LiveLeak.com - Scorpionfish Feeds On Lionfish
Is this anwser to the issue, or is nature taking matters in her own hands.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Five years latter.....Has anything changed?
January 5, 2006
Manta JournalHidden Cost of Shark Fin Soup: Its Source May Vanish By JUAN FORERO
MANTA, Ecuador - Early every morning, the cold water lapping up on the beach here is stained red with blood as surly, determined men in ragged T-shirts drag hundreds of shark carcasses off wooden skiffs and onto the white sand.
Using eight-inch boning knives with quick precision, they dismember the once-mighty predators, cutting off heads, carving up big slabs of meat, slashing off the tails. Most important, they cut off the fins - dorsal and pectorals - a "set" that can fetch $100 or more.
"That is what is really important, the fins," said Luis Salto, 57, as he cut up sharks. "They sell in China."
Indeed, the fins are exported in a quasi-legal network to Hong Kong, Beijing, Taiwan, Singapore and other corners of Asian affluence. There, a heaping bowl of shark fin soup, said to offer medicinal or aphrodisiac qualities, is dished up for up to $200.
This taste for fins, marine biologists say, is ridding the world's oceans of one of its most ancient creatures, threatening ecosystems already buffeted by overfishing. Some sharks, like the hammerhead and the great white, have been reduced by upwards of 70 percent in the last 15 years, while others, like the silky white tip, have disappeared from the Caribbean.
"If you go to any reef around the world, except for those that are really protected, the sharks are gone," said Ransom Myers, a marine biologist at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. "Their value is so great that completely harmless sharks, like whale sharks, are killed, for their fins."
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization conservatively estimates that 856,000 tons of shark and their cousins, rays and skates, were caught in 2003. That is triple the quantity 50 years before, as shark fin soup has caught on as an Asian status symbol.
Fins sell for as much as $700 per kilogram in Asia, making big sharks worth thousands of dollars. In the vast dried seafood market of Sai Ying Pun on Hong Kong Island on a recent day, shark fin stores had no shortage of buyers.
"Serving shark fins in banquets is a tradition for Chinese people," said Chiu Ching-cheung, chairman of the Shark Fin Trade Merchants' Association in Hong Kong. "Without shark fin, a Chinese banquet does not look like one at all."
Shark fin soup - which can have mushrooms, fine dried ham, other seafood and clear chicken stock or water, simmered for up to eight hours - is common at wedding banquets or other celebrations. Served to impress guests, it has grown more popular, environmentalists say, as China's middle class has expanded.
"Catching sharks, for a lot of fishermen, was not a viable financial proposition because the meat was of low value," said Peter Knights, executive director of Wild Aid, a San Francisco-based environmental group. "That's all changed now because the fins are so valuable."
While Asia's environmental movement has grown, with aid of stars like Jackie Chan and the director Ang Lee, experts say education on overfishing is an uphill battle. With the waters off Asia largely depleted, fishermen are focusing on regions that still swarm with sharks, like the cold, deep waters of the Pacific from Peru north to Central America.
On a recent day, Captain Nelson Laje, 42, piloted a 60-ton trawler, La Ahijada, into Manta's port, its hold filled with 150 blues and threshers, among the most common of Pacific sharks. His crew tied chains around bundles of sharks, which were hoisted onto the wharf to be quickly heaved onto refrigerated trucks.
"They do not want us to capture the sharks, but we need them to pay our expenses and make a living," Mr. Laje said. "The shark, the fishing, will never end. Fishing will only end when the water ends."
Some of the world's richest fishing grounds, full of everything from tuna to white fish of all kinds, are found off this tiny Andean country. There are also up to 38 species of shark.
By a conservative estimate, more than 279,000 pounds of shark fins, representing about 300,000 sharks, were exported from Ecuador to China and Hong Kong in 2003, twice as much as in the mid-1990's. Under pressure from environmental groups, Ecuador prohibited exporting shark fins in 2004. Fishing for sharks is also illegal, though fishermen are permitted to possess and sell sharks they catch incidentally.
But with resources for enforcement inadequate and an influential fishing industry bucking regulations, Ecuador's government has been unable to contain shark fishing, the exportation of fins or the internationally reviled practice of finning, where the fins of sharks are sliced off on the high seas and the carcass is left behind, environmentalists and the Environment Ministry say.
More than 60 countries have banned finning since 2004.
Alfredo Carrasco, an Environment Ministry official who oversees natural resources management, acknowledged that the lack of resources permits "illegal actions." But he also put blame on Asian countries, where fin imports are legal.
Eloy Chiquito, 43, begins his day at 5 a.m., when he arrives at Manta's beach with his knife. Mr. Chiquito says he knows the shark population is being cut back. But he argues that there are still days when hundreds of sharks are dragged onto the beach, a sign to him that shark populations remain healthy. "We can get 50 or hundreds," he said.
When Antonio Llambo, a navy inspector, arrived on a recent day to warn about fines and other penalties, the men with the knives barely glanced up. The buyers did not lose a step, scrambling over shark carcasses with fistfuls of dollars.
"That's the dynamic in Ecuador - people do what is illegal," Mr. Llambo said, with a look of resignation.
Alyssa Lau contributed reporting from Hong Kong for this article.
We at Blue Iguana Charters are working towards saving the sharks....one shark at a time....
Manta JournalHidden Cost of Shark Fin Soup: Its Source May Vanish By JUAN FORERO
MANTA, Ecuador - Early every morning, the cold water lapping up on the beach here is stained red with blood as surly, determined men in ragged T-shirts drag hundreds of shark carcasses off wooden skiffs and onto the white sand.
Using eight-inch boning knives with quick precision, they dismember the once-mighty predators, cutting off heads, carving up big slabs of meat, slashing off the tails. Most important, they cut off the fins - dorsal and pectorals - a "set" that can fetch $100 or more.
"That is what is really important, the fins," said Luis Salto, 57, as he cut up sharks. "They sell in China."
Indeed, the fins are exported in a quasi-legal network to Hong Kong, Beijing, Taiwan, Singapore and other corners of Asian affluence. There, a heaping bowl of shark fin soup, said to offer medicinal or aphrodisiac qualities, is dished up for up to $200.
This taste for fins, marine biologists say, is ridding the world's oceans of one of its most ancient creatures, threatening ecosystems already buffeted by overfishing. Some sharks, like the hammerhead and the great white, have been reduced by upwards of 70 percent in the last 15 years, while others, like the silky white tip, have disappeared from the Caribbean.
"If you go to any reef around the world, except for those that are really protected, the sharks are gone," said Ransom Myers, a marine biologist at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. "Their value is so great that completely harmless sharks, like whale sharks, are killed, for their fins."
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization conservatively estimates that 856,000 tons of shark and their cousins, rays and skates, were caught in 2003. That is triple the quantity 50 years before, as shark fin soup has caught on as an Asian status symbol.
Fins sell for as much as $700 per kilogram in Asia, making big sharks worth thousands of dollars. In the vast dried seafood market of Sai Ying Pun on Hong Kong Island on a recent day, shark fin stores had no shortage of buyers.
"Serving shark fins in banquets is a tradition for Chinese people," said Chiu Ching-cheung, chairman of the Shark Fin Trade Merchants' Association in Hong Kong. "Without shark fin, a Chinese banquet does not look like one at all."
Shark fin soup - which can have mushrooms, fine dried ham, other seafood and clear chicken stock or water, simmered for up to eight hours - is common at wedding banquets or other celebrations. Served to impress guests, it has grown more popular, environmentalists say, as China's middle class has expanded.
"Catching sharks, for a lot of fishermen, was not a viable financial proposition because the meat was of low value," said Peter Knights, executive director of Wild Aid, a San Francisco-based environmental group. "That's all changed now because the fins are so valuable."
While Asia's environmental movement has grown, with aid of stars like Jackie Chan and the director Ang Lee, experts say education on overfishing is an uphill battle. With the waters off Asia largely depleted, fishermen are focusing on regions that still swarm with sharks, like the cold, deep waters of the Pacific from Peru north to Central America.
On a recent day, Captain Nelson Laje, 42, piloted a 60-ton trawler, La Ahijada, into Manta's port, its hold filled with 150 blues and threshers, among the most common of Pacific sharks. His crew tied chains around bundles of sharks, which were hoisted onto the wharf to be quickly heaved onto refrigerated trucks.
"They do not want us to capture the sharks, but we need them to pay our expenses and make a living," Mr. Laje said. "The shark, the fishing, will never end. Fishing will only end when the water ends."
Some of the world's richest fishing grounds, full of everything from tuna to white fish of all kinds, are found off this tiny Andean country. There are also up to 38 species of shark.
By a conservative estimate, more than 279,000 pounds of shark fins, representing about 300,000 sharks, were exported from Ecuador to China and Hong Kong in 2003, twice as much as in the mid-1990's. Under pressure from environmental groups, Ecuador prohibited exporting shark fins in 2004. Fishing for sharks is also illegal, though fishermen are permitted to possess and sell sharks they catch incidentally.
But with resources for enforcement inadequate and an influential fishing industry bucking regulations, Ecuador's government has been unable to contain shark fishing, the exportation of fins or the internationally reviled practice of finning, where the fins of sharks are sliced off on the high seas and the carcass is left behind, environmentalists and the Environment Ministry say.
More than 60 countries have banned finning since 2004.
Alfredo Carrasco, an Environment Ministry official who oversees natural resources management, acknowledged that the lack of resources permits "illegal actions." But he also put blame on Asian countries, where fin imports are legal.
Eloy Chiquito, 43, begins his day at 5 a.m., when he arrives at Manta's beach with his knife. Mr. Chiquito says he knows the shark population is being cut back. But he argues that there are still days when hundreds of sharks are dragged onto the beach, a sign to him that shark populations remain healthy. "We can get 50 or hundreds," he said.
When Antonio Llambo, a navy inspector, arrived on a recent day to warn about fines and other penalties, the men with the knives barely glanced up. The buyers did not lose a step, scrambling over shark carcasses with fistfuls of dollars.
"That's the dynamic in Ecuador - people do what is illegal," Mr. Llambo said, with a look of resignation.
Alyssa Lau contributed reporting from Hong Kong for this article.
We at Blue Iguana Charters are working towards saving the sharks....one shark at a time....
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Give the Airlines the Finger. Drive and Dive Florida Instead
First the airlines reduced the checked baggage allowance from 70 pounds per bag to 50. Then they started charging for that second bag. Then the first. Recently, one airline attempted to start charging for carry on bags. Could it get worse? Yes. In Europe, some airlines will charge you a whole euro if you want to go to the bathroom on flights under one hour.
Then there is the hassle of having to check in hours early, and waiting in endless lines at security — while a TSA employee stands by menacingly with a machine that is all too reminiscent of one of those alien probes from science fiction. And your reward for doing all of this? Several hours in a tin tube, crammed like a sardine into a too-small seat and having to pay for your pitiful dry sandwich, peanuts and soda.
Read whole story at Florida Scuba News
Then there is the hassle of having to check in hours early, and waiting in endless lines at security — while a TSA employee stands by menacingly with a machine that is all too reminiscent of one of those alien probes from science fiction. And your reward for doing all of this? Several hours in a tin tube, crammed like a sardine into a too-small seat and having to pay for your pitiful dry sandwich, peanuts and soda.
Read whole story at Florida Scuba News
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Lion Fish Workshops...
Invasive lionfish sightings are becoming more frequent along southeast Florida’s coral reefs. As part of the Southeast Marine Event Response Program (SEMERP), the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Coral Reef Conservation Program (FDEP-CRCP) is collaborating with REEF and Miami-Dade Sea Grant to hold an inter-agency lionfish workshop in January 2011. Lionfish have been reported throughout the east coast of the U.S. from Florida up through Massachusetts and further afield, from Bermuda, the Bahamas and throughout the Caribbean. The rapid spread over a relatively short time period has caused alarm as this invasive species poses a major threat to native fish populations, associated habitats and ecosystems as a whole.
More here
More here
Friday, December 10, 2010
State says mooring balls aren't going anywhere
Some welcome news for Keys divers and operators. We at Blue Iguana Charters are glad this has been worked out
State says mooring balls aren't going anywhere
A change in state dive-program regulations will leave deepwater mooring balls intact off the Florida Keys. “In the Upper Keys, we stood to lose about 11 mooring balls on our shipwrecks,” said Rob Mitchell, owner of Keys Diver in Key Largo. “It would have been a substantial number.”
The mooring-buoy maintenance program, currently administered by the state Department of Environmental Protection on behalf of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, was poised to halt work on lines deeper than 100 feet, which exceeded the agency’s maximum depth for its divers.
"just click on the header forthe full story"
State says mooring balls aren't going anywhere
A change in state dive-program regulations will leave deepwater mooring balls intact off the Florida Keys. “In the Upper Keys, we stood to lose about 11 mooring balls on our shipwrecks,” said Rob Mitchell, owner of Keys Diver in Key Largo. “It would have been a substantial number.”
The mooring-buoy maintenance program, currently administered by the state Department of Environmental Protection on behalf of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, was poised to halt work on lines deeper than 100 feet, which exceeded the agency’s maximum depth for its divers.
"just click on the header forthe full story"
Monday, November 29, 2010
Did you know?
Megalodon was an ancient shark that may have been 40 feet (12 m) long or even more. (There are a few scientists who estimate that it could have been up to 50 or 100 feet (15.5 or 31 m) long!) This is at least two or three as long as the Great White Shark, but this is only an estimate made from many fossilized teeth and a few fossilized vertebrae that have been found. These giant teeth are the size of a person's hand! No other parts of this ancient shark have been found, so we can only guess what it looked like. Since Megalodon's teeth are very similar to the teeth of the Great White Shark (but bigger and thicker), it is thought that Megalodon may have looked like a huge, streamlined version of the Great White Shark. If you are interested in diving with Great Whites check out the guys at SharkDiver.com
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Here are some cool facts you might not know about sharks.
There are more than 350 different kinds of sharks.
You are 1,000 times more likely to drown in the sea than you are to be bitten by a shark.
Sharks are more related to fishes like the stingray than they do with the barracuda.
Most sharks as we know them today developed about 64 million years ago during the age of the dinosaurs.
A shark can hear a fish in the water from more than a mile away.
Sharks can smell one drop of blood in a million drops of water.
Scientists can determine the age of a shark by counting the rings that form on its vertebra, much as you can count the rings on a tree to tell its age.
Sharks’ wounds heal quickly and they rarely get tumors.
The Dermal denticles that covers Shark skin is so tough and hard that before the invention of sandpaper, shark skin was used to polish wood.
Shark teeth have been used as weapons and tools for many centuries.
On some islands, villagers believed that sharks were spirits of their ancestors.
Eating Shark flesh is forbidden in both the Solomon and Fiji islands.
About 100 people in the world are bitten by sharks each year. Of these, five to ten die.
The chance of being killed by a shark is one in 300 million. The chance of being killed by airplane parts falling from the sky is one in 10 million.
You are 1,000 times more likely to drown in the sea than you are to be bitten by a shark.
Sharks are more related to fishes like the stingray than they do with the barracuda.
Most sharks as we know them today developed about 64 million years ago during the age of the dinosaurs.
A shark can hear a fish in the water from more than a mile away.
Sharks can smell one drop of blood in a million drops of water.
Scientists can determine the age of a shark by counting the rings that form on its vertebra, much as you can count the rings on a tree to tell its age.
Sharks’ wounds heal quickly and they rarely get tumors.
The Dermal denticles that covers Shark skin is so tough and hard that before the invention of sandpaper, shark skin was used to polish wood.
Shark teeth have been used as weapons and tools for many centuries.
On some islands, villagers believed that sharks were spirits of their ancestors.
Eating Shark flesh is forbidden in both the Solomon and Fiji islands.
About 100 people in the world are bitten by sharks each year. Of these, five to ten die.
The chance of being killed by a shark is one in 300 million. The chance of being killed by airplane parts falling from the sky is one in 10 million.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Dive Shop Humor
Good Things to say to Students:
Welcome to the food chain folks, you are no longer on the top!
So what's your point?
Oh, we did cover this in class didn't we?
What part of this did you understand?
No, descending butt first is not acceptable
You couldn't make it to class because your what died?
I'm sorry, but no matter what the store owner said I'm not going to carry all your gear around for you.
Yes Sir, a bad attitude does come with the job
I see, you just forgot to mention the epilepsy
Yes, I know you were scared, but don't ever bite me again!
What do you mean you always bleed like that?
You don't want to do the buddy breathing because you have what!
No, this isn't all I do for a living
Yes, this is what I do for a living...why?
No Sir, I really can't explain all the biochemical reactions in the body to hyperbaric stress..
BTW, what did you say you did for a living?
Things Dive Masters Say:
I don't care who the hell you are Mr. Cousteau. Everyone does a pool checkout!
To a nice looking lady carrying her handbag onboard:
Can I help you with that mam?
To a guy carrying a set of twin 120's onboard:
Looks heavy mate!
You should've been here last week, the visibility was great
You didn't see the whale shark?
This is just my day job. I want to be an instructor and make the big bucks
Things Store Owners Say:
REFUNDS!..We Don't Give No Stinking REFUNDS!!!!
Ok, it's 2 AM, you drive till we get there
As their instructor, they trust you..so sell like hell!
