Tiger Shark Diving

Tiger Shark Diving

Have you ever thought about going Tiger Shark Diving?  Come dive with the Shark Crew at Blue Iguana Charters.


Come join us on Tiger Beach Bahamas for the Tiger Shark Diving adventure of a lifetime. Join the crew of Blue Iguana Charters, and dive with the tigers.  We offer both Cage Diving, and Cageless Tiger Shark diving.  We are one of the few operators in this area that give you a choice to dive with the cage or without.  Just ask about cage diving when you book.  When you book with us you are booking with the Owner/ Operator not a broker or booking agent.  We are the faces that will meet you at the dock as you board and will be with you all though your trip

Scuba Nation meets Tiger Beach

ScubaNation Crew meets Tiger Beach

Here is a cool little TV show from the boys at Scuba Nation.  This show was filmed at Tiger Beach with the SharkCrew of Blue Iguana Charters.

Click Here to watch Video....

Sharks of the Bahamas ID Cards

Would you like to have one of these cool Shark ID Card?  Check out Blue Iguana Charters Webpage and sign up for their email list.  They choose two lucky winners every week and send them one of the cards for FREE......  More Info here

Shark Diving Adventures In Bahamas

You are looking for a great travel destination and beautiful? Maybe you should have to visit the Bahamas. The Bahamas are an island chain in the Caribbean, off the coast of Cuba and Florida. This country is made up of more than three thousands distinct islands, some of which are extremely small and uninhabited.

You will find many wonders and beauty of nature while visiting the Bahamas. Even many people think Bahamas is a paradise of the world. The climate of the Bahamas is decidedly tropical. No freezing temperatures have ever been recorded, although it has gotten to the mid-30s on rare occasions. This makes the area ideal for outdoor activities such as snorkeling, fishing, scuba, diving, parasailing and other marine pursuits.

Bahamas also has beautiful underwater scenery; the snorkeling is very favorite for many tourists who visit the Bahamas. If you want to enjoy the underwater scenery more remarkable, you can go for a dive. If you are a big balls, maybe you should try the challenge to dive with tiger sharks. Yes, Bahamas tiger shark diving is one of the attractions that make many people want to try it.

The shark diving is located just off the west side of New Providence Island and they take place every afternoon and attract a huge number of Caribbean reef sharks. Perhaps 30 or so reef sharks will be swarming around you during this feed and they get very close, but don’t worry they more interested in the bait than you!

The ‘Shark Dive Adventure’ attracts divers and tourist from all over the world and in turn builds a huge amount of awareness for these predators in our ocean that are under threat from extinction. It wipes away that image of ‘Jaws’ that so many people associate with sharks and instead highlights the importance of preserving these magnificent creatures. Blue Iguana Charters may be one of the most recommended; they are very experienced and will take us on a fun underwater adventure. Blue Iguana Charters also provides a variety of packages that we can choose; for sure they are specialists for the Bahamas. So you do not have to worry for it, because they will always provide the best service for us.

In addition Bahamas tiger shark diving that is very challenging, you can also enjoy diving shipwrecks that have been turned into a beautiful coral reef.

The Bahamas is really great, and you should immediately prepare plans to vacation there if you want to be a part of the beauty of the paradise of the world.

Scuba Pickup Lines

When you hang around Dive Boats as much as the gang at Blue Iguana Charters do, you are bound to hear a good one once in a while.....

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?

Whats a Artificial Reef Worth?

"A recent study released by the University of Florida valued Florida’s artificial reefs at $253 million dollars per year to local economies."

Thats a lot of tourism dollars in my book.  But yet our government has decide to stop all the the placements of "Ghost Ship Fleet" . The state of Florida relies on tourism dollars to survive.  I know that we Blue Iguana Charters relies on the Florida Keys Shipwrecks up and down the coast for our customers enjoyment and so does every other dive operator.

