Crystal River Manatee Snorkel

Went over to Crystal River this morning to Crystal River Lodge Dive Center and rented a pontoon boat.  
We watch the required video to make sure we did not interact inappropriately with the manatee. Florida's Fish and Wildlife (FWC) patrol the shores and water ways near the manatee protected areas in Crystal River. There is $100 fine which they can write on the spot (i.e. you are in the water they paddle up to you or they call you to shore) and hand the ticket to you in a zip lock type baggie so the ticket stays dry. The other fine is 1 year in jail and $100,000 if you enter a manatee protected area. Yes we watched the video.

Chilly in the moring. Great ride out to one of the locations where the manatee hang out. The protected areas are marked off with ropes and floats. In the middle of this area they have a small swim area where snorkelers can interact with the manatee.  The tide was very low, plus the area is way behind on rain fall so the water was silted up and cloudy. You could not see more then 4-5 feet.  Then all of the sudden these huge manatee swim over to check you out.

You can single hand scratch them, they like this and it helps remove the algae that grows on their skin while they winter in the springs.  They are smart and they have a trick. Once you start scratching their back they roll over to let you scratch their belly, when you don't expect it they trap your hand between there flipper and body and start swimming a way with you. The problem is they head for the protected areas (yes the 1 year $100,000 fine area) they don't know they just want to take you home to keep scratching them. FWC is just waiting for you to cross the line. 

Plus there is a self appointed manatee watch group that paddles around the area on kayaks to remind you of the rules and point out the slightest infraction, they are kind of a bummer. I understand their enthusiasm but they are sort of a kill joy. They stopped by, did their due diligence and moved on.

The water was warm, waist deep at any point and lot of fun to see the manatee. 

Devil's Den

Finished our two dives at Blue Grotto, packed up and headed just up the road to Devil's Den. Had heard of Devils Den but had no idea what it was. 

Tige was telling me about his previous visits and I was still not getting what he was saying. Pulled on to the property, looks like it was once a horse farm, in this part of Florida there are lots of them. See signs for tent camping signs for RV camping. Then there is one little sign that says office.

There is a board walk through this wall of bamboo. Pass the bamboo the boardwalk turns left to a building. Through the door to a one room dive shop. Small and efficient operation, the guy behind the counter had said they had not had a diver all day, he was thinking of closing early.  After the filling out the usual dive releases,  we exit to the right, there is another door that leads outside on to a porch, walk along the porch, down the steps to this wonderful garden area. Picnic tables, pavilions, a fire ring and a cavern entrance. The entire area is dominated by a massive beautiful southern live oak covered in Spanish moss. You could almost forget you where there to go diving.

We kit up head down the cavern entrance steps, then down the stairs to the platform. I will still like to how they installed those stairs.  Devils Den is a sink hole that the roof collapsed in on ages ago. The platform rest on the rubble of the roof of the cavern. Sunlight streams in lighting the cavern and stabbing though the water creating amazing colors and patterns on walls below the water line.

The cavern is a bowl with a cone of rubble in the middle so you dive around the cone and check out all the cracks and crevasses along the outer wall. A couple of places are marked to let divers go no further in to the cavern system; other places are barred off so divers won't be tempted, get stuck and create problems for others.

Great dive, had lots of fun exploring this cavern.

Blue Grotto

Headed to west central Florida to continue training for my divemaster student. Traditionally the last week of January is cold, by Floridian standards, and this week has been no different. For us it is like diving in late September, early October back home. Nights in the 30s-40s, day high 60s low to mid 70s. But it was in the 80s last week here. No complaints, back home the morning temps have been around 9 degrees. Glad to miss that.

Blue Grotto is said to be the largest clear water cavern in the Florida springs area, they have great facilities top side. Easy entry, warm, clear 72 degree water and wide open cavern to 50 ft. There is a swim through that takes you down to 100 ft, it is awesome, they have a line run the whole distance. Keep a hand on the line you can't get lost or loose your way.  

 

Junes Dive Classes

Okay so it has been a little slow on the dive training front. But the end of June was very busy; for me at least.

I had two Discover Scubas and one Scuba Tune up. In between my classed I took pictures of Steve and Rachel's Confinined Open Water class.  All of the classes and student we had did great. The OW students are signed up for thier open water dives in the coming weeks. 

Here are some pics.

Bubblemaker and Scuba Reviews

Guess who will have the coolest story when he returns to school this fall.  We all know the teacher will ask his class either to tell or write about "What you did this summer."  I can tell you my new nine year old buddy Clayton will have one of the best stories.  He went SCUBA DIVING!!!.  Clayton's mom and dad are divers and he wanted to try it out. He is just months shy of being old enoough to be a certified scuba diver, you have to be 10.  But he could not wait to try it.