Look, I'm, letting you take the boat trips for free, what else do you want?
I can't pay you anymore, you know I don't make money on classes
I can't pay you anymore, you know I don't make money on trips
I can't pay you anymore, you know I don't make money on equipment sales
Sorry about the problem with that cheque, maybe it will clear next week
Well, I couldn't find the student certification forms you signed, so I signed them off myself.
BTW, did I mention that I had enough certifications now to get my Master Instructor!
Let's see, that will be $324...ooops! I forgot the mask clear, that will be $349!
If I gave you 10% off, I couldn't stay in business!
It's the instructor's fault
Sure, anyone can learn to dive, now what was that problem you had?
Ok, so your out of the hospital, when can you take another class?
You want a compass...hmmm, you must mean a directional monitor
I would love to see pictures of your latest trip, right after you've bought something.
Welcome to the food chain folks, you are no longer on the top!
So what's your point?
Oh, we did cover this in class didn't we?
What part of this did you understand?
No, descending butt first is not acceptable
You couldn't make it to class because your what died?
I'm sorry, but no matter what the store owner said I'm not going to carry all your gear around for you.
Yes Sir, a bad attitude does come with the job
I see, you just forgot to mention the epilepsy
Yes, I know you were scared, but don't ever bite me again!
What do you mean you always bleed like that?
You don't want to do the buddy breathing because you have what!
No, this isn't all I do for a living
Yes, this is what I do for a living...why?
No Sir, I really can't explain all the biochemical reactions in the body to hyperbaric stress..
BTW, what did you say you did for a living?
Things Dive Masters Say:
I don't care who the hell you are Mr. Cousteau. Everyone does a pool checkout!
To a nice looking lady carrying her handbag onboard:
Can I help you with that mam?
To a guy carrying a set of twin 120's onboard:
Looks heavy mate!
You should've been here last week, the visibility was great
You didn't see the whale shark?
This is just my day job. I want to be an instructor and make the big bucks
Things Store Owners Say:
REFUNDS!..We Don't Give No Stinking REFUNDS!!!!
Ok, it's 2 AM, you drive till we get there
As their instructor, they trust you..so sell like hell!
Look, I'm, letting you take the boat trips for free, what else do you want?
I can't pay you anymore, you know I don't make money on classes
I can't pay you anymore, you know I don't make money on trips
I can't pay you anymore, you know I don't make money on equipment sales
Sorry about the problem with that cheque, maybe it will clear next week
Well, I couldn't find the student certification forms you signed, so I signed them off myself.
BTW, did I mention that I had enough certifications now to get my Master Instructor!
Let's see, that will be $324...ooops! I forgot the mask clear, that will be $349!
If I gave you 10% off, I couldn't stay in business!
It's the instructor's fault
Sure, anyone can learn to dive, now what was that problem you had?
Ok, so your out of the hospital, when can you take another class?
You want a compass...hmmm, you must mean a directional monitor
I would love to see pictures of your latest trip, right after you've bought something.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Today's SCUBA Jokes
One day, a diver was enjoying the aquatic world 20 feet below sea level. He noticed a guy at the same depth he was, with no scuba gear on whatsoever.
The diver went below another 10 feet, but the guy joined him a minute later. The diver went below 15 more feet, a minute later, the same guy joined him.
This confused the diver, so he took out a waterproof chalkboard, and wrote, "How the heck are you able to stay under this deep without equipment?"
The guy took the board and chalk, erased what the diver had written, and wrote, "I'm drowning, you moron!"
Young attractive male seeks female dive buddy for shared recreation and friendship, must have boat. Please send photo of boat.
Two divers go spear fishing. They catch a lot of fish and return to the shore.
The first one says, "I hope you remember the spot where we caught all those fish."
The other answers, "Yes, I made an 'X' on the side of the boat to mark the spot."
"You idiot!" cries the first, "How do you know we will get the same boat tomorrow?"
A man is stranded on a desert island, all alone for ten years. One day, he sees a speck in the horizon. He thinks to himself, "It's not a ship." The speck gets a little closer and he thinks, "It's not a boat." The speck gets even closer and he thinks, "It's not a raft." Then, out of the surf comes this gorgeous blonde woman, wearing a wet suit and scuba gear.
She comes up to the man and she says, "How long has it been since you've had a cigarette?"
"Ten years!" he says.
She reaches over, unzips this waterproof pocket on her left sleeve and pulls out a pack of fresh cigarettes. He takes one, lights it, takes a long drag and says, "Man, oh man! Is that good!"
Then she asked, "How long has it been since you had a drink of whiskey?
He replies, "Ten years!"
She reaches over, unzips the waterproof pocket on her right sleeve, pulls out a flask and gives it to him. He takes a long swig and says, "Wow, that's fantastic!"
Then she starts unzipping the long zipper that runs down the front of her wet suit and she says to him, "And how long has it been since you had some REAL fun?"
And the man cries out, "My God! Don't tell me you've got a set of golf clubs in there, too!"
A diver was shipwrecked up onto a lonely and tropical shore. As he stood up he noticed his hands were purple, he looked at his feet and they were purple, worriedly he unzipped his wetsuit and his chest and stomach were purple. With his head in his hands he cried, "Oh my God!, I’ve been marooned!"
How To Fail Your Open Water Test.
a. Tell your instructor you will race him to the surface.
b. Lie face down and motionless while holding your breath.
c. Loudly proclaim that safety stops are for "wossies".
d. Show up with a set of tables based on your own algorithm "that's WAY
better".
e. Spit in your wetsuit and pee in your mask.
f. Ask your instructor, which fin goes on which foot.
g. Tell your instructor there is no way you can lift a cylinder with 2000
pounds of air in it.
h. When asked for your dive plan, you hand over a bundle of travel
brochures.
When Do You Need To Practice Better Buoyancy Control?
a. You rely on the silt trail you always stir up to find the shot line at
the end of the dive.
b. You insist that you never wear fins because it makes it more difficult
to walk on the bottom.
c. The only place you can hover is at the surface.
d. On ascents, your entire body clears the surface of the water.
e. You use 50 bar for breathing and 150 bar for your BC.
f. You are certain you went for one dive, but your computer has logged
three.
g. You think being neutral in the water means that you don't fight with
your buddy.
A dive boat runs into a terrible storm. Rain and wind and huge waves pound the boat. The divers are quiet but really scared. They are sure the boat is going to sink and they are all going to die. At the height of the storm, a young woman jumps up and exclaims: "I can't take this anymore! I can't just sit here and drown like an animal. If I am going to die, let me die feeling like a woman. Is there anyone here man enough to make me feel like a woman?" One of the dive masters stands up – a tall, handsome, muscular man, he smiles and starts to walk up to her. As he approaches her, he takes off his shirt. She sees his huge muscles – already, she is glad for her decision. He stands in front of her, muscles bulging, shirt in hand and says to her: here, Iron this!"
How to avoid shark attacks:
1.Never Leave Utah
2.Roll in manure before diving. Sharks hate anything breaded
3.Always dive with a buddy. On sharks approach, point to buddy
4.Dive with a briefcase. Shark may mistake you for a lawyer
and leave you alone out of professional courtesy.
One should never make a night dive on a coral reef after taking:
1.Acid
2.Marijuana
3.Black Russians
4.Prosaic
5.Sleeping Pills
You can spot divers by:
1.Funny Tan Lines
2.Big Watch
3.Says "Huh" alot
4.Bad shocks and springs in car
5.Scars from trigger fish bites
6.Expertise on anti-histamines
You can spot old time divers by:
1.Funny Tan Lines
2.Big Expensive Watch
3.Old Jeep with bad shocks
4.Log Book has a volume number on the cover.
5.Deaf in at least one ear.
6.Has multiple scars.
7.Has cylinders older than you are.
8.Talks about making their first wet suit.
9.Dive gear is faded.
10.Limps from Dysbaric Osteonecrosis.
You can spot newbie divers by:
1.Sunburned
2.Timex Watch
3.Nice car
4.Fills in all the blanks in their logbook
5.No diving related scars
6.Says "Wow, did you see that" alot
7.Equipment looks nice
8.Perfect hearing
The diver went below another 10 feet, but the guy joined him a minute later. The diver went below 15 more feet, a minute later, the same guy joined him.
This confused the diver, so he took out a waterproof chalkboard, and wrote, "How the heck are you able to stay under this deep without equipment?"
The guy took the board and chalk, erased what the diver had written, and wrote, "I'm drowning, you moron!"
Young attractive male seeks female dive buddy for shared recreation and friendship, must have boat. Please send photo of boat.
Two divers go spear fishing. They catch a lot of fish and return to the shore.
The first one says, "I hope you remember the spot where we caught all those fish."
The other answers, "Yes, I made an 'X' on the side of the boat to mark the spot."
"You idiot!" cries the first, "How do you know we will get the same boat tomorrow?"
A man is stranded on a desert island, all alone for ten years. One day, he sees a speck in the horizon. He thinks to himself, "It's not a ship." The speck gets a little closer and he thinks, "It's not a boat." The speck gets even closer and he thinks, "It's not a raft." Then, out of the surf comes this gorgeous blonde woman, wearing a wet suit and scuba gear.
She comes up to the man and she says, "How long has it been since you've had a cigarette?"
"Ten years!" he says.
She reaches over, unzips this waterproof pocket on her left sleeve and pulls out a pack of fresh cigarettes. He takes one, lights it, takes a long drag and says, "Man, oh man! Is that good!"
Then she asked, "How long has it been since you had a drink of whiskey?
He replies, "Ten years!"
She reaches over, unzips the waterproof pocket on her right sleeve, pulls out a flask and gives it to him. He takes a long swig and says, "Wow, that's fantastic!"
Then she starts unzipping the long zipper that runs down the front of her wet suit and she says to him, "And how long has it been since you had some REAL fun?"
And the man cries out, "My God! Don't tell me you've got a set of golf clubs in there, too!"
A diver was shipwrecked up onto a lonely and tropical shore. As he stood up he noticed his hands were purple, he looked at his feet and they were purple, worriedly he unzipped his wetsuit and his chest and stomach were purple. With his head in his hands he cried, "Oh my God!, I’ve been marooned!"
How To Fail Your Open Water Test.
a. Tell your instructor you will race him to the surface.
b. Lie face down and motionless while holding your breath.
c. Loudly proclaim that safety stops are for "wossies".
d. Show up with a set of tables based on your own algorithm "that's WAY
better".
e. Spit in your wetsuit and pee in your mask.
f. Ask your instructor, which fin goes on which foot.
g. Tell your instructor there is no way you can lift a cylinder with 2000
pounds of air in it.
h. When asked for your dive plan, you hand over a bundle of travel
brochures.
When Do You Need To Practice Better Buoyancy Control?
a. You rely on the silt trail you always stir up to find the shot line at
the end of the dive.
b. You insist that you never wear fins because it makes it more difficult
to walk on the bottom.
c. The only place you can hover is at the surface.
d. On ascents, your entire body clears the surface of the water.
e. You use 50 bar for breathing and 150 bar for your BC.
f. You are certain you went for one dive, but your computer has logged
three.
g. You think being neutral in the water means that you don't fight with
your buddy.
A dive boat runs into a terrible storm. Rain and wind and huge waves pound the boat. The divers are quiet but really scared. They are sure the boat is going to sink and they are all going to die. At the height of the storm, a young woman jumps up and exclaims: "I can't take this anymore! I can't just sit here and drown like an animal. If I am going to die, let me die feeling like a woman. Is there anyone here man enough to make me feel like a woman?" One of the dive masters stands up – a tall, handsome, muscular man, he smiles and starts to walk up to her. As he approaches her, he takes off his shirt. She sees his huge muscles – already, she is glad for her decision. He stands in front of her, muscles bulging, shirt in hand and says to her: here, Iron this!"
How to avoid shark attacks:
1.Never Leave Utah
2.Roll in manure before diving. Sharks hate anything breaded
3.Always dive with a buddy. On sharks approach, point to buddy
4.Dive with a briefcase. Shark may mistake you for a lawyer
and leave you alone out of professional courtesy.
One should never make a night dive on a coral reef after taking:
1.Acid
2.Marijuana
3.Black Russians
4.Prosaic
5.Sleeping Pills
You can spot divers by:
1.Funny Tan Lines
2.Big Watch
3.Says "Huh" alot
4.Bad shocks and springs in car
5.Scars from trigger fish bites
6.Expertise on anti-histamines
You can spot old time divers by:
1.Funny Tan Lines
2.Big Expensive Watch
3.Old Jeep with bad shocks
4.Log Book has a volume number on the cover.
5.Deaf in at least one ear.
6.Has multiple scars.
7.Has cylinders older than you are.
8.Talks about making their first wet suit.
9.Dive gear is faded.
10.Limps from Dysbaric Osteonecrosis.
You can spot newbie divers by:
1.Sunburned
2.Timex Watch
3.Nice car
4.Fills in all the blanks in their logbook
5.No diving related scars
6.Says "Wow, did you see that" alot
7.Equipment looks nice
8.Perfect hearing
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Dealing With Sea Sickness
Here is some nice reading for you before your next trip on the MV Kate or other vessels.
Motion sickness, mal-de-mer, or seasickness will at one time or another affect nine out of ten people who venture onto the water. It is a temporary condition which appears to leave the body no worse off for the experience. If you’ve been very seasick before, though, you might have felt at the time that you’d give anything to not feel it.
In broad terms, seasickness results when the information from your eyes and your ears disagrees. Your inner ears detect movement and allow you to control your balance with small and unconscious movements, but you use your eyes to make conscious decisions about your stance and balance. On board a boat, the deck under your feet may be moving erratically but the entire cabin is a static and unmoving frame of reference.
The seasickness victim feels sweaty, nauseated, sick, and as though he (or the room) is spinning. Headache and general weakness are common. The urge to vomit is strong, usually compelling once you’ve noticed it. But vomiting rarely brings permanent relief. Seasickness can be triggered (or made worse) by other factors such as ear infections, sun exposure, alcoholic drinks, spicy foods, noxious fumes or odors, and being fatigued or dehydrated.
Susceptibility to seasickness varies widely. It become more prevalent, and more severe, as the sea state worsens (waves, surge, and wind all act on the boat’s hull or superstructure). Some boats are more stable than others. A catamaran is especially subject to being tossed about in complex and random ways. The larger the ship, the less the waves and wind will affect her, but most scuba diving is done from quite small vessels. Many people find that they become acclimated to boat motion over several days, and their occurrences of seasickness become rarer or less severe.
Avoiding Sea Sickness
First, keep yourself hydrated and rested. That can be a challenge on a tropical vacation, I know, but if you’re on a diving trip you are probably already minimizing your sun exposure, and late-night partying. Sipping on juice, water, or a sports drink, and snacking lightly on saltines or a similar bland food, can keep your stomach soothed. If you do vomit, be sure to re-hydrate.
Stay away from fumes, especially the diesel fumes at the stern of the boat (or from other boats at the pier). Place yourself as near the center of the boat, at the waterline, as possible. This is often the forward dressing area on a small open boat, or the saloon on a liveaboard charter. The boat’s motions (roll, pitch, and yaw) pivot her around her center of resistance (resistance to wind above, buoyancy below). The center of the boat near the waterline is generally not moving much at all.
Look out on the horizon and find an object to focus on–the shore, an island, a cloud, even another boat. Relax. Breathe. Don’t try to read. Reduce your stress and, as much as you can, your need to move around. Finally, you can get in the water. It sounds strange, but many divers who feel queasy on the deck are perfectly okay once they’ve dropped beneath the surface and are out of the wave and surge motion. This is of course not a good option if you’re already throwing up, but if you’re just starting to get queasy, and you and your buddy have gone through your usual pre-dive checks, it can be a good approach. While we’re on the subject, remember that if you need to throw up underwater, keep your regulator in your mouth. The particles will travel out the exhaust ports without impeding regulator breathing.
Medications for Sea Sickness
The following medications, if taken the day before you’re exposed to a pitching boat, can prevent sea sickness. If you wait until you’ve developed symptoms, they are less effective, but can still give you some relief. Remember that side effects can get worse once you’re underwater. Read the instructions and warnings, and ask your doctor if you have questions. Because of possible side effects, you may want to try a dose before your leave for your trip to check on your reaction to it.
Over-the-counter approaches include the antihistamines: Bonine (meclizine), Dramamine (dimenhydrinate), Marezine (cyclizine), and Benadryl (diphenhydramine). They
target the vomiting mechanism in the nervous system. They can also cause side effects, notably drowsiness.
Perhaps the most popular seasickness medicine is Transderm Scop (a skin patch, by prescription only). It releases scopolamine through the skin for one to several days, targeting your nervous system. While it’s effective, it can also have some serious side effects. Dry mouth and blurred vision are common. In rarer case the patch causes confusion, anxiety, and hallucinations. Not everyone can tolerate it. Scopolamine is also available as prescription tablets, under the name Scopace. This approach allows you to adjust the dosage.
Non-Medical Approaches
Ginger is a time-honored home remedy for stomach ills, and can reduce your chances of getting seasick or help reduce the symptoms. Candied (or crystallized) ginger root is convenient to carry, keeps well, and can be found in a range from mild to extremely tangy. It also has no common side effects. Ginger snap cookies and ginger ale may also work for you to help calm your stomach.
