“What an absolutely beautiful dive vacation! “

It seems only fitting to start this story with the quote above as it sums up what many of our international divers said about this trip... that this was the best Caribbean dive trip yet! Seventeen divers were booked on this trip but unfortunately, one person missed the trip due to transportation problems. Toucan Divers was the resort’s dive operator and they started out with an orientation and briefing on the marine park rules and the boat diving procedures the evening we arrived.

Bright and early the next morning we sat at our private group table in the concierge area of the restaurant getting some food prior to our 8:00 AM boat departure. Our group was the largest there and we had to split into two groups, one on the “Blue Moon” and the other on the “Green Flash”. Throughout the week we went on many of the same dive sites, but not all. While it would have been nice to be on one large boat, it was actually very pleasant to be in smaller groups on the reefs with less crowding.

After two morning dives, we had lunch and relaxed a bit before going for an afternoon dive on the house reef, 18 Palms. It is absolutely amazing how nice the reefs are in Bonaire just a few feet off shore, and the house reef was no exception. Lots of tropical fish, healthy coral and a squadron of tarpon greeted us that afternoon.

The rest of the week followed a similar pattern: eat, boat dives, eat, shore dive, eat, sleep and repeat! As we started our shore dives it became apparent that every diver had to verify that they brought everything they needed, plus some spare articles to share if needed. One diver forgot to bring a BCD on the first shore dive, but that was easily remedied by a quick trip back to the resort. For many, the highlight of the shore dives was the Salt Pier, which we were able to do as a drift dive in the morning and then as a dusk entry shore dive that evening. It is an actual production pier with ships arriving twice a week to fill with salt for export so you have to know the schedule, since you cannot dive there when a ship is docked. Shown above at right are divers preparing to start the dusk entry on the pier. 

And then an hour later or so you see them starting to come out of the water.

Thousand of pictures were taken and many have been posted on Facebook, YouTube and in various emails of the trip both above and below water. The reefs were the star of the trip and in true Bonaire fashion they were all spectacular- simply no bad dives the entire trip!!

The Plaza Beach Resort and Toucan Divers went all out to make sure we had excellent accommodations, great food, entertainment and personal attention in the concierge area. Quincy was at our service in the dining area and always asked “Do you need anything? Do you have any problems? “. And he took care of everything we brought up!! In all the trips I have planned and run, I got more accolades throughout this trip than any other I have done.

On the last night there, we were honored at a party at the dive shop with our own commemorative “rock” created by the shop that will remain for all to see that the Active Divers were there in 2019!

No trip report would be complete without a group picture so here it is on the right:

It’s going to be hard to top this trip but Dan and I will start shopping for the next great Caribbean adventure soon- any suggestions just send them to me at diverdaryl@bellsouth.net.

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The 2019 Annual Active Divers Dive is filling up!
--by Daryl Johnson

Divers have already booked shore excursion diving for Costa Maya and Roatan and those do have a limited capacity. So if you are interested in going you need to book now, and it is available on the “Sun Drenched Sale” until August 15th. It is a spectacular itinerary on the Sky Princess, the largest and newest ship in the Princess fleet! 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, and it is on sale now for as low as $832! That’s only $119 per day per person for your lodging, transportation, entertainment and all the food you can eat. Try and match that price any other way you can to get to all these dive destinations!!! And again, 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. The low price balcony cabins are already sold out!

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 Divers cruise and make a deposit. That’s it, no muss, no fuss and you will be ready for an outstanding trip with ADA!!

See you onboard!

As those of us Active Divers Association members who participate in our regular Coral Restoration Foundation programs already know, there is one contributing factor accelerating the demise of the world’s coral reefs that can easily be handled. Many harmful chemicals commonly found in sunscreen contribute to the problem. By the numbers, the problem is daunting: 14,000 tons of sunscreen are thought to wash into the oceans each year; 82,000 chemicals from personal-care products are tainting the seas; about 80 percent of corals in the Caribbean have been lost in the last 50 years due to pollution, coastal development, and warming waters. Even if you cannot participate in a coral planting project with us, you can do your part by reading the ingredients on your sunscreen and stopping use of the harmful ones.

