon Cook thought of her relatives’ last moments as she swam down to the wreck of the Lady Elgin, which now lies in several pieces a few miles off the shore of this northern Chicago suburb.

“The notion of swimming over where my relatives might have walked is exciting,” said Sharon Cook, 56, who lives in Bay View.

All shipwrecks have stories — of those who lived, of those who died, of heroism, of blame.

But perhaps more than most of the hundreds of ships that lie in the underwater graveyard of the Great Lakes, the story of the Lady Elgin is particularly tragic.

“I would call it the Titanic of the Great Lakes,” said maritime historian Brendon Baillod.

Though it sank more than half a century before the Titanic, the Lady Elgin has been linked with the more famous ship because it, too, suffered a tremendous loss of life. There was no passenger manifest, so the exact number of victims is not known, though contemporary accounts estimate the number on board at 600 to 700. A mass grave in Winnetka became the resting place for 80 unclaimed victims.

Many on board were Milwaukeeans, mostly from the city’s Third Ward Irish community. They had chartered the vessel for the trip to Chicago on Sept. 7, 1860, to see presidential candidate Stephen Douglas just two months before he would lose to Abraham Lincoln.

The Lady Elgin will be featured in an exhibit of Titanic artifacts at the Milwaukee Public Museum. The Titanic show, one of six touring exhibits of artifacts retrieved from the doomed passenger liner, is scheduled to be on display at the Milwaukee museum Oct. 10 through May 25, 2009.

The Milwaukee Public Museum organized a scuba diving expedition to the Lady Elgin last week with photographers shooting pictures and video that will be part of the Titanic exhibit in Milwaukee. Most museums hosting the touring Titanic exhibit have featured a tie-in to their communities.

“We were brainstorming ideas because virtually every museum that’s had the Titanic had some local angle,” said Carter Lupton, vice president of museum programs, aboard a dive boat shortly after exploring the Lady Elgin.

Lupton said the Milwaukee Public Museum will also include Wisconsin connections to Titanic passengers and the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Civil War politics

Lupton, Sharon Cook and others pulled on wet suits, fins, masks and air tanks to swim down to the bow section where two large iron anchors landed on the sandy bottom, entwined in front of long sections of the wooden hull. The windlass, which would have pulled up the anchors, ended up next to the planks, not far from a portion of the hull that looks like a skeleton with ribs sticking up in the green water.

The shipwreck was discovered in 1989 by Harry Zych, who was awarded ownership a decade later after a long legal battle.

Aside from the number of deaths, the Lady Elgin is significant in maritime history because of its role in Civil War politics.

“The interesting thing about the Lady Elgin is it happened in September 1860, when a lot of the precursor events to the Civil War were unfolding,” said Baillod, president of the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeological Association.

In 1860 many Wisconsinites were against slavery and Gov. Alexander Randall, a staunch abolitionist, talked actively about seceding from the Union unless the federal government outlawed slavery. Militia companies were asked whether they would support the state or the federal government if Wisconsin seceded. In Milwaukee, the Irish Union Guard sided with the Union.

That prompted state officials to disarm the Union Guard and revoke the commission of the unit’s commander. However, the Irish Union Guard refused to disband and instead chartered the Lady Elgin for a cruise to Chicago to raise money to re-arm, attend a Democratic rally and listen to Douglas’ speech. On the return trip to Milwaukee, the Irish group was joined by many other passengers who had been stranded when fog delayed other departures.

A personal connection

Sharon Cook, a member of the Milwaukee Public Museum board, suggested including the Lady Elgin in the exhibit, along with a dive to the wreck site. For her, the half-hour dive was personal. When the Lady Elgin died in the early morning hours of Sept. 8, 1860, shortly after being rammed by a schooner, her great-great-grandmother Jane Cook and great-aunt Elizabeth Cook died, too.

The Cook family was returning to Wisconsin from Canada after selling property and a business. The proceeds — almost $12,000 in gold — were to be used for down payments on farms near Stockbridge for four of Jane Cook’s sons. Her body and the gold sewn into her clothing were never found. Less than a year later, Jane Cook’s sons, including Jacob, were fighting on the Union side in the Civil War.