Some travelers swear by wristbands which stimulate a pressure point on the wrist. The “Sea-Band” (from a company of the same name) looks like a tennis wrist sweat band but includes a small button which presses on the pressure point. The “Relief Band” (from Woodside Biomedical) adds battery-powered stimulation. Take it off before entering the water, of course.
Finally, “Motion Eaze” (from Alta Labs) is a blend of herbal oils. It is applied behind the earlobe and claims to prevent or treat seasickness with no side effects. The above are of course just a few of the remedies available commercially. There are numerous herbal and homeopathic products. Remember that before you use a new product you should try it out to see whether you have any reactions to it.
Motion sickness, mal-de-mer, or seasickness will at one time or another affect nine out of ten people who venture onto the water. It is a temporary condition which appears to leave the body no worse off for the experience. If you’ve been very seasick before, though, you might have felt at the time that you’d give anything to not feel it.
In broad terms, seasickness results when the information from your eyes and your ears disagrees. Your inner ears detect movement and allow you to control your balance with small and unconscious movements, but you use your eyes to make conscious decisions about your stance and balance. On board a boat, the deck under your feet may be moving erratically but the entire cabin is a static and unmoving frame of reference.
The seasickness victim feels sweaty, nauseated, sick, and as though he (or the room) is spinning. Headache and general weakness are common. The urge to vomit is strong, usually compelling once you’ve noticed it. But vomiting rarely brings permanent relief. Seasickness can be triggered (or made worse) by other factors such as ear infections, sun exposure, alcoholic drinks, spicy foods, noxious fumes or odors, and being fatigued or dehydrated.
Susceptibility to seasickness varies widely. It become more prevalent, and more severe, as the sea state worsens (waves, surge, and wind all act on the boat’s hull or superstructure). Some boats are more stable than others. A catamaran is especially subject to being tossed about in complex and random ways. The larger the ship, the less the waves and wind will affect her, but most scuba diving is done from quite small vessels. Many people find that they become acclimated to boat motion over several days, and their occurrences of seasickness become rarer or less severe.
Avoiding Sea Sickness
First, keep yourself hydrated and rested. That can be a challenge on a tropical vacation, I know, but if you’re on a diving trip you are probably already minimizing your sun exposure, and late-night partying. Sipping on juice, water, or a sports drink, and snacking lightly on saltines or a similar bland food, can keep your stomach soothed. If you do vomit, be sure to re-hydrate.
Stay away from fumes, especially the diesel fumes at the stern of the boat (or from other boats at the pier). Place yourself as near the center of the boat, at the waterline, as possible. This is often the forward dressing area on a small open boat, or the saloon on a liveaboard charter. The boat’s motions (roll, pitch, and yaw) pivot her around her center of resistance (resistance to wind above, buoyancy below). The center of the boat near the waterline is generally not moving much at all.
Look out on the horizon and find an object to focus on–the shore, an island, a cloud, even another boat. Relax. Breathe. Don’t try to read. Reduce your stress and, as much as you can, your need to move around. Finally, you can get in the water. It sounds strange, but many divers who feel queasy on the deck are perfectly okay once they’ve dropped beneath the surface and are out of the wave and surge motion. This is of course not a good option if you’re already throwing up, but if you’re just starting to get queasy, and you and your buddy have gone through your usual pre-dive checks, it can be a good approach. While we’re on the subject, remember that if you need to throw up underwater, keep your regulator in your mouth. The particles will travel out the exhaust ports without impeding regulator breathing.
Medications for Sea Sickness
The following medications, if taken the day before you’re exposed to a pitching boat, can prevent sea sickness. If you wait until you’ve developed symptoms, they are less effective, but can still give you some relief. Remember that side effects can get worse once you’re underwater. Read the instructions and warnings, and ask your doctor if you have questions. Because of possible side effects, you may want to try a dose before your leave for your trip to check on your reaction to it.
Over-the-counter approaches include the antihistamines: Bonine (meclizine), Dramamine (dimenhydrinate), Marezine (cyclizine), and Benadryl (diphenhydramine). They
target the vomiting mechanism in the nervous system. They can also cause side effects, notably drowsiness.
Perhaps the most popular seasickness medicine is Transderm Scop (a skin patch, by prescription only). It releases scopolamine through the skin for one to several days, targeting your nervous system. While it’s effective, it can also have some serious side effects. Dry mouth and blurred vision are common. In rarer case the patch causes confusion, anxiety, and hallucinations. Not everyone can tolerate it. Scopolamine is also available as prescription tablets, under the name Scopace. This approach allows you to adjust the dosage.
Non-Medical Approaches
Ginger is a time-honored home remedy for stomach ills, and can reduce your chances of getting seasick or help reduce the symptoms. Candied (or crystallized) ginger root is convenient to carry, keeps well, and can be found in a range from mild to extremely tangy. It also has no common side effects. Ginger snap cookies and ginger ale may also work for you to help calm your stomach.
Some travelers swear by wristbands which stimulate a pressure point on the wrist. The “Sea-Band” (from a company of the same name) looks like a tennis wrist sweat band but includes a small button which presses on the pressure point. The “Relief Band” (from Woodside Biomedical) adds battery-powered stimulation. Take it off before entering the water, of course.
Finally, “Motion Eaze” (from Alta Labs) is a blend of herbal oils. It is applied behind the earlobe and claims to prevent or treat seasickness with no side effects. The above are of course just a few of the remedies available commercially. There are numerous herbal and homeopathic products. Remember that before you use a new product you should try it out to see whether you have any reactions to it.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Liveaboard Diving Joke
Liveaboard diving will get you to remote reefs where few day-boats go. But, then, you’re further away from shore if the boat sinks!
That happened! When his liveaboard sank, a lone diver struggled to shore on an island with no other people, no supplies… Nothing. Only bananas and coconuts.
After about four months, he is lying on the beach one day when the most gorgeous woman he has ever seen rows up to him. In disbelief he asks her:
“Where did you come from? How did you get here?”
“I rowed from the other side of the island,” she says. “I landed here when my cruise ship sank.”
“Amazing,” he says. “You were really lucky to have a rowboat wash up with you.”
“Oh, this?” replies the woman. “I made the rowboat out of raw material that I found on the island; the oars were whittled from gum tree branches; I wove the bottom from palm branches; and the sides and stern came from a Eucalyptus tree.”
“But-but, that’s impossible,” stutters the man. “You had no tools or hardware. How did you manage?”
“Oh, that was no problem,” replies the woman. “On the south side of the island, there is a very unusual strata of alluvial rock exposed. I found that if I fired it to a certain temperature in my kiln, it melted into forgeable ductile iron. I used that for tools and used the tools to make the hardware.” The guy is stunned.
“Let’s row over to my place, ” she says.
After a few minutes of rowing, she docks the boat at a small wharf. As the man looks onto shore, he nearly falls out of the boat. Before him is a stone walk leading to an exquisite bungalow painted in blue and white. While the woman ties up the rowboat with an expertly woven hemp rope, the man can only stare ahead, dumb-struck.
As they walk into the house, her beautiful breasts bouncing with each step, she says casually, “It’s not much, but I call it home. Sit down please; would you like to have a drink?”
“No thank you,” he says, still dazed. “Can’t take any more coconut juice.”
“It’s not coconut juice,” the woman replies. “I have a still. How about a Pina Colada?”
Trying to hide his continued amazement, the man accepts, and they sit down on her couch to talk. After they have exchanged their stories, the woman announces, “I’m going to slip into something more comfortable. Would you like to take a shower and shave? There is a razor upstairs in the cabinet in the bathroom.”
No longer questioning anything, the man goes into the bathroom. There, in the cabinet, is a razor made from a bone handle. Two shells honed to a hollow ground edge are fastened onto its end, inside of a swivel mechanism. “This woman is amazing,” he muses. “What next?”
When he returns, she greets him wearing nothing but vines and a shell necklace strategically positioned and smelling faintly of gardenias. She beckons for him to sit down next to her.
“Tell me,” she begins suggestively, slithering closer to him, “we’ve been out here for a very long time. You’ve been lonely. I’ve been lonely. There’s something I’m sure you really feel like doing right about now, something you’ve been longing for all these months? You know… ” She stares into his eyes.
He can’t believe what he’s hearing. His heart begins to pound. He’s truly in luck:
“You mean…”, he gasps, “…I can actually check my e-mail from here??”
That happened! When his liveaboard sank, a lone diver struggled to shore on an island with no other people, no supplies… Nothing. Only bananas and coconuts.
After about four months, he is lying on the beach one day when the most gorgeous woman he has ever seen rows up to him. In disbelief he asks her:
“Where did you come from? How did you get here?”
“I rowed from the other side of the island,” she says. “I landed here when my cruise ship sank.”
“Amazing,” he says. “You were really lucky to have a rowboat wash up with you.”
“Oh, this?” replies the woman. “I made the rowboat out of raw material that I found on the island; the oars were whittled from gum tree branches; I wove the bottom from palm branches; and the sides and stern came from a Eucalyptus tree.”
“But-but, that’s impossible,” stutters the man. “You had no tools or hardware. How did you manage?”
“Oh, that was no problem,” replies the woman. “On the south side of the island, there is a very unusual strata of alluvial rock exposed. I found that if I fired it to a certain temperature in my kiln, it melted into forgeable ductile iron. I used that for tools and used the tools to make the hardware.” The guy is stunned.
“Let’s row over to my place, ” she says.
After a few minutes of rowing, she docks the boat at a small wharf. As the man looks onto shore, he nearly falls out of the boat. Before him is a stone walk leading to an exquisite bungalow painted in blue and white. While the woman ties up the rowboat with an expertly woven hemp rope, the man can only stare ahead, dumb-struck.
As they walk into the house, her beautiful breasts bouncing with each step, she says casually, “It’s not much, but I call it home. Sit down please; would you like to have a drink?”
“No thank you,” he says, still dazed. “Can’t take any more coconut juice.”
“It’s not coconut juice,” the woman replies. “I have a still. How about a Pina Colada?”
Trying to hide his continued amazement, the man accepts, and they sit down on her couch to talk. After they have exchanged their stories, the woman announces, “I’m going to slip into something more comfortable. Would you like to take a shower and shave? There is a razor upstairs in the cabinet in the bathroom.”
No longer questioning anything, the man goes into the bathroom. There, in the cabinet, is a razor made from a bone handle. Two shells honed to a hollow ground edge are fastened onto its end, inside of a swivel mechanism. “This woman is amazing,” he muses. “What next?”
When he returns, she greets him wearing nothing but vines and a shell necklace strategically positioned and smelling faintly of gardenias. She beckons for him to sit down next to her.
“Tell me,” she begins suggestively, slithering closer to him, “we’ve been out here for a very long time. You’ve been lonely. I’ve been lonely. There’s something I’m sure you really feel like doing right about now, something you’ve been longing for all these months? You know… ” She stares into his eyes.
He can’t believe what he’s hearing. His heart begins to pound. He’s truly in luck:
“You mean…”, he gasps, “…I can actually check my e-mail from here??”
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Scuba Pickup Lines
1. Do you believe in love at first sight or shall I swim back and forth a few more times?
2. I’m a Bar Jack and I want to make a Damsel Grunt with my Blue Tang — can you Rock, Beauty?
3. I’m looking for a French Angel with large gills, and I think I’ve found her — are you French?
4. Do you have change for the phone? My mother told me to call home when I met the girl of my dreams.
5. I can’t find my pet crab – can you help me find him? I think he went down to the deserted end of the beach.
6. You must be Jamaican, because Jamaica me crazy.
7. I like to maintain my own equipment — you look like someone I’d like to “tinker” around with.
8. I’m new at the resort — could you give me directions to your room?
9. I think there’s something wrong with my regulator. Could you hold the first stage while I check out the second stage?
10. Please excuse my panting – I am out of air, because you take my breath away.
11. Excuse me, I’m lost. May I go home with you?
12. Is the sun in your eyes, or did you just smile at me?
2. I’m a Bar Jack and I want to make a Damsel Grunt with my Blue Tang — can you Rock, Beauty?
3. I’m looking for a French Angel with large gills, and I think I’ve found her — are you French?
4. Do you have change for the phone? My mother told me to call home when I met the girl of my dreams.
5. I can’t find my pet crab – can you help me find him? I think he went down to the deserted end of the beach.
6. You must be Jamaican, because Jamaica me crazy.
7. I like to maintain my own equipment — you look like someone I’d like to “tinker” around with.
8. I’m new at the resort — could you give me directions to your room?
9. I think there’s something wrong with my regulator. Could you hold the first stage while I check out the second stage?
10. Please excuse my panting – I am out of air, because you take my breath away.
11. Excuse me, I’m lost. May I go home with you?
12. Is the sun in your eyes, or did you just smile at me?
Thursday, October 28, 2010
"Oh did I forget to tell you I havn't used my dive gear for almost two years"
Every summer, I watch recreational divers flood into the Florida Keys. The glassy ocean surface beckons, and with the sweltering summer heat, these visiting divers can't wait to get wet. Even though they haven't dived for months, these divers claim that they remember how to dive and that they do not need a refresher course. Part of this statement is usually true. Divers do remember how to dive; deflating a buoyancy compensator and kicking around underwater is pretty easy. Yet, even if only a year has passed since their open water certification course, most divers can still benefit from a refresher course. Diving is easy, but being a safe and knowledgable diver requires commitment and consistent review of emergency skills and dive theory. Safe divers must retain a huge repertoire of information that becomes rusty without review. A refresher course focuses on this easily forgotten information.
Certification Is Not an End in Itself:
A scuba certification lasts for life. Unfortunately, a large percentage of divers view scuba certification as an end in itself. They assume that once the certification course is over, they are done with studying and exercises. To illustrate how silly this is, imagine what would happen if other certification organizations had the same attitude. What if students could take a 6-hour Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) course and be certified for life without being required to review or update their skills? It's ridiculous! People forget skills they don't practice and must review them. For the same reason (most) training organizations suggest that divers periodically review course information under the supervision of an instructor.
For example, all PADI certified divers sign an agreement to follow the “Standard Safe Diving Practices Statement of Understanding,” part of which states that a certified diver agrees to
“Keep proficient in diving skills, striving to increase them through continuing education and reviewing them in controlled conditions after a period of diving inactivity, and refer to my course materials to stay current and refresh myself on important information.”
The fact that certification agencies know that divers do not remember all the information taught in the open water certification course should suggest a course of action. A wise diver will realize that information and skills are easily forgotten, and he will review this information to continue to be a safe diver.
Really, You Don't Remember Everything!:
Part of the reason certified divers are reluctant to enroll in a refresher course is that they truly believe they have not forgotten information and skills presented in the open water course. Test yourself! Do you remember anything about:
• the maximum safe ascent rate in terms of feet/meters per a minute
• how to tell if you have exceed the maximum safe ascent rate without using a watch, depth gauge or dive computer
• residual nitrogen times
• controlled emergency swimming ascents
• emergency decompression procedures
• use of the recreational dive tables
• testing for proper weighting
Surprised? This is only a short list of some of the absolutely essential safety information divers must retain. If there is any information on this list that you are not completely comfortable using on your own or underwater in an emergency, a refresher course is in order. The good news is that this information was covered in your open water course, and most divers remember it quickly after a brief review.
Refreshed Divers Enjoy Their Dives More:
Most divers won't admit it, but they experience some level of anxiety when returning to the water after not diving for a period of time. Taking a refresher course and reviewing knowledge and skills before diving helps to reduce pre-dive anxiety and makes a return to diving more enjoyable.
What Does a Refresher Course Include?:
Most refresher courses include a combination of dive theory, in-water skill practice, and supervised dives. When possible, divers should enroll in a refresher course with their dive buddy. This allows dive buddies to work to work together to fine tune rescue skills before a real emergency arises.
• Theory
Many instructors administer a quick exam which tests basic dive theory. This allows the instructor to assess what information the diver has retained, and what information he would benefit from reviewing. After the theory portion of a refresher course, divers should feel proficient in use of the recreational dive tables, emergency procedures, proper pre-dive checks and ascent/descent procedures, underwater communications, and the theory behind equalization and buoyancy.
• Skill Practice
Most instructors are aware that you remember how to clear your mask. Reteaching you basic diving skills is not the point of the refresher course. While many instructors may have divers briefly run through basic diving skills in the pool to build diver confidence, the focus should be on skills that divers may have forgotten through disuse. These skills include equipment set up and disassembly, alternate air source use, controlled emergency swimming ascents, low pressure inflator detachment and oral inflation, buddy checks, ascent and descent procedures (do you remember the five point ascent and descent?), and compass use/ navigation.
• Supervised dive
Make your triumphant return to the water safe by completing the refresher course with a supervised dive. Your first dive after a period of diving inactivity should be shallow and easy. An instructor or divemaster can help you with pre-dive jitters and any unanticipated problems.
How Long Does a Refresher Course Last?:
Refresher courses are usually short, because a diver simply reviews information he knew in the past. The average length of a refresher course is half a day to a whole day, depending upon the diver's needs and whether an open water dive is included.
How to Avoid a Refresher Course:
Whether from pride, a limited pocketbook, or another reason, many divers simply refuse to enroll in a refresher course. While a refresher course under the supervision of an instructor is always preferable, there are ways to stay up-to-date with your diving skills without an instructor.