When you swim or dive with sunscreen on, chemicals like oxybenzone and octinoxate seep into the water, where they’re absorbed by corals. These substances contain nanoparticles that can disrupt coral’s reproduction and growth cycles, ultimately leading to bleaching. Instead, choose mineral-based sunblocks that use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, which use non nano-size particles that can’t be ingested by corals. Haereticus Environmental Lab publishes a list each year of what sunscreens are safe for the environment, and the Environmental Working Group rates products with SPF values—including some 650 sunscreens and 250 moisturizers—on their environmental impact.

Even if you are only sunbathing and have no intent to jump into the water, these harmful sunscreens are killing the coral. When dozens (or hundreds or thousands) of beachgoers spray on their sunscreen using aerosol spray cans, enough of the spray that misses the target accumulates on the surrounding sand and eventually washes into the surf, killing corals. Also, even if you skip the aerosol and rub on the lotion, the chemicals go down the drain when you shower and work their way into the ecosystem.

Several local, state, federal and international governmental efforts are underway to ban such harmful sunscreens. The City of Key West voted earlier this year to ban the sale of sunscreen containing chemicals that harm coral reefs. The measure, which the City Commission approved in a 6-to-1 vote, will ban sales of sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate. The legislation will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2021. Last year lawmakers in Hawaii passed a bill banning the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate. Hawaii is the first state to pass such a measure, and it also goes into effect as a law on January 1, 2021l.

The Western Pacific nation of Palau has become the first country to ban many kinds of sunscreen, in a move to protect its coral reefs from chemicals that scientists say cause significant damage. Under the ban, which will take effect in 2020, “reef toxic” sunscreen—defined as containing one of ten prohibited chemicals, a list that could grow later—can be confiscated from tourists when they enter the country, and retailers who sell it can be fined up to $1,000. Palau’s President Tommy Remengesau called the ban “especially timely,” saying that a major impetus was a 2017 report that found sunscreen products to be “widespread” in Jellyfish Lake, one of the country’s Unesco World Heritage sites.

Although the current political climate in Washington has been less than ideal for environmental issues, some members of Congress are working to make the ban on harmful sunscreen chemicals a nationwide one. Francis Rooney, a Republican, introduced a bill earlier this year banning the “human use of oxybenzone and octinoxate near coral reefs in National Marine Sanctuary System including the Great Florida Reef found off the coast of the Florida Keys.” He was joined by Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a Democrat, as a cosponsor. Since then, the bill has gained three more cosponsors including U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings. Rooney explained the rationale behind the proposal:

“These chemicals are killing our coral reefs, which are vital to the marine ecosystem here in Florida and around the world,” Rooney explained. “Reefs play a major role in preventing shore erosion and protect coastal wetlands. Their preservation is a key component of our tourism-based economy. I introduced the Defending Our National Marine Sanctuaries from Damaging Chemicals Act to protect these critical areas so that they can be enjoyed and studied for generations to come. It is common sense to prevent the application of these chemicals in National Marine Sanctuaries.” The pending legislative effort follows Rep. Rooney’s earlier proposal to have the U.S. Commerce Department “issue regulations prohibiting the use of sunscreen containing oxybenzone or octinoxate in a National Marine Sanctuary in which coral is present, and for other purposes.”

Do your research before buying a bottle of sunscreen, to find a coral-friendly brand. Or skip the sunscreen altogether. Wearing hats, shirts, and other apparel incorporating UV protection, and staying in the shade will greatly reduce the amount of sunscreen you need. You may not have the time to dive with Active Divers on a coral restoration project, but you can still do your part to help preserve our precious reef system from further degradation as we work to re-grow new corals.

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It sounds like we can figure this out easily enough, but first let's define it. It is a population of some creature (we’ll take fish in this example) that can be removed with the remaining population increasing back to the same size. Therefore, there is a harvest that is there for the taking without any harm to the species. Sounds great, but is it real, isthat how the real world exists?

Some go even further and state it is good to weed out some of the population so the strong will survive and will be better suited for growth. This is very appealing to the people doing the fishing but have you come up with any problems with this magical theory?

Well, for one thing we don’t know the past history of the populations and how they have fared over different timeframes or what caused these differences. What about a natural fluctuation within this species? Is there one or not? What about changes in their environment? Does that matter? How about diseases within the species? Do they have them (i.e.: black plague)? How about a season of heavy hurricanes? Does that affect them?

What about their food supply? And while we are at it, they don’t live in isolation, so does what happen to other species that depend on them for THEIR food supply?

