The 2019 Dive Schedule is Open for Booking!!
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- I Can't Wait Forever...
- Tahiti: An Adventure and Dive Trip of a Lifetime!
- Back to Bonaire
- 2019 Dive Cruise
- Shark Facts
- Ocean Scientists Speak at the U's Sea Secrets Lecture Series
- Scuba Skills Tune-Up Event
- Gemstones in the Sand
- Season Kickoff: Dive, BBQ, Swap Meet, and Raffle
- After-Dive Barbecue
- Want To Plant Coral?
- Newsletter Delivery Options
- Email or Address Change?
- T-Shirts For Sale
- Active Divers Guidelines & Policies
In 1966, The Outsiders released the hit song "Time Won't Let Me".
The Smithereens
reprised it in 1994, and it was once again reprised in 2003 by the Blues
Brothers. Heed the message and renew now
while membership is only $35 for a calendar year of
discounted dive trips and diving news. After March 31,
your annual membership renewal fee is $49.
As a member of Active Divers Association, you're never without a buddy and most two-tank dives are only $55. Additionally, your membership includes periodic eNews emails about club activities, as well as electronic access to The Mouthpiece monthly newsletter. You may pay online or by check. Click on http://activedivers.org/Membership_Renewal.html to renew your membership online. You can also pay by check and you'll find instructions for paying by check at the link above.
This year, we have plans for some exciting dives, including an archaeology-themed dive, the ever-popular Coral Restoration dive, and a possible visit to the Aquarius habitat. We also have several international trips planned, Bonaire, Tahiti and the Society Islands, as well as our annual Dive-Cruise trek, this year aboard the soon to be launched Sky Princess. So, don't delay and renew today!
Please Note: If you think you purchased an extended membership sometime in the past, but unsure when it expires, drop us a note at ActiveDiversInfo@gmail.com, and we will let you know your status by return email. Please include your name and "Membership Expiration Date" in the subject line.
Seven cabins on the
Paul Gauguin are booked as well as six rooms for the Bora Bora /
Rangiroa land based trip (see https://activedivers.site/Tahiti2019.html
) . I have confirmed the current traveler lists, room arrangements,
local flights etc with our agent at Caradonna and all is in order. Some
travelers have gotten their invoices, but as of this writing, not all
have been issued. I do expect most of them to be issued by early March,
since final payments will be due late March/early April. I have one male
diver who is already booked looking for a roommate for the land based
trip, and I have one female who is not booked yet, but is interested in
finding a roommate/dive buddy for the trip also. So if you have any
diver friends that may be interested, just have them send me an email to
me at diverdaryl@bellsouth.net.
L to R: Tom Workman, Sandy
Workman, Al Menendez, Olivia Baeza, Tony Spagnolo, Dan Baeza,
Daryl Johnson, Frank Clark, Dan Baeza, Jr, Susan Noll, Chris
Noll
Six cabins have already been booked for the dive cruise for next year since it is such a spectacular itinerary on the Sky Princess, the largest and newest ship (it’s still being built!) in the Princess fleet! Its inaugural voyage will be in October 2019 and it is sure to be a popular ship, so don’t wait too long to lock in this trip. The dive cruise is a round trip from Fort Lauderdale on December 7, 2019 for seven days and stops at four great dive locations: Grand Cayman, Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel. It is on sale now for as low as $814 - that’s only $116 per person, per day for your lodging, transportation, entertainment and all the food you can eat. This is going to be a very popular cruise since it is on a new ship, so I don’t expect a lot of sale prices as we get closer to the departure date.
If we keep at least 5 cabins booked through our cruise planner, every cabin will receive an Active Divers Group onboard credit. So how easy is it to book the fifth annual dive cruise in 2019?? All you have to do is call our Cruise Planner, Karen Bradder at 1-800-901-1172 ext. 41643 and tell her that you want to book the Active Diver’s cruise (Group code TRM, voyage Y949) and make a deposit. That’s it, no muss, no fuss and you will be ready for an outstanding trip with Active Divers!!
Ask anyone what comes to mind when you say the word SHARK. Here are the likely responses: killer, dangerous, Great White, Hammerhead, jaws and teeth. But given these responses how many have actually observed a shark attack? Anyone in the club? I doubt it. The image of a shark is primarily from the small subset of sharks as a whole. They gets their reputation from a few species and a few incidents. They are obviously “the Lords of the Seas”, but they have been for 350 million years. Now consider the earliest known humans came around 4.4 million years ago, and what we consider modern man only around 200,000 years, sharks are certainly adaptable.
In fact, sharks can live in tropical, deep, shallow, salt, fresh cold and warm water. It seems to have a gift for living no matter the circumstances. They seem to be able to get into our heads. The image sharks have been projected onto our unconscious minds, has not been a kind one. In general, we have an inordinate fear of sharks. When was the last time you heard a good story about a shark, you know…… “Shark Saves Drowning Man! News at 11”. You may see one about a dolphin, but a shark? Never happen, even if it did occur.