Before she jumped into Lake Michigan to descend to the Lady Elgin, Sharon Cook read letters written by Jacob Cook — who lived until Christmas Day 1917 — describing the awful night. In a letter dated Sept. 13, 1860, he described the happy crowd on board, which sang and danced to a brass band.

Then the Lady Elgin was struck by the schooner Augusta.

Jacob Cook and his family made their way to the deck.

“Mother and sister kissed me and said we would all be lost. I told them to have courage and we would all be saved. I tried to encourage them all I could. I got two planks and showed them how to use them. In ten minutes after we got on top of the boat, it went down. O! my God I shall never forget it! Wen it went down I jumped on some little boards. They were not able to hold me up. I went down. Wen I came up I got hold of something and got on to it.

“It was so dark and we could not see — only when there came a flash of lightning. I hollered as soon as I could for them to hold on until I could get to them, but I got no answers. Only people around me struggling to death in the waves. O! them death screams! Nobody knows what it was except those that were there. O! Lord deliver me from another such time. I seen no more of my dear mother and sister.”

Sharon Cook learned to scuba dive so she could see the wreck of the Lady Elgin, which now lies in several sections spread out across a mile in 50 feet of water.

“Where it really hit me was when I went to see ‘Titanic,’ and the last scene with them bobbing in the cold water,” said Cook, who is program director for Alliance for the Great Lakes. “I’m thinking that’s what my relatives would have been experiencing.”

Photo/Chris Winters

Harry Zych

Burnham Harbor Clean Up Dive

2008-08-07T16:21:00.000-05:00

Lake Wazee

2008-08-04T16:15:00.000-05:00

We found this info on Lake Wazee in Wisconsin. Visibility is usually excellent but you need to watch your depth.

In Travel & Visitors Guide

Go deep in Wazee Lake

The depth of Lake Wazee make it a scuba diver's paradise.

By Gregg Hoffmann
Special to OnMilwaukee.com

E-mail author
More articles by Gregg Hoffmann

Published Aug. 3, 2008 at 5:04 a.m.

Tags: lake wazee, green lake, quarry lake

If you want to say you've gone swimming in the deepest lake in Wisconsin, take a dive into Wazee Lake in Jackson County.

Wazee Lake, east of Black River Falls, is 355 feet in its deepest hole. That's more than 100 feet deeper than Green Lake. Of course, the folks near Green Lake will argue that their lake is a natural waterway while Wazee is a restored quarry.

Scuba divers and others don't really care about that distinction. Most will tell you that Wazee is the deepest and clearest lake in the state, and they love it.

The name Wazee means "tall pine" in the Ho-Chunk language. You can see where the name fits the lake and recreation area around it, since pine trees are plentiful. The Black River State Forest, in fact, is near Wazee and offers a variety of hiking and other trails.

Wazee was formed artificially, after being used as a quarry for taconite mining between the mid-1960s through April 1983. The quarry produced about 850,000 tons of taconite pellets each year.

The mine closed in 1983 as a result of a crash of the domestic steel markets in the United States. When the mine was in operation, pumps removed about 800 gallons of water per minute from the quarry. Once these pumps were shut down, the quarry began filling with water.

The lake, now part of a county park, is a prime scuba diving destination because of its deep, clear water. Visibility averages between 30 and 40 feet during the summer months.

There are also visible remains of mining operations underwater, such as roadways used for hauling equipment. Some features have been added to the lake, such as underwater platforms for training divers and fish cribs to improve habitat for the fish. Fish species within the lake include rainbow, brook and brown trout, bluegills, suckers, catfish, walleye, warmouth and smallmouth bass.

Because of the depth, Wazee's water is cold. It runs from approximately 70 degrees surface temperature to 40 degrees below the thermocline. The thermocline depth varies during summer, but averages about 30 feet.

Divers who venture to greater depths will encounter a second thermocline at approximately 60 feet where the temperature drops to a chilly 34 degrees. Use of a quality dry suit (with proper training) is recommended for deep diving in the lake.