Things you need to know about a Liveaboard

The most important thing to bring on a liveaboard is a sense of humor and a generally good, positive attitude. If you're not familiar with boats - much less living on one - here's a few FACTS about boats:


everything on a boat breaks
everything on a boat leaks
everything on a boat gets wet
nothing on a boat every really dries
everything on a boat smells like a boat; where things break, get wet, and never really dry
anything that doesn't smell like a boat smells like people who live on a boat
everything mechanical on a boat is very loud (until it breaks; then it becomes very quiet)
everything non-mechanical on a boat creaks and/or rattles (until it breaks in; then it gets very quiet; that's usually the day before it breaks)
everything on a boat is small
if something is not small, it's not on the boat
if something is not available on the island/mainland, it's not on the boat
if something is not on the boat, it's not on the boat
if you need something specific but didn't bring it, it's not on the boat
even things that are usually on the boat are often not on the boat
most things that happen on a boat happen simply "because it's a boat"

A thousand major/minor/uncomfortable/disgusting/annoying/inconvenient things can go wrong on a boat over the course of a year. Statistically, that means that 20 of them will happen the week you're on board. You won't notice 15 of them. Will any of the the other 5 things ruin your trip? Honestly - other than a condition which presents a clear and imminent safety or health issue - whether or not something ruins your trip is entirely up to you. I choose to focus on the things like diving that make my trip enjoyable; folks who choose to focus on things that will ruin their trip can always find something that will.

But, as an optimist, keep in mind that you also get to take the good with the bad...

everything GOOD that happens on a live-aboard happens "because it's a boat"
you're never more than an hour or so from the next dive, the next meal, the next nap, or your first drink - because it's a boat
you set your gear up once and don't worry about it again - because it's a boat
you're right over the dive site - because it's a boat
two hours later you're right over the next dive site - because it's a boat
it's a twenty foot walk from your last bite of desert after dinner to your night dive - because it's a boat
it's a ten foot walk from your night dive to a hot shower - because it's a boat
it's a twenty foot walk from the hot shower to a cold beer - because it's a boat
it's a twenty foot walk from the cold beer to your bed - because it's a boat
when you wake up the next morning to the smell of coffee and waffles...you're right over the next great dive site - because it's a boat

Top 5 Trending Scams in March

Below is a list of the top 5 trending scams in March. 

Please be on the lookout for these scams and help protect your friends, family and colleagues by spreading the word.  I know I have almost been fooled by some of these.

Top 5 Scams in March

1. Your intuit.com order confirmation
2. YouTube Administration sent you a message: Your video on the TOP of YouTube
3. Better Business Bureau: BBB Case # 71608420
4. American Airlines: Your order has been completed
5. YouTube Administration has sent you a message: Your video has been approved

Featured:

The Slimiest Online Scams and How to Avoid Them

Shockingly, the mistake-riddled email that you received from the "professional stock trader" who didn't capitalize his own name wasn't filled with the insider information that the heading promised. It was a scam. As the Internet's media channels, networking capabilities, and audiences diversify with every innovation, scam artists like "rick tha stock traider" are given an even larger platform to lure unsuspecting victims. So what do we do? Learn the following scams, stiff the swindlers, and spread the word.... Read full article

Wreck Hunting on the rise?

 With the news coming from the Bahamas and the wrecks that have been discovered in the US, its been a productive year for wreck hunters.  Blue Iguana Charters have been involved in numerous projects in the past few years and some new ones are in the works.

A group of treasure hunters made international news in February 2012 after claiming they’d found billions of dollars in sunken treasure off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The cargo of the S.S. Port Nicholson, which was torpedoed by German U-boats during World War II, includes tons of platinum, uncut and industrial diamonds and gold ingots. It may turn out to be the most lucrative shipwreck ever found in U.S. waters. In the days long before electronic bank transfers, ships frequently transported staggering amounts of gold and other precious metals. Many were lost at sea, but thanks to modern technology, finds of sunken treasure have become increasingly common in recent years. Here are five of the most valuable shipwrecks discovered in U.S. waters prior to the S.S. Port Nicholson

Read more....

Hogfish and Crappie

Being an old Arkansas boy I grew up eating fish caught from our farm pond and local lakes. One of my favorites was all ways hands down crappie. After moving the Florida coast I was introduced to this wonderful fish called Hogfish. To a country boy the hogfish is basically the crappie of the sea. The meat texture and taste are almost identical. I pulled this old letter from a email from years past and after a stroll down memory lane the light bulb came on in my head and realized that all of these recipes would work perfectly with hogfish. So just read trough and replace crappie with hogfish and bon appétit.

New ways to cook crappie



What is Arkansas' best eating fish?

From time to time, you hear folks cussing and discussing this topic. Walleye is nearly always mentioned by those fortunate enough to have tried it.

