- FREE BBQ, FREE DIVE!! PRIZES
- Looking For a Good Time?
- The Florida Underwater Marine Sanctuary
- Diving Gives Me a Headache
- Top 10 Reasons to Do A Scuba Refresher Course
- Moonwalking
- Scuba Gear Manufacturer Recalls
- Free Educational Classes
- Join the ADA Polar Bear Club
- A Scary Story
- Divers Alert Network Evenomation
- The Pirate
- Newsletter Delivery Options
- Email or Address Change?
- T-Shirts For Sale
- ADA Guidelines and Policies
When: Saturday, April 8, 2017
Who?: ADA members, prospective members, family and friends.
Where: DR. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson (formerly: John U Lloyd State Park), Jetty Pavillion, 6503 N. Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, Florida 33004 1.5 miles north of Sheridan St. on A1A
Time: Park opens at 8:00 AM. Meet for beach dive at 9:00 AM, BBQ at noon.
MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN RAFFLE PRIZES. MUST RSVP TO WIN PRIZES.
Bring Your Dive gear for Sale or Swap!!
Call Lon at 305-251-4975 to sign up, deadline April 5th for RSVP. For beach diving, bring all your own gear and a dive flag if you have one. The reef is about 100 yards off shore. It’s a great surface swim out, or dve in close and enjoy the reef. The pavilion has covered shelter, very nice bathroom, showers, and changing room. We will have the BBQ and raffle, rain or shine. BBQ will include burgers, dogs, chicken, extras and all drinks. A small fee is charged to enter the park ($4 for single occupancy vehicles, $6 for 2-8 persons per vehicle), free parking at the pavilion.
ADA BBQ, Raffle, and Beach Dive: $10
For those who have never previously belonged to ADA and newly join ADA that day (at a discounted rate of $35 for the early season signup) the barbeque will be free! Current ADA members pay only $10 per person and includes the lunch, raffle, and optional beach diving. Non-ADA 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 may be via the PayPal button at right.
--by Daryl Johnson
Our
Grenada International Dive Trip is nearly
full.
Click
here for details, or to reserve your space
today.
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A GREAT DIVE TRIP BUT DON”T
HAVE ANYONE TO GO WITH???
We have room for a single lady and a single man!!!!The
ADA 2017 Caribbean Dive Trip to Grenada, West Indies is
July 8-15, 2017. We will stay at the True Blue Boutique
resort, which has received rave reviews on Trip Advisor
(tripadvisor
review) and diving with Aquanauts.
Here is what the package includes:
Seven nights
accommodations, airport round trip transfer, continental
breakfast, Free Rum punch party, Free use of
non-motorized water sports, Free shuttle to Grand Anse
Beach, Free Nitrox 30%, Free Après Dive Rum punch, Free
Wi-Fi access, all taxes and service charges. Dive
packages include tanks & weights for 5 days of two
tank diving, Marine Park fees. All of this for $1399 per
person, double occupancy (single room is higher and we
will match single divers up to share rooms where
possible).
Flights (Not included) are running anywhere from $560 to $750 as of this writing out of Miami and American Airlines has a direct flight from Miami. These will likely go on sale in the April to May timeframe.
So get ready for another amazing ADA dive trip by clicking the link below to put down your $100 deposit now! Final payment will be due April 1, 2017 and must be made by check.
See you there!
The Florida Underwater Marine Sanctuary
As early as 1864, Florida established units of protected land subsequently growing into what is now known as the vast Florida State Park system. Hunting, livestock grazing, and timber removal was not permitted, and all plants and living things were protected within the borders of all established Florida State Parks.
In 1960, President Dwight D. Eisenhower established the first underwater State park. The park was named after John D. Pennekamp (1897-1978), editor of the Miami Herald, who was the main driving force behind selecting the underwater area as a State park. His frequent powerful articles expressed the urgent need for reef conservation, as well as educating his readers on the fragility of the coral ecosystem within Florida waters.
In 1975, President Richard Nixon designated the “Key Largo” National Marine Sanctuary managed by the US Department of Commerce through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The sanctuary had become one of the most popular diving destinations in the world. The sanctuary not only involved the protection of 100 square miles of Key Largo reefs and all its abundant marine life, but it also included all historical shipwrecks within its parameters, creating a divers paradise.
Apparently, I am not the only one to get them. Mine, I’m sure, are from not eating because I don’t like to get sea sick. Of course, this is my medical analysis given without the benefit of any training. But let’s take a more authoritative approach on this subject.
There is the carbon
dioxide headache, which is the most common one
encountered when diving. This is from the buildup of
carbon dioxide which stimulates the brain’s blood
vessels, and is caused by shallow breathing. Okay, let’s
not do that.