If that isn't cool enough for you, ice diving has become very popular at Wazee.

Other activities exist in the rec area for additional enjoyment. Many miles of hiking and gravel surfaced bicycle trails wind through a mosaic of prairie and forests. Several scenic overlooks are currently under construction as well as improved picnic and sanitary facilities. Construction of a large beach and boat launch complex was completed in 1996.

Wazee is not the only popular quarry lake in the state. Red Granite Quarry Lake in Waushara County is listed as the third deepest lake in Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 163 feet.

Discovery of red granite at the central Wisconsin hamlet of Sand Prairie in the 1880s sparked a mining boom that brought skilled stonecutters from Europe to settle the area. Granite paving blocks from the quarry were used in streets as far away as Chicago.

When concrete and asphalt became the popular choice for paving, the site closed in the 1920s. Now filled with a 7-acre lake, the quarry was designated a Red Granite village park in 1995, and is used by scuba instructors for deep-water diving certification and by tourists and residents for other recreational activities.

Lohrville Quarry Park, also in Waushara County, is listed as the fifth deepest lake in the state at 120 feet. It took offers great diving, swimming and other recreation. Brillion in Calumet County also is home to a quarry lake.

Closer to Milwaukee, you can find Quarry Lake Park in Racine. Again, scuba divers use this lake and swimmers and sun bathers also love the expansive multi-level terraced beach.

Once a limestone quarry, this park has been transformed into one of the finest outdoor swimming and beach facility in the area. Quarry Lake park features an 18-acre lake, picnic areas with grills, a large air-conditioned beach house with changing rooms, lockers, concessions, lavatories and showers.

Scuba divers must be certified and pay a registration fee to enter and explore the depths of the Quarry Lake. A daily entrance fee is charged during the swimming season.

Sheboygan Quarry Lake, an 18-acre lake with depth of about 45 feet also is popular with divers. Harrington Beach State Park, which has been featured in OnMilwaukee.com before, has a quarry lake as well as a wonderful Lake Michigan beach.

There are other quarry lakes around the state. You can find out more about them at www.dnr.state.wi.us.

2008-08-02T17:48:00.001-05:00

Only four spots remain on the August 17th charter to dive the wreck of the Straits of Mackinaw from Burnham Harbor. Call the dive shop to reserve your spot. This is a two tank dive for $95. Price does not include equipment.

Only 19 days remain to get our special $1,095 pricing on the live aboard the Nekton Rorqual when we visit St. Croix in August of 2009.

Study up on your Fresh Water Fish ID at our Cold Water Fish ID site.

High pressure tanks including SCUBA tanks must be visually inspected annually and must be hydro tested every five years. This is not a Sea Lions Dive Center requirement it is required by law. We had a customer in the dive shop recently who insisted we fill his tank without a current visual. When we refused he became quite vocal and said that we were trying to cheat him and began making other abusive and loud remarks regarding our prices. He said he could buy dive gear for half our prices at a local sporting goods store and on the Internet. We asked him to leave and his parting comment was “an informed customer is your worst enemy.”
In fact a “misinformed customer is our worst enemy.” We do our best to offer products and services at competitive prices. The sporting goods store – who has since discontinued selling dive gear – sold only low end regulators to customers only interested in price. They offered no expertise, no help selecting gear, no service and no airfills. We had a customer bring in one of these “bargain regulators.” The reg was in pieces and the sporting goods store could not even assemble the parts.
Regarding the Intent, dive store employees, including those of us at Sea Lions get very defensive when people talk about buying gear on the Internet. The internet sites skim the cream and offer the highest margin items at a discount but do not offer the lower margin items such as service and air fills.
We know you look at the Internet… so do we. Buying dive gear on the Internet is a crap shoot. Many times you will purchase the gear and it will work out for you. But when it goes bad it can go real bad. Many of the Internet sites are not authorized dealers. We sell Uwtech Computer in part because they we feel they have the best warrantee in the industry. If you buy Uwatech or ScubaPro on the Internet you do not get that warrantee no matter who you buy it from.
If you find that you would like to support our effort to offer local services but cannot resist the Internet please visit our dive gear site. You will find helpful articles on purchasing dive gear and you will also find links to Internet sites that sell dive gear. If you enter these sites through the link on our web page when you purchase we will receive a small commission but it will not increase your cost.
I apologize for the length of this rant but it is a sensitive and important issue.