1. Dive regularly.
The local, algae-filled lake may not be as exciting as a tropical reef, but if you make a commitment to diving a few weekends every month, you will retain more diving skills and information than if you only dive on vacation.
2. Re-read Your Open Water Book
Keep your knowledge of dive theory current by reviewing the information in the open water manual. Pay special attention to topics such as dive table use, buoyancy and pressure-depth relationships -- you know, the boring stuff you have probably already forgotten. If you know you have a wait ahead of you, such as at the dentist's office, bring your open water book to read while you wait. Short reviews of small amount of information are frequently more effective than a long study session.
3. Practice Emergency Skills With Your Dive Buddy
If you always dive with the same buddy, review emergency skills with your buddy regularly. Practice ascending at the end of the dive sharing air, or decide to only orally inflate your buoyancy compensator for an entire dive. Using skills regularly makes them comfortable and automatic.
What is the one skill you should not practice in the open water without the supervision of a dive professional? The controlled emergency swimming ascent. This skill has risks such as pulmonary barotrauma and decompression illness when preformed incorrectly.
Just like CPR skills, your diving skills become rusty when not used. This is normal. Forgetting information about diving does not mean you are unintelligent, a bad diver, or insufficient in some other way. It happens to everyone. Before your next dive vacation, be honest with yourself and acknowledge that you may not remember everything about diving. Plan on a refresher course before hitting the water, and you will not only be safer, but more confident and will enjoy your dives more.
If you have any questions give us a call at Blue Iguana Charters and we will be glad to help you. Our number is 561-385-2385
Certification Is Not an End in Itself:
A scuba certification lasts for life. Unfortunately, a large percentage of divers view scuba certification as an end in itself. They assume that once the certification course is over, they are done with studying and exercises. To illustrate how silly this is, imagine what would happen if other certification organizations had the same attitude. What if students could take a 6-hour Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) course and be certified for life without being required to review or update their skills? It's ridiculous! People forget skills they don't practice and must review them. For the same reason (most) training organizations suggest that divers periodically review course information under the supervision of an instructor.
For example, all PADI certified divers sign an agreement to follow the “Standard Safe Diving Practices Statement of Understanding,” part of which states that a certified diver agrees to
“Keep proficient in diving skills, striving to increase them through continuing education and reviewing them in controlled conditions after a period of diving inactivity, and refer to my course materials to stay current and refresh myself on important information.”
The fact that certification agencies know that divers do not remember all the information taught in the open water certification course should suggest a course of action. A wise diver will realize that information and skills are easily forgotten, and he will review this information to continue to be a safe diver.
Really, You Don't Remember Everything!:
Part of the reason certified divers are reluctant to enroll in a refresher course is that they truly believe they have not forgotten information and skills presented in the open water course. Test yourself! Do you remember anything about:
• the maximum safe ascent rate in terms of feet/meters per a minute
• how to tell if you have exceed the maximum safe ascent rate without using a watch, depth gauge or dive computer
• residual nitrogen times
• controlled emergency swimming ascents
• emergency decompression procedures
• use of the recreational dive tables
• testing for proper weighting
Surprised? This is only a short list of some of the absolutely essential safety information divers must retain. If there is any information on this list that you are not completely comfortable using on your own or underwater in an emergency, a refresher course is in order. The good news is that this information was covered in your open water course, and most divers remember it quickly after a brief review.
Refreshed Divers Enjoy Their Dives More:
Most divers won't admit it, but they experience some level of anxiety when returning to the water after not diving for a period of time. Taking a refresher course and reviewing knowledge and skills before diving helps to reduce pre-dive anxiety and makes a return to diving more enjoyable.
What Does a Refresher Course Include?:
Most refresher courses include a combination of dive theory, in-water skill practice, and supervised dives. When possible, divers should enroll in a refresher course with their dive buddy. This allows dive buddies to work to work together to fine tune rescue skills before a real emergency arises.
• Theory
Many instructors administer a quick exam which tests basic dive theory. This allows the instructor to assess what information the diver has retained, and what information he would benefit from reviewing. After the theory portion of a refresher course, divers should feel proficient in use of the recreational dive tables, emergency procedures, proper pre-dive checks and ascent/descent procedures, underwater communications, and the theory behind equalization and buoyancy.
• Skill Practice
Most instructors are aware that you remember how to clear your mask. Reteaching you basic diving skills is not the point of the refresher course. While many instructors may have divers briefly run through basic diving skills in the pool to build diver confidence, the focus should be on skills that divers may have forgotten through disuse. These skills include equipment set up and disassembly, alternate air source use, controlled emergency swimming ascents, low pressure inflator detachment and oral inflation, buddy checks, ascent and descent procedures (do you remember the five point ascent and descent?), and compass use/ navigation.
• Supervised dive
Make your triumphant return to the water safe by completing the refresher course with a supervised dive. Your first dive after a period of diving inactivity should be shallow and easy. An instructor or divemaster can help you with pre-dive jitters and any unanticipated problems.
How Long Does a Refresher Course Last?:
Refresher courses are usually short, because a diver simply reviews information he knew in the past. The average length of a refresher course is half a day to a whole day, depending upon the diver's needs and whether an open water dive is included.
How to Avoid a Refresher Course:
Whether from pride, a limited pocketbook, or another reason, many divers simply refuse to enroll in a refresher course. While a refresher course under the supervision of an instructor is always preferable, there are ways to stay up-to-date with your diving skills without an instructor.
1. Dive regularly.
The local, algae-filled lake may not be as exciting as a tropical reef, but if you make a commitment to diving a few weekends every month, you will retain more diving skills and information than if you only dive on vacation.
2. Re-read Your Open Water Book
Keep your knowledge of dive theory current by reviewing the information in the open water manual. Pay special attention to topics such as dive table use, buoyancy and pressure-depth relationships -- you know, the boring stuff you have probably already forgotten. If you know you have a wait ahead of you, such as at the dentist's office, bring your open water book to read while you wait. Short reviews of small amount of information are frequently more effective than a long study session.
3. Practice Emergency Skills With Your Dive Buddy
If you always dive with the same buddy, review emergency skills with your buddy regularly. Practice ascending at the end of the dive sharing air, or decide to only orally inflate your buoyancy compensator for an entire dive. Using skills regularly makes them comfortable and automatic.
What is the one skill you should not practice in the open water without the supervision of a dive professional? The controlled emergency swimming ascent. This skill has risks such as pulmonary barotrauma and decompression illness when preformed incorrectly.
Just like CPR skills, your diving skills become rusty when not used. This is normal. Forgetting information about diving does not mean you are unintelligent, a bad diver, or insufficient in some other way. It happens to everyone. Before your next dive vacation, be honest with yourself and acknowledge that you may not remember everything about diving. Plan on a refresher course before hitting the water, and you will not only be safer, but more confident and will enjoy your dives more.
If you have any questions give us a call at Blue Iguana Charters and we will be glad to help you. Our number is 561-385-2385
Monday, October 18, 2010
Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning
The new captain jumped from the cockpit, fully dressed, and sprinted through the water. A former lifeguard, he kept his eyes on his victim as he headed straight for the owners who were swimming between their anchored sportfisher and the beach. “I think he thinks you’re drowning,” the husband said to his wife. They had been splashing each other and she had screamed but now they were just standing, neck-deep on the sand bar. “We’re fine, what is he doing?” she asked, a little annoyed. “We’re fine!” the husband yelled, waving him off, but his captain kept swimming hard. ”Move!” he barked as he sprinted between the stunned owners. Directly behind them, not ten feet away, their nine-year-old daughter was drowning. Safely above the surface in the arms of the captain, she burst into tears, “Daddy!”
How did this captain know – from fifty feet away – what the father couldn’t recognize from just ten? Drowning is not the violent, splashing, call for help that most people expect. The captain was trained to recognize drowning by experts and years of experience. The father, on the other hand, had learned what drowning looks like by watching television. If you spend time on or near the water (hint: that’s all of us) then you should make sure that you and your crew knows what to look for whenever people enter the water. Until she cried a tearful, “Daddy,” she hadn’t made a sound. As a former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, I wasn’t surprised at all by this story. Drowning is almost always a deceptively quiet event. The waving, splashing, and yelling that dramatic conditioning (television) prepares us to look for, is rarely seen in real life.
The Instinctive Drowning Response – so named by Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D., is what people do to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in the water. And it does not look like most people expect. There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind. To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this: It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) – of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In ten percent of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it is happening (source: CDC). Drowning does not look like drowning – Dr. Pia, in an article in the Coast Guard’s On Scene Magazine, described the instinctive drowning response like this:
1.Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled, before speech occurs.
2.Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.
3.Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.
4.Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.
5.From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.
(Source: On Scene Magazine: Fall 2006 (page 14))
This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble – they are experiencing aquatic distress. Not always present before the instinctive drowning response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long – but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in their own rescue. They can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc.
Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:
■Head low in the water, mouth at water level
■Head tilted back with mouth open
■Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
■Eyes closed
■Hair over forehead or eyes
■Not using legs – Vertical
■Hyperventilating or gasping
■Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway
■Trying to roll over on the back
■Ladder climb, rarely out of the water.
So if a crew member falls overboard and everything looks OK – don’t be too sure. Sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don’t look like they’re drowning. They may just look like they are treading water and looking up at the deck. One way to be sure? Ask them, “Are you alright?” If they can answer at all – they probably are. If they return a blank stare, you may have less than 30 seconds to get to them. And parents – children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out
How did this captain know – from fifty feet away – what the father couldn’t recognize from just ten? Drowning is not the violent, splashing, call for help that most people expect. The captain was trained to recognize drowning by experts and years of experience. The father, on the other hand, had learned what drowning looks like by watching television. If you spend time on or near the water (hint: that’s all of us) then you should make sure that you and your crew knows what to look for whenever people enter the water. Until she cried a tearful, “Daddy,” she hadn’t made a sound. As a former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, I wasn’t surprised at all by this story. Drowning is almost always a deceptively quiet event. The waving, splashing, and yelling that dramatic conditioning (television) prepares us to look for, is rarely seen in real life.
The Instinctive Drowning Response – so named by Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D., is what people do to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in the water. And it does not look like most people expect. There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind. To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this: It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) – of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In ten percent of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it is happening (source: CDC). Drowning does not look like drowning – Dr. Pia, in an article in the Coast Guard’s On Scene Magazine, described the instinctive drowning response like this:
1.Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled, before speech occurs.
2.Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.
3.Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.
4.Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.
5.From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.
(Source: On Scene Magazine: Fall 2006 (page 14))
This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble – they are experiencing aquatic distress. Not always present before the instinctive drowning response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long – but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in their own rescue. They can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc.
Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:
■Head low in the water, mouth at water level
■Head tilted back with mouth open
■Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
■Eyes closed
■Hair over forehead or eyes
■Not using legs – Vertical
■Hyperventilating or gasping
■Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway
■Trying to roll over on the back
■Ladder climb, rarely out of the water.
So if a crew member falls overboard and everything looks OK – don’t be too sure. Sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don’t look like they’re drowning. They may just look like they are treading water and looking up at the deck. One way to be sure? Ask them, “Are you alright?” If they can answer at all – they probably are. If they return a blank stare, you may have less than 30 seconds to get to them. And parents – children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Shark fin soup locations in Florida
So on a rainy day with not a lot of other activity going on I spent a little time surfing the web. I was on the Shark Free Florida website and found something interesting. Twenty- four known restaurants in the state of Florida that sell shark fin related products.Here is a map of the locations with their name and address. I wonder how many more are right here in our backyards that have not yet made it to the list. If you have a chance check out their website. We at Blue Iguana Charters are always in support of any organization that is looking out for the greater good of all marine creatures.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Deceptive labels for shark dishes
The complete extinction of sharks is imminent. For more than 400 million years they have dominated the oceans. People exterminate them in a few decades. And as history shows: what once is extinct does not come back again.
The fishing industry is mercilessly hunting the sharks and offers them as shark steak, shark filet or shark fin soup. But shark dishes are rarely offered under their real names but usually under different "trivialized" descriptions. The reason for that is simple: the customer shall not notice what it is in reality.
The fishing industry is very imaginative and labels shark dishes with complete new descriptions. Therefore hands off from the following dishes and products in restaurants, snack stalls and supermarkets because it has shark inside:
_______________________________________
English Names:
- Flake
- Huss
- Catfish
- Dogfish
- Grayfish
- Steakfish
- Whitefish
- Lemon Fish
- Cape Steak
- Rock Salmon
- Smoked Rock Salmon
- Smoked Dogfish
- Rigg
- Gummy
- Sea Ham
- Sokomoro
- Tofu Shark
- Ocean Fillet
- Imitation Crab Meat (Surimi)
- Component of Fish & Chips
_______________________________________
Spanish Names / Nombre Español:
- Gallina del Mar
- Alo Rosado
- Lobito
- Cazón
- Tintorera
- Caella
_______________________________________
Greek Names:
- Galeos
______________________________________
_______________________________________
French Names / Noms Français:
- Chiens
- Petite
- Roussette
- Rande Roussette
- Saumonette
- Taupe
- Veau de Mer
_______________________________________
Italian Names / Nomi Italiani:
- Palombo
- Smeriglio
- Gattucci
- Spinaroli
- Cani Spellati
_______________________________________
German Names / Deutsche Namen:
- Seeaal / Meeraal
- Schillerlocken
- Kalbsfisch
- Speckfisch
- Dornfisch
- Karbonadenfisch
- Königsaal / Steinaal
- Steinlachs
- Seestör / Wildstör / Forellenstör
- Tofuhai
- Sokomoro
- Ozean Filet / Meeres Filet
- Falsche Jakobsmuscheln
- Falsches Krabbenfleisch (Surimi)
- Bestandteil von Fish & Chips
_______________________________________
Only by a complete renunciation of all shark products the world's remaining shark population can be rescued. This means: if fewer sharks are consumed, less sharks get hunted because demand determines
supply. But as long as shark products are consumed the fishery does not stop hunting them. Thus, any consumer of shark dishes is directly complicit in the extinction of sharks. It is time for action!
Don't look away - do something!
The fishing industry is mercilessly hunting the sharks and offers them as shark steak, shark filet or shark fin soup. But shark dishes are rarely offered under their real names but usually under different "trivialized" descriptions. The reason for that is simple: the customer shall not notice what it is in reality.
The fishing industry is very imaginative and labels shark dishes with complete new descriptions. Therefore hands off from the following dishes and products in restaurants, snack stalls and supermarkets because it has shark inside:
_______________________________________
English Names:
- Flake
- Huss
- Catfish
- Dogfish
- Grayfish
- Steakfish
- Whitefish
- Lemon Fish
- Cape Steak
- Rock Salmon
- Smoked Rock Salmon
- Smoked Dogfish
- Rigg
- Gummy
- Sea Ham
- Sokomoro
- Tofu Shark
- Ocean Fillet
- Imitation Crab Meat (Surimi)
- Component of Fish & Chips
_______________________________________
Spanish Names / Nombre Español:
- Gallina del Mar
- Alo Rosado
- Lobito
- Cazón
- Tintorera
- Caella
_______________________________________
Greek Names:
- Galeos
______________________________________
_______________________________________
French Names / Noms Français:
- Chiens
- Petite
- Roussette
- Rande Roussette
- Saumonette
- Taupe
- Veau de Mer
_______________________________________
Italian Names / Nomi Italiani:
- Palombo
- Smeriglio
- Gattucci
- Spinaroli
- Cani Spellati
_______________________________________
German Names / Deutsche Namen:
- Seeaal / Meeraal
- Schillerlocken
- Kalbsfisch
- Speckfisch
- Dornfisch
- Karbonadenfisch
- Königsaal / Steinaal
- Steinlachs
- Seestör / Wildstör / Forellenstör
- Tofuhai
- Sokomoro
- Ozean Filet / Meeres Filet
- Falsche Jakobsmuscheln
- Falsches Krabbenfleisch (Surimi)
- Bestandteil von Fish & Chips
_______________________________________
Only by a complete renunciation of all shark products the world's remaining shark population can be rescued. This means: if fewer sharks are consumed, less sharks get hunted because demand determines
supply. But as long as shark products are consumed the fishery does not stop hunting them. Thus, any consumer of shark dishes is directly complicit in the extinction of sharks. It is time for action!
Don't look away - do something!
Saturday, August 21, 2010
REEF lionfish derbies in the Keys
NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, in partnership with Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF), will host an inaugural series of lionfish derbies starting in September. Divers who remove lionfish from sanctuary waters will be eligible for more than $10,000 in cash and prizes.
REEF and Sanctuary managers have been working with the Florida Keys dive community to remove invasive lionfish since early 2009. Scientists are concerned about the rapid population growth of lionfish in Keys waters and their lack of a natural predator in the Atlantic. Lionfish are known to feed on commercially and ecologically important fish species — including snapper, grouper and shrimp — and can disrupt the balance of the marine ecosystem.
“Current research is beginning to show that, if left unchecked, the impacts of lionfish could be devastating to our native marine life and coral reefs,” said Lad Akins, REEF director of operations. "Providing training and incentives for the public to remove lionfish is one way to control populations and minimize those impacts.”