Bream, bass and catfish have their champions, too, and more than a few claim sauger and fried buffalo ribs are the best of the best.



I would venture to guess, though, that crappie claims top honors in more than half of these polls.

The delicate, pleasing flavor of this popular panfish makes it a favorite of many Arkansans.



When cooking crappie, the Old South favorite is hard to beat: fillets salted and peppered, rolled in corn meal and fried to a golden brown. But there are as many ways to prepare crappie as there are of catching them. Two of my favorite recipes are listed below. In a pinch, fillets of bass, bream, catfish, or walleye can be substituted for the crappie.



Crappie with Smoked Bacon



8 to 12 crappie fillets

one lemon

salt

flour

6 ounces thick-cut smoked bacon

fresh parsley



Wash the fillets, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the fish on a plate, and squeeze the juice of half the lemon over them. Set aside for 10 minutes while you dice the bacon and fry it in a skillet. Set the bacon aside when it is done, but leave the bacon grease in the skillet. Season the fish fillets with salt, dredge in flour, and fry them in the bacon grease, 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until the meat flakes easily with a fork. Arrange the fish on a heated platter, and crumble the bacon on top.

Garnish with parsley sprigs and slices from the second half of the lemon. Serves 4 to 6.



Poached Crappie Fillets with Shrimp Sauce



2 cups water

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

8 to 12 crappie fillets



In a 10-inch skillet, combine water, bay leaf,

1/4 teaspoon salt and the lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add fillets. Reduce heat to low. Simmer covered for 3 to 5 minutes, or until fish is firm and opaque and just begins to flake.

Drain and discard the poaching liquid. Cover the fish to keep warm. Set aside.



Shrimp Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 tablespoons flour

a pinch of white pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

a dash of paprika

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup diced, cooked shrimp



To prepare the sauce, melt the butter in an 8- inch skillet over low heat. Add the flour, white pepper, salt and paprika, and stir until blended. Add the milk slowly, stirring constantly and taking care not to scorch the mixture. Cook, stirring, until smooth and thickened. Add the Worcestershire sauce and shrimp, stir and heat through. Serve the shrimp sauce over the fillets. Garnish with a light sprinkling of paprika and snipped fresh chives or parsley. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Florida to Outlaw Killing of Tiger Sharks

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Nov. 16 (UPI) -- Florida wildlife officials say they're about to outlaw the killing of tiger sharks and three kinds of hammerheads that prowl the state's waters.
The new rule, to be voted on by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, would add four new species -- tiger sharks as well as scalloped, smooth and great hammerheads -- to 23 sharks already protected from harvest in Florida waters, which extend three miles off the Atlantic coast and nine miles off the Gulf coast, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Tuesday.
Catch-and-release fishing would still be allowed.
Shark experts and environmentalists have lauded the Florida proposal, noting populations of all four species have declined by more than half in recent decades.
The hope, they say, is Florida's action, the first in the nation, will clear the way for extending protections in both federal and international waters.
"It's a big step but we're going to need the federal government to step up and do their part as well," said Neil Hammerschlag, a professor and shark expert at the University of Miami.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2011/11/16/Florida-to-protect-four-shark-species/UPI-65921321462373/#ixzz1du1tKCSb

Lionfish Workshop

Regional REEF Lionfish Workshops Help Control the Invasion

Lad Akins, Director of Special Projects, and the REEF team conduct workshops throughout the Caribbean and Mexico to prepare and educate resource managers on the lionfish invasion. These workshops include developing detailed action plans for lionfish removal, how to encourage lionfish as a commercial fisheries and getting the community involved.

Participate in a REEF & FKNMS Lionfish Workshop to learn about lionfish collection, handling, and permits*

This workshop is intended for dive professionals and avid recreational divers interested in obtaining a permit to collect lionfish in the Sanctuary Preservation Areas. These workshops are sponsored by REEF and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The workshop presentation will cover the history and progression of the invasion, an overview of lionfish biology and ecology, safe handling and collection techniques, and first aid. 

• Key Largo, FL Lionfish Permitting Workshop

When: Wednesday, November 16th 6:30 – 8:30 pmWhere: Key Largo Library, 101485 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL

Tonight here in Key Largo!!!!!