Our fascination with sharks is a one-way street. They are bad. But if they have survived this long, it is pretty easy to speculate that they will outlast mankind. That says a little something about us, and about the way we think.
--by Connie Crowther
The popular Sea Secrets Lecture Series, which brings together the public with distinguished marine scientists and explorers on topics from coral reef health to climate change, continues its 2019 programming Tuesday, March 5, with a presentation by Brian Helmuth, PhD, professor of marine and environmental sciences at Northeastern University in Boston.
Helmuth will speak on Saving the World, One Robomussel at a Time: Ecological Forecasting in the Era of Rapid Climate Change.
In addition to focusing on likely impacts of climate change on coastal and coral reef ecosystems, Helmuth uses ecological forecasting techniques to prioritize vulnerabilities, potentially delaying some of the worst impacts. A veteran of several saturation missions in the Aquarius underwater habitat, he also works with educators to facilitate learning by K-16 students and the general public. Register for the Helmuth lecture at https://rebrand.ly/SeaSecretsHelmuth.
All Sea Secrets events begin at 7 p.m. at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (RSMAS) auditorium, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Virginia Key. A reception and networking will precede all the presentations, at 6:30 p.m. All lectures are free and open to the public, but, with limited seating and refreshments, advance registration is required.
The lecture series, popular with many Active Divers members and marine scientists and professionals, has been presented since 1998 by RSMAS and The Ocean Research and Education Foundation. The remaining 2019 lectures, running through April 30, are presented in a format designed for the non-scientific community and provide insight and information about our planet.
Other speakers remaining on this year’s Sea Secrets Lecture Series schedule are:
Margaret Leinen, PhD, Director - Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Margaret Leinen, PhD, Director - Scripps Institution of Oceanography April 2: Big Science and Big Ideas, presented by Margaret Leinen, PhD, director of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and vice chancellor for marine science at the University of California at San Diego. The pioneer and national science leader will discuss how ocean observations lead to new ways of thinking about our planet. She led early deep-sea expeditions, overseeing a study that shaped our understanding of how the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and transports it to deep waters and sediments on the ocean floor. She is a former president of both the American Geophysical Union, the largest geoscience society in the world, and The Oceanography Society. Register for the Leinen lecture at https://rebrand.ly/SeaSecretsLeinen.
Roni Avissar, PhD,
Dean at UM RSMAS
Roni Avissar, PhD Dean at UM RSMAS April 30: Challenges and Achievements in Hurricane Forecasting, presented by Roni Avissar, PhD, dean and professor at RSMAS. Every hurricane offers the dean and his researchers an opportunity to conduct interdisciplinary, cutting-edge research that helps improve hurricane tracking and intensity forecasts. The internationally recognized scientist and author pioneered the development and evaluation of various numerical and analytical models to study ocean-land-atmosphere interactions. He developed a unique environmental helicopter platform, which he pilots for scientific missions. He is a fellow of the American Geophysical Union and the American Meteorological Society. RSVP for the Avissar lecture at https://rebrand.ly/SeaSecretsAvissar.
The winners of the 2019 Rosenstiel School Underwater Photography Contest will be announced at the conclusion of the April 30 lecture. View the 2018 winners at https://rebrand.ly/2018Winners.
The 2019 Sea Secrets series, originally known as the Blue Planet Lecture Series, opened January 15 to a capacity crowd for Ben Kirtman, PhD, professor of atmospheric sciences and director of the National Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Science at UM RSMAS. Greg Stone, PhD, oceanographer and author, chief ocean scientist of Deep Green Resources and president of Ocean Renaissance, spoke in February.
For more information, go to the UM RSMAS website at http://www.rsmas.miami.edu.
Date: Saturday, May 11, 2019, 9am to 1pm
Location: A.D. Barnes Park Park Pool, 3401 SW 72 Avenue, Miami, FL 33155 (305) 666-5883
Cost: Free to current paid-up Active Divers members; $25.00 one-day only membership promotion for certified divers wishing to join Active Divers at the event – offer available to new members only. New membership valid only through December 31, 2019.
Events and Activities: The day consists of two hours of scuba tune-up clinics taught by Active Divers Safety Officers, followed by two hours in the water in small groups working on scuba skills with a Safety Officer. Clinic topics include buoyancy, pressure, breathing, the Buddy System, communication, hand signals, the underwater environment, dive planning and safety. The pool session with full scuba gear will cover the typical pool skills taught in the Open Water course. Note: This is not the official PADI scuba refresher course and participants do not receive any certification for this event. Lunch: Poolside lunch served after the pool session compliments of Active Divers.
Equipment Rental: Members and Non-Members may bring their own gear or rent gear at the event for an additional $44 which includes tank, regulator, BCD, belt and weights. Members and non-members must provide personal mask, fins, snorkel.