So Clayton's parent signed him up for PADI Bubblemaker. Along with going diving Clayton also received kid-sized beach towel, log book, certificate, temporary tattoo emblem and the adorable and a popular Bubblemaker “action figure". Whaoo too cool!

Once Clayton finished his Bubblemaker dive and was drying off with his new towel. His mom Audrey jumped in to do a Scuba Tune up.  This was all on Saturday.

Then on Sunday Clayton's Dad along with four other folks that wanted to do a Scuba Tunes where in the pool with me.  Besides Clayton's Dad we had a Boy Scout, as well as a bother and sister getting ready for a trip; she was only 12 and was an awesome diver.  All in all we had a get time this weekend.

Almost all of the certified divers in the pool this weekend are going on a trip with in the next two weeks to some exotic location for vacation and diving is part of their vacation plans.

So keep that in mind if you are planning a vacation soon and diving will be part of the fun. We do Scuba Tunes/Review every other Sunday at the Freedom Center pool.

Vandenberg Dive 2

Conditions where still just as perfect. For the second dive we explored the bow section. While there is a lot to expolre, the bridge area is very open with easy swim throughs.  I was diving with two diver of mix expericence and skill levels so we stuck to the bright, easy and exterior passages. I would really like to go back with divers I know, who are properly equip and explore more of the interior of the ship. That will be a really cool set of dives. 

I will post or link more videos and stills as I upload them.

Another open water diver

Sam meet everybody. Everybody this is Sam.

Sam has an English class assignment where she has to write a paper about something she learned. This girl is going to the extreme. Which after getting to know her that is not surprising.

Back in March Sam was in one of my Open Water Pool classes. I knew then she would be a natural. Her families plan was to go to St Thomas for Spring Break. But with Carnival and out of control air fare they are opting to go some place closer to home later this spring or early summer. Sam needed to get her paper done so she chose this past weekend to complete her open water dives at Millbrook quarry.

Her dad was doing this Advanced Open Water this weekend so the timing was perfect.  I wish I could say the same about Saturday mornings weather. It was pouring down rain. Yeah, I know we where diving,  we where going to be wet anyway. But you have to change in and out of scuba gear, it would be nice to get/be warm between dives, the water tempure at 30 ft was 42 degrees.  We where down in the water for 25-30 minutes. Sam's mom came along to watch from the warmth of their pickup truck and commented that is really wasn't raining all that much until we surfaced.  Her mom also brought a 5 gallon water jug full of hot water. We poured cupfuls of it in our wet suits as we changed gear and off gassed. All in all Saturdays dives where very wet but fun.

 Sunday was bright and sunny we headed over to beach 2.5. The day had promise to flawlessly. Until my ears decided to be not clear. After completing a few surface skills we where descending for our first dive , I could not get past ten feet. My left ear would not equalized. After a couple of attempts we surfaced, I did several equalizing techniques. Then we tried again, I got to 20 feet,  decided we would do Sam underwater nav. On the return trip of both my ears equalize and I was good for the rest of the day. Sam worked all of her skills requirements like a champ. 

When we surfaced from our second dive of the day Sam was officially an Open Water Diver.  Way to go Sam!

Sam, her dad Justin, Gavin and JerryOpen Water Diver Sam and her instructor

Demo Day at Lake Millbrook this weekend.

This Sunday only it's Demo Day at Lake Millbrook.

This is always a fun event. Manufactures set up tents and let you try their stuff for free.

Regs, BCDs, Fins, lights, Drysuits, all kinds of stuff.

Good food, good people. Cool dive equipment to try. What could be better.

If go, ask to try the new Halcyon Regulators. I picked up a set earlier this year, they are great!

I will be taking a look at Halcyon new lights. If you go deep enough and can take the cold you can put them to good use in Millbrook.

Virginia Scuba is going to be handing out Lakeside discount coupons, that's right the only place you can get them is from the Virginia Scuba tent at Lake Millbrook. These coupons  the can be used towards gear purchases back at their shop. 

Update: I hear Whites Dry Suite, Aqualung, and Sunnto are among the many manufactures that will be there.

On your way out to Millbrook stop at Virginia Scuba to get your quarry pass (always cheaper at the shop then at the gate).  Have a great dive and try that new gear you have been thinking about.

On your way back with a discount coupon in hand, stop back at Virginia Scuba and buy that cool toy you tried.