 

We are very excited about the upcoming 2012 season.  We have gotten an enormous amount of interest in our 7 Ships in 7 Days package.   No passport, no port taxes, no fuel surcharges, no customs, no worries.  The best shipwreck diving in the world is right here in the Florida Keys and you can dive them all from the “M/V KATE” and the gang at Blue Iguana Charters.  Diving the third largest barrier reef from Key Largo to Key West in seven days.

The addition of the Vandenberg  has made this trip even more spectacular and exciting.   You might have seen this ship from the movie “VIRUS” in which Jamie Lee Curtis starred in.  If you have not had the chance to see the movie, we have it in our large DVD video library aboard the boat.

 Some of the wrecks that we will be diving include the USS Spiegel Grove, USCGC Duane, The Benwood, The City of Washington, USCGC Bibb, The Eagle plus….Reef Diving which include the Elbow Reef, Key Largo Dry Rocks, Molasses Reef, Davis Reef, Pickles Reef, Carysfort Lighthouse, and many more beautiful uncharted reefs.

We cater to small groups so your trip is personalized to fit you.  No large crowds and tons of people you don’t know.  By the end of your trip you will be a part of our family and be ready to plan your next trip.  We don’t advertise in large magazines and such we rely on word of mouth from satisfied clients to return and tell everyone they know about us.

So come and join us on an exciting fun filled adventure, on a great dive boat with an awesome crew.  We can’t wait to have you aboard the “M/V Kate” so we can start our diving adventure.  Give Captain Scotty a email at info@blueiguanacharters.com or call him at 561-385-2385 for all the details or for more information. 

December Wreck Trec

Are you a wreck-a-holic? We are loading up the M/V KATE on December 4th and going to dive all through until Dec 10th. We still have few spots left on this trip so if you are interested give Capt Scotty a call at 561-385-2385 or drop him a email at info@blueiguanacharters.com.
This trip is tailored for the Intro to Tech type divers. We are emphasizing the major wrecks and some extended range diving.
No passport, no port taxes, no fuel surcharges, no customs, no worries. The best shipwreck diving in the world is right here in the Florida Keys and you can dive them all from the “M/V KATE” and the gang at Blue Iguana Charters. Diving the third largest barrier reef from Key Largo to Key West in seven days.
The addition of the Vandenberg has made this trip even more spectacular and exciting. You might have seen this ship from the movie “VIRUS” in which Jamie Lee Curtis starred in. If you have not had the chance to see the movie, we have it in our large DVD video library aboard the boat.
Some of the wrecks that we will be diving include the USS Spiegel Grove, USCGC Duane, The Benwood, The City of Washington, USCGC Bibb, The Eagle plus….Reef Diving which include the Elbow Reef, Key Largo Dry Rocks, Molasses Reef, Davis Reef, Pickles Reef, Carysfort Lighthouse, and many more beautiful uncharted reefs.
We cater to small groups so your trip is personalized to fit you. No large crowds and tons of people you don’t know. By the end of your trip you will be a part of our family and be ready to plan your next trip. We don’t advertise in large magazines and such we rely on word of mouth from satisfied clients to return and tell everyone they know about us.
So come and join us on an exciting fun filled adventure, on a great dive boat with an awesome crew. We can’t wait to have you aboard the “M/V Kate” so we can start our diving adventure. Give Captain Scotty a email at info@blueiguanacharters.com or call him at 561-385-2385 for all the details or for more information.

5 Things More Likely Than a Shark Attack

While surfing around I found this cute little tidbit of info on The Diving Blog.  David Harmon has some really cool things to say.  Check out his site and happy reading.

Humans have an irrational fear of sharks. Most of this, I believe, is simply fear of the unknown. We don’t understand sharks nor most of the ocean and this frightens us. Combined with their poor treatment by the media and entertainment world, sharks overall get a bad rap.







I’m here today to balance the score a little. Statistics put the risk of a shark attack worldwide at about 1 in almost 300 million. That’s a 3 with 8 zeros behind it! And this is only taking into account those who actually go in the water, not your Aunt Mildred who thinks the ocean is “dirty”.



That’s a big number, and big numbers don’t usually mean much to people. Let me put in in more relatable terms. Here are 5 things more likely to happen to you than getting attacked by a shark:



1.Win an Academy Award. Over 50 Oscars are given out each year (including scientific and technical award winners), meaning you are more likely to win the coveted gold statuette this year than get bitten by a shark. Better get crackin’ on that script!