Have fun and come back safe.

Tom

Other Links
Nekton Trip
Best Ten Dives in the Chicagoland Area
Cold Water Fish Identification

Israeli scuba divers find rare artifact

2008-07-26T12:33:00.001-05:00

Israeli scuba divers find rare artifact

Rare artifact

Israel · 22 July 2008 · Source: Israel National News

A diver has unearthed a rare marble discus that was used 2,500 years ago to protect sea-going vessels from the evil eye.

To date, only four such items have been found in the world – two of them here in Israel, one recovered from the Mediterranean Sea off the coast at Carmel in addition to the one at Yavne-Yam.

The ancient white marble discus, which dates back to 400-500 BCE, was discovered by David Shalom, who handed it over to the Israel Antiquities Authority.

The white discus, which is flat on one side and convex on the other, measures 20 centimeters in diameter. In the middle of the discus are a perforation and the remains of two circles that are painted around the center of it. This object has been identified as representing the pupil of an eye that adorned the bow of an ancient warship or cargo ship. Its Greek name is ophtalmoi and a lead coupling or bronze nail that was driven through the hole in the center of the discus was used to attach the object to the hull of the ship.

According to Kobi Sharvit, the director of the Marine Unit of the Israel Antiquities Authority, “We know from drawings on pottery vessels, pithoi and ancient coins, as well as from historic sources of the fifth century BCE that this model was very common on the bows of ships and was used to protect them from the evil eye and envy, and was meant as a navigation aid and to act as a pair of eyes which looked ahead and warned of danger. This decoration is also prevalent today on modern boats in Portugal, Malta, Greece and in the Far East."

During the course of archaeological surveys that have been performed there by the Marine Unit of the Israel Antiquities Authority since the 1980’s, artifacts were found that originated in shipwrecks, including anchors of various sizes and weights with one to three holes in them, fishing equipment, lead connectors and stone plumbs that belong to stone anchors.

Other objects that were found which were used on board boats include an oven for cooking that is made of lead, grindstones, stone bowls, fishing gear (bronze hooks, lead weights for fishing nets and lead plumbs for measuring the depth of the seabed), as well as storage jars, amphorae, bowls and cooking pots that date to the Late Bronze Age, Persian, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods. All of these bear witness to the extensive commercial activity that transpired there.

Most of the pottery vessels are of types that were manufactured in the Land of Israel or in the Eastern Mediterranean; however, some were imported from more distant lands along the Mediterranean Sea.

A concentration of artifacts was discovered at the site which date to the Bronze Age and include dozens of gold objects (earrings, beads, pieces of jewelry and waste from the jewelry industry) and a hematite seal of Syrian provenance. The concentration was located scattered in an area where twenty hematite seals, bronze arrowheads, axes and two small statues of the god Ba’al were found in the past. The archaeological finds indicate that the anchorage was used continuously from the Late Bronze Age until the Middle Ages.

Newsletter July 21, 2008

2008-07-25T11:43:00.001-05:00

Sea Lions Dive Center has made special arrangements with Nekton Diving Cruises. We will be visiting St Croix the on the live-aboard the Nekton Rorqual on August 8, 2009. The posted cost of the cruise is $1,695. With a $300 reservation by August 18, 2008 your price will be only $1,095 plus transfers, fuel surcharge and port fees (about $200.)

The $600 discount is only good until August 18, 2003 when the price will go up. Book now! There are only ten spots at this price.

August 17, 2008 we will dive the wreck of the Straits of Mackinaw off Chicago. This is a two tank dive aboard Dive Chicago. Cost of the dives is $95 and you will need to supply your own equipment. The “Straits” is a former car ferry that was used before the Mackinaw Bridge was built. The top picture shows how it was configured when it served as a car ferry before the Mackinaw Bridge was constructed. The Bottom shows how she looked before she was scuttled. This wreck is relatively shallow – about 60 feet – and is a great first wreck dive because it has been cleared of debris and cables.