Discover SCUBA and SCUBA tune up

Teaching Discover Scuba on Saturday and Suba Tune up on Sunday at the Freedom Center.  Want to try Scuba or refresh your skills come join me. Contact me or Virginia Scuba. Be added to the fun.

SCUBAJAM Virginia 2010 was Great Fun!

Labor Day weekend 2010, what better way to end the summer then diving and camping with Scouts.  I was asked to join Troop 1833 out of Haymarket Virginia as their dive professional for the first ever ScubaJam Virginia held at Lake Rawlings in Rawlings VA.  Pictures posted here, working on the video over the next few days.

Boy Scouts and Ventures crews from Virginia and I think there was a group from North Carolina too. Got together for a weekend to dive for FUN.

Hurricane Earl did not show up and we had fantastic weather. Sunny not a cloud in the sky, temps where in the high 80's low humidity.  Nights where clear and cool.  Next  time I am taking a telescope too, so many stars.

Lake Rawlings was never better.  Warm, 84 at the surface and 80'ish right down to the thermal-clim at ~35 ft. On the deep side at the airplane and boat at ~60 ft the water temp was 44 degrees.  After the initial dives to explore the deep stuff we all ditch the wet suits and hung out in the near bath water temperatures above 35 ft.  There is a lot to see and explore in the shallow depths so the deep was not missed.

The organizers of ScubaJam Virginia had both land and water based activities  and demonstrations set up for Saturday and Sunday.  At the end of the weekend they had a ceremony where the winners of the land and water activities where awarded dive gear.  Scout/Crew member received dive lights, mask, dive bags, fins and DAN gear.

There where two scouts/crew that received $250 continuing dive education scholarships and one scout won a spot on Blackbeard's live aboard cruise for next year. How awesome is that!

From what I hear the ScubaJam Virginia folks are going to take a day or two to rest up, check in on their real jobs then are going right back at it to plan ScubaJam Virginia 2011.

I am planning to be there either as a dive pro for a troop or crew, if not I will see if I can become part of the ScubaJam Crew.  

Bubble maker diving fun.

Had a lot of fun this morning meeting Mia. Mia is 9 years old. Her dad is a diver and she loves to snorkel.  She wanted to try scuba diving. Mia has to wait until she is 10, next summer to be come a certified junior open water diver. But she took advantage of of the Bubblemaker program to try scuba diving. 

We went to the Freedom Center pool put on all the gear, Mia listen to how it all work and she was off and diving the shallow end of the pool.  We worked through the differences she had between snorkeling and diving, by the end of our time together Mia did not want to get out of the pool. She actually did an extra lap around the area we had then sat on the bottom of the pool and watched the open water class that was in water with us for a while.  Mia is a natural, she will be a great diver, can't wait until next summer for her open water class.

Being a Bubblemaker Mia received a kid-sized beach towel, log book, certificate, temporary tattoo emblem, stickers and the adorable and a popular Bubblemaker “action figure.”

Rescue Class - everybody in the pool.

Rescue Diver Class is Challenging  Rescue Diver Class is Fun.

I helped new instructor Chris take on his first Rescue Diver class today. Both Chris and his two Rescue Diver students did great!  My buddy Kristen, who is also a great instructor, happened to be at the pool and lent a hand at being a "victim" for the students.  

Diving the Indra.

Went diving on Friday with the folks at Atlantis Charters.  We had a great time and here is a video:

DC DIVE Show and Millbrook Demo Day

This week Fall starts so it must be time for the 2nd annual DC Dive Show.

This year it will be held September 25th and 26th at the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center on the Potomac in Maryland. I am planning to go Friday evening.

Then on September 27 Demo Day will be held at Lake Millbrook in Throughfare Virginia.

Two great events in one weekend. See all of the latest dive gear and cool places for dive travel at the show on Friday evening and Saturday, then come to Lake Millbrook on Sunday to try your favorite gear from the manufactures who where at the show.

I hear Virginia Scuba is going to have thier famous pulled pork again, hot off the smoked barbaque.

Day 2 of the FREE Discover SCUBA is done and it was a lot of fun!

Yep it's over.  Sundays Discover Scuba event was just as great as Saturdays.  The neat part was everybody  did different task from what they did on Saturday and it went just as smoothly.

Lots of people showed up and took their turn at discovering what scuba diving is like. Several folks again are signing up to take the open water class.

Rumor has it we might try this Free Discover Scuba thing again in the spring, stay tune.

Otterventures.com is up and running

Well here it is www.otterventures.com.
Up and running...... yep.... here it is......

Enjoy.