I think you have now noted we cannot take a species out of the whole and make an educated guess on the maximum sustainable yield until we have all this information. But that is exactly what some organizations, the International Whaling Commission for example, have done. Personally, I don’t think that is workable. Time to bury this idea with history and start a new one.

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Dive season is in full swing, and there are some awesome upcoming dives featuring interesting experiences on the Active Divers schedule for 2019. Check out these upcoming dives:

Looe Key And Key West - August 3-4

This is our annual excuse to get down to the lower Keys each year. The Looe Key National Marine sanctuary boasts incredible finger reefs, and the famous Looe Key Resort And Tiki Bar is a Florida Keys tradition offering modest accommodations at reasonable rates with easy access to all of Key West’s famous attractions. For Active Divers, this includes the Vandenburg, one of our best deep wrecks in the Florida Keys. This large wreck complete with swim-through satellite dishes is sure to be a highlight of your trip to Key West.

Islamorada Night Dive - August 17

If you’ve never experienced a night dive before, this is your chance. Many times critters we rarely see during the daylight hours come alive at night. Lobsters walking around in plain view, sleeping parrotfish, crabs, sea stars, large open basket stars and octopus are frequently observed on a night dive. Even if you’ve never tried night diving, our Safety Officers will guide you through.

Goliath Grouper Dive - September 14

Last year I spoke to the legendary Jim Abernathy about the best time to see the annual Goliath Grouper aggregation that occurs in the waters off West Palm Beach. He said the aggregation peaks in the days around the full moon in September. This year the full moon is the day of our dive and we will witness their amazing aggregation. See for yourself in our video from last September’s dive: https://youtu.be/NUt6d8pn224

Spiegel Grove - September 22

This is one of the premier wrecks in South Florida. It’s so large it takes many dives to see it all. Eight down lines reach all parts of this massive wreck. Also check out the Duane (August 11) and the Eagle (October 6) if you like big wrecks.

Blue Heron Bridge - November 16

Lastly, we cap off the dive season with our end of season picnic at the bridge, offering unusual sightings such as a resident batfish, octopus and a plethora of large yellow cushion sea stars. See our video from the first kickoff picnic at the bridge on April 6 this year: https://youtu.be/kpeDAbWD16E

Whatever kind of diving your into, our dive schedule offers something for everyone. See you on the boat!!!

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This week I have the privilege of diving into one of greatest unknown places on our planet. That is our beautiful ocean. Here is Bonaire, the water is clear and clean, the reefs are healthy, and life is plentiful. Something about this beautiful place reminds me of how much we are all connected.

When I dive into the ocean I am a guest. As a guest I need to treat it like I would if I were visiting somebody's home. In a guest's home I would not throw trash on the floor, I would not throw deadly chemicals around, and I would honor all that lived there.

What I do to the ocean I also do to myself. I am sustained by all live. If I think about the concept of the hierarchy of the food chain I realize that the ocean is ultimately what sustains all life on the planet. There is a misconception that, because the ocean is so vast that it cannot be negatively impacted. We have seen that to be wrong. Even the smallest action has a ripple effect upon the entire ecosystem.

As a member of Active Divers I am proud to be part of an organization that cares about the ocean. I am proud that we do see ourselves as guests in this incredible place.

What would life on this planet be like if we were believe that all life here was important? I believe that Active Divers is about much more than having fun in the ocean. It is about respecting this incredible place. And, it teaches us to be respectful of each other. We are all guests in the ocean, and we are all guests in each other's lives. If we treated each other with that same level of respect, the world in general would be a better place.

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It’s that time of year again, so it’s worth packing your dive gear and heading down to the Florida Keys for the annual Coral spawning season. Typically the coral spawn takes place several days after the late summer full moon. The coral spawn can take up to three nights, with the corals on the reef synchronizing the release of sperm and eggs into the water. The spawning can be observed by snorkellers and divers alike, and several dive operators in the Florida Keys run special trips to observe the spawning when it is happening. Interestingly not all the different species of coral spawn at the same time. And each species will spawn individually at a time night when the conditions are optimal. Once the corals have spawned, the eggs and sperm will float around in the sea for up to two months before settling on the sea floor to start forming a new coral polyp. The event is studied by scientist every year to gain a better understanding of coral reefs, and how there reproductive cycles. You can find out more about dive operators in Florida here, or check out a video about some of the scientific work done during the spawn below.

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