On August 21 we will have a Digital Photography class and the Dive Center. We will do the open water dives on the 24^th and return to the dive center on August 28 to share the pictures.

On August 10 we will have a fun dive and picnic at Haig Quarry. Bret Byers will do a short intro to Cavern Diving techniques presentation.

Brett will teach a full Cavern Class in October with dives in Rubidoux Spring in Missouri. This involves a day at the quarry and a weekend in Missouri. Look for details on our blog and newsletter shortly. The Classroom will be held at the dive center on October 10, 2008. There will be a lake session on October 12 and the cavern dives will be November 7 through 9. To enroll you must be at least 18 years old and you will need a seven foot hose on your primary second stage regulator, two lights a primary that can be used with a reel and a back up. The cost is $195 plus the cost of hotel in Missouri. Sign up early.

Beginning August 1, 2008 our hours will change. We will be open Monday through Friday 2 PM to 8 PM and Saturday 11 to 5.

On August 16, 17, 23 and 24 we will have a Seal Team SCUBA experience for children eight to twelve years old and the Dive Center and Norris Center. This is a classroom and pool experience only and does not involve open water dives. The Seal Team will do pool dives and complete underwater tasks as a intro to full certification. Call the Dive Center for more information.

Links St Croix

Top Ten Local dives

Safety Warning

2008-07-25T11:40:00.000-05:00

Urgent Safety Warning Please Read

Dear Customer, we recently had a problem with a blocked filter on our compressor. We have now repaired the problem and cleaned all our SCUBA tanks and all the lines and gauges from the compressor used to fill tanks. We have tested the system and it is working properly.

We are not sure when the problem occurred but it may have been as far back as July 3, 2008.

As a precaution we ask that anyone who had a personal tank filled since July 3, 2008 return the tank to the shop for inspection and cleaning. Of course, there will be no charge for the inspection or the cleaning.

We apologize for the inconvenience but your safety is always our greatest concern.

Sea Lions Dive Center

Underwater Bike Record

2008-07-25T11:35:00.001-05:00

I think this comes under the heading of people who need to get a life????

The record for cycling underwater has been broken by Italian Vittorio Innocente who succeeded in pedalling 213ft (65m) under the Mediterranean.

By Daily Telegraph reporter
Last Updated: 3:52PM BST 24 Jul 2008

Vittorio Innocente breaking the world record for underwater cycling Photo: BARCROFT

Lowered into the sea by a team of local scuba divers, Mr Innocente mounted the bike at a depth of 92ft (28m) and rode along a 360ft (110m) long underwater slope, dodging mud pools and rocky outcrops.

Continuing his descent, Mr Innocente, 62, smashed his own previous world record of 197ft (60m) which he set three years ago.

The Milan-born Italian set the new record in the waters of Portofino's maritime marine reserve, at midday on Monday.

He took nine minutes of deep sea pedalling to reach the 213ft (65m) mark.

"It was tough because I ran into more mud than I expected," he says.

"I had to click up a gear to make pedalling easier".

The world record was verified by the judge of the World Guinness Records, Lucia Sinigagliesi, who had come from London specifically to witness the record attempt.

Mr Innocente, who undertakes these record attempts for charity, says he is on a mission to prove that mountain bikes can be ridden anywhere.

Having travelled to the wilds of Alaska and the plains of Kenya proving his point, Mr Vittorio decided seven years ago to combine his cycling with his other great passion, scuba diving.

Mr Innocente says that he first had the idea for underwater bike riding whilst leading a group of German tourists scuba diving off the island of Elba, 25 years ago.

He says that when one member of the group simply found an old bicycle on the seabed, he picked it up and began to ride it.

Following this world record, it is clear that Mr Innocente dominates the world of underwater cycling.

In 2001 he also set the speed record for underwater cycling when he pedalled 1,200m in a swimming pool at an average speed of 87 cm/second.

PADI Recalls a Nitrox Table

2008-07-17T11:46:00.000-05:00