Tension headaches result from the stress of diving. But I really don’t understand why, because diving totally relaxes me in every way. The real world is now before me and I enjoy every minute of it. Even those exciting things, which are the going wrong ones (lost weight belt at 60 feet, out of air, etc.), relax me in a perverse way. In fact, I find them most interesting, and any headache you should have had will disappear with this new problem that supersedes your minor headache. This is due to that bigger event taking over the smaller one. Ever notice when you have an injury, and one part really hurts, and that seems to be the only thing you notice? Until that injury heals and then you notice you may have injured another part because that is hurting now? But these usually happen to the first timers, not us tough ADA divers. (Editor’s Note: Tension headaches, either underwater or on land, are caused by involuntary muscle contractions in the head and neck. When scuba diving, you tend to use muscles not normally used, holding your head at a near 90-degree angle from a horizontal position to look ahead as you propel yourself forward. Also, you employ little-used muscles when you are waiting to jump into the water, and when you are lifting yourself into the boat after the dive, the 45 to 70 pounds of equipment pulling at your spine tends to put a lot of stress on the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles controlling your head and neck movements. --Dr. Dan)
Migraine headaches after a dive could indicate DCS (decompression sicknes). If the diver has a history of migraines, then it is different and the usual Doctor advice applies. (“Doctor, this hurts when I do this.” The doctor replies, “Don’t do that.” Why do I bother going to see them, then?). So, “don’t dive” is the typical medical advice in this case.
Top 10 Reasons to Do A Scuba
Refresher Course
No. 6 will surprise you!
Dive season is right
around the corner so it's time to start thinking about
servicing your equipment, getting your tanks inspected,
and more importantly, taking a scuba skills refresher course.
Here are our Top 10 Reasons:
- It's been a long time since last season. Skills get rusty during the off season and with the passage of time we tend to forget what to do in certain emergency situations. A refresher course allows your mind to be sharp and your reflexes automatic.
- We want to make our mistakes in the pool, not in the ocean. While we're refreshing, it's better to get pesky mistakes out of the way in the safer pool environment, rather than in the ocean.
- There is always something new to learn. Many of our members have reported that no matter how many years they have been diving, they always learn something new at our Scuba Skills Tune Up event. With our Safety Officers presenting on a variety of topics, there is always something new to learn.
- Refresher courses reduce anxiety. Sharpening your water skills reduces anxiety for the next time you dive in the ocean, allowing for maximum enjoyment.
- Refresher courses help you to remember what to do in an emergency. Emergency procedures need to be top of mind and instantaneous in the water should they occur. Knowing the sign for out of air can alert your buddy immediately to your predicament and could save your life.
- New ADA members receive a free 2017 membership to ADA at the Scuba Skills Tune Up event on May 13th with the $25 paid admission.
- Diving requires a lot of important information to be retained. Diving is easy, but being a safe and knowledgeable 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.
- You can meet new dive buddies. Other safety-conscious divers will also be attending the refresher course. You can meet new friends and fellow diving enthusiasts to dive with in the future.
- Different instructors provide different perspectives. You may learn new tips and tricks from being exposed to a different diving instructor than the one who certified you.
- Lon brings lunch! All attendees of our ScubaSkills Tune Up event on May 13th will receive free poolside lunch courtesy of ADA!!!
Click here for complete details on our upcoming event.
--by Lenora Bach
The Active Divers Association went on a dive trip from February 17 through 20 to Crystal River, Florida. One of the suggested cavern dives was the Blue Grotto, near Williston, Florida. At the Blue Grotto Cavern, the group descended to 90 feet, swimming through a tight passage. Upon emerging, there is a ledge jutting from the side of the grotto..
credits: Juliana Bach - Moonwalking
GoPRo Video by Joshua Escalona
Lon Von Lintel and Lee Wood demonstrated “moonwalking”. Essentially, you remove your fins, inflate your BC and invert yourself. The inflation in the BC's bouyancy forces your feet to the ceiling of the ledge. This is also known as the inverted position and be practiced in open water too. You hover with perfect buoyancy upside down. Click on the photo to see the Moonwalking video.
From a diver’s perspective, it looks and feels awesome. It is like you are just hanging out in space. Isolated air pockets travel up your wet suit to your feet. Air bubbles appear to go down, not up.
Astronauts practice
the inverted position in deep tanks at NASA’s Neutral
Buoyancy Laboratory because it simulates conditions very
close to the weightlessness of space.
Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) located at the Sonny Carter Training Facility near NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, While being underwater isn’t exactly like being in space, it’s similar enough to provide important training so astronauts are mentally and physically ready.
Those of you lucky divers who always buy your gear off-the-shelf, brand new from a full service dive shop are probably notified when some piece of gear you purchased is recalled by the manufacturer.
And if you religiously read the scuba magazines, you probably would notice if the safety or reliability of a piece of gear you bought recently has been questioned.
What about the rest of us, who sometimes buy and use pre-owned gear long out of warranty? How can we be assured of knowing that our gear we trust with our lives is safe? Once in a while it is a good idea to run an internet search to check on recent recalls of gear you own, or are thinking about buying.
Here is a sampling of some major recalls over the last year or so:
Zeagle Buoyancy Compensators. Zeagle has notified the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that it is voluntarily recalling all Grace and Element BCs Zeagle learned that the welded seams of the buoyancy bladder may weaken prematurely with use and leak air suddenly causing loss of flotation, causing a drowning hazard. Affected units: All Zeagle Grace and Element BC’s.
You can find more information at: http://www.zeagle.com/recall
Hello reef lovers! If you've ever seen a reef critter and couldn't quite give it a name... these classes are for you! In April for Earth Month, as part of the Baynanza series of events, we are hosting a series of free identification classes that will teach you to recognize everything you see on the reefs you love! Spaces are limited, and are on a first come first serve basis. Pease RSVP to coral@dep.state.fl.us today!
Yes, some ADA members do swim in the winter time. It is not just above freezing, but some would say it is too cold for anything in the water. Actually, the pool water is heated to 85 degrees and even on chilly days, it is toasty. Join us and get ready for our 2017 dive season.
WHO: anyone, members and even non-members, who want to condition those swim muscles.
WHAT: swimming and snorkeling, burning a few calories, and enjoying the sun outdoors. Bring your mask, fins, and snorkel.
WHERE: A.D. Barnes pool, 3401 sw 72 av., Miami. Just off the Palmetto Expressway. 305 665 1626
WHEN: noon to 1 p.m., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
COST: $1.50 for seniors, others $2.50.
The current trajectory of the world’s fisheries is unsustainable. By 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish by weight. But all is not lost, at least I don’t think so. Recall when we were running out of whale oil and the earth was going to be plunged into darkness because we weren’t going to have that fuel to light the laterens. Oh, wait that was a previous life. But it is true. What happened? Oil.
Currently, around 30-35% of marine habitats have been destroyed or overused. The dead zones around the world are expanding. Recall last year when the West Palm area got hit bad by the red tide? A little close to home, huh?
I was actually diving at the Blue Heron bridge that weekend. Surprisingly it was open but Peanut Island (100 yards away) was closed. That didn’t comfort me. Well, no one got sick in our group.
The oceans are poorly managed but, given that every country is desiring to maximize their own benefit, how could it not? What may be needed is a global agenda. But since we can’t get along with our own neighbors I don’t see that working. Heck, sometimes we don’t get along with others on the same boat. Maybe I just have a bad attitude and need an adjustment. Big brother always knows best or so we are led to believe until the story comes out how the elite were benefiting from their position. But that has been going on since the birth of mankind.
We could look to Norway. Their model is working and successful. It is a cohesive science-business interface. Glad to hear something works. Here’s hoping.
Divers Alert Network Evenomation
Envenomation occurs when venom or toxin enters the body via a bite, puncture, or sting from a venomous animal. While rare, these injuries can be life threatening and may require a rapid first aid response. Learn about venomous marine life in DAN’s Hazardous Marine Life Online Reference Booklet.
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.
Want your newsletter delivered via snail-mail? Contact the webmaster and request a printed copy. Be sure to put "ADA Newsletter" in the subject.
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
--Submitted By: Jerry Kosakowski
A Pirate walked into a bar, and the barman said, "Hey, I haven't seen you in a while. What happened? You look terrible."
"What do you mean?" said the Pirate, "I feel fine."
"What about the wooden leg? You didn't have that before.."
"Well," said the Pirate, "We were in a battle, and I got hit with a cannon ball, but I'm fine now."
The barman replied, "Well, OK, but what about that hook?....What happened to your hand?"
The Pirate explained, "We were in another battle. I boarded a ship and got into a sword fight. My hand was cut off. I got fitted with a hook but I'm fine, really."
"What about that eye patch?"
"Oh," said the Pirate, "One day we were at sea, and a flock of birds flew over. I looked up, and one of them pooped in my eye."
"You're kidding," said the bartender. "You couldn't lose an eye just from bird poop."
"It was my first day with the hook." replied the Pirate.