Following detailed briefings on lionfish collecting and handling, divers will be allowed to collect fish on the day of the tournament using hand nets or spearfishing gear in areas of the sanctuary where fishing and spearfishing is allowed. The $100 registration fee for a four-person team of divers or snorkelers provides participants with a pair of puncture resistant gloves and banquet tickets. Event banquets will feature a lionfish tasting for derby participants and guests.
“Eating lionfish is a conservation activity,” said Sean Morton, acting sanctuary superintendent. “We are its only known predator in the Atlantic and through dedicated diver-based removal efforts, and consumption of lionfish as a food source, we can control its establishment.”
NOAA has developed an “Eat Lionfish” campaign that brings together fishing communities, wholesalers, and chefs in an effort to broaden U.S. consumers’ awareness of this delicious invader.
For more information on the derbies and to register online, visit http://www.reef.org/lionfish/derbies. Dates and locations for the derbies are:
• Sept. 11 – Coconuts Restaurant, Key Largo
• Oct. 16 – Keys Fisheries Market and Marina, Marathon
• Nov. 13 — Hurricane Hole Marina, Key West
Florida Keys lionfish derbies are sponsored in part by: Ocean Reef Conservation Association, Divers Direct, Spree Expeditions, Inc., Dive Key West, Inc., and Scuba-Do Dive Company. To become an event sponsor, please contact Alecia@reef.org.
REEF-coordinated lionfish derbies in the Bahamas have removed almost 2,500 lionfish since 2009. Thousands more fish have been captured in more than 30 REEF-organized lionfish collection trips across the Caribbean.
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects 2,900 square nautical miles of critical marine habitat, including coral reef, hard bottom, sea grass meadows, mangrove communities and sand flats. NOAA and the state of Florida manage the sanctuary.
NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Visit us at NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or on Facebook at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) | Facebook.
REEF and Sanctuary managers have been working with the Florida Keys dive community to remove invasive lionfish since early 2009. Scientists are concerned about the rapid population growth of lionfish in Keys waters and their lack of a natural predator in the Atlantic. Lionfish are known to feed on commercially and ecologically important fish species — including snapper, grouper and shrimp — and can disrupt the balance of the marine ecosystem.
“Current research is beginning to show that, if left unchecked, the impacts of lionfish could be devastating to our native marine life and coral reefs,” said Lad Akins, REEF director of operations. "Providing training and incentives for the public to remove lionfish is one way to control populations and minimize those impacts.”
Following detailed briefings on lionfish collecting and handling, divers will be allowed to collect fish on the day of the tournament using hand nets or spearfishing gear in areas of the sanctuary where fishing and spearfishing is allowed. The $100 registration fee for a four-person team of divers or snorkelers provides participants with a pair of puncture resistant gloves and banquet tickets. Event banquets will feature a lionfish tasting for derby participants and guests.
“Eating lionfish is a conservation activity,” said Sean Morton, acting sanctuary superintendent. “We are its only known predator in the Atlantic and through dedicated diver-based removal efforts, and consumption of lionfish as a food source, we can control its establishment.”
NOAA has developed an “Eat Lionfish” campaign that brings together fishing communities, wholesalers, and chefs in an effort to broaden U.S. consumers’ awareness of this delicious invader.
For more information on the derbies and to register online, visit http://www.reef.org/lionfish/derbies. Dates and locations for the derbies are:
• Sept. 11 – Coconuts Restaurant, Key Largo
• Oct. 16 – Keys Fisheries Market and Marina, Marathon
• Nov. 13 — Hurricane Hole Marina, Key West
Florida Keys lionfish derbies are sponsored in part by: Ocean Reef Conservation Association, Divers Direct, Spree Expeditions, Inc., Dive Key West, Inc., and Scuba-Do Dive Company. To become an event sponsor, please contact Alecia@reef.org.
REEF-coordinated lionfish derbies in the Bahamas have removed almost 2,500 lionfish since 2009. Thousands more fish have been captured in more than 30 REEF-organized lionfish collection trips across the Caribbean.
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects 2,900 square nautical miles of critical marine habitat, including coral reef, hard bottom, sea grass meadows, mangrove communities and sand flats. NOAA and the state of Florida manage the sanctuary.
NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Visit us at NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or on Facebook at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) | Facebook.
Thieves steal gold bar worth $550,000 from Key West shipwreck museum; $10,000 reward offered
Thieves steal gold bar worth $550,000 from Key West shipwreck museum; $10,000 reward offered
Lets see gold is about $1,200 oz right now and the bar was 74 oz's.....the math doesn't work very well....
Lets see gold is about $1,200 oz right now and the bar was 74 oz's.....the math doesn't work very well....
Friday, August 20, 2010
Key Largo Darwin Award of the day
I was sitting on the bridge yesterday watching SPORT divers doing the bobbing for apples game, when I heard the strangest radio call. A boat was calling the coast guard for help. He was hysterical because he was being harassed by scuba divers. Naturally I had to turn up the radio and hear this s**t. It turns out he was on one of the mooring balls on the wreck of the Benwood trying to fish. The problem was there where scuba divers all under him and he thought they were going to attack him. Now anyone who knows the Key Largo area diving knows that on a nice day there can be as many as 50 to 60 divers on this wreck at a time. Now if you tie up to one of the forward balls on the wreck the way the wind was blowing yesterday your boat would sit right on top of the ship. Hmmmmm now if you are sitting on top of this wreck trying to fish and there are any divers on it they are going to be right under you ….lol so maybe it could look like they are attacking you, or as Capt Evan would say…”Have you ever thought about taking up golf?”
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Facts About Scuba Diving
The Right Tools at the Right Time
SCUBA is actually an acronym for Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. It is important to know the facts about scuba diving because this a sport which relies heavily on science and technology to ensure the safety of its participants.
The first fact one needs to know about scuba diving is that to scuba dive, one needs to have high pressure metal tanks that are attached to the back of the diver. A breathing device regulates air flow and permits the diver to stay underwater for extended periods of time. Other important tools for the safety of the diver include: wetsuits, fins, gloves, masks, hood, buoyancy control and computer watches. Learning the facts about scuba diving includes knowing the specifics of these devices.
Knowing the Facts about Scuba Diving Can Save Your Life
More than one million people become scuba diving certified each year worldwide. Once a diver puts on the heavy tank of compressed air a the small rubber tube is the standard way a diver stays alive. (One can have optionally have pony air bottles and such as backups along with possibly sharing with a buddy in an emergency.) Thus, knowing the facts about scuba diving and how the appartus functions can mean life or death to these million of people.
Not all dives are created equally. Scuba divers need to understand the facts about scuba diving when deciding on the types of dives they will do. Some dive in warm water or some the more hardcore cold waters. Also, the facts about scuba diving are useful when deciding if shipwreck explorations are feasible given the diver’s skill level.
Facts About Scuba Diving Certification
In some instances, there is not a need to obtain prior certification in order to go scuba diving. This is especially true in the resort dives found in the Caribbean and the Bahamas. Such places often offer one day crash courses in diving that do not result in certification. Those who have more interest in diving and need certification should understand the physical and mental aspects about scuba diving before proceeding further.
Swimming ability, breathing capability and equalizing tendencies are all factors. Confidence in your swimming ability is extremely important. However, your overall fitness is surely a factor as well. The fact is that scuba diving is a serious sport which requires a high level of fitness. Scuba diving is often tiring so if you are significantly overweight or have diabetes, known heart conditions or any other endurance related limitations you should always consult a doctor before going scuba diving.
Facts About Scuba Diving Preparation: Breathe Easy
Since scuba diving has one breathe through the mouth instead of the nose, one needs to practiced this before their first deepsea dive. You must know the facts about scuba diving in regards to equalizing the pressure within the ears as one dives deeper down into the water. Simply by knowing the proper way to pop your ears, release pressure, and breath correctly, you will be in control of your dive. A certified scuba instrucor can safely teach you the proper methods as well as any other facts about scuba diving you will need to know.
SCUBA is actually an acronym for Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. It is important to know the facts about scuba diving because this a sport which relies heavily on science and technology to ensure the safety of its participants.
The first fact one needs to know about scuba diving is that to scuba dive, one needs to have high pressure metal tanks that are attached to the back of the diver. A breathing device regulates air flow and permits the diver to stay underwater for extended periods of time. Other important tools for the safety of the diver include: wetsuits, fins, gloves, masks, hood, buoyancy control and computer watches. Learning the facts about scuba diving includes knowing the specifics of these devices.
Knowing the Facts about Scuba Diving Can Save Your Life
More than one million people become scuba diving certified each year worldwide. Once a diver puts on the heavy tank of compressed air a the small rubber tube is the standard way a diver stays alive. (One can have optionally have pony air bottles and such as backups along with possibly sharing with a buddy in an emergency.) Thus, knowing the facts about scuba diving and how the appartus functions can mean life or death to these million of people.
Not all dives are created equally. Scuba divers need to understand the facts about scuba diving when deciding on the types of dives they will do. Some dive in warm water or some the more hardcore cold waters. Also, the facts about scuba diving are useful when deciding if shipwreck explorations are feasible given the diver’s skill level.
Facts About Scuba Diving Certification
In some instances, there is not a need to obtain prior certification in order to go scuba diving. This is especially true in the resort dives found in the Caribbean and the Bahamas. Such places often offer one day crash courses in diving that do not result in certification. Those who have more interest in diving and need certification should understand the physical and mental aspects about scuba diving before proceeding further.
Swimming ability, breathing capability and equalizing tendencies are all factors. Confidence in your swimming ability is extremely important. However, your overall fitness is surely a factor as well. The fact is that scuba diving is a serious sport which requires a high level of fitness. Scuba diving is often tiring so if you are significantly overweight or have diabetes, known heart conditions or any other endurance related limitations you should always consult a doctor before going scuba diving.
Facts About Scuba Diving Preparation: Breathe Easy
Since scuba diving has one breathe through the mouth instead of the nose, one needs to practiced this before their first deepsea dive. You must know the facts about scuba diving in regards to equalizing the pressure within the ears as one dives deeper down into the water. Simply by knowing the proper way to pop your ears, release pressure, and breath correctly, you will be in control of your dive. A certified scuba instrucor can safely teach you the proper methods as well as any other facts about scuba diving you will need to know.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Afraid of Scuba Diving?
Are you one of those who are afraid of scuba diving? Or perhaps you know someone who is feared of it? Then this article is meant especially for you.
The entry may be useful not only for those who are afraid of diving but also for those who want to help such people.
No matter what other people say, and no matter what kind of professionals may surround you while diving, it takes good courage for someone to do something he is really afraid of. That means that first of all you have to find courage in yourself to make the step. In order to have the desire to dive, you should first of all understand the joy of scuba diving. If you realize that you really want to dive to enjoy yourself fully and not just join your friends in their dive, you’ll more easily find courage in yourself. As you know, a strong internal wish can overcome any phobia.
If you feel that you really have that internal wish of diving, start looking for a good instructor. The role of the instructor is very important in learning to dive. The instructor should be caring and understanding. Tell your instructor everything about your fears so that he knows how to treat you.
Always avoid proud and conceited instructors. They will never be able to help you. So, before starting, get sure that the instructor believes in you and is aware of your fears.
Many male students prefer female teachers and vice versa. Some people say that this helps students become more purposeful. However, that doesn’t at all mean that you should overstrain yourself. Never be ashamed to ask the instructor to go slower or to stop, so that you can have some rest.
If you see that other students are more apt, you may take private lessons not to get depressed from their presence. The instructor will give lessons to you individually according to your capabilities. A good instructor will always let you bring out your abilities and potential. You yourself should decide how much and how fast to dive.
If you feel uncomfortable to learn diving with an instructor, you may turn to your friend who is a diver. No one will understand you better than a friend of yours. Besides, you will never be ashamed of your failures and momentous weaknesses. He will willingly share all the diving secrets and tricks with you. So if you have a friend who is a diver, don’t look around for some other instructor.
If you have already learned diving, that doesn’t mean that you may start diving in the open waters straight away. I am sorry to remind you that you can’t be compared with the starter who has no fears of diving. Besides learning to dive, you should also learn to control your fears. Dive in shallow areas for the first three or four times. Your buddy is still of great importance for you. Stay close to him while diving.
Elaborate gestures with your buddy to stay in constant contact with each other. After two or three dives, you’ll start enjoying the whole thing. The moment you start getting pleasure from diving, all your fears will disappear.
Now, please, imagine another case. You are a great diver, and the underwater life means everything to you. However, your spouse or friend, with whom you’d really like to scuba dive, is extremely afraid of the whole diving process. What can you do in this case?
In my opinion, you can do a great deal. A lot depends on you in this case. Always treat him/her with understanding and never stress on him/her.
If you are not the one to give diving lessons, then do not interfere with the process. Try to stay away from your friend, while he’s taking diving lessons. Just constantly ask him how he is doing. In case of a slight success applaud him, encourage him, ignoring all kinds of failures. Do not constantly remind him that he can do it. It’ll be a great pressure on him. If you see that your friend is not fond of the whole thing, ask him to quit the lessons. That’ll deprive him of the sense of duty in front of you. Most fearful students reach success after they feel free from the sense of duty.
If you notice that your friend becomes engaged in scuba diving process, offer him to take extra lessons with you. This way, you’ll help him get used to his diver-buddy.
After your friend gets certified, do not get relieved. Realize that now he needs you more than ever. While diving, do not show him how attentive you are towards him. Let him feel equal to you and responsible for himself. However, don’t forget to show him that he’ll get your help and support whenever he needs. If you manage to do all this, you’ll greatly help your friend in overcoming his fears and becoming a good scuba diver.
Scuba diving is something really worth trying. Then why let any phobia deprive you of the opportunity to admire the underwater wonders?
The entry may be useful not only for those who are afraid of diving but also for those who want to help such people.
No matter what other people say, and no matter what kind of professionals may surround you while diving, it takes good courage for someone to do something he is really afraid of. That means that first of all you have to find courage in yourself to make the step. In order to have the desire to dive, you should first of all understand the joy of scuba diving. If you realize that you really want to dive to enjoy yourself fully and not just join your friends in their dive, you’ll more easily find courage in yourself. As you know, a strong internal wish can overcome any phobia.
If you feel that you really have that internal wish of diving, start looking for a good instructor. The role of the instructor is very important in learning to dive. The instructor should be caring and understanding. Tell your instructor everything about your fears so that he knows how to treat you.
Always avoid proud and conceited instructors. They will never be able to help you. So, before starting, get sure that the instructor believes in you and is aware of your fears.
Many male students prefer female teachers and vice versa. Some people say that this helps students become more purposeful. However, that doesn’t at all mean that you should overstrain yourself. Never be ashamed to ask the instructor to go slower or to stop, so that you can have some rest.
If you see that other students are more apt, you may take private lessons not to get depressed from their presence. The instructor will give lessons to you individually according to your capabilities. A good instructor will always let you bring out your abilities and potential. You yourself should decide how much and how fast to dive.
If you feel uncomfortable to learn diving with an instructor, you may turn to your friend who is a diver. No one will understand you better than a friend of yours. Besides, you will never be ashamed of your failures and momentous weaknesses. He will willingly share all the diving secrets and tricks with you. So if you have a friend who is a diver, don’t look around for some other instructor.
If you have already learned diving, that doesn’t mean that you may start diving in the open waters straight away. I am sorry to remind you that you can’t be compared with the starter who has no fears of diving. Besides learning to dive, you should also learn to control your fears. Dive in shallow areas for the first three or four times. Your buddy is still of great importance for you. Stay close to him while diving.
Elaborate gestures with your buddy to stay in constant contact with each other. After two or three dives, you’ll start enjoying the whole thing. The moment you start getting pleasure from diving, all your fears will disappear.
Now, please, imagine another case. You are a great diver, and the underwater life means everything to you. However, your spouse or friend, with whom you’d really like to scuba dive, is extremely afraid of the whole diving process. What can you do in this case?
In my opinion, you can do a great deal. A lot depends on you in this case. Always treat him/her with understanding and never stress on him/her.
If you are not the one to give diving lessons, then do not interfere with the process. Try to stay away from your friend, while he’s taking diving lessons. Just constantly ask him how he is doing. In case of a slight success applaud him, encourage him, ignoring all kinds of failures. Do not constantly remind him that he can do it. It’ll be a great pressure on him. If you see that your friend is not fond of the whole thing, ask him to quit the lessons. That’ll deprive him of the sense of duty in front of you. Most fearful students reach success after they feel free from the sense of duty.
If you notice that your friend becomes engaged in scuba diving process, offer him to take extra lessons with you. This way, you’ll help him get used to his diver-buddy.
After your friend gets certified, do not get relieved. Realize that now he needs you more than ever. While diving, do not show him how attentive you are towards him. Let him feel equal to you and responsible for himself. However, don’t forget to show him that he’ll get your help and support whenever he needs. If you manage to do all this, you’ll greatly help your friend in overcoming his fears and becoming a good scuba diver.
Scuba diving is something really worth trying. Then why let any phobia deprive you of the opportunity to admire the underwater wonders?
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Scuba Diving Myth Busters
There’s a completely different world underwater! What we see on the water’s surface is a far cry from what scuba divers get to explore in traverse depths. But unfounded fears of scuba diving brought about by myths, hearsay and lack of knowledge get in the way of experiencing the exciting sport. The gang at Blue Iguana Charters wants to help you experence this.