2.Die while scuba diving. While it sucks to think about, over 100 people die a year while scuba diving, often from unknown causes. You’re more likely to die while scuba diving from something like an equipment malfunction than to get attacked by a shark. There, don’t you feel better?

3.Dealt a full house—three times in a row. The odds of getting dealt a full house (three of a kind and two of another kind, one of the highest hands in poker) is 1 in 693.

Let’s say you spend all night playing poker with the guys. You are more likely to get dealt a full house three times in a row than get bitten by a shark. Just how much money did you win last time you played poker?



4.Killed by a falling aircraft. In murky waters everyone’s on the lookout for killer sharks. How often are you on the lookout for falling aircraft? Instead of the Great White Shark you should be looking out for the Great White Airbus.

5.Win a Nobel Prize. Six prizes are awarded. This actually makes your odds of winning any one year lower than getting bit by a shark. However, factor in how often they are awarded, and your odds quickly zoom past shark territory.

In fact, in any one year you are more likely to become a nobel laureate (nominee) than get attacked by a shark. Isn’t it nice to know that the Nobel prize committee cares more about you than Jaws?



Now don’t you feel ridiculous? These numbers are only for getting attacked by a shark. Let’s say lightning strikes and you do get bitten (actually, the chance of you getting struck by lightning is orders of magnitude greater than getting attacked by a shark). Even then, the chance of you dying is still very small (about 1 in 30).



The problem, of course, is that no one lives by statistics. Rather, we live by our emotions. Next time you feel yourself getting a little irrational, start running the numbers in your head. If worse comes to worse, who knows, maybe the sharks will decide to leave Rain Man alone.

Shark con artists

SharkNite 3D Promotion in which a rabid shark rips apart several teenagers is being cross promoted by a white shark operator at the Farallones off San Francisco. They were paid to offer the Grand Prize to someone who saw this film. Is this operator being shark Con-servationists?

PRIZE: One (1) GRAND PRIZE: A trip for winner and one (1) Guest to San Francisco, CA and two (2) tickets for a shark dive excursion. Trip consists of round-trip coach class air transportation from a major gateway nearest the winner’s residence, three (3) days/ two (2) nights standard hotel accommodations (one room, double occupancy). Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”): $ 4,500.00. If winner resides within a 100-mile radius of destination, ground transportation will be provided in lieu of air transportation and no compensation or substitution will be provided in lieu thereof. Actual value may vary based on point of departure.

Join us for the best Shipwrecking in the World

We are very excited about the upcoming 2012 season. We have gotten an enormous amount of interest in our 7 Ships in 7 Days package. No passport, no port taxes, no fuel surcharges, no customs, no worries. The best shipwreck diving in the world is right here in the Florida Keys and you can dive them all from the “M/V KATE” and the gang at Blue Iguana Charters. Diving the third largest barrier reef from Key Largo to Key West in seven days.
The addition of the Vandenberg has made this trip even more spectacular and exciting. You might have seen this ship from the movie “VIRUS” in which Jamie Lee Curtis starred in. If you have not had the chance to see the movie, we have it in our large DVD video library aboard the boat.
Some of the wrecks that we will be diving include the USS Spiegel Grove, USCGC Duane, The Benwood, The City of Washington, USCGC Bibb, The Eagle plus….Reef Diving which include the Elbow Reef, Key Largo Dry Rocks, Molasses Reef, Davis Reef, Pickles Reef, Carysfort Lighthouse, and many more beautiful uncharted reefs.
We cater to small groups so your trip is personalized to fit you. No large crowds and tons of people you don’t know. By the end of your trip you will be a part of our family and be ready to plan your next trip. We don’t advertise in large magazines and such we rely on word of mouth from satisfied clients to return and tell everyone they know about us.
So come and join us on an exciting fun filled adventure, on a great dive boat with an awesome crew. We can’t wait to have you aboard the “M/V Kate” so we can start our diving adventure. Give Captain Scotty a email at info@blueiguanacharters.com or call him at 561-385-2385 for all the details or for more information.

New owner sought for venerable South Florida lighthouse

Want to own a lighthouse? Here's your chance.

The U.S. government has put the picturesque, 133-year-old Fowey Rocks Light up for adoption. The price is right: Free.

Sure, there's a catch or two. You must run a nonprofit group or local government and prove you can preserve and maintain the historic lighthouse for public use.