Spread the Word and Bring Your Friends! We want to use this event to get in as many new members as possible, so please spread the word and bring your friends. There will not be another opportunity to join Active Divers for just $25 for the rest of the year.
For more information, please contact Rachel Davis at rachelhancock7@gmail.com or call 786-316-9852.
To register for the event, fill in the form located at Scuba Skills Workshop. You may also prepay for the event and rent equipment on this page, as well. Please note that credit card payments will not be accepted on the day of the event.
When: Saturday, April 6, 2019
Who: Active Divers Association members, prospective members, family, and friends.
Where: Phil Foster Park, 900 Blue Heron Blvd, Riviera Beach, FL 33404
Time: Meet for beach dive at 8:30 a.m., in the water at 9:30, BBQ at noon.
MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN RAFFLE PRIZES. MUST RSVP TO WIN PRIZES
Bring your gently used dive gear for sale or swap at our annual swap meet!! Please note: No warranty is implied or expressed for equipment acquired at this event. The Active Divers Association is not responsible for the safety of functioning of any equipment purchased or acquired during this event.
Contact Lon at 305-251-4975 or lon@diverlon.com to sign up. Deadline is March 30 for RSVP. We will dive the Blue Heron Bridge, named the Best Shore Dive in the US. High tide is at 9:56 so we will meet at 8:30 and plan to get in the water by 9:30. Rachel will lead the shore dive to the best sites at the bridge. Bring all your own gear, tank, weights and a dive flag if you have one. The park has picnic tables, bathroom, and outdoor showers.
We will have the BBQ and raffle, rain or shine. BBQ will include burgers, dogs, chicken, extras and all beverages. There is no fee to enter the park. For shore diving, park near the beach and picnic tables.
New Member Special only $10!
For those who have never previously belonged to Active Divers and newly join Active Divers that day (at a highly discounted rate of $10 for the early season signup) the BBQ will be free! Non-Active Divers members and non-family members may attend but will be asked to contribute $10 for the BBQ. They may also dive, but are not part of the ADA dive group and not eligible for prizes.
Purchase for the new member special and non-member guests may be advance purchase via PayPal by clicking here and following the directions on the website.
We have covered the beach sand and minerals. Now it is a new topic. Who would have guessed the beach could be broken down into such minutiae? I guess those college kids studying this stuff. The gemstones are grains of minerals among the heavier darker elements. The most common is quartz. It may appear as a tiny diamond. But under a hand lens it is foggy, yep, no diamonds here.
Some of the most common are magnetite and ilmenite, which are known as iron oxide and iron titanium oxide, respectively. Rarer ones are epidote and zircon. The average size is less than 0.3 mm, or about 1/64th of an inch. You should be examining this under a microscope, since that is a little small for the best of the eyes. I won’t be doing that since I don’t have one. Once again, we find the origin is the Appalachian Mountains. They become concentrated by heavy waves.
So, this lesson on beaches is fairly easy. Those clumps of dark sand are tiny gemstones and mica. To really appreciate it, you had better be a scientist, or that college student training to be one.
I wouldn't be a bit surprised that if you looked very carefully at this year’s dive schedule, you will find Lon’s official long list of scheduled dives for 2019. Now, if dig a little deeper, you will see that two of those dives (out of South Tavernier) are followed by an Active Divers BBQ: (Sunday, June 23rd and Saturday, August 10 diving the "Duane" ). It just so happens that my house is a stone’s throw away from the dive shop, so following these dives I will be hosting an Active Divers BBQ at my home on the water.
You may pay $10 online when you book either of these dives to cover the food and bring a really big appetite for all sorts of tasty delights. Does $10 sound too much? How about the dive and the BBQ for FREE? Actually, you will work for it by signing up with Lon to buy and prepare the meal. It's still a good deal!!! There will be plenty of camaraderie and sharing of adventures on the dive. Speaking of adventures, I'll have my two-person kayak and paddle board available for anyone with left-over energy.
My home is located at 182 Plantation Avenue, Tavernier, FL 33070 I can be reached at (305) 758-0827 Make sure you call Lon for reservations.
Want your newsletter delivered via snail-mail? Contact the webmaster and request a printed copy. Be sure to put "Active Divers Newsletter" in the subject.
If so, please email or call us with your current information. You may send an email to: Dr. Dan Baeza, Membership Chair at ActiveDiversInfo@gmail.com. You can also call Dan at 954-260-8225 and leave a message with your new contact information.
Active Divers T-Shirts For Sale
Show your pride in the best dive club
anywhere! Sizes small, medium, large, xlarge, xxlarge. Some tank
tops available also. All shirts are $10 each. CALL LON AT
305-251-4975 AND PLACE YOUR ORDER TODAY!. Lon will deliver it to you
on your next dive
Join us for a coral planting dive sponsored by the Coral Restoration Foundation. During the event, you will learn how corals reproduce, participate in hands-on training, and plant corals during a two-tank dive.
For more information, click here.