It’s natural to fear something you haven’t tried or do not have first hand knowledge of. The term SCUBA is derived from Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Scuba divers need special gears to be able to stay below the water’s surface for extensive lengths of time. The discovery of teeming aquatic life, breathtaking drop-offs and even mysterious shipwrecks are only a few perks of scuba diving. So read on to overcome your fears and enjoy the other wonders of scuba diving!
Myth #1
Sharks will attack me when I go scuba diving
Myth buster
Whatever Hollywood taught you is definitely an exaggeration. Majority of divers have never even laid eyes on large sharks. When they do, the shark species which they often encounter during scuba dives are typically timid and unwilling to approach, such as sand tigers, nurses, greys, bulls, and rarely, hammerheads. Most species of sharks are not to be feared. The kind that poses some danger is the Great White shark, but they are rare species which usually reside in selected areas in Northern California or off the south coast of Australia. Most will actually leave you alone if you will do the same for them.
As for the shark’s smaller “dangerous” counterparts that are believed to be a threat are actually great subjects for underwater photographers. Stinging marine creatures like sting rays, lionfish and jellyfish can be easily avoided and are not aggressive. An encounter with a moray eel is even a rare treat since they rarely go out of their caves and holes.
Myth #2
Scuba diving will give me “the bends”
Myth buster
Getting a diving certification requires each diver to take the corresponding course for each desired level. Among the many things that you’ll learn is how to prevent getting “bent.” Decompression sickness, better known among divers as “the bends,” is a diving disorder which can almost entirely be prevented. It is brought on by going too deep and coming up too fast, resulting in bubbles of inert gases (like nitrogen or helium) getting trapped in the organs, blood vessels and tissues.
Staying above 60 feet poses no serious risk. But once beyond that depth, a good preventive measure to off-gas nitrogen even further is to follow a dive profile which requires a safety stop of three minutes at 15 feet. Always remember to ascend at a slow pace, while continuously breathing. Keeping within the limits of your dive chart and following what your dive instructor taught you are the best tips to avoid “the bend.”
Myth #3
Scuba diving will cost me an arm an a leg
Myth buster
The rich are not the only people who can enjoy scuba diving. There are ways to go about money issues if you’re really interested in the sport. The most practical thing to do for beginners is to rent the equipment they will need for the actual dive. Professional dive centers have all sorts of gears for rent, catering to the diver’s basic or advanced needs, while varying qualities and different brands come in different prices. Renting will incur a minimal additional cost to the original fee of your diving course but will save you time and money than buying your own equipment. After several dives, you will be able to tell if you’re ready to commit to the sport and invest in your own gear.
Myth #4
Scuba diving is a life-threatening sport
Myth buster
With the growing popularity of scuba diving, divers now have more options to choose from. Today’s contemporary diving programs, development of diving vehicles and resorts, and technologically-advanced equipment are consistently making scuba diving a safer outdoor activity. The chance of acquiring injury is lower for diving that for any other adventure-oriented activities like snow skiing and snowmobiling.
If you do things correctly, scuba diving can be an activity you have almost complete control of. Start right -- review your choices, select a reputable diving school, choose an instructor you feel comfortable with, assess what program suits you, and complete the required training before an actual dive. Be a smart diver at all times -- check your gear before going into the water, use your instincts combined with wise judgment, never dive alone, and remember the cardinal rules of diving taught by your instructor.
It’s natural to fear something you haven’t tried or do not have first hand knowledge of. The term SCUBA is derived from Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Scuba divers need special gears to be able to stay below the water’s surface for extensive lengths of time. The discovery of teeming aquatic life, breathtaking drop-offs and even mysterious shipwrecks are only a few perks of scuba diving. So read on to overcome your fears and enjoy the other wonders of scuba diving!
Myth #1
Sharks will attack me when I go scuba diving
Myth buster
Whatever Hollywood taught you is definitely an exaggeration. Majority of divers have never even laid eyes on large sharks. When they do, the shark species which they often encounter during scuba dives are typically timid and unwilling to approach, such as sand tigers, nurses, greys, bulls, and rarely, hammerheads. Most species of sharks are not to be feared. The kind that poses some danger is the Great White shark, but they are rare species which usually reside in selected areas in Northern California or off the south coast of Australia. Most will actually leave you alone if you will do the same for them.
As for the shark’s smaller “dangerous” counterparts that are believed to be a threat are actually great subjects for underwater photographers. Stinging marine creatures like sting rays, lionfish and jellyfish can be easily avoided and are not aggressive. An encounter with a moray eel is even a rare treat since they rarely go out of their caves and holes.
Myth #2
Scuba diving will give me “the bends”
Myth buster
Getting a diving certification requires each diver to take the corresponding course for each desired level. Among the many things that you’ll learn is how to prevent getting “bent.” Decompression sickness, better known among divers as “the bends,” is a diving disorder which can almost entirely be prevented. It is brought on by going too deep and coming up too fast, resulting in bubbles of inert gases (like nitrogen or helium) getting trapped in the organs, blood vessels and tissues.
Staying above 60 feet poses no serious risk. But once beyond that depth, a good preventive measure to off-gas nitrogen even further is to follow a dive profile which requires a safety stop of three minutes at 15 feet. Always remember to ascend at a slow pace, while continuously breathing. Keeping within the limits of your dive chart and following what your dive instructor taught you are the best tips to avoid “the bend.”
Myth #3
Scuba diving will cost me an arm an a leg
Myth buster
The rich are not the only people who can enjoy scuba diving. There are ways to go about money issues if you’re really interested in the sport. The most practical thing to do for beginners is to rent the equipment they will need for the actual dive. Professional dive centers have all sorts of gears for rent, catering to the diver’s basic or advanced needs, while varying qualities and different brands come in different prices. Renting will incur a minimal additional cost to the original fee of your diving course but will save you time and money than buying your own equipment. After several dives, you will be able to tell if you’re ready to commit to the sport and invest in your own gear.
Myth #4
Scuba diving is a life-threatening sport
Myth buster
With the growing popularity of scuba diving, divers now have more options to choose from. Today’s contemporary diving programs, development of diving vehicles and resorts, and technologically-advanced equipment are consistently making scuba diving a safer outdoor activity. The chance of acquiring injury is lower for diving that for any other adventure-oriented activities like snow skiing and snowmobiling.
If you do things correctly, scuba diving can be an activity you have almost complete control of. Start right -- review your choices, select a reputable diving school, choose an instructor you feel comfortable with, assess what program suits you, and complete the required training before an actual dive. Be a smart diver at all times -- check your gear before going into the water, use your instincts combined with wise judgment, never dive alone, and remember the cardinal rules of diving taught by your instructor.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Tying Knots That May be Used in Scuba Diving and Boating
Tying Knots That May be Used in Scuba Diving and Boating
In scuba diving there is a need to know some basic knots. These knots may be needed underwater, or more commonly when on the dive boat.
Tying the Reef Knot
The reef knot is used to join two lengths of rope. In a scuba diving situation, this may be when needing to join two pieces of rope to form a safety line to trail out the back of the dive boat.
Take the two ends of the rope, one in each hand. Put the right hand rope over the left and twist it under and up. Then the left side end (the original right hand one) is put back over the right hand rope. Twist under and pull the knot tight.
The lay of the ropes should be symmetrical. When the two ends of the rope are pushed towards each other the knot opens up, even after a day’s hard sailing.
The best way to remember this is: 'right over left and under, then left over right and under.' The 'right' or 'left' referring to the rope end on the right or left side.
The Bowline Knot in Scuba Diving
The bowline gives a loop at the end of a rope that won't slip and is easy to undo. This knot could be used when setting up a buddy line between two divers. This is a short length of rope that each diver holds, so they don’t get separated.
A buddy line is commonly used in night scuba diving to prevent a dive buddy pair separating. It can also be used for a scuba divemaster to keep close to a nervous scuba diver.
A loop in the end of the safety line trailing out the back of the dive boat could be useful for a diver to hold on if needed.
Tying the Bowline Knot
Near the end of the rope make a small loop. This is not the size of the eventual loop. The end of the rope that goes to the right should lie on top of the end to the left.
To make the final loop, take the right hand end and bring it back and come up through the first loop. This second loop will be the final loop. Take the end that has come up through the first loop and take it under the end that comes from the left. Then around and back through the original loop.
The Figure of Eight Knot in Scuba Diving
The figure of eight knot is used to put a knot in a rope to be used as a stopper, or as a marker on a rope. It is commonly used in sailing to prevent the end of a rope from sliding through a cleat.
The knot mostly used for this purpose is the ‘granny knot’ which is a simple loop in the rope. This works fine until trying to undo the knot! After getting wet and jammed it can be impossible to undo. Pliers are sometimes needed.
In scuba diving, the figure eight knot can be used on a shot line. This is a weighted rope that is put over the side of the boat that provides an indication of the depth. A weight, like a weight belt, is attached to the end of the line, and small knots are put in the rope at specific intervals to show the depth. As the scuba diver descends, they can get an accurate idea of their depth.
This may be used for calibrating or checking depth gauges. Or maybe to accurately signify the 10 foot and 20 foot depths for decompression stops.
Tying the Figure of Eight Knot
To do the figure of eight knot, form a loop in the rope with the end going under the rope. Take the free end and go over and around the rope then up through the loop from the bottom.
When pulled tight the lay of the rope looks like the figure eight. This knot will come undone with ease, even when wet.
The basic scuba diving knots described here are some of the basics that can assist in some areas of scuba diving. Knowledge of a few knots such as these can be useful for a scuba diver.
In scuba diving there is a need to know some basic knots. These knots may be needed underwater, or more commonly when on the dive boat.
Tying the Reef Knot
The reef knot is used to join two lengths of rope. In a scuba diving situation, this may be when needing to join two pieces of rope to form a safety line to trail out the back of the dive boat.
Take the two ends of the rope, one in each hand. Put the right hand rope over the left and twist it under and up. Then the left side end (the original right hand one) is put back over the right hand rope. Twist under and pull the knot tight.
The lay of the ropes should be symmetrical. When the two ends of the rope are pushed towards each other the knot opens up, even after a day’s hard sailing.
The best way to remember this is: 'right over left and under, then left over right and under.' The 'right' or 'left' referring to the rope end on the right or left side.
The Bowline Knot in Scuba Diving
The bowline gives a loop at the end of a rope that won't slip and is easy to undo. This knot could be used when setting up a buddy line between two divers. This is a short length of rope that each diver holds, so they don’t get separated.
A buddy line is commonly used in night scuba diving to prevent a dive buddy pair separating. It can also be used for a scuba divemaster to keep close to a nervous scuba diver.
A loop in the end of the safety line trailing out the back of the dive boat could be useful for a diver to hold on if needed.
Tying the Bowline Knot
Near the end of the rope make a small loop. This is not the size of the eventual loop. The end of the rope that goes to the right should lie on top of the end to the left.
To make the final loop, take the right hand end and bring it back and come up through the first loop. This second loop will be the final loop. Take the end that has come up through the first loop and take it under the end that comes from the left. Then around and back through the original loop.
The Figure of Eight Knot in Scuba Diving
The figure of eight knot is used to put a knot in a rope to be used as a stopper, or as a marker on a rope. It is commonly used in sailing to prevent the end of a rope from sliding through a cleat.
The knot mostly used for this purpose is the ‘granny knot’ which is a simple loop in the rope. This works fine until trying to undo the knot! After getting wet and jammed it can be impossible to undo. Pliers are sometimes needed.
In scuba diving, the figure eight knot can be used on a shot line. This is a weighted rope that is put over the side of the boat that provides an indication of the depth. A weight, like a weight belt, is attached to the end of the line, and small knots are put in the rope at specific intervals to show the depth. As the scuba diver descends, they can get an accurate idea of their depth.
This may be used for calibrating or checking depth gauges. Or maybe to accurately signify the 10 foot and 20 foot depths for decompression stops.
Tying the Figure of Eight Knot
To do the figure of eight knot, form a loop in the rope with the end going under the rope. Take the free end and go over and around the rope then up through the loop from the bottom.
When pulled tight the lay of the rope looks like the figure eight. This knot will come undone with ease, even when wet.
The basic scuba diving knots described here are some of the basics that can assist in some areas of scuba diving. Knowledge of a few knots such as these can be useful for a scuba diver.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Fishing Joke
A keen local lad applied for a salesman's job at the department store. In fact it was the biggest store in the county - you could get anything there. The boss asked him, "Have you ever been a salesman before?" Yes, I was a salesman at the local market" said the lad. The boss liked the cut of him and said, "You can start tomorrow and I'll come and see you when we close up." The day was long and arduous for the young man, but finally 5 o'clock came around. The boss duly fronted up and asked, "How many sales did you make today?" "One," said the young salesman. "Only one?" blurted the boss, "most of my staff make 20 or 30 sales a day. How much was the sale worth?" "One hundred thousand dollars," said the young man. "How did you manage that?" asked the flabbergasted boss.
"Well," said the salesman "this man came in and I sold him a small fish hook, then a medium hook and finally a really large hook. Then I sold him a small fishing outfit, a medium one and a huge big one. I asked him where he was going fishing and he said Islamorada. I said he would probably need a boat, so I took him down to the boat department and sold him that twenty foot fishing boat with the twin engines. Then he said his Volkswagen probably wouldn't be able to pull it, so I took him to the car department and sold him the new SUV." The boss took two steps back and asked in astonishment, "You sold all that to a guy who came in for a fish hook?" "No," answered the lad "He came in to buy a box of Tampons for his wife and I said to him, 'Your weekend's shot, you may as well go fishing.'"
"Well," said the salesman "this man came in and I sold him a small fish hook, then a medium hook and finally a really large hook. Then I sold him a small fishing outfit, a medium one and a huge big one. I asked him where he was going fishing and he said Islamorada. I said he would probably need a boat, so I took him down to the boat department and sold him that twenty foot fishing boat with the twin engines. Then he said his Volkswagen probably wouldn't be able to pull it, so I took him to the car department and sold him the new SUV." The boss took two steps back and asked in astonishment, "You sold all that to a guy who came in for a fish hook?" "No," answered the lad "He came in to buy a box of Tampons for his wife and I said to him, 'Your weekend's shot, you may as well go fishing.'"
Saturday, July 31, 2010
BP Money Has Ran Out
BP is refusing to give Florida more money for advertising. The $25 million the company gave the state in June runs out this weekend.
Sunday, the commercials promoting Florida’s clean beaches will be pulled.
Governor Charlie Crist asked for 50 million dollars to run ads through the summer. Monday, BP sent him a refusal letter. In it BP questions the effectiveness of spending money promoting the entire state, and encourages area advertising. Governor Crist isn’t giving up. “We are responding to their letter, trying to force them to do the right thing. Like they say in their commercials, ‘do the right thing.’ Well the right thing would be to give us the opportunity to market our state.”
Visit Florida, the state’s tourism agency, is digging into its own pockets to get the Open For Business messages to travelers. But Visit Florida says it’s a 10 million dollar a week job… and the agency doesn’t have that kind of cash.
Chris Thompson is the CEO of Visit Florida, “We are just going to have to get creative.”
While BP is cutting off the cash flow to help promote Florida, the oil giant is cutting no corners in its own efforts to improve its tarnished image; full page newspaper ads, TV commercials, and internet marketing are costing the company millions.
Sunday, the commercials promoting Florida’s clean beaches will be pulled.
Governor Charlie Crist asked for 50 million dollars to run ads through the summer. Monday, BP sent him a refusal letter. In it BP questions the effectiveness of spending money promoting the entire state, and encourages area advertising. Governor Crist isn’t giving up. “We are responding to their letter, trying to force them to do the right thing. Like they say in their commercials, ‘do the right thing.’ Well the right thing would be to give us the opportunity to market our state.”
Visit Florida, the state’s tourism agency, is digging into its own pockets to get the Open For Business messages to travelers. But Visit Florida says it’s a 10 million dollar a week job… and the agency doesn’t have that kind of cash.
Chris Thompson is the CEO of Visit Florida, “We are just going to have to get creative.”
While BP is cutting off the cash flow to help promote Florida, the oil giant is cutting no corners in its own efforts to improve its tarnished image; full page newspaper ads, TV commercials, and internet marketing are costing the company millions.
Friday, July 30, 2010
South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Oil spill threat to South Florida almost over, top federal official says
Top expert in charge of cleanup says Tropical Storm Bonnie and other events have virtually ended threat to South Florida
By David Fleshler, Sun Sentinel
6:47 PM EDT, July 29, 2010
The top federal official on the BP oil spill said Thursday there's now very little chance any of the oil will reach South Florida.
Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said at a news conference in New Orleans that recent events, including the arrival of remnants of Tropical Storm Bonnie, have sharply diminished the oil threat to South Florida. And if an attempt by BP to permanently plug the well succeeds, he said, that danger will end for good.
Since the April 20 blowout, the fear in South Florida was that oil would get caught in the loop current, an ocean waterway that runs from the Gulf of Mexico through the Florida Strait, providing a path by which oil could reach the Keys, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach.
But a persistent eddy at the northern end of the loop current had created what Allen called "a hydraulic barrier" between the oil and the current. A temporary cap has stopped the flow of oil from the ocean floor for the past two weeks, so that skimming vessels are now having trouble finding oil to clean up. And the storm last weekend drove the oil north, he said, away from the loop current.