And you need a good boat. The Fowey Rocks Lighthouse is on a shallow reef out in the ocean seven miles southeast of the tip of Key Biscayne.
rest of the story
New owner sought for venerable South Florida lighthouse

8 Ways to Freak Out Your Dive Buddy

You may already be doing some of these unconsciously. Here’s how to put it all together and become a complete jerk. Here is some great info from the Coral Reef Travel website.

Use Poorly Maintained Equipment

Upend your gear bag so a hodgepodge of worn-out, corroded and mismatched stuff cascades onto the deck in no apparent order. You can heighten the effect with carefree comments like, “Boy! Haven’t seen this in a long time!” and “Ugh! This sure stinks!” and “Anybody remember which side the reg goes on?” Meet any expression of concern with, “Don’t worry, it worked OK last time.”

For Style Points: Drop your console on the steel deck.

Message to Your Buddy: You will discover equipment problems the hard way.

Wisecrack During Site Briefing and Dive Planning

How deep are we going? “To the bottom, ha ha!” What’s our objective? “To get wet, ha ha!” How much air do we keep in reserve? “I paid for all of it, I’m using all of it, ha ha!” Meet any expression of concern with, “Don’t worry, I haven’t drowned yet, ha ha!”

For Style Points: When checking your tank valve just prior to entering the water, become confused and ask, “Which way is off?”

Message to Your Buddy: You are in fact confused and nervous, and trying to cover your anxiety with humor.

Act Like You’re Having Trouble Equalizing

The idea is that erratic behavior–delaying your descent, moving up and down in the water column, blowing hard with your nose pinched–without explanation to your buddy will make it seem as if you’re in trouble, inducing your buddy to take unnecessary risks to help you.

For Style Points: Blow so hard you cause a nosebleed. When a little blood has mixed with the water in your mask, turn to your buddy to show a mask full of … blood! Embolism! Brain explosion! Watch your buddy’s eyes go wide.

Message to Your Buddy: You take basic skills for granted, as well as being physically prepared to dive.

Play Hide and Seek

Swim off from the descent line at full speed, so your buddy has to huff and puff to keep up. Or, if you don’t have the stamina for this, put on a quick burst of speed when your buddy is looking the other way, then duck behind a stand of kelp or a coral head. Try to force your buddy to spend the entire dive trying to keep track of you.

For Style Points: Swim off downward, violating your agreed depth limit at the same time. Your buddy, if conscientious, will have to follow. Double points if you save this for the third dive of the day.

Message to Your Buddy: You have no interest in your buddy’s comfort and no regard for the buddy system.

Ditch Your Buddy

This is, of course, a classic move. It forces your buddy to abandon any hope of enjoying the dive and go into full rescue mode. Your buddy instead must decide how long to search for you and in which direction, then surface in haste and report to the dive boat.

For Style Points: After returning to the boat, grin, slap your buddy on the back and say, “Great dive, huh? Did you see that ray?”

Message to Your Buddy: You have no interest in rescuing your buddy, either.

Attack All Marine Life

Break off live coral. Pry mollusks and sea stars from rocks. Hack your way through vegetation. Swim with your knife in your hand, using it to chop, probe, dig, turn over rocks and tap your buddy’s shoulder.

For Style Points: Kill something bloody and put its oozing corpse in your goody bag.

Message to Your Buddy: You know nothing about the damage you can do to marine life, nor the damage marine life can do to you.

Create a Low-on-air Emergency

Respond to all air supply inquiries with an OK sign until your pressure gauge reads below 200 psi. You’ll have the biggest impact on your buddy if you save this announcement for when you are below 80 feet or so.

For Style Points: Wild eyes and flailing arms simulate panic well.

Message to Your Buddy: You don’t understand the reasons for maintaining a reserve supply of air–regulator performance and the unforeseen.

Ascend Too Quickly

By not venting your BC as it expands, you allow your ascent rate to accelerate to unsafe levels. Your buddy may feel compelled to keep pace while trying to slow you down, putting you both at risk of arterial gas embolism. At 15 feet, you will have reached such a speed that you will be unable to make a safety stop.

For Style Points: Assuming you reach the boat intact, tell your buddy, “Great dive! Say, are you looking for a dive buddy?”

Message to Your Buddy: You think Boyle’s Law is a TV series.