"The chances that oil will become entrained in the loop current are very, very low and will go to zero as we continue to contain the leakage at the well with the cap and ultimately kill it," he said.
Some outside scientists aren't convinced, expressing concern about the persistence of submerged plumes of diluted oil, whose movement and potential impact are unknown. But tourism officials, who had resorted to live webcams and television ad campaigns to convince travelers South Florida beaches were clean, were elated.
"It's splendid news," said Andy Newman, spokesman for the Monroe County Tourism Development Council, which covers the Florida Keys. "I feel about 50 pounds lighter."
BP is preparing to permanently plug the blowout by pumping heavy mud into it from the top and bottom of the well. The procedure at the top of the well could begin as early as this weekend, Allen said.
Asked if a permanent plug would mean the threat to South Florida is over, he said, "Yes it will be."
With the good news coming out of the Gulf, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced Thursday that it would begin reducing its response.
"The capping of the well and progress toward permanent well-kill have reduced the threat of oil to Florida's shores and sensitive environments," the department's secretary, Michael W. Sole, said in a statement. "We will now begin the cautious and measured rightsizing of protective measures to help Florida's residents and communities start the road to recovery."
Nicki Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, expressed relief at the statement from Allen but said her agency had been forced to spend an enormous amount of time countering sensational reports in the national and local media about a disaster that never materialized.
"The media never quit, never let the speculation die," she said. "We had to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars of BP's money to deal with the what-ifs. Everything that we would normally do to build business for later in the year had to be redirected. It's been a very long 100 days."
Although oil may be hard to find on the surface, scientists are studying mysterious undersea clouds of oil at depths of 1,300 to 3,000 feet.
Frank Muller-Karger, biological oceanographer at the University of South Florida, who is studying the undersea oil, said not much is known about them.
"Even today we still don't have a good sense of where they're going," he said. "Hopefully, they're diluting fast and they're not spreading in a way that will affect the biology of the Gulf."
At their depth, he said, the concentrations of oil will move more slowly than oil at the surface, where wind drives ocean currents. Even if it does eventually move south toward the Florida Strait, he said, it won't be at the surface or in concentrations comparable to the slicks that had been visible in the Gulf.
"It may reach South Florida, but at some depth," he said
A key concern in South Florida has been the oil's potential impact on coral reefs, sensitive but biologically abundant ocean habitats that attract thousands of tourists for fishing, diving and snorkeling.
"I don't think it means South Florida is out of the woods with the cap, but it sure improves things," said Richard Dodge, director of the National Coral Reef Institute of Nova Southeastern University in an email. "However, there is a heck of a lot of floating (and especially submerged) oil out there. It will go someplace, and we are still at risk. I think the undersea plumes are so far a mystery. The hope is that they will dissipate and not pose a risk here."
Jackie Savitz, senior campaign director for the environmental group Oceana, said the diluted oil that remains — on the surface and under water — could constitute a major environmental threat even if it's not as obviously ugly as oil thick enough to coat birds.
"Marine life is still being exposed to toxic in the oil and dispersants in the Gulf and wherever that oil ends up going," she said. "There are still a lot of unknowns. As oil becomes more diluted, the big animals are less likely to be affected, but zooplankton and fish larvae are the most sensitive and the most likely to still be affected. Even when the oil is not visible in the water, if it's present in lower concentrations it still could be toxic to those animals."
David Fleshler can be reached at dfleshler@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4535.
Copyright © 2010, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Oil spill threat to South Florida almost over, top federal official says
Top expert in charge of cleanup says Tropical Storm Bonnie and other events have virtually ended threat to South Florida
By David Fleshler, Sun Sentinel
6:47 PM EDT, July 29, 2010
The top federal official on the BP oil spill said Thursday there's now very little chance any of the oil will reach South Florida.
Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said at a news conference in New Orleans that recent events, including the arrival of remnants of Tropical Storm Bonnie, have sharply diminished the oil threat to South Florida. And if an attempt by BP to permanently plug the well succeeds, he said, that danger will end for good.
Since the April 20 blowout, the fear in South Florida was that oil would get caught in the loop current, an ocean waterway that runs from the Gulf of Mexico through the Florida Strait, providing a path by which oil could reach the Keys, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach.
But a persistent eddy at the northern end of the loop current had created what Allen called "a hydraulic barrier" between the oil and the current. A temporary cap has stopped the flow of oil from the ocean floor for the past two weeks, so that skimming vessels are now having trouble finding oil to clean up. And the storm last weekend drove the oil north, he said, away from the loop current.
"The chances that oil will become entrained in the loop current are very, very low and will go to zero as we continue to contain the leakage at the well with the cap and ultimately kill it," he said.
Some outside scientists aren't convinced, expressing concern about the persistence of submerged plumes of diluted oil, whose movement and potential impact are unknown. But tourism officials, who had resorted to live webcams and television ad campaigns to convince travelers South Florida beaches were clean, were elated.
"It's splendid news," said Andy Newman, spokesman for the Monroe County Tourism Development Council, which covers the Florida Keys. "I feel about 50 pounds lighter."
BP is preparing to permanently plug the blowout by pumping heavy mud into it from the top and bottom of the well. The procedure at the top of the well could begin as early as this weekend, Allen said.
Asked if a permanent plug would mean the threat to South Florida is over, he said, "Yes it will be."
With the good news coming out of the Gulf, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced Thursday that it would begin reducing its response.
"The capping of the well and progress toward permanent well-kill have reduced the threat of oil to Florida's shores and sensitive environments," the department's secretary, Michael W. Sole, said in a statement. "We will now begin the cautious and measured rightsizing of protective measures to help Florida's residents and communities start the road to recovery."
Nicki Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, expressed relief at the statement from Allen but said her agency had been forced to spend an enormous amount of time countering sensational reports in the national and local media about a disaster that never materialized.
"The media never quit, never let the speculation die," she said. "We had to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars of BP's money to deal with the what-ifs. Everything that we would normally do to build business for later in the year had to be redirected. It's been a very long 100 days."
Although oil may be hard to find on the surface, scientists are studying mysterious undersea clouds of oil at depths of 1,300 to 3,000 feet.
Frank Muller-Karger, biological oceanographer at the University of South Florida, who is studying the undersea oil, said not much is known about them.
"Even today we still don't have a good sense of where they're going," he said. "Hopefully, they're diluting fast and they're not spreading in a way that will affect the biology of the Gulf."
At their depth, he said, the concentrations of oil will move more slowly than oil at the surface, where wind drives ocean currents. Even if it does eventually move south toward the Florida Strait, he said, it won't be at the surface or in concentrations comparable to the slicks that had been visible in the Gulf.
"It may reach South Florida, but at some depth," he said
A key concern in South Florida has been the oil's potential impact on coral reefs, sensitive but biologically abundant ocean habitats that attract thousands of tourists for fishing, diving and snorkeling.
"I don't think it means South Florida is out of the woods with the cap, but it sure improves things," said Richard Dodge, director of the National Coral Reef Institute of Nova Southeastern University in an email. "However, there is a heck of a lot of floating (and especially submerged) oil out there. It will go someplace, and we are still at risk. I think the undersea plumes are so far a mystery. The hope is that they will dissipate and not pose a risk here."
Jackie Savitz, senior campaign director for the environmental group Oceana, said the diluted oil that remains — on the surface and under water — could constitute a major environmental threat even if it's not as obviously ugly as oil thick enough to coat birds.
"Marine life is still being exposed to toxic in the oil and dispersants in the Gulf and wherever that oil ends up going," she said. "There are still a lot of unknowns. As oil becomes more diluted, the big animals are less likely to be affected, but zooplankton and fish larvae are the most sensitive and the most likely to still be affected. Even when the oil is not visible in the water, if it's present in lower concentrations it still could be toxic to those animals."
David Fleshler can be reached at dfleshler@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4535.
Copyright © 2010, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Keys Oil Spill Update
This is a email that came to me this afternoon:
Dear Scotty,
Please forward this "Oil Spill" update to everyone you know in the
Keys and ask friends to volunteer to help protect our environment
and economy at http://keysspill.com/ We need boat captains,
boat owners and anyone that wants to volunteer to help in any way.
Please download, print and handout flyers from keysspill.com
PAST 24 HOURS
* Meeting at Key Largo Government Center
A special Workshop on the Oil Spill was held at Monroe County
Nelson Govt Center Bldg, MM102, Bayside, Key Largo today at 1 pm,
a video link of the meeting will be up soon.
* New links and documents added to www.keysspill.com today
* The President Meets with Cabinet Members in the Situation Room
President Obama met with a number of Cabinet members and senior
staff in the White House Situation Room to review BP’s efforts to
stop the oil leak as well as to decide on next steps to ensure all
is being done to contain the spread, mitigate the environmental
impact and provide assistance to affected states, including
individuals, businesses, and communities.
The President asked Secretary Chu to lead a team of top
administration officials and government scientists to Houston this
week for an extensive dialogue with BP officials to continue to
aggressively pursue potential solutions.
In addition, to deal more generally with the harms created by oil
spills, the President has requested that legislation be sent to
Congress to toughen and update the law surrounding caps on damages.
* EPA Administrator Jackson Returns to the Gulf Coast
Administrator Jackson made another visit to the Gulf region to
oversee efforts to mitigate the environmental and human health
impact of the ongoing BP oil spill visiting Baton Rouge, La., to
receive a briefing by Louisiana State University scientists; and
Robert, La., to receive a briefing by federal agency scientists.
Secretary Salazar Dispatches Top Land Management Official
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced today that Director of the
Bureau of Land Management Robert Abbey has been dispatched to the
Gulf Coast to support ongoing response efforts to the BP Deepwater
oil spill.
* Navy Supports Skimming Operations
The U.S. Navy is providing assistance in the areas of skimming and
salvage operations including 16 Modular Skimming Systems deployed
to Gulfport, Miss. 1,400 total associated Department of Defense
personnel have been deployed in support of spill cleanup and
mitigation.
* New Staging Location Opens in Amelia, La.
14 staging areas have been set up to protect vital shoreline in all
potentially affected Gulf Coast states (Biloxi, Miss., Pascagoula,
Miss., Pensacola, Fla., Panama City, Fla., Dauphin Island, Ala.,
Grand Isle, La., Shell Beach, La., Slidell, La., Venice, La.,
Orange Beach, Al., Theodore, Al., Pass Christian, Ms., Amelia, La.,
and Cocodrie, La.).
* Property Damage Claims Processed
BP reports that 5,710 property damage claims have been opened, from
which $2.4 million has been disbursed. No claims have been denied
at this time. Approximately 60 operators are answering phones, and
average wait time is currently less than a minute. To file a claim,
or report spill-related damage, call BP helpline at (800)
440-0858. For those who have already pursued the BP claims process
and are not satisfied with BPs resolution, can call the Coast
Guard at (800) 280-7118.
* NOAA Conducts Research and Evaluation
NOAA Research is evaluating the information obtained from the NOAA
P-3 (hurricane hunter) aircraft flight over the Gulf of Mexico Loop
Current on May 8.
* Lessons Learned from Exxon Valdez Examined
Alaska and Louisiana Sea Grant personnel are meeting regularly with
Alaska Oil Spill Responders to explore lessons learned from the
Exxon Valdez incident and possible applications to the Deepwater
Horizon. NOAA's Sea Grant is a university-based network of more
than 3,000 scientists, engineers and educators.
* Fish & Wildlife Field Crews Respond
Eight field crews have been deployed from the Dennis Pass Wildlife
Staging Area to observe the impact on wildlife due to the spill.
Wildlife search and capture teams conducted boat operations from
the Lake Borgne to the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River and
west to Cameron, La. Four helicopters conducted aerial surveys to
observe wildlife and determine if rescue operations are needed in
potentially affected areas.
* Water and Sediment is Sampled
The U.S. Geological Survey completed water and sediment sampling at
16 sites along coastal Alabama and Mississippi. USGS is preparing
for sampling in Texas and Florida, and also for sea-grass bed
surveys.
* Plans Begin for Bioremediation
USDAs Natural Resources Conservation Service is assessing the
capabilities of Plant Materials Centers and asking commercial
growers to ramp up plant propagation efforts for potential future
bioremediation efforts.
* Aerial Dispersant Spray Missions Flown
Modular Aerial Spray System (MASS) aircraft flew multiple
missions dispensing the same dispersant chemical being used by
BP and the federal responders. These systems are capable of covering
up to 250 acres per flight.
* By the Numbers to Date:
Personnel were quickly deployed and approximately 10,000 are
currently responding to protect the shoreline and wildlife.
More than 290 vessels are responding on site, including skimmers,
tugs, barges, and recovery vessels to assist in containment and
cleanup efforts in addition to dozens of aircraft, remotely
operated vehicles, and multiple mobile offshore drilling units.
More than 1 million feet of boom (regular and sorbent) have been
deployed to contain the spill and more than 1.3 million feet are
available.
Nearly 3.5 million gallons of an oil-water mix have been
recovered.
Approximately 325,000 gallons of dispersant have been deployed.
More than 500,000 gallons are available.
14 staging areas have been set up to protect vital shoreline in
all potentially affected Gulf Coast states (Biloxi, Miss.,
Pascagoula, Miss., Pensacola, Fla., Panama City, Fla., Dauphin
Island, Ala., Grand Isle, La., Shell Beach, La., Slidell, La.,
Venice, La., Orange Beach, Al., Theodore, Al., Pass Christian, Ms.,
Amelia, La., and Cocodrie, La.).
* Resources:
For information about the response effort, visit
www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com.
For specific information about the federal-wide response, visit
http://www.whitehouse.gov/deepwater-bp-oil-spill.
To contact the Deepwater Horizon Joint Information Center, call
(985) 902-5231.
To volunteer, or to report oiled shoreline, call (866) 448-5816.
Volunteer opportunities can also be found here.
To submit your vessel as a vessel of opportunity skimming system,
or to submit alternative response technology, services, or
products, call 281-366-5511.
To report oiled wildlife, call (866) 557-1401. Messages will be
checked hourly.
For information about validated environmental air and water
sampling results, visit www.epa.gov/bpspill.
For National Park Service updates about potential park closures,
resources at risk, and NPS actions to protect vital park space and
wildlife, visit http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-response.htm.
To file a claim, or report spill-related damage, call BPs
helpline at (800) 440-0858. A BP fact sheet with additional
information is available here. For those who have already pursued
the BP claims process and are not satisfied with BP's resolution,
can call the Coast Guard at (800) 280-7118.
Abritt Publishing, 13484 SW 144 Ter, Miami, Fl 33186, USA
To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit:
http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?jEycDBysrLQsnOzsHCxsjLRGtGwc7KyszCw=
Dear Scotty,
Please forward this "Oil Spill" update to everyone you know in the
Keys and ask friends to volunteer to help protect our environment
and economy at http://keysspill.com/ We need boat captains,
boat owners and anyone that wants to volunteer to help in any way.
Please download, print and handout flyers from keysspill.com
PAST 24 HOURS
* Meeting at Key Largo Government Center
A special Workshop on the Oil Spill was held at Monroe County
Nelson Govt Center Bldg, MM102, Bayside, Key Largo today at 1 pm,
a video link of the meeting will be up soon.
* New links and documents added to www.keysspill.com today
* The President Meets with Cabinet Members in the Situation Room
President Obama met with a number of Cabinet members and senior
staff in the White House Situation Room to review BP’s efforts to
stop the oil leak as well as to decide on next steps to ensure all
is being done to contain the spread, mitigate the environmental
impact and provide assistance to affected states, including
individuals, businesses, and communities.
The President asked Secretary Chu to lead a team of top
administration officials and government scientists to Houston this
week for an extensive dialogue with BP officials to continue to
aggressively pursue potential solutions.
In addition, to deal more generally with the harms created by oil
spills, the President has requested that legislation be sent to
Congress to toughen and update the law surrounding caps on damages.
* EPA Administrator Jackson Returns to the Gulf Coast
Administrator Jackson made another visit to the Gulf region to
oversee efforts to mitigate the environmental and human health
impact of the ongoing BP oil spill visiting Baton Rouge, La., to
receive a briefing by Louisiana State University scientists; and
Robert, La., to receive a briefing by federal agency scientists.
Secretary Salazar Dispatches Top Land Management Official
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced today that Director of the
Bureau of Land Management Robert Abbey has been dispatched to the
Gulf Coast to support ongoing response efforts to the BP Deepwater
oil spill.
* Navy Supports Skimming Operations
The U.S. Navy is providing assistance in the areas of skimming and
salvage operations including 16 Modular Skimming Systems deployed
to Gulfport, Miss. 1,400 total associated Department of Defense
personnel have been deployed in support of spill cleanup and
mitigation.
* New Staging Location Opens in Amelia, La.
14 staging areas have been set up to protect vital shoreline in all
potentially affected Gulf Coast states (Biloxi, Miss., Pascagoula,
Miss., Pensacola, Fla., Panama City, Fla., Dauphin Island, Ala.,
Grand Isle, La., Shell Beach, La., Slidell, La., Venice, La.,
Orange Beach, Al., Theodore, Al., Pass Christian, Ms., Amelia, La.,
and Cocodrie, La.).
* Property Damage Claims Processed
BP reports that 5,710 property damage claims have been opened, from
which $2.4 million has been disbursed. No claims have been denied
at this time. Approximately 60 operators are answering phones, and
average wait time is currently less than a minute. To file a claim,
or report spill-related damage, call BP helpline at (800)
440-0858. For those who have already pursued the BP claims process
and are not satisfied with BPs resolution, can call the Coast
Guard at (800) 280-7118.
* NOAA Conducts Research and Evaluation
NOAA Research is evaluating the information obtained from the NOAA
P-3 (hurricane hunter) aircraft flight over the Gulf of Mexico Loop
Current on May 8.
* Lessons Learned from Exxon Valdez Examined
Alaska and Louisiana Sea Grant personnel are meeting regularly with
Alaska Oil Spill Responders to explore lessons learned from the
Exxon Valdez incident and possible applications to the Deepwater
Horizon. NOAA's Sea Grant is a university-based network of more
than 3,000 scientists, engineers and educators.
* Fish & Wildlife Field Crews Respond
Eight field crews have been deployed from the Dennis Pass Wildlife
Staging Area to observe the impact on wildlife due to the spill.
Wildlife search and capture teams conducted boat operations from
the Lake Borgne to the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River and
west to Cameron, La. Four helicopters conducted aerial surveys to
observe wildlife and determine if rescue operations are needed in
potentially affected areas.
* Water and Sediment is Sampled
The U.S. Geological Survey completed water and sediment sampling at
16 sites along coastal Alabama and Mississippi. USGS is preparing
for sampling in Texas and Florida, and also for sea-grass bed
surveys.
* Plans Begin for Bioremediation
USDAs Natural Resources Conservation Service is assessing the
capabilities of Plant Materials Centers and asking commercial
growers to ramp up plant propagation efforts for potential future
bioremediation efforts.
* Aerial Dispersant Spray Missions Flown
Modular Aerial Spray System (MASS) aircraft flew multiple
missions dispensing the same dispersant chemical being used by
BP and the federal responders. These systems are capable of covering
up to 250 acres per flight.
* By the Numbers to Date:
Personnel were quickly deployed and approximately 10,000 are
currently responding to protect the shoreline and wildlife.
More than 290 vessels are responding on site, including skimmers,
tugs, barges, and recovery vessels to assist in containment and
cleanup efforts in addition to dozens of aircraft, remotely
operated vehicles, and multiple mobile offshore drilling units.
More than 1 million feet of boom (regular and sorbent) have been
deployed to contain the spill and more than 1.3 million feet are
available.
Nearly 3.5 million gallons of an oil-water mix have been
recovered.
Approximately 325,000 gallons of dispersant have been deployed.
More than 500,000 gallons are available.
14 staging areas have been set up to protect vital shoreline in
all potentially affected Gulf Coast states (Biloxi, Miss.,
Pascagoula, Miss., Pensacola, Fla., Panama City, Fla., Dauphin
Island, Ala., Grand Isle, La., Shell Beach, La., Slidell, La.,
Venice, La., Orange Beach, Al., Theodore, Al., Pass Christian, Ms.,
Amelia, La., and Cocodrie, La.).
* Resources:
For information about the response effort, visit
www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com.
For specific information about the federal-wide response, visit
http://www.whitehouse.gov/deepwater-bp-oil-spill.
To contact the Deepwater Horizon Joint Information Center, call
(985) 902-5231.
To volunteer, or to report oiled shoreline, call (866) 448-5816.
Volunteer opportunities can also be found here.
To submit your vessel as a vessel of opportunity skimming system,
or to submit alternative response technology, services, or
products, call 281-366-5511.
To report oiled wildlife, call (866) 557-1401. Messages will be
checked hourly.
For information about validated environmental air and water
sampling results, visit www.epa.gov/bpspill.
For National Park Service updates about potential park closures,
resources at risk, and NPS actions to protect vital park space and
wildlife, visit http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-response.htm.
To file a claim, or report spill-related damage, call BPs
helpline at (800) 440-0858. A BP fact sheet with additional
information is available here. For those who have already pursued
the BP claims process and are not satisfied with BP's resolution,
can call the Coast Guard at (800) 280-7118.
Abritt Publishing, 13484 SW 144 Ter, Miami, Fl 33186, USA
To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit:
http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?jEycDBysrLQsnOzsHCxsjLRGtGwc7KyszCw=
So you think the oil spill is not going to hurt the Keys?
The spill is all ready hurting the Keys with a decline in tourist
Spill fears have potential tourists calling
By KEVIN WADLOW
kwadlow@keynoter.com
Posted - Saturday, May 08, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Even if the Gulf of Mexico oil spill never reaches the Florida Keys, the local tourism economy has already felt its effect.
"We're telling people it's beautiful here and they should come on down," said Amelia Thigpen, a fishing-trip booker for Almost There Charters in Key West. "Most people who call just want to know what's going on, but a few have canceled."
Islamorada offshore captain Kevin Brown said he hasn't had customers cancel booked trips aboard his Gold Reserve boat, "but the phone isn't ringing like it was."
"I've had a few regulars call to ask what's happening, and to say they hope we're OK," Brown said. "I tell them the spill is 1,000 miles away."
Barbara Hewlett, who works with husband Butch to run the Miss Barbara Ann charterboat in Marathon, said customers from the northern states have been alarmed by reports on the Keys.
"One woman told me she heard on the news up there that the Keys were wiped out," Hewlett said. "People are asking if we're OK, and we say that [the spill] is still way up there, and we're fine."
If the spill does make its way to the Keys, Hewlett said, the Miss Barbara Ann already has registered as a response boat. "We've got to protect our fishing grounds," she said. "It's the right thing to do."
No effects to Florida water were expected within the next two days. Although parts of the spill were moving eastward toward Pensacola, the spill there appeared to remain about 60 miles offshore.
Still, Key West Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President Virginia Panico said some visitors have called to ask about the spill's effects on the Keys, and Panico said her staff is honest and tells them it's not known what will happen in the long term, but everything's fine in the Keys now.
"We've gotten suggestions on how to clean up the oil," she said, "and we explain that we don't have an oil situation."
Callers also hear that visitors to the Keys have plenty to do on the land as well as on the water. "People are listening and understanding," Panico said.
The county's other chambers of commerce report receiving a few calls of inquiry or concern.
However, numerous lodgings are getting calls from potential visitors, but only one had a cancellation due to the spill, says Jody Weinhofer, president of the Lodging Association of the Florida Keys and Key West.
The Tourist Development Council is trying to keep everyone apprised of the situation on its Web site and through Facebook and Twitter, and it's sending out information blasts to attractions and hotels.
Most people are just waiting to see what happens in the gulf.
"It doesn't seem like there is a whole lot we can do about it here. We are so utterly helpless," Luke Abbey, a staffer at Subtropic Dive Center in Key West, told the Associated Press. "If there is an oil slick on the water, there is no diving."
Abbey cited the main sports in Key West: "Drinking, fishing and diving. In that order. The only thing that is not going to be affected [if oil reaches the Keys] is drinking."
Keys Sunday Editor Karen Quist contributed to this report.
Spill fears have potential tourists calling
By KEVIN WADLOW
kwadlow@keynoter.com
Posted - Saturday, May 08, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Even if the Gulf of Mexico oil spill never reaches the Florida Keys, the local tourism economy has already felt its effect.
"We're telling people it's beautiful here and they should come on down," said Amelia Thigpen, a fishing-trip booker for Almost There Charters in Key West. "Most people who call just want to know what's going on, but a few have canceled."
Islamorada offshore captain Kevin Brown said he hasn't had customers cancel booked trips aboard his Gold Reserve boat, "but the phone isn't ringing like it was."
"I've had a few regulars call to ask what's happening, and to say they hope we're OK," Brown said. "I tell them the spill is 1,000 miles away."
Barbara Hewlett, who works with husband Butch to run the Miss Barbara Ann charterboat in Marathon, said customers from the northern states have been alarmed by reports on the Keys.
"One woman told me she heard on the news up there that the Keys were wiped out," Hewlett said. "People are asking if we're OK, and we say that [the spill] is still way up there, and we're fine."
If the spill does make its way to the Keys, Hewlett said, the Miss Barbara Ann already has registered as a response boat. "We've got to protect our fishing grounds," she said. "It's the right thing to do."
No effects to Florida water were expected within the next two days. Although parts of the spill were moving eastward toward Pensacola, the spill there appeared to remain about 60 miles offshore.
Still, Key West Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President Virginia Panico said some visitors have called to ask about the spill's effects on the Keys, and Panico said her staff is honest and tells them it's not known what will happen in the long term, but everything's fine in the Keys now.
"We've gotten suggestions on how to clean up the oil," she said, "and we explain that we don't have an oil situation."
Callers also hear that visitors to the Keys have plenty to do on the land as well as on the water. "People are listening and understanding," Panico said.
The county's other chambers of commerce report receiving a few calls of inquiry or concern.
However, numerous lodgings are getting calls from potential visitors, but only one had a cancellation due to the spill, says Jody Weinhofer, president of the Lodging Association of the Florida Keys and Key West.
The Tourist Development Council is trying to keep everyone apprised of the situation on its Web site and through Facebook and Twitter, and it's sending out information blasts to attractions and hotels.
Most people are just waiting to see what happens in the gulf.
"It doesn't seem like there is a whole lot we can do about it here. We are so utterly helpless," Luke Abbey, a staffer at Subtropic Dive Center in Key West, told the Associated Press. "If there is an oil slick on the water, there is no diving."
Abbey cited the main sports in Key West: "Drinking, fishing and diving. In that order. The only thing that is not going to be affected [if oil reaches the Keys] is drinking."
Keys Sunday Editor Karen Quist contributed to this report.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Oily Mess
Blue Iguana Charters makes it living on the reefs and coastal waters of the Florida Keys. We are concerened about thats going to happen with all of this mess.
The following was posted on the Coral Listserve, a moderated forum for professionals...
------------------------------------------
I am going to contribute something that may well be unpopular, but I believe it must be said. I implore the scientific community to abstain from crying wolf about the BP oil spill. Cries of “disaster” and “destruction of fisheries” will, I believe, ultimately return to bite us in our collective asses.
Look, I am not stupid or uninformed. My Ph.D. dissertation research at the UW (Seattle) concerned toxicity of Prudhoe Bay crude. I have responded to several oil spills and I managed the year-long field sampling response to the Ekofisk Bravo Blowout in the North Sea – at the time the largest spill in history. I have participated in training oil spill responders, and I evaluated IMO response procedures and policies to the Desert Strom spills in the Persian Gulf.
The BP spill is of course a problem that should not have happened. Spilled crude oil makes a mess; it oils birds and turtles and is potentially devastating to air-breathing marine mammals. BP must be held accountable for its shortcomings, which are many and profound. BP should be encouraged to return to the days when its Environmental Affairs Department reported to its Chairman of the Board rather than its PR Department Head – as it did when BP earned the respect of the world’s entire environmental community.
However, we must remember that crude oil is not as toxic as refined petroleum products. It is a mix of many hydrocarbons, including many heavy complex compounds as well as lighter fractions. Leaving aside potential carcinogenicity, it is the latter that generally exhibit toxicity. Fortunately, crude oil floats, and in doing so it provides opportunity for the more toxic lighter fractions to differentially evaporate into the atmosphere, removing them from the water column environment. These same lighter fractions tend to dissolve into the water column, but fortunately they do so only to a limited extent. They are, almost by definition, hydrophobic. The only light component that dissolves to an appreciable extent is benzene, which, if I remember correctly, can reach 17 ppm in a super saturated state. This means that there is a profound limit to the depth at which these compounds can exert their toxic impacts. They are generally limited to the top few centimeters of the water column, which is of concern for floating eggs and some other planktonic components.
Yes, the rough weather and wind following the spill will tend to exacerbate these issues, causing more mixing and potentially affecting availability of toxins to marine organisms. And yes, the extreme depth at which this oil is released in the marine environment may well create unprecedented opportunities for mixing and dissolution. These factors may well enhance impacts of the spill in the GoM, but what concerns me much more profoundly is the wholesale use of dispersants. The furor to control the spill, and BP’s concern for its public image with a view to oil-coated shorelines, have resulted in pouring amounts of dispersants into the marine environment that I would have personally thought unthinkable before this spill. Dispersants are in themselves toxic and run the risk of disrupting lipid-based cell membranes of fish eggs and other plankton. They also emulsify spilled hydrocarbons, making them more biologically available in the water column.. I question whether BP would have used so much of these ill-advised compounds if public pressure had been more measured.
Oil spills are nasty when they reach shore. There is no question about it, and the oil will indeed cause many environmental problems in these environments for many years to come, depending on how much oil reaches these areas.. But the oil will most likely NOT cause destruction of all GoM fisheries for the foreseeable future. Deepwater fisheries likely will be affected more by fouling of gear by oil than by oil killing the target fish.
Yes, this spill is awful and was almost certainly preventable. And yes, it will likely cause very unfortunate damage to the marine environment and marine fisheries, especially in shoreline environments that it may strike. And yes, BP and its partners must be held fully accountable. But the spill will not turn the GoM into a biological desert. By screaming “Murder” I believe well-meaning environmentalists run the risk of providing “Drill Baby Drill” people an argument when the ultimate environmental effects fail to measure up to extreme panic calls. Let us please be measured and realistic so as to not provide a free advantage to those who would overlook the real issues involved here.
Steve LeGore
Steve LeGore, Ph.D.
LeGore Environmental Associates, Inc.
2804 Gulf Drive N.
Holmes Beach, Florida 34217 USA
The following was posted on the Coral Listserve, a moderated forum for professionals...
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I am going to contribute something that may well be unpopular, but I believe it must be said. I implore the scientific community to abstain from crying wolf about the BP oil spill. Cries of “disaster” and “destruction of fisheries” will, I believe, ultimately return to bite us in our collective asses.
Look, I am not stupid or uninformed. My Ph.D. dissertation research at the UW (Seattle) concerned toxicity of Prudhoe Bay crude. I have responded to several oil spills and I managed the year-long field sampling response to the Ekofisk Bravo Blowout in the North Sea – at the time the largest spill in history. I have participated in training oil spill responders, and I evaluated IMO response procedures and policies to the Desert Strom spills in the Persian Gulf.
The BP spill is of course a problem that should not have happened. Spilled crude oil makes a mess; it oils birds and turtles and is potentially devastating to air-breathing marine mammals. BP must be held accountable for its shortcomings, which are many and profound. BP should be encouraged to return to the days when its Environmental Affairs Department reported to its Chairman of the Board rather than its PR Department Head – as it did when BP earned the respect of the world’s entire environmental community.
However, we must remember that crude oil is not as toxic as refined petroleum products. It is a mix of many hydrocarbons, including many heavy complex compounds as well as lighter fractions. Leaving aside potential carcinogenicity, it is the latter that generally exhibit toxicity. Fortunately, crude oil floats, and in doing so it provides opportunity for the more toxic lighter fractions to differentially evaporate into the atmosphere, removing them from the water column environment. These same lighter fractions tend to dissolve into the water column, but fortunately they do so only to a limited extent. They are, almost by definition, hydrophobic. The only light component that dissolves to an appreciable extent is benzene, which, if I remember correctly, can reach 17 ppm in a super saturated state. This means that there is a profound limit to the depth at which these compounds can exert their toxic impacts. They are generally limited to the top few centimeters of the water column, which is of concern for floating eggs and some other planktonic components.
Yes, the rough weather and wind following the spill will tend to exacerbate these issues, causing more mixing and potentially affecting availability of toxins to marine organisms. And yes, the extreme depth at which this oil is released in the marine environment may well create unprecedented opportunities for mixing and dissolution. These factors may well enhance impacts of the spill in the GoM, but what concerns me much more profoundly is the wholesale use of dispersants. The furor to control the spill, and BP’s concern for its public image with a view to oil-coated shorelines, have resulted in pouring amounts of dispersants into the marine environment that I would have personally thought unthinkable before this spill. Dispersants are in themselves toxic and run the risk of disrupting lipid-based cell membranes of fish eggs and other plankton. They also emulsify spilled hydrocarbons, making them more biologically available in the water column.. I question whether BP would have used so much of these ill-advised compounds if public pressure had been more measured.
Oil spills are nasty when they reach shore. There is no question about it, and the oil will indeed cause many environmental problems in these environments for many years to come, depending on how much oil reaches these areas.. But the oil will most likely NOT cause destruction of all GoM fisheries for the foreseeable future. Deepwater fisheries likely will be affected more by fouling of gear by oil than by oil killing the target fish.
Yes, this spill is awful and was almost certainly preventable. And yes, it will likely cause very unfortunate damage to the marine environment and marine fisheries, especially in shoreline environments that it may strike. And yes, BP and its partners must be held fully accountable. But the spill will not turn the GoM into a biological desert. By screaming “Murder” I believe well-meaning environmentalists run the risk of providing “Drill Baby Drill” people an argument when the ultimate environmental effects fail to measure up to extreme panic calls. Let us please be measured and realistic so as to not provide a free advantage to those who would overlook the real issues involved here.
Steve LeGore
Steve LeGore, Ph.D.
LeGore Environmental Associates, Inc.
2804 Gulf Drive N.
Holmes Beach, Florida 34217 USA
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