But Seriously, Folks

We’re joking to make a serious point. Probably most of us have been guilty of one or more of these screwups at one time or another. We knew we were OK, but what did our buddy think? What extra risks did we impose on our buddy? What enjoyment of the dive did our buddy forfeit?

Communication is difficult enough on the surface. Under water, we communicate largely through our actions, and our inaction. Our buddy has to respond to the messages they seem to convey, and our unintended signals can endanger others more than ourselves. We at Blue Iguana Charters want everyone to have a fun and safe dive.

Conservation Authority Guy Harvey Reiterates Shark Free Marina Policies

Conservation Authority Guy Harvey Reiterates Shark Free Marina Policies

This just shows that Guy Harvey is a man of his word. He really means it when he says he is looking out for the sharks and the sea creatures come first. Here is a copy of his press release that was put out this morning. Thanks for standing up for the sharks Guy and if there is anything the gang at Blue Iguana Charters can do for you just let us know...

Fort Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) June 16, 2011

Conservation and marine science authority Dr. Guy Harvey, Chairman of Guy Harvey Outpost LTD., announced today that a photographic image of a Mako shark, taken at the weigh in station of the Bimini Big Game Club and circulating on the internet, was authentic. “It is extremely disappointing that this occurred and is a clear violation of my shark conservation principles and efforts”, said Dr. Harvey, an recognized marine conservation authority and acclaimed artist. The Big Game Club operates under license from Guy Harvey Outpost, a company he co-founded to promote sustainable tourism and marine conservation among water sport enthusiasts and the legions of Guy Harvey followers worldwide.

He confirmed the shark was caught by a visitor to the Big Game Club while vacationing in Bimini over the Memorial Day weekend and the resort’s dock staff assisted in hanging the shark up for photographs. The boat's captain, Chase Camacho, confirmed his charter angler fought the shark for over two hours after hooking it while deep drop fishing off the Bimini coast. "It’s important to have a black and white policy with no grey areas when it comes to operating as a Shark Free Marina, particularly when my name is on the door”, Guy said in addressing the event.

“The boat’s captain believed the shark was stressed to the point of dying, and thought it proper to bring it back to the dock so it could be given to the church for distribution to needy locals,” clarified Dr. Harvey, who holds a PhD in Marine Biology and directs shark research worldwide with the efforts of his scientific staff at the Guy Harvey Research Institute. Underscoring a common misunderstanding among anglers on the resilience of sharks, Guy noted “a nearly dead shark has a much better chance of surviving in the water than on the dock. Sharks are very tough animals.”

Professor Mahmood Shivji, Director of the “Save our Seas Shark Center” at Nova Southeastern University echoed Guy’s sentiment. “It’s a food cycle issue. We are dealing with a marine ecosystem such that a dead or dying fish provides food resource to the entire marine ecosystem and its best to let the ecosystem operate without intervention, however well intentioned.” Dr. Harvey characterized the event “an unfortunate learning moment for all anglers.” He went on to acknowledge the angler and captain erred with good intentions, and the shark was donated to the local community as intended but noted “in today’s world there’s nothing to celebrate in bringing any shark to the dock for a photo opportunity”.

With a Guy Harvey designed logo to identify member marinas worldwide, 'Shark-Free' marinas participate in a voluntary program to prohibit sharks from being landed at their facility. “Shark Free marina policies were designed to foster catch and release fishing methods by discouraging any thought of landing a shark for any reason”, Harvey went on to say. “Our Outpost team took immediate action to investigate this when first brought to my attention. Staff has been reminded of their role in helping promote shark conservation awareness by enforcing the policies of a 'Shark Free' marina." The Shark-Free Marina Initiative is a project of The Humane Society of the United States and supported in part by the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, an organization Dr. Harvey chairs to foster marine research and conservation.

The Shark Free Marina Institute's web site indicates that as many as 100 million sharks are killed annually, posing a serious threat to the oceans health. The stated purpose of a Shark-Free Marinas is to help reduce the take of sharks and encourage responsible use of the oceans. “With my worldwide efforts to promote shark conservation, particularly in the Bahamas, and my name on the front door of the Big Game Club, I’ve reminded staff that our marina will adhere to the Shark Free Marina Initiative policies, no exceptions” added Dr. Harvey. “We all have to play a part in protecting these magnificent animals.”